John's eyes shot open when he heard the distinct Skillet ringtone blaring through the car. He dug around in his deep pockets and pulled his new birthday present (a sleek black iPhone 6) from his pocket and smiled weakly when he saw who the caller was. He couldn't help but stare at the photo that was on the screen: a large Brit with a thick brown beard and dark hair to match who was lying across a tan couch. He wore gray sweatpants with a long sleeved shirt and a beanie to match. The man's black long sleeved shirt was ridden up a bit on his hip, showing off a bit of his defined abs and V-Line. One hand was resting on the top of the couch while the other tugged the beanie down across one of his eyes. His bright white smile made the picture whole, and it was perfect.
John quickly slid his finger across the screen before the call ended and pressed the phone to his ear. He heard the big man on the other side of the line sigh out of relief.
"Hey Handsome," Wade laughed weakly. The room he was in was quiet. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I've only called you about 6 times tonight," The anger in his accent made John smile. But he knew better than to tell him how much he liked it.
"Sorry. I had meetings after the show so my phone was on silent. I'm on my way back to the hotel now. Is there something important you had to tell me?"
"I was going to tell you I talked to my doctor today," John sat up in his seat, smiling like a kid on Christmas.
"What'd he say?" Wade chuckled darkly.
"Calm down, I'm not cleared yet. But I can start working out again. Now all I need is my work out partner and I'll be squared away," John could feel the excitement in Wade's voice now.
"That's great! As soon as you come back we can start our routine again," The other line fell silent. "Wade?"
"I kind of thought that you'd be coming out here with me so I didn't have to pick up and move all over again," John sighed. He rubbed his hand over his face until it grew clammy.
"That'd be more money and more traveling. We tour more around the U.S.," Wade matched his sigh and began moving around. This, John knew was a bad idea because when Wade began moving around, he always tried to lift and move heavy objects. "Wade sit down."
"Don't tell me to sit down, John! I'm really not in the mood!" Both men remained silent. John's car pulled into the back parking lot of the hotel. He quickly tipped the driver and stepped out, grabbing his bags from the seat next to him.
"Are you still there?" Wade nodded but forgot that John couldn't see him.
"I'm here. It's just-" The Brit sighed. "Minnesota is so damn far away. It's-"
"3,233 miles away," They both finished at the same time. The two couldn't help but laugh at themselves.
"It's been almost 2 months since I've seen you, J."
"If I had it my way I'd see you every fucking night, Wade. But we both know that's not how things around here work," Sometimes Wade hated how logical John was. He also hated how much the man was forced to work, especially around the holidays.
"I hate when you talk to me like I'm a child," John pushed open the door to his suite and walked in, falling onto the large bed. "I need some pizza…" Wade grumbled mostly to himself.
"Well if you were here with me here I could easily buy you pizza," John couldn't help but laugh at the irritated groan he received from Wade.
"It's colder than hell in Minnesota," John ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
"No colder than it is in the U.K."
"We're not really going to fight right now, are we?"
"All I'm saying is that we've been together for 3 years now and all 3 years we've been living apart. And don't you dare say anything about off days because we both know those mean nothing." John bit his lip to keep from letting tears fall.
"We both have our lives where we are, John."
"Exactly! So how can you expect me to give up my home, my life and my work to move across an ocean?!"
"You don't have to stop your work, John. Plenty of superstars manage tours if they live over here."
"I just don't understand why you wouldn't be able to move out here, huh? What's so great about the UK that isn't here in the US?" Wade remained quiet.
"I can get away from it all! ... God, if I need a break from anyone or anything, I can always just fly back home and enjoy my peace and quiet. Alright? Is that what you wanted to hear, John?"
"I'm sorry that you feel you have to get away from me, Wade."
"That's not what I said."
"It's what you meant, though, isn't it? When you're out here with me it's always loud. There's always something going on. But as soon as you get back across the pond, it all stops!" Several minutes passed and both men were still quiet. They each had to check the phone to make sure the other was still on the line.
"It's late over there, John," Wade began with a sigh, "Maybe you should go to bed. Call me when you wake up." Before John could get another word in, the line went dead.
John wiped away a tear that rolled down his cheek as he looked at the lock screen on his phone. It was the same picture of Wade that he'd been staring at earlier. The man looked so happy in the picture. John remembered being happy when he was taking the picture. But ever since Wade's injury, they had been in turmoil. Neither man was the man who the other remembered them to be.
In the U.K., Wade was sitting down at his kitchen table, staring at his own lock screen. On it was him and John reenacting the famous scene in Titanic in which Jack and Rose stood at the front of the boat, Rose's arms spread wide. That was on the carnival cruise that Wade had taken John on for their 2 year anniversary. Their good friend Cody took the picture while the ship was still docked and made sure to immediately send it to Wade. Wade had his arms wrapped around John's waist and his face nuzzled into the man's neck. John's arms were spread wide, his bright blue eyes were closed and his dimples were on full display. The biggest smiles you could ever imagine were plastered on both men's faces. That was one of the last times Wade could remember them being so incredibly happy.
Wade glanced at the clock and rolled his eyes when he saw that it was already 7 o'clock. He stood and grabbed his protein smoothie from the fridge and his car keys off of the table. Taking one last look at his phone, Wade shoved the device into the pocket of his sweatpants and walked out of the house.
A Few Hours Later…
Johnny: You ok…?
Baba: I've been thinking about what you said last night... You're right. I can't ask you to pick up and move your entire life.
Johnny: What are you saying?
Baba: Maybe we need to stay on our sides of the Pond for a bit. Focus on our careers…
Johnny: Are you breaking up with me, Wade?
Baba: I love you, John, I do. But your entire career is put ahead of everything. Including us.
Johnny: I love you, Wade. Don't do this. We are my first priority!
Baba: Work is your first priority right now, Johnny and I respect that. But I can't keep making you my first when I'm not yours. I need to focus on my rehab right now.
Johnny: Wade please…
My Time is Now disrupted the silence in Wade's living room. He watched as his phone vibrated on the coffee table: Once, twice, a third time. He sniffled and wiped away the tears that fell from his already red eyes. The phone rang once more, and then stopped.
It didn't ring again.