Sequel: Purple Hearts ›
Cherry Lips And Tattoos
Billie, Franky and the Tattoos
The Chopstick Bowl was absolutely jam-packed but Mr Lam had our usual out of the way table ready for us.
I was always aware of people checking us out when we walked about in public places. Sometimes I didn't mind but at other times when it was a real private thing or I knew that I looked particularly bad at the time it pissed me off. I knew it was part of the whole fame thing and if I wanted to be famous too then it would have to be a part of my life. I remember mum being quite uncomfortable with it but she knew that if she wanted to be with Dad she had to put up with it. Poor mum, she'd hated seeing herself in magazines and newspapers. It was just so not her.
We all sat down at the table and ordered our food and a couple of bottles of wine and some water for Adi. She was looking quite slim lately; I hope she's not overdoing the detox thing I think to myself.
We get talking and Billie mentions that he'd like to get another tattoo done.
"Fucking hell" said Tre. "I don't know how you can stand the pain man," he said. "It killed me when I had mine done but they were worth it for Sammi. I'd never have another one done though," he said. "Ever." Everyone laughed and remembered how he'd suffered having the tattoos done.
"Dad" I said. "Remember you said I could have a tattoo done ages ago? Well. Can I have it done soon?" I said.
"How soon?" Tre answered.
"May be tomorrow," I asked.
"That's fine by me but I don't think I could come with you baby, I wouldn't be much use. I'd probably pass out and throw up" he said. "Perhaps Adi will go with you." he said looking over at her.
"I can't tomorrow," she said. "I have the a class at the Health Club to go to."
"I'll take you" said Billie "and I'll get mine done at the same time, I'll come and collect you about 10am. I'll call Brian first thing. I'm sure he'll be able to fit us in."
"Cool." Said Tre. "That's great Billie. At least now I won't have to show myself up," said Tre.
"Thanks" I said to Billie but I couldn't quite look him in the eye.
Dad pours out some wine for Billie and himself. I didn't drink alcohol hardly ever. I had a bad experience when I was younger with vodka. Then this woman comes over to Adi. It's Plastic Pammy from the Health Club. Adi doesn't look all that pleased to see her, in fact Adi had an odd, almost anxious look on her face. I'd never seen her look like that before.
"Hi Adi" she says in a Marilyn Monroe type voice "How are you?"
"Oh Pam" says Adi looking up at her "I'm fine. Let me introduce you to everyone. This is Billie Joe my husband," she says. Pam puts out her hand to take Billie's. She has these enormous long fake nails painted bright red. Gross.
"Hi Billie" she purrs. Yuk.
"This is Tre," she indicates at Dad. "Oh Hi Tre" says Pam in that disgusting purry voice and again holding out her hand. Please don't kiss her hand. Please don't kiss her hand. But Dad doesn't he just shakes it. Good.
"And this is Francesca, Tre's daughter" Adi says.
"Hi" I say looking up at her. I can see right up her nose. It looks like she's had a nose job.
"Oh Hi" says Pam. I didn't like the way she looked at me. In fact I didn't like her full stop, she looked like trouble.
"It's so nice to meet you all," said Pam. "I've heard so much about you I just HAD to come over" she squealed. Not getting any reaction back from the Dad and Billie - they did so make me laugh those two, if they didn't want to talk to anyone then they just don't - she turns back to Adi.
"Will you be at the Health Club tomorrow Adrienne?" says Pam.
"Yes. First thing in the morning as usual" says Adi. I notice Billie Joe rolling his eyes.
"Well I'll see you then" replies Pam. "Nice to meet you all again" she says looking at us all with an extra long look at Dad.
"Yeah bye Pam" say Dad and Billie in unison
"Bye" I say. Bimbo.
As soon as she's out of earshot Billie and Dad burst out laughing and start taking the piss out of Pammy.
"Fuck me," says Billie Joe, "do you think she's allowed on an aeroplane with those tits, wouldn't she explode?"
"And how does she wipe her ass with those fingernails" said Dad.
"Joey and I call her Plastic Pammy" I say. We all burst out laughing but Adrienne isn't pleased at all.
"Don't be rude about Pam," she says. "She's been a good friend to me these past few months. Don't be so cruel."
"Oh lighten up Adi, what's got into you?" says Billie Joe. "You used to laugh at people like her."
"Well she's a good person," said Adi but I don't think she genuinely meant it.
Some fun meal this was going to turn out to be I thought. At that moment the waiter brought the food over. He's real good looking and I watched him walk away from the table, checking him out.
When I turned back to the food I was aware of Billie Joe looking at me.
That evening...
Diary entry of Joey Armstrong...
I love Franky so much I don't know what to do; she is in my thoughts nearly all the time. Dad is back from touring and they are all out together for a meal tonight. I wish I could be there with them but I'm not old enough. I have a feeling that Franky used to like dad a long time ago. When I am older I am going to ask her out. We are so alike and would be good together. I look a little like my dad, may be Franky will grow to love me when she's older. I hope so...
***
Diary entry of Hannah...
I can't wait to see Tre again. He has the most amazing eyes I have ever seen on anybody. I didn't realise how strong my feelings were for Tre until I'd seen him. I've got to get him to like me and to take me out. I have come this far and am determined to get Tre Cool. Nothing is going to stop me...
***
Adrienne looked over at her sleeping husband. She had purposefully waited downstairs until he was asleep before she came up to bed. She couldn't face him. When she had seen Pammy at the restaurant she had felt sick with fear. She hated Pammy for what she had done to her. How could she tell Billie? She looked down at his sleeping face and his jet black hair against the white of the pillow. I love you but not enough to tell you what I've done. Why can't I just tell you about it... why?..
***
Franky was in her room. She checked her watch, 11pm, 7am in England and decided to send a text off to Charlie.
GOOD MORNING CHARLIE. HOPE YOUR EXAM WENT WELL. GUESS WHERE I AM GOING TOMORROW? - YEP I'M FINALLY GETTING THE TATTOO DONE! I'LL TAKE A PIC OF IT AND SEND IT TO YOU WHEN ITS DONE THEN YOU CAN SEE IT. XX
She press sent and immediately there was a reply.
MORNING, OR EVENING TO YOU. I CANT BELIEVE YOU ARE FINALLY GOING TO GET IT DONE. WHAT ABOUT THE PURPLE HEART TATTOO OR ARE YOU STILL SAVING THAT ONE FOR WHEN YOU MEET THE MAN OF YOUR DREAMS?
She replied:
YOU KNOW I AM. I'M NOT HAVING THE PURPLE HEART ONE DONE UNTIL I'VE MET 'THE ONE'. IF I EVER MEET HIM. HAVE A GOOD DAY. LUV YA X
In response,
GOOD NIGHT SLEEPY HEAD. HAVE A GD SLEEP. DON'T FORGET TO SEND ME THE TATTOO PIC, AND SOON XXX
Franky laughed and got into bed thinking about their text messages. Charlie was the only one that she had told about the purple heart tattoo. She'd always said that when she met the man of her dreams she'd have a purple heart tattooed on her wrist with the guy's name beside it. At this moment in time she couldn't imagine meeting anyone that would be 'the one'. Would it be James?
I was always aware of people checking us out when we walked about in public places. Sometimes I didn't mind but at other times when it was a real private thing or I knew that I looked particularly bad at the time it pissed me off. I knew it was part of the whole fame thing and if I wanted to be famous too then it would have to be a part of my life. I remember mum being quite uncomfortable with it but she knew that if she wanted to be with Dad she had to put up with it. Poor mum, she'd hated seeing herself in magazines and newspapers. It was just so not her.
We all sat down at the table and ordered our food and a couple of bottles of wine and some water for Adi. She was looking quite slim lately; I hope she's not overdoing the detox thing I think to myself.
We get talking and Billie mentions that he'd like to get another tattoo done.
"Fucking hell" said Tre. "I don't know how you can stand the pain man," he said. "It killed me when I had mine done but they were worth it for Sammi. I'd never have another one done though," he said. "Ever." Everyone laughed and remembered how he'd suffered having the tattoos done.
"Dad" I said. "Remember you said I could have a tattoo done ages ago? Well. Can I have it done soon?" I said.
"How soon?" Tre answered.
"May be tomorrow," I asked.
"That's fine by me but I don't think I could come with you baby, I wouldn't be much use. I'd probably pass out and throw up" he said. "Perhaps Adi will go with you." he said looking over at her.
"I can't tomorrow," she said. "I have the a class at the Health Club to go to."
"I'll take you" said Billie "and I'll get mine done at the same time, I'll come and collect you about 10am. I'll call Brian first thing. I'm sure he'll be able to fit us in."
"Cool." Said Tre. "That's great Billie. At least now I won't have to show myself up," said Tre.
"Thanks" I said to Billie but I couldn't quite look him in the eye.
Dad pours out some wine for Billie and himself. I didn't drink alcohol hardly ever. I had a bad experience when I was younger with vodka. Then this woman comes over to Adi. It's Plastic Pammy from the Health Club. Adi doesn't look all that pleased to see her, in fact Adi had an odd, almost anxious look on her face. I'd never seen her look like that before.
"Hi Adi" she says in a Marilyn Monroe type voice "How are you?"
"Oh Pam" says Adi looking up at her "I'm fine. Let me introduce you to everyone. This is Billie Joe my husband," she says. Pam puts out her hand to take Billie's. She has these enormous long fake nails painted bright red. Gross.
"Hi Billie" she purrs. Yuk.
"This is Tre," she indicates at Dad. "Oh Hi Tre" says Pam in that disgusting purry voice and again holding out her hand. Please don't kiss her hand. Please don't kiss her hand. But Dad doesn't he just shakes it. Good.
"And this is Francesca, Tre's daughter" Adi says.
"Hi" I say looking up at her. I can see right up her nose. It looks like she's had a nose job.
"Oh Hi" says Pam. I didn't like the way she looked at me. In fact I didn't like her full stop, she looked like trouble.
"It's so nice to meet you all," said Pam. "I've heard so much about you I just HAD to come over" she squealed. Not getting any reaction back from the Dad and Billie - they did so make me laugh those two, if they didn't want to talk to anyone then they just don't - she turns back to Adi.
"Will you be at the Health Club tomorrow Adrienne?" says Pam.
"Yes. First thing in the morning as usual" says Adi. I notice Billie Joe rolling his eyes.
"Well I'll see you then" replies Pam. "Nice to meet you all again" she says looking at us all with an extra long look at Dad.
"Yeah bye Pam" say Dad and Billie in unison
"Bye" I say. Bimbo.
As soon as she's out of earshot Billie and Dad burst out laughing and start taking the piss out of Pammy.
"Fuck me," says Billie Joe, "do you think she's allowed on an aeroplane with those tits, wouldn't she explode?"
"And how does she wipe her ass with those fingernails" said Dad.
"Joey and I call her Plastic Pammy" I say. We all burst out laughing but Adrienne isn't pleased at all.
"Don't be rude about Pam," she says. "She's been a good friend to me these past few months. Don't be so cruel."
"Oh lighten up Adi, what's got into you?" says Billie Joe. "You used to laugh at people like her."
"Well she's a good person," said Adi but I don't think she genuinely meant it.
Some fun meal this was going to turn out to be I thought. At that moment the waiter brought the food over. He's real good looking and I watched him walk away from the table, checking him out.
When I turned back to the food I was aware of Billie Joe looking at me.
That evening...
Diary entry of Joey Armstrong...
I love Franky so much I don't know what to do; she is in my thoughts nearly all the time. Dad is back from touring and they are all out together for a meal tonight. I wish I could be there with them but I'm not old enough. I have a feeling that Franky used to like dad a long time ago. When I am older I am going to ask her out. We are so alike and would be good together. I look a little like my dad, may be Franky will grow to love me when she's older. I hope so...
***
Diary entry of Hannah...
I can't wait to see Tre again. He has the most amazing eyes I have ever seen on anybody. I didn't realise how strong my feelings were for Tre until I'd seen him. I've got to get him to like me and to take me out. I have come this far and am determined to get Tre Cool. Nothing is going to stop me...
***
Adrienne looked over at her sleeping husband. She had purposefully waited downstairs until he was asleep before she came up to bed. She couldn't face him. When she had seen Pammy at the restaurant she had felt sick with fear. She hated Pammy for what she had done to her. How could she tell Billie? She looked down at his sleeping face and his jet black hair against the white of the pillow. I love you but not enough to tell you what I've done. Why can't I just tell you about it... why?..
***
Franky was in her room. She checked her watch, 11pm, 7am in England and decided to send a text off to Charlie.
GOOD MORNING CHARLIE. HOPE YOUR EXAM WENT WELL. GUESS WHERE I AM GOING TOMORROW? - YEP I'M FINALLY GETTING THE TATTOO DONE! I'LL TAKE A PIC OF IT AND SEND IT TO YOU WHEN ITS DONE THEN YOU CAN SEE IT. XX
She press sent and immediately there was a reply.
MORNING, OR EVENING TO YOU. I CANT BELIEVE YOU ARE FINALLY GOING TO GET IT DONE. WHAT ABOUT THE PURPLE HEART TATTOO OR ARE YOU STILL SAVING THAT ONE FOR WHEN YOU MEET THE MAN OF YOUR DREAMS?
She replied:
YOU KNOW I AM. I'M NOT HAVING THE PURPLE HEART ONE DONE UNTIL I'VE MET 'THE ONE'. IF I EVER MEET HIM. HAVE A GOOD DAY. LUV YA X
In response,
GOOD NIGHT SLEEPY HEAD. HAVE A GD SLEEP. DON'T FORGET TO SEND ME THE TATTOO PIC, AND SOON XXX
Franky laughed and got into bed thinking about their text messages. Charlie was the only one that she had told about the purple heart tattoo. She'd always said that when she met the man of her dreams she'd have a purple heart tattooed on her wrist with the guy's name beside it. At this moment in time she couldn't imagine meeting anyone that would be 'the one'. Would it be James?