No one wants to hear a drunken fool

No one’s POV

Billie Joe woke up pretty early on Wednesday morning. He couldn’t help feeling nervous and anxious about meeting his wife and kids again. He felt like a prisoner having a furlough to see his family. Like a criminal doing his sentence.
He started cleaning the living room and the kitchen. There was no major mess in the house at all. Actually he hadn’t spent much time there lately. On Saturday and Sunday he’d slept over at Mike’s. At daytime he was mostly out somewhere with friends doing nothing. He didn’t like being alone in his big house. It scared him. It was supposed to be filled with life, with the boys playing around and Adrienne sitting and watching them with a smile on her face.
But would it ever be the same? At this point he couldn’t even forgive himself for sleeping with that woman. For four month he’d thought of her as a slut, the one to blame. He was prepared to leave it all behind, with the conclusion that she was the one who messed it up. And then when she came to Adrienne, she’d ruined everything. But besides the anger he felt towards Jessica, he knew that it was all his fault. Reluctantly he admitted to himself that he wasn’t sure if Jessica even knew who he was. She’d just wanted to sleep with someone. If he had shut his mouth and not start talking with her, Tré would most likely get laid instead. Billie wished he’d given that chance to his friend instead of so foolishly take it himself.
When Billie thought it was clean enough, he sat down in the kitchen waiting for Adie and his sons to arrive.

“Aren’t you going to start the car?”
Jakob was leaning over the front seat, talking to his mother. Adrienne had felt really nervous as she had sat down in the car to drive over to Billie’s. The boys had been nagging all day about it.
“We can walk over to dad’s on our own, mom. It’s not far.” Joey said earlier at breakfast.
But Adrienne had insisted on coming with them, without knowing why. Maybe she really shouldn’t be seeing Billie Joe, but a part of her was dying for it. The anger towards him was still there, though also some sort of curiosity. She wanted to know if he missed her, if he could handle being on his own.
“As soon as you sit down.” She now answered her son, finally starting the car as Jakob sat down.
To her the five minute drive seemed like forever. She sighed a bit irritated at red traffic lights, other than that she didn’t make a sound. Maybe the boys could feel her fear, but she did her best not to show it. It was easier just to pretend being mad than really scared. She didn’t know what to except from Billie, but neither what to do herself. She hated feeling like a victim. She wasn’t supposed to feel bad about all this, he was. Adrienne did not intend to express any sorrow or regret. She swallowed all that as she stepped out of the car and walked with her head erect towards the door.

Billie’s POV

I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment to come, I’m destined for anything at all…
That song actually came to my mind just before the knock on the door. And I really had been waiting a long time, I had basically just been sitting around since noon until late in the afternoon when they finally arrived. Although, I’d kind of ‘practised’ and trying to prepare myself for the whole thing. What to say, how to act and stuff like that. If I should throw myself at Adrienne and never let her go, or maybe just observe her actions instead. Would she cry and let me hold her in my arms, or would she yell at me and slap me in the face? We’ve had arguments and fights before of course, I guess that can’t be avoided in thirteen years of marriage. But this wasn’t like that. Not at all.
Standing in the hall, I bit my lower lip in anxiety. I took a deep breath and then opened the door.
“Dad!”
Both Joey and Jakob ran into my arms, almost making me fall. I held them tight for long while. It’s hard to explain the feeling I had inside of me there and then. Being away from your children is always hard. But then when you are reunited you feel so lucky to be a parent. I could stand there and hug them forever, but pretty soon they started releasing themselves from me. I thought they seemed a bit tense and I wondered if Adrienne had told them about the circumstances.
“I’ve missed you guys so much.” I said, ruffling Jakob’s hair.
He and his brother stepped inside. I finally looked up at Adie. She was looking at everything else but me. I tried to seem calm, even though I had to do my best not to break out in paranoia. But then Adie stepped outside the door, without saying anything. It was the worst treatment she could give me – silence. I desperately tried to grab her arm crying out:
“Please! Don’t…”
She pulled away from me and then slammed the door right in my face before I could do anything. It couldn’t feel more hopeless. I closed my eyes and banged my head on the door a few times, almost hurting it, as if to alleviate the pain in my heart. I didn’t realize that Jakob and Joey were still standing in the hall until I turned around. They both looked puzzled as they glanced at me. I shrugged a little and scratched my head, not knowing what to say to them.
“Women…” I said and laughed a bit discomfited.
It felt weird in this situation, so I walked over to them and laid my arms around them.
“Hey guys, let’s do something fun today.” I said to get their mind off it.
And we really did. In the early evening the boys were more relaxed, and so far they hadn’t mentioned the separation between their mother and me. We were playing around all night, laughing and having a great time. They had a lot more energy than me though.
”Just let me catch my breath.” I said after a few hours, sitting down on the couch to rest for a while.
I watched Joey and Jakob run back and forth, chasing each other and mostly goofing around. But even the little ones got exhausted pretty soon. They bumped down beside me.
“That was fun!” Jakob giggled, resting his head on my chest.
“Yeah, I had a great time.” I said.
Me and the boys sat there quite a while, enjoying being together again. But soon they told me that Adrienne had been acting weird lately and Joey looked me with a serious expression on his face, asking:
“What’s going on dad?”
“Mom won’t tell us anything.” His brother filled in. “Why aren’t we staying here with you?”
I sighed distressed and pulled them closer to me. But that only made Jakob more upset. He looked as if he was going to cry.
“It’s okay.” I hushed him. “Everything will be alright.”
At least I tried to convince myself that. I don’t know if it sounded very convincing though. Joey and Jakob were quite, and I knew they waited for an explanation. I was thinking of a way to tell them how things had ended up like this. How I had ruined everything for all of us.
“I made mom upset.” I began. ”That’s why she’s so angry with me. It’s not because of you, okay? You have to know that.”
“But what did you do?” Joey asked impatiently.
Now that was the hardest thing to answer. And frankly, I had no idea how to explain. I started to move a bit uncomfortable, looking around in the room.
“That’s between me and her.” I said. “But you shouldn’t worry. We’ll sort it out and then you can move back in here.”
I looked down at them, smiling encouraging. Sure, I knew I was in deep shit, but a part of me felt that I had to protect my kids from it all.

I had just switched off the light after putting my sons to bed when I heard a restrained knock on the door. Slowly I sneaked down the stairs to answer. Adie blinked back at me as soon as I’d opened the door.
“Hey…” I began, but she immediately pushed her way past me.
She started making her way to the living room. Her posture exposed that she still was very angry and refused to let me come near her.
“They’re in bed.” I said, massaging my temples as I could feel a headache coming.
I managed to stay calm this time, that would’ve been the best way of solving all problems. But Adrienne looked like she was going to have a fit of rage by any second. She turned around, staring at me, once again with those beautiful, yet so cold eyes. I noticed she was dressed up. For what reason I didn’t know.
“What?!” She cried out. “I’m here to pick them up!”
“You never said you would.” I took a few steps closer to her, but then stopped, thinking that it might be safer to stay at a distance. “So I thought they’d stay the night and…”
“Oh just shut up.” Adrienne exclaimed and walked back towards the front door.
Though I was there to stop her. I grabbed her by the arms and tried to get eye contact with her. My wife started to fight back and had to use great effort, trying to get released from my grip. But she wasn’t able to free herself from me.
“Let go of me right now!” She said in a lowered but brusque voice.
“No, you listen to me!” I said, looking her straight in the eyes, and they met mine at last.
I finally had her attention, but suddenly I got all tongue-tied and I couldn’t articulate a word. Adrienne scowled and glowered at me.
“Well there’s nothing to be said, now is there?” She snorted.
Then she made one last attempt to release herself from my firmed arms and I let her go. Adie rushed out through the door and the moment after I heard her drive off.
“Damnit!” I groaned and sank down to the floor.
I leaned back against the wall, feeling more hopeless than ever. A sudden tiredness came over me. I didn’t realize that I was crying until I could taste salty tears in my mouth.

No one’s POV

Billie Joe and Adrienne didn’t see each other for days after that. Billie was afraid that his wife would freak out if he tried to reach her and he couldn’t risk losing his sons again. He felt that it would be better if he let her have some space for herself, and then hopefully she would make a decision to come back. But at this point, the future didn’t seem too bright for the Armstrong family. Adrienne now let the boys walk on their own over to Billie’s. She didn’t feel strong enough to face him again. She still cried herself to sleep at night, but she remembered the rage she’d felt a couple of nights ago. Looking into Billie’s sad eyes somehow didn’t make her feel guilty. To her he was just even more pathetic, grabbing her like that, almost hurting her. How would that make anything better? Being dire, completely insane.
“He should be ashamed.” Christine had established after she heard about it.
Though Adrienne still didn’t want to gang up on any invective stuff against Billie Joe. All she wanted was to be left alone. At times she got really frustrated and locked herself up somewhere, leaving Joey and Jakob’s questioning looks behind her.
As the days went by, Billie became more and more paranoid, it was killing him not being with Adie. One afternoon when his boys came around, he hesitated a bit before asking:
“Is mom okay?”
Joey shrugged. He and Jakob were restlessly watching cartoons in the living room. Billie sat down in the armchair, watching them. The boys didn’t take any notice.
“Where are you guys staying by the way?”
Jakob gave his dad a quick look, then turned to Joey. They both immediately got very quite and embarrassed.
“Mom said not to tell you.” Joey said and pressed his lips together, as if to seal them.
“Did she now?”
Billie couldn’t help himself getting upset hearing that. Why did she have to hide from him? It’s not like she had a reason to be afraid of him, most likely the opposite. She obviously didn’t want anything do with him anymore. Joey and Jakob looked at their father, waiting for a reaction. He gave them a weak smile to assure them that it was alright. But he couldn’t really convince his kids. Deep down they were very worried about their mom and dad.

Joey’s POV

“Is mom very angry with dad?”
Jakob was looking down at me, leaning over the edge of our bunk bed. I opened my eyes. Sometimes it can be really annoying sharing a room with your little brother. Especially when you are tired and want to go to sleep instead of sitting up, talking all night.
“I don’t know. Go to sleep.” I said pulling the blanket up to my chin.
There was a dim light from a lamp, hanging in the ceiling. It gave the room a creepy gleam of light at night. I didn’t like this room. It belonged to the Morgan twins, two girls of Jakob’s age who were obsessed with pink. Everything was in pink! The walls, their toys, the floor was covered with a pink carpet. Eww! I closed my eyes again.
“Girls!” I muttered sulkily.
Just when I had fallen asleep, I was woken up by Jakob. I heard a quite whining from the bed above. I was about to tell him to shut up, but something held me back. He sounded so sad, he wasn’t crying the way he usually did when he’d hurt himself or when he was grumpy.
“Jake?” I whispered out in the dark room.
He only moaned quietly. I got out of the bed, even though I’d rather go back to sleep, and climbed up to my little brother. He was huddled up, sitting with his back against the wall. I sat down beside him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Jakob just shook his head, hiding his face with his arms. I laid my hand on his shoulder. He was really warm and sweaty.
“Hey, c’mon. Say something.”
At first he wouldn’t move or speak. But then I heard him mumble wistfully:
“Mom and dad.”
“Yeah…”
We sat around for a while, Jakob stopped sobbing. I didn’t feel as tired anymore. But I started to feel sad like Jakob. Lately I had been angry with mom because she wouldn’t tell us anything. She kept pretending everything was alright, patting me on the cheek saying:
“Don’t worry sweetie.”
And dad was like that too. It hurt me that he wouldn’t tell me anything. He shouldn’t patronize me just because I was the kid. Me and my brother had a right to know.
“Are they getting divorced?” Jakob now asked me.
“How am I supposed to know?” I snapped.
I didn’t know. That was annoying me. Mom and dad were just hiding everything from us, and from each other it seemed. But they couldn’t lie to me about how it all was alright when we weren’t even living together anymore.
“They are.” Jakob answered his own question.
And with that statement we were about to go back to bed, but then I had an idea.
“We’ll help them out.”
“What do you mean?” Jakob asked confused.
I climbed down to my bed again.
“You’ll see.” I said. “Don’t worry bro.”

Since our parents so childishly avoided each other, I had to do something about that. Little Joey had to be some kind of a peacemaker. I did not want to spend any more days in that girly apartment and I was tired of being treated like a dumb kid, as mom didn’t think I noticed what was wrong. So I had decided to set her up, and dad too. One morning before school I walked into the kitchen where mom was cleaning up after breakfast. As usual she gave me that look that said:
“Don’t bring it up, I’ve told you everything’s fine.”
Which was so stupid. How could it be, when we weren’t at home in our own kitchen? I walked over to where she was standing, at the sink, clattering with the dishes. I still couldn’t see why Ms Morgan didn’t do that instead.
“What’s up?” Mom said, not looking at me.
I went and sat down around the kitchen table, thinking of how to persuade her into this.
“Hey mom,” I began. “would you come with me and Jakob to Rudy’s café today after school?”
She turned around, drying her hands with a towel. She didn’t look persuaded.
“Why do you want to go there?” She asked suspiciously.
I squirmed where I was sitting, didn’t know what to say. Mom looked at me and I had to come up with something.
“Please mom. We just want to go somewhere else than sitting around here all day.”
A small sigh came out of her. She seemed tired.
“Alright then. We’ll go there when I’ve picked you up after school.”
“Cool! Thanks mom.” I stood up and gave her an impulsive hug.

“Joseph Marciano Armstrong!”
Joey will do. Damn teachers. Always persisting on using your full name. I forced myself to look up at Mrs Riggs. Frankly, it wasn’t a pretty sight. She squinted back at me behind her thick, ugly glasses.
“Yes Mrs Riggs?”
“Could you at least try to keep quite for the last three minutes of this lesson?”
“Sure, I can always try.” I said with a scornful smile.
She had never liked me. We got an awful start from day one. That witch (she earned that label herself) had always treated her students as little creeps, but I was one of those who wouldn’t accept that treatment from an old, stupid lady. Of course, that only made her despise us even more. Once me and my dad were on a conversational meeting, as Mrs Riggs likes to call it, and she basically sat there and said what a worthless, spoiled brat I was, as she seemed to think anyway. Dad didn’t quite like hearing that. He really told her off that day, maybe some inappropriate things were said too, but they were certainly not less deserved. And so when dad had yelled at her I had lost that minimal chance of becoming her favourite student.
The bell rang and there was a rising murmur of voices, everyone quickly wanted to escape from Mrs Riggs’ classroom.
“Come on, off you go!” she said in that awful, grating voice of hers.
As if anyone would like to stay.

Out in the corridor I picked up my cell phone to call my dad. I went down to my locker to get some privacy. It wasn’t rare that people, especially girls, gave me extra looks. Pretty often someone came up to me.
“Hey Joey, do you want to have lunch with me?”
“Hi Joseph… I was just wondering, would you like to go out with me on Friday?”
Stuff like that. Go out? As in dating? I’m only twelve for Christ sake! So yes, being the son of Billie Joe Armstrong has its benefits – and disadvantages.
Anyway, I dialled my dads’ number and waited patiently until he answered, after about eight signals. He must’ve been sleeping.
“Yes?” He said groggily.
“Hey dad, it’s Joey.”
I could hear him yawn. People were starting to gather up around me.
“Oh… Hi! Why are you calling this early? Is everything okay?”
“Dad, it’s 10 am.”
I rolled my eyes, moved away and walked down the corridor. Dad chuckled.
“I knew that.” He said. “I mean, I know.”
Yeah right. Patricia Finn was waving at me from her locker with a big smile on her lips. I waved back. Not that I really liked her. I noticed pretty fast that she was more interested in my father than in me. Creepy huh?
“I was thinking…” I continued my conversation with dad. “Me and Jakob are going to Rudy’s after school. Wanna come?”
I never thought he’d hesitate. But he said:
“I don’t know Joey… I could just pick you up instead and you guys can stay at my place. How about that?”
‘My place’. Why did he have to say it like that? I tried to sound really sad, saying:
“Please? We just want to do something fun with you. Because we miss you so much.”
I don’t know how a café can be a lot of fun, but I guess it was better to go somewhere than doing nothing at home. Dad was pretty easy going after all.
“Okay, it’s a great idea. Should I pick you up or..?”
“No, we’ll just meet there.”
“Deal.” He said.
The corridor was getting empty, and I realized I was late for my class. There was just something I felt that I had to say.
“Love you dad.”
He was glad to hear it, no doubt about it. I must say that I really did miss him, and I couldn’t wait to see him again.
“I love you to buddy.”
On my way to biology class, I was in a good mood and pretty relieved. I had succeeded to set them up. All I could do now was to pray that everything would turn out alright.

Adrienne’s POV

No, I didn’t have a clue. How often do you get swindled by your own children? They’d been eager to get going right after school though, especially Joey.
“Come on mom. Let’s go!” He said as soon as he’d got in the car.
For once he was smiling, excited over something. He sat down in the front seat beside me, and Jakob buckled up in the back seat.
“What’s the rush?”
But he wouldn’t answer that. He shrugged a little, smiling at me.
On our way to Rudy’s, for which reason I didn’t know by then, Joey was looking around for something. He kept his eyes out on the road, and I could feel something was up.
We parked outside, the boys quickly jumped out of the car. Jakob took my hand as we walked inside. At the disk, we were kindly greeted by a young man.
“Would you like to order something?”
“Sure.” I said with a smile, and then turned to Joey and Jakob. “What do you want boys?”
It became obvious that they weren’t there for food, and certainly not for the coffee.
“We’ll just have a soda.” Joey said, already looking for a table.
“I’m sure Jakob can speak for himself.” I replied and watched my little one, who seemed tempted by most things they had to offer.
Soon I was walking down to a table, around which the boys were already sitting, carrying a tray with two Colas for them and a cup of coffee for myself. Joey somehow arranged so that I was to sit next to Jakob and Joey himself opposite us. I knew he was up to something.
But I never noticed Billie Joe coming in through the door, I never noticed him standing behind me. Not until the kids called out:
“Hey dad!”
I turned around, very surprised indeed. My eyes met Billie’s. He actually seemed to be quite shocked himself.
“Hi guys…” He said, not taking his eyes from me.
My first impulse was to just take the kids and leave, but Billie was kind of blocking my way from where he was standing. Immediately, the atmosphere became tense, and neither of us knew what to say.
“Sit down..?” Joey was he first to break the silence.
And so we did, very slowly. Billie was seated in front of me, just like the boys had planned of course. I wouldn’t look at him, I was staring down at the table instead. Billie was talking to our sons, almost whispering, like he was afraid I’d get upset or something. But I already was. As soon as Jakob and Joey had finished drinking their sodas, Billie said to them:
“You guys see that slot machine over there?”
“Yeah?”
“Why don’t you go and try it?”
He got a couple of cents out his pocket, and handed them over to Jakob. I was starting to feel very uncomfortable.
“It’s okay. You can stay here with us.”
Three pair of eyes was staring at me. I wanted to run off.
“We’ll be right back mom…” Joey said, grabbing his brother’s hand. “Come on Jakob.”
They walked over to the slot machine, turning their heads a few times to see that we were okay. I leaned back in the chair, crossing my arms, and still not facing my husband. As I’d predicted, he began to plead and beg for me to listen to what he had to say.
“Adrienne, I don’t know what to do without you. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat…”
“Save it.”
He leaned forward, and I couldn’t avoid his green eyes this time.
“Please Adie, we’ve been married for –“
“For 13 years Billie!” I filled in. “But that obviously doesn’t mean a shit to you.”
That did shut him up. He looked more miserable than ever. But I wasn’t going to feel sorry for him. I could picture Jessica and him…
“There’s always Jessica. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind…”
“Stop that!” Billie interrupted me and banged his fist on the table. “I regret that more than anything. I hate myself for what I did, okay? If I could turn back time…”
“If I could turn back time I never would’ve married you!” I blurted out, and never really realized what I was saying.
Everything happened so fast after that. I was on my way up from the chair, on my way from Billie, but his strong arms were there to stop me.
“Let me go damnit!”
I tried to keep my voice down, not to get Joey and Jakob’s attention.
“How can you say something like that?”
For the first time there was anger in Billie’s voice. What right did he have to be angry with me?
“What?” I asked, honestly a bit confused.
But our sons were quickly there, and as Jakob started to cry in fear, Billie let go of me. I glared angrily at him as I lifted up Jakob in my arms.
“It’s okay, honey.” I hushed him. “We’re leaving now.”
I carried Jakob towards the door, not turning around to see Billie’s devastated expression.
“Come along Joey!” I yelled.
He came sauntering behind me. After this incident he wouldn’t talk to me for days.

Billie’s POV

I’d been turned down once again. And I started to lose all hope.
“There’s nothing I can do now.”
I sat down on the couch beside Mike, who’d come over to visit me the same night. He laid his hand on my shoulder.
“You can’t give up Billie.” He said. “We all know Adrienne’s the one for you. You’re so meant to be.”
“But what can I do? She hates my guts. She won’t even listen to me! God…”
“I could talk to her.”
“Yeah,” I sniffed. “like that would help.”
I laid down, once again there was a fat lump down in throat. For a minute I wanted to be left alone. Sleep all the pain away. I appreciated Mike’s compassion, but at the moment I felt like sitting around feeling sorry for myself.
“Why don’t you just leave?” I said, staring at the TV, that wasn’t even turned on.
“Fine.” My friend answered, obviously a bit disappointed in me.
He got up with a groan and disappeared out through the door, only to pop his head back in, saying:
“Don’t do anything stupid okay?”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. I raised my hand.
“Right.” I said. “See you later Mike.”
Pretty soon I was asleep, dreaming sweaty nightmares.

It could’ve been hours I’d been sleeping, I wasn’t sure. But it was dark in the room when I was woken up by a rough banging on the door. I got up, dazed by sleep. It took a while before I even remembered what had happened earlier that day. I stumbled towards the hall as the knocks were increasing.
“I’m coming damnit!” I grunted.
I don’t know who I thought it would be. Adrienne? Hardly. To be honest, I hoped not. What she said back at the café, was really awful, I still couldn’t believe she uttered those words. She’d practically been saying that she regretted having the kids, everything we’d ever experienced together. She didn’t mean what she said, did she?
“Open the door right now!” I heard a potent, male voice roar from outside.
What the hell? It sure wasn’t Mike or any of my other friends. I approached the door, still with a desire to get back to sleep. But I hadn’t had my big surprise of the day yet. Out on my porch two officers glowered at me as soon as I’d finally opened the door.
“Billie Joe Armstrong?” The older one of them said, putting emphasis on every syllable of my name.
“The one and only.” I snorted back.
Of course I was in shock. But I could easily remain calm. I hadn’t done anything, right?
The other officer, young and I figured he might be new educated, kept holding his hand on his pistol case. I was getting freaked out by then. Was he going to shoot me, or what?
“Sir, you will have to come down to the police station with us.” He said, and I remarked how his voice was trembling.
“Seriously?”
The older officer just kept staring at me, looking extremely tired and bored, unlike his partner. But since I wouldn’t move or anything, probably because I still was in shock, the two officers grabbed me by the arms and dragged me outside to a police car.