stories from the city; damon albarn

2006 pt 1

The next time she saw him it was 2006 at the Grammy's. Her three kids, yes, Chloe and Ewan had somehow managed to have another one, they were at home- eyes miraculously still open and watching the television for their mother and grandfather. Well except for the baby. Her husband was off biking around the world, as Ewan McGregor had started filming his second trip with Charley Boorman. This time it was going to be called The Long Way Down.

She'd managed to get ahold of him over the phone earlier in the day, chatting about the kids and everything. But beyond that, and the friendly nature the two had shared, their words felt empty. It was as if the glue that normally held the pair together had simply evaporated as of late. Part of that could be seen as Chloe found herself pulling more away from her own work, especially as her style of photography, the candid shots that had dominated the late 90's and Cool Britannia had faded from popularity.

And Ewan McGregor was growing more engrossed with his projects than he had ever been. Someone who had been so anti Hollywood had let their career blister and grow in the past couple of years.

But perhaps that was an unfair judgement of his character.

Ewan McGregor still doted on his family, called whenever he could, spent hours and thousands of dollars on his family and loved them to shreds. But he couldn't help but feel more pressed to do things considered larger than life. And he didn't know what to do with those feelings.

So while the couple was separated for months on end, relying on calls and what not, they didn't really seem to miss one another as much, but instead seemed to dread the idea of coming back as one again.

But tonight Chloe had shoved the thought to the back of her head, she'd accompanied her father to the Grammy's since she was already located in LA- and her mother was sick. So, naturally, Chloe had managed to be her father's choice.

As the two walked down the carpet in front of them, the pair posing for the photos, occasionally stopping to talk with whatever press had managed to make themselves appear at the awards- Chloe found herself looking around anxiously.

It wasn't just that she felt so unnerved being in front of the stupid fucking cameras. It was that she was keeping her eyes peeled.

She found herself stuck in an interview with Entertainment Tonight on the far end of the carpet, carefully looking down at her father chatting with someone from Rolling Stone, it was quite a dull chat as well. None of the questions were particularly interesting or had anything to do with what she found remotely entertaining.

"Your husband is out filming the second of his motorcycle journeys, how hard is that on your family dynamic?" the woman has asked her

She'd laughed politely before saying "Our eldest girls are used to it, with Ewan having work and all. But they get to talk to him whenever he can, and well, we're just all excited for him to come home."

"Have you ever thought of going along with him? Taking photos?"

"Unfortunately I'm not a big motorcycle person. He's tried getting me to go on rides with him, to be quite frank I find it horrifying."

The woman laughs before looking down the carpet and grinning a little bit.

"Anyone you're excited to see tonight?"

"I'm not sure who alls performing, but I'm sure it'll be-"

"Madonna, Gorillaz and a few others I believe." 

Her smile doesn't falter before Chloe makes the excuse to saunter off in the direction of her father, who was now chatting up someone entirely different.

"Hello Sweets, have you met Jamie Hewlett before?" He asks, pulling her into a hug "I believe you have a few mutual friends." He murmurs before gesturing towards the man in front of her.

The name sounded familiar. She just couldn't place it.

"Not sure, however, it's a pleasure." She shakes his hand, a distraught look following, as she tried to subtly look around the room.

"I've heard a lot from Damon about you. Good things though. Don't have to worry about that."

She freezes, coming back down to earth and staring at him, "You know Damon?"

"Known him forever. Way back in the 90's. Think you and I might've even crossed paths at a party once or twice too." He shrugs

"Jamie here is the other part of Gorillaz." Maxis says proudly, clapping the man on the back. "It's quite a brilliant project. Honestly I grow more impressed every time I see and hear more."

The artist. Of course.

"Of course, so sorry to have forgotten. You know how things were then, lot more acid in the air." She says quickly, not even caring that she was in her father's company.

He laughs before shrugging it off.

"Is he here? Damon?" She asks curiously

"Currently he's giving an interview. Bastard press and all. But I'll send him over to you when he's finished. Hope you two have a good night." And with that, he was off.

Maxis smirks a little bit "I didn't know you were still friends with Damon Albarn."

"I'm not. Haven't spoken to him in ages. Thought I should say hello though. Tell him that Ewan and I bought his new record."

Maxis looks at his daughter strangely before sighing "I'm going inside. See you later."