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Purple Hearts
Two Visitors
“Hey, Ramona, are you OK?” I said. My half sister had come into the house looking pale. She’d been out in the garden with Milton and loved sitting at the bottom on the garden seat just reading with her headphones in.
“Yeah, but that guy next door just scared me. No, not scared me but just made me jump. I forgot there was that gate at the bottom of the garden and he came up behind me. He said your name, he thought I was you, I suppose because of my hair but when I turned to him he realised. I think I scared him as much as he scared me.” She said grabbing a can of coke from the fridge.
“But he doesn’t know me, how does he know my name?” I said frowning. I couldn’t even tell anyone what the guy looked like; I’d heard his voice only.
“Come off it Franky, you’re face is getting well known. He must realise that you live next door, your song is a hit you know and your video is playing all the time on MTV.” She said pulling the ring tab on the coke.
“Yeah, I suppose,” I said. ”Anyway, what was he doing sneaking up behind you?”
“He said he was looking for his dog as he was going out somewhere. He apologised and seemed really nice. Cute dog.” She said slurping from the can.
“Yes she is and Milton thinks so too, may be there will be some little Milton’s soon.” I said thinking of my dog Milton being a daddy. “Hey are you going to come to the airport with us?”
“Nah. I want to finish my book, I’ve only got a few pages left and then I may go and visit Joey, he wants to show me his new game on the PS2.” She said heading off out to the garden once more. “Anyway, what’s this kid like?” She said.
“Emily? Emily’s great, I think you and she will get on,” I said hoping they would but Ramona didn’t think this would be happening, I think she saw Emily arriving as a kind of threat, someone else to take Dad’s time up when all she really wanted was Dad to herself.
“Anyway, I’m going to call Dad, we have to get going soon. See you later,” I said then headed off upstairs to bang on Dad’s bedroom door.
**
“I can’t believe that Billie hit you,” I said glancing across at Dad as he drove us to the airport. He had a bruise on his cheek and I asked him what he’d done. He’d gone quiet and then he came out with the fact that Billie hit him. Then he went on to explain that there had been a misunderstanding with Adi. He didn’t elaborate on what kind of understanding but just said that Billie got the wrong idea and had come to our house and hit him until Dad had explained everything but what he explained, I don’t know.
”Yeah, well it was understandable, I’d have done it if it was you or someone else. She was a little upset when he found her.” But he still wouldn’t tell me what had gone on. What the fuck had happened here? May be I would try and get to talk to Adi.
“Have you and Billie fallen out?” I said. I hated all this, why couldn’t it be like it always used to be when they were all so close. The three musketeers I remember Adi and me calling them. Now they were all distant. Billie had disappeared, Dad moped around the place finding stupid stuff to occupy his mind and I hadn’t seen Uncle Mike and Aunt Jen in ages. I hated all this so much, why couldn’t they be great friends again and make that good music that everyone loved.
Dad pulled into a parking space. We hadn’t spoken for ages but I couldn’t be bothered to make the effort. I’d had a slight stomach pain all morning and it was bothering me. It was coming and going and I was a bit concerned that it could be the baby. If it was still there later today I’d decided I’d visit the doctor.
**
I saw Emily straight away; she was smiling widely all over her face and carrying a huge Green Day backpack, which looked filled until it could burst. She came straight over to me and hugged me.
“Hey its good to see you again,” I said to her then glanced over her shoulder to see Julia struggling with a trolley containing three cases.
“Here let me,” said Dad immediately going over to Julia to help.
Tre had noticed this woman straight away as she emerged through the arrivals door and guessed that she was Julia. She was a good-looking woman, very petite and with a sweet smile. He was OK about this because he wasn’t looking for anyone, nobody could replace his wife and that would be that. He could live without women although it was hard sometimes when someone who looked like this Julia was thrust in front of him. He’d cope though, he’d have to. He was fine with the situation as it was, just him and his kids.
**
Julia had never felt so embarrassed. She’d spotted Franky as soon as she’d emerged through the arrivals door and next to her was her father, much better looking than in his poster on Emily’s wall. She struggled to push the trolley with its slightly buckled wheels but then Franky’s Dad was over and her heart raced as he took charge of the trolley, steering it in the proper direction, leaving her feeling foolish and immature. This was going to be hard she thought, he was a stranger, a good looking one and she was going to be living in his house with him and his family for six weeks. She was as nervous as hell.
**
“Dad let me introduce you to Julia properly,” I said after I’d hugged Julia. “Julia this is my Dad Tre and Dad this is Julia but you two have spoken on the phone a few times haven’t you?” I said looking back and forth between the two of them.
“We have indeed,” said Dad. “Right, lets get these into the car and get you guys home. I thought we’d go to The Chopstick Bowl for dinner, any objections?” he said raising his eyebrows.
“If that’s a Chinese restaurant then that’s OK with me. Chinese is my favourite and Emily’s” said Julia looking up at Dad. I’d forgotten how pretty Julia was. I hope Dad behaved himself.
**
When we arrived home, Ramona came out into the hall to meet the visitors and she surprised Dad and I by making an effort in taking Emily away upstairs to show her the room she would be staying in but when she got upstairs she shouted out to me. “Franky, there’s a message on the notepad. Bono’ss wife called about your charity, apparently someone has let her down tonight at some event she is doing and she wondered if you could do a small speech.”
“Bono’s wife?” Said Julia, seeming quite shocked that someone like Bono’s wife should be calling us up but to me this was quite normal as we’d mixed with them for ages. They were very good friends now of Dad, Billie and Mike and had got pretty close since they recorded their charity record.
“Yeah, she’s a friend,” I said my mind wandering as to what I would say for this speech. I wanted to do it, definitely, that was the whole idea of this charity but at such short notice.
”Are you OK Franky?” Said Dad. “Listen you don’t have to do it you know.”
“Of course I do, I’m definitely going to do it, it’s just taken me by surprise that’s all. I’m just thinking about what to say.”
Dad came over to me and put his arms around me. “I’ll make you a drink, you call up Bono’s wife and then take some time out in your room. I’m sure you’ll come up with something, you’re good at that stuff.”
”Yeah, you’re right. If I calm down, everything will fall into place.”
“I’ll take the phone up.” I said grabbing the house phone from the hall table.
“I’ll bring you a drink up,” said Dad. “Hey Julia, come through and I’ll get you a drink. How about a coffee?”
“Actually Tre, you don’t happen to have…no, stupid question. A coffee will be fine thank you.” She said.
”No, what was it you want to have Julia?” said Tre spinning round to look at this pretty lady with green eyes.
“Well, I’m an English woman and I just love tea, sorry, you see how stupid a question that was?”
”Julia…I make a great cup of tea. I’ve had a few years of practice you see, my wife, Sammi loved tea and at first I always thought it tasted like piss but suddenly I got used to it and I quite often have it. You sit yourself down here,” said Tre pulling out a chair at the table. “And when I’ve made you a cup of tea you can tell me all about what my little girl got up to in London, she came back so worn out, I’m dying to know what she did.”
**
There weren’t many people at this charity event, probably about 150. Bono’s wife was talking, standing at a podium and I was over to the side, waiting to go on. I didn’t feel nervous at all but the slight pain in my stomach was still there and I’d forgotten that I’d promised myself a visit to the doctor if it was still there. There was always tomorrow. Looking to the audience I could see Dad, Julia, Emily and Ramona in the front row listening intently to what was being said. Suddenly I felt hot and thirsty but then Bono’s wife was looking over at me and indicating for me to join her on the stage. There was a tremendous amount of clapping and I could see Dad smiling widely at me. The clapping almost buzzed in my ears and my mouth felt dry.
Then it was silent and I knew I had to do my bit so I placed my speech onto the podium, my hands holding onto the sides of the podium.
“As many of you know, my mother died when I was only fourteen from breast cancer. She was only young, she was only 34 and I believed she was too young to die and if you spoke to anyone that knew her they would say the same. I’ve come here tonight to urge everyone to be aware of this dreadful disease. Please don’t ignore the warning signs…,” there was a spotlight on me and it was shining directly into my eyes causing me to squint slightly, the light felt hot too and my mouth was still dry.
“…Its important that you check yourself regularly and get into the habit of it, however old you are, make sure you do it and urge your friends too because I wouldn’t want anyone, ever to have to go through what I went through when my Mum died. I want everyone to remember that its…its cool to check.”
I felt happy then, I’d managed to fit in the slogan, that was what Bono’s wife had wanted me to do, fit the slogan “its cool to check” into my speech. She was coming towards me, clapping her hands and then that loud clapping noise, once again buzzed in my ear. The light was still on me in full force but after that I didn’t remember anything because all I could see was the floor coming up towards me, everything going black as I collapsed in full view of everyone.
“Yeah, but that guy next door just scared me. No, not scared me but just made me jump. I forgot there was that gate at the bottom of the garden and he came up behind me. He said your name, he thought I was you, I suppose because of my hair but when I turned to him he realised. I think I scared him as much as he scared me.” She said grabbing a can of coke from the fridge.
“But he doesn’t know me, how does he know my name?” I said frowning. I couldn’t even tell anyone what the guy looked like; I’d heard his voice only.
“Come off it Franky, you’re face is getting well known. He must realise that you live next door, your song is a hit you know and your video is playing all the time on MTV.” She said pulling the ring tab on the coke.
“Yeah, I suppose,” I said. ”Anyway, what was he doing sneaking up behind you?”
“He said he was looking for his dog as he was going out somewhere. He apologised and seemed really nice. Cute dog.” She said slurping from the can.
“Yes she is and Milton thinks so too, may be there will be some little Milton’s soon.” I said thinking of my dog Milton being a daddy. “Hey are you going to come to the airport with us?”
“Nah. I want to finish my book, I’ve only got a few pages left and then I may go and visit Joey, he wants to show me his new game on the PS2.” She said heading off out to the garden once more. “Anyway, what’s this kid like?” She said.
“Emily? Emily’s great, I think you and she will get on,” I said hoping they would but Ramona didn’t think this would be happening, I think she saw Emily arriving as a kind of threat, someone else to take Dad’s time up when all she really wanted was Dad to herself.
“Anyway, I’m going to call Dad, we have to get going soon. See you later,” I said then headed off upstairs to bang on Dad’s bedroom door.
**
“I can’t believe that Billie hit you,” I said glancing across at Dad as he drove us to the airport. He had a bruise on his cheek and I asked him what he’d done. He’d gone quiet and then he came out with the fact that Billie hit him. Then he went on to explain that there had been a misunderstanding with Adi. He didn’t elaborate on what kind of understanding but just said that Billie got the wrong idea and had come to our house and hit him until Dad had explained everything but what he explained, I don’t know.
”Yeah, well it was understandable, I’d have done it if it was you or someone else. She was a little upset when he found her.” But he still wouldn’t tell me what had gone on. What the fuck had happened here? May be I would try and get to talk to Adi.
“Have you and Billie fallen out?” I said. I hated all this, why couldn’t it be like it always used to be when they were all so close. The three musketeers I remember Adi and me calling them. Now they were all distant. Billie had disappeared, Dad moped around the place finding stupid stuff to occupy his mind and I hadn’t seen Uncle Mike and Aunt Jen in ages. I hated all this so much, why couldn’t they be great friends again and make that good music that everyone loved.
Dad pulled into a parking space. We hadn’t spoken for ages but I couldn’t be bothered to make the effort. I’d had a slight stomach pain all morning and it was bothering me. It was coming and going and I was a bit concerned that it could be the baby. If it was still there later today I’d decided I’d visit the doctor.
**
I saw Emily straight away; she was smiling widely all over her face and carrying a huge Green Day backpack, which looked filled until it could burst. She came straight over to me and hugged me.
“Hey its good to see you again,” I said to her then glanced over her shoulder to see Julia struggling with a trolley containing three cases.
“Here let me,” said Dad immediately going over to Julia to help.
Tre had noticed this woman straight away as she emerged through the arrivals door and guessed that she was Julia. She was a good-looking woman, very petite and with a sweet smile. He was OK about this because he wasn’t looking for anyone, nobody could replace his wife and that would be that. He could live without women although it was hard sometimes when someone who looked like this Julia was thrust in front of him. He’d cope though, he’d have to. He was fine with the situation as it was, just him and his kids.
**
Julia had never felt so embarrassed. She’d spotted Franky as soon as she’d emerged through the arrivals door and next to her was her father, much better looking than in his poster on Emily’s wall. She struggled to push the trolley with its slightly buckled wheels but then Franky’s Dad was over and her heart raced as he took charge of the trolley, steering it in the proper direction, leaving her feeling foolish and immature. This was going to be hard she thought, he was a stranger, a good looking one and she was going to be living in his house with him and his family for six weeks. She was as nervous as hell.
**
“Dad let me introduce you to Julia properly,” I said after I’d hugged Julia. “Julia this is my Dad Tre and Dad this is Julia but you two have spoken on the phone a few times haven’t you?” I said looking back and forth between the two of them.
“We have indeed,” said Dad. “Right, lets get these into the car and get you guys home. I thought we’d go to The Chopstick Bowl for dinner, any objections?” he said raising his eyebrows.
“If that’s a Chinese restaurant then that’s OK with me. Chinese is my favourite and Emily’s” said Julia looking up at Dad. I’d forgotten how pretty Julia was. I hope Dad behaved himself.
**
When we arrived home, Ramona came out into the hall to meet the visitors and she surprised Dad and I by making an effort in taking Emily away upstairs to show her the room she would be staying in but when she got upstairs she shouted out to me. “Franky, there’s a message on the notepad. Bono’ss wife called about your charity, apparently someone has let her down tonight at some event she is doing and she wondered if you could do a small speech.”
“Bono’s wife?” Said Julia, seeming quite shocked that someone like Bono’s wife should be calling us up but to me this was quite normal as we’d mixed with them for ages. They were very good friends now of Dad, Billie and Mike and had got pretty close since they recorded their charity record.
“Yeah, she’s a friend,” I said my mind wandering as to what I would say for this speech. I wanted to do it, definitely, that was the whole idea of this charity but at such short notice.
”Are you OK Franky?” Said Dad. “Listen you don’t have to do it you know.”
“Of course I do, I’m definitely going to do it, it’s just taken me by surprise that’s all. I’m just thinking about what to say.”
Dad came over to me and put his arms around me. “I’ll make you a drink, you call up Bono’s wife and then take some time out in your room. I’m sure you’ll come up with something, you’re good at that stuff.”
”Yeah, you’re right. If I calm down, everything will fall into place.”
“I’ll take the phone up.” I said grabbing the house phone from the hall table.
“I’ll bring you a drink up,” said Dad. “Hey Julia, come through and I’ll get you a drink. How about a coffee?”
“Actually Tre, you don’t happen to have…no, stupid question. A coffee will be fine thank you.” She said.
”No, what was it you want to have Julia?” said Tre spinning round to look at this pretty lady with green eyes.
“Well, I’m an English woman and I just love tea, sorry, you see how stupid a question that was?”
”Julia…I make a great cup of tea. I’ve had a few years of practice you see, my wife, Sammi loved tea and at first I always thought it tasted like piss but suddenly I got used to it and I quite often have it. You sit yourself down here,” said Tre pulling out a chair at the table. “And when I’ve made you a cup of tea you can tell me all about what my little girl got up to in London, she came back so worn out, I’m dying to know what she did.”
**
There weren’t many people at this charity event, probably about 150. Bono’s wife was talking, standing at a podium and I was over to the side, waiting to go on. I didn’t feel nervous at all but the slight pain in my stomach was still there and I’d forgotten that I’d promised myself a visit to the doctor if it was still there. There was always tomorrow. Looking to the audience I could see Dad, Julia, Emily and Ramona in the front row listening intently to what was being said. Suddenly I felt hot and thirsty but then Bono’s wife was looking over at me and indicating for me to join her on the stage. There was a tremendous amount of clapping and I could see Dad smiling widely at me. The clapping almost buzzed in my ears and my mouth felt dry.
Then it was silent and I knew I had to do my bit so I placed my speech onto the podium, my hands holding onto the sides of the podium.
“As many of you know, my mother died when I was only fourteen from breast cancer. She was only young, she was only 34 and I believed she was too young to die and if you spoke to anyone that knew her they would say the same. I’ve come here tonight to urge everyone to be aware of this dreadful disease. Please don’t ignore the warning signs…,” there was a spotlight on me and it was shining directly into my eyes causing me to squint slightly, the light felt hot too and my mouth was still dry.
“…Its important that you check yourself regularly and get into the habit of it, however old you are, make sure you do it and urge your friends too because I wouldn’t want anyone, ever to have to go through what I went through when my Mum died. I want everyone to remember that its…its cool to check.”
I felt happy then, I’d managed to fit in the slogan, that was what Bono’s wife had wanted me to do, fit the slogan “its cool to check” into my speech. She was coming towards me, clapping her hands and then that loud clapping noise, once again buzzed in my ear. The light was still on me in full force but after that I didn’t remember anything because all I could see was the floor coming up towards me, everything going black as I collapsed in full view of everyone.