Chapter 2
Pete woke before Mike and started on his packing. They needed to be at the airport in a few hours to check in for their flight. They hadn’t got in too late last night after spending the evening with Mike’s mom and family. He liked Mrs. Nesmith, but Mike’s Uncle Ron was something else. He’d done his best to try to show Mike’s mom how wrong he thought the guys’ relationship was, and Peter wondering if she was thinking about what Ron had said.
Charlie, Mike’s cousin, had told them both just to ignore what Ron was saying, and not to worry as they’d hardly be seeing him again unless they came to her wedding, which Mike had already said they wouldn’t be attending.
When he’d finished, he sat in the chair beside the bed and pulled his book from his bag to start reading, but he couldn’t concentrate with the other thoughts going through his mind, and more so about what Mike had said to his uncle.
Mike woke up and glanced over at Pete who was at the window, looking out into the street below. “Morning, Pete,” he said as he sat up.
“Morning.” Pete sat beside him on the bed. “You sleep well.”
“Yes, thanks. Sorry we didn’t… I was tired and a bit worked up. Uncle Ron gets to me like that. Sorry you had to see it, but at least we don’t need to see him again.”
“How was your mom when you talked to her afterward? Did what he said bother her?”
“She seemed okay about everything…the grandchildren mention hurt a little, I think, but Sam and Charlie will be around with their families for her to fuss over.”
“Michael, did you mean what you said to him though?”
“What, about children, Pete? I’m not sure what to say—how could we have children? You’ve got your niece and nephew nearby at least. If there was a way, it would be cool, I guess.”
“Okay…”
“Pete, we can talk about this when we get back home. We need to get some breakfast. I’ll get dressed and when we’ve had that, we need to pack.”
“I’ve been awake a while and already done mine.”
Mike dressed and they went and ate. Mike packed and his mom came to take them to the airport. It was only about a twenty-minute journey. They all said their goodbyes.
Mrs. Nesmith hugged them both. “Look after each other and keep in touch regularly with me, son.”
She whispered in his ear, “I like Peter and I’m happy for both of you, son. I love you.” She walked over to Pete “Have a safe flight, and look after Mike for me, please.”
“Of course I will, Mrs. Nesmith. It was nice to meet you.” Pete gave her a big hug.
They were soon checked in, and sat in Departures waiting for their flight to be called for boarding. “Have you enjoyed Texas, Pete?” Mike asked.
“Yeah, it’s different to what I’m used to, but it was nice to meet your mom. She’s a nice lady.”
“She told me that she approves of you, and wants us to be happy together, but how can she not like you? You’re the easiest-going person I’ve ever met. One of the reasons why I love you,” Mike said.
“You heard her tell me to look after you—that was nice of her. We’ll take care of each other.”
The flight home wasn’t the best. They hit a little turbulence that freaked Pete out a bit, but Mike took his hand and calmed him down until they’d passed through it. Luckily it wasn’t too long and the plane landed on time. After they got their luggage and went out of the terminal, they soon found Micky waiting for them in the Monkeemobile.
“Hi, Mike, Pete—you both have a good time?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Mike replied before he nervously continued, “How’s everything been back home? We haven’t missed much, have we? And how’ve you two been with Coco?”
“There’s nothing for you to be worrying about, Mike. Everything’s well cool, nothing much to report. Coco seems happy with us and hasn’t bossed us around too much.” Micky laughed.
“Well I think I’ll wait to see what she says…she hasn’t left Davy alone, has she?” Mike asked him as they were pulling up at the pad not much later.
“No, she’s still there. Said she’d go after you got back,” Micky answered him. “Davy’s there too.”
Mike and Pete put their bags in their room. Pete stayed in to unpack his, but Mike came out to have a word with Coco. “You haven’t had any trouble from either of these, have you?” he asked, looking from Micky and Davy.
“No, things have been fine. The three of us even played a set at the club on Saturday night. It was their idea, so not to let Ronnie down and still earn some money,” she replied. “Did you two have a good time in Texas?”
“Yes, thanks we did. That’s good to hear about the gig—nice of you to think of that guys.”
“Davy and I played last night too. It went quite well, but people loved hearing Coco sing! You ought to do it more often you know, sis.”
“Thanks, Micky, but college is fine for me now. I’m gonna go home—no doubt see you guys around. By the way, Ronnie says can you call her when you can.”
“Okay. Thanks again for everything. Yeah, I’ll give her a ring later.” He stared at the younger two. “Did everything go all right last night?” he asked, looking worried.
“We had no complaints from the crowd. I even got a few phone numbers and got a couple of possible dates lined up too,” Davy said.
“Okay, then good. I’m gonna go and unpack and see what Pete’s up to.” Mike left the others alone and went off to his bedroom, finding Pete sitting on the bed, putting some things into his bedside table.
“I’ve left these things out for the others, the chocolate and gifts.” Pete pointed to them.
“Coco says things have been good while we’ve been away—the guys even played the gigs at The Dive, which was good of them.” Mike put away the last of his things in the drawers and closet.
“You ought to trust them more often, don’t you think, Mike? They aren’t kids, you know?”
“I can’t help reacting the way I do. They get into enough trouble when we’re around—remember the fight at the club recently, Davy and those two girls? We don’t need anything like that happening here in the pad, and Babbit finding out and threatening to kick us out.”
“Well at least we’re plenty in advance with the rent with Gran paying so much to him when Annie was staying here. We should be okay, money-wise though, shouldn’t we?”
“Yeah the Dive pays pretty well, and you put some of your piano gig money to help us. I’m saving it up for when we need it. It’s hidden away where no one can find it, locked up, in fact,” Mike replied.
They were interrupted by Micky knocking at their door. “Come on in,” Mike shouted.
“Guys, my mom just called, inviting us all round for the afternoon. Me and Davy are up for it—do you two wanna come too? We’ll get an early dinner. She says she’ll cook for us?”
Mike looked over at Pete, and he nodded to Micky. “I guess that’s a yes from us then. We’ll get changed and we’ll be out in a few.”
Less than an hour later, Mike pulled the Monkeemobile up outside Mrs. Dolenz’s house. Gina and Debbie were outside playing at the side of the house on some swings but when they saw the guys get out of the car, they came running straight over and dived on Micky.
Mrs. Dolenz came outside. “Girls. leave your brother alone. Go back and play. Hello, boys, please come on inside. Would any of you like a drink? Micky, come and help me in the kitchen.”
She gave Micky a tray with cups, milk, cream and sugar on for him to take through to the others in the living room and followed him with a coffee and teapot. “We have some soda if any of you would prefer a cold drink.” Mike poured him and Micky a coffee each, and Pete and Davy had tea. Mrs. Dolenz went back to the kitchen and came back with a plate full of cookies. “Help yourself to these.”
“Thanks, mom.” Micky grabbed a few of the chocolate cookies, as did Davy.
“So how have things been going for you all? I hear the club gigs are going well for you. Oh and I heard you and a woman on the radio last week, Mike. What was that all about?”
“I was just helping out an old friend from back home in Texas. I played with her a few times. She’s going to be going off on tour soon. I could have joined her but turned it down. If I tour with anyone, I want it to be with these guys.”
“That’s nice, Mike. I spoke to Coco on the phone on Friday. I called to speak to Micky, but she answered, and said she was babysitting Micky and Davy while you took Pete to Texas to meet your mom. You should persuade my Micky…I want to meet this new girlfriend of his.”
“I didn’t want to leave them alone, and we only went away for a few days,” Mike answered.
“Mom, I’d bring her to visit you, but you’d just get out all the photo albums and embarrass me! If you promise to keep them in the cupboard, I will fetch her to meet you.”
“That’s a shame but okay, son. I heard you met her parents, and they own a restaurant downtown…why don’t we all get together and have a joint family meal? That would be nice! You could bring the other three along! Is Gemma okay with you being a musician?”
“Yes, mom, she is. She comes to all our gigs, and the guys like her too.”
“Mrs. Dolenz, Gemma is a really nice young woman. I’m sure you’ll like her. She really seems to care for Micky too. They make a good couple.”
“He fell for a more shy, quiet chick instead. She’s different to all his past birds,” Davy stated.
“She sounds nice! So for you, I’ll do what you want and I promise I won’t embarrass you. How about we have a meal on Friday and you invite her to come with you?”
“Okay, mom, I’ll do that. I’ll call her tomorrow,” Micky replied, grabbing a few more cookies.
“Micky, don’t eat too much and spoil your appetite before we have dinner. It won’t be too long before it’ll be ready,” his mom scolded him.
“Mom, I’ll still be able to eat dinner as well. I love your cooking. Just watch me eat it all up.”
“He eats so much, Mrs. Dolenz, but we’re not sure where he puts it all, because he’s so skinny. He never puts any weight on at all.” Davy looked from Micky to his mom.
“You can come and help me in the kitchen then, Micky. Actually, no, you can go and set the table ready for us to eat. Just for seven—your stepdad’s working late this evening.”
Micky, along with Davy who he persuaded to help him, soon had the table ready as his mom started bringing plates and dishes of food on the table. “Come sit down, boys, Debbie, Gina—help yourself to whatever you want. Micky, go and get a pitcher of water for us.”
Micky went off to the kitchen and came back with the water and also some juice for his two younger sisters, who were sitting either side of his mom. “Here you are. Have we got enough glasses?” he asked, as he looked around the table.
“Pete, there’s some cauliflower cheese I made for you with you not having meat.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Dolenz, it looks nice.” He found it and helped himself, along with vegetables.
“Mommy, can I have some cauliflower cheese? I don’t want to eat animals anymore.” Gina, Micky’s little sister, asked her mom.
“Okay, darling, if that’s what you want to do, go ahead. There’s plenty of other things to eat.” Mrs. Dolenz started plating various items up for Gina and passing her the food.
After they’d eaten the first course, Mrs. Dolenz brought out chocolate cake and cut everyone a slice and passed them around. “Theres also some whipped and ice cream if anyone wants some.”
As the others were finishing off eating, Mike asked Mrs, Dolenz if he could use her phone to make a quick call—he remembered Ronnie wanted him to call her. Ronnie asked if he and Pete had time to come see her and Vicky tonight.
Mrs. Dolenz waved them off with a box full of her homemade cookies, cakes and some soup they could heat up later. Micky loved how she always cooked or baked too much, but Mike was convinced she always did it deliberately, to make sure they ate properly.
On the drive back along the Strip to the club, they dropped Davy off to wait for his latest date, a chick from the club last night. Micky went to the Dive with them as he had no plans for the rest of the night and he stayed downstairs in the bar.
Mike and Pete went upstairs after seeing Ronnie. She told them she’d be up as soon as she could. Vicky was in the kitchen pouring some coffee. “Would either of you like a cup?”
Mike nodded and Pete declined so she got him a beaker of soda and they went to sit in their living room. “Ronnie shouldn’t be too long, I imagine.” She started to tidy up a little around them. “Did you hear about the gigs the others did over the weekend while you were away? Micky’s sister Coco is such a good singer.”
“They mentioned they played both nights…did everything go okay?” Mike asked, looking a little concerned about how she might answer, but Ronnie walked in and heard what he’d said.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting. Saturday went well, especially with Coco. I’ve offered her a few solo gigs if she’s interested, but last night we had another fight between a group of girls. This time it wasn’t all over Davy, but both of them. Micky sat up front with his snare so was a bit closer to the crowd and a couple of girls decided to try and get on stage with them.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Mike looked nervous, hoping this wouldn’t affect any future work.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry. I know it was a one-off. Poor Micky looked so scared! They had to run offstage quickly and hide. It was quite funny. The girls gave up after they noticed the guys had gone—they were like a couple of alley cats screaming and pulling each other’s hair.” Ronnie laughed.
“Well we can play on Wednesday and hopefully things will get back to normal, get Micky back behind his kit where he belongs, and Davy under control.” Mike took a sip of his coffee. “What did you want us to come see you about? You did mention something before we went away.”
Vicky spoke up first. “It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a good while now. We had a few disagreements along the way, didn’t we?” She smiled as she took Ronnie’s hand.
“Okay?” Pete asked looking between the two of them.
“Well we kind of need some help… We’ve made a really big decision. It’s something we’ve both thought long and hard about—Vicky and I want to start a family,” Ronnie said, smiling at Vicky.
“So how do we come into this? Why do you need to tell and talk to us about it?” Mike asked, looking puzzled.
“We need some help from friends we can trust, someone who’s dependable, decent, sensible and has good values, and we wondered if you could be that someone for us. We couldn’t decide who was going to be the mom, so we’ve decided to both try and hopefully we both get pregnant,” Vicky said to them looking a little nervous.
Mike looked at the girls then at Pete, who was looking a little worried and flushed.
“What do you want us do to for you?” Pete asked, taking Mike’s hand. “Because I couldn’t…well…”
“Oh no, Pete, we wouldn’t expect anything physical like that from you,” Vicky answered him, watching his breathing calming down.
“So exactly what do you expect, from either of us then?” Mike queried for both of them. “How are you wanting us to help in some way?”
Ronnie spoke up, glancing over at Vicky first, “Well we need someone to be a father to the baby or babies, as we can’t do it on our own, and as Vicky mentioned, we couldn’t think of anyone else better to ask.”
“We want to know if you’d be willing to be sperm donors for the both of us?” Vicky quickly asked.
Mike and Pete just sat there with open mouths and a look of sheer bewilderment on both their faces.