Human Medicine, chapter 7
Once Billie Joe and Jem had reached Billie's SUV they discovered that Jakob, Mike and Tre were all asleep. Billie Joe smiled at Jem who smiled in return.
They set to work, putting the shopping into the trunk, then getting in and Billie Joe drove them home. Tre, Mike and Jakob didn't stir at all, which allowed Jem and Billie some conversation time.
"so tell me about yourself" Billie started.
"Well, there's not much to tell, I am Jemma Gibbs, I'm 25 years old and I'm a babysitter," Jem said quietly.
"Well, where were you born?"
"In the UK" Jem said vaguely.
"well. Come on, tell me more about yourself, you are looking after my kid." Billie Joe said glancing at Jem from his gaze on the road, his eyebrows raised.
"Ok... I love music, I love laughing. I love my job. I love children. I love Green Day" Jem paused here to catch breath, then she continued "I hate spiders, I hate onions, I hate school, desk jobs and Slipknot. My worst fear is... is... "
"Your worst fear is?" Billie Joe encouraged.
"losing you guys" Jem mumbled, but Billie heard and pulled over at a lay-by on the side of the road. He got out walking round to Jems side and opened the door for her. Jem stood out and walked to the front of the car to where Billie stood.
"You're afraid of losing me?" Billie questioned looking at his converse.
"Yes. I loved your music and still do. When Adie... when your wife left you, I was so scared of what you might do . You were together for 17 year. I thought you would be destroyed. I met you guys and that was it. You're... you're my family. My only family" Jem explained also dropping her gaze.
"What happened to you family Jem" Billie asked softly.
"They died, in a car crash 4 years ago" Jem said bluntly. Billie's jaw dropped.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Jem. Come here." he said opening his arms, invitingly wide. Jem walked into them and was instantly embraces.
She clung onto the back of his leather jacket and he whispered words of comfort to her, making Jem feel the most safety she had ever experienced.
They held the hug for about 5 minutes before pulling away, each wishing it could have lasted longer.
"Do you need to walk?" Billie asked soothingly.
"No, no we'd better get this stuff home, I mean to your house." Jem corrected.
"it's ok, my house is you're house for as long as you need it." Billie smiled. Jem looked up at him and nodded with a smile.
"Thank you."
The journey home from there was comfortable. Silence filled the car, but it was far from awkward. As soon as the vehicle turned into Billie Joe's driveway everyone woke up and Jakob started to cry.
"it's ok Billie, I'll get him. You guys take the food ok?" Jem said taking her separate shopping and picking up Jakob, placing him on her right hip , she walked into the house.
"That girl is something else, Billie, she's a female you" Tre sniggered. Mike snorted.
"Guys, she... she has no family ok? WE are the only people she has here."
Billie Joe said hesitantly.
Tre and Mike looked horrified.
"WEll, what happened to her family?"
"They lived in the UK, died 4 years ago, don't tell her I told you."
"OK" they both agreed. They continued carrying the shopping inside.
Jem put Jakob to bed and unbeknown to Jem, Billie Joe watched from the doorway.
Jem stood leaning over the small play pen/crib, she was singing to Jakob. Billie Joe moved closer slightly to hear what she was singing. It was 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' a song written by him and performed by them.
Once Jem was finished she smiled down at the little boy. "Sweet dreams" she laughed lightly and swooped down to kiss Jakob's forehead, before turning round to walk out. Jem almost had a heart attack as she came face to face with her boss. In the dark room, moonlight touched parts of the furniture but left many shadows. Therefore Billie Joe's right cheek, eye and ear were dark and the left side of his face was an eerie blue.
"sorry didn't mean to scare you." he apologised.
"it's ok" Jem whispered smiling. "Where's Tre and Mike?"
"They decided to go clubbing, I gave them a key to the garage, they can sleep in there when they get back."
Jem laughed lightly.
The two left the room and Jem closed the door to Jakob's room softly.
"it just occurred to me that I never showed you round." he said sheepishly, scratching his neck.
"oh no, don't be silly, I'll find my way round."
"no, come on, I'll give you the grand tour." Billie offered his arm and smiling, Jem took it.
"Kitchen... loving room... entertainment room... bathroom... music room" Jem caught a glimpse of Billie's many 'blue' replicas and a drum kit, also a few bass guitars and amps, before Billie took her upstairs again.
"Bathroom 2...your room... my room... Jakob's room... and two more guest rooms. But this is the kinda library" He opened a cream coloured door at the end of the hallway that would have gone unnoticed if not pointed out.
Jem followed the green eyed punk rocker into the dark room. Rows of books lined the dusty shelves. A window with balcony stood in the gap between the bookcases and a white open top concert piano stood professionally in the middle of the floor. Jem went to the piano and sat down, Billie Joe, to her surprise sat down next to her.
"Do you play?" he asked.
Jem shook her head, "used to at school."
Billie nodded, watching as Jem started to play 'Fur Elise' but she stopped quickly, noticing he was watching.
There was an awkward pause before Billie Joe went over to the windows and went out to the balcony. Jem followed. They stood, leaning on the black railings, watching the moonlight dance across the water in the outdoor swimming pool below.
They set to work, putting the shopping into the trunk, then getting in and Billie Joe drove them home. Tre, Mike and Jakob didn't stir at all, which allowed Jem and Billie some conversation time.
"so tell me about yourself" Billie started.
"Well, there's not much to tell, I am Jemma Gibbs, I'm 25 years old and I'm a babysitter," Jem said quietly.
"Well, where were you born?"
"In the UK" Jem said vaguely.
"well. Come on, tell me more about yourself, you are looking after my kid." Billie Joe said glancing at Jem from his gaze on the road, his eyebrows raised.
"Ok... I love music, I love laughing. I love my job. I love children. I love Green Day" Jem paused here to catch breath, then she continued "I hate spiders, I hate onions, I hate school, desk jobs and Slipknot. My worst fear is... is... "
"Your worst fear is?" Billie Joe encouraged.
"losing you guys" Jem mumbled, but Billie heard and pulled over at a lay-by on the side of the road. He got out walking round to Jems side and opened the door for her. Jem stood out and walked to the front of the car to where Billie stood.
"You're afraid of losing me?" Billie questioned looking at his converse.
"Yes. I loved your music and still do. When Adie... when your wife left you, I was so scared of what you might do . You were together for 17 year. I thought you would be destroyed. I met you guys and that was it. You're... you're my family. My only family" Jem explained also dropping her gaze.
"What happened to you family Jem" Billie asked softly.
"They died, in a car crash 4 years ago" Jem said bluntly. Billie's jaw dropped.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Jem. Come here." he said opening his arms, invitingly wide. Jem walked into them and was instantly embraces.
She clung onto the back of his leather jacket and he whispered words of comfort to her, making Jem feel the most safety she had ever experienced.
They held the hug for about 5 minutes before pulling away, each wishing it could have lasted longer.
"Do you need to walk?" Billie asked soothingly.
"No, no we'd better get this stuff home, I mean to your house." Jem corrected.
"it's ok, my house is you're house for as long as you need it." Billie smiled. Jem looked up at him and nodded with a smile.
"Thank you."
The journey home from there was comfortable. Silence filled the car, but it was far from awkward. As soon as the vehicle turned into Billie Joe's driveway everyone woke up and Jakob started to cry.
"it's ok Billie, I'll get him. You guys take the food ok?" Jem said taking her separate shopping and picking up Jakob, placing him on her right hip , she walked into the house.
"That girl is something else, Billie, she's a female you" Tre sniggered. Mike snorted.
"Guys, she... she has no family ok? WE are the only people she has here."
Billie Joe said hesitantly.
Tre and Mike looked horrified.
"WEll, what happened to her family?"
"They lived in the UK, died 4 years ago, don't tell her I told you."
"OK" they both agreed. They continued carrying the shopping inside.
Jem put Jakob to bed and unbeknown to Jem, Billie Joe watched from the doorway.
Jem stood leaning over the small play pen/crib, she was singing to Jakob. Billie Joe moved closer slightly to hear what she was singing. It was 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' a song written by him and performed by them.
Once Jem was finished she smiled down at the little boy. "Sweet dreams" she laughed lightly and swooped down to kiss Jakob's forehead, before turning round to walk out. Jem almost had a heart attack as she came face to face with her boss. In the dark room, moonlight touched parts of the furniture but left many shadows. Therefore Billie Joe's right cheek, eye and ear were dark and the left side of his face was an eerie blue.
"sorry didn't mean to scare you." he apologised.
"it's ok" Jem whispered smiling. "Where's Tre and Mike?"
"They decided to go clubbing, I gave them a key to the garage, they can sleep in there when they get back."
Jem laughed lightly.
The two left the room and Jem closed the door to Jakob's room softly.
"it just occurred to me that I never showed you round." he said sheepishly, scratching his neck.
"oh no, don't be silly, I'll find my way round."
"no, come on, I'll give you the grand tour." Billie offered his arm and smiling, Jem took it.
"Kitchen... loving room... entertainment room... bathroom... music room" Jem caught a glimpse of Billie's many 'blue' replicas and a drum kit, also a few bass guitars and amps, before Billie took her upstairs again.
"Bathroom 2...your room... my room... Jakob's room... and two more guest rooms. But this is the kinda library" He opened a cream coloured door at the end of the hallway that would have gone unnoticed if not pointed out.
Jem followed the green eyed punk rocker into the dark room. Rows of books lined the dusty shelves. A window with balcony stood in the gap between the bookcases and a white open top concert piano stood professionally in the middle of the floor. Jem went to the piano and sat down, Billie Joe, to her surprise sat down next to her.
"Do you play?" he asked.
Jem shook her head, "used to at school."
Billie nodded, watching as Jem started to play 'Fur Elise' but she stopped quickly, noticing he was watching.
There was an awkward pause before Billie Joe went over to the windows and went out to the balcony. Jem followed. They stood, leaning on the black railings, watching the moonlight dance across the water in the outdoor swimming pool below.
