Jonny decided to wait a few minutes to make sure Mr and Mrs Martin hadn’t forgotten anything and unexpectedly came back. He finished his cigarette, pulled out the choke halfway and turned the key in the ignition. The Capri rumbling into action.
He was just about to indicate and pull out when an Audi Quattro shot by, screeching to a halt outside Helen’s house. It was Simon. He leapt out of the Audi, ran up the garden path and knocked rapidly on the front door. Not waiting for an answer he banged again with the flat of his hand. Helen opened the door, ushered him in and he disappeared inside.
What the fuck is going on? Jonny was confused. He had psyched himself up for “the talk” and now his plan was scuppered. What was she playing at?
“The two timing bitch.” He struck his palm on the steering wheel in anger.
Not wanting to confront the pair of them and not prepared to wait until Simon left, he drove off. Then braked suddenly. No, it’s got to be sorted tonight. He couldn’t let it slide. His reverse lights went on, then off, then on again, before finally he decided to ring her instead. It’s her own fault, he reassured himself. If that knob head hadn’t turned up he would have told her face to face. She doesn’t deserve it now.
He drove to the public phone box on the high street and dialled her number. No answer. His thoughts muddled. He knew she was in - he had just seen her. Why wasn’t she answering?
He drove around for a while wondering what to do before heading off to the club. He hadn’t done a shift for a while now, but had always planned to drop by as a customer before he went off on the tour. Tonight was as good as any. Bubbly Christine was serving and she made sure his drinks were on the house.
The next morning, Jonny took his hangover to Badger’s.
They had set aside the day to pack for the tour. When he got there Simon was busying himself, winding up leads and checking out microphones. Jonny really didn’t know what to say to him. In truth he wasn’t sure whether he cared if Simon was in a relationship with Helen or not. He just didn’t want to be part of it.
There was an uneasy silence all morning. Anyone who didn’t know the lads would have put it down to pre-tour nerves, or just making sure everything they needed was packed up. Nothing left behind. Anyone who did know them would say differently. Joe and Badger exchanging looks. Simon in a black mood and Jonny uptight. There was definitely a tense atmosphere. None of the usual banter or drinking or music. Just an unspoken understanding that for a good while and maybe for all time it was going to be just about business.
Jonny’s mother had taken a call from Helen whilst he was at Badger’s. She had left a message, asking if Jonny could meet her at a local café the next morning.
Perfect! He would have no regret telling her it was over after yesterday’s antics. No matter how she decided to behave.
***
She was already there when Jonny arrived. Sat at a table near the window, swirling her cup around in both hands and staring intently into the bottom of it. Jonny half expected her to tip the remnants into the saucer like he had seen Joe’s mother do before declaring some doom or other.
He thought Helen looked young and fragile. She had no make-up on and her long dark hair was tied up at the back in a simple pony tail.
Jonny hadn’t seen her like this since they first met in their second year of high school. She had just moved into the area and had been brought into the class by the head teacher and introduced as the “new girl ". Jonny probably wouldn’t have noticed her otherwise. She was small for her age and plain faced; picking him out of all of the class to be her form buddy. When they knew each other better, she admitted that she decided there and then on that first day, that he was going to be hers.
Jonny wondered what she was going to say to him now. She didn’t look like she was up for a fight, in fact it looked as if she had already done that and been defeated.
He took a cup of tea from the matronly-like woman who ran the café, declining the toast she insisted came free with the tea at that time in the morning. Stuffing her hands in the front pockets of her apron in protest. The mission to dish out motherly love to every young boy in the neighbourhood thwarted again.
Helen glanced up as he approached the table and he saw in her pale washed out eyes she had something difficult to tell him. He felt a palpitation in his chest and wondered whether she was going to end it with him. Not what he expected but a result if she did. How easy would that be?
He let her start the conversation, greeting her with just a nod of his head.
“Jonny, you know I love you? I’ve always loved you and… probably always will.” Tears now rolling unchecked down her cheeks.
Jonny took a slurp of his milky tea, trying hard not to react to her emotion.
“But I’m scared. So scared.” Her voice shrilling up a level.
His throat constricted. “What you scared of?”
“I’m pregnant.”
“Pregnant?” He put down his cup to focus on the seriousness of what she was revealing. Looking her fully in the eyes, subconsciously checking the truth in her revelation. She looked scared. But pregnant?
“Yep. Pregnant. I’ve been feeling out of sorts for a while now and finally took a test a couple of days ago.”
Resting her hand on the tea stained Formica table she extended it towards Jonny’s. He retracted his hand away and under the table. A thought suddenly flashed into his mind. Was that why Simon was at Helen’s?
“Does Simon know?”
“What’s it got to do with him?” she replied sharply, visibly hurt by Jonny’s accusation.
He felt sure Simon had something to do with it. He sniffed as if to dismiss her denial. “Well what are you going to do about it?”
She leant towards him. “What do you want me to do?” She burrowed her teary gaze deep into his dark blue eyes.
It was if she was peeling back layer after layer, seeking out a sign, any sign of weakness? Of caring? Of love? Either way he didn’t want to reveal what he was really feeling so he dropped his eyes to his cup of tea and answered quietly and calmly. “Well you can’t have a baby, you’re still at school. It would ruin everything.”
The chair legs snapped underneath her, the grubby tiled floor of the café cracked open and she fell into the bottomless void below.
Sure she didn’t want a baby, the last thing she wanted was to be pregnant. All she wanted was the love of her life, Jonny, and the love of her life was not supposed to say that. He was supposed to say, “I’ll love you whatever and we can work this out together.”
“So is that it?”
“Yes. That’s it Helen. It’s over. It’s been over for a long time.”
“You’re finishing with me? Here? Like this?”
“Yes.” Not an ounce of emotion showed in his face.
She pushed herself up and away from the table. The metal chair clattered backwards onto the floor, startling the other customers dotted around the café. Those that had not already sussed out they were having a domestic turned to see what the commotion was all about.
Sobbing, she ran out on to the street.
The matron having to reluctantly leave her command centre behind the serving hatch to close the café door and pick up the chair. “Another cup?” she asked Jonny.
He simply shook his head in reply.
Chapter Ten
They stood outside Badger’s garage, ready for the crew bus that was to take them all to Nottingham. Their gear all labelled up and packed in holdalls and cardboard boxes. Badger’s mother had taken the day off work and was giving all of them a hug and reciting a list of reminders of what to do and not to do.
The crew stuffed their gear into the separate baggage hold below the passenger compartment. Having a proper road crew of their own for the first time in their career should have been a moment to celebrate.
Jonny and Simon were barely being civil to each other. Simon staring out of the bus window. Jonny listening to music through his earphones and thinking about H
elen.
Joe and Badger were trying to lighten the atmosphere with childish pranks, but no-one seemed to appreciate it. The crew didn’t know these youths and were too egotistical to react to their shenanigans. It would have been very different if the band were world famous. Worthy of their idolatry. But they weren’t. As far as they were concerned they were nobodies, who knew nothing about anything. These two asseholes cavorting around the bus were acting like monkeys that had been let out of the zoo for a day.
It took three long hours to get to Rock City. Once there, the band went to check out their dressing room whilst the crew set about their duties. Quickly putting together their set before calling the boys to sound check.
Simon and Jonny put aside their differences and after a quick rendition of their opening song the sound engineer gave them the thumbs up.
Jonny decided on the bus he should contact Helen. He wasn’t convinced she was pregnant and even if she was he couldn’t be sure it was his. The more he thought about it the more he remembered little incidents where Helen and Simon had been a little too friendly. A suspicion from last year, when they had a break, that she had been with Simon and now he wondered if they had ever really stopped seeing each other. Nonetheless, he still needed to know if she was ok. He had been quite shocked when they met in the café but still determined to finish with her.
Helen answered Jonny’s call on the fourth time of him trying to reach her. She was very off hand with him. Saying she was going to tell her parents and then she would get booked into a clinic. Insisting she didn’t want Jonny there.
Jonny bought her explanation. He figured if she was pregnant her parents helping her get through the situation was for the best. Reckoning she would tell Simon the same.
The tour was a welcome distraction for Jonny, there was so much new to take in and not much time to think. It was a whirlwind of practicing; interviews; sound checks; parties; agent meets and groupies.
Oh the groupies.
Some of the girls were probably very young, but they were at the gigs on their own and with their makeup and hair done, it was hard to tell how old they actually were. When asked they lied. Joe and Badger were made up whatever their ages. They never had any success with girls and found chatting up any they didn’t know at clubs and parties excruciatingly painful. Simon and Jonny would tease them about their virginity relentlessly. Both denying it vehemently.
Simon and Jonny were more reserved around the groupies. Simon had convinced himself since coming on tour he wanted a famous girlfriend. “Not a penniless groupie,” he would often brag. Jonny just found the whole, throwing themselves at him, scenario off putting, and after the recent situation with Helen he didn’t want phantom pregnancy stories emerging from every groupie who fancied their chances.
Jonny called Helen from Glasgow. It had been six days since they had last spoken and he needed to know everything had gone according to plan at the clinic. The way she had tried to shut him out convinced him he wasn’t responsible for the pregnancy, but he was concerned all the same. He could then safely close that chapter of his life.
No answer, so he rang his mum.
“Hi honey. About time you called. How’s it going? Are you remembering to eat? How are the digs?”
He didn’t want to get sidetracked with a load of irrelevant but caring questions. “Yeah it’s good and yes of course I’m eating. I’m… But…” He paused not sure how to put it.
“What’s up Jonny, are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just… It’s Helen.”
“Helen? I thought you two weren't seeing each other anymore?”
“Yeah, we’re not. It’s just that… It’s just she’s pregnant. Or was pregnant. Or maybe never was pregnant. Oh I don’t know. I’m just worried about her.”
“Oh dear. That’s not good Jonny.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried ringing her but she’s just not answering. She said she was going to a clinic and I just want to know if she’s ok now.”
“OKaayyy.”
“Do you think I should I quit the tour and come back home early?”
“No Jonny. There’s nothing you can do. I’m sure she’s fine. When did she say she was going to a clinic?”
“She told me she was going before I came on tour. Why?”
“Well that was a few weeks ago now and the schools round here have broken up for Christmas already. Maybe they've gone away on holiday. Maybe to stay with family over the Christmas period.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes, I’m sure it will be something simple like that.”
“Hmmm. I’m not sure mum. It just doesn’t feel right.”
“Look, I’ll go round to their house this afternoon and see if she’s there. Ring me back tonight and I’ll let you know.”
“OK mum, thanks.”
“Love you Jonny. It’ll be ok I’m sure of it.”
“Love you too.”
Jonny put the receiver down, wishing he had rung his mum earlier in the week. Feeling better for being able to share it with someone.
Later that night he rang her back. She’d been to Helen’s house but the curtains were closed and there was no sign of anyone. Convincing him not to worry; she was sure of the theory of them being on holiday.
In a way it didn’t really resolve anything for Jonny; he didn’t know if Helen was still pregnant. All he knew was she wasn’t at home.
***
Jonny got back Christmas Eve.
He had still not spoken to Helen. His mum told him the house was still closed up, but now there was a “For Sale " sign in the front garden. She persuaded him, Helen would have been in contact if there was a pregnancy, and perhaps she was just saying it to get at it him for finishing their relationship. Maybe she had known for a while they were moving and just made it up to spite him.
The scenario his mother described felt plausible. He wanted to believe Helen was fine and he had nothing to feel guilty about.
Christmas was a whirlwind of parties and hangovers. The band were invited to every party going. Everyone wanting to be friends with the, soon to be famous, rock stars.
At one party he chatted to an old school friend who had stayed on at sixth form, and apparently Helen had moved schools, but no-one seemed to know where. Well if she didn’t want to stay in touch, what else could Jonny do?
Chapter Eleven
The UK tour had gone well and their first album sales were above the target set by the record label. So, as promised, it was confirmed they would be going to the United States in February.
They were all ecstatic.
Jonny was picked up with the other band members by the Virgin Atlantic limousine. They teased each other on their first ever passport photos and tried to decipher the US visa pasted onto one of the inside pages.
They were escorted through passport control and into the upper class cabin on the plane. They couldn’t believe it - first time flying and they were doing it in style!
“Arghh. I feel like crap.”
They were stood in the long queue for immigration into the United States of America. Joe was holding his head and stomach.
“No shit? Champagne all the way and no sleep, what do you expect?” Jonny grabbed Joe’s head under his arm and rubbed his scalp roughly with his knuckles.
“You git!” Joe tried wriggling away from Jonny’s grip.
Their little commotion caught the eye of the roaming immigration officers who beckoned for them to come to a spare desk. Jonny and Joe stood silently whilst their passports and visas were checked over. Before deciding whether to protest or not, the officers pulled them aside into one of the interrogation rooms. Each subjected to a thorough search, but it didn’t reveal anything other than their embarrassment. With no reason to detain them any further they were allowed into the USA.
Through the arrival doors they spotted what looked like a chauffeur, holding up a placard with their names handwritten on it. The re
st of the band and management team had gone onto the hotel and left them to follow on.
Getting delayed at the airport had meant they had to contend with the New York rush hour traffic which frustratingly lengthened their transfer time. Eventually reaching the hotel two hours after the rest of the band.
The limo pulled into the drop off area in front of the Hilton Hotel. If they had been less tired they would have been completely awestruck by the hotel. Its sleek frontage hinting at a more ornate and luxurious interior. Supercars parked in the bays at the drop off zone indicating the exclusivity of its clientele.
The jeering and taunting started whilst they were still in the revolving entrance door. Simon and Badger had enjoyed a nap in their rooms and were on their second wind, shouting deriding obscenities to Jonny and Joe from the comfort of a squidgy sofa in the entrance lobby.
Jonny’s senses heightened, causing him to look around. Searching for an answer as to why he felt uneasy. There. Just passed Simon and Badger. There she was, sat on the arm of one of the other sofas. He stopped breathing. The momentary lapse of concentration caused him to nearly miss the opportunity to step out of the spinning door at the right time and it caught the back of his heel.
“Shit!” He looked up to see her laughing at him. Oh great! Nice one fuck-wit!
After copious amounts of teasing and back slapping from Simon and Badger, the latecomers went to their hotel rooms to freshen up before the meeting their US tour manager.
Twenty minutes later they came back down to catch their lift to a steak house on Ninth Avenue. The driver told them the portion sizes at the restaurant were legendary and he recommended, quite forcefully, they have the New York strip.
The tour manager and Karma Life were already there. Minus Eliza. A vegetarian apparently. She had feigned being offended by the likely smell of dead animals being cremated. “Actually she would rather meet her friend.” Dirk, the band’s drummer had told Crash. “Just don’t mention it to the boss.” Referring to the tour manager, Jim Bob.
Falling for his ANGEL_A Rock Star Romance Page 6
