In Drummer Heaven

Music Video Part 3: Texarkana

"I like your shirt." I tell Dani as we all walk down the hall of the hotel.

We're in Dallas for a concert but today we're driving a couple hours to get to Texarkana. We're filming Rosie's part of the music video today and that should be fun. I mean Rosie is the oldest of four and they're a lot younger than her. Adam is thirteen, Lisa is twelve, and Margie is ten. Their parents hate each other but have always stayed together, Rosie has this theory that it's because of all the kids and that when Margie graduates high school they'll probably get a divorce.

"Thanks, CC bought it for me since he loves KISS. I mean he loves them, I swear he'd ask Paul Stanley to marry him before he asks me to marry him." She laughs and I smile.

"I bet he'll do it at Christmas in front of your dad." I say. "Actually I bet you one hundred dollars."

"You know, I think Tommy will ask you to marry him before CC asks me to marry him." Dani says and I roll my eyes. "What? You don't think he will?"

"I don't know, I don't think I want to get married." I admit.

"Isn't that every little girl's dream? To get hitched?" She asks and I shrug.

"I don't know, ask CC." I say.

"Hey." She complains and shoves me. "You seriously don't want to get married?"

"To get divorced?" I ask. "Nah, not me. I'd rather live in sin and be happy than be married to Tommy and hate him."

"You're negative, aren't you?" Dani laughs and I smile.

"I'm not negative, I'm realistic." I explain. "I'm happy as is with Tommy and why would I screw around with that?"

"To get into heaven?" She asks with a laugh.

"Heaven is over rated." I say. "Besides if I got to hell I'll know people."

"That's true." Dani admits and I smile. "What about kids?"

"What about them?" I wonder.

"Do you want them?" She asks and I shrug.

"Maybe one day but not today, I'm only going to be twenty three." I say and she sighs. "What? We were playing on getting hitched to CC and then popping out babies for the rest of your life?"

"I don't know, I want kids." Dani says. "But CC is pretty close to being a child as is."

"Where's all this coming from?" I wonder and she smiles.

"No where, I just know Tommy wants a real future with you." She explains.

Of course I want a real future with him but by the sounds of it Tommy wants a real future today. I'm not ready to get married or have children, I mean my career is finally taking off. I just hope that Tommy doesn't want to get married tomorrow and have kids the next day. Is that too much to ask?

"When's your birthday anyways? Mine is Christmas Eve." Dani pulls me out of my thoughts.

"December 13th." I say and she smiles.

"I'm throwing a huge party and you can't do shit for my birthday because I'll be in Alabama." She laughs.

"No don't do that." I complain and she laughs harder.

"I'll get Nikki and your boyfriend involved." Dani continues. "You won't be able to do shit because they're bigger than you!"

"Dani, I will kill you in your sleep." I state and she laughs.

The drive to Texarkana was uneventful, other than Jadie deciding that she was going to stick her head out the sunroof and yell something in Spanish. We pull up to a house that (much like Dani's) was in the middle of nowhere. There's a couple trucks sitting in the driveway and four wheelers sitting in the front yard. The backyard flows into grain fields.

"Welcome to redneck haven, ladies and gentlemen." Jadie mutters and I laugh.

"This isn't a redneck haven, it's my home." Rosie smiles as she looks around.

Much like Dani, Rose's southern accent is bleeding through stronger than it was at any point in Los Angeles. She seems happy here, like being gone for seven years was far too much.

The door opens and three blond kids comes out onto the porch. The boy has shaggy blond hair that covers his eyes. The older girl's hair hangs straight down her back and her blue eyes hide behind her glasses. The smallest girl's blonde hair is braided in pigtails and when she smiles her front teeth are bigger than the rest of her teeth.

"Rosie!" The youngest yells as she leaps off the deck.

"Margie!" Rose grins as the girl nearly tackles her in a hug.

"Rose!" The two older ones yell as they run off the deck.

"Adam! Lisa! Oh my god, you're all so big!!" Our friend says happily.

"So this is how siblings are supposed to act?" Dani wonders.

"So this is having younger siblings?" Jade wonders.

This is having siblings? I think. I mean I wouldn't know being an only child and all.

"Dammit Arleen, you're seeing things!" A male voice yells.

"Jason, I'm not seeing things. There is a camera crew and a bunch of little dollies on the front yard!" Is yelled back.

Two blond adults walk out the front door and step onto the deck. The woman sees Rose and instantly starts bawling her fucking eyes out. The man smiles and the run down to join their family group hug.

When they break apart Rose motions us all over.

"Come hither, band mates." She calls and I laugh. "This is my band. Darcy Killinbeck, Jade Morrison, and Dani Bradley. The drummer, guitarist, and bassist." Rose points us all out as she introduces us. "This is my family. My mom Arleen, my dad Jason, my brother Adam, my sister Lisa, and my baby sister Margie."

They start taking the shots of her family and I notice something. For a family that seems to hate each other they either put a really good show on or they love each other more than they hate. Dani likes to say that love trumps hate, this might prove it.

Rose's picture that is blown up is her about five years old standing in a dear stand. She holding a little pellet gun that resembles a 22. She's all painted up with grease paint and she's wearing camouflage.

For being as girly as Rosie is I never imagined her hunting. Jadie being a vegetarian her heart dropped when she saw all the hunting attire. Dani has found a new respect for Rose I think.

So all the other girls are down and I'm up to bat. The next three stops we'll be filming with my family. Hello Cameron, Chicago, and Queens. Please be good to me.