TMS-the mighty storm

Chapter 4

She was only eighteen at the time, my dad twenty-three, with their whole future in front of them.

Dad went back to San Francisco and they had a choice to make.

They said getting rid of me was never an option for either of them, so one of them had to give something up.

It was either my dad's music or my mum's university degree.

Mum gave her degree up.

She told my dad that being a mother was now the only important thing to her, as she'd lost her own mama when she was very young.

She broke the news to her dad, and he went ballistic. He gave her an ultimatum. It was either me and my dad, or her family back home.

She chose us.

He disowned her. Her whole family cut her off.

So she left San Francisco and her dream behind and went on tour with my dad and the band to follow his.

They tried to make it work on the road, but a baby on tour is just not possible, so eventually my dad made the decision to leave the band. They moved back to the England, to Manchester where my dad is from and got married.

For the first two years of my life we all lived with my Gran and Granddad at their house, until mum and dad could afford their own house.

And that was when I moved next door to Lauren.

Sometimes I feel like I ruined my dad's chances of hitting the big time, and took away my mum's chance of a career. Neither of them have ever made me feel that way, not once, and I know they would be angry if I even think it. But mostly I feel that way about my dad. I just know how much he loves music and how hard it must have been for him to give it up.

I sweep some mascara over my lashes, dust on my gold eye-shadow, it goes best with my brown eyes, and put some pale pink gloss onto my lips. Then I decide on my black maxi dress. I slip my feet into my silver kitten heels, and pick up my chainmail handbag, putting my money and lip gloss in it.

I give myself one last look in the mirror. Not bad, Cam. Not perfect, but not bad.

I meet Simone out in the hall.

"You look gorgeous," I say. She's wearing a short, light blue puff ball dress.

She wiggles her hips. "Right back at ya, sexy."

"And you call me a dork." I shake my head, laughing at her. "You got your keys?"

She dangles them in the air.

"Right lets go then."

Simone locks up and we walk out into the night air, heading for our local haunt, and most awesome cocktail bar, Mandarin's.

It's surprisingly packed for a Thursday night. We get a pitcher of margarita's and grab a free table.

I pour drinks into both our glasses.

Lifting mine, I say, "To my gorgeous and very smart friend, may you run the company one day."

Giggling, she chinks my glass.

I take a sip of my margarita. The alcohol runs down my throat, just the soother I needed.

"So how are things at the magazine?" Simone asks.

I snort out a laugh.

Okay, here goes ...

"I'm um ... interviewing Lauren Jauregui tomorrow."

Her mouth opens in surprise, forming an 'O'.

"Yep. Exactly." I nod.

Then she screams, attracting us quite a few stares.