Billie Joe's Third Son
My father's wife asking me for sugar. Yeah right .
1997
I was amazed how fast Joseph grew up. I sighed, and lighted a cigarette. When Adie'd taken Joseph to Minnesota, the veranda chair was never empty. When she was gone, taken him along, I'd sit there and think for hours. Amazing, eh? Just thinking of random, small things you often haven't got the chance to think over. Thinking Joseph growing up fast, made me once again think of Billie..
I wonder what you look like, wonder what you're doing. Wonder what it would have been like, if you were here with me now. I wonder where you are..
I found myself couching, thinking that Billie would actually be nine years by now. I often thought of going to Scotland to take him back. I wanted him back. Eight years of thinking, and I hadn't done anything about it. But it was time..
*
2003
Of course I never did anything. I never had the guts. If I had, he might would've been here now. Here, with me, where he belonged..
I sighed, and lighted a cigarette, thinking of that day six years ago. The day I had decided to look for my son. I didn't even know if I still had time.
Hell. I did have time.
Look, Billie, he's fifteen by now.
Holy fuck, he's fifteen..
"Hey honey," Adrienne said out of nowhere. I turned around to see her standing there, in her favorite shirt and pants. I smiled at her, not saying a word.
"What's on your mind?"
The same kid that's been on my mind for the last fourteen years.
"Look, Adie," I said instead of replying. "Would you mind if I had a little vacation, just away from here a bit?" Her face fell. I hated to leave her, but I had no choice.
I had to find Billie.
"But we've just been in Spain. And you're always away. Always.." she replied.
I so wish I could tell her.
"I just need to get away for a bit. Please, honey." I said, almost begging her. She shrugged, then smiled.
That most definitely meant yes.
She kissed my cheek, then wrapped her arms around me.
"Look Billie.. I know something is bugging you, but I have no clue what it is. But I know that when something is, you have to deal with it your way."
"Mum! Can you make me and Jakob pancakes? Pleeease?" Joseph said from behind us. We both turned around to face our now eight year old boy. Adie smiled.
"Of course honey." She then looked at me.
"I think I spent all the sugar on the food we had for supper yesterday. You wouldn't drive to the foodstore bying some more?"
I smiled. "Sure thing babe. Meanwhile you can go to her.. She.. What's her name, the woman next door?"
"Amanda Prebble. Yes, sure I'll ask her. She's always got something to do with sugar in her house. Either it's sweets or.."
"Dad, can you bring some sweets too?" Joseph asked with a huge grin, interrupting his mother when he heard the word "sweets."
"Sorry little man, but sweets are only for Saturdays," I smiled.
*
Next door
I'd been switching through all the channels on Amanda's old television a houndred of times, when I gave up. Glen, Mum, the twins, Amanda and her daughter Jade'd gone to Disney land for the day. Luckily since Amanda meant I was old enough to stay alone for a couple of hours, Mum had agreed, but emptied my pockets and luggage a houndred of times before they left, so I wouldn't go out and get stoned.
Normally I'd been glad to be alone, but not now. Something was on my mind, and wouldn't leave me alone. Plus, I was bored stiff. I decided to go outside, catching some action, and got up. I was just going out for a little while, no one would notice. I opened the door, and noticed a woman standing on the staircase. It looked as if she was just about to ring the doorbell, then I opened the door. She looked at me.
"Is Amanda home?" she asked. She had chocolate brown eyes, and dreads. Wait a minute.. This wasn't any woman. This was the lady I'd seen my father with on the airport. That was, if he really was my father.
"Uhh.. No," I replied nervously. I avoided eye contact with her.
"Well, young man, can I please borrow a cup of sugar? I'll pay you back as soon as my husband has been to the food store," she said and smiled.
My Dad. Her husband. My Dad. Her husband.
I gave her a nervous smile, and vanished into the kitchen. I searched the lockets for sugar, and finally found some. I quickly fetched a cup, and returned to the lady.
"Here you go Mrs..."
"..Armstrong." she smiled.
Kiss my dick and do it twice. She was named Armstrong.
I handed her the cup, still avoiding eye contact with her.
Did Amanda know my father and his wife?
She suddenly stopped smiling and looked at me as if she tried to figure something out, just like that.. Mick, something from Green Day which I'd met the other day.
"Uhm.. Was there something else?" I said, suddenly a little annoyed with the lady. Couldn't the world just stop staring at me, and mind it's own business? I cleared my throat, so no mean words would escape through my lips.
"You look familiar," she suddenly spoke.
How did I know that was coming?
"Have we met before?" she said again. She scanned me. From inside and out, to find out who she knew that I looked like. For some strange reason, I didn't want her to find out.
"Actually I.. I have things to do, and places to go," I replied. She smiled again. She seemed very nice and.. Smily.
"Well, I have what I came for. Goodbye Mr.."
"..Prebble," I replied and shook her hand.
Why the hell did I use Glen's last name?
She finally left me alone with my thoughts. I watched her, entering the neighbour house.
Wait.. Wasn't Amanda's neighbour a rockstar?
I was amazed how fast Joseph grew up. I sighed, and lighted a cigarette. When Adie'd taken Joseph to Minnesota, the veranda chair was never empty. When she was gone, taken him along, I'd sit there and think for hours. Amazing, eh? Just thinking of random, small things you often haven't got the chance to think over. Thinking Joseph growing up fast, made me once again think of Billie..
I wonder what you look like, wonder what you're doing. Wonder what it would have been like, if you were here with me now. I wonder where you are..
I found myself couching, thinking that Billie would actually be nine years by now. I often thought of going to Scotland to take him back. I wanted him back. Eight years of thinking, and I hadn't done anything about it. But it was time..
*
2003
Of course I never did anything. I never had the guts. If I had, he might would've been here now. Here, with me, where he belonged..
I sighed, and lighted a cigarette, thinking of that day six years ago. The day I had decided to look for my son. I didn't even know if I still had time.
Hell. I did have time.
Look, Billie, he's fifteen by now.
Holy fuck, he's fifteen..
"Hey honey," Adrienne said out of nowhere. I turned around to see her standing there, in her favorite shirt and pants. I smiled at her, not saying a word.
"What's on your mind?"
The same kid that's been on my mind for the last fourteen years.
"Look, Adie," I said instead of replying. "Would you mind if I had a little vacation, just away from here a bit?" Her face fell. I hated to leave her, but I had no choice.
I had to find Billie.
"But we've just been in Spain. And you're always away. Always.." she replied.
I so wish I could tell her.
"I just need to get away for a bit. Please, honey." I said, almost begging her. She shrugged, then smiled.
That most definitely meant yes.
She kissed my cheek, then wrapped her arms around me.
"Look Billie.. I know something is bugging you, but I have no clue what it is. But I know that when something is, you have to deal with it your way."
"Mum! Can you make me and Jakob pancakes? Pleeease?" Joseph said from behind us. We both turned around to face our now eight year old boy. Adie smiled.
"Of course honey." She then looked at me.
"I think I spent all the sugar on the food we had for supper yesterday. You wouldn't drive to the foodstore bying some more?"
I smiled. "Sure thing babe. Meanwhile you can go to her.. She.. What's her name, the woman next door?"
"Amanda Prebble. Yes, sure I'll ask her. She's always got something to do with sugar in her house. Either it's sweets or.."
"Dad, can you bring some sweets too?" Joseph asked with a huge grin, interrupting his mother when he heard the word "sweets."
"Sorry little man, but sweets are only for Saturdays," I smiled.
*
Next door
I'd been switching through all the channels on Amanda's old television a houndred of times, when I gave up. Glen, Mum, the twins, Amanda and her daughter Jade'd gone to Disney land for the day. Luckily since Amanda meant I was old enough to stay alone for a couple of hours, Mum had agreed, but emptied my pockets and luggage a houndred of times before they left, so I wouldn't go out and get stoned.
Normally I'd been glad to be alone, but not now. Something was on my mind, and wouldn't leave me alone. Plus, I was bored stiff. I decided to go outside, catching some action, and got up. I was just going out for a little while, no one would notice. I opened the door, and noticed a woman standing on the staircase. It looked as if she was just about to ring the doorbell, then I opened the door. She looked at me.
"Is Amanda home?" she asked. She had chocolate brown eyes, and dreads. Wait a minute.. This wasn't any woman. This was the lady I'd seen my father with on the airport. That was, if he really was my father.
"Uhh.. No," I replied nervously. I avoided eye contact with her.
"Well, young man, can I please borrow a cup of sugar? I'll pay you back as soon as my husband has been to the food store," she said and smiled.
My Dad. Her husband. My Dad. Her husband.
I gave her a nervous smile, and vanished into the kitchen. I searched the lockets for sugar, and finally found some. I quickly fetched a cup, and returned to the lady.
"Here you go Mrs..."
"..Armstrong." she smiled.
Kiss my dick and do it twice. She was named Armstrong.
I handed her the cup, still avoiding eye contact with her.
Did Amanda know my father and his wife?
She suddenly stopped smiling and looked at me as if she tried to figure something out, just like that.. Mick, something from Green Day which I'd met the other day.
"Uhm.. Was there something else?" I said, suddenly a little annoyed with the lady. Couldn't the world just stop staring at me, and mind it's own business? I cleared my throat, so no mean words would escape through my lips.
"You look familiar," she suddenly spoke.
How did I know that was coming?
"Have we met before?" she said again. She scanned me. From inside and out, to find out who she knew that I looked like. For some strange reason, I didn't want her to find out.
"Actually I.. I have things to do, and places to go," I replied. She smiled again. She seemed very nice and.. Smily.
"Well, I have what I came for. Goodbye Mr.."
"..Prebble," I replied and shook her hand.
Why the hell did I use Glen's last name?
She finally left me alone with my thoughts. I watched her, entering the neighbour house.
Wait.. Wasn't Amanda's neighbour a rockstar?