Someone New-Hozier fanfic

Chapter 28 ***

Hello all!  The picture is of me again this time. ***Quick heads up- I skipped ahead in time. It's now September 11, 2015. The band is in Lincoln, Nebraska. This is where Andy will meet Alice's parents! Enjoy!

***mild swearing again. Just a heads up again :))

      I'm sitting on Andrew's lap as our tour bus pulls into Lincoln, Nebraska, my hometown. I realize that my hands are shaking with excitement and Andrew is laughing at me. "OMG that's where I went to middle schooool! And that's my hoouuuseee!" I enthusiastically point out many familiar locations from my childhood around Lincoln.
We continue down the road into Pioneers' Park, a vast and beautiful forested area where a huge variety of wildlife resides. Just beyond a mass of endless, towering pines, a retro concrete stage stands, completely surrounded by trees. I smile upon remembering concerts and plays that I attended here as a kid.
The bus rounds the corner to the back lot of the stage. I step out of the bus and a quick breeze flicks my hair up. It's mildly brisk out, and a cloudy 60 degrees. Taking in the surroundings, I spot the old basketball hoop standing behind the stage, and Alex gets very excited at the idea of shooting hoops, as he and Andrew haven't had much time for things like that since the tour started.
Our manager is talking to the opening band's manager near the stairs to backstage. Unexpectedly, I hear the telltale slapping of a basketball on the ground as Nate Ruess strolls around a corner. "Hey! I'm Nate Ruess! My band and I are opening for you guys tonight!" Andrew shakes his hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Andrew, well... Ehm... Hozier." I shake Nate's hand."Hey! I'm Alice!" Only getting a few minutes to chat, we now have to get ready for soundcheck. With a free moment in the midst of wires, microphones and instruments being carted around, I text my parents to let them know we're coming over once soundcheck is finished.
We run rapidly through a few songs, and then Nate sets up his new band, Grand Romantic, and they do their soundcheck. While Andrew and I go to see my family, the rest of our band is off to explore the extensive Pioneers' Park. Andrew and I wait for my mom and dad to pick us up by a massive bronze buffalo statue. When their Honda pilot circles into the roundabout at the front gates, they're waving like crazy. I haven't seen them in nearly a year since they visited Wicklow last fall, so this is really exciting for me.
I step into the backseat and my mom wraps me in a firm hug from the front and my dad does the same from the back. Andrew smiles and hops into the seat next mine. "This must be Andrew? So nice to meet you finally! I've heard so much about you." My mom tells Andrew. "Ehm... Yes. I'm Andrew. Alice has told me what wonderful parents she has, so I've been looking forward to today."
We drive back to my parents' house to eat lunch and catch up. When we are getting out of the car, I notice Andrew has thoughtfully brought Gibby for me and his guitar Honey for himself. He hands me Gibby's case and we trail my parents to the front door. My dad looks at our guitar cases. "Alice honey, did you buy yourself that pretty blue Gibson that you'd been wanting?" I shake my head.
"Actually, Andrew ever so generously bought Gibby for me." Andrew blushes. Dad's eyebrows raise. "Damn. He really loves you." I smile at his comment. The guitar I recently bought for my dad comes to mind. "Have you enjoyed that Rickenbacker I had sent here a few weeks ago? I'd promised you one for years." Dad beams. "So much. I've gone and played with my friends 3 times now with it and I learned more songs too! Thank you so much, sweetie."
"You're welcome dad. I owed you one for teaching me to play." While we catch up, Andy spins (clumsily) on a heel and takes in the look of the house. I take him up to my old room and he chuckles. "Christ, Alice! You sure did like horses as a kid... And clearly nothing's changed." I laugh. "Liked is an understatement. Everything in the room is horse patterned or has at least a horseshoe on it!"
We sit on my bed and hug. It feels good to be back in my home, Nebraska, bad political opinions or not. Andrew looks out my window. "I've noticed something, Alice... Nobody in the Midwest has an accent..." I nod. "Correct. I'm not sure why we don't... But I wish I had one sometimes." I boop Andy's nose playfully. "Your accent is adorable, my Irish troubadour." He smiles, showing his perfectly imperfect teeth in doing so.
     My mom calls us down for lunch and I take up Andrew's hand and we walk downstairs. She and dad have ordered pizza from Lazlo's, a really yummy local restaurant. "Oh my god, you got Lazlo's! I haven't had this since... 2013!" I squeal excitedly. She hands Andrew a plate of pizza and he thanks her politely. "This is... Different... But... Christ it's good!" He says in between bites.
Dad's talking excitedly about going downstairs and playing guitars for a bit and Andrew joins in happily. "Ehm... I brought my own... Gibson, if that's ok." Dad smiles. "Of course! I'd love to hear it." Then dad turns to me. "Alice, Fabio is downstairs, you remember, your first guitar from when you were just starting to play?" My cheeks color to a soft pink upon realizing how horrid my guitar skills were back then. "Oh man, I missed old Fahbs."
As we head downstairs to the music room, Mom grins as she tells me that dad has taught her a few chords on Fabio and Dad's vintage Telecaster. Andrew is holding Honey and Gibby as he goes down the stairs (rather clumsily) behind me. Dad hustles to turn on our several amps as Andrew unclips Honey's case and takes her out. I get passed Gibby, thank Andy, then turn around to plug him in to our vox amplifier.
I set Gibby down on a spare guitar stand when I spot Fabio in a corner. "Aww! It's old Fabio!" Andy giggles as I pick up Fabio and hug the old guitar. I hand him to Andrew upon request and, Andrew being 6'5, he dwarfs the teensy instrument and makes Fabio look like a toy.
Dad proudly turns on the amp in the corner that's hooked up to his sleek black Rickenbacker, smiling. "Wow! I've never seen one in person.", Andrew comments about Dad's guitar. Fabio gets put back on his stand as I warm up my fingers before I play with a quick rendition of Vance Joy's 'Mess Is Mine'. Gibby sounds great today, and I'm excited for tonight, though I am a bit bummed I don't ever get to play in front of people other than Andy.
Andrew looks at my mom as he starts to play 'From Eden', one of her favorite songs of his. "Alice, I always told you I'd be disappointed if you dated a musician, but with Andrew you hit the jackpot." Andrew sheepishly smiles whilst his cheeks turn a crimson red color.
Andrew's phone goes off just as he's singing the chorus of 'From Eden'. He sighs and picks it up off a black and green stool. "Alice, Alex says we need to be at Pinewood before 3:00. We'd best be leaving now." My mom and dad sigh, and dad turns off the amps and guitars. "We can take you over there if you want us too." Dad tells Andrew. "You can? That would be lovely!" He graciously thanks my father.
My parents' car drops Andy and I off at the entrance to Pinewood Bowl, and we hop out, walking over to the stage by foot, so as to enjoy the scenery.
He wraps a long arm around my waist unexpectedly, and I stiffen at first, but find myself really enjoying the feeling now. He looks down at me, guitar in hand, smiling, his eyes full of love.