Page 172 of Five Summers

Xander and I stand up.

Neil takes the lead as he walks ahead.

“Poppy and I have to go to the gift shop to grab a few things,” Xander says, slipping his hand into mine. "Then we'll sort this out, Theo," he reassures, patting him on the back with a comforting touch.

Chapter sixty-five

Xander

After my recent phone interview with one of Sydney’s top radio stations, I know there will be consequences. The news is bound to spread like wildfire. I was completely honest and firmly rejected any insinuations about my involvement with the young girl that could damage my reputation. My heart goes out to Theo. He's got his interview later today and now that the media have wind of what happened, he’ll be bombarded with questions. Theo’s right. We need to come together and work out how to tell the truth about what’s been happening with the label all these years.

It’s time to reveal that it’s been Reg who sparks the headlines, painting me as a rebellious rocker with a carefree attitude. This portrayal is far from the truth. I never wanted Poppy to think I was a player or that she didn't matter to me. Unfortunately, the media has painted me in a different light. Whenever they get a hold of photos of me standing beside beautiful women, including models and celebrities, they always write some bullshit article that portrays me as a womanizing rockstar.

It's annoying how people have been misrepresenting me all these years, so let's set the record straight. Especially now, I don't want the media distorting my relationship with Poppy, making it seem like she's just another name on a long list of women I've supposedly banged. That's why I feel like I have to come clean about what Reg has done. Once he’s sorted this shit out, I plan to give an interview upon my return home, setting the record straight for everyone to hear.

Reg’s bullshit has once again ruined my day, abruptly cutting short our enjoyable visit to the zoo. I was enjoying every moment I spent with Poppy, and her infectious smile, as I tried to capture as many photos of the animals as I could for our little boy. But the way the media hounded me with questions during that interview, I know we need to go and prepare ourselves for the shit storm that is coming our way.

With Poppy on my left, holding a stuffed kangaroo and a koala for Alex, and Theo on my right, burdened by his two hefty bags, we make our way to the carpark. Earlier, I sent a quick message to Kit, filling her in on the incident and asking her to arrange a speedy car to pick us up.

The three of us squeeze into the back, while Neil sits in the front passenger seat. As the car moves, I remove the cap and blonde wig, running my fingers through my sweaty hair. Theo does the same, peeling off his fake mustache and sideburns. I’mabout to burst into laughter when I see his bright red sunburned face, with the white outline of a mustache and sideburns. But before I can tease the fucker, my phone pings.

Ace: Fuck. I thought that asshole was handling it.

I quickly type my response.

Xander: We’re on our way back. Theo’s stressing about the interview. Can you come back?

Ace: Yeah, we're on our way now. We'll meet you in your room as soon as we arrive.

I put my phone back in my pocket.

“Was that Ace?” Theo inquires,

“Ace and Nate are on their way. We’ll sort everything out," I confirm.

Theo nods, then pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through it. I quickly steal a glance at Poppy, who is quietly observing Theo.

“Man, it’s all over the news,” Theo states, before tossing me his phone. There are two photos, one of me and the other showcasing the girl that Reg was supposed to take care of. The headline boldly declares, “Band manager arranges 15-year-old for frontman.”

Poppy leans in beside me, eager to see what Theo has discovered. As I start reading more headlines, a wave of emotions washes over me. It’s always the same shit with themedia, never getting any of their fucking facts straight. All I can think about is the second I see Reg, he’s gonna get a fucking punch to the face for dragging me into his mess once again.

“What are you going to do?” Poppy asks.

“I have no fucking idea,” I state. “He’s always dragging me into shit like this. None of it has any truth to it. Well… except the one time I trashed that hotel room. That was legit. But everything else is fake.”

I give Theo back his phone. I notice his leg nervously bouncing up and down as he continues scrolling. “This is really bad, man. It’s fucked. I’m not sure I can handle this,” he confesses.

I can see that he’s on the verge of losing his shit. It’s evident from his restless fidgeting and the way he bites his bottom lip. To an outsider, it would seem as though he’s a junkie desperately searching for his next fix. Normally, Nate would step in, easing his tension. But without Nate here, I don’t know what to do. When we hang out, we’re usually chilling, laughing, and drinking beers. Not this. Maybe I should shoot Nate a text and fill him in so he can help Theo calm down?

Right when I’m about to text Nate, Poppy’s voice breaks the silence. “What did you get from the gift shop?”

As soon as Theo meets her gaze, I notice a distinct change in his mood. He places his phone on the seat next to him and reaches into one of the bags. Excitedly, he pulls out a small elephant and proudly shows it to Poppy. Then he unveils a gorilla, a giraffe, and a kangaroo. Passing them to her, I observe their interaction, and it’s as if he has effortlessly returned to his usual self.

“I’ve got something for the little guy,” Theo says. “I hope it’s okay?” He withdraws a plastic Hippo head on a long stick, with a lever at the bottom. Pulling the lever causes the Hippo’smouth to open and close. Theo proceeds to give Poppy a quick demonstration.

“He’s going to love it,” she says, with a smile.

Right then, it hits me - my band brothers are going to fully embrace Poppy and Alex. Alex will have three uncles who, without a doubt, will shower him with love and care, simply because he is a part of me.

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