Listen To Your Heart ~ Book One.

Blowback Part One

(Valerie's cell phone rings.)

"That's Irving calling...hold on...hello?"

(Valerie talks for a while, and I can tell by the expression on her face that the news isn't good.)

"Irving wants to talk to you."

(I take the cell phone from Valerie.)

"Hello? Yes...I realize I should've kept my mouth shut...but...I've got a right to speak my own opinion, don't I? A WHAT!?...no way, FUCK that bitch! FINE! Yes...I'll take care of it...yep...uh-huh...Goodbye."

(I hand Valerie her phone back.)

"He thinks you should apologize to Ellen?"

"Yea."

"But I can tell by your expression, that you disagree?"

"Doesn't matter what I think. Boss man said if I don't apologize to Ellen, she'd press slander charges. Fuckin bitch...who does she think she is?"

"I'm sorry, David."

"For what? Like I told the boss man...I'll take care of it. Thanks for coming to the show."

(I grab my motorcycle keys off the table.)

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"David..."

"What? I said I'd apologize to Ellen. I never said when..."

(I go to leave the hotel room. Right when I get to the door, Billie shows up. I go to walk around her, but she blocks my path.)

"Where are you going? We need to talk!"

"We've hardly spoken in four months, Billie...and NOW you want to fuckin' talk?"

"You owe me an explanation as to what the hell happened on the Ellen show! Ellen's a personal friend of mine...and for you to treat her like you did is un-acceptable and un-professional!"

"Fuck you and fuck Ellen! I'm not gonna sit on anybody's show and be judged by them! You bitched and moaned about being made 'to look stupid' on the Jimmy Kimmel show, when you couldn't name a Van Halen. Tell me, do you know who a Van Halen is now? I don't think you do, since you haven't spent any time alone with me in four months!"

(I try to go around her again, but she crosses her arms and blocks my path. I feel my anger reach its breaking point. Valerie comes to the door.)

"Billie...let him go."

(Billie glares at me. She sees the anger in my eyes, so she steps aside. I push past her, and head towards the elevator. Billie looks at Valerie.)

"Why did you tell me to let him go, after the shit he pulled earlier today?"

"He's already been told about it. He's angry. You can't talk to him while he's angry."

"He's angry? If he would've let me handle things like he was told too, this shit wouldn't have happened!"

(Valerie sits down on the sofa. She hugs David's blue, white and black Frankenstein guitar in her arms.) "He asked me to take the guitar back."

"He what...but why?"

"Maybe I was wrong, Billie. Maybe David doesn't belong in the spotlight. I thought he'd be happy, making music and performing...but..." (Her voice trails off.)

"But he's not?"

"No... he says he hasn't felt right since the tour started. He misses you, Billie."

"But we're together! We see one another during shows."

"And the last time the two of you had any alone time has been four months ago?"

"I've been busy! So has he! He knows that I miss him holding me!"

"Did you tell him that?"

"Well...no... but..."