Monster Boy Band Part Two: Pope the Mothman (complete)

    Music has always been the thing that brought me the greatest comfort in the world. Even when I was a baby I would only quiet down when my dad put on his old, beat up vinyl records. I would fall asleep to the likes of Queen, Led Zeppelin, and the like easier than I would any nursery rhyme of music box. It drove my mom crazy.

    As I grew older I started to discover my own music and what I enjoyed. I fell in love with quite a number of bands, but none so much as I did Saturn. I was a young girl on the cusp of high school and starting my first dance class. I saw their video in the music store one day and from then on I was hooked.

    I went to every concert I could attend. I had all their records on cassette, CD, and vinyl. I had shirts, merch, anything I could get my hands on. I was a super fan. I planned on my solo dance numbers to their songs, even to this day I still have my own dance class perform to one of their songs every year. That’s how bad into Saturn I was.

    The day I learned they broke up was a sad one indeed. I was just leaving a dance recital when my trope and I heard the news over the radio. I cried and was inconsolable. My roommate couldn’t pry from my room for days until she started baking cookies.

    I knew it was for the best they broke up, they hadn’t been happy in years. But I was mourning all of what could have been. The music, the videos, a lifetime of new dance routines and future fans. Oh well, all good things must come to an end after all.

    Eventually I started packing away my collection. I grew up, moved on. I kept everything all neatly stored away. I take out the records from time to time when I just want to hear that warm crackle. But for the most part my phone is loaded with everything Saturn has ever done.

    I opened a dance studio with my old troupe and we taught dance and the love of music to a new generation of boys and girls. Aside from getting married to someone in Saturn, it was a dream come true for me. Then, one day, my heart was shot from my chest.

    A single dad came into the studio to sign up his twin daughters for classes. He was a moth, tall and a little broad, completely white save for black spots all over his wings and body. I knew him anywhere. Hell, I was in love with him since I was thirteen. It was Abraham Pope, the bassist for Saturn.

    His daughters, Rowan and Raja, were assigned to my class and it took me a while to be able to talk to them without my voice cracking. They became two of my favorite students though. They were bright and happy, and enjoyed dancing like I used to when I was young. Their parents were separated but still close and friendly. Their mom was also a moth and used to be a fashion model when she and Pope met. I’ve gotten to meet her and talk to her quite a bit. And she’s just as brilliant and cheerful as her daughters.

    Then there’s Pope, who is an avid fan of his daughters. He’s sat in on several classes, recording them as they dance and play. He’s at every recital and rehearsal and he joins on all the trips and competitions we go on. He’s amazing, even more so than I dreamed of when I was a young girl. He’s so smart and works as a writer now. His articles have been published in tons of music magazines and he’s a regular contributor to several of them. He’s been working on novels between being a stay at home dad for his girls.

    All this time I’ve gotten to spend with him one on one and I haven’t been able to tell him what a massive fan I am. It’s terrifying to me. I’m not sure how to breach the topic now that we’ve known each other for so long.

    Then one day, he approached by as Rowan and Raja were changing and collecting their things from the dressing room.

    “The girls wanted me to invite you over to dinner one evening,” he says with a smile. 

My heart flip flops and leaps into my throat. “Really?” I try to play it off. “What’s the special occasion?”

Pope chuckles. “They’ve been addicted to this new TV show and they saw how to put on a dinner party. They really like you, so I guess they want us to be their first victims.”

I smirk up at him. “Oh come on now, victim is such a strong word. Maybe hostage would better suit their intentions?”

Pope tilts his head and laughs. He places his hand over his belly, which I’ve noticed is a little soft. “I wouldn’t dare say it to their face, of course.”

“They might actually enjoy the idea. I know Marla said they enjoy their horror movies.” His ex always bragged about the girls and how odd they were. Both of them really got a kick out of it.

Pope shakes his head and sighs. “You know, I thought if I took the time and played the good stay at home dad, they would become these bright little overachievers. I guess I should have specified what they would overachieve in.”

I snort and cover my mouth. I glance at Pope who is giving me the all-knowing side eye. “Sorry,” I giggle.

Raja and Rowan come running out. “Did you ask?” Raja tugs at Pope’s shirt.

“Are you coming?” Rowan hugs onto my waist.

I pet the top of Rowan’s head. “It depends what will you be serving?”

“Whatever Dad makes!” The two girls chime.

“And I’m not even getting paid.” Pope takes each girl’s hand. “Is tomorrow ok?”

I nod. “It’s my day off, I’m totally free all day.”

Pope smiles and my heart starts to flip flop again. “I’ll text you the address. See you then.”

“By Ms. Emily!” The girls wave goodbye to me.

“Oh wow,” one of my friends and fellow instructors walk up behind me. “You’re going to Pope’s house. You gonna be able to stand yourself?”

I grimace and clench my fists into tight balls. “Those days of the super fan girl are far behind me,” I scoff.

“You can say that all you want,” he smirks. “But even if he wasn’t Pope he’s still a single, sexy man.”

I glare at him and jut my jaw out. “Just what are you getting at?”

“He’s a DILF, Em.” He rolls his eyes. “Even if he wasn’t the subject of your abject adoration as a blossoming young woman, he’s still that.”

“I think I may vomit. You’re an adult man who actually said the word DILF.”

He cocks his brow at me. “Then tell me a better way to say it.”

It’s true, Pope was downright sexy. He was extremely tall and well built, even if he was getting a little thick around the middle. It was hard to deny that even with my schoolgirl crush, I had a full on big girl crush on Pope.

The night of the dinner party I tried to dress as nice as I could. It was hard to find things that fit. Even with teaching dance I couldn’t fight off my natural shape. I had big legs and thighs culminating in a pretty big butt. Not to mention I had been top heavy since I was twelve. My options were to either look like a femme fatale or wear a poncho. But somehow I put together a sweater and skirt combo that made me look less fatal and more fluffy.

Pope’s home is beautiful, it’s a stone house completely covered by vines with tons of pretty trees and foliage all around. It looked like some little fairytale nook carved out after rows and rows of apartment buildings and cookie-cutter subdivisions.

Inside I could hear music playing and when I rung the doorbell it stopped. A moment later Pope was at the door. 

“There you are,” he smiles. “Come on in.”

My stomach has joined my heart in doing gymnastics. “Your house is gorgeous!” I reply. 

“One of the first things I did when our first album sold well,” he chuckled. “I bought a house for my mom. I moved in after we broke up and took care of her until she passed.”

“Oh,” I gasp. “Wow.”

“It’s not much,” he says as we walk inside. “But it’s more than enough for me and the girls.”

I look around, hearing a strange and unnerving silence. “Where are the girls?”

Pope’s antenna raise up and twitch, fluffing out a bit. “Still in the backyard. They decided since it was going to be nice we would have the dinner party outside.”

I chuckle, noticing bags on the kitchen counter from take out places. “Seems quite the spread.”

“I admit, I let them walk all over me,” he huffs. “But I also thought, whatever doesn’t get eaten I can eat myself while they’re away.”

“Oh?” I turn to him. “Where are they going?”

“Marla is taking them to visit her family over in Paris. It’s a yearly trip. She’ll be picking the girls up tomorrow.” He walks me over to the sliding glass door. Outside there is a picnic table with an umbrella. The girls have it decorated with fairy lights and have all the food loaded on the top.

“Oh boy, they’ve really gone all out,” I giggle.

“That’s one thing I wish I had, one hundred percent into everything.” He turns and grins at me. “We should move. They want it all to be a surprise. If they catch us staring they could ban us for life.” He puts his hand on the small of my back and my spine melts into pudding. “Let me give you a tour.”

He shows me around his home. The house is modest for someone who used to be a rock star, but it was apparent the girls lived there. Their toys and books and playthings were scattered about in each room like some sort of glittery murder trial. Pope then showed me to his office and I had to hold back the super fangirl inside me.

The walls were covered in Saturn merch, rare and exclusive items, tons of records from every country and language. He had a wall covered by fan art and letters. Then, standing in the corner, was his iconic baby blue upright bass.

“Can I touch it?” I ask in awe.

Pope tilts his head slightly. “Sure.”

I touch the bass, having so many years dreamed about being close enough to Pope to just see the expression on his face as he played. “This is so cool,” I say in awe.

“Are you...a fan?” Pope asks.

I quickly stand upright and look to him. “I mean uhm...wasn’t everyone a fan of Saturn?” I chuckle nervously. 

Pope smirks. “But were you?”

I grump and let my shoulders slouch. “I didn’t want to seem weird.”

Pope chuckles. “Look, it’s ok. You don’t have to pretend.”

“Yeah, but I was like...rabid,” I confess. I walk over to the shelf and point at all the items I had in my collection still. “I drove my parents mad because I had to have all this stuff. I had to go to every plausible concert.” I sigh and shake my head. “When I was in high school I was so in love with you, you were all over my notebooks!”

Pope chuckles and covers his mouth. “You don’t say?”

“Being a teenager is embarrassing enough, but I made it so much worse on myself, I swear!” I shake my head as I grin. “When the Imaginary Girls did that cover, I was so shocked. It was such a great blast from the past. All the kids in my class just went nuts!” I then snort and giggle. “Raja and Rowan were pissed that no one knew the original. They had me play it over and over.”

Pope’s antenna stand up again. “Really? They never mentioned this.”

I shrug. “They probably didn’t want to embarrass you.” 

Pope walks over to the baby blue bass and takes it off the stand. He places it before himself and takes the box to the strings. He starts to play and my heart has somehow escaped my body with what remains of my spine. Pope is playing just for me and only me.

“Oh-” he stops suddenly. “Are you ok?”

I sniffle and bow my head. “Sorry! I’m fine! Just stupid!” I try to laugh.

Pope sets his bass back and walks over to me. “No, you’re not.” He lifts my chin and wipes away the tears. “I think it’s cute.”

Our eyes lock for a moment and I forget to breathe. There’s a crackle in the air as our bodies move a touch closer. Oh god, is this really happening?

“It’s ready!” The girls scream from somewhere in the house.

I nearly leap out of my skin but Pope keeps his hands on me.

“We’re coming!” Pope calls out to them. He then looks at me and smiles. “You ok?” He asks me, his hands dropping down to his sides.

I swallow and nod. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

Pope puts his hand on the small of my back again and we walk out to find the girls waiting around the packed picnic table. We eat and girls insist we eat more. They serve juice in champagne flutes because it’s fancy. After eating, the girls go inside and plop down to watch a movie.

I wait outside, watching as fireflies rise up from the grass. I can hear a creek flowing nearby and everything seems so perfect for the moment.

Pope comes back outside, holding an actual bottle of champagne. “The girls are enjoying one of their favorite movies and falling asleep.” He pours me a glass. “Lets toast to their success.”

I grin and tap my glass to his. “I think with some more training they’ll be expert hosts one of these days.”

Pope chuckles and looks into his glass. “I was hoping for something in the STEM fields but hosting will make me proud too.”

I stare out over his yard. “Do you have a creek or something?”

He nods as he sips. “Just beyond the yard. It used to terrify me when the girls were toddlers. I was afraid they’d go running off and plop right into the water. I only removed the fence recently.”

“I’ve always dreamed of having a place like this.” I sigh and stretch my legs out under the table, unaware my skirt was hiking way up. “I grew up in the city and in apartments. Never had a yard, barely had a window garden.” I wax on dreamily as I sip the nice champagne. 

“I always had this,” Pope murmurs. “Grew up in an old hunting cabin in the woods. It was all my mom could afford while raising my siblings and me. We had to drive just to get to the school bus.”

“Oh wow.” I grin at him.

“Do you mind if I ask you something?” Pope tilts his head towards me.

I shrug. “Depends what the question is.”

“What made you want to dance?” He asked. “What turned it into a career for you?”

I smile and stare off into the distance. “Music did. It’s always been the thing I loved most,” I confess. “It became a career because my friends and I decided to buy our old teacher’s studio when they retired.” I smile softly to myself. “Believe it or not, it was dancing to your song that really made me want to start taking dance classes.” I look back to him and grin in embarrassment. “I hope that doesn’t sound too corny.”

“Not at all,” Pope’s voice is soft and warm. “I hope I’m not keeping you from anything, or anyone.”

I shake my head. “Nah,” I scoff. “Just my tiny ass apartment. No one to keep me away from anyways.”

“Really?” Pope sets his glass down. “I thought for sure you were dating someone?”

I cackle then cover my mouth. “Sorry. But no. I haven’t had a date in quite a long time.”

    “That’s a shame to hear. A beautiful woman like you, I figured you had all sorts of dates and offers.”

    “What?” I smirk up at him, wondering if he was just being nice or if he was really genuine.

    His antenna go down and he looks aside. “I was extremely taken with you the first time I met you. I was sure I didn’t have a chance.”

    My eyes are trying to bug from my head. I sit up, slack-jawed, and stare at Pope. “You thought-” I touch my fingers to my mouth. “I’m what?”

    Pope leans in and brushes his fingers through my hair. I lean my cheek into his warm, soft palm and my heart is clobbering around like a wild bull. 

    “You’re one of the most adorable creatures I’ve ever met,” Pope whispers. “I’d love to take you on a proper date.”

    “For the love of god kiss!”

    We both jump and turn, seeing Raja and Rowan plastered to the sliding glass door. We both laugh and Pope stands up, shooing them away and making them go to their room. I go into the kitchen, attempting to start washing the dishes.

    Pope comes back and sighs. “I am so, so, so sorry.”

    “No it’s fine,” I laugh.

    He huffs and leans on the counter. “Apparently they set up this entire night hoping it would make the two of us fall in love.”

    I flinch and try to focus on the dishes I’m washing. “Well, aren’t they sneaky?”

    Pope moves around the counter and comes up beside me. Me dips down and I turn to look at him, closing my eyes as we kiss. I cling to his shirt, feeling so many things at once. As we part I feel as though my breath has been sucked from my lungs.

    “I’m free all next week,” he tells me. “Well, aside from Thursday.” He sighs and leans on the counter. “I’m meeting with the rest of the band.”

    My eyes go wide. “Saturn?” I gasp.

    Pope smirks. “Yeah. Since that cover came out, some of them are threatening a reunion.” He tucks my hair behind my ear. “But I’d like to get to know you a little bit better before then.”

    I grin and tug him back down, kissing him as my heart goes wild.