An Address Book Romance

Rebellious Nine Year Olds

Grace raised an eyebrow as she sat back on Tre's bed and watched him toss an excessive amount of shoes out onto the floor. She watched a final converse sneaker fly out and land on a massive pile of clothing that had already developed on the floor before Tre finally exited the closet carrying a black duffel bag with him.

“Are you sure that's all going to fit in that bag?” Grace asked in an amused voice letting her eyes dart back and forth between the pile to the bag Tre was holding.

Tre gave her a grin as he began to stuff his belongings into his bag without even bothering to fold them. “Yeah I've had tons of practice at this and if it doesn't all fit I can just get another bag.”

Grace pulled her knees up crossing her legs as she spoke. “Doesn't it bother Billie and Mike that you bring so much junk? Do you really need all of that for like what three or four months? I mean you do realize you're coming back here for a break during the Christmas holiday right?”

“I'll have you know that this isn't junk Gracie. I need every little thing that I'm packing.”he scolded playfully shaking a finger at her before stuffing another pair of shoes into the already bulging bag.

He made his way over to his dresser grabbing a plastic shopping bag and pulling four containers of mens deodorant out before tossing them into the bag as well.

“Do you seriously need four brand new things of deodorant?” She asked as she watched him retrieve another duffel bag from within the closet.

“Yeah I can get pretty smelly on stage. You should be glad that I'm trying to cover it up.” Tre explained causing her to scrunch her nose up in disgust by this shared bit of information.

He chuckled apparently amused by her reaction. “Hey it's a fact of touring Grace. You're going to have to accept it before you come see me out on the road.”

“Just take some showers while you're touring and we'll be cool.” Grace laughed.

“Hey rock-stars don't bathe. We enjoy our stink.” Tre exclaimed plopping his bag down on the floor beside the other one.

She smirked speaking up. “They bathe if they don't want to completely gross out their girlfriends.”

He changed the subject glancing at her as he began to stuff the other bag. “So do you want to stay at your place tonight? I mean I'm going to have to leave first thing in the morning so I'm not going to have time to drive you back to your place before I have to go to the airport.”

Grace did her best to give him a cheerful smile as she spoke. “Yeah that is if you can handle seeing Jen's eyes bulge out once she realizes that I'm wearing my dress from last Friday.”

She had technically been lounging around in Tre's t shirts and a pair of boxers all week. He had given her these things to wear as a substitute for her clothing since neither of them were willing to run to her house to fetch some clean clothes.

Her dress, her bra, and her panties were actually still laying crumbled up on the bedroom floor. So she would probably have to wash them before she put any of it back on.

She'd been calling in sick to work. No calling in sick to work just so she could spend a week with her boyfriend wasn't the most responsible thing in the world to do even if she was going to quit that job in a month. She was sure that anyone would do the same thing if they were in her shoes though.

Calling in sick had been well worth it though. The entire week had been amazing. It had been filled with enough sex to defiantly make up for her year of celibacy.

It was more than that though. She had felt so at ease with him this week without any interruptions from anyone or the constant reminder that he would be leaving for tour.

She could admit that she didn't want him to go, but she knew that she could never just blurt that out. This was his job and it had been his job long before they'd ever met.

Despite Adrienne's reassurances about Tre's relationship habits she was still feeling a little cynical about this whole situation. She knew that statistically long distance relationships rarely worked, and wasn't this technically going to be a long distance relationship through out the time that he was gone promoting and touring.

She bit her bottom lip trying to ignore the sense of dread that was beginning to bubble up in the pit of her stomach. She stared down at the comforter unwilling to watch him pack his bags like he didn't have a care in the world.

It was like he didn't even have a problem just packing up and leaving. She couldn't help but to wonder if he was even worried about how this was going to work between them.

She felt herself being consumed by all the worries of what could go wrong between them until she heard Tre's voice. “Graceful you're doing it again.”

“Doing what?” She asked staring up at him to see that he'd finally finished stuffing both of his bags to the point where he'd barely managed to zip them up.

He shook his head as he took a seat beside her on his bed. “Sometimes you just do this weird thing where you sort of space out and avoid looking at me. It's almost like your trying to shut yourself off from me or something.”

“I'm sorry. I don't mean to do it.” She mumbled as she let him wrap an arm around her.

He let out a sigh noticing that she was already beginning to space out on him once again. He leaned over kissing her cheek as he spoke. “Just trust me okay. ”

She let him kiss her cheek once again as she replied to his comment. “I know I'm trying. I really am. I can just be a little bit emotionally screwed up at times.”

He did his best to give her an assuring smile. “You're not the only one you know. I've been divorced twice and I can barely manage to keep most of my relationships going strong with my schedule. I'm trying though. I mean I just know that I really like you. I enjoy being with you and you're willing to put up with a lot of shit from me. I'm not ready to let that fall apart way too easily. You're going to have to try to work with me though. I want this to work.”

She locked her lips with his before finally pulling away. “I'm going to keep trying okay. I don't want to give this up either.”

He cleared his throat trying to brighten things up. “You'll get to see me at the end of October. So it's not like were going to be apart forever.”

“I know. I still don't like it.” She mumbled.

“Neither do I, but that's life.” Tre replied giving her another kiss on the lips.

She pulled away letting out a sigh. “You better call me everyday. Even if it's just a five minute conversation I want to know that you're okay.”

“I will I promise. When you come out to see me we'll make up for lost time okay. I mean it I'm seriously not going to let you out of bed when you see me. I may even handcuff you to me so you'll never be able to leave my side again” Tre insisted in as serious of a voice as possible causing her to laugh.

“Tre if I'm handcuffed to you how are you going to play the drums?” She asked

Tre frowned thinking about this for a moment before he spoke up. “I'll find a way. I am the best drummer in the world just ask Jen.”

“I'm not even going to respond to that.” She muttered.

She leaned against him hoping that he was right. That they could just work though this together.

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Tre sat back trying to relax as his cab swerved though the New York traffic. He stared down at his cell phone making sure that it was set on vibrate. He didn't want any interruptions during this.

He did his best to stifle a yawn even though he was completely exhausted. He had been up since five this morning and he hadn't even had the time to have a decent cup of coffee before they had to rush to an interview and photo shoot.

It had been a long day so far and for the most part he just wanted to go back to his hotel and go to bed, he knew he couldn't though. He'd worked hard to make sure he had time worked out in his schedule to see his daughter.

No matter how tired he was he knew that he wasn't going to miss out on an opportunity to see her. He didn't get to see her as often as he should anyway.

He had been young when he'd become a parent for the first time and before he'd known it Lisea and he had been married and then divorced. Then Lisea had gotten a job offer out in New York and she'd gone for it taking Ramona with her.

Tre could admit he was still a little bit bitter about the fact that his daughter had been moved that far away from him, but he'd learned to cope with it.

He did everything he could to make sure that he got to see her. He made trips up to New York as often as possible, he spent as many holidays with her as he could, and he made sure that she could come spend at least one month with him during the summer.

Tre had set up a college fund for her to use if she was to choose to go. He wasn't going to force her into it, but he wanted her to have the opportunity.

He had taken pride in the fact that he had done everything he could to make sure that both Frankito and Ramona had all the opportunities he had never had.

Yes he had managed to get his GED and he'd even taken a couple of college classes before touring with Green Day became too demanding.

He knew that he was lucky though. If Green Day hadn't ever signed to a major label he was sure that he'd still be playing the drums and working odd jobs on the side.

He just hoped that his kids knew how lucky he was in this business, and that had worked hard to give them everything he could.

The situation with Ramona may not be perfect, but it was the best that he could manage. His only hope was that he was being the best father he could to her given the situation.

Tre paid the taxi driver as he finally arrived at the apartment complex. He made his way inside taking the elevator up to the sixth floor.

He let out a nervous sigh as he knocked on the door only to have it answered by his ex wife. Lisea gave him a tired smile as she spoke. “Hey.”

“Hey. Is she ready to go yet?” He asked as he was let into the apartment.

“Yeah she's just getting her shoes on. I should give you fair warning though. She's campaigning to get her ears pierced. I told her that you and I would have to talk about it first though.” Lisea announced shaking her head slightly as she glanced down the hall towards her daughter's closed bedroom door.

Tre frowned as he heard this statement. He crossed his arms not helping to be a little bit confused. “Doesn't she already have her ears pierced though? I took her for her sixth birthday to get it done. I remember it because she screeched when the piercing gun went off. Did she let them grow in or something?”

“Nope those piercings are still there. She wants to get another set right above her bottom set though. I told her the higher up she goes the more it'll hurt but she isn't listening.” Lisea replied finally deciding that her daughter must have inherited a compulsive streak from Tre.

Tre let out a frustrated sigh as he shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “I don't know Lisea. I think that she's way too young. She can have it done when she's thirteen.”

Lisea nodded in agreement not having a chance to say anything since Ramona burst into the room making a beeline towards her father.

Tre knelled down and smiled as his daughter engulfed him in a hug. He glanced up at Lisea as he spoke. “I'll have her back by ten.”

Lisea nodded her head trying not to worry about the fact that their daughter was already rebelling at nine.

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Tre swallowed a bite of steak as he glance across the table at Ramona. “You're doing all right in school right? You're doing okay in middle school?”

Ramona took a sip from her soft drink as she spoke up. “Yeah dad. It's fine I have different teachers for every class though and a lot of my friends from the fifth grade went to a different school”

Tre nodded his head thankful that unlike him his daughter actually enjoyed school.

Ramona spoke up giving him a hopeful look. “Did you talk to mom about my ears?”

“Yeah I did.” Tre grumbled as he took another bite of steak. He had hoped that he could avoid having this conversation.

“Can I do it?” she begged trying to give her father her best sad eyed expression.

Tre smirked not swayed by her attempt to guilt him into it. “I don't think so kid. Not until you're at least thirteen.”

Ramona frowned trying her best to get her point across. “But dad I'll be ten in January. My friend Karen got her ears pierced like that and she's only ten.”

“Yeah well I'm not Karen's dad.” Tre responded mentally flinching as he heard those words.

He couldn't help but to wonder when he'd become the type of father that said things like that. Wasn't he supposed to be the cool dad?

“Fine can I dye a streak into my hair then? You had green hair once when I was little. I remember it.” Ramona stated as she took a bite off of one of her chicken strips.

“I had pink hair once too, and blond hair. I'll have to talk to your mom about it.” Tre reasoned hoping that he could avoid even having to have that conversation.

He already knew that it wasn't going to happen. He actually wouldn't have a problem with it after all it was just dye. He just knew that she could never get away with something that crazy at school.

Tre couldn't help but to wonder how it was that his soon to be ten year old was already trying to rebel. He guessed that he should have expected it. With his genes and all it was bound to happen soon enough.

He cleared his throat managing to change the subject. “I've been dating someone and I want you to meet her when I come to see you in November. She's going to spend Christmas with us.”

“What's her name?” She asked staring at him with a look that he couldn't quite read.

“Grace. She does peoples hair and makeup for a living. She's really great and I think that you two will get along.” He commented hoping that his daughter would be okay with all of this.

He almost choked on his drink of water when Ramona spoke up. “Are you going to marry her?”

“Well kid......that's uh a hard question for me to answer.” Tre choked out trying to completely clear his throat.

“Why is it hard to answer? I mean are you in love with her?” She asked giving him a confused look.

“Well It's way too soon to worry about marriage. I haven't been dating her long enough to know if I love her. I do really like her though.” Tre explained knowing that was the easiest way for him to explain this to his nine year old.

He knew it wasn't that simple though. There was the standing issue with Grace's trust issues. Grace just shut off from him sometimes. He knew that she didn't mean to, but it was still frustrating to say the least.

To tell the truth he knew that he was beginning to fall for her. He had started falling hard for her after the first date, and the week that they had spent together before he'd left had only pushed him farther into his feelings for her.

“What's with the marriage questions anyway kid?” Tre asked as he watched her take another sip from her soda.

Ramona shrugged her shoulders as put her glass back down on the table. “My friend Emily's dad got married to a lady that Emily doesn't like. Emily said that her step mom is really mean and that she wishes her dad never got married in the first place. I told her that Claudia wasn't mean when she was still my step mom and she isn't even mean now. I was just wondering if you ever got married again if my new step mom would be mean.”

Tre shook his head as he reached out across the table tucking his daughter's long hair behind her ear. “Mona I would never marry anyone if they were mean to you or Franky I promise.”

She nodded her head satisfied with this answer. “Okay So if Grace does peoples hair can she dye a streak into my hair?”

Tre did his best not to roll his eyes at this question.

If she was this bad at nine he was horrified to see what she'd be like at sixteen.