Page 39 of Doc Rock
It washours before Sie cried herself to sleep in his arms. He stared down at the woman he loved more than he thoughtit waspossible to love someone, and it tore his heart in two toseeher so broken.
He carefully laid her down in the bed and tucked her under the blanket. He kissed her forehead and crept out of the room to find Donnie.
Their manager was sitting in the living room of the house he'd rented for the band while they were in town. They were supposed to do another two shows here, then continue their tour of arenas around the country.
“I’ve cancelled the next month of concerts,”Donnie said immediately.
Ford nodded gratefully. Donnie was a good manager. He looked out for their best interests as individuals before he looked for opportunities to make the band the greatest in the world—a feat they were lining up to achieve with a sold-out tour of America booked for the next year.
“Thanks. I don’tknowwhat to do.”Ford slumped down into the chair and ran his hand through his hair, grimacing slightly at his own soursmellas he still wore his stage outfit.
They were having a few drinks at the local bar to wind down after the high of their concert when the police came calling. And now Sie’s life was shattered.
He couldn’t believe it.
He didn’t want to believe it.
“How is she?”Donnie nodded his head toward the stairs.
“She cried herself to sleep.”Leaning back, Ford stared up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears that gathered in his own eyes.“It doesn’t seem real.”
“No, it doesn’t,”Donnie agreed.“That’s her whole family, gone.”
Ford didn’t say anything. After they got married, they decided to keep it from everyone. He had been planning on a big proposal at the end of this tour, then having an official wedding with all their family and friends.
He even asked Sie’s dad for permission to propose. He figured she would laugh at him when she found that out, as she wasn’t the kind of woman who needed her father’s permission.
How could he tell her now?Her dad had been so happy to hear the news.
Ford had imagined the party they’d have when they got engaged. Now, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Shit,” Ford swore loudly.
“Beer?” Donnie offered.
Ford shook his head. He couldn’tgetlost in alcohol. Sie needed him at the moment.
Ford wasn’t sure how they made it through the next few months. Sie was either crying hysterically or like a zombie.
He tried to do everything hecouldto support her. He sorted the funeral out with Donnie. Liaised with the police about the accident. He made her life as easy as possible. His heart hurt that they'd lost her parents, who he also loved, but it broke for his wife, who was a shell of a person.
They continued with the tour, Sie mechanically making it through each show. She didn’t interact with anyone but him while they played, and he tried twice as hard to make up for her lack of presence.
“Sie.”Ford walked into the hotel room he'd left her in that morning.
He’d tried to persuade her to come with him, and that time in the fresh air would do her good, but she refused.
He frowned when she didn't reply, and he checked the bedroom of their suite.
“Sie?”
She wasn’tthereeither. The bathroom door was wide open. She wasn’t in the room.
A piece of paper on the hotel’s desk caught his eye.It wasa note addressed to him. His hands trembled as he unfolded it, and he read the words written in Sie’s handwriting.
‘Ford,
I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t live this life. Touring with the band is breaking me. Iknowyou’ll say I should have told you, but I couldn’t, as if I did, you would have left with me. You were born to be a rock star, and I won’t be the one to take that away from you. Please don’t look for me. I hope one day you can forgive me for leaving you.
