She Is My Baby, I Love Her So, But It's Too Late Now, I've Let Her Go, chapter 5
Bailey had no idea where she was going. She didn't really care, either. All she wanted to do was just keep running. She ran out of the NuRock studio, out the back way so no one tried to stop her. She could hear Billie Joe running after her and calling her name, but she didn't turn or stop. She just kept running, tears now pouring down her face. Her ankle was seriously hurting now, and it was harder to ignore that than Billie Joe.
"Oww!" Bailey screamed in pain as her foot crumpled underneath her. She fell, and Billie Joe was by her side in an instant. He slid his arms around her, holding her tightly. Bailey Jade hesitated, before returning the embrace. Tears streamed from her eyes, soaking deep into Billie"s shirt. Billie was crying too. They sat like that in the back alley for what seemed like ages, but was in fact, ten minutes.
When they had both stopped crying, Billie Joe got to his feet, and helped Bailey to walk to a taxi stand. They got a lift back to his hotel room, where they sat at the table, along with Adie who had returned there after Bailey Jade and Billie Joe had run out, and began to talk. Billie Joe went first, explaining what had happened between him and Bailey's mother.
"Well, you knew your Mom moved to San Francisco from England to go to college, right? Well, it was in 1990 that we met. She was in her final year, it was her friend"s birthday, and they had come to a club where we were playing. It was my nineteenth birthday that same day, and, I dunno, I liked her- a lot. She was seriously pretty. She was older than I was, smart, British. Anyway, we got together then, and she moved in with me after she graduated. We had been dating for five months and living together for three when she found out she was pregnant, and we had you. I hate to have to tell you this, Bai, but she really didn't want you. I did, honestly, but Maria... your Mom, even, didn't want you. I only found out she was pregnant when the abortion clinic phoned to re-schedule her appointment. I convinced her not to go ahead, but she never really tried with you. None of us could understand why. You were so sweet; you had the cutest greeny- blue eyes, and seriously soft blonde curls. I remember one time, about "91, you wouldn't stop crying, and your Mom was getting even more stressed, and I thought she was gonna hit you. She never hurt you when I was around, but I knew she did, I saw the marks on you. We had band practice, and you could only have been about a year old. You were walking and gurgling. I took you in, still screaming, and Tre sat you on his lap and you went quiet almost immediately, and he let you play his drums for a bit while me and Mike set up. Then you suddenly somehow climbed onto Tre's head, and fell asleep! I think we still have a picture of it!" Billie Joe chuckled. Bailey could only manage a watery grimace.
"I knew she didn't want me."
"How do you know?"
"She told me. When I was six. I called an ambulance, cause I found her in the bathroom. She had just shot some heroin, and tried to kill herself again. She yelled that at me when they drove off."
"Tried to kill herself again?" Adie couldn't help but interrupt Bailey on that.
"Yeah. Three times in four years. Why did you split up? I mean, Mum met someone else, she said, and... "
"That's right. Her dealer. Maria decided our dope wasn't good enough, she wanted something else."
"Cocaine and heroin, I think."
"Uh-huh. Anyway, I just didn't agree with her doing that shit around you. I'd smoke dope, and drink, yeah, but never when you were in the same room or building and I"d never be high or drunk around you."
"I know."
Billie Joe reached for his daughter"s hand. "And I did try to keep you, but Maria realised you got child benefits and somehow convinced everyone she was a better parent than I was. Not too hard, I was an unemployed high school dropout." He sighed, squeezing Bailey Jade's hand. "What was she like when you went back to England?"
Bailey sighed as well. "I managed to forget the little stuff. I could take care of myself, get a sandwich or buy something for my dinner. She'd stay at home, getting stoned or something whilst I was at nursery or school, then go out with one of her boyfriends when I got home. I'd do my stuff, like dinner and homework. Be in bed by about half- eight, and she"d get in around midnight, almost always with a boyfriend. She always picked the bad ones, druggies, alcos, winos, etc. They usually left me alone, but I can't forget Brad. He was the worst. He got thrown out of his flat, so he moved in with us, and he used to hit Mum and me. I was four and tiny, and I couldn't do anything. Luckily, Mum managed to pull herself together enough to ditch him, but he kept coming back, so we had to move halfway across the country. That happened a lot as well. Mum kept getting into major debt cause of her drugs. Anyway, after she got admitted to the psychiatric hospital, I got put into a foster home. The Andersons, first. They were the best. They had this tiny place; cause they were quite poor, and they really wanted a baby, but they thought she couldn"t get pregnant and they couldn't afford treatment, so they fostered me. Then she did get pregnant, and couldn't keep me so I got transferred again. And again and again and again and again and... well you get the picture. Then I went into a normally boys only home, cause I was a total tomboy and in trouble for fighting a lot and stuff when I was nine, and I met Nibs and Chalky and PeeWee. I didn't actually like them all that much to begin with cause they had their little gang who broke my last Barbie- don't laugh! - And so I beat them all up, then they rescued me when another gang of kids started bullying me at school for being a foster kid, and then we all became bestest friends. And then we all got transferred to the DG, along with Naomi, my very best friend, and here we are now." Bailey took a deep breath. "Woo, big speech."
Adie slipped her arm around Bailey's shoulders. Billie Joe didn't know what to say. Well, what can you say when you find you have a fifteen year old daughter who has been through all this? He settled for something non-committal.
"Wanna drink?" Billie Joe asked helplessly. Bailey threw back her head and laughed.
"Yes please. Root beer, if you've got it." Billie Joe got them all a root beer. Bailey drained half her can immediately. "So," she said. "What happens now?"
Adie just stared. "What do you mean, what happens now? You're part of the family, stupid!" Bailey stared back, a goofy grin slowly spreading over her face.
"You do want to be, don't you?" Billie Joe began to panic. Where they going too fast? He definitely wanted Bailey Jade to be his daughter for real again, living with his family and everything, but did Bailey want that? Half an hour ago, Bailey had told him she hated him.
Another tear slid down Bailey's cheek. She scrubbed at it viciously. "God," she hissed. "I never normally cry this much, honest!" She turned back to Billie Joe and Adie. "Part of the family?"
"Yeah. Move in with us and everything. If you want." Billie Joe said.
"Of course, but only do what you want. Just worry about number one, Bai, Babes." Adie added.
"I would love that. Thank you so much." Bailey hiccuped. Adie laughed, as Billie reached for his daughter.
"Oh, I always wanted a girl." Adie said dreamily. "Oh, Joey and Jakob are going to be so excited."
"Will they mind?" Bailey stiffened. She had been fostered with families who had biological children before, and they could get very jealous.
"God, no. They always wanted a sister too." Billie Joe reassured.
"Cool. So, do we let Mike and Nibs and Chalky and Tre and PeeWee in now, or do we let them crouch outside the door for a bit longer?" Bailey asked, jerking her thumb at the door. Billie looked at her, before crossing to the door, and yanking it open. True to Bailey"s word, the other members of Green Day and BSN fell in, sprawling on the floor. They got to their feet, sheepish expressions on all their faces.
"Well, what happens right now is... " began Mike bossily, "You kids go to bed, because tomorrow you have interviews and photo shoots nearly all day, then the day after that, you come on tour with us!"
"What?"
"Yeah. Rob Cavallo called me and said he had seen you guys, and I told him you"d be interested in touring with us as our support act as the other group cancelled. Something about their lead singer quitting after eating a dodgy blowfish." Bailey and the boys screamed.
Adie shook her head. "Bailey, unfortunately, will not be around tomorrow afternoon."
Bailey raised her left eyebrow as high as it would go. She hated being told what she would and would not be doing. "I won't be?"
Adie grinned and shook her head. "Nope. Because you and I, Babes, are going SHOPPING!"
"Oww!" Bailey screamed in pain as her foot crumpled underneath her. She fell, and Billie Joe was by her side in an instant. He slid his arms around her, holding her tightly. Bailey Jade hesitated, before returning the embrace. Tears streamed from her eyes, soaking deep into Billie"s shirt. Billie was crying too. They sat like that in the back alley for what seemed like ages, but was in fact, ten minutes.
When they had both stopped crying, Billie Joe got to his feet, and helped Bailey to walk to a taxi stand. They got a lift back to his hotel room, where they sat at the table, along with Adie who had returned there after Bailey Jade and Billie Joe had run out, and began to talk. Billie Joe went first, explaining what had happened between him and Bailey's mother.
"Well, you knew your Mom moved to San Francisco from England to go to college, right? Well, it was in 1990 that we met. She was in her final year, it was her friend"s birthday, and they had come to a club where we were playing. It was my nineteenth birthday that same day, and, I dunno, I liked her- a lot. She was seriously pretty. She was older than I was, smart, British. Anyway, we got together then, and she moved in with me after she graduated. We had been dating for five months and living together for three when she found out she was pregnant, and we had you. I hate to have to tell you this, Bai, but she really didn't want you. I did, honestly, but Maria... your Mom, even, didn't want you. I only found out she was pregnant when the abortion clinic phoned to re-schedule her appointment. I convinced her not to go ahead, but she never really tried with you. None of us could understand why. You were so sweet; you had the cutest greeny- blue eyes, and seriously soft blonde curls. I remember one time, about "91, you wouldn't stop crying, and your Mom was getting even more stressed, and I thought she was gonna hit you. She never hurt you when I was around, but I knew she did, I saw the marks on you. We had band practice, and you could only have been about a year old. You were walking and gurgling. I took you in, still screaming, and Tre sat you on his lap and you went quiet almost immediately, and he let you play his drums for a bit while me and Mike set up. Then you suddenly somehow climbed onto Tre's head, and fell asleep! I think we still have a picture of it!" Billie Joe chuckled. Bailey could only manage a watery grimace.
"I knew she didn't want me."
"How do you know?"
"She told me. When I was six. I called an ambulance, cause I found her in the bathroom. She had just shot some heroin, and tried to kill herself again. She yelled that at me when they drove off."
"Tried to kill herself again?" Adie couldn't help but interrupt Bailey on that.
"Yeah. Three times in four years. Why did you split up? I mean, Mum met someone else, she said, and... "
"That's right. Her dealer. Maria decided our dope wasn't good enough, she wanted something else."
"Cocaine and heroin, I think."
"Uh-huh. Anyway, I just didn't agree with her doing that shit around you. I'd smoke dope, and drink, yeah, but never when you were in the same room or building and I"d never be high or drunk around you."
"I know."
Billie Joe reached for his daughter"s hand. "And I did try to keep you, but Maria realised you got child benefits and somehow convinced everyone she was a better parent than I was. Not too hard, I was an unemployed high school dropout." He sighed, squeezing Bailey Jade's hand. "What was she like when you went back to England?"
Bailey sighed as well. "I managed to forget the little stuff. I could take care of myself, get a sandwich or buy something for my dinner. She'd stay at home, getting stoned or something whilst I was at nursery or school, then go out with one of her boyfriends when I got home. I'd do my stuff, like dinner and homework. Be in bed by about half- eight, and she"d get in around midnight, almost always with a boyfriend. She always picked the bad ones, druggies, alcos, winos, etc. They usually left me alone, but I can't forget Brad. He was the worst. He got thrown out of his flat, so he moved in with us, and he used to hit Mum and me. I was four and tiny, and I couldn't do anything. Luckily, Mum managed to pull herself together enough to ditch him, but he kept coming back, so we had to move halfway across the country. That happened a lot as well. Mum kept getting into major debt cause of her drugs. Anyway, after she got admitted to the psychiatric hospital, I got put into a foster home. The Andersons, first. They were the best. They had this tiny place; cause they were quite poor, and they really wanted a baby, but they thought she couldn"t get pregnant and they couldn't afford treatment, so they fostered me. Then she did get pregnant, and couldn't keep me so I got transferred again. And again and again and again and again and... well you get the picture. Then I went into a normally boys only home, cause I was a total tomboy and in trouble for fighting a lot and stuff when I was nine, and I met Nibs and Chalky and PeeWee. I didn't actually like them all that much to begin with cause they had their little gang who broke my last Barbie- don't laugh! - And so I beat them all up, then they rescued me when another gang of kids started bullying me at school for being a foster kid, and then we all became bestest friends. And then we all got transferred to the DG, along with Naomi, my very best friend, and here we are now." Bailey took a deep breath. "Woo, big speech."
Adie slipped her arm around Bailey's shoulders. Billie Joe didn't know what to say. Well, what can you say when you find you have a fifteen year old daughter who has been through all this? He settled for something non-committal.
"Wanna drink?" Billie Joe asked helplessly. Bailey threw back her head and laughed.
"Yes please. Root beer, if you've got it." Billie Joe got them all a root beer. Bailey drained half her can immediately. "So," she said. "What happens now?"
Adie just stared. "What do you mean, what happens now? You're part of the family, stupid!" Bailey stared back, a goofy grin slowly spreading over her face.
"You do want to be, don't you?" Billie Joe began to panic. Where they going too fast? He definitely wanted Bailey Jade to be his daughter for real again, living with his family and everything, but did Bailey want that? Half an hour ago, Bailey had told him she hated him.
Another tear slid down Bailey's cheek. She scrubbed at it viciously. "God," she hissed. "I never normally cry this much, honest!" She turned back to Billie Joe and Adie. "Part of the family?"
"Yeah. Move in with us and everything. If you want." Billie Joe said.
"Of course, but only do what you want. Just worry about number one, Bai, Babes." Adie added.
"I would love that. Thank you so much." Bailey hiccuped. Adie laughed, as Billie reached for his daughter.
"Oh, I always wanted a girl." Adie said dreamily. "Oh, Joey and Jakob are going to be so excited."
"Will they mind?" Bailey stiffened. She had been fostered with families who had biological children before, and they could get very jealous.
"God, no. They always wanted a sister too." Billie Joe reassured.
"Cool. So, do we let Mike and Nibs and Chalky and Tre and PeeWee in now, or do we let them crouch outside the door for a bit longer?" Bailey asked, jerking her thumb at the door. Billie looked at her, before crossing to the door, and yanking it open. True to Bailey"s word, the other members of Green Day and BSN fell in, sprawling on the floor. They got to their feet, sheepish expressions on all their faces.
"Well, what happens right now is... " began Mike bossily, "You kids go to bed, because tomorrow you have interviews and photo shoots nearly all day, then the day after that, you come on tour with us!"
"What?"
"Yeah. Rob Cavallo called me and said he had seen you guys, and I told him you"d be interested in touring with us as our support act as the other group cancelled. Something about their lead singer quitting after eating a dodgy blowfish." Bailey and the boys screamed.
Adie shook her head. "Bailey, unfortunately, will not be around tomorrow afternoon."
Bailey raised her left eyebrow as high as it would go. She hated being told what she would and would not be doing. "I won't be?"
Adie grinned and shook her head. "Nope. Because you and I, Babes, are going SHOPPING!"
