Sweet Child of Mine

"So it went pretty well." Adie says after I told her about my meeting with Erin and Amy.
"Yeah, I guess it did." I say thinking to myself, "I think I'll tell the boys now."
"Okay." She says as we walk out of the kitchen into the living room where the boys are flipping through the channels. "Boys we need to talk to you."
"Jake's the one who left the ice cream out, not me." Joey mutters as I take the remote from him and turn off the T.V.
"Not that." I say shaking my head.
"You guys honestly can't take put the ice cream back into the freezer?" Adie says slightly annoyed. "Anyway your father needs to tell you something."
"Okay, this is awkward." I say sitting on the sofa across from them, "Well before I met your mother I had another girlfriend named Erin."
"Oh yeah, Tre told us about her." Jakob pipes up.
"What did he say?" I ask nervously.
"Nothing, just that she dumped your sorry ass and you were always a grump about it." Joey says shrugging.
"Well right, before she dumped my sorry ass, I found out she was pregnant, with my child. But she said she was getting an abortion, which I was pissed off about. That's why Tre said I was a grump about it." I say calmly.
"What's an abortion?" Jakob asks.
"It's when they kill the baby before it's born." Adie says calmly.
"What? Why would she do that?" he asks confused.
"She didn't, she changed her mind and didn't tell me. Yesterday at Joey's new school I met her for the first time."
"You mean the girl who gave us the tour?" Joey asks confused.
"Yeah, that's her." Adie says. "So you have a half-sister."
"How come she never told you?" Joey asks calmly.
"She didn't want me to think she was just after the money I made for the Dookie album." I say trying not to gloat. Joey and Jakob just nod as they take in the information.

"Oh, am I interrupting?" Tre asks inviting himself in.
"No we're done." I say getting up as the boys still take in what they've been told.
"Did you know Dad has a daughter?" Jakob asks. Tre stays silent for a moment.
"Is he talking about Trouble?" Tre mutters.
"Yeah, I found out yesterday that she didn't have the abortion." I say just a bit over a whisper.
"So, you found her?" he says smirking, "Congratulations man!"
"Thanks." I say as Tre hugs me.
"Do I get to meet her?"
"Yeah, she's coming over tomorrow." I say running my hand through my hair.
"Oh, just wait till Mikey-boy hears about this." Tre says walking out of the house smugly.

***
I drive up to Erin's house and see Amanda sitting on the front porch with her backpack.
"Later Mom!" She calls out as she walks towards my car.
"Hey." I say as I unlock the door.
"Hey." She says as she buckles her seat belt. "Nice car."
"Thanks." I say as we drive along towards my house. We sit in silence for a while. "So what kind of guitar do you play?"
"Crappy starter strat." She mutters as she shrugs her shoulders.
"Why guitar?" I ask in another attempt to start a conversation.
"Don't know, I just like the sound, but me and my band mates are all able to play guitar, drums and bass to a certain extent." She says proudly.
"So you all teach each other?"
"Yeah."
"That's pretty cool." I say as I turn the corner.
"My mom said when she was considering abortion you offered to take me."
"Yeah, I really don't believe in abortion. Deal with the consequences of your actions."
"Thank you." she says smiling at me, "I wonder what I'd be like if I grew up with you?"
"Probably really fucked up." I say shrugging, "I lived in a squatter building with horny, acid tripper Tre Cool and stoner Mike. I must admit I liked getting stoned too, just don't tell my sons that."
"Okay, I figure it would've been extremely awkward when I hit puberty, I mean I seriously doubt you'd be the best person to ask about lady problems." She says laughing.
"You got that right. Instead I get to explain to my sons why they wake up feeling funny." I laugh.
"I looked you up on the internet. So your sons' names are Joseph and Jakob?"
"Yeah, but you can call them Joey and Jake." I say casually.
"They're pretty cute kids I saw a picture of them on the net from the kids choice awards."
"Awe thanks." I say in a cheesy voice.
"Is it true you're bi?" she asks randomly. I let out a snort of laughter.
"I never had sex with a guy if that's what you mean, but yeah me, Mike and Tre play grab ass from time to time, just for shits and giggles." I say laughing.
"So basically just goofing off?" she asks.
"Basically." I say shrugging. "What about you?"
"I just finished tenth grade and I don't do any sports."
"Boyfriends?"
"This guy named Alex, he's really nice."
"Is he in your band?"
"No, he's in another band called Blood-shot." She says shrugging.
"What's your band called by the way?"
"Tungsten." She says smirking.
"What exactly does that mean?" I ask not sure if it's something perverted.
"I found it on the Periodic Table in science class." She says laughing, "You thought it was something else didn't you."
"Yes actually, I did. Like a BJ or something." I say laughing.
"Hey those are your initials." She says evilly.
"Hey! I got enough teasing as a pre-teen about that, don't open old wounds." I say fake crying. "Here we are." I park the car and step out.
"Wow." She says looking around, "you came a long way from a squatter building."
"Guess so." I say as I take her bag and carry it into the house as she follows me.

"Boys!" I call out and they scamper to the door. "This is Amanda, your sister."
"Hi Amanda." Jakob says in mono-tone.
"Hey, you're Jakob right?"
"Yeah." He says awkwardly.
"Hey sis." Joey says shaking her hand.
"Joey?"
"Yeah that's me." he says shrugging.
"Come and meet Adrienne." I say leading her into the kitchen where she's sitting with Mike, Brittney and Tre are sitting with her drinking coffee.
"So it is true, I thought Tre was pulling my leg." Mike says in disbelief.
"Yeah, I'm here." Amy says waving.
"Dear god it's like female Billie!" Tre says happily.
"Umm okay." She says awkwardly.
"Don't mind Tre." Adie says rolling her eyes. "I'm Adrienne, but feel free to call me Adie."
"Thanks." She says standing in the kitchen awkwardly. "My friend Gabby would die if she knew I was here, she's a huge fan."
"So are you saying you're not a fan?!" Tre says alarmed.
"I like your music, I'm just not obsessed with knowing every Green Day fact available." She says rolling her eyes.
"For fuck's sake she really does look like you!" Mike outbursts.
"Okay." She says I can tell she feels really awkward.
"If you want you can watch T.V. with the boys." I whisper into her ear.
"Thanks." She says hurrying off.

"She seems nice." Brittney says taking a sip from her coffee.
"Yeah." I say happily.
"So you're getting along." Adie says passing me a cup of coffee.
"Yeah, she's an awesome kid." I say taking a sip of coffee and burning my tongue.
"So is she coming to visit like every second weekend or something?" Mike asks quizzically.
"I don't know, I still have to discuss all this with Erin."
"Ahh yes Trouble, how is the rebel anyway." Tre asks evilly.
"Umm very motherly." I say laughing.
"Oh so she doesn't wear those itsy bitsy tank tops anymore?" Tre whines.
"No Tre she doesn't." I mutter rolling my eyes.
"So what else do you know about her besides her being your daughter?" Brittney asks.
"She's in a band called Tungsten. She plays guitar." I say fondly.
"Awe isn't that sweet. Like father like daughter!" Mike mocks.
"Tungsten? Is that like Gene Simmons?!" Tre asks abruptly.
"No it's on the periodic table of elements." I mutter.
"Science class stuff." Tre mutters
"I'll be right back." I say standing up from the table.

I walk into the family room where Joey, Jake and Amy are watching a movie.
"How's it going?" I ask sitting down on the sofa.
"Good." Jakob says shoving pop corn into his mouth.
"They aren't bugging you are they?" I ask Amy.
"No, their awesome." She says happily.
"If you're not into the movie, I'd like to show you something." I say casually.
"Okay." She says standing up.

I lead her to the basement.
"This is your sound studio?" she asks in awe.
"Slash office." I say laughing.
"It's awesome." She says looking around.
"Come." I say unlocking the walk in closet where I keep my guitars. "Choose one."
"What? You mean to keep?" Amy asks in disbelief.
"Yeah, you said your starter strat was crap." I say laughing. She steps into the closet and looks around slowly.
"Can I have one of these?" she asks pointing at my Blue replicas. "Since you have more than one."
"Take any one you want." I say waving my arm at the wall of guitars. Amy picks up my Gibson electric acoustic she strums it a couple of times then picks up the Blue replica again. She plays a short tune than stands up.
"I want this one." She says proudly.
"Alright." I say smiling. "Do you want to see the original?"
"Original?"
"Yeah, that's a replica of my first guitar." I say opening a guitar case. "Here it is the original Blue."
"Wow, it's really beat up." She says running her hand over a huge crack on the side.
"Yeah, I guess so." I say laughing as I put it back in the case. "But this one is for Jakob, when he's mature enough."
"Why Jakob?" she asks innocently.
"My dad gave it to me, and I'm the youngest so I thought I'd keep up tradition." I say shrugging.
"That's pretty cool, a sort of change from the eldest make inheriting all." She says running her hand over the frets of her new guitar. "Does this have a carrying case?"
"Oh yeah, I think I have one back here." I say heading over to the back corner. "Here you go."
"Thanks." She says as she places the guitar in the case carefully.
"You're welcome." I say holding the guitar room door open for her.