Jojo: Your mother just showed up at my shower!!!!! WTF??
I don’t even know what to think, or why Bianca would just show up at the baby shower. Hell, I didn’t even tell her we’re adopting a baby.
I don’t know what to say. I didn’t tell her about the baby or the shower.
As soon as I hit send, a conversation bubble pops up so I wait to see what Josie has to say. Whatever needs to be done around the club can wait a few more minutes. My wife – my family – comes first.
Jojo: MY MOTHER invited her. My own freaking mother!!!! Because why? Who knows??? It’s not like she doesn’t know how your mother has treated me all these years.
I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I had a relationship with my mother, I’d call her and ask her to leave, but I don’t. At best, we’re cordial if and when I bump into her at the bank or when she visits Noah. What baffles me is why my mother-in-law would invite Bianca to Josie’s shower knowing their history. I really don’t know what to say to my wife that can change the situation.
I’m sorry, babe. Talk to your mom calmly & find how why she invited Bianca. I love you. I’ll call you tonight.
I feel good telling her that I’ll call her tonight. The first time I was in this club I left with a chick who just musically rocked my world. Josie was the farthest thing from my mind, until later that night when she finally called and I listened to her tell me how much she hated me, how I ruined her life. If she had just said she was pregnant, my life would’ve been different. Her voicemail killed me, and if I kept hearing her voice I was going to cave and go back home. As much as I loved her, I needed to find myself. I needed to prove that I could be someone other than who my father groomed me to be.
I also remember my first night in Metro. The same night I earned the nickname Liam the Virgin. It has nothing to do with my sexuality, but the fact that I had never been in a green room before. I must’ve stared at the posters on the walls for hours, fanboying at all the acts that had come through these doors.
I used to stare at the door, opening and closing as the people came in in droves, racing to be at the front of the stage. I stood by, off to the side, watching in awe. That night I decided on a goal: One day, I would be up on this stage, with this crowd, singing to them. They would be chanting my name, singing my lyrics and begging me for more. That’s what they did with… Layla.
I turn and stare at the stage and picture Layla with her honey colored-eyes, red hair and infectious smile staring back at me. That girl knew what she wanted and how to get it. As much as Layla was a mistake, she changed the game for me. She gave me what I needed even if I didn’t know it at the time. She was my first after Josie and one I’ll never forget, but undoubtedly should.
Pressing my home button again, the screen lights up with a picture of my wife. The girl turned woman who I have loved since I was fifteen. I never stopped loving her, not once did I ever tell another woman that I loved them because they could never compare to Josie. I think about her being at home and dealing with my mother and wonder what the fuck it is that I’m doing here. JD and Harrison could’ve easily done all the extras that need to be done for the fundraiser and I could’ve flown in right before the gig.
But no, I had to be here and knew Josie would understand. This is the business side of our lives and it’s not something we can just fix in the studio. The band, as a whole, needs to pound the pavement, drum up some support and make sure that Metro is back on top - or that, at the very least, it goes out with a bang.
I love you
I send Josie those three words one more time before pocketing my phone. Taking a look around the club, I notice pictures need to be straightened, so that’s where I start. We’re not here to clean, but apparently that’s what Trixie needs from us right now. JD is sweeping and Harrison is stocking the bar. We’re all doing grunt work.
“Doesn’t she have staff?” I yell out to anyone who wants to answer.
“You dumbass,” Harrison says. “She’s closed! Don’t you remember she used to give her staff the day off and she’d come in and clean?”
I pause and look at Harrison, wondering why the hell he insisted on being here today.
“Did you tell her we’d clean the club?”
He smiles and continues to put away the clean glasses.
“Rat bastard,” I mumble to myself as I straighten picture after picture. I’m starting to doubt that her normal staff actually cleans, unless the crowd just got rowdy last night. I’m about to give up and call someone to come and do this for us – I love my maid, Linda, she never makes me clean – when someone knocks on the door.
“I’ll get it,” I say, already bored with working. I push the door open and before I can say anything I’m holding an armful of Layla who is squealing in delight.