The Waiting UnKnown, chapter 4
Who the hell is calling at this hour? Bonnie wondered as she realized the ringing wasn't in her dream, but was actually coming from her cell phone. Grabbing it off the nightstand, she whispered "Hello?" as she got up to go out to the living room, so as not to wake up Janine.
"Bonnie? It's Adrienne Armstrong, Billie Joe's wife. You met him this afternoon? I'm sorry to call at this hour, but Billie said you might be able to offer some support..."
"Oh, yeah... what's wrong?" Bonnie said, running her fingers through her hair as she sat on the couch.
"I'm sure it's nothing, but Jakob's been throwing up a lot since earlier today. I've tried calling doctors, but they all say it's normal. But I don't care about normal so much as I just... I don't know... It's hard to explain to him why something that's supposed to be making him better is making him sick. Billie's sitting up with him now, and I just panicked. I could've waited I guess."
"No, it's okay. I wish I could tell you exactly what to say." Bonnie began to pace the living room. "I remember all too well when Tara looked up at me after getting up at like 2 one morning and throwing up after a treatment. She was six at the time. I was up with her, giving Janine a break and she just looked at me. 'Bonnie, am I gonna be sick everytime I get my medicine? 'Cause if I am, I don't want it anymore.' It broke my heart. I took her in my arms and held her, I said something to the extent that sometimes something bad has to happen before something good can happen. Listen, I know it's gonna be tough for a while, and trust me, there are so many questions that he will have. You've got to answer them as honestly as you can. And if you can't, tell him so. He's young, but he will understand," Bonnie said, flopping back into the couch.
"Thanks," Adrienne said, then sounding like she wasn't sure she should say what she said next, but she did anyway. "Um, this might be odd, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the receptionist earlier and I am truly sorry that they wouldn't let you back there."
"Don't worry. It's how society is," Bonnie said, stifling a yawn. "I'm used to it."
"I'm sorry for calling so late, truly," Adrienne said, "I'll let you get back to bed. I just panicked. "
"No problem, call anytime. I'm glad to help," Bonnie said. They exchanged 'good night's, and Adrienne gave both her cell number and Billie Joe's with the invite to "call us up sometime and let's get together."
Bonnie took the numbers down, added them to her phone, and climbed back into bed, chalking that incident up as a one-time thing that wouldn't lead to much.
***
Bonnie was understandably shocked therefore, when she recieved a call a few weeks later from Billie Joe. The inner Green Day fan in her wanted to come jumping out, but she squished it back.
"Um, hi?" Bonnie said, immediatley becoming embarrassed at the squeak in her voice.
"Hi, Bonnie. I just wanted to thank you for helping Adie with what to tell Jakob. He got another a treatment last week and is doing much better. He's got a long way to go and every treatment leaves him nauseous, but the doctors are seeing positive things," Billie Joe started.
Bonnie just murmered an "Uh-huh" and nodded, though she knew he couldn't see her. There was a point to this, somewhere.
"Anyway, Adie and I were wondering if you wanted to come over with Janine and Tara for a dinner Saturday night. Mike and Tre are coming over too. It won't be anything fancy, probably just pizza or something. Maybe Chinese. It's not important. Anyway, would you be willing to come?"
"Um, sure... I'm pretty sure there isn't anything going on. For now, count us in. Should we bring anything?"
"I don't think so. The details aren't really hammered down yet."
"Okay. What time?"
"Eight-ish? Like I said, I'll call you when the details get straightened out. I've gotta go, Tre's on the other line."
"Okay, talk to you later," Bonnie said, hanging up her phone. That's when her inner fan girl showed up. Squealing like a 16-year-old, which much belied her 36 years. She ran into the kitchen where Janine was fixing lunch. "Guess who just called me?"
"Who?" Janine asked, putting the knife down from slicing tomatoes for a salad. When Bonnie got excited, it must have been something great. Bonnie was a very stoic person.
"Billie Joe fucking Armstrong. I gave him my cell number a few weeks ago, when we met at the Children's Hospital of Oakland, in case he wanted advice or support. And Adrienne called later that day, to ask about what to tell Jakob about the side-effects. And long story short, Billie Joe just called up and invited all of us to a casual dinner thing Saturday night." Bonnie spat out her story in two breaths. Janine blinked in astonishment.
"No way," she whispered.
"Yes way," Bonnie said.
Janine threw her arms around her lover. The two jumped around like teenage girls, forgetting the sleeping 10-year-old in the next room, only to be brought back to reality by a tiny voice calling, "Mommy, what's going on?"
"Nothing, Mommy and Bonnie are just acting silly," Janine called back.
***
"Baby, I'm sure your hair is fine. Look, it's just gonna be something casual," Bonnie called through the bathroom door, trying to hide her impatience.
"It was fine until you told me that it's not only Billie Joe, but Mike and Tre as well," Janine called back, sounding frantic.
"Janine, it's pizza and Chinese in the Armstrongs' family room. Trust me, nobody will care what your hair looks like. Forget about the rock star thing for a moment. We're a bunch of thirty-somethings getting together for dinner, maybe a few beers. Our daughter is going over to hang out with the two Armstrong boys. That is all. Yes, it's cool. It's something to tell your friends. But at the core, it's just a get-together. Now please, we're gonna be late."
Bonnie was desperate. Here it was, quarter to 8, the Armstrong house was 20 minutes away, Janine had been in there 25 minutes, where it had only taken Bonnie 15 minutes to get ready. Her hair was shorter since the first time she had met Billie Joe, and all it took in the way of preperation was some gel. She'd slipped on a pair of brown pants that had pink pinstripes and a light pink button down three-quarter length sleeve shirt. A pair of brown sandals completed the look.
Janine came out the bathroom just then and Bonnie immediatly thanked God that she got to share her life with this woman. Her dirty blond hair, normally worn in a ponytail was swept up in a twist with a few natural waves falling free. She wore just enough lipstick, a wine color, to play up her relatively thin lips. Her eye shadow was a light shimmery silver, which seemed to compliment her light blue eyes. She wore a faint peach blush. Her outfit consitsted of hip-hugger jeans and a light blue tank top with a built in bra and a white denim jacket over it. She made her way to the living room where her sandals sat waiting. Tara sat on the couch, flipping through a Twist magazine. Her hair now was gone and she wore a printed scarf, this one oddly enough rainbow. She wore jeans, and despite the warm weather, a long sleeved purple shirt.
"Ready to go, baby girl?" Bonnie asked, grabbing the keys off the hook by the door. Tara nodded and hopped up off the couch.
***
"Hi. Bonnie, right?" Adrienne greeted the short-haired woman. "And you're Janine, and this must be Tara. Come in, the pizza just got here, and the Chinese is being kept warm in the oven." Adrienne stepped aside, allowing the ladies to step inside, and guided them to the family room, where Joey and Jakob were chasing each other around with plastic lightsabers.
Tara looked up at Janine. "Momma, can I play too?"
"After dinner, maybe." Janine said, eyeing around her with awe. This was heaven for her. And Bonnie too, though she held her amazement better, as they both looked around. Being this close to a band they both agreed was one of the best ever, in such an intimate setting, was too awesome and dreamlike for words. Sitting on the couch, beer in hand, was Mike, watching Tre and Billie Joe playing SIMS for playstation. Well, Billie was playing, Tre was yelling out suggestions. Ridiculous suggestions.
"Boys, put away your toys, it's dinner time. That goes for you too, dear," Adie said, pointedly, coming over and taking the controller out of her husband's hands.
"Aww, Adie, come on baby, let me play a little longer. My guy was about to get a promotion," Billie Joe whined.
"That's what the save button is for. We've got company. Be a decent host," Adie said.
Billie Joe reluctantly saved his game and got up, helping Tre up along the way.
Adrienne went to set the food out in an informal buffet of sorts, and after a few moments of awkwardness, things started to ease up when Joey said to Tara, "I like your hair scarf. It's neat."
"Thanks. It's my favorite. I've got a whole collection back home," Tara said.
With those statements, all the awkwardness of the rock star/fan dynamic melted away. They were, as Bonnie had suggested to ease her partner's worried mind, just a bunch of thirty-somethings getting together with their children. The ice was officially broken, so when Adrienne called that dinner was ready, it was like all were friends. They all grabbed at the odd mix and took paper plates to back to the family room. As they all sat around in various places - eating, drinking--soda for the kids, beer for the adults--- talking, and laughing, especially at Tre's antics, Jakob asked a question that seemed to stop time.
Turning innocently to Tara, who was sitting on the floor beside Bonnie, who had Janine's head laying on her shoulder, the youngest Armstrong asked, "Tara, why do you have two mommies and no daddy?" The room froze. Absolutely froze.
"Jakob!" Billie Joe hissed, embarresed that his son had said something that could offend his guests.
"No, it's okay. Really," Janine said, sitting up. "Can I answer, Jakob?" Janine turned to the boy, who nodded.
"You, Tara, have two mommies because Bonnie and I are in love. Like your mommy and your daddy, Jakob, but Bonnie and I are both women. That's the only thing that is different. We wanted a little boy or girl, but we had to do it a little differently than your mommy and daddy did. But Bonnie and I love Tara very much. And that's all that matters in a family, right?"
Jakob nodded. Then he turned to his mother, "Mommy, can I take Tara to the playroom?"
That eased up the tension that had built up.
"If it's okay with her mommies," Adrienne said.
"Go, play, have fun. Just be safe," Bonnie said. At that, the three kids disappered.
"I'm sorry if Jakob offended you guys in any way," Adie said, still looking thoroughly uncomfortable.
"No, honestly, it's better that he did ask," Janine said as she lay her head back on her partner's shoulder.
"I'd have been worried if he didn't. It's natural. 'Nine and I aren't the norm. He's curious and honest," Bonnie said, taking another sip of her beer.
"Want another? Or something stronger... I think I've got some Jack Daniels, maybe some Wild Turkey 101 somewhere in there," Billie Joe offered, getting up to get himself another beer.
"I want to say yes, but no. Just a soda, if you don't mind," Bonnie answered.
"Anybody else, while I'm up?"
"None for me," Janine said. Mike asked for another and Tre as well. Adie asked for a bottled water.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, how long have you two been together?" Mike asked.
"Fifteen years almost," Bonnie said, "15 years on February 10th."
"Wow," Tre said, whistling in awe. "15 years. Nice. Amazing."
"Amazing indeed," Janine whispered, snuggling in closer. "I couldn't love anyone half as much as I love Bonnie."
"I know the feeling - Adie's the best thing to happen to me," Billie Joe said, as he planted a kiss on his wife's forhead, before handing out the various drinks.
"So, um, how'd you two meet?" Tre asked, as he opened his beer.
"A mutual friend, a gay guy, set us up," Janine said. "I was just 18, just out since I was 16, and Bonnie was newly single, 19, and looking for a girly-girl. Well, if there is anything I can be labeled as, it's girly. We met, dated casually for a while, but by the time I was 20, Bonnie 21, we knew that we wanted to be together forever. And shortly after that - what, two years into it? - we decided to start planning to have a child."
Bonnie elaborated, "It was expensive, and there were some complications, but it was worth all of it. Tara is our life."
"Uh huh," all agreed as they thought of their own children.
"To our kids," Billie Joe said, raising his beer in a toast.
"Our kids," the rest chorused, raising their respective drinks.
"Bonnie? It's Adrienne Armstrong, Billie Joe's wife. You met him this afternoon? I'm sorry to call at this hour, but Billie said you might be able to offer some support..."
"Oh, yeah... what's wrong?" Bonnie said, running her fingers through her hair as she sat on the couch.
"I'm sure it's nothing, but Jakob's been throwing up a lot since earlier today. I've tried calling doctors, but they all say it's normal. But I don't care about normal so much as I just... I don't know... It's hard to explain to him why something that's supposed to be making him better is making him sick. Billie's sitting up with him now, and I just panicked. I could've waited I guess."
"No, it's okay. I wish I could tell you exactly what to say." Bonnie began to pace the living room. "I remember all too well when Tara looked up at me after getting up at like 2 one morning and throwing up after a treatment. She was six at the time. I was up with her, giving Janine a break and she just looked at me. 'Bonnie, am I gonna be sick everytime I get my medicine? 'Cause if I am, I don't want it anymore.' It broke my heart. I took her in my arms and held her, I said something to the extent that sometimes something bad has to happen before something good can happen. Listen, I know it's gonna be tough for a while, and trust me, there are so many questions that he will have. You've got to answer them as honestly as you can. And if you can't, tell him so. He's young, but he will understand," Bonnie said, flopping back into the couch.
"Thanks," Adrienne said, then sounding like she wasn't sure she should say what she said next, but she did anyway. "Um, this might be odd, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the receptionist earlier and I am truly sorry that they wouldn't let you back there."
"Don't worry. It's how society is," Bonnie said, stifling a yawn. "I'm used to it."
"I'm sorry for calling so late, truly," Adrienne said, "I'll let you get back to bed. I just panicked. "
"No problem, call anytime. I'm glad to help," Bonnie said. They exchanged 'good night's, and Adrienne gave both her cell number and Billie Joe's with the invite to "call us up sometime and let's get together."
Bonnie took the numbers down, added them to her phone, and climbed back into bed, chalking that incident up as a one-time thing that wouldn't lead to much.
***
Bonnie was understandably shocked therefore, when she recieved a call a few weeks later from Billie Joe. The inner Green Day fan in her wanted to come jumping out, but she squished it back.
"Um, hi?" Bonnie said, immediatley becoming embarrassed at the squeak in her voice.
"Hi, Bonnie. I just wanted to thank you for helping Adie with what to tell Jakob. He got another a treatment last week and is doing much better. He's got a long way to go and every treatment leaves him nauseous, but the doctors are seeing positive things," Billie Joe started.
Bonnie just murmered an "Uh-huh" and nodded, though she knew he couldn't see her. There was a point to this, somewhere.
"Anyway, Adie and I were wondering if you wanted to come over with Janine and Tara for a dinner Saturday night. Mike and Tre are coming over too. It won't be anything fancy, probably just pizza or something. Maybe Chinese. It's not important. Anyway, would you be willing to come?"
"Um, sure... I'm pretty sure there isn't anything going on. For now, count us in. Should we bring anything?"
"I don't think so. The details aren't really hammered down yet."
"Okay. What time?"
"Eight-ish? Like I said, I'll call you when the details get straightened out. I've gotta go, Tre's on the other line."
"Okay, talk to you later," Bonnie said, hanging up her phone. That's when her inner fan girl showed up. Squealing like a 16-year-old, which much belied her 36 years. She ran into the kitchen where Janine was fixing lunch. "Guess who just called me?"
"Who?" Janine asked, putting the knife down from slicing tomatoes for a salad. When Bonnie got excited, it must have been something great. Bonnie was a very stoic person.
"Billie Joe fucking Armstrong. I gave him my cell number a few weeks ago, when we met at the Children's Hospital of Oakland, in case he wanted advice or support. And Adrienne called later that day, to ask about what to tell Jakob about the side-effects. And long story short, Billie Joe just called up and invited all of us to a casual dinner thing Saturday night." Bonnie spat out her story in two breaths. Janine blinked in astonishment.
"No way," she whispered.
"Yes way," Bonnie said.
Janine threw her arms around her lover. The two jumped around like teenage girls, forgetting the sleeping 10-year-old in the next room, only to be brought back to reality by a tiny voice calling, "Mommy, what's going on?"
"Nothing, Mommy and Bonnie are just acting silly," Janine called back.
***
"Baby, I'm sure your hair is fine. Look, it's just gonna be something casual," Bonnie called through the bathroom door, trying to hide her impatience.
"It was fine until you told me that it's not only Billie Joe, but Mike and Tre as well," Janine called back, sounding frantic.
"Janine, it's pizza and Chinese in the Armstrongs' family room. Trust me, nobody will care what your hair looks like. Forget about the rock star thing for a moment. We're a bunch of thirty-somethings getting together for dinner, maybe a few beers. Our daughter is going over to hang out with the two Armstrong boys. That is all. Yes, it's cool. It's something to tell your friends. But at the core, it's just a get-together. Now please, we're gonna be late."
Bonnie was desperate. Here it was, quarter to 8, the Armstrong house was 20 minutes away, Janine had been in there 25 minutes, where it had only taken Bonnie 15 minutes to get ready. Her hair was shorter since the first time she had met Billie Joe, and all it took in the way of preperation was some gel. She'd slipped on a pair of brown pants that had pink pinstripes and a light pink button down three-quarter length sleeve shirt. A pair of brown sandals completed the look.
Janine came out the bathroom just then and Bonnie immediatly thanked God that she got to share her life with this woman. Her dirty blond hair, normally worn in a ponytail was swept up in a twist with a few natural waves falling free. She wore just enough lipstick, a wine color, to play up her relatively thin lips. Her eye shadow was a light shimmery silver, which seemed to compliment her light blue eyes. She wore a faint peach blush. Her outfit consitsted of hip-hugger jeans and a light blue tank top with a built in bra and a white denim jacket over it. She made her way to the living room where her sandals sat waiting. Tara sat on the couch, flipping through a Twist magazine. Her hair now was gone and she wore a printed scarf, this one oddly enough rainbow. She wore jeans, and despite the warm weather, a long sleeved purple shirt.
"Ready to go, baby girl?" Bonnie asked, grabbing the keys off the hook by the door. Tara nodded and hopped up off the couch.
***
"Hi. Bonnie, right?" Adrienne greeted the short-haired woman. "And you're Janine, and this must be Tara. Come in, the pizza just got here, and the Chinese is being kept warm in the oven." Adrienne stepped aside, allowing the ladies to step inside, and guided them to the family room, where Joey and Jakob were chasing each other around with plastic lightsabers.
Tara looked up at Janine. "Momma, can I play too?"
"After dinner, maybe." Janine said, eyeing around her with awe. This was heaven for her. And Bonnie too, though she held her amazement better, as they both looked around. Being this close to a band they both agreed was one of the best ever, in such an intimate setting, was too awesome and dreamlike for words. Sitting on the couch, beer in hand, was Mike, watching Tre and Billie Joe playing SIMS for playstation. Well, Billie was playing, Tre was yelling out suggestions. Ridiculous suggestions.
"Boys, put away your toys, it's dinner time. That goes for you too, dear," Adie said, pointedly, coming over and taking the controller out of her husband's hands.
"Aww, Adie, come on baby, let me play a little longer. My guy was about to get a promotion," Billie Joe whined.
"That's what the save button is for. We've got company. Be a decent host," Adie said.
Billie Joe reluctantly saved his game and got up, helping Tre up along the way.
Adrienne went to set the food out in an informal buffet of sorts, and after a few moments of awkwardness, things started to ease up when Joey said to Tara, "I like your hair scarf. It's neat."
"Thanks. It's my favorite. I've got a whole collection back home," Tara said.
With those statements, all the awkwardness of the rock star/fan dynamic melted away. They were, as Bonnie had suggested to ease her partner's worried mind, just a bunch of thirty-somethings getting together with their children. The ice was officially broken, so when Adrienne called that dinner was ready, it was like all were friends. They all grabbed at the odd mix and took paper plates to back to the family room. As they all sat around in various places - eating, drinking--soda for the kids, beer for the adults--- talking, and laughing, especially at Tre's antics, Jakob asked a question that seemed to stop time.
Turning innocently to Tara, who was sitting on the floor beside Bonnie, who had Janine's head laying on her shoulder, the youngest Armstrong asked, "Tara, why do you have two mommies and no daddy?" The room froze. Absolutely froze.
"Jakob!" Billie Joe hissed, embarresed that his son had said something that could offend his guests.
"No, it's okay. Really," Janine said, sitting up. "Can I answer, Jakob?" Janine turned to the boy, who nodded.
"You, Tara, have two mommies because Bonnie and I are in love. Like your mommy and your daddy, Jakob, but Bonnie and I are both women. That's the only thing that is different. We wanted a little boy or girl, but we had to do it a little differently than your mommy and daddy did. But Bonnie and I love Tara very much. And that's all that matters in a family, right?"
Jakob nodded. Then he turned to his mother, "Mommy, can I take Tara to the playroom?"
That eased up the tension that had built up.
"If it's okay with her mommies," Adrienne said.
"Go, play, have fun. Just be safe," Bonnie said. At that, the three kids disappered.
"I'm sorry if Jakob offended you guys in any way," Adie said, still looking thoroughly uncomfortable.
"No, honestly, it's better that he did ask," Janine said as she lay her head back on her partner's shoulder.
"I'd have been worried if he didn't. It's natural. 'Nine and I aren't the norm. He's curious and honest," Bonnie said, taking another sip of her beer.
"Want another? Or something stronger... I think I've got some Jack Daniels, maybe some Wild Turkey 101 somewhere in there," Billie Joe offered, getting up to get himself another beer.
"I want to say yes, but no. Just a soda, if you don't mind," Bonnie answered.
"Anybody else, while I'm up?"
"None for me," Janine said. Mike asked for another and Tre as well. Adie asked for a bottled water.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, how long have you two been together?" Mike asked.
"Fifteen years almost," Bonnie said, "15 years on February 10th."
"Wow," Tre said, whistling in awe. "15 years. Nice. Amazing."
"Amazing indeed," Janine whispered, snuggling in closer. "I couldn't love anyone half as much as I love Bonnie."
"I know the feeling - Adie's the best thing to happen to me," Billie Joe said, as he planted a kiss on his wife's forhead, before handing out the various drinks.
"So, um, how'd you two meet?" Tre asked, as he opened his beer.
"A mutual friend, a gay guy, set us up," Janine said. "I was just 18, just out since I was 16, and Bonnie was newly single, 19, and looking for a girly-girl. Well, if there is anything I can be labeled as, it's girly. We met, dated casually for a while, but by the time I was 20, Bonnie 21, we knew that we wanted to be together forever. And shortly after that - what, two years into it? - we decided to start planning to have a child."
Bonnie elaborated, "It was expensive, and there were some complications, but it was worth all of it. Tara is our life."
"Uh huh," all agreed as they thought of their own children.
"To our kids," Billie Joe said, raising his beer in a toast.
"Our kids," the rest chorused, raising their respective drinks.
