Snippet #2314686

She couldn't really believe that the day had come; that her own son was about to go on tour, that her son was going to be away and on his own, that her son...was standing in his room, staring down a sparsely packed duffel bag, his hands on his hips.

"Francis."

He turned, his expression quizzical.

"What are you doing? Have you finished packing yet?"

The young man paused, eyes distant. Mrs. Malory waited a moment, not wanting to interrupt his thought. Suddenly, he mumbled a "Toothbrush..." before proceeding toward the bathroom to grab it, along with some deodorant, which he also apparently forgot. She smiled, laughing under her breath as she set down the basket of laundry.

"Don't forget some underwear."

After another ten minutes of disorganized packing (underwear included), Francis rejoined his mother downstairs. His sister, Penelope, was texting as always, but as soon as his foot crossed into kitchen territory, she sprung on him.

"Are you excited? I wish I could come with...maybe I can join as a backup singer or something when you guys get back. Or maybe violin? There are rock bands that have violins you know, adds a classy feel." She spoke all at once, following her older brother to the dining table. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to finish before replying.

"Yes. No. No. True but still no."
"I could sneak on the bus you know, force you guys to take me with you."
"Ah I don't think so young lady." Their mother interrupted, giving way to half-smiles on her children's lips. Pocketing a buttered bagel, Francis proceeded to hug his family and give a kiss on his mother's cheek before leaving. Expectedly, he rang the doorbell a second later to grab the umbrella from his sister's waiting hand.

"What's he going to do without us." Penelope asked, locking the door behind him.

Not wishing to crowd up the Driscoll driveway, Francis opted for the public transit. On the bus, he pulled out a small camcorder and did a bit of vlogging. Though he spoke quietly, other passengers eventually looked his way. The young man was talking to himself after all, it was only natural. Within minutes, he arrived at their doorstep. Just outside the household was the large tour bus, and it was only then that the reality of the situation began to soak in. What began as a hobby and a fun way to pass the time became this, whatever this was suppose to be. The thought was crazy in itself, and even now he couldn't really wrap his head around it. Ignoring the sense of excitement and apprehension, he quickly took a shot of the tour bus before ringing the doorbell, his duffel and keyboard bag hanging off each shoulder.