Following the Stars

Chapter Sixteen

Absolutely Smitten with my new favourite man Ralph 💙
GinaDeuters: Adorable photo!
KateHendu: Congrats to all! Can't wait to meet Ralph!💙
EmParker: Beautiful! Congrats!xx
LouiseCammy: Save cuddles for me!!! X

Lexie was extremely excited that finally her godfather's second baby had arrived. She had visited the family in hospital and once the official announcement had been made she shared a photo on social media of her holding the baby boy being careful not to share his face to the world.

It was Monday morning and Ralph was already 4 days old. She had visited twice since the baby arrived home. The joys of living only roads apart from her parents and godparents. She helped out as much as she could, but there wasn't much she knew about new borns, but she did what she could to keep Isla occupied, and even had the little one to stay when Laura went into labour. Isla loved sleepovers at Lexie's, and it was really special for the elder to recreate the memories she had growing up with her godfather.

Johnny was due to visit in an hour and Dan had only just swung by to collect Isla, Lexie had collected her first thing for a few hours to spend some time with the four year old. She was a little out of sorts since her baby brother arrived. Lexie ran up the stairs after waving them off and immediately changed, she was only in very casual clothes this morning and not that she wanted to impress Johnny but she wanted to put a little effort into her appearance. He was coming over to test out her new home studio and she was very excited about it. She had heard him play a number of times, he was an incredible musician. In the end she decided on some black skinny jeans and a band tee. She tucked the front in and freshened up her make up before heading back downstairs. As she was clearing up the colouring sheets and crayons that were scattered across the dining table the buzzer went. She rushed to the buzzer to let him in, and saw the car swing into her drive. Johnny jumped out the vehicle looking every inch the rockstar. He wore a tee under two unbuttoned shirts, ripped jeans covered in paint, and DM's. He grabbed his guitar box out the trunk before waving off Sean as Lexie opened the front door. "Hi!" "Hey yourself, nice tee." He said entering the house making Lexie blush. "Oh thanks." She kissed his cheek as she welcomed him in. "Sorry you'll have to excuse the mess, my goddaughter Isla was here this morning, she's four, and man she likes to get into everything." "That's sweet." Johnny said following Lexie into her open plan kitchen. He lent on the island as she offered him a drink, "I'll just take a coffee if that's ok?" Lexie nodded and put the expensive coffee machine to good use. "How have you been doll?" "Yeah good thank you, it's been a little chaotic, my godparent's baby arrived late Thursday evening, a baby boy, so they bought Isla here around 11:30pm and she stayed until Saturday morning." "Ah sweet. How is she finding having a baby brother?" "Umm she's doing ok, she asked me to take him back when he cries though." They both chuckled. "No unexpected visitors though?" "Nope funny enough since Travis scared him off, I haven't heard from him since." "That's good to hear."

An hour later they were in Lexie's home studio, it was small and cosy but it didn't seem to bother the pair. "That sounds so incredible." Lexie said as Johnny finished an instrumental piece that he told her he was working on with Jeff. "What about you? You don't play?" He asked. "Well I had to learn for one role, I was playing a stroppy teenager in a band, but I haven't played in a while." "Well now is your chance." He said holding out his electric guitar. It was black and had Never Fear Truth on it, she loved it. "No I couldn't.." "yes you can go on.." Lexie smiled before pulling up the chords to the track from the movie she starred in. She was incredibly nervous but began to play and was shocked at how good it sounded. Her big solo was coming up so she took a deep breath and took it on. Luckily the room was soundproofed because she blew the roof off making Johnny lean back and clap her. "Amazing doll. You really are a force to be reckoned with aren't you?" "Oh please. You're the one who is an actor, musician, artist, writer, director." "Ha, yes but I'm older than you, I've been around a little longer." "Oh please. 11 years, that's nothing, I started working when I was 7... so technically I'm older than my years anyway." Johnny chuckled at this before pulling out his acoustic guitar. "Do me a favour, teach me one of your tracks then I can seriously impress my daughter." "Seriously?" "Yeah? Please?" Lexie smiled at the star in front of her. "Ok sure," she sat down next to Johnny and pulled out her laptop, she had her track list in front of her. "Read the lyrics, pick one. I'll be back." Lexie jumped up to go and make more coffee whilst Johnny scrolled. He was surprised that she thought he wouldn't know any of her songs.

Once she returned to the studio she saw Johnny attempting to play a few notes on his acoustic guitar. "Ah a classic" she giggled placing his coffee down next to him. "It's beautiful and I've heard it played over and over." "I bet your daughter wasn't even born when it was released was she?" "Good question, when did the film come out?" "I shot it in 2009. It was released in 2010. That track was the fastest selling of the year. My first award winning single." "Ha. Then in answer to your question, She was born in May 2010 so no." Lexie giggled "Man that makes me feel old." "Not as old as me love!" "Hey, hang on, how did you know it was from the movie?" "Ummm my daughter is a big fan. Safe to say I've seen it once or twice." "Seriously?" "Yes, why? Does that surprise you?" "I don't know. I'm just surprised that somebody like you has seen that movie." "I'm full of surprises, now are you going to teach me this?" Lexie smiled "Sure. Hang on." She wandered over to the corner of the room and lifted a lid. It was hiding a small piano. She pulled over the chair and sat testing the keys a few times. She grabbed an iPad off the desk with all the controls and got up the notes. "Funny, I remember every lyric to every song I've ever recorded, but when it comes to the actual music, it goes in one ear and out the other." She smiled as Johnny stood and placed his acoustic guitar over him. "Ready?" Lexie said sweetly. He nodded as she began to play the piano and he tried the chords for the guitar. It was a beautiful blend, and Lexie loved it. After they had played for a while Johnny said "You're not singing?" "You didn't ask me to sing?" "Ok...please can you sing it, I want to hear it." Lexie smirked "Sure thing."

I can almost see it,
That dream I'm dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it

Every step I'm taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction,
My faith is shaking,

But I, I gotta keep trying,
Gotta keep my head held high,

There's always gonna be another mountain,
I'm always gonna wanna make it move,
Always gonna be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side,
It's The Climb,

Lexie stopped and turned to Johnny who was smiling. "Amazing. I can't believe however old you were at the time that you knocked it out the park. It's an epic track, especially with your vocals. Didn't you perform it at some awards?" "I did yeah, the People's choice I think.." "yeah I was there, Vanessa was heavily pregnant, I literally came showed my face and left but I remember you on stage." "It was good fun. I was in midst of school work, wrapping up everything that I had ever worked on. It was hectic but fun." "Thanks for today, nothing I love more than just jamming." "No problem. Thanks for coming over. You know, you sounded amazing playing. Any chance of seeing you perform anytime soon?" "Ha, me and the guys keep saying we should get on the road but who knows. I'll put your name down for a ticket though right?" "Absolutely!" Lexie giggled.