Page 124 of Take Me Home

“Any time now,” I call out to him, the three of us waiting.

He gives Carter one more kiss before he joins our circle. “You just wait until it’s your turn.”

The thought of that terrifies me as much as it excites me. Seeing Penny become a mother? Something I can only dream of. The idea of me being a father?

Fucking hell.

“That’ll be a sight,” Nikolai chuckles. “Just think of how much he’ll harass the doctors. Poor bastards won’t know what’s coming for them.”

He’s not wrong, but I don’t need to be thinking about future potential children right now. Not as we’re about to step out onstage for the first time together in years.

The gravity of this moment, the culmination of everything that we’ve been through not only in the last two yearsas we’ve learned how to make music together again and create this new album, finally sinks in.

The air around the four of us grows still, as if even the universe is holding its breath at this moment.

Nikolai holds his arms out to his side. The motion makes my chest seize. It seems to have the same impact on my brothers.

We never thought we’d have this moment again.

And here we are.

Like puzzle pieces falling into place, I step up to Nikolai’s left, Hayden stepping up to his right. My arm wraps around his shoulder, and Walker steps under my other. The four of us create our little bubble, like we’ve done since we were teenagers playing in bars. We huddle close, blocking out everything else except for us.

There’s a few moments of silence as we take it in. The last time we were doing this pre-show huddle, we thought it’d be the last. The anger, the tears, the nostalgia, the disappointment…it was suffocating.

There’s none of that tonight.

Only pride, only excitement, only relief at being back arm in arm, side by side, just how it’s always been meant to be.

Nikolai’s blue eyes shine as he breaks the silence. “Well, here we are.”

“Our fifth album,” Hayden muses. “I never thought it’d happen.”

“I never thought we’d be onstage together again.” Walker swallows thickly, face soft as he looks around our little bubble.

“We’ve come a long way. And this is just the start of a new chapter for us.” Nikolai squeezes my shoulder. “I’m fucking proud of us.”

My throat grows tight as I look at my brothers. The crowd grows restless, their murmurs traveling all the way back to where we hide in the wings. I peeked out there earlier as people were arriving. Even though Arun told us the show is sold out tonight, as well as every other show we currently have on the books for this year, I had to see it with my own eyes.

The fact that people are showing up for us, years after we announced our breakup, and are ready to welcome us with open arms again…

“I’m proud of us, too,” I manage to get out. “It hasn’t been an easy road to get here, but I wouldn’t be here with anyone else besides you three.”

Hayden’s mouth curves into a broad smile, the air around him lighter than I’ve ever seen. So long gone is that dark, haunted gloom he wore like a second skin. “Same here. I only ever want to know what it’s like to share a stage with you guys.”

The other two nod their agreement as the lights dim. The crowd roars from the curtain beyond, an electric buzz traveling through the stadium. Our intro begins playing, a heavy bassline that rattles my ribcage.

Nikolai grins. “Now let’s get out there and show that Whisper Me Nothings is back, and better than fucking ever.”

We break apart and face the stage. Hayden shrugs on his bass, Walker bounces on his toes, drumsticks in hand, and Nikolai smoothes the front of his shirt.

Just before we step out, I take the time to break focus and glance over my shoulder. Just long enough to find her.

Penny stands with the rest of our partners, hands cupped to her chest. Her red hair cascades down her shoulders. Even in the darkness, I can see the glimmer in hereyes. Excitement for me, for what this moment means, pours out of her.

She gives me a small nod, but it’s everything I need in this moment. To see her standing there with my brothers’ partners, all there to support us not only on this new night, but new chapter, means more to me than I’ve ever fucking deserved.

Without her, none of us would be here. I wouldn’t have been able to repair these relationships if it wasn’t for her.

This night, this performance, might be for the fans just as much as it’s for us. But in my mind, it’s all dedicated to her.

I turn back to my brothers.

Walker looks down the line at us. “Ready?”

I push my shoulders back, gearing up to be blinded by the lights. “Let’s fucking do this.”

And together, the four of us as one, we step onstage again.

THE END