Open-Mic Night Returns
"I don't know about this." AJ said, looking in their full-length mirror in the bedroom.
"You look incredible." Punk assured her, "You didn't have to dress up if you didn't want to." He told her.
"I know but it's your big night." AJ shrugged.
"It's an open-mic night." Punk smiled.
"Well, the girls were panicking me when they were talking about outfits all week." AJ sighed stressfully, "I just feel a little out of my comfort zone, that's all." She admitted.
She had red maroon coloured straight leg pants on with a matching buttoned tank top. She enjoyed dressing up differently every day when she went to work, but normally she stuck to sweaters and leggings for comfort.
"April… you look insane. Really." He told her, taking her hands and turning her away from the mirror so she was looking at him. Her hair was bouncy, and her make-up was subtle, and she was the most gorgeous woman ever to him.
"You look pretty handsome, too." She smiled, pressing her hands on his chest. He had some jeans and a button up checked shirt on.
"We scrub up well for sleep deprived twin parents, you know." Punk nodded as she smiled, "You seriously are beautiful." He said, not being able to take his eyes from her.
"Ok, stop." AJ scoffed, getting flustered. Sometimes she still couldn't believe he gave her butterflies, "I don't look out of shape or anything?" She asked him.
"You're more jacked than me." Punk scoffed, "Enough with the silly questions."
"Ok." AJ nodded, looking one more time in the mirror, "Can I take my sandwich purse?" She asked him.
"If it makes you happy." Punk nodded.
"I think it will." She said, crouching down and looking in the cupboard through her purses.
"When are we going?" Rudy huffed, marching into her parent's bedroom. She had pink overalls on over a t-shirt which said 'don't be basic' on it.
"We're going right now." Punk told her, "Where is your brother?"
"I don't know." Rudy shrugged, "Mommy you look pretty."
"Oh, thanks lovebug." AJ smiled, continuing to rummage through her purses.
"Are we going yet?" Thomas asked, stomping into the bedroom, dressed in jeans and a button up shirt identical to his father's. AJ enjoyed buying mini me outfits for him that replicated the things Punk wore.
"Don't we look handsome?" Punk asked Thomas, ruffling his dark shaggy hair around.
"Yeah, we do." Thomas nodded as Punk chuckled.
"Found it!" AJ exclaimed happily, taking the sandwich purse out as Rudy raised a judgemental brow.
"That's a sandwich." Thomas said with confusion.
"Yes, but it's also a purse." AJ explained, opening the zip to show them as Punk smiled. It pleased him to know his children were being raised by a mother who always let her inner child out.
"Can someone make her stop?" Lyla groaned, taking a sip of her tequila and soda whilst a middle-aged woman had taken to the mic and was singing.
"It's so obvious she's divorced." Becca scoffed.
The coffee shop was packed with families, couples and friends enjoying a Saturday night and some entertainment. The more the night had gone on, the more people got the courage to take to the mic. Finn had bossed the food with sliders, nachos and wings for every table and the twins were enjoying playing with Brianna at their own private table in the back with their grandmothers checking in on them.
"You guys are terrible." Shiv shook her head, "She's letting her hair down."
"She should put it back up." Becca said as AJ just chuckled.
They were sat at a table of their own with Nico and Carol who had also come along. The boys had their own table beside them, free to talk about sports and other things they weren't interested in.
"Ok, nobody look." Shiv began, "But Cole has been totally checking you out this whole time." She told Lyla as they all turned around and looked at Cole, "What did I literally just say?" Shiv spat.
"Yeah, he's checking you out." Becca confirmed.
"I'm not interested." Lyla shrugged.
"Why not? He's hot. And you're single." Becca said.
"She has a point." AJ hummed.
"And I'm enjoying being single." Lyla said.
"Oh, ok Virgin Mary." Becca said.
"You two are being civil it seems." Lyla nodded to Shiv, looking over to Daryl who was sat chatting with Punk.
"He's at a different table." Shiv said with confusion.
"Yeah, but couple weeks ago you couldn't be in the same room." Lyla aid.
"She's right." AJ nodded, "It's progress."
"Progress towards what, though?" Shiv asked.
"What do you want?" Becca asked, "Can I ask you something personal?"
"You always ask something personal." Shiv scoffed.
"When was the last time you got laid?" Becca asked curiously as they all looked at her, interested in the answer.
"When do you think?" Shiv rolled her eyes, "You want me to say it out loud?"
"Really? Four years?" Becca asked with sadness.
"Sorry, I was too busy raising a child on my own. Sex wasn't really my priority." Shiv shook her head.
"I can't imagine a life where sex isn't my number one priority." Becca said with realisation.
"There's nothing wrong with that." AJ assured Shiv, "Sex is meaningless if it's with someone you don't care about. Waste of time in my opinion." She said.
"Yeah, you're just saying that. You can call me a loser, it's fine." Shiv shook her head, taking a sip of her vodka and soda.
"You're not a loser." AJ assured her.
"I think it's just going to be co-parenting for us." Shiv nodded, glancing over at Daryl for a moment, watching him laughing and messing around with Punk, which made her smile without realising.
"You don't think you could fix things between you?" AJ asked, "He seems to be doing better."
"I don't know. I think too much has happened. Too much time has passed." Shiv turned back to them, "We're totally different people."
"I don't think you are." Lyla said, "You're right, shit has happened, but… you're still Daryl and Shiv."
"Time heals all wounds." Becca offered, "Maybe just give it a bit more time."
"I don't know if we'd be good for each other anymore, anyway." Shiv shook her head, "There's a lot of resentment there. Me not telling him about Brianna, I mean." She said quickly, although she was really talking about what happened with Craig.
"Don't you think it's something you can work through, eventually?" Lyla asked her.
"I don't know." Shiv said, "That's my honest answer."
"Are you sure Phil won't let me read a smutty chapter from one of my books? I brought my kindle just incase." Becca turned to AJ.
"Oh, I'm sure, sweetie." AJ forced a smile, "And our kids are here." She reminded her as Becca rolled her eyes.
Meanwhile at the boys table, they were having a heated debate about the latest hockey game.
"All I'm saying is, transfer day is coming up and I'd take a goalie." Punk put his hands up.
"Get out of here." Daryl shook his head, "Get a new centre in. Get Bedard outta here."
"You're entitled to a shitty opinion." Patrick nodded to Daryl, "I'm with Phil."
"What's the heat with my boy Knight?" Finn asked.
"I am so glad I don't watch hockey." Cole shook his head, taking a sip of his beer.
"I wish I didn't sometimes." Punk shook his head, "You see many Cubs games recently? That's the only thing I miss about city living." He told them.
"Last one was a couple months ago. I took a date." Cole said.
"To a baseball game?" Daryl asked with disapproval.
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Cole asked.
"No wonder it didn't work out." Punk shook his head, "I wouldn't take that approach if you're wanting to get a certain someone's attention." He said, looking over to the girls table where they were speaking intently with one another.
"Hey, what's your secret, man?" Daryl asked Patrick.
"What do you mean?" Patrick asked. Laid back as ever and enjoying the conversation.
"Becca. She's nuts. And you're… not." Daryl said.
"Becca isn't nuts." Patrick scoffed as they all looked at him with confusion, "Ok, she's a little nuts but… nuttier the better, I think." He shrugged, "And she's the hottest woman I'll ever know."
"That's an acceptable answer." Daryl nodded.
"She has it rough, you know. With her mom." Patrick said, "She's had to look after her all her life, basically. Now I get to look after her. And we just work together. Plus, she fucking loves farming." He nodded happily.
"What's up with her mom?" Cole asked, still a little clueless on the town's finer details.
"She's mentally ill. In and out of hospital for most of Becca's life. She used to have an art shop here in town. Then one day she smashed the whole place up and slit her wrists." Patrick said, "Becca's had a hard time with it."
"Yeah, that sounds rough." Finn nodded.
"Family shit, huh?" Punk sighed.
"How are things going with you and baby mama?" Patrick asked Daryl.
"It's going fine, I think." Daryl said, "We're in the same room right now so… that's progress."
"You're at different tables." Finn rolled his eyes.
"Still progress from a few weeks ago." Daryl said, "I don't know. I just want to concentrate on Brianna. I'm trying not to think too far ahead of myself. Otherwise, I just spiral." He admitted to them.
He'd frequently had chats with AJ throughout the week, often when they were closing the Brewberry up. Getting things off his chest with her had really been helping him in every aspect, and he felt like he was being more open with his own friends now. He certainly felt brighter than what he did at the start of the week, and he was glad he decided to come out tonight. Spending time with his friends was free therapy.
"They're a cute little trio, aren't they?" Punk smiled, looking over to the twins and Brianna who were sat at their table playing games.
"Yeah." Daryl smiled, "Never thought our kids would be similar age." He admitted.
"Yeah, me neither." Punk admitted.
"My mom is keeping Brianna overnight." Daryl said.
"Nico is taking the twins." Punk nodded.
"You realise both your babysitters have had a bottle of wine between them?" Patrick asked, looking over to Nico and Carol who were chatting up a storm over a bottle of wine on the high stools at the counter.
"Let them enjoy it." Punk waved his hand, "I've saw Nico pound two bottles of wine and stay sober." He said, not worried at all.
The night carried on with success. The more alcohol consumed; the more courage people got to sing on the mic. Everyone seemed to have a great time. Punk had to announce they were closing to everyone, just so people would start to leave, which he guessed was a sign of a good night.
Nico and Carol had taken up their grandmother duties and left with the kids earlier. Patrick and Becca had also left.
"Who wants to stay and help me clean up?" Punk asked once everyone had gone apart from their clique.
"Not me." Lyla said immediately, "I'm too sleepy." She said.
"Oh, thanks for the generosity." Punk nodded to her.
"I can walk you home if you like." Cole said, finishing off his beer and putting his jacket on as Lyla looked over.
"No, it's alright. I can walk by myself." Lyla assured him, putting her coat on and hugging AJ and Shiv before leaving the shop.
"You need to up your game." AJ nodded to Cole whilst Shiv headed off to use the bathroom.
"She's a difficult one." Cole scoffed, "Alright, I'm turning in."
"You don't want to help me clean up?" Punk asked.
"No, you'll be fine." Cole waved, "Us drunken bums will just get in your way, right?" He asked, wrapping his arm around Finn's shoulder.
"You're not ditching me too, are you?" Punk asked Finn.
"I'll be honest, Phil… I couldn't think of anything worse right now than cleaning up this place." Finn nodded, a tad drunk and definitely in need of sleep.
"Oh, well aren't you all wonderful friends." Punk shook his head, "I'll remember this." He pointed.
"See ya!" Finn yelled, leaving the shop with Cole which left Punk, AJ and Daryl standing in the middle of the coffee shop, amongst tables, chairs, empty bottles and dirty dishes.
"I'll stay. I don't mind." Daryl nodded.
"Yeah, me too." AJ smiled, patting Punk's back.
"My most loyal. Why am I not surprised?" Punk smiled.
"Oops." Shiv stumbled a little, coming out of the bathroom.
"Where are your shoes?" AJ asked, noticing Shiv had no shoes on.
"Oh, I took them off. My feet hurt." She said, also a little tipsy, stumbling her way over to get her purse and jacket.
"You can't walk home with no shoes on." Daryl said with concern.
"Yes I can. We… We live in a very clean town." Shiv assured him drunkenly as Daryl looked at AJ and Punk with a 'what the hell?' face.
"Why don't you walk Shiv home? Me and Phil can take care of this place." AJ nodded.
"No no no… Shiv can walk herself home." Shiv assured them, trying to put her arm into her jacket, struggling to find the opening.
"Here." Daryl rolled his eyes, "It's like you've gone blind." He said, helping her into her jacket.
"You shut up." Shiv mumbled.
"Put your shoes on." Daryl told her.
"No." Shiv said, "I live just five minutes away."
"And when you stand on a piece of glass or something outside?" Daryl asked.
"Then you can say I told you so." She said.
"I'll walk you home." Daryl said, in no way shape or form was he comfortable letting her walk home alone, "I can come back and help." He told Punk and AJ.
"No, just go home. We'll be fine." Punk assured him.
"Sure?" Daryl asked, turning around and noticing Shiv was pushing the door which was a pull door.
"Sure. Good luck." Punk nodded to him as Daryl shook his head.
"Alright, come on. It says pull." Daryl pointed out to Shiv.
"Oh, ok." Shiv rolled her eyes, pulling the door open and stumbling out as Daryl followed, watching her closely, particularly her feet, terrified that she was going to stand on something sharp.
"Are you ok?" He asked her.
"Yes, stop staring at my feet. Little freak." Shiv shook her head as Daryl laughed a little.
"I'm making sure you don't stand on something sharp." Daryl said.
"No, you just want to look at my feet." Shiv decided as Daryl rolled his eyes.
"I could think of something better to look at than your feet, Shiv." He assured her as she bumped into him, incapable of walking in a steady line.
"Oh, like what?" Shiv laughed a little.
"I can't say. It's not polite." He said.
"Well, you're not allowed to look." She decided.
"How many vodka sodas did you have?" Daryl asked curiously, although he was bargaining on her not remembering.
"No clue." Shiv sighed, "I've not got drunk in… in a while." She admitted, "Remember we used to get drunk in my parent's house?" She laughed a little as she thought about it.
"Yeah, filling up your dad's vodka with water to replace it." Daryl nodded.
"Stupid idiot never even noticed." Shiv shook her head, "And the abandoned church… we used to get drunk there, too. With everyone from school. Pretend like we weren't hooking up with each other." She remembered.
"Yeah and then I'd sneak into your house on the way home." Daryl smiled to himself.
"Christina used to be all over you back then." Shiv nodded, folding her arms, "Should have seen that one coming." She mumbled.
"Shiv." Daryl sighed, "I'm not seeing Christina any more." He reminded her.
"I know I know I'm just… I'm just saying." She shrugged, "Was kinda fun back then to see her all over you and then… then have you in my bed a few hours later." She smiled to herself as Daryl watched her.
"Bless you, you're so drunk right now." He sighed.
"I'm not." She insisted.
"Step." Daryl pointed out to her, taking her arm gently and helping her up the step into her apartment block.
"I had fun tonight." She admitted, "With the girls." She nodded, climbing the stairs slowly with his help.
"It was a good night." Daryl agreed, "You're going to have an awful morning, though."
"Oh, I know." Shiv groaned with realisation.
"Nothing a red bull can't fix." Daryl said, reaching her apartment as she looked in her purse for keys, "You got them?" He asked.
"Don't rush me." Shiv snapped as Daryl smiled a little, "They're here somewhere." She mumbled, continuing to rummage through her purse, "Ha!" She found them, squinting her eyes a little as she pushed the key into the lock.
"Jesus." Daryl couldn't help but laugh.
"Are you laughing at me?" She asked unhappily, stumbling into her apartment.
"No. Never." He said, watching her toss her purse and shoes over in the corner of the hall, along with her jacket.
"Ok, I'm going to bed." She announced.
"I'm going to get you water." He nodded, watching her stumble her way into her bedroom.
He headed through to the kitchen and got a glass out to pour her some water. He knew she'd wake up in the middle of the night and desperately need it.
By the time he got the water and headed into her bedroom, she was lying on top of the sheets, still in her dress, completely passed out with her hair all over her face.
He smiled to himself and walked over, sitting the water on her bedside table, grabbing the blanket from the bottom of the bed, placing it over her and sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her.
He brushed her hair out of her face, finding himself just staring at her for a few minutes. He figured what he felt could only be summed up by yearning. It was impossible to pretend it wasn't.
"Night, Shiv." He said quietly, stroking her cheek softly, reaching over to turn the light beside her bed off when he noticed her necklace wrapped around a framed picture of Brianna. The necklace he'd got her all those years ago when she first went off to college. The one he'd never saw her without until now. Only now it was wrapped around a picture of their daughter on her nightstand.