Afterglow || Tommy Lee

20. The Return Of The Cowboys From Hell

Arlington Texas, April 28 2002

"Holy shit babe, this is fuckin' awesome," Tommy says as we pull up to the iron cast gate to Vinny's house - ok more like mansion - to go over the details of the contract.

I had never been to Vinny's house before and man, it was insanely gorgeous and massive, almost twice the size of Tommy's house. The gate opens and the cab takes us up to the entrance, I pay the cab and we step out and we make our way up the steps of the cement porch to the front door. I stand at the front door, with my messenger bag slung over my shoulder, my curls down as usual and past my shoulders wearing low rise ripped jeans, my black and white Chuck Taylors that match Tommy's so well, and plain black fitted tank top. I catch the reflection of myself in the window and fix my curls, then look back at Tommy as he gives me a strange look.

"What?" I giggle.

"You alright?" He chuckles offering his charming smile wearing his usual ripped jeans and a white fitted tank top showing off his incredible tattoos with his necklaces laying perfectly against his chest.

"Yea, just... I'm fine," I giggle and then sigh, and ring the doorbell. A few minutes go by and as I wait for the door to open I could feel some reminisce of my nerves creeping up. Why does it always seem like forever when you're waiting for someone to open a door. Then I hear someone unlock the door and once it opens, I see Dime standing there in front of me, his curls everywhere, his beard now colored red and wearing a Kiss band shirt and ripped baggy jean shorts.

"Well, if it isn't sweet little Andi standin' at my brother's door," Dime says in that deep southern drawl of his.

"No, she actually ran the other way, you want me to get her?" I joke and Dime and Tommy laugh.

"Get over here," Dime laughs and grabs me, wrapping his arms around me in a huge hug. I felt so small as he held me swaying back and forth.

"Um, I'm sure you already know but, I brought Tommy too," I say when I pull away from him.

"Well hell yea... good to fuckin' see ya," Dime smiles at him.

"Fuck yea dude! Good to see you too," Tommy smiles and they grab each other in a brotherly hug.

"Well fuck, get the fuck in here guys," Dime says as he pulls away from Tommy patting him on the back. We step inside the foyer with gorgeous 20 foot ceilings, with incredible Texan decor as Dime walks away to the bar that is off to the side of the foyer.

"You have a bar right in the entranceway? What?" I giggle.

"Uh huh, well it's Vinny's house so yea he makes sure the place is stocked for whatever you need. We're kinda both like that," He says as he whips out a huge bottle of Crown. As soon as that bottle came out I knew what was in store.

I just can't remember if I ate anything yet this morning. Oh wait, yes I did.

He makes us some drinks as Tommy lights up a cigarette, then hands them to us and leads us down towards the back of the house and I take a sip feeling that sweet burn of that delicious whiskey. We finally end up at a door and when he leads us inside, it was gorgeous studio, with a control booth, recording room the whole bit on one side, then on the other side was like a lounge type of setting with large comfy couches, a bar against one wall and a small little stage with Vinny's Drums set up and a couple of Marshall stacks set up on either side.

Oh I should mention, there were a ton of people here too. There was Rita of course, Dime's girlfriend, a few other girls, probably for Vinny, Zakk Wylde, Dime's partner in crime and best friend who I met years ago on the Pantera tour and had become close with just like Dime, Sully Erna from Godsmack, who I have yet to meet, Max Cavelera from Sepultura and I thought I might faint considering how much I fucking love him - them -but I had to play it cool of course.