When He Came Around, chapter 5
The next two days seemed to have passed without a single problem. Merced and Tre appeared to be spending as much time as possible together and no one really had a problem with that. In fact, Mike admitted to Billie Joe one evening, "it's good to see Tre the way he used to be."
Billie Joe nodded. "Yeah it is. Although, I'm not too sure what he's going to be like when Mercedes has to go back home."
Mike watched his friend with the utmost interest. There was something there that he only noticed now, but cursed himself for not seeing before. "You like her too?"
Billie Joe snapped his head up from the coffee he was stirring. "What?"
Mike smiled. "You... you like her don't you?"
"Mercedes?"
Mike rolled his eyes. "No... of course!"
Billie Joe leaned back against his chair and held his coffee up to his lips. "Yeah, I do. Hell, if I wasn't married to Adie, I would have probably asked Mercedes to marry me by now. There's a lot to love about her. She's great. She's exactly the person who I thought I would end up with. I know I've said that I would only love one woman in my life... but that's all changed the moment I saw her. I know she's technically Tre's girl now, but still, I'd give her the world if I had to."
Mike chuckled and sipped his coffee. "You're worse than Tre, you know that?"
"Really?"
Mike nodded. "I mean, he speaks of Mercedes with a high regard, but you blow him out of the water." Swallowing his beverage, Mike looked at Billie Joe a little more seriously now. "Hey... speaking of two women... has Tre spoken to you at all about Claudia?"
"Claudia? No why?"
Rubbing the back of his neck, Mike continued. "I don't know. I mean, he still lives with her and hell, he told me that sometimes they still sleep in the same bedroom. It just makes me wonder, that's all. If he's doing this now, I'm just wondering if he may still have feelings for Claudia."
"Well," Billie began. "Claudia was his wife and I'm sure it's not easy to be living with her you know? But... I'm assuming Mercedes doesn't know."
"Of course not. Tre's only been crashing here with Mercedes... never at his place. Doesn't that make you wonder?"
Billie Joe shook his head. "Nah... if Tre were doing something like that, he would have told Mercedes or something. If Tre wasn't sure how he felt, than he wouldn't be doing something that could hurt someone else and possibly himself in the end. Despite what we've believed for years, Tre is a little smarter than your average guy."
Mike nodded. "I hope so. For not just his sake."
* * *
On the day that Mercedes was scheduled to fly back home, Billie Joe drove her to the airport. "Really Billie, just thank Adrienne again for the little 'going away' dinner. She's great... she really is."
Billie Joe smiled. "I know. I love her to pieces. Hey... expect a call from all of the guys in a few days. I really want to come down and start our new album there. I was looking at some places to around in the area that you live in... Adie and the kids can come down... like an extended vacation."
Mercedes smiled. "Well, I would be more than happy to have you guys all come down. The studio is yours whenever you want it."
Billie Joe grinned evilly. "That's a lot to promise."
As Mercedes got out of the car with Joey and Liam humming along to some theme song from a cartoon they were watching earlier that morning with Jacob, Billie Joe reached over and entwined his fingers with Mercedes'. "Even though I know that I'm going to see you, I'm still going to miss you," he cooed in her ear.
Blushing furiously, Mercedes lowered her gaze and watched the tiles on the floor pass her feet. Why doesn't Tre make me feel this way, she wondered to herself. Shaking the thought away, she laughed as Joey and Liam finally burst out into song and a little dance as they waited to board their flight.
As she sat there, hand locked with his, Billie Joe just sat back and watched. He wasn't too sure what he was looking for, but to some extent, he thought back to the conversation that Mike and him had earlier that week. He wondered if Mercedes knew that Claudia was living with Tre. He wondered if she had any idea as to Tre's past, romantically, and where she fit into everything. He knew the relationship between them wasn't all that serious, but then again, this moment was one of the only moments that Billie's had alone with Mercedes since she arrived here. Shutting his mouth, unable to say anything, Billie Joe continued to watch. When the flight was called, Mercedes stood up.
"Well... whenever you guys decide to call... I'll be more than happy to make whatever arrangements."
"Thanks Mercedes, you know, you just might be the single most coolest person I've ever met."
"Maybe," she egged.
With Joey and Liam on each side of her, she stood back and laughed as the boys said goodbye to the man that they had called 'the best fort-making man with the coolest black hair with a lot of colorful guitars.' Billie Joe felt a little sad to see the two boys go, but he knew that he would see them shortly and had two boys of his own waiting at home for him. When it was time to say goodbye to Mercedes however, unconsciously, Billie Joe seemed to forget about the fact that he also had a wife at home waiting for him as well.
Pulling Mercedes into a tight hug, he smiled at how nicely her body fit into his. Little did he know that Mercedes seemed to be thinking along exactly the same lines.
"Take care of yourself."
"I will. Again... tell Adrienne I said thanks."
Billie rolled his eyes. "You already told her enough times already."
Shaking her head, Mercedes turned and with her tickets in hand, boarded the plane with her two toddlers. Billie Joe shoved his hands into his pockets and watched as the woman that had crept into his mind, walked away from him, yet still pumping a new part in his heart.
* * *
Fortunately for the men of Green Day, things with Reprise records turned out faster than anticipated and they were going to be off to Vancouver to record their next album just after Billie Joe's birthday. They were going to do exactly what Billie Joe said; bringing their families down with them and enjoying the new Canadian culture.
What was unfortunate though, was the fact that not only was Tre bringing with him Claudia and Frankito, but he hadn't really called Mercedes either. As Mercedes worked a late night at the studio, she thought about the last two months. Being with Tre was wonderful... it was so much more than anyone could ask for. However, when they said their goodbyes, Mercedes felt, empty if you will. Mike seemed to come across as missing her more than Tre did. There was something that had been changing in Tre for the last while and anytime she had called him, their conversations were no more than twenty minutes and he had never called her back.
Mercedes had called Billie Joe on his birthday and avoided the subject of her and Tre completely. Truthfully, she couldn't really admit it to herself. Tre was everything that she ever wanted in someone, but then again, she wondered continuously if she ever did anything wrong. She thought about the possibilities that maybe she upset him in some way or said something offensive, but nothing came to mind. Biting her lower lip, she looked around the empty studio that, come two weeks time, would be filled with good, loud punk-rock music.
* * *
Tre on the other hand, bit his lip in other fashions. Across from him sat Claudia. She had finished eating dinner and was just talking about something that went on today as she was out running some errands. Tre felt himself drift away from the monotonous tones she was using, but one thing had come to mind. "Are you still seeing Derek?"
Claudia stopped in mid-sentence and looked at her ex-husband. "What?"
"Derek," Tre continued. "Tall, black hair, brown eyes... taller than me."
Claudia rolled her eyes. "I know who you mean... it's just why do you ask?"
Tre shifted the weight in his seat. "I'm just asking. I'm curious."
Sighing, she answered him. "No. I was never really seeing him in the first place. He's not really my type."
"What is your type then?" Tre asked with a childlike grin on his face.
"Well... he wasn't you."
Claudia grabbed her plate and stood up, walking over to Tre and taking his plate as well. As she did, Tre reached out and gently grabbed her hand. "What did you say?"
Claudia looked at Tre dead in the eye. "He's not you. He was never you."
They stared at each other for what seemed like ages before Tre released her arm and she turned and walked into the kitchen, facing the sink. "What about you and whatsername? Mercedes?"
The sound of that name coming from Claudia's mouth was enough to snap his attention back to the present. Mercedes? Looking at Claudia from the back, he searched his mind for the proper words to express what he desperately wanted to say. Instead, "it's nothing serious. Just something that kind of happened. It's pretty much over now," is what came out. That night, they both slept in the same room, but none of them had gotten a lot of sleep. They each had quite a bit on their minds.
* * *
When their flight came in, Mercedes and the boys were waiting excitedly at the airport for their special guests. As they came through from the luggage barrier, Joey spotted Jacob immediately. "Mommy! Look!"
Mercedes followed where Joey's finger was pointing, and sure enough, Jacob Armstrong was running towards them, much to Adrienne's disapproval. "Jacob... don't run off like that," she said as they all caught up with Mercedes and the Delisle boys. "Mercedes, long time no see," Adrienne finished.
After pulling apart from the hug with Adrienne, Mercedes was tackled by what appeared to be a green-eyed, black haired punk-rocker. "Good to see you too Billie."
Everyone said their hellos and welcomes, but there was one introduction that had yet to be made. "Mercedes," Tre began. "This is Claudia."
For years to come, no one will be quite sure how both women seemed to appear completely calm and collected. Mercedes reached over, shook Claudia's hand, and said a quick "Welcome to Canada," as it was Claudia's first time in the Northern country.
It took only moments for everyone to get the cars that they rented, and listened to Billie Joe rant about the hope that they were a little better this time around. Following Mercedes, their first stop was where they were all going to stay for the duration of the time.
Vacant apartments were easily found by the men at Reprise records and the punk band had quickly settled into their new temporary homes. Dinner that night took place at a fancy Italian restaurant and Mercedes found herself deep in conversation with Mike, seeing as Tre had eyes and ears only for Claudia that night. "So Mike... Estelle wasn't able to make it?"
Mike shook his head and his blue eyes looked at his wine glass. "No... Anastasia's with her now and Estelle really wanted to come down to. It's just that she wasn't able to work something out with the school or whatever. Some shit like that. It's a bummer, to say the least."
Mercedes nodded in complete understanding. "Well," she said, looking over at Liam who had spaghetti sauce all over his face. "You can always borrow one of mine."
That made Mike laugh and for the first time that night, he laughed without feeling he had to to be polite. Looking up at Mercedes, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. "From the way they eat, I'll be fine."
As the night was drawing to a close, Mercedes had gotten up from the table to clean off some sauce that Joey had tried to fling across the table to Jacob, but instead landed on Mercedes' skirt. So, with one leg hoisted up on the sink in the bathroom, Mercedes tried hopelessly to scrub at the permanent sauce. Sighing at defeat a few minutes later, Mercedes washed her hands and exited the washroom, only to walk into a familiar pair of blue eyes.
"Hey stranger," she said, leaning up to plant a kiss on his cheek.
Tre smiled and kissed her back on her lips. Before he was able to deepen the kiss, Mercedes pulled away and wrapped her arms around Tre, hugging him like a little girl who just found her father. "I missed you."
Tre felt a sudden pang of guilt, but pushed it down to the pit of his stomach. "I did too. Billie kept us all up to date with everything and how you and the monsters were."
Mercedes nodded. "And that was enough?"
Tre tilted his head. "Meaning?"
Waving the matter away, "Nothing."
Tre nodded, but knew that the conversation wasn't over. "Mercedes, how do you feel about Claudia being here?"
Before Mercedes could honestly answer, she bit back her tongue. If she had enough courage, she would tell Tre that she was not only completely uncomfortable, but also insulted and embarrassed. What was she to him... a good memory?
"Whatever, it's fine. It makes sense. You wanted to bring Frankito down and if you were recording all day, Claudia could be there for him. It's practical."
Practical my ass!
"She's a real gem when you get to know her. She's great."
"I bet she is."
Smiling and satisfied with that response for now, Tre kissed Mercedes again and then walked into the bathroom; his original destination. On her way back, Mercedes locked eyes with Claudia and as fake as humanly possible, smiled at her in acknowledgement.
* * *
The first couple songs that were really completed and confirmed to be on the album were great. Billie Joe, Mike and Tre were on some kind of creative breakthrough and just pelted out amazing drum lines, base lines and guitar solos, not to mention the incredible lyrics penned by the guitarist. Jason White had flown down for a few sessions, just to get a bit of him on the album, but all round, the guys wanted to do something they haven't done in a while; to be three punk-rockers doing what they love, surrounded by their muses and making unbelievable music that they had fallen in love with.
Mercedes had been at all the recording sessions when she was able to, having Adrienne willfully watch the boys during the day. She was so grateful to Adrienne. Mrs. Armstrong had taken all the boys out to all the major tourist sections of Vancouver, really getting a feel for the place and getting to know her way around herself.
One afternoon as Tre and Billie were inside the recording room, Mike sat at the table, overlooking his two band mates. Mercedes had just opened the door, having left to go and get some coffee and muffins for the musicians. Setting down a coffee in front of Mike, he didn't turn to look at her, but smiled. "I guess angels are modeled after you," he whispered.
Mercedes pat Mike's back as she took the seat beside them. "How's it going so far?"
"Great," Mike answered. "Tre's making some good noise in there."
Mercedes nodded, but tried to best to smile as much as she could. Unfortunately, Mike Dirnt could sense something wrong in someone right away. "You alright?" he asked.
"Fine, why?"
"Well, I know for one thing, Tre didn't call you that much."
Mercedes took a sip of her hot coffee and smirked. "Not much... or not at all."
Mike ran a hand through his dark hair. "Really? Oh geeze I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong."
Mike frowned and looked down in his own coffee. "No, but I think you might need to hear those words anyways. To be honest, Tre doesn't really see any wrong in what he's doing."
Mercedes, despite wanting to hear where Mike was going with this, cut in. "He's not doing anything wrong Mike."
Laughing, the bassist continued. "Sure he's not. Mercedes, he treated you like shit... but again, you've done a lot for him. I mean, Tre for a while was kind of stuck in a slump. He wasn't really in tune with everything around him, but when you walked in the door for the first time with Joey and Liam and those really good gingerbread men, that changed. Tre saw something in you that made his snap out of whatever the fuck he was stuck in for so long. What I'm apologizing for is that I think that Tre realized a few things after being with you. He realized the value of company and real love that... I'm sorry to say, in a few months time, wasn't what you two had."
Sitting there, listening to loud drumming and note from the guitar, Mercedes was shocked at how silenced the room became. Just around her little bubble, everything was slow and silent. Finding the feeling in her neck muscles, she turned her head, looked up at the Green Day bassist, and stared into those honest crystal eyes. "I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything, but I don't want to lie to you. You're too good for that."
Mercedes nodded and without warning, stood up, grabbed her coat and left the studio. Mike stared at the door that she had passed through only moments ago when his thoughts were interrupted. "Where's Mercedes?"
Mike turned the other way and saw Tre and Billie Joe standing a few feet from him. "She's just out for a while. She just wanted some time to straighten up a few things."
* * *
Since they were all still going to be in Vancouver for Mike's birthday, Mercedes decided to throw something together for his birthday. She hadn't spoken to him again about what he had told her, even though she kind of wanted to. Mike seemed to have this understanding and wondered what else he knew in that head of his.
Mike's little birthday gathering would only be the guys and their families, but that was all still enough to fill Mercedes' apartment. She decided on what to make for dinner and also had planned on baking him a double chocolate cake in the form of a guitar, covered in candied chocolates and bright icing. Being in her 'mommy mode' she was watching one of those home-cooking shows and saw the idea. Thinking instantly of Mike, she scribbled the instructions down and stuck it on her fridge for when the fourth of May arrived.
There had been no progress between Tre and Mercedes. He had bought her breakfast one morning, but that was also because he picked up breakfast for everyone else as well. They had spoken a few times alone, although it did center on the next album.
When the first of May rolled around, Mercedes decided to go pick up the groceries for the birthday party and find something for Mike. Although she was making dinner and everything, she still felt compelled to get him something. He has always been real nice to her and called her a couple times out of the blue, but none-the-less, appreciated.
In the early afternoon, since the guys weren't recording, Mercedes had taken the offer of dropping Joey and Liam off with Tre who was at his temporary apartment. It had takwn a lot, but Tre had honestly offered and was more than pleased when she had called that morning to see if it was alright. Tre loved Joey and Liam, but whatever was going on between them was another story. Another story that to Mercedes, not only had a lacked a happy ending, but lacked in any development and there was certainly no princess. When she got there, Tre answered the door with a blanket over his shoulder like a big red cape. "I'm a superhero," he said obviously.
Frankito stood behind his father in a fit of giggles. Joey and Liam quickly joined the fun and darted into the home, all etiquette lost. "Thanks again for taking them this afternoon. I won't be long."
"Don't worry about it. Really. Claudia and I are going to be around and making something gross for lunch so they'll be fine. Plus, Frankito knows all the people that work in the emergency room by heart."
Mercedes tried not to laugh. "Oh, is that so?"
"Yeah... even though we don't even live here... you know," Tre continued, not knowing any other words to fuel his little white lie.
"I should be back around two, maybe two-thirty."
"Yeah, oh and I couldn't get hold of Billie Joe or Adrienne. I was wondering if for Mike's thing, if you want me to pick up a cake or something."
"Oh no no. I'm taking care of all that."
"Really? By yourself? I mean, you don't have to," Tre added.
"I know, but I want to. I don't mind. Besides, I've seemed to work better on my own for certain things."
Mercedes smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips, even though she tried to resist, before turning and making her way down the stairs and into her car.
Billie Joe nodded. "Yeah it is. Although, I'm not too sure what he's going to be like when Mercedes has to go back home."
Mike watched his friend with the utmost interest. There was something there that he only noticed now, but cursed himself for not seeing before. "You like her too?"
Billie Joe snapped his head up from the coffee he was stirring. "What?"
Mike smiled. "You... you like her don't you?"
"Mercedes?"
Mike rolled his eyes. "No... of course!"
Billie Joe leaned back against his chair and held his coffee up to his lips. "Yeah, I do. Hell, if I wasn't married to Adie, I would have probably asked Mercedes to marry me by now. There's a lot to love about her. She's great. She's exactly the person who I thought I would end up with. I know I've said that I would only love one woman in my life... but that's all changed the moment I saw her. I know she's technically Tre's girl now, but still, I'd give her the world if I had to."
Mike chuckled and sipped his coffee. "You're worse than Tre, you know that?"
"Really?"
Mike nodded. "I mean, he speaks of Mercedes with a high regard, but you blow him out of the water." Swallowing his beverage, Mike looked at Billie Joe a little more seriously now. "Hey... speaking of two women... has Tre spoken to you at all about Claudia?"
"Claudia? No why?"
Rubbing the back of his neck, Mike continued. "I don't know. I mean, he still lives with her and hell, he told me that sometimes they still sleep in the same bedroom. It just makes me wonder, that's all. If he's doing this now, I'm just wondering if he may still have feelings for Claudia."
"Well," Billie began. "Claudia was his wife and I'm sure it's not easy to be living with her you know? But... I'm assuming Mercedes doesn't know."
"Of course not. Tre's only been crashing here with Mercedes... never at his place. Doesn't that make you wonder?"
Billie Joe shook his head. "Nah... if Tre were doing something like that, he would have told Mercedes or something. If Tre wasn't sure how he felt, than he wouldn't be doing something that could hurt someone else and possibly himself in the end. Despite what we've believed for years, Tre is a little smarter than your average guy."
Mike nodded. "I hope so. For not just his sake."
* * *
On the day that Mercedes was scheduled to fly back home, Billie Joe drove her to the airport. "Really Billie, just thank Adrienne again for the little 'going away' dinner. She's great... she really is."
Billie Joe smiled. "I know. I love her to pieces. Hey... expect a call from all of the guys in a few days. I really want to come down and start our new album there. I was looking at some places to around in the area that you live in... Adie and the kids can come down... like an extended vacation."
Mercedes smiled. "Well, I would be more than happy to have you guys all come down. The studio is yours whenever you want it."
Billie Joe grinned evilly. "That's a lot to promise."
As Mercedes got out of the car with Joey and Liam humming along to some theme song from a cartoon they were watching earlier that morning with Jacob, Billie Joe reached over and entwined his fingers with Mercedes'. "Even though I know that I'm going to see you, I'm still going to miss you," he cooed in her ear.
Blushing furiously, Mercedes lowered her gaze and watched the tiles on the floor pass her feet. Why doesn't Tre make me feel this way, she wondered to herself. Shaking the thought away, she laughed as Joey and Liam finally burst out into song and a little dance as they waited to board their flight.
As she sat there, hand locked with his, Billie Joe just sat back and watched. He wasn't too sure what he was looking for, but to some extent, he thought back to the conversation that Mike and him had earlier that week. He wondered if Mercedes knew that Claudia was living with Tre. He wondered if she had any idea as to Tre's past, romantically, and where she fit into everything. He knew the relationship between them wasn't all that serious, but then again, this moment was one of the only moments that Billie's had alone with Mercedes since she arrived here. Shutting his mouth, unable to say anything, Billie Joe continued to watch. When the flight was called, Mercedes stood up.
"Well... whenever you guys decide to call... I'll be more than happy to make whatever arrangements."
"Thanks Mercedes, you know, you just might be the single most coolest person I've ever met."
"Maybe," she egged.
With Joey and Liam on each side of her, she stood back and laughed as the boys said goodbye to the man that they had called 'the best fort-making man with the coolest black hair with a lot of colorful guitars.' Billie Joe felt a little sad to see the two boys go, but he knew that he would see them shortly and had two boys of his own waiting at home for him. When it was time to say goodbye to Mercedes however, unconsciously, Billie Joe seemed to forget about the fact that he also had a wife at home waiting for him as well.
Pulling Mercedes into a tight hug, he smiled at how nicely her body fit into his. Little did he know that Mercedes seemed to be thinking along exactly the same lines.
"Take care of yourself."
"I will. Again... tell Adrienne I said thanks."
Billie rolled his eyes. "You already told her enough times already."
Shaking her head, Mercedes turned and with her tickets in hand, boarded the plane with her two toddlers. Billie Joe shoved his hands into his pockets and watched as the woman that had crept into his mind, walked away from him, yet still pumping a new part in his heart.
* * *
Fortunately for the men of Green Day, things with Reprise records turned out faster than anticipated and they were going to be off to Vancouver to record their next album just after Billie Joe's birthday. They were going to do exactly what Billie Joe said; bringing their families down with them and enjoying the new Canadian culture.
What was unfortunate though, was the fact that not only was Tre bringing with him Claudia and Frankito, but he hadn't really called Mercedes either. As Mercedes worked a late night at the studio, she thought about the last two months. Being with Tre was wonderful... it was so much more than anyone could ask for. However, when they said their goodbyes, Mercedes felt, empty if you will. Mike seemed to come across as missing her more than Tre did. There was something that had been changing in Tre for the last while and anytime she had called him, their conversations were no more than twenty minutes and he had never called her back.
Mercedes had called Billie Joe on his birthday and avoided the subject of her and Tre completely. Truthfully, she couldn't really admit it to herself. Tre was everything that she ever wanted in someone, but then again, she wondered continuously if she ever did anything wrong. She thought about the possibilities that maybe she upset him in some way or said something offensive, but nothing came to mind. Biting her lower lip, she looked around the empty studio that, come two weeks time, would be filled with good, loud punk-rock music.
* * *
Tre on the other hand, bit his lip in other fashions. Across from him sat Claudia. She had finished eating dinner and was just talking about something that went on today as she was out running some errands. Tre felt himself drift away from the monotonous tones she was using, but one thing had come to mind. "Are you still seeing Derek?"
Claudia stopped in mid-sentence and looked at her ex-husband. "What?"
"Derek," Tre continued. "Tall, black hair, brown eyes... taller than me."
Claudia rolled her eyes. "I know who you mean... it's just why do you ask?"
Tre shifted the weight in his seat. "I'm just asking. I'm curious."
Sighing, she answered him. "No. I was never really seeing him in the first place. He's not really my type."
"What is your type then?" Tre asked with a childlike grin on his face.
"Well... he wasn't you."
Claudia grabbed her plate and stood up, walking over to Tre and taking his plate as well. As she did, Tre reached out and gently grabbed her hand. "What did you say?"
Claudia looked at Tre dead in the eye. "He's not you. He was never you."
They stared at each other for what seemed like ages before Tre released her arm and she turned and walked into the kitchen, facing the sink. "What about you and whatsername? Mercedes?"
The sound of that name coming from Claudia's mouth was enough to snap his attention back to the present. Mercedes? Looking at Claudia from the back, he searched his mind for the proper words to express what he desperately wanted to say. Instead, "it's nothing serious. Just something that kind of happened. It's pretty much over now," is what came out. That night, they both slept in the same room, but none of them had gotten a lot of sleep. They each had quite a bit on their minds.
* * *
When their flight came in, Mercedes and the boys were waiting excitedly at the airport for their special guests. As they came through from the luggage barrier, Joey spotted Jacob immediately. "Mommy! Look!"
Mercedes followed where Joey's finger was pointing, and sure enough, Jacob Armstrong was running towards them, much to Adrienne's disapproval. "Jacob... don't run off like that," she said as they all caught up with Mercedes and the Delisle boys. "Mercedes, long time no see," Adrienne finished.
After pulling apart from the hug with Adrienne, Mercedes was tackled by what appeared to be a green-eyed, black haired punk-rocker. "Good to see you too Billie."
Everyone said their hellos and welcomes, but there was one introduction that had yet to be made. "Mercedes," Tre began. "This is Claudia."
For years to come, no one will be quite sure how both women seemed to appear completely calm and collected. Mercedes reached over, shook Claudia's hand, and said a quick "Welcome to Canada," as it was Claudia's first time in the Northern country.
It took only moments for everyone to get the cars that they rented, and listened to Billie Joe rant about the hope that they were a little better this time around. Following Mercedes, their first stop was where they were all going to stay for the duration of the time.
Vacant apartments were easily found by the men at Reprise records and the punk band had quickly settled into their new temporary homes. Dinner that night took place at a fancy Italian restaurant and Mercedes found herself deep in conversation with Mike, seeing as Tre had eyes and ears only for Claudia that night. "So Mike... Estelle wasn't able to make it?"
Mike shook his head and his blue eyes looked at his wine glass. "No... Anastasia's with her now and Estelle really wanted to come down to. It's just that she wasn't able to work something out with the school or whatever. Some shit like that. It's a bummer, to say the least."
Mercedes nodded in complete understanding. "Well," she said, looking over at Liam who had spaghetti sauce all over his face. "You can always borrow one of mine."
That made Mike laugh and for the first time that night, he laughed without feeling he had to to be polite. Looking up at Mercedes, he placed a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. "From the way they eat, I'll be fine."
As the night was drawing to a close, Mercedes had gotten up from the table to clean off some sauce that Joey had tried to fling across the table to Jacob, but instead landed on Mercedes' skirt. So, with one leg hoisted up on the sink in the bathroom, Mercedes tried hopelessly to scrub at the permanent sauce. Sighing at defeat a few minutes later, Mercedes washed her hands and exited the washroom, only to walk into a familiar pair of blue eyes.
"Hey stranger," she said, leaning up to plant a kiss on his cheek.
Tre smiled and kissed her back on her lips. Before he was able to deepen the kiss, Mercedes pulled away and wrapped her arms around Tre, hugging him like a little girl who just found her father. "I missed you."
Tre felt a sudden pang of guilt, but pushed it down to the pit of his stomach. "I did too. Billie kept us all up to date with everything and how you and the monsters were."
Mercedes nodded. "And that was enough?"
Tre tilted his head. "Meaning?"
Waving the matter away, "Nothing."
Tre nodded, but knew that the conversation wasn't over. "Mercedes, how do you feel about Claudia being here?"
Before Mercedes could honestly answer, she bit back her tongue. If she had enough courage, she would tell Tre that she was not only completely uncomfortable, but also insulted and embarrassed. What was she to him... a good memory?
"Whatever, it's fine. It makes sense. You wanted to bring Frankito down and if you were recording all day, Claudia could be there for him. It's practical."
Practical my ass!
"She's a real gem when you get to know her. She's great."
"I bet she is."
Smiling and satisfied with that response for now, Tre kissed Mercedes again and then walked into the bathroom; his original destination. On her way back, Mercedes locked eyes with Claudia and as fake as humanly possible, smiled at her in acknowledgement.
* * *
The first couple songs that were really completed and confirmed to be on the album were great. Billie Joe, Mike and Tre were on some kind of creative breakthrough and just pelted out amazing drum lines, base lines and guitar solos, not to mention the incredible lyrics penned by the guitarist. Jason White had flown down for a few sessions, just to get a bit of him on the album, but all round, the guys wanted to do something they haven't done in a while; to be three punk-rockers doing what they love, surrounded by their muses and making unbelievable music that they had fallen in love with.
Mercedes had been at all the recording sessions when she was able to, having Adrienne willfully watch the boys during the day. She was so grateful to Adrienne. Mrs. Armstrong had taken all the boys out to all the major tourist sections of Vancouver, really getting a feel for the place and getting to know her way around herself.
One afternoon as Tre and Billie were inside the recording room, Mike sat at the table, overlooking his two band mates. Mercedes had just opened the door, having left to go and get some coffee and muffins for the musicians. Setting down a coffee in front of Mike, he didn't turn to look at her, but smiled. "I guess angels are modeled after you," he whispered.
Mercedes pat Mike's back as she took the seat beside them. "How's it going so far?"
"Great," Mike answered. "Tre's making some good noise in there."
Mercedes nodded, but tried to best to smile as much as she could. Unfortunately, Mike Dirnt could sense something wrong in someone right away. "You alright?" he asked.
"Fine, why?"
"Well, I know for one thing, Tre didn't call you that much."
Mercedes took a sip of her hot coffee and smirked. "Not much... or not at all."
Mike ran a hand through his dark hair. "Really? Oh geeze I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong."
Mike frowned and looked down in his own coffee. "No, but I think you might need to hear those words anyways. To be honest, Tre doesn't really see any wrong in what he's doing."
Mercedes, despite wanting to hear where Mike was going with this, cut in. "He's not doing anything wrong Mike."
Laughing, the bassist continued. "Sure he's not. Mercedes, he treated you like shit... but again, you've done a lot for him. I mean, Tre for a while was kind of stuck in a slump. He wasn't really in tune with everything around him, but when you walked in the door for the first time with Joey and Liam and those really good gingerbread men, that changed. Tre saw something in you that made his snap out of whatever the fuck he was stuck in for so long. What I'm apologizing for is that I think that Tre realized a few things after being with you. He realized the value of company and real love that... I'm sorry to say, in a few months time, wasn't what you two had."
Sitting there, listening to loud drumming and note from the guitar, Mercedes was shocked at how silenced the room became. Just around her little bubble, everything was slow and silent. Finding the feeling in her neck muscles, she turned her head, looked up at the Green Day bassist, and stared into those honest crystal eyes. "I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything, but I don't want to lie to you. You're too good for that."
Mercedes nodded and without warning, stood up, grabbed her coat and left the studio. Mike stared at the door that she had passed through only moments ago when his thoughts were interrupted. "Where's Mercedes?"
Mike turned the other way and saw Tre and Billie Joe standing a few feet from him. "She's just out for a while. She just wanted some time to straighten up a few things."
* * *
Since they were all still going to be in Vancouver for Mike's birthday, Mercedes decided to throw something together for his birthday. She hadn't spoken to him again about what he had told her, even though she kind of wanted to. Mike seemed to have this understanding and wondered what else he knew in that head of his.
Mike's little birthday gathering would only be the guys and their families, but that was all still enough to fill Mercedes' apartment. She decided on what to make for dinner and also had planned on baking him a double chocolate cake in the form of a guitar, covered in candied chocolates and bright icing. Being in her 'mommy mode' she was watching one of those home-cooking shows and saw the idea. Thinking instantly of Mike, she scribbled the instructions down and stuck it on her fridge for when the fourth of May arrived.
There had been no progress between Tre and Mercedes. He had bought her breakfast one morning, but that was also because he picked up breakfast for everyone else as well. They had spoken a few times alone, although it did center on the next album.
When the first of May rolled around, Mercedes decided to go pick up the groceries for the birthday party and find something for Mike. Although she was making dinner and everything, she still felt compelled to get him something. He has always been real nice to her and called her a couple times out of the blue, but none-the-less, appreciated.
In the early afternoon, since the guys weren't recording, Mercedes had taken the offer of dropping Joey and Liam off with Tre who was at his temporary apartment. It had takwn a lot, but Tre had honestly offered and was more than pleased when she had called that morning to see if it was alright. Tre loved Joey and Liam, but whatever was going on between them was another story. Another story that to Mercedes, not only had a lacked a happy ending, but lacked in any development and there was certainly no princess. When she got there, Tre answered the door with a blanket over his shoulder like a big red cape. "I'm a superhero," he said obviously.
Frankito stood behind his father in a fit of giggles. Joey and Liam quickly joined the fun and darted into the home, all etiquette lost. "Thanks again for taking them this afternoon. I won't be long."
"Don't worry about it. Really. Claudia and I are going to be around and making something gross for lunch so they'll be fine. Plus, Frankito knows all the people that work in the emergency room by heart."
Mercedes tried not to laugh. "Oh, is that so?"
"Yeah... even though we don't even live here... you know," Tre continued, not knowing any other words to fuel his little white lie.
"I should be back around two, maybe two-thirty."
"Yeah, oh and I couldn't get hold of Billie Joe or Adrienne. I was wondering if for Mike's thing, if you want me to pick up a cake or something."
"Oh no no. I'm taking care of all that."
"Really? By yourself? I mean, you don't have to," Tre added.
"I know, but I want to. I don't mind. Besides, I've seemed to work better on my own for certain things."
Mercedes smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips, even though she tried to resist, before turning and making her way down the stairs and into her car.
