You're My Father

Billie sat at the dining table with Jakob, helping him do his math homework. Adie was in the laundry room washing clothes, and Joey was in the living room playing his X Box, when the house phone rang.

“Phone’s ringing,” Joey yelled.
“Answer it,” Billie yelled rolling his eyes, Joey was at a difficult stage in his life. He was keen on making everyone else’s life difficult. He heard his son moan and groan as he got the phone

“Dad it’s for you,” Joey yelled from the living room. Once again Billie rolled his eyes, then nodded his head as Jakob was doing the problem right.
“Bring it here then,” Billie yelled as Jakob wrote down the answer. Joey groaned as he got up and walked into the dining room and tossed his father the phone.

“Hand it to me, Joey,” Billie scolded before pulling the phone to his ear.

“Billie Joe,” he answered as he looked over the next problem.
“Hello Mr. Armstrong, I’m Mr. Vandal, I work in a Law firm in Santa Fe.”
“Hello,” Billie muttered tabbing at Jakob’s paper, “how can I help you?” He could already image it, Tre got bust for doing something stupid in Santa Fe and he needed help getting out of trouble.

“Well you see, Ms. Camilla Madison died leavi…”
“Wait, what Milla’s dead,” Billie gasped standing up and walked to the Kitchen. Jakob looked up at his father as he left. Billie Joe’s heart was pounding in his chest, he couldn’t believe what the guy was telling him. Milla was dead, how, he had been sure she would have out lived them all.

“Yes, Mr. Armstrong, Ms Camilla Madison is dead. She passed away last week.”
“How,” Billie whispered breathless clutching onto the kitchen island.
“Uh, umm, she was in a car accident, she died moments before she reached the hospital.” Billie tried to blink away the tears. He couldn’t believe Mille was dead. She had been his first true love, hell for the longest time he had thought her to be his Soul Mate, till he met Adie. He still had feeling for Milla, though. Nothing as strong as he had for his wife, and most days his hate for her outweighed the love he still felt for her.

“But like I was telling you before, Sir, Ms Madison had a daughter. Seventeen year old Amara Jo Madison. Ms Madison left her to you claiming she was your daughter.”
“Ya she is,” Billie whispered remembering the sweet little green eyed girl, he once got to hold in his arms.
“Ok, so this is great news, Sir, Amara is waiting for you. If you could come to Santa Fe’ as soon as possible…”
“Ya give me the address,” Billie said searching for a pen and paper.
“Ok I, I would like to meet you first at my offices so I can get you sign some papers and confirm your identity, and then we can both go to Miss Madison’s house. ”
"Kay,” Billie said the scribbled down the Law Firm’s name.

Billie quickly dialed the airport as he raced to his room to pack. He quickly arranged a flight out to Santa Fe’ that night. He quickly ripped clothes out of his and Adie’s closet and threw it into his carryon bag. Adie stood in the door way watching her husband pack.

Jakob had ran into the room, saying that Dad looked like he was going to cry. Adie was worried about what had happened. Had Tre or Mike gotten in accident, had someone in his family gotten hurt? Did his mother have a heart attack?

“Billie, what’s going on,” she asked taking a step into the room. Billie quickly looked at her then threw some boxers into the bag then walked over to his wife.
“Adie, sweetie, I just got a call from a lawyer in Santa Fe’. Camilla, my ex-girlfriend died,” Billie told her taking her hands into his.
“Camilla,” Adie asked remembering the name from somewhere.
“Camilla Madison, the mother of my daughter,” Billie whispered.
“Oh,” Adie gasped.
“Ya, she left her to me, my daughter.”
“So you’re going to get her,” Adie asked sitting down on the bed.
“Ya.”
“What are we going to tell the boys,” Adie asked.
“That’s she’s their sister,” Billie gritted threw his teeth.
“Ok, they will ask why haven’t we told them about her before.”
“Look, Adie, I’m not even sure what I’m doing right now,” Billie yelled and returned to packing, “I’m not even fucking sure she wants to come with me!” Billie let out a pent up breath. Adie stood up and wrapped her arms around her husband.
“I know, I’m sorry, Billie, I shouldn’t worry you about this. Not now, you go and get her, I’ll tell the boys something.”
“Thanks,” Billie said and turned around to kiss her.

“What if she hates me,” Billie whispered after a while of standing in Adie’s arms.
“Well, then you’ll have to get her past it,” she whispered to him then kissed his cheek.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Billie sat in the airplane listening to his I pod, as the plane took off. Billie had called Mike and Tre and told them what had happen. Tre had taken it the hardest, he had been Camilla’s best friend in high school. They had grown up living next door to each other. He always resented himself for not keeping in touch with her. To be honest Billie thought Tre had had a little crush on Camilla, but never had the guts to tell her.

Tre and Camilla had been thick as thieves in high school. When Camilla wasn’t with Billie she had been with Tre causing some havoc. The both of them had been expelled multiple times, causing Camilla’s parents banning Tre from their daughter. When her parents had died, it had been Tre that brought her out of her depression. They were best friends.

Tre hadn’t spoke to Billie for a month after he broke up with Camilla to be with Adie. Which was a hard time for the band since they were touring at the time. After time past by Tre got over it. Camilla talked to him and told she was ok with it. So Tre started to talk to him again.

During that point in their relationship, they had really grown part. Billie was touring with the band, and Camilla was going to College. She was hoping to have a better life then her parents, who had been high school dropouts. They wanted different things in life. Camilla wanted to settle down in a big city, and start a career, Billie wanted to make music of course. But they still cared for each other.

When Camilla found she was pregnant, she didn’t want Billie to find out. She knew Billie would have left Adie to marry her, even though he was already falling love with her. The only reason why Billie ever found out, was because she called Tre since she was at the hospital alone. Tre, of course called Billie and told him what had happened.

Billie had been beyond pissed when he found out. At least he got to hold her, before Camilla took off, even after she promised not to. Camilla had a big problem of running away from her troubles. If she thought things were on the brink of collapsing, she would take off. Billie thought that was the reason why she was ok with them breaking up. Things with them were starting to get too tense and fighting was becoming a more common thing for them.

He had spent four years looking for her and his daughter, finally he gave up and married Adie, like he truly wanted along. That was when Camilla finally called him and told him, she had gotten married and the man claimed Amara his own. Which turned out to be a lie.

It was three in the morning when Billie finally arrived in Santa Fe’, he checked into a hotel room and called Adie letting her know he was safe. She told him how the boys took the news of their older sister. Jakob as always looked at things glass half full, he was excited he had an older sister, a bit sad she wasn’t younger than him, but none the less excited. Joey wasn’t at all happy, he was angry that no one had told him before that he had an older sibling.

Billie was only able to get a few hours of sleep after talking to Adie, he woke up at nine and got in the shower. He was anxious to meet his daughter. He wonder how she looked, the way she acted. Most of all he wondered what Camilla had told their daughter about him, did she think he was an asshole for not being there, or did Camilla tell her the truth.

He had a taxi drop him off at the Lawyer’s address. It was a small run down building, didn’t look like it got much traffic in business. Inside was worse, Billie knew then that this man didn’t get much clients and most likely didn’t win in court. A middle age balding man greeted him as Mr. Vandal, the lawyer that contacted him.

After getting all of the paper work finished Billie and Mr. Vandal drove to Camilla’s so he could finally see his daughter again. It was nice cozy adobe house with an adobe fence surrounding it. Three different vehicles were parked on the drive way. Billie pushed the fence door open and walked up to the front door trying to her his nerve up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Go Ms. Mad, Go, Go, Go…” The band cheered on Camilla as she played the Dance Dance Revolution. Camilla was laughing her ass off.
“You’re going down, Cammy Baby,” Rex, her boyfriend, laughed as he competed against her. Camilla laughed and pushed him away, Rex fell of the pad and lost.

“She cheated,” Rex yelled out laughing, as Camilla jumped up and down in victory! He grabbed her around the waste and spun around with her, both of them laughing. Julias jumped in front of the camera and started to do the sprinkler. Everyone started to laugh at him.

“Alright, everyone back to the table,” Camilla laughed starting to herd everyone to their table. Everyone sat around their table and dug into the pizza.

Rex lifted up his pizza and said, “To new beginnings, and to Hedeon’s first tour!” Everyone cheered and lifted up their pizza before taking a bite.

“So Ms. Mad how do you feel about the tour,” Troy asked fixing the camera on her.
“Nervous for my kids,” She said then took a bite of her pizza.
“Kids,” Troy asked confused.
“Yes Kids,” She laughed and reached behind the camera, and looked lovingly to everyone, “I consider all of you to be my kids not just Mara.”
“Oh Ms. Mad you’re going to make me cry,” Julias said as the camera quickly turned to him. Julias quickly wrapped his arms around Marcus and busted out in fake tears. A balled up napkin flew into the view and hit Julias. The table burst into laughter.

“No I’m excited for you guys,” Camilla said as the camera went back to her, “I always knew you guys would make it, I’m so proud of you guys for making it this far. I’m proud of the hard work you guys did and not giving up when things were looking down. I’m proud of you guys, and I gladly call you four my children…” the love in her eyes said it all.

The TV froze on Camilla’s face, Amara, Julias, and Marcus stared at the TV. No one said anything, Marcus was trying to hide his tears.

Ms. Mad had taken him in all the time he and his father would fight, one time she even went over and scolded his father for a fight. Ms. Mad had gone to the school and fought to get him back in when he was suspended. She helped him get his father’s respect and acceptance that he didn’t want to work in his store for the rest of his life.

Julias stared at the TV, Ms. Mad was the first adult to believe he would make something of himself. Growing up in the System always getting in trouble and getting kicked out of home, made all the other adults think little of him. She was the one to defend him against Tabatha’s parents, when they thought he was no good for their daughter.

“Do you want something to eat,” Troy asked standing over Amara, who was curled up in the Lazy Boy. She shook her head no and continued to stare at the TV. Troy let out a haggard sigh, and crouched down to look into her eyes.

The beautiful bright emerald eyes that always seemed to sparkle were hollow and empty. Amara seemed to have lost not only her mother but her spirit too. This killed Troy; he hated to see his best friend so empty and hollow. She barely moved and only ate a little bit at a time.

Leaning over he kissed her cheek then got up, and went into the kitchen to grab a drink for himself. Leaning against the counter he sat there in thought. He knew Amara was in a depression, there was no denying it. She tried to hide it, but there was no hiding it. She wasn’t the same anymore and that was killing everyone.

Then everyone was on their toes waiting to see if Amara’s father was going to show up or not. They didn’t see why he would, he didn’t want to be around her when she was born, why would he now? He had his only family, a family that he actually cared enough to stick around for. Troy was sure that the bastard would sign the papers saying he wanted nothing to do with Amara.

The doorbell rang, Julias called out, he would get. Troy stood in the kitchen for a little while longer, the curiosity over who it was got to him.

Amara pushed the play button again, the video played it showed the band joking around for a few more minutes then the screen when black for a moment and Julias appeared on the screen again dresses in a pink French Maid costume. It was the Halloween Amara had met Max. They had just finished playing their show and they were backstage fooling around.

“Umm… Everyone this is Billie,” Julias said walking into the living room, with a raven black haired man standing behind him and the Lawyer Vandal.

No one said anything, Marcus as staring at the Lead singer of Green Day with his mouth open. Amara was staring at the man she once used to look up to, and the man she despised at the same time without realizing. Julias was shocked that he showed up, he didn’t know what to think anymore.

Billie had followed the tall kinda scary looking man into the house, after Mr. Vandal explained everything to him. The kid didn’t say anything but walked into the house. The guy looked familiar, but Billie wasn’t sure from where. He could be a fan or some random face Billie had seen over the years.

The house was kinda small, crowded, but it had the homey feel to it. Billie saw Camilla’s touch all over the place an organize chaos. Pictures lined the walls, of a small little dark haired girl with three guys. One of the guys was small skinny, kinda shy looking. The other one was the one that was walking them, but in each photo he had on a silly grin or just doing some goofy thing. The third one wasn't as big as the one leading them but there was a sense of protectiveness to him. Some of the other pictures were just of the little girl by herself grinning madly at the camera. Billie saw the girl had his eyes, but she had Camilla’s infectious smile.

When the boy stopped in the living room, Billie’s eyes fell on the only girl in the room. She was curled up on the couch with a light brown dog curled up on the floor near her. Her glossy black hair was tied up in a messy bun, but he couldn’t see her face.

When the boy spoke, everyone turned to face him, but his eyes were on her. His green eyes stared back at him full of pain. That moment he knew that this was his daughter, those were the same eyes that looked up at him all those seventeen years back. He finally found his daughter.

“You have some fucking nerve showing up here,” Troy growled walking into the living room. He couldn’t believe the asshole showed up
“Troy, Calm down,” Amara said, she still couldn’t tear her eyes away from the man who was her father.
“Calm down, This Asshole had the guts to walk into your mother’s house,” Troy snarled out.
“Calm down,” Amara said turning to face him.

Troy looked into her eyes trying to figure out what was going through her mind. What was she thinking, for the first time since a long time he had no clue what was going on in his best friend’s mind, and scared him. Amara had never been so closed up as she was now, and Troy didn’t know what to do.

“Kick him out, Mara,” Troy said softly. He didn’t want to take the chance of this asshole hurting her again. Amara just shook her head no. Troy let out a growl then left back to the kitchen.

Billie stared at his daughter then to the other two remaining guys in the room. They were Hedeon, the new band that was quickly becoming one of the most popular band in the world. His daughter was the lead singer, how had he not seen it before. Joey had their posters hanging all over his bedroom walls.

“Umm…”Amara said then stood up Baby, her dog Max had given her, stood up with her, “I’ll be in my room, I have a headache.”

Amara walked into her room and looked around, her walls were covered in posters. Right above her bed and next to her door were two large open spaces, were her two Green Day posters had once hung. The day she found out that Billie Joe was her father, she took them down. She couldn’t look at it the same without feeling the ache, she felt when she wondered who her father was and why he left.

She threw herself on to her bed, and turned on her CD player. Escape The Fate started to play, soon Ronnie’s voice filled her room. Closing her eyes she tried to sleep, but a knock made her eyes open.

“Hey, Amara, it’s me umm… Billie?” he asked unsure of what to call himself to her. Amara rolled her eyes then turned down her music and called out, “Come in!”

Billie slowly opened the door and found Amara on her bed hugging a pillow. She was tiny just like her mother. All he wanted to do was run over to her and scope her up and his arms and never let go. Ya, she would love that.

Amara just stared at the man who was her father. How many times had she wished on her birthday for him to go and visit her, to tell her he didn’t hate her. How many times had she been picked on, cause she had no father. How many times had she gotten into fights cause the kids at school called her mother a whore.

She wanted to hate him, she wanted to throwing things at him scream at the top of her lungs. She was too tired to do any of those things. She was just worn out to the bone. The emotional rollercoaster she had been on for the past week had her beat. She just wanted to lay in Max’s arms and sleep.

But Max wasn’t here anymore, Ronnie and Bryan had to drag him back to tour. Amara had encouraged him to go, even though she wanted to grab onto his leg and beg him not to go, not to leave her too. But she knew Max had to go, he couldn’t let all of his fans down cause of her selfish reasons.

“How are you?” Amara looked at him and raised her eye brow, what did he really think the answer was going to be.
“Sorry stupid question,” Billie said sheepishly and rubbed the back of his next. Amara decided to take pity on him, and give him the easy way out.

“Look, Billie, I’ll be eighteen in a few months. Max, Troy, Mark, Julias or Marcus will take me in. you don’t have too, just go back to your life,” she muttered then rolled over so her back was facing him. Tears started to roll down her face once more.

Billie couldn’t believe what she was saying, did she imply that she didn’t want him, or that she thought that he didn’t want her. Maybe Camilla did tell her he abandon her, well he couldn’t tell her the truth now, with her mother dead.

“Why would I go back to my life without you,” he whispered. Amara didn’t say anything, just laid there wishing away her tears.

It was clear she wasn’t going to talk to him, so Billie sat down on the floor and waited.

Amara laid in her bed waiting for Billie to leave, but his footsteps were never heard or the door opening. He sat there in her room waiting for her to speak. Soon the darkness creped in, the music kept repeating itself, and Amara slowly fell asleep.

Billie had sat in her room, he just wanted to be near her. He had so many questions, but he knew this was not the time. She was in so much pain, he remembered how he felt when his father died. At least he had his mother, yes she had him, but it wasn’t the same and he knew it.

He had been staring at the posters and pictures in the room. She had Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Powerman 5000, Slipknot, Korn, System of a Down, Disturbed, Nirvana posters covering her walls. Pictures of her and, what Billie assumed were, fans filled up her pin up board. There was a picture of her Gerard Way, Frank Ireo, and boy with shoulder length black hair.

There were bunch of pictures of this boy with Amara and some of just him. Billie didn’t recognize him, but he figured it must be her boyfriend since quite a few of the pictures they were kissing and holding each other. Billie wanted to get mad that his daughter had a boyfriend, but what right did he have.

In each and every one picture, Amara looked happy. She looked as if she was having the time of her life, she looked ecstatic in the picture with Slash. The one that caught his attention the most was in the center, it was old picture Amara must have been thirteen maybe fourteen. It was Adie hugging her at a Green Day Concert, Billie’s jaw dropped when he saw it. His daughter had been at a Green day Concert and he never knew it. He had been close to her without realizing it.

“She was so excited, it had been her first time seeing you guys live.” Billie heard someone say behind him. Turning around he saw the boy who had opened the door, Julias…?
“Ms. Mad never let her go to one of your concerts, we now know why, but then…” He trailed off and shook his head.

“You almost picked her to go upstage and sing, but some bitch pushed her out of the way and got up there. Amara was furious, she was out for blood,” he laughed, “She had always wanted to meet you. We even asked your manger if we could set up some time to meet maybe even work on something together, but you guys were too busy.” Billie stomach dropped.

He remembered that call, he was the one to say they were too busy. They had just gotten a break from tour, and they were home resting before they had to go back. He had said they were too busy, but the truth was he just wanted to get away and relax with his family. He could have met his daughter sooner.

“… We snuck backstage, Mara was determined to meet you. We ran into Ad… your wife. She took a picture with Mara and we left, Ms. Mad was calling trying to figure out where we were at.”

“Mara is the most important person to us, she’s our little sister. We’ve known her almost all her life, we grew up together, we fought against the world together, and we became famous together. I doubt there’s anyone closer to each other then we are,” he said getting a dark look in his eyes, “If you think for a second we’re going to just stand back and watch you fuck her life up, you’re dead wrong. I’ll personally kill you.

“If you want to be in her life, ok, but that’s it. No ‘I want to be in her life when it’s convenient,’ you’re going to be in her life all the time. Or just leave now,” Julias said.

“She’s my daughter, and there’s nothing that’s take her away from me now,” Billie said looking into the boy’s eyes.

Amara started too whimpered in her sleep, and then was sobbing. Both Billie and the boy rushed over to her. Billie scooped her up in his arms, and tried to wake her up.

Amara was five years old sitting on a bench with her mother, they were both eating ice cream. Amara was dressed in a white and red checkered dress. Her mother was in blue jeans and a red shirt. She had just picked up Amara from Head Start, and decided to buy her ice cream.

“Mama where’s my daddy,” Amara asked looking at a man who just walked past them.
“You don’t have one sweetie,” Camilla stated.
“Why?”
“Cause you have a father not a daddy.”
“What’s a father?”
“A father is a person who made you.”
“And a daddy?”
“A person who raises you and loves you no matter what you do,” Camilla said then pinched her daughters cheek softly, smiling down at her.
“Mama do you love me no matter what I do?”
“With all my heart, baby, you’re my world.”
“So you’re my Mady,” Amara yelled and wrapped her little arms around her mother’s waist getting ice cream on her. Camilla just laughed and hugged her daughter back. Then Camilla was gone. It was just Amara all by herself crying for her mother

“Mama,” Amara screamed sitting up, she busted out crying.

“Shh, it’s ok,” someone said rocking her back and forth.
“Mama, please don’t leave me,” Amara cried clutching onto the person’s shirt.

When Amara final calmed down she saw Troy and Julias sitting on the floor, next to her bed, watching her with worried looks on their faces. Marcus sat on her desk quickly texting. Amara turned her head up and saw it was Billie holding her.

___

Max was pacing on the tour bus looking at his phone, Marcus texted him letting him know Amara was having a nightmare. Max hated himself that he allowed himself to be pulled back to tour. His fiancée needed him and here he was on tour. He knew the true fans would understand, but Amara didn't allow him to stay, she pretty much kicked him out.

His phone twerp from his hand, looking down he saw he had a message from Marcus .

She’s calm now

Max let out a sigh of relief and quickly hit his speed dial. His song Situations played through his phone, he got through the chorus before she answered the phone.

“Hello,” She whispered.
“Baby, talk to me are you okay? Do you need me to go back? I’m going back, I’m getting on the next plane…”
“Max! stop, I’m okay, you’re not coming back
“Fuck this,” Max muttered getting up, “I’m leaving the tour, the guys can find someone else to cover for me.”
“Max, don’t,” Amara spoke louder.
“I have too, baby, it’s killing me to be so far away from you, when you’re in so much pain,” Max said as he started to pull out his clothes.
“Well… I’m not going to be here… I’m going with Billie. So just stay on the tour,” Amara said then hung up

“Great,” Amara heard behind her. Turning around she saw Billie in the door way, “I’ll call Adie and tell her the good news.”
“Fuck,” Amara muttered as Billie walked away.