Fic: Miles To Go Before I Sleep, 1/2, Rated PG
Title: Miles To Go Before I Sleep
Author: courts
Disclaimer: Nope, I asked Cook but he said that Archie was his, sorry. I own nothing. Oh, and I hijacked the title from Robert Frost.
Rated: PG. Sorry, no sexing this time ;-)
Summary: This follows Forever Yours; David finally has to face his fears and tell his family who he really is.
Notes: Okay, we all knew this was bound to happen eventually. I'm back to kicking poor little Archie. Don't worry though, Cookie will kiss him and make it better. Also, I used several songs in this story because they (hopefully) seemed appropriate. The first one is "You've Got A Friend" by James Taylor and the other is "When The Rain Comes" by Third Day. A couple of others are also mentioned, but these two are the only ones I used the lyrics to.
Thanks: To mrs_viola_swamp, without whom I would have probably given up on this story all together. Thanks for helping me talk through every last detail and making me feel better about trashing all of the unnecessary stuff. You're awesome, bb!
Previous Stories:
Gathered Together
The Long Way Home
Forever Yours
-=-=-=-=-
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
--from Stopped by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
-=-=-=-=-
David Archuleta looked out the window of his father's car and struggled not to sigh. It was a Friday afternoon and his father, Jeff, had just picked him up from the airport in Salt Lake City. They were heading back to Murray, back to the house where David had grown up.
He'd tried to tell his dad that it wasn't necessary for him to drive out to get David. The young man argued that he could easily rent a car, or even just catch a cab to go the short distance to his family home. His dad had insisted, though, and David had conceded defeat, not really in the mood to argue about transportation anymore that day.
He'd lost a similar argument that morning, this one regarding how he would get *to* the airport and this one waged with his boyfriend, David Cook. Cook wanted to drive David himself and David had insisted that he would just get a cab. "I don't want you getting up early and getting in traffic and everything. It's just a waste," he'd said. As usual, though, Cook didn't listen to his protests when he thought that what he knew was best.
"I want to, Archie," he said as he gripped David's shoulder. "You're going to be there for a week and I want to at least get to spend that extra hour in traffic with you, okay?" David found himself sighing, then, and nodding as he gave in to Cook's wishes.
It wasn't even true, really. David was only going to be gone until Sunday night, which was hardly a week. His younger sister, Jazzy, was having a party to celebrate her sixteenth birthday and, even though her actual birthday had been three weeks before, she had postponed the party until her big brother could make it. It wasn't like David could have gotten out of the trip, even if he'd wanted to.
The truth was, David had always loved coming home. Even with his busy schedule after Idol, he still tried to make it back to Utah every couple of months or so. This time, though, it had been nearly five months since the last time he'd returned and David was starting to think he should have waited a little longer.
Coming out to his parents was not going to be easy. David had pretty much known that he was gay for as long as he could remember, but he'd never actually considered telling anyone. Not, at least, until Cook came along. David smiled to himself as he thought about his boyfriend. Thinking about Cook seemed to be the only thing that was keeping David sane through all of this.
It wasn't really that he knew things were going to go bad. He knew that there was definitely that possibility, but it wasn't a foregone conclusion, even to David himself. He knew that his family loved him and, despite their religious beliefs, he felt like that love would transcend anything that he could throw at them.
Then again, there was always the chance that things would go the other way. And David was going into this with the knowledge that he could, possibly, lose them all this weekend. It was that thought that had his stomach tied in knots.
Since Jazzy's party was that evening, David had decided it was only fair to wait until after the festivities to break his shocking news. He'd decided to do it the next night, Saturday, as his family had decided that they would all stay home and spend the night in, just like old times. David would have been looking forward to getting to be with all of them, if he hadn't been so terrified that it might be the last time.
Cook had tried his best to get David to agree to let him come with him on this trip. He knew how freaked out David was and that he was barely hanging on to his sanity through all of this, but David had told him no. The younger man knew that this was something that he had to do on his own. He loved Cook for wanting to protect him from being hurt, but David had to go this alone if he was ever really going to face the truth.
When they arrived in Murray and pulled into the familiar driveway, David looked up at the house he'd always thought of as home. It was funny, he thought, seeing it now and not feeling that feeling for the first time in his life. Home wasn't this modest house on this suburban street anymore. Home was in Los Angeles, in the hills of Hollywood, in a house that was just about as different from this one as it could possibly get. Home was with Cook, and David knew now that it always would be.
"Okay doke, kiddo, here we are," Jeff said as he opened the driver's door and got out, going around to the trunk to grab David's suitcase. David took a deep breath and opened the car door, knowing he couldn't run anymore.
"Hey Davey, are you okay, son?" his dad asked and David just nodded mutely. He was still lost in thought for a second, still turning over in his mind what was about to happen, what he was about to do. The slamming of the trunk brought him back and he turned to his father and smiled.
"Yeah, Dad, I'm good," David said.
His dad returned the smile and, slinging the strap of David's duffel bag over his shoulder, walked over to put his arm around the younger man's shoulder. Giving his arm a squeeze, Jeff said, "It sure is good to have you home."
-=-=-=-=-
It was only the second weekend in May, so Amber and Jazzy, David's youngest sisters, were still at school when they arrived just after lunchtime. Daniel, who was a freshman at Brigham Young, would be coming home from school for the weekend and hadn't gotten in yet and his mother was out at the market so David and his dad returned to an empty house.
"I'll call Claude and tell her we're here. She said she wanted to know the second that you arrived," Jeff said as he set David's bag on the living room floor and walked towards the telephone mounted to the kitchen wall. Claudia, the oldest of the Archuleta siblings, was married and lived just a few streets over from their childhood home with her husband and two-year-old twin girls. She and David had always been close growing up, so he was excited to see her.
"I'm gonna go put my bag upstairs," David called to his father.
"Okay, you know where your room is," he replied with a smile as he put the phone to his ear and greeted his oldest daughter as she answered on the other end of the line.
'My room,' David thought. He walked up the stairs and down the hall to the second door on the left, staring at the plain wood door and imagining the time warp that awaited him on the other side. He turned the knob and pushed into the room, seeing exactly what he had expected. There were two beds in the room; the house had four bedrooms so he and Daniel had always shared. The little girls had bunked together as well, leaving Claudia the only one who truly got her own space. David had never minded; he'd always been good at sharing.
The room hadn't changed since he'd seen it last. In fact, if he really thought about it, it hadn't changed since he was thirteen. There was a bookcase in one corner that held Star Wars action figures and a homemade model of the solar system intersperse with books about dinosaurs and Harry Potter and half a dozen different atlases. David had always liked geography.
There was a Utah Jazz poster on one wall, an 8x10 promo glossy of the American Idol season seven finalists tacked up on the wall opposite. David ran his finger over Cook's face in the picture and wished not for the first time that the older man were with him.
David made his way over to the twin bed that had been his. Hefting his duffel into the corner, he sank onto the thin mattress with its navy blue comforter and thought about the boy he had been when this really was his home, his room. It felt like a million years since that time and David sighed as he tilted his head back to look at the little phosphorescent galaxies that he and Daniel had stuck carefully to the ceiling overhead. He was still trying to find Orion when he heard a knock at the bedroom door.
"Yes, come in," he called and it felt strange to say that here, in this room that belonged to a kid who no longer existed.
Claudia stuck her head in and smiled as she said, "Hey baby brother." He returned the grin and beckoned her inside, standing up to wrap her in a warm hug. Although Daniel was actually younger, Claudia had long ago christened David her 'baby brother' since he was always small for his age and, he could admit, always a little bit naive about the world. It had never bothered David for her to say it, because he and Claudia had always had a special bond. Of all of his siblings, he was by far the closet to his older sister.
"I've missed you, Davey," she said as they embraced. She was shorter than David, only about 5'6, with similar coloring and the same wide, hazel eyes. She had a crooked smile and white teeth, her hair worn straight and brushing her shoulders. In the five months since David had seen his sister, she hadn't changed a bit. He felt good knowing that some things were still just as he remembered.
"Where are the kids?" he asked. Claudia had gotten married a year after high school to a guy she'd met in college. They had two little girls named Katie and Kara, both with the same olive skin and raven hair as David and his siblings. They'd turned two in March and David wondered if they would even remember him.
"My neighbor Scarlet is watching them," she said. "I wanted some time to catch up with my baby bro." She smiled again and sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting for David to sit down beside her. "So, how's Hollywood?" she asked.
David shrugged and said, "It's good, you know, busy."
"Yeah?" she asked and David knew that he should have known this would happen. As weird as it sounded for a teenaged boy, David had grown up having his big sister as his best friend and closest confidante. As a result, Claudia knew him pretty well. And she could always tell when her brother wasn't telling her the whole truth. "You don't want to talk about it?" she questioned, and he could have just said no. She would accept that answer, at least for the time being. But, David thought that maybe talking to Claudia would be a good place to a start.
He sighed and flopped back onto his back, his eyes going back to the pale green shapes overhead. "I didn't just come home for Jazzy's party," he confessed. Claudia leaned back as well, both of them laying side by side across the bed with their feet dangling over the edge and staring up at the long forgotten stars. "I . . . there's something that I have to tell everyone," he said.
"Do you want to tell me first?" Claudia asked, her eyes never straying from the ceiling and David was grateful for that. He could maybe get the words out if he didn't have to concentrate so much on their effect.
"I'm living with someone," he said softly. Claudia didn't say anything, seeming to sense that there was more. "It's . . . it's not a woman."
There was silence and David started to wonder if he'd said the words after all. Surely Claudia had some reaction to his confession. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity had passed, she reached over and laced her fingers through his, pulling their hands up into the air between them and watching as they swung to and from in the space there. "I think I always knew that," she admitted.
That surprised him and David leaned up onto his side, facing Claudia as he said, "What? What do you mean you knew?"
Claudia just shrugged and turned on her side to face David as well. "Not like I was sure and not like there was really any evidence or anything . . . I just know you, that's all. It was just a feeling I had, I guess. No one else knows," she added, seeming to sense that this might be his fear.
"So . . . do you hate me?" he asked her and David knew that he sounded like a five-year-old who had just tracked mud onto the freshly cleaned carpet, but he couldn't help it. He needed her to say that it was okay, that she was still his big sister and he was still her baby brother and nothing was going to change that. Of everyone in his family, David knew that he needed her approval the most.
"Davey . . ." she said. "Good grief, of course I don't hate you. I never thought any less of you," she said surely. "I do worry about you, that you're facing an uphill battle in your life," she admitted. "But, I think it's your life and you should live it how ever makes you happy." She turned her lips up in a half smile and clasped his hand again. "Does he make you happy?"
It was David's turn to smile then, his face splitting into a grin that encompassed both joy and relief as he told her, "Yeah, Claude, he really does."
She told him that she was glad he was happy, then proceeded to pump him for information about this mystery man. After hedging for a bit, David finally admitted that his boyfriend was, in fact, David Cook.
"You're making that up!" she squealed. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe it!" She sounded eerily similar to the way she had when talking about Orlando Bloom when they were in high school and David was suddenly quite sure that his sister read People magazine and knew very well who had been voted the Sexiest Man Alive. She sighed and said, "Leave it to you to snag the biggest hottie on the planet. You just can't do things halfway, huh?" She was giving him a hard time and he giggled as he blushed at her words.
"Hey, Davey . . . I want you to know that I'm proud of you," Claudia said and the shift in her tone was evident. She was no longer his teasing big sister; now, she was, as she had always been, his biggest supporter. "You've got me, kid," she said and he knew it was a promise. He smiled again and wrapped his arms around her in a forceful hug.
-=-=-=-=-
When their mom returned from the market, both David and Claudia made their way down to help bring in the groceries. His mother was extremely excited to see him, gushing about how he'd grown since Christmas and that was totally not true. He was exactly the same height he'd been six months before, but David didn't dispute her. He secretly wondered, in fact, if the change that his mother was seeing in him was more something internal rather than something to do with his outward appearance and he was content to let her see what she wanted for a little bit longer.
After the food had all been put away and Lupe had insisted on making them both a sandwich, the three of them sat and talked for a while. They caught up on each other's lives and David almost instantly felt that familiar sense of belonging that he'd always felt around his family. He found himself trying not to think that it might be the last time he'd ever truly feel this way with them.
By the time that Claudia had to leave to go and pick the twins up from her neighbor's house, David was beginning to feel the emotional strain that had followed him all week. He yawned loudly, despite himself, and his mother took immediate notice.
"You're tired, sweetheart?" she asked with concern.
"I'm okay, Mama, it's just been a long day," he told her. He really was exhausted, but he was also enjoying spending time with her. He wasn't ready for it to end just yet.
His mother, though, was having none of that. She stood from the kitchen table where they'd been chatting and walked around to stand behind her oldest son. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she gave him a squeeze and said, "You look worn out, baby. Why don't you go and take a nap before the party starts?"
"Mama, I'm fine," David protested, but Lupe just shook her head.
"Don't argue with your mother," she said, already pulling him to his feet and turning him to face her. She placed her open palm against his cheek and looked up at him, smiling. "My beautiful boy," she said softly. "I miss you so much."
David looked down at his mother and a sad smile curved his lips. "I love you, Mama," he told her and his mother nodded, returning the smile.
"Sleep now, baby. We've got the rest of the weekend to talk."
David turned for the door and walked upstairs with a heavy heart.
-=-=-=-=-
He hadn't actually meant to fall asleep. He'd gone up to his old bedroom with the intention of just lying down and thinking for a while until the girls got home from school. But, apparently, he was more exhausted than he thought. He'd focused in on the stars overhead and thought about Cook, about how much he wished he were there with him . . . and the next thing that David knew, he was waking up to the sounds of teenaged girls squealing. In his line of work, that was a sound he would know anywhere.
Picking up his watch from the nightstand, he saw that it was after 3pm, so he'd been asleep for about an hour and a half. He still felt a little groggy as he rose from the bed and stretched, tempted to just crawl back down into sleep and try to wish the weekend away.
He wouldn't, though. He was actually really looking forward to seeing his little sisters and the rest of his family, especially on this, the night when they would still be a family for sure. He didn't know how Saturday was going to turn out, so he'd remember every second of Friday.
As soon as David entered the living room, Jazzy ran over and jumped at him, nearly knocking him down as she flung her arms around his neck. "Davey!" she squealed. "I'm so glad that you're here!"
David hugged her back and smiled. "Me, too, Jazz. Happy birthday."
"Thanks," she beamed. "Did mom tell you that I got my drivers permit? Daddy even let me drive us to school a couple of times this week. I mean, he was in the car, but still."
Smiling at his sister, David replied, "That's really cool." Jazzy was always exuberant and loud, the life of the party. She had a tendency to attract all attention in the room to herself. Not in a bad way, really, just in a way that was hard to compete with sometimes, especially for her younger sister. David looked around Jazzy to see Amber standing by quietly, smiling up at David as she waited her turn for a hug.
"Come here, Amby," he beckoned and the girl stepped forward, letting David envelope her in his embrace.
Amber was two years younger than Jazzy; she'd turned fourteen in March. And, though all of the Archuleta children shared the same coloring and similar facial traits, Amber was the one who most closely resembled David himself. She was small for her age, just as he had been. Her raven locks were worn long, but were forever tied back in a low ponytail that trailed down her back. She had a shy, sweet smile and big expressive eyes that their mother had always said were identical to David's. She claimed that both children had inherited these traits from their great-grandmother, who had died before the children were born.
Whatever the source, the resemblance proved to be more than skin deep, running even to their personalities and musical talents. Amber was the only one of David's siblings who shared his deep love of music. It had always been a strong bond between them.
"I missed you, kiddo," David said softly to his youngest sister and he barely heard her soft voice repeat the sentiment.
There were two other girls there already and David vaguely recognized them as two of Jazzy's friends from school. "Hi girls," he said to them and both girls blushed and giggled as they said hello.
"You remember Monica and Stephanie," Jazzy said with confidence and David nodded, because he really did remember their faces, he just couldn't have come up with their names. "We're going to get dressed for the party together," she informed him. "But, um, first, I wanted to ask you a favor?" She had that pleading tone that told David that he was in for trouble.
"Yes?" he replied cautiously.
"Well, it *is* my birthday party and I *never* get to see you and all of my friends really love you and I was wondering if maybe you could, you know . . . sing?" She smiled sweetly at her big brother and he grimaced at the suggestion.
"You want me to sing in our backyard?" he asked. And it wasn't like he didn't love to sing but . . . well, it was just weird. He was just David here, not David Archuleta, former American Idol runner up and top 40 recording artist. He kind of liked the illusion of anonymity.
But Jazzy batted her lashes and said, "Please? Just one song?" and he knew he would give in.
"Oh, okay, but only one. This day is about you, so I'll sing one to you," he told her.
She squealed and hugged him again, repeating thank you about ten times at a very high decibel before letting go. "Can I pick the song?" she asked and David laughed.
"No way, if it's my gift to you then I at least get to pick it out."
"Oh okay," she grumbled, but then she looked at her two friends and smiled again. "I told you he'd say yes," she announced proudly. David just shook his head and looked at Amber, who shrugged as if this was nothing new. The three older girls ran off upstairs to pick out their outfits and David and Amber went to go and find their mom to tell her about the impromptu concert that had just been scheduled.
-=-=-=-=-
Their parents thought it was a great idea, of course, because they'd always loved to hear him sing. He'd tried to talk Amber into joining him, but she had adamantly declined. "You're the star, David," she'd said and he hadn't been able to change her mind.
In the end, he talked her into at least helping him pick a song while the girls got ready and their mom worked on the food for the evening. Their dad had gone to BYU to pick up Daniel and would probably be at least an hour in traffic.
"So, what do you think I should sing?" David asked Amber as they sat side by side at the piano in his parent's living room. It had been his piano, the only real thing he'd bought after winning Star Search when he was a kid. He'd always intended to bring it to Los Angeles, but he'd just never had the space in his apartment. Plus, Amber loved to play and he knew that playing *his* piano meant a lot to her. He'd been thinking lately about bringing the piano to Cook's house - their house-but he thought as he sat there with his little sister that he was changing his mind. He could buy a new piano; this one belonged to Amber now.
Her delicate hands moved over the keys effortlessly as she picked out one tune, then another. "Maybe you could play one of your singles?" she offered. He'd had three albums on the charts in the last five years and there were at least ten singles that everyone would surely know, some of which he'd even penned himself. Still, that felt a little self-indulgent to David. He'd rather sing a song that reminded him of Jazzy instead of one that reminded everyone else of David Archuleta.
When he said as much to Amber, she nodded her understanding. "How about 'Angels'? It was her favorite one that you did on Idol."
David shrugged, not sure if that was really right either. "It's a possibility," he conceded. "But I'm not sure."
"Okay, um . . ." She flipped through the pages of sheet music on the stand. "She likes Gavin DeGraw," Amber said as she held up a sheet of music.
"Hmm, I don’t really know this one," David said as he read over the lyrics. "Maybe it should be something I already know since I have about an hour to prepare."
Amber smiled and nodded as she went back to the stack of sheet music. "Oh! How about this, you know it, right?" She handed over the music and David glanced at it and nodded. It was an old James Taylor song that his mom loved.
"Yeah, I know this one. I think this could actually work really well, thanks Amby." The girl smiled happily and blushed at the praise. "So, are you going to play this with me?" he asked and Amber squirmed.
"I don’t know . . ."
"Come on, please, Amby? It's been forever since we played together. I'll sing, you can just play accompaniment on the piano with me, okay?"
Amber looked like she wanted to refuse. But, looking up at David, she finally sighed and nodded. "Yeah, okay, I'll do it."
He grinned at her and said, "Cool, let's practice."
-=-=-=-=-
"You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come running to see you again," David sang. "Winter, spring, summer or fall; all you have to do is call, and I'll be there . . . you've got a friend."
He was sitting at the piano with Amber, both playing in perfect sync as David belted out the words to the song they'd chosen to sing for Jazzy. The birthday girl stood back with her group of friends and watched her brother happily. The rest of the party guests were there, too, gathered in the Archuleta living room to see the performance.
"Now ain't it good to know that you've got a friend, when people can be so cold? They'll hurt you, then desert you. And take your soul if you let them . . . oh, but don’t you let them."
His mother and father smiled proudly from the corner. They'd always loved to hear David sing, always encouraging him to go after his dreams. He loved them for that; he always would.
"Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend," David finished and the small crowd broke out in a round of applause as David and Amber stood up and bowed to the spectators. "Happy birthday, Jazz," he said to his sister and she came over and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
"Thanks David, that was great," she gushed. Turning to her sister, she added, "You too, Amber, thanks." Amber smiled shyly and nodded, much less accustomed to praise than her older brother, but David wanted her to get used to it. He knew that she deserved it.
Several people stepped forward to compliment the two and tell them what a nice surprise it was to hear David sing. He shook a few hands and kissed a few cheeks, making sure to include Amber in all of the compliments he was given. Finally, the crowd started to head back outside for the burgers that his dad was grilling and David felt his mother's hand on his shoulder.
"That was very nice, David. I know that Jazzy loved it," she said.
"I love her," he said simply. "I love all of my family. And I just wanted to make her happy."
His mom smiled and said, "You always make us happy, baby." She patted his cheek lovingly, then turned to Amber to tell her how great she had played. David touched his cheek, his smile a little sad.
-=-=-=-=-
The party was in full swing by the time that David made it back outside. His dad was serving burgers and beckoned David over to grab a plate for him so he could take the latest batch off the grill. David stood holding the platter while his dad filled it and said, "This is some crowd."
"Yeah, we promised Jazzy she could invite whoever she wanted, " his dad said. "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea," he smirked. There were probably seventy-five people milling around the house and yard, by David's estimate.
"Nah, I think it's nice. Jazzy's a good kid. She deserves to have a big deal made about her."
"Everything with Jazzy is a big deal," his dad laughed and David chuckled as well. Everyone in the Archuleta family knew that Jazzy was the resident drama queen.
"So, how's L.A.? We've hardly had a chance to talk at all. You were pretty quiet on the ride from the airport this morning," Jeff commented.
"Yeah, I was tired," David said. "Um, L.A. is good. At least from what I see of it, anyway. I spend most of my time on the road so when I'm actually in town I like to stay at home."
His father nodded. "Well, it must be nice to have a few weeks off, though. I think that's a good thing, you taking the time off. You've worked so hard for so long . . . you deserve a break."
David smiled at the words. His father had always had a bit of a tough exterior, not one to show too many emotions. He'd pushed David sometimes, but only because he loved him and he wanted him to succeed. He wanted David to have the things that he wanted in life and Jeff knew that David would have to work hard to get them. David appreciated that will his father had instilled in him. Still, it was nice to hear his father acknowledge all of his hard work.
"So, is there anyone special in your life these days? Your mom says you seem happy when she speaks to you on the phone. She thinks there's a girl responsible."
David shifted uncomfortably, not at all ready for this discussion. He didn't want to lie to his dad, but he also didn't want to bring all of this up in the middle of Jazzy's party. "Um, no, there's no girl," he hedged. "I just . . . I've been off for a few weeks now. I guess the downtime has done me some good."
Jeff nodded, seeming to accept that answer as he loaded the last of the finished burgers onto the platter in David's hands. "Would you take this over to the picnic table?" he asked and David nodded, happy to have an excuse to table their discussion.
Later, when his dad came over to introduce him to the daughter of one of his friends from work, David wondered if he shouldn't have just made up some imaginary girlfriend after all. The girl, Sarah, was nice enough and didn't seem like a crazy person who just wanted to meet *the* David Archuleta. She'd just talked to him about his music and about what he liked to do in Los Angeles. She's told him that she had recently graduated from college and was starting work as a second grade teacher in the fall. She was small and blonde and quiet; she went to church regularly and seemed like a very nice person. She could have been the perfect girl for David, really. If he'd been looking for a girl at all.
David had stood around and talked to Sarah for twenty minutes or so until Claudia had finally come to rescue him, spouting off about some birthday surprise for Jazzy that she needed his help with. "Sorry to steal him away, but we're at Def Con 5 here," she told the girl as she dragged David towards the back door to the house. Sarah just nodded politely and called after David that it was nice to have met him.
"Um, okay, thanks, really, but . . . wow," he said to Claudia when they were safely inside the strangely empty kitchen. "Gosh Claude, I think you dislocated my arm," he said as he flexed his shoulder.
She smiled and said, "Sorry. I could ask Miss Teen USA to come in and rub it for you?"
He smirked and said, "Ha ha, very funny. Dad's trying to play matchmaker."
"Yeah, I heard," Claudia said as she rolled her eyes and reached into the refrigerator for a bottle of water. "Mom told me that Daddy had invited his friend Bill and I just knew that meant that he'd try to set you up with Sarah. He's been saying for a while how he wants you two to meet. He thinks you need to 'settle down'." Claudia grinned as she added, "Little does he know."
David grimaced and said, "That's not even a little funny."
Claudia moved over to put her hand on her brother's shoulder and said, "Hey, it'll all work out. They might not jump for joy, but they're not going to stop loving you, Davey." He nodded his head and hoped that Claudia was right.
-=-=-=-=-
The party ended just before midnight and, after all of the family pitched in, the house was relatively back to normal within an hour. Everyone was exhausted, so they all headed up to bed soon after. David kissed Claudia goodbye as she and her husband, Matt, took their sleeping two-year-olds out to the car to get them home and in bed. "Sleep well, Davey," she whispered in his ear. "It'll all be okay." He nodded and stood at the door until their taillights faded at the end of the street.
By the time that David got upstairs, Daniel was already lying in the other bed. "You're going to bed, too? I thought that college kids stayed up all night," he teased as he took off his jeans and carefully folded them, crawling under the covers in his boxer shorts and tee shirt.
"And I thought that rock stars didn't sleep on superhero sheets," Daniel said with a smirk.
David laughed and replied, "I'm hardly a rock star."
"Oh right, pop star," Daniel corrected. "Jazzy and her friends are obsessed with your last cd. They play it all the time. To tell you the truth," he said with a smile, "I'm getting a little sick of you."
David returned the grin and chuckled, "Yeah, I get a little sick of me, too, don’t worry."
Daniel smiled sincerely this time and said, "Hey, I'm glad that you're here, bro. It's been too long since I've seen you."
"Yeah, we should really keep in better touch," David agreed.
"Maybe I could come out and visit you after school gets out? Will you be in town?" Daniel asked.
David thought about that. Would Daniel really want to come out and stay in the house that he and Cook shared? Would sleeping in the guestroom of his brother's home still sound so appealing to Daniel when he knew that his big brother was snuggled up with his boyfriend right down the hall? David really hoped so, but he just wasn't sure. But, what he said, and meant, was, "You are always welcomed, Dan, you know that."
Daniel yawned. "Man, school has been kicking my butt this week. I don’t know about you, but I'm exhausted. We'll talk tomorrow, though, okay?" David nodded and his brother reached over and turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. David stared up at the glow of the imaginary constellations until his eyes slipped closed.
-=-=-=-=-
David woke with a start, sitting up in the bed and looking around for a second before he remembered where he was. It was just after 2 o'clock in the morning and Daniel was snoring in the next bed. David looked at his phone and thought about the time difference. It was an hour earlier in California. Would Cook be awake? He snatched up the phone before he could second-guess himself, needing so badly to hear Cook's voice.
Not wanting to wake anyone, David made his way into the backyard. Sitting down on the swing set he'd played on as a child, he pushed number one on his speed dial and held the phone to his ear. It rang once, twice, three times and David started to think better of pulling his boyfriend from sleep. He took the phone away from his ear and was just about to push the end button when he heard Cook's groggy voice come on the line.
"H'lo?" he mumbled and David instantly felt bad for waking the older man.
"Hey," he whispered into the phone. "I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep."
"No, no . . . m'up," Cook said, sounding somewhat more coherent. "Wassup babe?"
David shrugged, realizing belatedly that Cook couldn't actually see the gesture. "I woke up and . . . I guess I just needed to hear your voice," he admitted.
"I'm glad that you called," Cook told him and he sounded sincere. "How was the party?"
"Uh, interesting," David replied. "Fun, I guess, but, you know . . ."
"You're not exactly in a let loose and have fun sort of mood this weekend," Cook filled in knowingly and David agreed. It was nice not to have to explain himself to at least one person.
"I miss you," he said softly to Cook.
"Oh man, me too," Cook replied. "I hardly get any sleep when you aren't in the bed," he admitted.
David's mouth twisted into a half-smirk, half-grimace as he said, "And here I am waking you up. Sorry."
"Hey, no. Are you kidding? This is much better than sleep. Besides, Sunday we're going to stay in bed all day, don't worry." David could hear in his voice that they were no longer talking about sleep.
"I can't wait," he said sincerely. "Sunday can't come fast enough."
The soft smile on Cook's face was practically audible as he replied, "It'll be here before you know it."
David let his eyes slip closed, picturing Cook and imagining him there with him. He sighed as he had to reopen them and face the cool darkness around him.
"So, I told Claudia," he said.
"Yeah? And?" Cook asked cautiously.
"She was surprisingly okay with it. She said that she kind of already knew, actually."
"Hmm, well that doesn't really surprise me," Cook responded. "You guys have always been close, right? I mean, she probably knows you better than almost anyone."
"Yeah, almost anyone," David replied, knowing that Cook understood the implication. No one knew him as well as Cook; sometimes David wondered if Cook knew him better than he knew himself, even.
"Oh, and she thinks you're hot," he added with a smirk.
Cook barked a laugh and David could practically see the self-satisfied smirk spread across his face before he said, "She's got good taste, your sister."
"Actually, I can't bring myself to disagree," he offered with a grin.
"Flatterer," Cook said sweetly.
"You're picking me up when my flight gets in?" David asked.
"Try to stop me," was Cook's reply. "Now, it's late in Utah and you have a busy day tomorrow. You need your rest," Cook said, then he insisted on staying on the line until David got back in the house and into the bed.
David still had the phone to his ear as he lay down and whispered, "Okay, I'm in bed now."
"Okay, sweet dreams," Cook said softly. "I love you." David smiled at the words and repeated them before hanging up and putting his phone on the nightstand. He looked across the room at the old picture of the idols that hung on the wall and focused in on Cook until his vision blurred and he finally fell asleep.
-=-=-=-=-
Miles To Go Before I Sleep, Part Two
Author: courts
Disclaimer: Nope, I asked Cook but he said that Archie was his, sorry. I own nothing. Oh, and I hijacked the title from Robert Frost.
Rated: PG. Sorry, no sexing this time ;-)
Summary: This follows Forever Yours; David finally has to face his fears and tell his family who he really is.
Notes: Okay, we all knew this was bound to happen eventually. I'm back to kicking poor little Archie. Don't worry though, Cookie will kiss him and make it better. Also, I used several songs in this story because they (hopefully) seemed appropriate. The first one is "You've Got A Friend" by James Taylor and the other is "When The Rain Comes" by Third Day. A couple of others are also mentioned, but these two are the only ones I used the lyrics to.
Thanks: To mrs_viola_swamp, without whom I would have probably given up on this story all together. Thanks for helping me talk through every last detail and making me feel better about trashing all of the unnecessary stuff. You're awesome, bb!
Previous Stories:
Gathered Together
The Long Way Home
Forever Yours
-=-=-=-=-
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
--from Stopped by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
-=-=-=-=-
David Archuleta looked out the window of his father's car and struggled not to sigh. It was a Friday afternoon and his father, Jeff, had just picked him up from the airport in Salt Lake City. They were heading back to Murray, back to the house where David had grown up.
He'd tried to tell his dad that it wasn't necessary for him to drive out to get David. The young man argued that he could easily rent a car, or even just catch a cab to go the short distance to his family home. His dad had insisted, though, and David had conceded defeat, not really in the mood to argue about transportation anymore that day.
He'd lost a similar argument that morning, this one regarding how he would get *to* the airport and this one waged with his boyfriend, David Cook. Cook wanted to drive David himself and David had insisted that he would just get a cab. "I don't want you getting up early and getting in traffic and everything. It's just a waste," he'd said. As usual, though, Cook didn't listen to his protests when he thought that what he knew was best.
"I want to, Archie," he said as he gripped David's shoulder. "You're going to be there for a week and I want to at least get to spend that extra hour in traffic with you, okay?" David found himself sighing, then, and nodding as he gave in to Cook's wishes.
It wasn't even true, really. David was only going to be gone until Sunday night, which was hardly a week. His younger sister, Jazzy, was having a party to celebrate her sixteenth birthday and, even though her actual birthday had been three weeks before, she had postponed the party until her big brother could make it. It wasn't like David could have gotten out of the trip, even if he'd wanted to.
The truth was, David had always loved coming home. Even with his busy schedule after Idol, he still tried to make it back to Utah every couple of months or so. This time, though, it had been nearly five months since the last time he'd returned and David was starting to think he should have waited a little longer.
Coming out to his parents was not going to be easy. David had pretty much known that he was gay for as long as he could remember, but he'd never actually considered telling anyone. Not, at least, until Cook came along. David smiled to himself as he thought about his boyfriend. Thinking about Cook seemed to be the only thing that was keeping David sane through all of this.
It wasn't really that he knew things were going to go bad. He knew that there was definitely that possibility, but it wasn't a foregone conclusion, even to David himself. He knew that his family loved him and, despite their religious beliefs, he felt like that love would transcend anything that he could throw at them.
Then again, there was always the chance that things would go the other way. And David was going into this with the knowledge that he could, possibly, lose them all this weekend. It was that thought that had his stomach tied in knots.
Since Jazzy's party was that evening, David had decided it was only fair to wait until after the festivities to break his shocking news. He'd decided to do it the next night, Saturday, as his family had decided that they would all stay home and spend the night in, just like old times. David would have been looking forward to getting to be with all of them, if he hadn't been so terrified that it might be the last time.
Cook had tried his best to get David to agree to let him come with him on this trip. He knew how freaked out David was and that he was barely hanging on to his sanity through all of this, but David had told him no. The younger man knew that this was something that he had to do on his own. He loved Cook for wanting to protect him from being hurt, but David had to go this alone if he was ever really going to face the truth.
When they arrived in Murray and pulled into the familiar driveway, David looked up at the house he'd always thought of as home. It was funny, he thought, seeing it now and not feeling that feeling for the first time in his life. Home wasn't this modest house on this suburban street anymore. Home was in Los Angeles, in the hills of Hollywood, in a house that was just about as different from this one as it could possibly get. Home was with Cook, and David knew now that it always would be.
"Okay doke, kiddo, here we are," Jeff said as he opened the driver's door and got out, going around to the trunk to grab David's suitcase. David took a deep breath and opened the car door, knowing he couldn't run anymore.
"Hey Davey, are you okay, son?" his dad asked and David just nodded mutely. He was still lost in thought for a second, still turning over in his mind what was about to happen, what he was about to do. The slamming of the trunk brought him back and he turned to his father and smiled.
"Yeah, Dad, I'm good," David said.
His dad returned the smile and, slinging the strap of David's duffel bag over his shoulder, walked over to put his arm around the younger man's shoulder. Giving his arm a squeeze, Jeff said, "It sure is good to have you home."
-=-=-=-=-
It was only the second weekend in May, so Amber and Jazzy, David's youngest sisters, were still at school when they arrived just after lunchtime. Daniel, who was a freshman at Brigham Young, would be coming home from school for the weekend and hadn't gotten in yet and his mother was out at the market so David and his dad returned to an empty house.
"I'll call Claude and tell her we're here. She said she wanted to know the second that you arrived," Jeff said as he set David's bag on the living room floor and walked towards the telephone mounted to the kitchen wall. Claudia, the oldest of the Archuleta siblings, was married and lived just a few streets over from their childhood home with her husband and two-year-old twin girls. She and David had always been close growing up, so he was excited to see her.
"I'm gonna go put my bag upstairs," David called to his father.
"Okay, you know where your room is," he replied with a smile as he put the phone to his ear and greeted his oldest daughter as she answered on the other end of the line.
'My room,' David thought. He walked up the stairs and down the hall to the second door on the left, staring at the plain wood door and imagining the time warp that awaited him on the other side. He turned the knob and pushed into the room, seeing exactly what he had expected. There were two beds in the room; the house had four bedrooms so he and Daniel had always shared. The little girls had bunked together as well, leaving Claudia the only one who truly got her own space. David had never minded; he'd always been good at sharing.
The room hadn't changed since he'd seen it last. In fact, if he really thought about it, it hadn't changed since he was thirteen. There was a bookcase in one corner that held Star Wars action figures and a homemade model of the solar system intersperse with books about dinosaurs and Harry Potter and half a dozen different atlases. David had always liked geography.
There was a Utah Jazz poster on one wall, an 8x10 promo glossy of the American Idol season seven finalists tacked up on the wall opposite. David ran his finger over Cook's face in the picture and wished not for the first time that the older man were with him.
David made his way over to the twin bed that had been his. Hefting his duffel into the corner, he sank onto the thin mattress with its navy blue comforter and thought about the boy he had been when this really was his home, his room. It felt like a million years since that time and David sighed as he tilted his head back to look at the little phosphorescent galaxies that he and Daniel had stuck carefully to the ceiling overhead. He was still trying to find Orion when he heard a knock at the bedroom door.
"Yes, come in," he called and it felt strange to say that here, in this room that belonged to a kid who no longer existed.
Claudia stuck her head in and smiled as she said, "Hey baby brother." He returned the grin and beckoned her inside, standing up to wrap her in a warm hug. Although Daniel was actually younger, Claudia had long ago christened David her 'baby brother' since he was always small for his age and, he could admit, always a little bit naive about the world. It had never bothered David for her to say it, because he and Claudia had always had a special bond. Of all of his siblings, he was by far the closet to his older sister.
"I've missed you, Davey," she said as they embraced. She was shorter than David, only about 5'6, with similar coloring and the same wide, hazel eyes. She had a crooked smile and white teeth, her hair worn straight and brushing her shoulders. In the five months since David had seen his sister, she hadn't changed a bit. He felt good knowing that some things were still just as he remembered.
"Where are the kids?" he asked. Claudia had gotten married a year after high school to a guy she'd met in college. They had two little girls named Katie and Kara, both with the same olive skin and raven hair as David and his siblings. They'd turned two in March and David wondered if they would even remember him.
"My neighbor Scarlet is watching them," she said. "I wanted some time to catch up with my baby bro." She smiled again and sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting for David to sit down beside her. "So, how's Hollywood?" she asked.
David shrugged and said, "It's good, you know, busy."
"Yeah?" she asked and David knew that he should have known this would happen. As weird as it sounded for a teenaged boy, David had grown up having his big sister as his best friend and closest confidante. As a result, Claudia knew him pretty well. And she could always tell when her brother wasn't telling her the whole truth. "You don't want to talk about it?" she questioned, and he could have just said no. She would accept that answer, at least for the time being. But, David thought that maybe talking to Claudia would be a good place to a start.
He sighed and flopped back onto his back, his eyes going back to the pale green shapes overhead. "I didn't just come home for Jazzy's party," he confessed. Claudia leaned back as well, both of them laying side by side across the bed with their feet dangling over the edge and staring up at the long forgotten stars. "I . . . there's something that I have to tell everyone," he said.
"Do you want to tell me first?" Claudia asked, her eyes never straying from the ceiling and David was grateful for that. He could maybe get the words out if he didn't have to concentrate so much on their effect.
"I'm living with someone," he said softly. Claudia didn't say anything, seeming to sense that there was more. "It's . . . it's not a woman."
There was silence and David started to wonder if he'd said the words after all. Surely Claudia had some reaction to his confession. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity had passed, she reached over and laced her fingers through his, pulling their hands up into the air between them and watching as they swung to and from in the space there. "I think I always knew that," she admitted.
That surprised him and David leaned up onto his side, facing Claudia as he said, "What? What do you mean you knew?"
Claudia just shrugged and turned on her side to face David as well. "Not like I was sure and not like there was really any evidence or anything . . . I just know you, that's all. It was just a feeling I had, I guess. No one else knows," she added, seeming to sense that this might be his fear.
"So . . . do you hate me?" he asked her and David knew that he sounded like a five-year-old who had just tracked mud onto the freshly cleaned carpet, but he couldn't help it. He needed her to say that it was okay, that she was still his big sister and he was still her baby brother and nothing was going to change that. Of everyone in his family, David knew that he needed her approval the most.
"Davey . . ." she said. "Good grief, of course I don't hate you. I never thought any less of you," she said surely. "I do worry about you, that you're facing an uphill battle in your life," she admitted. "But, I think it's your life and you should live it how ever makes you happy." She turned her lips up in a half smile and clasped his hand again. "Does he make you happy?"
It was David's turn to smile then, his face splitting into a grin that encompassed both joy and relief as he told her, "Yeah, Claude, he really does."
She told him that she was glad he was happy, then proceeded to pump him for information about this mystery man. After hedging for a bit, David finally admitted that his boyfriend was, in fact, David Cook.
"You're making that up!" she squealed. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe it!" She sounded eerily similar to the way she had when talking about Orlando Bloom when they were in high school and David was suddenly quite sure that his sister read People magazine and knew very well who had been voted the Sexiest Man Alive. She sighed and said, "Leave it to you to snag the biggest hottie on the planet. You just can't do things halfway, huh?" She was giving him a hard time and he giggled as he blushed at her words.
"Hey, Davey . . . I want you to know that I'm proud of you," Claudia said and the shift in her tone was evident. She was no longer his teasing big sister; now, she was, as she had always been, his biggest supporter. "You've got me, kid," she said and he knew it was a promise. He smiled again and wrapped his arms around her in a forceful hug.
-=-=-=-=-
When their mom returned from the market, both David and Claudia made their way down to help bring in the groceries. His mother was extremely excited to see him, gushing about how he'd grown since Christmas and that was totally not true. He was exactly the same height he'd been six months before, but David didn't dispute her. He secretly wondered, in fact, if the change that his mother was seeing in him was more something internal rather than something to do with his outward appearance and he was content to let her see what she wanted for a little bit longer.
After the food had all been put away and Lupe had insisted on making them both a sandwich, the three of them sat and talked for a while. They caught up on each other's lives and David almost instantly felt that familiar sense of belonging that he'd always felt around his family. He found himself trying not to think that it might be the last time he'd ever truly feel this way with them.
By the time that Claudia had to leave to go and pick the twins up from her neighbor's house, David was beginning to feel the emotional strain that had followed him all week. He yawned loudly, despite himself, and his mother took immediate notice.
"You're tired, sweetheart?" she asked with concern.
"I'm okay, Mama, it's just been a long day," he told her. He really was exhausted, but he was also enjoying spending time with her. He wasn't ready for it to end just yet.
His mother, though, was having none of that. She stood from the kitchen table where they'd been chatting and walked around to stand behind her oldest son. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she gave him a squeeze and said, "You look worn out, baby. Why don't you go and take a nap before the party starts?"
"Mama, I'm fine," David protested, but Lupe just shook her head.
"Don't argue with your mother," she said, already pulling him to his feet and turning him to face her. She placed her open palm against his cheek and looked up at him, smiling. "My beautiful boy," she said softly. "I miss you so much."
David looked down at his mother and a sad smile curved his lips. "I love you, Mama," he told her and his mother nodded, returning the smile.
"Sleep now, baby. We've got the rest of the weekend to talk."
David turned for the door and walked upstairs with a heavy heart.
-=-=-=-=-
He hadn't actually meant to fall asleep. He'd gone up to his old bedroom with the intention of just lying down and thinking for a while until the girls got home from school. But, apparently, he was more exhausted than he thought. He'd focused in on the stars overhead and thought about Cook, about how much he wished he were there with him . . . and the next thing that David knew, he was waking up to the sounds of teenaged girls squealing. In his line of work, that was a sound he would know anywhere.
Picking up his watch from the nightstand, he saw that it was after 3pm, so he'd been asleep for about an hour and a half. He still felt a little groggy as he rose from the bed and stretched, tempted to just crawl back down into sleep and try to wish the weekend away.
He wouldn't, though. He was actually really looking forward to seeing his little sisters and the rest of his family, especially on this, the night when they would still be a family for sure. He didn't know how Saturday was going to turn out, so he'd remember every second of Friday.
As soon as David entered the living room, Jazzy ran over and jumped at him, nearly knocking him down as she flung her arms around his neck. "Davey!" she squealed. "I'm so glad that you're here!"
David hugged her back and smiled. "Me, too, Jazz. Happy birthday."
"Thanks," she beamed. "Did mom tell you that I got my drivers permit? Daddy even let me drive us to school a couple of times this week. I mean, he was in the car, but still."
Smiling at his sister, David replied, "That's really cool." Jazzy was always exuberant and loud, the life of the party. She had a tendency to attract all attention in the room to herself. Not in a bad way, really, just in a way that was hard to compete with sometimes, especially for her younger sister. David looked around Jazzy to see Amber standing by quietly, smiling up at David as she waited her turn for a hug.
"Come here, Amby," he beckoned and the girl stepped forward, letting David envelope her in his embrace.
Amber was two years younger than Jazzy; she'd turned fourteen in March. And, though all of the Archuleta children shared the same coloring and similar facial traits, Amber was the one who most closely resembled David himself. She was small for her age, just as he had been. Her raven locks were worn long, but were forever tied back in a low ponytail that trailed down her back. She had a shy, sweet smile and big expressive eyes that their mother had always said were identical to David's. She claimed that both children had inherited these traits from their great-grandmother, who had died before the children were born.
Whatever the source, the resemblance proved to be more than skin deep, running even to their personalities and musical talents. Amber was the only one of David's siblings who shared his deep love of music. It had always been a strong bond between them.
"I missed you, kiddo," David said softly to his youngest sister and he barely heard her soft voice repeat the sentiment.
There were two other girls there already and David vaguely recognized them as two of Jazzy's friends from school. "Hi girls," he said to them and both girls blushed and giggled as they said hello.
"You remember Monica and Stephanie," Jazzy said with confidence and David nodded, because he really did remember their faces, he just couldn't have come up with their names. "We're going to get dressed for the party together," she informed him. "But, um, first, I wanted to ask you a favor?" She had that pleading tone that told David that he was in for trouble.
"Yes?" he replied cautiously.
"Well, it *is* my birthday party and I *never* get to see you and all of my friends really love you and I was wondering if maybe you could, you know . . . sing?" She smiled sweetly at her big brother and he grimaced at the suggestion.
"You want me to sing in our backyard?" he asked. And it wasn't like he didn't love to sing but . . . well, it was just weird. He was just David here, not David Archuleta, former American Idol runner up and top 40 recording artist. He kind of liked the illusion of anonymity.
But Jazzy batted her lashes and said, "Please? Just one song?" and he knew he would give in.
"Oh, okay, but only one. This day is about you, so I'll sing one to you," he told her.
She squealed and hugged him again, repeating thank you about ten times at a very high decibel before letting go. "Can I pick the song?" she asked and David laughed.
"No way, if it's my gift to you then I at least get to pick it out."
"Oh okay," she grumbled, but then she looked at her two friends and smiled again. "I told you he'd say yes," she announced proudly. David just shook his head and looked at Amber, who shrugged as if this was nothing new. The three older girls ran off upstairs to pick out their outfits and David and Amber went to go and find their mom to tell her about the impromptu concert that had just been scheduled.
-=-=-=-=-
Their parents thought it was a great idea, of course, because they'd always loved to hear him sing. He'd tried to talk Amber into joining him, but she had adamantly declined. "You're the star, David," she'd said and he hadn't been able to change her mind.
In the end, he talked her into at least helping him pick a song while the girls got ready and their mom worked on the food for the evening. Their dad had gone to BYU to pick up Daniel and would probably be at least an hour in traffic.
"So, what do you think I should sing?" David asked Amber as they sat side by side at the piano in his parent's living room. It had been his piano, the only real thing he'd bought after winning Star Search when he was a kid. He'd always intended to bring it to Los Angeles, but he'd just never had the space in his apartment. Plus, Amber loved to play and he knew that playing *his* piano meant a lot to her. He'd been thinking lately about bringing the piano to Cook's house - their house-but he thought as he sat there with his little sister that he was changing his mind. He could buy a new piano; this one belonged to Amber now.
Her delicate hands moved over the keys effortlessly as she picked out one tune, then another. "Maybe you could play one of your singles?" she offered. He'd had three albums on the charts in the last five years and there were at least ten singles that everyone would surely know, some of which he'd even penned himself. Still, that felt a little self-indulgent to David. He'd rather sing a song that reminded him of Jazzy instead of one that reminded everyone else of David Archuleta.
When he said as much to Amber, she nodded her understanding. "How about 'Angels'? It was her favorite one that you did on Idol."
David shrugged, not sure if that was really right either. "It's a possibility," he conceded. "But I'm not sure."
"Okay, um . . ." She flipped through the pages of sheet music on the stand. "She likes Gavin DeGraw," Amber said as she held up a sheet of music.
"Hmm, I don’t really know this one," David said as he read over the lyrics. "Maybe it should be something I already know since I have about an hour to prepare."
Amber smiled and nodded as she went back to the stack of sheet music. "Oh! How about this, you know it, right?" She handed over the music and David glanced at it and nodded. It was an old James Taylor song that his mom loved.
"Yeah, I know this one. I think this could actually work really well, thanks Amby." The girl smiled happily and blushed at the praise. "So, are you going to play this with me?" he asked and Amber squirmed.
"I don’t know . . ."
"Come on, please, Amby? It's been forever since we played together. I'll sing, you can just play accompaniment on the piano with me, okay?"
Amber looked like she wanted to refuse. But, looking up at David, she finally sighed and nodded. "Yeah, okay, I'll do it."
He grinned at her and said, "Cool, let's practice."
-=-=-=-=-
"You just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come running to see you again," David sang. "Winter, spring, summer or fall; all you have to do is call, and I'll be there . . . you've got a friend."
He was sitting at the piano with Amber, both playing in perfect sync as David belted out the words to the song they'd chosen to sing for Jazzy. The birthday girl stood back with her group of friends and watched her brother happily. The rest of the party guests were there, too, gathered in the Archuleta living room to see the performance.
"Now ain't it good to know that you've got a friend, when people can be so cold? They'll hurt you, then desert you. And take your soul if you let them . . . oh, but don’t you let them."
His mother and father smiled proudly from the corner. They'd always loved to hear David sing, always encouraging him to go after his dreams. He loved them for that; he always would.
"Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend," David finished and the small crowd broke out in a round of applause as David and Amber stood up and bowed to the spectators. "Happy birthday, Jazz," he said to his sister and she came over and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
"Thanks David, that was great," she gushed. Turning to her sister, she added, "You too, Amber, thanks." Amber smiled shyly and nodded, much less accustomed to praise than her older brother, but David wanted her to get used to it. He knew that she deserved it.
Several people stepped forward to compliment the two and tell them what a nice surprise it was to hear David sing. He shook a few hands and kissed a few cheeks, making sure to include Amber in all of the compliments he was given. Finally, the crowd started to head back outside for the burgers that his dad was grilling and David felt his mother's hand on his shoulder.
"That was very nice, David. I know that Jazzy loved it," she said.
"I love her," he said simply. "I love all of my family. And I just wanted to make her happy."
His mom smiled and said, "You always make us happy, baby." She patted his cheek lovingly, then turned to Amber to tell her how great she had played. David touched his cheek, his smile a little sad.
-=-=-=-=-
The party was in full swing by the time that David made it back outside. His dad was serving burgers and beckoned David over to grab a plate for him so he could take the latest batch off the grill. David stood holding the platter while his dad filled it and said, "This is some crowd."
"Yeah, we promised Jazzy she could invite whoever she wanted, " his dad said. "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea," he smirked. There were probably seventy-five people milling around the house and yard, by David's estimate.
"Nah, I think it's nice. Jazzy's a good kid. She deserves to have a big deal made about her."
"Everything with Jazzy is a big deal," his dad laughed and David chuckled as well. Everyone in the Archuleta family knew that Jazzy was the resident drama queen.
"So, how's L.A.? We've hardly had a chance to talk at all. You were pretty quiet on the ride from the airport this morning," Jeff commented.
"Yeah, I was tired," David said. "Um, L.A. is good. At least from what I see of it, anyway. I spend most of my time on the road so when I'm actually in town I like to stay at home."
His father nodded. "Well, it must be nice to have a few weeks off, though. I think that's a good thing, you taking the time off. You've worked so hard for so long . . . you deserve a break."
David smiled at the words. His father had always had a bit of a tough exterior, not one to show too many emotions. He'd pushed David sometimes, but only because he loved him and he wanted him to succeed. He wanted David to have the things that he wanted in life and Jeff knew that David would have to work hard to get them. David appreciated that will his father had instilled in him. Still, it was nice to hear his father acknowledge all of his hard work.
"So, is there anyone special in your life these days? Your mom says you seem happy when she speaks to you on the phone. She thinks there's a girl responsible."
David shifted uncomfortably, not at all ready for this discussion. He didn't want to lie to his dad, but he also didn't want to bring all of this up in the middle of Jazzy's party. "Um, no, there's no girl," he hedged. "I just . . . I've been off for a few weeks now. I guess the downtime has done me some good."
Jeff nodded, seeming to accept that answer as he loaded the last of the finished burgers onto the platter in David's hands. "Would you take this over to the picnic table?" he asked and David nodded, happy to have an excuse to table their discussion.
Later, when his dad came over to introduce him to the daughter of one of his friends from work, David wondered if he shouldn't have just made up some imaginary girlfriend after all. The girl, Sarah, was nice enough and didn't seem like a crazy person who just wanted to meet *the* David Archuleta. She'd just talked to him about his music and about what he liked to do in Los Angeles. She's told him that she had recently graduated from college and was starting work as a second grade teacher in the fall. She was small and blonde and quiet; she went to church regularly and seemed like a very nice person. She could have been the perfect girl for David, really. If he'd been looking for a girl at all.
David had stood around and talked to Sarah for twenty minutes or so until Claudia had finally come to rescue him, spouting off about some birthday surprise for Jazzy that she needed his help with. "Sorry to steal him away, but we're at Def Con 5 here," she told the girl as she dragged David towards the back door to the house. Sarah just nodded politely and called after David that it was nice to have met him.
"Um, okay, thanks, really, but . . . wow," he said to Claudia when they were safely inside the strangely empty kitchen. "Gosh Claude, I think you dislocated my arm," he said as he flexed his shoulder.
She smiled and said, "Sorry. I could ask Miss Teen USA to come in and rub it for you?"
He smirked and said, "Ha ha, very funny. Dad's trying to play matchmaker."
"Yeah, I heard," Claudia said as she rolled her eyes and reached into the refrigerator for a bottle of water. "Mom told me that Daddy had invited his friend Bill and I just knew that meant that he'd try to set you up with Sarah. He's been saying for a while how he wants you two to meet. He thinks you need to 'settle down'." Claudia grinned as she added, "Little does he know."
David grimaced and said, "That's not even a little funny."
Claudia moved over to put her hand on her brother's shoulder and said, "Hey, it'll all work out. They might not jump for joy, but they're not going to stop loving you, Davey." He nodded his head and hoped that Claudia was right.
-=-=-=-=-
The party ended just before midnight and, after all of the family pitched in, the house was relatively back to normal within an hour. Everyone was exhausted, so they all headed up to bed soon after. David kissed Claudia goodbye as she and her husband, Matt, took their sleeping two-year-olds out to the car to get them home and in bed. "Sleep well, Davey," she whispered in his ear. "It'll all be okay." He nodded and stood at the door until their taillights faded at the end of the street.
By the time that David got upstairs, Daniel was already lying in the other bed. "You're going to bed, too? I thought that college kids stayed up all night," he teased as he took off his jeans and carefully folded them, crawling under the covers in his boxer shorts and tee shirt.
"And I thought that rock stars didn't sleep on superhero sheets," Daniel said with a smirk.
David laughed and replied, "I'm hardly a rock star."
"Oh right, pop star," Daniel corrected. "Jazzy and her friends are obsessed with your last cd. They play it all the time. To tell you the truth," he said with a smile, "I'm getting a little sick of you."
David returned the grin and chuckled, "Yeah, I get a little sick of me, too, don’t worry."
Daniel smiled sincerely this time and said, "Hey, I'm glad that you're here, bro. It's been too long since I've seen you."
"Yeah, we should really keep in better touch," David agreed.
"Maybe I could come out and visit you after school gets out? Will you be in town?" Daniel asked.
David thought about that. Would Daniel really want to come out and stay in the house that he and Cook shared? Would sleeping in the guestroom of his brother's home still sound so appealing to Daniel when he knew that his big brother was snuggled up with his boyfriend right down the hall? David really hoped so, but he just wasn't sure. But, what he said, and meant, was, "You are always welcomed, Dan, you know that."
Daniel yawned. "Man, school has been kicking my butt this week. I don’t know about you, but I'm exhausted. We'll talk tomorrow, though, okay?" David nodded and his brother reached over and turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. David stared up at the glow of the imaginary constellations until his eyes slipped closed.
-=-=-=-=-
David woke with a start, sitting up in the bed and looking around for a second before he remembered where he was. It was just after 2 o'clock in the morning and Daniel was snoring in the next bed. David looked at his phone and thought about the time difference. It was an hour earlier in California. Would Cook be awake? He snatched up the phone before he could second-guess himself, needing so badly to hear Cook's voice.
Not wanting to wake anyone, David made his way into the backyard. Sitting down on the swing set he'd played on as a child, he pushed number one on his speed dial and held the phone to his ear. It rang once, twice, three times and David started to think better of pulling his boyfriend from sleep. He took the phone away from his ear and was just about to push the end button when he heard Cook's groggy voice come on the line.
"H'lo?" he mumbled and David instantly felt bad for waking the older man.
"Hey," he whispered into the phone. "I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep."
"No, no . . . m'up," Cook said, sounding somewhat more coherent. "Wassup babe?"
David shrugged, realizing belatedly that Cook couldn't actually see the gesture. "I woke up and . . . I guess I just needed to hear your voice," he admitted.
"I'm glad that you called," Cook told him and he sounded sincere. "How was the party?"
"Uh, interesting," David replied. "Fun, I guess, but, you know . . ."
"You're not exactly in a let loose and have fun sort of mood this weekend," Cook filled in knowingly and David agreed. It was nice not to have to explain himself to at least one person.
"I miss you," he said softly to Cook.
"Oh man, me too," Cook replied. "I hardly get any sleep when you aren't in the bed," he admitted.
David's mouth twisted into a half-smirk, half-grimace as he said, "And here I am waking you up. Sorry."
"Hey, no. Are you kidding? This is much better than sleep. Besides, Sunday we're going to stay in bed all day, don't worry." David could hear in his voice that they were no longer talking about sleep.
"I can't wait," he said sincerely. "Sunday can't come fast enough."
The soft smile on Cook's face was practically audible as he replied, "It'll be here before you know it."
David let his eyes slip closed, picturing Cook and imagining him there with him. He sighed as he had to reopen them and face the cool darkness around him.
"So, I told Claudia," he said.
"Yeah? And?" Cook asked cautiously.
"She was surprisingly okay with it. She said that she kind of already knew, actually."
"Hmm, well that doesn't really surprise me," Cook responded. "You guys have always been close, right? I mean, she probably knows you better than almost anyone."
"Yeah, almost anyone," David replied, knowing that Cook understood the implication. No one knew him as well as Cook; sometimes David wondered if Cook knew him better than he knew himself, even.
"Oh, and she thinks you're hot," he added with a smirk.
Cook barked a laugh and David could practically see the self-satisfied smirk spread across his face before he said, "She's got good taste, your sister."
"Actually, I can't bring myself to disagree," he offered with a grin.
"Flatterer," Cook said sweetly.
"You're picking me up when my flight gets in?" David asked.
"Try to stop me," was Cook's reply. "Now, it's late in Utah and you have a busy day tomorrow. You need your rest," Cook said, then he insisted on staying on the line until David got back in the house and into the bed.
David still had the phone to his ear as he lay down and whispered, "Okay, I'm in bed now."
"Okay, sweet dreams," Cook said softly. "I love you." David smiled at the words and repeated them before hanging up and putting his phone on the nightstand. He looked across the room at the old picture of the idols that hung on the wall and focused in on Cook until his vision blurred and he finally fell asleep.
-=-=-=-=-
Miles To Go Before I Sleep, Part Two