Classic Rock One-Shots

Partners in Crime (~ Johnny Ramone)

The third time Meghan heard Johnny yelling from the bedroom, she debated the wisdom of interrupting him. Since he had come back from his latest tour, Johnny had been quite distant, almost cold. Every hour or so, one or two phone calls disrupted their peaceful moments. Then, the flat lost all its quietness.

Even though Johnny was there, it felt as if he was only a ghost haunting the bedroom. And the telephone line. Had he been on tour, it might have made no difference.

Meghan sat down on the blue carpeted floor and crossed her short legs. She kept her ears open as curses burst out in the bedroom. She sighed and stared at the ceiling for a moment, until a loud 'thump!' echoed even in the corridor.

Johnny had hung up.

The young woman shyly knocked on the door and opened it slightly. "Can I come in?"

Johnny did not react. She took a deep breath and got in, closing the door behind her. Without saying a word, and without a single glance in his direction, she went up to the closet and grabbed her pale blue nightgown. She let her dress slide along her short figure, kicking it aside and replacing it with the gown.

Johnny sat up. "You look good dressed in blue."

"Oh, do I?" Meghan snapped involuntarily. "I was sure that you were too busy staring at that phone to even notice me."

"Meghan, please..."

Johnny slumped onto the bed and rubbed his eyes. All those arguments he had on the phone and in the studio with his bandmates were exhausting him. Their latest concert had turned out so bad that his faith in himself had been weakened. Besides, the criticisms coming from his friends didn't help at all. "You're nothing but a take control guy" they often told him. But what could he do to avoid it? He wanted the band to keep succeeding and improving itself.

His girlfriend slowly crawled on the bed. She covered her bare legs with the blanket, turning her back to him. Johnny came closer, pressing his warm chest against her back, and wrapped an arm around her waist. Most to his surprise, she grabbed his wrist and pushed him away.

"Johnny, please, don't."

The latter mumbled "I'm going to sleep on the couch."

"Oh come on, don't be stupid, and come back here!" she moaned, dragging herself up with her elbow. Her eyes met his as he started to cross the room, and for once since he arrived, she did not look away.

Johnny stopped, and sensing that he was expecting an explanation, Meghan gave in. "It's just that... I feel like you're more concerned about your band than you're concerned about me. Since you've come back, we don't talk. We don't even share nice moments anymore. I'm lost."

"I'm sorry, but we have so many things to take care of, so many problems to solve! I can't afford putting all that aside. I must get involved."

"You can get involved but still be there for your girlfriend. Especially after you spent nearly two months on the road!"

"I came back during it!"

"Yeah, for two days. Only to give or receive those bloody phone calls. When is it going to change, Johnny? When are you going to learn how to cut ties with your job, even just for a week? Or just... have one day off?"

The musician sighed and pressed his back against the nearest wall. His long hair fell before his eyes, hiding his face for a moment. Meghan tried to catch a glimpse of his facial expression, but his brown hair was like a shield, or a curtain behind which he felt the need to hide.