Backstage

Nope, they didn’t get away from the little teenies. They stood there while the girls pulled the kids away to take them on rides. Finally, after ten minutes, they managed to slip away.

“God, we’re here to spend time with our FAMILY not our FANS,” Billie said, wiping more lip gloss from his cheek. Mike and Tre nodded, each doing the same. They found the girls waiting in the Matter horn. Billie smiled and walked up to them, only to realize Jakob had his head buried in Adie’s shoulder and had tears running down his cheeks.

“Thank God Billie,” Adie said as she handed Jakob over to him.

“What-“he tried to say before Jakob was put into his arms.

“He needs you,” Adie said. Billie looked confused and they looked down at his son.

“What’s wrong buddy?” Billie asked as Jakob snuggled up to him.

“Why did you leave?” he asked, tears still coming down his face, but no sob escaped him. Billie felt a pang of guilt as he stood there. His son was crying and it was his fault.

“Jakob, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to leave. I just…” he stopped. He didn’t know how to explain. What could he say, that if he didn’t stay the mob was going to follow them around? Teenies…they just took time away from his family. They had made his son cry. Billie cradled Jakob on his hip and gave him a hug. “I’m here now, and I won’t leave again. None of us will. Ok?” Billie asked him.

“Promise?” he said quietly.

“Promise,” Billie said sealing the deal. His son gave a small smile and squeezed his dad tight. “Ok, ready to go on the ride?” Billie asked excitedly. He could feel Jakob nodding vigorously on his shoulder. Billie put him down. “Ok let’s go!” he said, letting Jakob run up ahead of him. Scott was waiting for him there. Billie watched as Scott smiled, knowing that Jakob was ok. ‘Aww, just like me and Mike,’ he thought and he hurried to catch up to the group.

Four hours later

“Ok, seven hours in the happiest place on earth is all I can take!” Tre said and he shifted a sleeping Frankito into a more comfortable place on his hip.

“And we are never going on the ‘It’s a Small World’ ride ever again!” Billie said, referring to the ride that they had just gotten off of.

“I agree with both of them. The kids are tired and the small world ride is annoying and should be torn down and burned to ashes,” Sami said as she slipped on a sweat shirt. It was about six o’clock and it was starting to get cold. She scooped Scott back up. He promptly closed his eyes.

“Yeah, I guess we should. Ready to go?” Adrienne asked a sleep walking Joey. He reluctantly nodded. Jakob was asleep in Billie’s arms as was Scott in Sami’s. Kaylee was holding onto her mom’s hand but was dragging her feet in exhaustion.

“Ok, let’s go,” Mike said leading the group out the gates.

The Hotel

Everyone collapsed when they got back. They were all so tired and needed sleep. The kids fell asleep instantly and the adults quickly after them.

The next day, the group had nothing to do, so they just walked around the area, looking at the town. They ended up driving to a place called San Clemente. It was a nice little town right near the bay. They drove to a boat docking area and watched at fishermen pulled their boats into the docks.

“Um…excuse me..” someone said from behind them. The group turned around. It was a man. He had a beagle with him. “Sorry…but you’re blocking the gate,” the man said with a smile.

“Oh…sorry ‘bout that,” Billie said. They had all been leaning up against a fence that blocked the pedestrians from the boats. The man stuck a key in a hole that opened the gate. He looked at the group, mainly Billie, Mike and Tre.

“This may sound crazy, but I feel like I’ve seen you before,” the man said, letting his beagle run through the gate.

“You probably have,” Tre mumbled under his breath.

“What was that?” the man asked Tre.

“Uh…” Tre stuttered.

“Daddy, tell him about your band!” Frankito said. Mike slapped his head with his hand.

“A band? Are you local?” the man asked.

“Berkley,” Billie said. The man continued to stare.

“This is really bugging me,” the man said shaking his head. “I have family down in that area, In a place called Campbell. It’s about an hour away from Berkley,” he said. “My name’s Tim,” he said sticking out his hand.

“Billie,” Billie said shaking his hand.

“Tre,” Tre said. And so on and so forth.

“Anyway, why are you all the way down here? Family?” he asked as he watched his dog run up to a boat and sit down in front of it, waiting for his master.

“Yeah, taking the kids, you know,” Billie said with a smile. Tim nodded.

“Wanna come in?” he asked, holding open the gate.

“Sure,” they all said. It was filled with boats. There were even seals in the murky water.

“So, touring around the area?” Tim said walking up to the boat that his dog was patiently sitting in front of.

“They’re playing music on the tour!” Jakob said. It was Billie’s turn to smack his head.

“Thanks Jake,” he mumbled. The man laughed.

“Tour, huh? You guys big?” he asked. Mike gave a small shrug.

“They’re Green Day!” Scott blurted out. Sami groaned.

“That’s it! I knew you looked familiar,” he laughed as he let his dog onto his boat. “My niece loves you guys. Says you’re her favorite band ever,” the guys smiled.

“How old is she?” Sami asked. “Fourteen,” Tim said as he looked along the dock, looking for something.

‘Uh oh…teenie,’ Billie thought.

“She hasn’t been a fan long though,” Tim said.

‘Yup, definite teenie,’ Billie thought.

“She told me that she bought this one. American Dork or something.” Billie laughed

“American Idiot,” Billie said.

“Yeah, that one,” Tim said nodding. “She told me how much she loved that one. Then she said that she immediately bought all of your older albums. She says Dookie was her favorite one but she’s still sad because she can’t get a hold of one…it has numbers in it, that’s all I can remember,” Tim said furrowing his brow.

“1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours,” the whole group (including Sami, Katie and Nikky) said in unison. Tim looked at them all.

“Y-Yeah…that one. Not my type of music, don’t get me wrong. Just more of a Rat Pack fan,” Tim said looking at the boys. They smiled and waved it off. The beagle began to bark.

“Oh shut up Scout,” Tim said to the dog. “Well, I have to go. My niece is going to go crazy when she hears that I met you guys,” Tim said smiling at the thought.

“Tell…umm…whatername?” Billie asked.

“Jody,” Tim said. Billie nodded.

“Tell Jody we say hi and thanks for being a dedicated fan. Tell her to keep looking for that album cuz it’s really good,” Billie said with a smile. Tim nodded.

“I’ll be sure too.” He got onto the boat and pulled away from the dock.

“Well that was fun,” Adrienne said. They all nodded. They got back in their cars and drove back over to the hotel.