Sequel: Purple Hearts

Cherry Lips And Tattoos

Home again

18 months later... (Franky is now 17 ½)

Franky at home in California...

My Dad was due home tomorrow and I couldn't wait. The tour had been for over a year and although I had seen Dad in between, a good three months had gone by since I'd seen him last. We agreed it would disrupt my studies too much if I'd visited him in Europe. I'd missed him so much.

Flight from London to California...

Billie Joe looked over at Tre who was looking out of the window.

"You OK buddy?" said Billie Joe who was sitting next to him.

"Not bad" said Tre. "Just having a moment, you know?"

"Yeah I know," said Billie. "You remembering the last time you flew home from Europe? Sammi was with us then wasn't she, it was just before she died wasn't it?"

Tre looked over at his old friend. "Yeah she was. You know Billie it was wonderful being married to her. I just wish we'd had loads more time together like you and Adi. Make the most of Adi you know, true love is so precious" he said

"Yeah I know. But try telling her that. She hates it when I'm away its as though she can't fully trust me and the worst thing is I've never even strayed once. Not even kissed anyone. I wouldn't do that to her, I just wish she could see it," he said.

"Yeah I know, she's just a little insecure and its up to you to make sure you look after her," said Tre

"Yeah but there's only so much I can do" said Billie sighing. "It gets me down that she doesn't quite trust me. Pisses me off in fact. I hope she doesn't drive me away with her insecurities" he said.

"I hope so too" said Tre once again glancing out of the window and remembering Sammi and the times they had together. He shut his eyes then and tried to remember her face. Sometimes it was real clear and sometimes he got scared, as he couldn't quite remember the shape of her eyes or how she smiled. He didn't want to forget, ever. He looked out into the night sky at the stars twinkling brightly. It was nighttime now but he knew when he landed it would be brilliant sunshine in California, thank goodness. He found night times the toughest; there was more time to think. Which star are you Sammi? He thought to himself. I believe that's you, the largest brightest one twinkling away at me. I still miss you so very much.

California later that day...

I was watching MTV and they had the video of My Chemical Romance's 'Helena' on. I struggled to watch it every time it came on and had never got to see the end as it brought back memories of mum's funeral. I changed channels with tears in my eyes and as I did I could hear his key in the door. I threw the remote control down onto the bed and rushed out of the bedroom and bounded down the stairs.

"Whoa" said Dad putting down his flight bag and holding out his arms. "Slow down honey"

I ran straight into his arms and smelt his familiar smell that mum always went on about and loved. I squeezed him so tight.

"I've really missed you Dad," I say into his chest.

"And I've missed you blue eyes" he said taking a look at me. His face changed slightly.

"God you're getting more like your Mom every time I see you" he says.

"Everyone used to say I looked like you," I said looking up at him surprised.

"Well you've got my eyes that's for sure but the rest of you" he said looking me up and down "its all your mom, what a lucky girl you are" he said giving me another hug.

"Anyway I think these belong to you," he said opening the zip pocket of his travel bag. "When you used this bag last you must have left them inside." He handed me 3 cherry lip-glosses. "I know you haven't missed them as I know for a fact that there are about fifty others someplace around this house," he laughed.

"Thanks Dad" I said taking the lip-glosses from him.

"How about a cup of tea?" he said.

"I don't believe you still drink tea," I said. "Its gross Dad, even I don't like English tea and I'm English."

"Sometimes I can't believe it either - but that's your mom's influence on me and I still haven't got out of the habit. I still can't believe she managed to get me onto the stuff!"

I went off to the kitchen to make Dad's tea and could hear him on the phone.

"Ok then Mike, give it a couple of hours and come on over. I'll have the beers ready" he was saying. "Yeah, you ring Billie and get them all to come over too. OK man, see you later."

"Dad you've only just said goodbye to them. I can't believe you three, are you all joined at the hip or something?" I said boiling up the water for his tea.

"May as well be," he said going back into the hall and checking out the photograph that was mum's favourite, the one at Milton Keynes in 2005 of the two of them. He picked out a rose from the vase that stood next to the photo. A blood red velvety rose, mums favourite flower and stuffed it into the top pocket of his shirt.

"Soooo. What news have you got for me?" he said. "Still been going to your singing lessons I hope?"

"Yeah, I love it so much. There's this girl there called Hannah, she's the same age as me and Mrs Jones always puts us together. She says our voices complement each other's. I must agree Dad she's right but Hannah is a much better singer than I am. She has an awesome voice, real edgy and rocky. She's got something Dad; I wish you could hear her sometime. We've discussed getting together and forming a band but we may need your help to do that."

"Well invite her over and I'll have a listen," Tre said sitting down at the table.
"How's the drumming going?"

"It's wicked. I love it so much except I think I'm getting muscular arms, what do you think?" I said lifting up my T-shirt sleeve to show him.

Tre laughed and went over to Franky, he could almost circle one hand around her upper arm it was so slim. "There's nothing there at all young lady. If anything you need fattening up. How about you and I go to the Chopstick Bowl tomorrow night. Oh and something else. I'm taking you to the Grammy Awards in a month so you're gonna have to get out of those jeans and boots and find yourself something glam to wear. I'm not taking you in jeans and trainers."

"You're kidding. I'm not wearing a dress." I make a face.

"You're gonna have to" Tre says.

The phone rang at that moment and I picked up.

"Hi Hannah. Yeah my dad's back so I won't be over this evening as he's got friends coming over. Tomorrow afternoon will be cool though. Yep come over here, about 2 O'clock. See ya then Hannah."

"She's quite a good friend then this Hannah," said Tre sipping at his tea.

"Yeah, you'll love her Dad" I said going over to kiss his forehead. "You drink your tea, I'm going to shower before everyone gets here" and with that I started upstairs to get ready.

"How about you put on a dress," shouted Tre from the kitchen.

"Oh Dad. How many times, I don't wear dresses," I laughed. "Hey I dare YOU to wear a dress. Yeah you gotta wear a dress tonight" I shouted from upstairs.

"Shit I forgot about you and your dares," shouted back Tre.

Tre sat at the table drinking his tea. Sometimes he hated being back home. Although he had Franky he still felt it was like an empty shell without his Sammi. It had been over three years since she had died and it still felt like yesterday at times. At that moment he felt like he was the loneliest man in the world. What was he to do?

Later that evening...

I was just applying my cherry lip-gloss when the doorbell went and I ran to answer it. Aunt Jen, Uncle Mike and the boys were there.

"Hey Uncle Mike" I said giving him a hug. He gave me back one of his famous bear hugs. I loved Uncle Mike so much he was so easy to talk to, laid back and kind. My cousins loved having him as a stepfather he was all they had never had with their real dad.

"Jeez" said Mike. "You're getting more and more like your Mom each time I see you" he said looking at me. "Still not grown in height though," he laughs and I playfully smack him.

I hadn't grown much this was true. I was only just over five foot. Quite small really but I didn't notice except when others kept on about it. Dad once called me his pocket princess - how awful is that!

"You smell of cherries," said Uncle Mike.

"Yeah that's my cherry lip gloss," I said. "I didn't realise anyone could smell it" I said.

Dad seemed to think I was addicted to my cherry lip-gloss. How could I be? I only had about fifty of them. Now that wasn't addiction was it?

I looked over at Aunt Jen and she looked a bit weird. "You OK Aunt Jen?" I asked. I hadn't seen her for ages as she'd been with Uncle Mike on tour.

She sniffed. "Yeah I'm ok honey," she said. "Its just that.. you looked so much like your mother when I first walked in it... well it shocked me a little".

"Oh" I said going over to hug her. I hadn't realised how much like my mom I must have got.

I could hear Dad fixing drinks when the doorbell went again. It was Adi and Billie Joe. My stomach flipped as usual when I saw him but immediately the feeling went away again. I was so good at covering up my feelings for him but they had slightly lessened over the years, especially as now I had the hots for Hannah' brother James. He was so awesome and I couldn't wait to see him again.

Billie Joe kissed me on the cheek and gave me a hug. His hair always tickled my face and he always wore the same familiar aftershave. Whenever I smelt it anywhere else, be it on the bus or just walking through the shopping mall it always reminded me of him.

"Fucking hell. You've changed," said Billie Joe. "You're turning into your Mom," he laughed.

"Oh not you as well" I replied.

"Not grown much in height though has she Billie," said Tre coming out from the kitchen with the beers.

"Oh shut up Dad" I replied turning to look. "Oh my god Dad" I said looking at him standing there in some Kimono wrap around thing with a red rose in his hair. He had on bright red lipstick and these jewelled dangling earrings and what looked like stockings on too.

"You're fucking nuts," said Billie laughing at his friend and going over to kiss him full on the lips. "I suppose this is one of Franky's dares," said Billie.

"Yep. There isn't one dare that she's given me that I haven't done, that right Franky?" said Tre.

"Yeah but I'm going to catch you out one day" I said laughing at dad swanning around in the dress and trying to kiss Mike who was trying to get away from him and then they started running around the furniture like a couple of kids.

"You two are of the same mould," said Billie talking to me "you're both fucking nuts!"

Laughing I turned to Adi who had hardly spoken.

"Hi Adi. Are you feeling OK? You look a bit pale," I say as she comes through the door.

"I don't feel too good actually" she replies. "I didn't really want to come over tonight to tell you the truth but Billie insisted. Actually" she kept her voice low "I had planned a meal out for just the two of us as he's been away but he was determined to come round here" she said sadly.

"Oh that's a shame. May be you could come out with us tomorrow. Dad and me are going to the Chopstick Bowl. It would be good fun just the four of us" I replied.

I did feel a little sorry for her. She'd spoken to me a couple of times about how much she missed Billie Joe when he was away. She'd gone to see him a few times on the tour but not as much as she did when he was on the American Idiot tour. She said she had other commitments as well. She'd being doing lots of exercise classes recently and was heavily into pilates. She was actually training to be a fitness instructor and that took a lot of her time up and she'd made friends with a few of the women down at the health club. I wasn't keen on some of these women much and I know that Aunt Jen didn't like them at all. Their friendship had lessened over the last couple of years as they had different interests. Aunt Jen spent so much time with Mike it was untrue. The boys were older now so they could look after themselves. They were inseparable and she'd been on the tour with him loads of times.

I stood chatting to Aunt Jen for a while but could feel someone looking at me. Joey. Please don't keep looking at me I think. I love you so much like part of the family, please don't go and spoil it all by having a crush on me.. please.

I'd noticed it last year when I was 16 and Joey 14. He kept coming over to the house for hardly any apparent reason and asking me loads of questions about myself. Then it clicked. He used to blush loads and stutter a bit. Poor thing. I sort of knew how he felt as I had similar feelings for his father, but hopefully those feelings looked like they were on their way out. My thoughts flew immediately to James. Now James was hot and more my age. Hannah said he quite likes me. My stomach turns over just thinking of him.

Then dad was talking and disturbed my thoughts.

"Here's to the end of another successful tour," says Dad holding up his beer. "Now whose for a swim?" He shouts out and with that him, Uncle Mike and Billie Joe jumped fully clothed into the pool and start pissing about. Aunt Jen and me are laughing but Adrienne hardly smiles. Please cheer up I think. You have Billie Joe home now with you, you should be happy.

**

Joey looked across at Franky smiling and happy watching her dad. You are so lovely he thought. I love you so much. One day I want you to be mine...

**

Adrienne looked over at Billie laughing and joking with everyone. She really should be talking to him about her problems but she couldn't bring herself to. All the time he was away she could put them to the back of her mind. Now he was home things were different and she didn't know where to start. May be she should forget telling him about what she'd done. Telling him would devastate him. Then not telling him was keeping something from him and they had never had any secrets, ever. She didn't know what to do for the best.

Later...

Tre was talking to Jen in the kitchen.

"I can't believe how like Sammi she has got," said Jen

"Neither can I" said Tre sipping at his beer. "She's changed so much over the last few months. She's almost the age when I first met her mother. I'm a little scared though Jen as she's gonna have all these boys interested in her soon. I can't keep her out of the press for much longer and anyway I've decided to take her to the Grammy's".

"Really?" Said Jen sounding surprised.

"Yeah. I think its time the world took a look at my beautiful little girl don't you."

"Well I'm not so sure. It's a big thing going to the Grammy's. Would Sammi have approved do you think?" she said.

"Look Jen. Sammi is not here" he said not meaning to be cruel at all "it's just me and Franky and I'm doing the best I can. I've not been with her for months and she could do with a treat. Going to the Grammy's and being in the spotlight may not have been Sammi's idea of fun but I'm sure Franky will love it and anyway she keeps on about this band she wants to get together and she'll have to get used to that stuff if she wants to be famous."

"Fair enough" said Jen. "I do miss my sister you know Tre" she said tears coming into her eyes

"I know you do," said Tre hugging Jen. " I still miss her so goddam much it hurts."

"You know she would have loved for you to meet someone new you know. She said so in that letter of hers, remember?"

"I remember, but I don't think I'm ready to meet someone new yet." said Tre.

Tre wasn't sure. Sometimes he wanted to meet someone new but it felt as though he was betraying Sammi. He missed her so much, he missed sharing things with her, waking up to her in the morning, their hugs and the laughter they shared. Would he ever capture that with someone else? At this moment in time he didn't think so. Who would love him as much as Sammi had? And who could he possibly love as much as his Sammi?