Afterglow || Tommy Lee

27. Sun in Venus, Moon And Stars

Malibu California, October 3 2002

"No he has no idea... no... uh huh... ok... text me when you're here... ok... no, I know he's gonna freak out... ok... ok yea, ok bye,"

It was Tommy's 40th birthday and I had planned a bit of a surprise for him here at home. I had been planning it for a couple of weeks and I had asked Lizzy if she could help me. Needless to say she was all for it when I told her my surprise. I can't wait until tonight. I invited everyone that I could think of, Jerry Cantrell, Phil Anselmo, Matt Sorum, Gilby Clark Nikki of course and so many more of Tommy's friends (and my friends too) that are far too many to name here.

I was excited. Scared out of my wits but excited and you'll see what I mean later.

As I hang up the phone with her, setting the handset down on the kitchen counter, I make myself a drink - a Jack and Coke of course. Once I finish, I suddenly hear some music become increasingly loud bellowing from the living room. I take my drink and make my way out of the kitchen, taking a sip as I walk down the foyer, passed the framed photos that hung on the wall of him and I from the photo shoot with Guitar One, then into the living room and see Tommy laying on his back on the floor in front of the sound system, near the massive subwoofer, in his red adidas track pants with the classic white stripes down the side and a plain white fitted tank top, his eyes closed and the incredible rumble of the bass filling the entire room.

I still had no idea what exactly was playing but it was something I had never heard before. It was melodic but incredibly atmospheric, confusing yet trance-like, slow and smooth. I was afraid to say anything because I didn't want to ruin what he was feeling. I know exactly that feeling when the music takes you on a journey and makes you lay down on the floor wanting to feel it more than just hear it.

I take another sip of my drink, then set it down on the coffee table in front of the large sectional couch, step over to where he was laying, looking so incredibly adorable as he lays there so peacefully, only slightly moving to a rhythm that only he can pick out. I slowly crouch down and without saying a word, move to lay down beside him, laying on my back and look up at the ceiling, listening to the sounds, the feeling of the low end through the floor and letting the music take over. I then close my eyes for a few moments but then I feel him look at me and I glance back at him, his dark eyes instantly connecting with mine.

"Who is this?" I ask. He looks at me confused for a second, then reaches for the stereo remote.

"What?" He asks with a chuckle, turning the stereo down.

"What's playing?" I giggle.

"It's um, Sigur Ros. They're like this atmospheric experimental band from Iceland. Fuckin' trippy right?" He smiles at me.

"Yea..." I say and I close my eyes again hearing him turn the music back up and I lay there with him, letting the music take me to wherever it wanted to. Then what seemed like only seconds that passed by, the music stopped and I opened my eyes again.

"How is it that you totally and completely just get me?" Tommy says looking up at the ceiling once the music had ended.

"What do you mean?" I chuckle.

"Like, you weren't like, weirded out or anything when you found me here on the floor, just trippin' the fuck out on tunes," He says and he turns to look at me.

"Was I supposed to be weirded out?" I giggle and he laughs.

"No, like there was this one time - 'this one time at band camp' -" He jokes in a mocking tone and I laugh. Then he continues as he looks back up at the ceiling, "...this one girl I was dating, long before you obviously... and I uh, put on that album while we were having dinner here, just me and her and I don't remember how it happened but like after we finished eating, I came out here with my drink while it was still playing and I had to lay down on the floor, right here and just... I don't know, lose myself in it. It totally took me on another trip, like another space and time, I couldn't even explain it. It was like I left my body. I didn't even know what was happening anymore. Then she like, found me here just like you did and asked me if I was alright... I tried to explain it to her but she totally got all weirded out and had to turn it off cause I guess I freaked her out or something, I don't know,"