John's Revenge
The Next Album
*October 14th 1997*
*Billie’s POV*
I slid my sunglasses on, hopped off the bus and walked straight into the building past the screaming fans. Being cooped up on buses and planes with Tré will do that to you.
Mike and Tré followed me inside and we were shown to a room full of press.
“Right, let’s go,” Mike said, walking through the door and taking a seat at the table, along with his tenth cup of coffee of the morning.
Tré and I followed suit and prepared ourselves for the interrogation.
“Well, this is our fifth album..” Mike sighed.
“Third with Reprise,” added Tré.
“Our third with Reprise,” echoed Mike, grinning. “It’s called nimrod. It’s a bit more eclectic than our other albums, we’re pretty pleased with it. We’ve experimented with different sounds and genres and we think it’s pretty good.”
"With nimrod we had some songs that we liked and yeah, they are different from some of our other stuff, but whilst you can find similarities in all of our work, no two albums have the same stuff on them," I added, my mind wandering. I hate press conferences.
“We also got to play some different instruments,” Tré said, looking surprisingly calm, and, dare I say, sophisticated? “I played the accordion and Mike played the baseball bat. He’s never had single lesson, but Goddamn is he good at it!”
Yep, Tré had achieved his goal. Half of the press looked bemused and the other looked baffled.
“Um, I hope you don’t mind, all three of you are married with children now, has that affected your music in any way?” said a squeaky-voiced guy, clearly not much older than seventeen.
“Uh,” I chuckled. “One song from our previous album, Insomniac, was definitely inspired by my son, Joseph, and we draw a lot of inspiration from those we love, but other than that not really.”
“Obviously though, now we’re spending time with our families, we’re not going to be turning out albums as often as we used to, but we aim to have an album out every couple of years,” Mike said.
“Yeah, now you got us, you’re never getting rid of us,” quipped Tré.
There were some chuckles around the room and Tré grinned broadly.
We were asked some more questions, then we went to Virgin Megastore, where we were playing a small show and signing some autographs.
Five hours later, we got back to the hotel, exhausted.
“Sleep!” whined Tré, collapsing on his bed. Mike and I seconded that, lying on our beds and falling straight to sleep.
*December 31st 1997*
*Joey’s POV*
We were having a party and we could stay up really, really late. It was dark outside. Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Mike, Aunty Annie, Stella, Uncle Tré, Aunty Liv, Mona and Ally were here. The grown-ups were all staring at the clock, but Ally, Mona, Stella and I were sitting on the rug, playing.
“3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!” the grown ups chanted. I saw Mommy kiss Daddy, Uncle Mike kiss Aunt Annie and Uncle Tré kiss Aunt Liv.
I turned to Mona and Liv. They had been watching the grown-ups too. We all hugged each other and Stella, then kissed each other on the cheeks.
“Happy New Year!” Mona and Liv said. I said it back to them and hugged them again.
*February 17th 1998*
*Adrienne’s POV*
I put bacon and eggs on a plate with Billie’s toast and took it upstairs. I set it down on the table and kissed Billie’s cheek.
“Happy Birthday!” Blinking, he sat up. It was his last day here before he resumed the tour, they decided to have three day break for Valentine’s Day and Billie’s birthday.
“Hey, thank you,” he kissed me and started eating his breakfast. Then the twins came running in.
“Happy Birthday Daddy!” they chanted, presenting him with a home-made card and drawing.
“Oh, guys, this is lovely. Thank you,” he hugged them both.
“Here’s your card,” I passed him an envelope. My heart was beating really fast. He opened it and took out the card. Confusion crossed his face.
“What does this mean? I’m going to be a fantastic father? Aren’t I already a fantastic father?” He frowned. Then gasped. “You’re not pregnant again are you?”
I nodded. Shrieking, he leapt out of bed and hugged me. He turned to the twins, who looked terrified.
“Mommy’s having a baby!”
They gasped and hugged me.
“A little baby!” Joey squeaked.
“Brother or sister?” Addy asked.
“I don’t know,” I smiled. “But Joey will be a big brother again and you will be a big sister.”
“Again?” Joey frowned.
“Yeah Joe, you’re Addy’s big brother, she’s your little sister,” Billie said, slipping on a shirt.
“I’m the oldest!” he grinned, folding his arms and sticking his tongue out at Addy.
“Well, I’m prettier than you.” She said. “And I get to wear skirts and dresses.”
Joey ran out, followed by Addy and I hugged Billie again. “Are you sure you’re ok with this?”
“Of course! I’m going to be a dad again and you’re going to be a mom again! Although, I am offended that you don't think I'm a fantastic father already,” he pouted.
We went downstairs and I got us some coffee. Then, we heard the twins stampeding down the stairs.
“Walk!” I cried. They slowed down, then came into the kitchen.
Addy was wearing Joey’s jeans and Converses along with a top and baseball cap. Joey was wearing a wig of Tré’s along with Addy’s Cinderella dress and high heels. Addy had obviously tried (and failed) to put make-up on Joey.
“I’m Joey! I’m the oldest!” said Addy proudly.
“I’m Addy and I can wear dresses!” said Joey, twirling.
Billie chuckled.
“Wait!” They grabbed a doll from the sofa.
“Now I’m Daddy! Sometimes I give myself the creeps!” Addy sang, almost perfectly imitating her father with her large green eyes and beautiful dark hair. Addy’s eyes had started off blue, turned brown and then, just before her first birthday gone emerald green like Billie’s.
Billie shivered. “That is scary. I have my own mini-me.”
I laughed.
“I’m Mommy and I love Joey best!” Billie and I laughed, but Addy trod on Joey’s foot. “Ow! I mean, I’m Mommy and I’m pregnant.” He shoved the doll down his dress. “Oops! I just had a baby!” It fell out of his dress. He proudly held the baby – upside down.
*Billie’s POV*
I slid my sunglasses on, hopped off the bus and walked straight into the building past the screaming fans. Being cooped up on buses and planes with Tré will do that to you.
Mike and Tré followed me inside and we were shown to a room full of press.
“Right, let’s go,” Mike said, walking through the door and taking a seat at the table, along with his tenth cup of coffee of the morning.
Tré and I followed suit and prepared ourselves for the interrogation.
“Well, this is our fifth album..” Mike sighed.
“Third with Reprise,” added Tré.
“Our third with Reprise,” echoed Mike, grinning. “It’s called nimrod. It’s a bit more eclectic than our other albums, we’re pretty pleased with it. We’ve experimented with different sounds and genres and we think it’s pretty good.”
"With nimrod we had some songs that we liked and yeah, they are different from some of our other stuff, but whilst you can find similarities in all of our work, no two albums have the same stuff on them," I added, my mind wandering. I hate press conferences.
“We also got to play some different instruments,” Tré said, looking surprisingly calm, and, dare I say, sophisticated? “I played the accordion and Mike played the baseball bat. He’s never had single lesson, but Goddamn is he good at it!”
Yep, Tré had achieved his goal. Half of the press looked bemused and the other looked baffled.
“Um, I hope you don’t mind, all three of you are married with children now, has that affected your music in any way?” said a squeaky-voiced guy, clearly not much older than seventeen.
“Uh,” I chuckled. “One song from our previous album, Insomniac, was definitely inspired by my son, Joseph, and we draw a lot of inspiration from those we love, but other than that not really.”
“Obviously though, now we’re spending time with our families, we’re not going to be turning out albums as often as we used to, but we aim to have an album out every couple of years,” Mike said.
“Yeah, now you got us, you’re never getting rid of us,” quipped Tré.
There were some chuckles around the room and Tré grinned broadly.
We were asked some more questions, then we went to Virgin Megastore, where we were playing a small show and signing some autographs.
Five hours later, we got back to the hotel, exhausted.
“Sleep!” whined Tré, collapsing on his bed. Mike and I seconded that, lying on our beds and falling straight to sleep.
*December 31st 1997*
*Joey’s POV*
We were having a party and we could stay up really, really late. It was dark outside. Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Mike, Aunty Annie, Stella, Uncle Tré, Aunty Liv, Mona and Ally were here. The grown-ups were all staring at the clock, but Ally, Mona, Stella and I were sitting on the rug, playing.
“3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!” the grown ups chanted. I saw Mommy kiss Daddy, Uncle Mike kiss Aunt Annie and Uncle Tré kiss Aunt Liv.
I turned to Mona and Liv. They had been watching the grown-ups too. We all hugged each other and Stella, then kissed each other on the cheeks.
“Happy New Year!” Mona and Liv said. I said it back to them and hugged them again.
*February 17th 1998*
*Adrienne’s POV*
I put bacon and eggs on a plate with Billie’s toast and took it upstairs. I set it down on the table and kissed Billie’s cheek.
“Happy Birthday!” Blinking, he sat up. It was his last day here before he resumed the tour, they decided to have three day break for Valentine’s Day and Billie’s birthday.
“Hey, thank you,” he kissed me and started eating his breakfast. Then the twins came running in.
“Happy Birthday Daddy!” they chanted, presenting him with a home-made card and drawing.
“Oh, guys, this is lovely. Thank you,” he hugged them both.
“Here’s your card,” I passed him an envelope. My heart was beating really fast. He opened it and took out the card. Confusion crossed his face.
“What does this mean? I’m going to be a fantastic father? Aren’t I already a fantastic father?” He frowned. Then gasped. “You’re not pregnant again are you?”
I nodded. Shrieking, he leapt out of bed and hugged me. He turned to the twins, who looked terrified.
“Mommy’s having a baby!”
They gasped and hugged me.
“A little baby!” Joey squeaked.
“Brother or sister?” Addy asked.
“I don’t know,” I smiled. “But Joey will be a big brother again and you will be a big sister.”
“Again?” Joey frowned.
“Yeah Joe, you’re Addy’s big brother, she’s your little sister,” Billie said, slipping on a shirt.
“I’m the oldest!” he grinned, folding his arms and sticking his tongue out at Addy.
“Well, I’m prettier than you.” She said. “And I get to wear skirts and dresses.”
Joey ran out, followed by Addy and I hugged Billie again. “Are you sure you’re ok with this?”
“Of course! I’m going to be a dad again and you’re going to be a mom again! Although, I am offended that you don't think I'm a fantastic father already,” he pouted.
We went downstairs and I got us some coffee. Then, we heard the twins stampeding down the stairs.
“Walk!” I cried. They slowed down, then came into the kitchen.
Addy was wearing Joey’s jeans and Converses along with a top and baseball cap. Joey was wearing a wig of Tré’s along with Addy’s Cinderella dress and high heels. Addy had obviously tried (and failed) to put make-up on Joey.
“I’m Joey! I’m the oldest!” said Addy proudly.
“I’m Addy and I can wear dresses!” said Joey, twirling.
Billie chuckled.
“Wait!” They grabbed a doll from the sofa.
“Now I’m Daddy! Sometimes I give myself the creeps!” Addy sang, almost perfectly imitating her father with her large green eyes and beautiful dark hair. Addy’s eyes had started off blue, turned brown and then, just before her first birthday gone emerald green like Billie’s.
Billie shivered. “That is scary. I have my own mini-me.”
I laughed.
“I’m Mommy and I love Joey best!” Billie and I laughed, but Addy trod on Joey’s foot. “Ow! I mean, I’m Mommy and I’m pregnant.” He shoved the doll down his dress. “Oops! I just had a baby!” It fell out of his dress. He proudly held the baby – upside down.