The Waiting UnKnown, chapter 1
"Going out tonight, Billie?" Mike Dirnt asked of his best friend and band mate, who was wiping the eyeliner off his eyes. The end of another awesome show. All the meet and greet was done, and it was time to just be three 30 something year old guys, with families and bills and responsibilities, who just happened to have the most awesome job anybody could ask for.
"Yeah... Ow, that stung... Let me just call Adie and check on the boys. Jakob hasn't been feeling well lately, she took him to the doctors yesterday, and had some test done, she should have gotten the results today." Billie Joe said, blinking his green eyes, as they teared up from the eye make-up remover he was using. Adie had gotten on him for always stealing her good stuff, so he was forced into buying his own. Mike settled into a chair. Tre had already gone out. Billie flipped open his cell phone and dialed home.
"Hey, Adie baby... What's wrong... No... Why didn't you call me sooner... I coulda... I'm sure nobody would have minded... Look, I can't get a flight this late... I'll be home as soon as I can, no later than tothe fans will understand. Morrow afternoon... The fans will understand and you know what? Fuck the press,.. I love you too. Tell Joey and Jakob daddy says good night and let Jaky know daddy will be there as soon as possible."
Mike, who'd been listening to this the whole time, watched as his best friend, never a big man to begin with, crumpled before him, in tears. Before he could stop himself, he asked the inevitable question, "What's wrong?"
"I... It's not right man... This kinda shit is not supposed to happen to me or my kids... I'm a fucking rock star... Shit, I just sounded like a selfish prick..." Billie got out between sobs, which confused Mike even more.
"Billie, man, what the fuck? What's going on?" he asked, kneeling beside Billie Joe.
"Jakob.. The tests.. Fuck it man.. Jakob.. He.. He has Leukemia... Fuck Mike, I've never been so scared in my life. Adie knew all this this afternoon and didn't call me because she didn't want to ruin the show for me. Would you mind too much if we cancelled some tour dates... I can't be on the road all the fucking time with this going on." Billie Joe looked up at his taller friend, his sharp green eyes softened by his tears.
"Not a problem. Look, I'll talk to Tre and Jason and everybody else. Just worry about your son. Would it help if I told you I had a friend out here who's a pilot and owes me a favor or two." Mike asked, reaching to the nearest box of tissues and handing Billie a few.
"Mike, it's like 2 A. M. I don't want a pilot who's half asleep." Billie Joe said, wiping his eyes and blowing his nose.
"This guy's an insomniac and a huge fan, trust me, he'll be fine. He drove 6 hours once to meet some girl he met over the internet, leaving at like 2 in the morning to get there at 8. New York to Virginia. This man is insane like that. One phone call, and you could be out of here in half an hour."
"I fucking love you man." Billie said, standing up. Mike pulled out his cell phone and dialed a few numbers.
"Parkin my man, I need a favor, well Billie Joe needs a favor... Breathe Parkin, breathe... Anyway, if we meet you at the airport in half an hour, can you... Parkin Bailey, you are a life saver. " Mike hung up the phone. "You, my boy, will be home by sun up."
"Dude, thanks." Billie Joe said, as he finished getting cleaned up from the show.
***
When Billie Joe arrived back in California, after a quick picture and autograph for the pilot, a star struck young man of about 21, he quickly got a taxi. After paying the fare and tipping the driver rather handsomely, he raced to unlock his door and get inside. He tip-toed in, taking his shoes off and socks off before quietly heading to the bedroom he shared with Adrienne. He wanted to surprise her. Not going to happen though. Sleeping beside her was Jakob, who looked paler and even littler in Billie's eyes than when he had last seen him. Billie Joe tried to move the boy gently, but in vain. Jakob woke up. "Daddy." He called, eyes wide with surprise.
"Hey buddy." Billie Joe said, blinking back tears that came up with out warning.
"Are you here to stay for a long time?" So trusting and innocent, it seemed so unfair.
"Yeah. Daddy's taking some time off. Shh, now, can you be a big boy and go to your own bed, try not to wake mommy?"
Jakob nodded and quickly hopped out of bed, tiptoeing past his father and out the door.
Billie Joe lay beside his wife and kissed her gently on the cheek. She opened her eyes, which grew wide with surprise. "You weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow afternoon."
"I couldn't stay away. Mike called in a favor. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine." Adrienne started to say, but looking into her husbands eyes, her tough front crumbled, and she broke down. "I'm so scared, Billie. I want to tell him everything will be okay, but, I don't know for sure."
"It will be. We'll get the best care in the state of California, I promise." Billie Joe held his wife tight in his arms, each clinging to the other for dear life.
"Yeah... Ow, that stung... Let me just call Adie and check on the boys. Jakob hasn't been feeling well lately, she took him to the doctors yesterday, and had some test done, she should have gotten the results today." Billie Joe said, blinking his green eyes, as they teared up from the eye make-up remover he was using. Adie had gotten on him for always stealing her good stuff, so he was forced into buying his own. Mike settled into a chair. Tre had already gone out. Billie flipped open his cell phone and dialed home.
"Hey, Adie baby... What's wrong... No... Why didn't you call me sooner... I coulda... I'm sure nobody would have minded... Look, I can't get a flight this late... I'll be home as soon as I can, no later than tothe fans will understand. Morrow afternoon... The fans will understand and you know what? Fuck the press,.. I love you too. Tell Joey and Jakob daddy says good night and let Jaky know daddy will be there as soon as possible."
Mike, who'd been listening to this the whole time, watched as his best friend, never a big man to begin with, crumpled before him, in tears. Before he could stop himself, he asked the inevitable question, "What's wrong?"
"I... It's not right man... This kinda shit is not supposed to happen to me or my kids... I'm a fucking rock star... Shit, I just sounded like a selfish prick..." Billie got out between sobs, which confused Mike even more.
"Billie, man, what the fuck? What's going on?" he asked, kneeling beside Billie Joe.
"Jakob.. The tests.. Fuck it man.. Jakob.. He.. He has Leukemia... Fuck Mike, I've never been so scared in my life. Adie knew all this this afternoon and didn't call me because she didn't want to ruin the show for me. Would you mind too much if we cancelled some tour dates... I can't be on the road all the fucking time with this going on." Billie Joe looked up at his taller friend, his sharp green eyes softened by his tears.
"Not a problem. Look, I'll talk to Tre and Jason and everybody else. Just worry about your son. Would it help if I told you I had a friend out here who's a pilot and owes me a favor or two." Mike asked, reaching to the nearest box of tissues and handing Billie a few.
"Mike, it's like 2 A. M. I don't want a pilot who's half asleep." Billie Joe said, wiping his eyes and blowing his nose.
"This guy's an insomniac and a huge fan, trust me, he'll be fine. He drove 6 hours once to meet some girl he met over the internet, leaving at like 2 in the morning to get there at 8. New York to Virginia. This man is insane like that. One phone call, and you could be out of here in half an hour."
"I fucking love you man." Billie said, standing up. Mike pulled out his cell phone and dialed a few numbers.
"Parkin my man, I need a favor, well Billie Joe needs a favor... Breathe Parkin, breathe... Anyway, if we meet you at the airport in half an hour, can you... Parkin Bailey, you are a life saver. " Mike hung up the phone. "You, my boy, will be home by sun up."
"Dude, thanks." Billie Joe said, as he finished getting cleaned up from the show.
***
When Billie Joe arrived back in California, after a quick picture and autograph for the pilot, a star struck young man of about 21, he quickly got a taxi. After paying the fare and tipping the driver rather handsomely, he raced to unlock his door and get inside. He tip-toed in, taking his shoes off and socks off before quietly heading to the bedroom he shared with Adrienne. He wanted to surprise her. Not going to happen though. Sleeping beside her was Jakob, who looked paler and even littler in Billie's eyes than when he had last seen him. Billie Joe tried to move the boy gently, but in vain. Jakob woke up. "Daddy." He called, eyes wide with surprise.
"Hey buddy." Billie Joe said, blinking back tears that came up with out warning.
"Are you here to stay for a long time?" So trusting and innocent, it seemed so unfair.
"Yeah. Daddy's taking some time off. Shh, now, can you be a big boy and go to your own bed, try not to wake mommy?"
Jakob nodded and quickly hopped out of bed, tiptoeing past his father and out the door.
Billie Joe lay beside his wife and kissed her gently on the cheek. She opened her eyes, which grew wide with surprise. "You weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow afternoon."
"I couldn't stay away. Mike called in a favor. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine." Adrienne started to say, but looking into her husbands eyes, her tough front crumbled, and she broke down. "I'm so scared, Billie. I want to tell him everything will be okay, but, I don't know for sure."
"It will be. We'll get the best care in the state of California, I promise." Billie Joe held his wife tight in his arms, each clinging to the other for dear life.
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