His Little Drummer Girl

Lying on the sunbed Franky's thoughts start wandering...
I have had such a wonderful time with Charlie here. My cousins are over too and they have so changed. Their hair has grown long and they are really quite cool now. I never remember them being like that before back in England. They don't wear glasses anymore but have contacts in. They are even looking at girls and I notice that girls are looking at them! Who would have thought it?! They really get on so well with Mike and he is teaching them to play guitar. They confessed they were secret Green Day fans and are so pleased that they now no longer have to play classical music all the time, as they hated that. I've never seen Aunt Jen look so good.

Her and Mike are just as bad as Mum and Tre. They can't leave each other alone and Aunt Jen looks real pretty now. I don't think she's going to go back to England. Mike has asked her to live with him and she has agreed. The boys are cool about it and have even looked at a new school not far away. I think Mum will be sending me there once we have sorted stuff out in England. I don't want to go back to England at all. I am so happy here. I just wish Charlie could come and live with us. He is the only thing I'll miss about England.

Charlie was really kind to me when I told him that Tre was my Dad. He said I was so lucky to have a dad. We talked loads about the old days and all the fun we used to have. It was a bit sad really as I know it's going to be ages until I'll see him again.

Two days later...
I can't believe that Charlie is going home today. We've had the most wonderful two weeks. Charlie has changed so much since I left England. He looks so much older. He's grown a couple of inches and his voice is deeper. He's fourteen now, three months older than me and he looks more like a man now than a boy. When we were in the swimming pool he kissed me. Good job no one was around to see. We kissed with tongues. I really enjoyed it. We kissed loads of times after that. We laughed about when we slept in the same bed at Milton Keynes. A bit of me wanted that to happen again. May be next time he comes. I told him I would be living here real soon and he was sad. I said I'd write and text and email but I don't think he believed me. I said he could come to the wedding and that seemed to please him.

Mum and Tre are getting married at New Year. I'm going to be their bridesmaid along with Ramona. She's real cute and I like looking after her. Frankito is a little sweetheart too. I can't wait to live here and go to school here with my cousins. I really can't believe that Mike and Aunt Jen are an item too. It's real weird. How can two members of my family be with two members of Green Day? It's bizarre. We're just normal people and they're rock stars. It's like a dream really but they're normal people too at the end of the day. Its just that everyone knows them and its difficult to go out anywhere without someone coming up and asking for autographs. Sometimes I wish strangers would just butt out. Mum's very excited about the wedding and making loads of plans. She's really happy and I'm so glad for her.

November...
It's November and we're back in England on a flying visit to promote the DVD from Milton Keynes. It's really weird being back here. Everything seems so dull and grey compared to California. Our old house has been sold now and we're staying in a hotel. We can't really go out and about as much like we used to. Tre doesn't let mum go out on her own very often and sometimes I think she wished she could do. The DVD is meant to be a real big seller. I can't believe that I was there, it seems a million miles away but I still say it was the best day of my life.

Mum looks so tired at the moment. I think its all the wedding preparations that she's doing. She showed me her dress the other day. Its real knockout stuff and I know Tre will love it. It's only going to be a small wedding and then we're just going to have a meal in a restaurant afterwards. Mum and Tre are then going away for the weekend to some island somewhere and I'm going to stay with Aunt Jen and Mike.

I do hope that mum isn't coming down with something, I'm sure I heard her throwing up this morning while Tre was out. I'll have to ask her about it later.

Sammy's POV...
I'm so tired its unreal. I think I'm coming down with some sort of bug, probably doing too much. I didn't realise how much hard work selling a house and moving abroad would be. I can't believe that the wedding preparations are nearly complete. Tre has let me have absolutely anything I want but I still hate taking his money. He just laughs and says he's got loads so don't worry! I threw up this morning but I'm ok now, probably just something I'd eaten. Once all the plans are finally complete I'm going to have a nice rest and pamper myself before the wedding. The tour is almost over and I'm going to have Tre all to myself. I can't wait.

It was so weird being in London again. I love London, it was my home for so long but my home is with Tre now in California and I'm so happy about that. The premier of the DVD brought home so many happy memories of our weekend in Milton Keynes it almost brought a tear to my eye. I hope loads of people buy it, it really shows them at their best. They deserve to be seen like this.

I am so happy with Tre I could burst. I'm so happy I get scared sometimes that something is going to happen and that this happiness won't last, I must stop feeling like this...

New Year's Eve...

Sammy's POV
I'm standing at the door of this little church in California and all my friends and family are inside. Tre is inside. He is in there waiting for me and I've waited for this moment all my life. I never thought it would happen. I never thought I'd get married, especially not to Tre. I think back to all those nights when I longed to be with him again but couldn't get in touch. Now I don't have to worry because I have him back and I'm going to marry him, right now.

Jen is giving me away. Not really traditional I know but there is no one else.
We are walking down the aisle now and I can see him. My Tre is waiting for me. He turns and looks. He smiles that wonderful cheeky smile and looks really happy. I hope I look good enough for him...

Tres POV
I hear the door of the church opening and know she is coming. I know I'm not mean to but I've just got to turn round and watch her walking towards me; I can't wait until she gets here to stand beside me. There she is, my angel coming to marry me. She looks stunning but I didn't doubt it for one minute. I'm the luckiest man alive. I'm stepping forward now to take her hand and marry her and to never let her go...

Franky's POV
My mum looks beautiful. Everyone said so and I'm so proud of her. She is marrying my Dad and I'm so happy. Dad looks handsome; they do so look gorgeous together. Everyone says I look good too in a miniature version of my mums dress. I feel real grown up and Charlie looks real cool. He's grown again and his voice has broken, its real deep now and I love it when he says my name. I hope he kisses me tonight again like he did before. I call Tre Dad now and he loves it, so does Mum. Everyone is emotional, even Billie Joe. What are they crying for, they should be happy?

The next day...

"You OK honey?" said Tre to Sammi.

"No I feel a little sick," said Sammi.

"Oh. May be something you ate," said Tre, concerned.

"No. Its been happening a lot lately Tre" said Sammi, "and something's just come to my mind. I'm wondering if I could be pregnant."

Tre sat bolt upright.

""Really?" he said, his eyes sparkling

"Maybe, I'm not sure. I've not kept an eye on my dates as we've been so busy."

"Let's get a test done."

"What now?"

"Why not?" and he leapt out of bed, got dressed and was out the bedroom door.

"You're mad Tre Cool" I shouted after him.

"Mad for you," he shouted back and then was gone.

We sat in the bedroom looking at this white stick waiting for a blue line to appear. It seemed like forever. Suddenly there it was, proof for all to see, a deep blue line. Positive.

"I'm gonna be a dad again" said Tre, doing cartwheels around the room

"Oh my god I can't believe it," said Sammi.

"I can," said Tre. "Lets call up everyone and tell them."

"No, let's wait until I've seen a doctor, its still early yet."

"OK honey. I can't believe it. Another little Tre Cool."

"Oh my god," I say, "not another one." and we laugh.

"Oh I forgot," said Tre getting up from the bed. "I got this while I was out." He threw a newspaper down in front of me. "I think we're on page 5." he said.

I opened at page and there was a photograph of us standing outside the church, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. We looked wonderful. I was a little scared to read it, as I hated being in the spotlight.

"Read it, its fine," said Tre knowing how apprehensive I was.

The headline said:

A FAIRYTALE WEDDING FOR TRE AND HIS LOST LOVE

Tre Cool (real name Frank Edwin Wright III) age 33, drummer with award winning punk band Green Day married his British love yesterday. The beautiful Samantha Ellis, also 33, met Tre back in 1992 but unfortunately they lost touch for 13 years. She had a child by Tre, a daughter Francesca aged 13. Due to unfortunate circumstances Tre only got to find out about Francesca back in June when she won a competition to meet him. Samantha and Tre's love was re-ignited and lets just hope they stay together now forever. A friend of the family said, "they are such a lovely couple and so much in love. They are well suited and the three of them make a wonderful family". We wish you well Tre and Samantha. Congratulations."

"That's so nice Tre, don't you think?" I say to Tre.

"Yeah, see the press can be fairly nice when they want." He answered.

"Oh Tre!" I say laying down the newspaper. "I've just remembered something," and I go over to the large chest of drawers and open one of the drawers and take out a small silver box with little black music notes all over it. "Its just a little something I bought for you, but don't get too excited, it's not much." I handed it to Tre and he reads the label.

Tre
Thank you for making me so happy
I'll always love you
Sammi xxxx

"What's this?" said Tre, a little embarrassed.

"Well you'll have to open it and find out," I reply.

He opens the box, takes a look inside and falls about laughing.

"I love it!" he says. He takes out the little miniature drum kit all made in platinum and reads an inscription that's on the front of the drums "Tre and Sammi 01-01-06"

"It's a copy of that little tacky drum kit key ring that you had before, do you remember? I know how you quite liked it so I had this one made up for you. What do I buy for someone that can get himself anything?" I say to him.

"I love it, come here," he says, cuddling me in close and kissing the top of my head.

"Well," he says, "I have something for you too but you first have to open this." He then opens his bedside drawer and there is a little box about the same size as the one I gave him.

I open it and take out a set of keys.

"What? Tre are these car keys?" I say sitting up excitedly.

"Sure are," he answers. "Come with me," and he drags me off the bed and takes me over to the window. I look out and down onto the driveway there is a car. It's my favourite car in the whole world. A Mini Cooper. Its bright red and there is a Union Jack flag painted on the roof. I'm gob smacked.

"Tre is that for me?" I ask.

"Its all yours baby. I know how much you love those cars and well, it can be like your little bit of England in California."

"I don't know what to say. Thank you." I actually blushed, as I'm not good at receiving gifts.

He hugged me and said, "you can thank me properly later," his usual response. Cheeky devil. I loved him for it.

"I'm going to go and have a closer look at it," I said and rushed off out the room.

He laughed and shouted after me, "we've been married five minutes and already you've left me for a car!" But he was happy, I could tell.

Franky's POV
Mum has taken Dad out for a drive in her mini. Poor Dad. Mum hasn't driven a car for months and the roads are so different from England. Let's hope they're ok.

I pour myself a glass of orange juice.

"Morning," says Charlie, coming in through the kitchen door. I turn to look at him but immediately turn away, embarrassed. He is standing there in his boxers only. He looks so different. His body seems manlier.

"Want some orange juice," I say, trying to divert my eyes.

"Love some," said Charlie. "That was a wonderful wedding wasn't it?" he said to me.

"Mmm I can't wait to see the photographs, hopefully we should get them in a day or two."

"I took loads too. You looked lovely," he said.

"Oh thanks," I say, coming over to sit at the table with him. "Do you want anything to eat?" I asked.

"No, I don't think I could manage anything. I had loads of champagne last night, did you?" he says.

I'd never noticed his eyes before, all green and sparkly. No they are not like anyone else that I know I say to myself immediately. They are not like his at all, I try and convince myself.

"Yeah loads, I've got a bit of a headache actually. I may need to have a lay down upstairs. Do you mind?"

"Of course not," said Charlie. "I'm going to take a shower anyway."

I left him then at the table and was glad to get away. My stomach was doing little flips like I'd never felt before.

I must have dozed off, as when I woke up there was a light knocking at the door.

"Franky? You awake?" it was Charlie.

"Mmmmmm think so. What time is it? You can come in you know."

He enters the bedroom and comes over to sit on the bed. "Its midday. Your mum and Tre sent me up to see if you wanted something to eat?"

Suddenly he took my hand. "I've never noticed this before. I can't believe you still wear that little silver ring I gave you years ago."

I always wore it. It was a little silver heart ring and Charlie gave it to me when he was 7. It started off on the middle finger, then the ring finger and now it only fits onto my little finger. I never take it off and have practically forgotten about it.

"God yes. I do wear it sometimes." I say.

He's stroking the finger now and lifting it up to his mouth. He kisses my little finger. That was nice.

"Can I lay next to you?" he asks
I want him to.
"Yeah," I say. My stomach doing weird flips again.

We lay down next to each other and we kiss with tongues for ages. Then mum calls out that lunch is ready and we pull away.

"See you downstairs," he shouts and was gone.

I couldn't believe it. I'd been kissing Charlie in my room and didn't think of Billie Joe once. So why was I thinking of him now ...