FicWad

The rays of bright yellow sun never made this day easier, it was the day my mother died, I can't say I've missed her much, she was a junkie, a good for nothing junkie and, I hate to say it but sometimes I'm glad she's dead. The only thing I do regret is the way she died, I always feel it was my fault, I don't much of what happened that night, I was only 2, but what I do remember I see it almost every night in my dreams; the day started not unlike any other, but there was a chill in the air, a strange grey twinge in the lighting all around us, my dad was out working, he's a skater, a pro-skater who, back then, was destined to go places, he met my mum when they were kids, before she was hooked. I only vaguely remember the guy who came round everytime my dad was out, he came round that day, my mum and he were fighting, he fled outside, she followed, grabbing me on her way. I was put outside on the lawn, it was like slow motion, he hit her and walked onto the road my mum recovered from the blow and ran after him, the car hit her, she never got up, and I was left outside by myself until my dad returned from work. It was then he found out she was dead. He couldn't cope, and turned to his sister, my aunt Adrienne for help, since then I've lived with Aunt Adie, Uncle Billie Joe, and my 2 cousins Joey and Jake, they've treated me like their own daughter, they all have, Mike and Tré I mean. When I was old enough I got work at their company Adeline, working mainly as Billie's PA, it's not glamorous work but it pays my way. I've worked for Billie since I was 18, that's 2 years, and he's never trusted me to go on tour with him, until now...
That's right, this year I'll be touring all over the world with Green Day and their support group.
*
"I need you to phone Phil and make sure he has the treatment for the tour definitely finished, get us some coffees and I need more funky gunk hair gel by bed head." Billie said upon hearing me enter the kitchen with my suitcases.
"Good morning to you too your highness!" I say lumping these bloody things, Tré broke a wheel on each last year, no doubt doing something he shouldn't have been. "I phoned Phil last night, the treatment has been ready for weeks."
"Morning Rumer," Aunt Adie says walking into the kitchen dragging a disgruntled looking Joey and Jake behind her.
"Morning Ades, do you want anything from the store? I have to go and get his highness some hair gel and I'm guessing Uncle Mike and Uncle Tré are coming round early because I've been sent for coffee too." I said laughing lightly.
"No I'm good thanks sweetie, just going to make sure yous have everything you'll need on the bus."
So I left the house taking my black 4x4 to the store. I got out grabbing my new-line Adeline handbag and head straight for the toiletry section, grabbed Billie's gel and a few essentials that I knew for sure I hadn't packed. Making my way over to the counter I noticed a few teenagers looking at me, no staring at me.
"Isn't that part of the new Adeline range?" whispered one of the kids.
"Yeah but I heard that only Billie Joe's niece has some -"
I walked out after paying for my items, and went over to Starbucks which is in the same complex. I ordered Mike's usual steaming hot Latté, mocha Latté for Billie and an orange mocha frappacino for Tré, yes contrary to popular belief these actually do exist, I paid the cashier and went back to my jeep to make my way home. It was becoming increasingly hard to park by the time I got home, there was the bus Billie and I would be sharing with some roadies eventually, Mike's car and Tré's car. I got out and was greeted by Tré bounding towards me, in high spirits, all of them were, they all loved touring, but hated leaving their families, I could tell this by the look on Billie's face as him and Adie had their goodbye.
"Ahhhh Rumer I new there was a reason I loved you." Mike said taking the steaming tray of coffee out of my hands and giving each to its owner. I had never really seen the appeal of coffee, it always gave me migraines.
"Right is everyone finally ready to go?" Billie asked, dragging the last of my stuff out of our huge Californian home.
"Yep I think so Billie, where are we meeting the support act?" I asked.
"Bill you mean you haven't told her who it is?" Mike said sounding surprised.
"Is there any point Mike, she'll never have heard of them."
"Yeah but you know how she likes to download peoples music before she meets them."
I cut off my uncle before he could speak, "I happen to be standing right here you know!" I hate it when they do that, talk like I'm not there.
"Sorry Rumer, the band is called Fall Out Boy, you should definitely check them out, you'll like them." He said giving Adie one last kiss and getting on the bus, carrying my large black laptop bag, I did the same.
The 4 hour long bus ride was, by Green Day's standards, fairly uneventful, Tré only broke 2 mugs, and I'd say that's a new record! The bus slowed to a halt in Bakersfield, beside several large red and black buses.
"Rumer I have a funny feeling there isn't going to be any decent coffee houses round here, but could you be the most amazing person ever and go and check?" Mike asked, "can you bring some back with you if there is, if not just by a jar of coffee from a store - hey why don't you see if FOB want some?"
"Sure thing Mike, anyone else want anything else besides coffee while I'm out?" I received all no's, "oh wait before I go and make a fool of myself, what bus do you reckon would be my best bet on finding the band?"
"The one that's making the most noise." Billie said squeezing past me to get to the bathroom.
So I left the bus, grabbing my white rimmed sunglasses, and the same Adeline bag as before. I tentatively approached the loudest bus and let myself in, even though I'd never been on tour working before, I knew from past experiences that rock stars are practically deaf as it is, so when loud music is added into the mix, there is a slight chance they won't hear you. I walked in and was greeted by four people staring at me, looking surprised.
"Hey, I'm Rumer Nesser, I'm Billie Joe's niece and PA, I was just heading out to hunt for a decent coffee house, or store or something, Mike's having withdrawal symptoms without his coffee! Anyway I was wondering if you guys wanted anything." One of them was still staring at me like he was in shock, it was starting to make me self conscious, and consequently I began shuffling my feet.
"Pete... dude... Pete! I give up, I'm Joe, this is Patrick, that's Andy and this comatose weirdo is Pete." He said indicating to each in turn. "Yeah coffee sounds great right about now."
"Yeah I'll try and find somewhere, I'm not promising anything though," I say smiling.
"I'll come with you, I need the fresh air." The guy that had been staring, that I now knew as Pete said.
So we set off just wandered about Bakersfield looking for a coffee place to no avail.
"So where are you guys from?" I ask Pete.
"Chicago, you?" he responds.
"Minnesota originally, my dad's from there, but I was brought over here to California when I was around 2."
"You live with Billie and Adrienne, right? How did that arrangement come about?"