"She's a red headed woman with a cigarette and evil in her eyes, she's a red headed woman with a cigarette that's her clever disguise." - Samson, Regina Spektor.
LA, mid 90s.
Diane Larkin is the lead singer of Garbage who, after a rather eventful li...
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"All right guys, I think that's enough for today. We have a lot of material to work on." Butch announced making everyone breathe a sigh of relief. "Thanks Universe! Does it mean I can go back to my house? To sleep in my bed?" Diane laughed at him, holding her hands clasped tightly to her chest before letting herself be embraced by the drummer who laughed along with her. "Finally, yes. We've worked hard, I can't wait to clean up the tracks and start fiddling."
Diane left the recording studio carrying her backpack with her essentials with which she lived for the past 3 weeks, she couldn't wait to go back to her house and laze on her bed for the next two days. Living with the band was difficult, above all because she didn't have her own space, it was impossible to do what she had to do; in fact, just when she exit the highway, she stopped in a large parking lot, in front of a supermarket that seemed abandoned if it wasn't for a lady who was leaving the building accompanied by two children. The redhead looked around and, after have been sure that she was alone, she took some powder with the nail of her pinkie and brought it to her nose, inhaling it with pleasure before placing her head on the seat's fake leather. She could finally enjoy that moment without the fear of being discovered by someone or with the anxiety that someone would understand that she was high. I'll drink tonight, I'll go to Claudia's tonight. She thought taking her wallet out of her purse before getting out of the car and running into the supermarket. She surely wouldn't have gone empty-handed, but in addition to a bag of cocaine she could have also brought a bottle of Jagermeister, maybe? When in doubt, she took both the amaro and a bottle of wine, just so as not to miss anything.
Entering the house she found Pat, Dave and two guitars in their arms. "Hey Eric, don't you think it's time to start paying the rent?" She asked wryly, setting the bottles down on the kitchen island. "Or at least start helping with the expenses... to survive, in fact." Pat laughed, putting the guitar down where he was sitting until a few seconds before and, still with his cigarette in his mouth, walked towards his friend, curious to see what she had brought home. "Just alcohol?" He asked in a serious tone, causing the singer to raise an eyebrow. "Foxy, you shouldn't have! Is that for me?" He asked her, pointing to the bottle of Jagermeister on the table. "This, my dear, is for tonight. I'll see Claudia, I don't know if you remember her..." She announced casually, observing their expressions that lit up within seconds. "How can I forget her? The crazy girl who roams any backstage of any band playing in Los Angeles and the surrounding area." The guitarist laughed before taking a drag from his cigarette, supporting the elbow of the arm with which he was holding his with the other. "But most of all, the one who rejected Dave Grohl from 1993 to the present, as well as being the bassist of the L7." Added the redhead, laughing with Pat and watching the grimace on the singer's face get uglier and uglier. "Hey! That's because she hasn't seen me yet this year." The dark-haired man has brought his hair behind his ears, closing his eyes and nodding smugly. "Yes, of course, anyway... I also got some Chinese for you beasts, I thought you would like to eat something serious, I'm sure you haven't had lunch." The two looked at the bags with dreamy eyes, each taking their own before heading to the table in front of the sofa, settling down again before starting to eat. "You are fantastic, Diane. Thank you." Pat smiled between bites. "No problem, I know you all too well by now." The home phone rang and the girl looked at the guitarist with a questioning air. "Oh yes! Your sister, I forgot to tell you." Diane ran to the phone, immediately picking up the receiver to bring it to her ear. "Here Diane, if it isn't my favorite sister I'll hang up." I laughed, leaning my back against the wall listening to the laughter on the other side of the line. "Who is it that has been bombarding you with calls? If it's still Tommy, I swear to you that I'll..." Her voice, hoarse and low, would recognize her among a thousand, her voice on all of her. "Joanie, no news of him since 92, it's okay." The call was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. "PAT!" She screamed, seeing him run after a few seconds to the front door. The one she didn't want to see in her house revealed himself with a broad smile on his lips, hugging her best friend and patting him on the back. Right after he looks at her, nodding his head and waving with his hand, before following the guitarist into the room where she hears Dave scream his name. "Diane? Did you understand what I said?" Joan's voice brought her back to earth, shaking her head to erase the image of the blond from the head. "I sent you tickets to go see Patti at the Whiskey." The redhead opened her mouth wide, stunned. Once a fangirl, always a fangirl. "PATTI SMITH?" She yelled into the phone, causing her sister to laugh again. "Yeah, fuck, the one and only. Anyway, I'll try to catch up with you. Tell Dave too, if you want. Pat's already covered, of course." That being said, after the last goodbyes they both hung up. Returning to the real world, Diane thought that in her living room, on her sofa, possibly eating her take-out, there was him. So she took a deep breath, opening her lungs wide before throwing everything out of her and heading to the next room. "Foxy, eat something with us. Remember Taylor?" The drummer looked at her smiling, it seemed like a genuine smile for her, before getting up to go towards her holding out his hand. "Diane, it's a pleasure to see you again."
She soon left the three downstairs to get ready. She had no set time, hadn't even gotten an invitation, but it wasn't necessary anyway. She had put on the Police's Zenyatta Mondatta, singing along with Sting as she prepared for the evening. At one point she heard someone clear her throat and, turning to her open room door, noticed Taylor staring at her with folded arms. "Do you need something?" She asked, also crossing her arms mirroring him. He peered at her from head to toe, any other person would have screamed at him if she walked into the room and found her half naked. "These are nice legs, but I repeat: do you need something?" She repeated, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Yes, no... I mean, fuck, Diane." He threw her head back, running a hand over his face. "I went to the bathroom and heard Canary in A Coalmine so I followed the sound, that's all." His face had taken on a little more color from her embarrassment, which made the girl laugh. "I consumed it as a kid." He stated referring to the vinyl. "I used to practice drumming with this album." She listened to him, showing a somewhat startled expression on her face. "I thought you were more reggae, Laguna's boy." The blond smiled slightly shaking his head and looking around, peering at the posters of the girl. "It's not my thing, although I don't totally despise it." Shrugging, he looked back into her eyes. "I understand, are you going to let me dress now?"
"Miss Larkin herself! Come in." Claudia greeted Diane with a big smile on her lips. "Girl, I didn't know what else to bring, I played it safe." She took her bottles from the redhead's hands, thanking her and stamping two kisses on her cheeks. "Follow me, I was getting ready for a concert." Obviously. "Do you play somewhere?" Diane asked before starting to open the bottle of amaro and then pouring the brown liquid into two glasses that were too large for the Jager. "Fuck no, the documentary didn't even come out two months ago. Give me some air." The two of them toasted before swallowing the entire glass in one gulp. "No, no. I'm going to see my friend's group. No use for a name I think it's the name of the group." The redhead nodded, replenishing both glasses a second time. "You should come with me, unless you have plans." Diane giggled because a few hours before her Pat had mentioned her to go to the same concert, but she had thought about spending a quieter evening at her friend's house. "Yes, I have nothing to do. Let's say this is a great alternative to staying at home and getting drunk and doing some lines." Claudia turned to her, pulling her long black hair behind her shoulders. At first she seemed very serious, almost offended. "Without me?" With her eyes she followed the hands of the redhead who took a sachet with the white powder, and then smiled at her again. "Oh, how I missed you!"
