Sequel: Faithfully Yours ›
Lots of Love, Mike
1,000 hours
August 1989
Dear Stella
Thanks for sending Jessie's things. I think it helped Billie a little. He keeps everything close to his chest but I think he's gong to be all right. We're recording soon, our EP with four songs on it. Billie chose the songs and of course their song is on it. When we get a copy I'll send you one over. He's thrown himself into this Stella. He says he's going to do it for Jessie. After the recording we're going on a small tour. I think it will be good for us to get away. I'll try and write as often as I can but I've got a feeling we'll be busy for some time. Oh and guess what! I've finally asked Anastasia out. I know you suggested it so I went ahead and did it. We're going to the movies tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.
Lots of Love
Mike x
Mike didn't seem to have much to say to me thought Stella and now he's going out on a date with Anastasia. Then they're touring. I bet I don't get to hear from Mike for ages.
Christmas 1989
Happy Christmas Stella
Please find enclosed our EP. It's called '1,000 hours' and I hope you enjoy it. We've been so busy here but John is threatening to leave. God knows who we are going to get to play for us. Billie is playing so good at the moment. The touring and playing gigs has done him the world of good. He still wears the 'B' and the 'J' by the way but has never spoken of them. I've enclosed a small charm for you. It's a small silver record to go on your bracelet.
Lots of Love
Mike x
How sweet but its been ages since I've heard from you thinks Stella. She decides to go to her room and play the record. She places it on the record deck and listens.
There are four songs, the first Is 1,000 hours, then another song called Dry Ice followed by a song called Only of You.
And then there it was Jessie's song, it was obviously the one and it was called 'The One I Want'. The words were awesome and it made me cry.
The song was so amazing. What talented guys you are thinks Stella, Jessie would have loved that wouldn't you Jessie thinks Stella glancing over at her friend in the picture of the two of them that sat on Stella's bedside table, smiling away. You'll always be smiling, always smiling and young and that's how everyone will remember you.
Stella suddenly felt a desperate need to go to California. She had been working at a photography studio now for a couple of months and had started saving up again. She decided she would go out there in about March but she wasn't going to tell Mike she had decided that she was just going to turn up and surprise him.
Two weeks later...
California...
"What the fuck is John playing at?" said Billie. They were in the basement waiting for him for their usual practice and he hadn't showed. Tre was with them and had been hanging out with the guys more and more in recent weeks.
"He's pissing me off again," said Billie. "He's always late. I'm calling him up" he said and off he went slamming the door on his way.
"He's never got on with John," said Mike. "He thinks John isn't as committed as me and him. He's right though he's not."
"You have to give it your all when you're in a band" said Tre. "I'm starting to get a little let down with my band. They just enjoy playing small gigs but I want to go further, do something with my life," Tre said.
London...
"Come in" said Michelle opening the door of her flat to let Stella in.
"Thanks Michelle, thanks for inviting me round." Said Stella.
"It's about time we got together and had a chat over a bottle or two of wine don't you think?" said Michelle.
Stella got on so well with Michelle. She worked with her and Stella had taken to her straight away. She was a 33-year-old lady whom everyone loved and got on with. She was like a mother figure at work and Stella felt she could tell her anything and she'd always be there with a shoulder to cry on and some excellent advice. She'd been through a failed marriage and vowed to live the single life for a while. She had long glossy brown wavy hair and bright sparkling friendly eyes.
"White or red?" Michelle called out to Stella from the kitchen.
"White please Michelle." Said Stella taking a look around Michelle's living room. "What a wonderful place you have here" said Stella looking around.
"Oh most of it paid for by the ex," said Michelle coming out from the Kitchen. "He owed me big time, you know he had been leading a separate life with another woman for three years. I often read stories about women whose husbands had two lives but always wondered how they never knew anything about it. Now I'm one of them, it's bizarre."
"Oh god Michelle, I'm sorry I didn't realise." Said Stella, shocked.
"Honey, it was the best thing that happened to me. He was a loser anyway and I'm better off without him." She said handing Stella a glass of wine.
"Hey what's with all the cow objects" said Stella glancing over at a sideboard with all sorts of different sized ornaments of cows. She noticed a couple of pictures of cows on the walls too.
Michelle laughed. "Oh those. I've always collected anything to do with cows. Some of my friends call me Moo-chelle, or Moo for short. You know how these things start," she said. "Anyway, I'll just get some peanuts; choose some music if you like" she said nodding over to a huge stack of records and tapes.
Stella had a little look through Michelle's records and she was astounded o find a copy of 1,000 hours by Green Day.
"Hey Michelle, I don't believe you've got this" she said.
"What's that?" said Michelle coming back out from the Kitchen with a bowl of nuts and laying them down onto a coffee table.
"A copy of 1,000 hours by Green Day" said Stella holding it up.
"Oh that, yeah, its amazing. A girlfriend of mine lives out in California and she said they are hot property at the moment in the bay area or something and that she thought I'd quite like their stuff so she sent it to me. You want to hear it?" she said.
"Actually, I've got it and I've met them" said Stella.
"No way" said Michelle settling down onto the sofa. "How come?"
"Well" said Stella settling down with Michelle and taking her glass of wine "Mike the guy who plays bass, we've been writing to each other since we were 10."
"Jeez, and you still write to each other and you've visited him? That's amazing." Said Michelle drinking her wine.
"Yeah, isn't it?" Then for no apparent reason Stella burst into tears.
"Hey honey what is it?" said Michelle going over to her and putting her arms round her. She liked Stella but there was something hidden behind those eyes, some sort of sadness that she had never mentioned. She was a very private girl was Stella but Michelle always believed that if someone wanted you to know something they would tell you in their own time. She would never push them.
"It's nothing and I'm being stupid," she said.
"Is it to do with these guys?" said Michelle picking up Green Day's record.
"Yes. Oh yes it is" and Stella spent the next two hours explaining to her new friend about their time in California about Jessie's death and the fact that she'd slept with Tre but had strong feelings for Mike.
They'd drunk two bottles of wine and the mood was very relaxed.
"You should go and see him," said Michelle.
"You think so?" said Stella
"Yes. I think it sounds like you and Mike may have some unfinished business," she said.
"But I can't just up and leave." Said Stella.
"Why not? You're owed leave from work. You could take two weeks to be with Mike and see how things develop but this time try and speak to each other." Said Michelle.
"You're right. I'm going to do it Michelle. I'm going to go out there. Hey I think I'll surprise him. Just turn up on his doorstep. He'll love that; he always did like receiving surprise gifts and parcels. This time it'll be me that turns up and surprises him." Said Stella getting excited.
"Are you sure you shouldn't let him know that you're coming out?" said Michelle.
"No. He'll love it. Oh Michelle I'm so excited." She said, the sparkle back in her eyes.
The next day Stella went and booked her flight for two weeks' time. Oh my god in two weeks I'm going to be with Mike again she thought.
Dear Stella
Thanks for sending Jessie's things. I think it helped Billie a little. He keeps everything close to his chest but I think he's gong to be all right. We're recording soon, our EP with four songs on it. Billie chose the songs and of course their song is on it. When we get a copy I'll send you one over. He's thrown himself into this Stella. He says he's going to do it for Jessie. After the recording we're going on a small tour. I think it will be good for us to get away. I'll try and write as often as I can but I've got a feeling we'll be busy for some time. Oh and guess what! I've finally asked Anastasia out. I know you suggested it so I went ahead and did it. We're going to the movies tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.
Lots of Love
Mike x
Mike didn't seem to have much to say to me thought Stella and now he's going out on a date with Anastasia. Then they're touring. I bet I don't get to hear from Mike for ages.
Christmas 1989
Happy Christmas Stella
Please find enclosed our EP. It's called '1,000 hours' and I hope you enjoy it. We've been so busy here but John is threatening to leave. God knows who we are going to get to play for us. Billie is playing so good at the moment. The touring and playing gigs has done him the world of good. He still wears the 'B' and the 'J' by the way but has never spoken of them. I've enclosed a small charm for you. It's a small silver record to go on your bracelet.
Lots of Love
Mike x
How sweet but its been ages since I've heard from you thinks Stella. She decides to go to her room and play the record. She places it on the record deck and listens.
There are four songs, the first Is 1,000 hours, then another song called Dry Ice followed by a song called Only of You.
And then there it was Jessie's song, it was obviously the one and it was called 'The One I Want'. The words were awesome and it made me cry.
The song was so amazing. What talented guys you are thinks Stella, Jessie would have loved that wouldn't you Jessie thinks Stella glancing over at her friend in the picture of the two of them that sat on Stella's bedside table, smiling away. You'll always be smiling, always smiling and young and that's how everyone will remember you.
Stella suddenly felt a desperate need to go to California. She had been working at a photography studio now for a couple of months and had started saving up again. She decided she would go out there in about March but she wasn't going to tell Mike she had decided that she was just going to turn up and surprise him.
Two weeks later...
California...
"What the fuck is John playing at?" said Billie. They were in the basement waiting for him for their usual practice and he hadn't showed. Tre was with them and had been hanging out with the guys more and more in recent weeks.
"He's pissing me off again," said Billie. "He's always late. I'm calling him up" he said and off he went slamming the door on his way.
"He's never got on with John," said Mike. "He thinks John isn't as committed as me and him. He's right though he's not."
"You have to give it your all when you're in a band" said Tre. "I'm starting to get a little let down with my band. They just enjoy playing small gigs but I want to go further, do something with my life," Tre said.
London...
"Come in" said Michelle opening the door of her flat to let Stella in.
"Thanks Michelle, thanks for inviting me round." Said Stella.
"It's about time we got together and had a chat over a bottle or two of wine don't you think?" said Michelle.
Stella got on so well with Michelle. She worked with her and Stella had taken to her straight away. She was a 33-year-old lady whom everyone loved and got on with. She was like a mother figure at work and Stella felt she could tell her anything and she'd always be there with a shoulder to cry on and some excellent advice. She'd been through a failed marriage and vowed to live the single life for a while. She had long glossy brown wavy hair and bright sparkling friendly eyes.
"White or red?" Michelle called out to Stella from the kitchen.
"White please Michelle." Said Stella taking a look around Michelle's living room. "What a wonderful place you have here" said Stella looking around.
"Oh most of it paid for by the ex," said Michelle coming out from the Kitchen. "He owed me big time, you know he had been leading a separate life with another woman for three years. I often read stories about women whose husbands had two lives but always wondered how they never knew anything about it. Now I'm one of them, it's bizarre."
"Oh god Michelle, I'm sorry I didn't realise." Said Stella, shocked.
"Honey, it was the best thing that happened to me. He was a loser anyway and I'm better off without him." She said handing Stella a glass of wine.
"Hey what's with all the cow objects" said Stella glancing over at a sideboard with all sorts of different sized ornaments of cows. She noticed a couple of pictures of cows on the walls too.
Michelle laughed. "Oh those. I've always collected anything to do with cows. Some of my friends call me Moo-chelle, or Moo for short. You know how these things start," she said. "Anyway, I'll just get some peanuts; choose some music if you like" she said nodding over to a huge stack of records and tapes.
Stella had a little look through Michelle's records and she was astounded o find a copy of 1,000 hours by Green Day.
"Hey Michelle, I don't believe you've got this" she said.
"What's that?" said Michelle coming back out from the Kitchen with a bowl of nuts and laying them down onto a coffee table.
"A copy of 1,000 hours by Green Day" said Stella holding it up.
"Oh that, yeah, its amazing. A girlfriend of mine lives out in California and she said they are hot property at the moment in the bay area or something and that she thought I'd quite like their stuff so she sent it to me. You want to hear it?" she said.
"Actually, I've got it and I've met them" said Stella.
"No way" said Michelle settling down onto the sofa. "How come?"
"Well" said Stella settling down with Michelle and taking her glass of wine "Mike the guy who plays bass, we've been writing to each other since we were 10."
"Jeez, and you still write to each other and you've visited him? That's amazing." Said Michelle drinking her wine.
"Yeah, isn't it?" Then for no apparent reason Stella burst into tears.
"Hey honey what is it?" said Michelle going over to her and putting her arms round her. She liked Stella but there was something hidden behind those eyes, some sort of sadness that she had never mentioned. She was a very private girl was Stella but Michelle always believed that if someone wanted you to know something they would tell you in their own time. She would never push them.
"It's nothing and I'm being stupid," she said.
"Is it to do with these guys?" said Michelle picking up Green Day's record.
"Yes. Oh yes it is" and Stella spent the next two hours explaining to her new friend about their time in California about Jessie's death and the fact that she'd slept with Tre but had strong feelings for Mike.
They'd drunk two bottles of wine and the mood was very relaxed.
"You should go and see him," said Michelle.
"You think so?" said Stella
"Yes. I think it sounds like you and Mike may have some unfinished business," she said.
"But I can't just up and leave." Said Stella.
"Why not? You're owed leave from work. You could take two weeks to be with Mike and see how things develop but this time try and speak to each other." Said Michelle.
"You're right. I'm going to do it Michelle. I'm going to go out there. Hey I think I'll surprise him. Just turn up on his doorstep. He'll love that; he always did like receiving surprise gifts and parcels. This time it'll be me that turns up and surprises him." Said Stella getting excited.
"Are you sure you shouldn't let him know that you're coming out?" said Michelle.
"No. He'll love it. Oh Michelle I'm so excited." She said, the sparkle back in her eyes.
The next day Stella went and booked her flight for two weeks' time. Oh my god in two weeks I'm going to be with Mike again she thought.