Just The Music • • Robert Plant

fifth

The bedroom door busted open without warning. With her head pounding, Georgia half opened her eyes to find the person who ruined her slumber. Jimmy stood in the doorway looking down at her, holding a coffee cup full of what Georgia was sure wasn't coffee. Too tired to say anything Georgia just stared at the man who had a smug look on his face.

Robert pushed through Jimmy and entered the room looking rather angry. Georgia pulled the covers higher up to her nose and watched the man rummage around looking for a clean shirt through half lidded eyes. Robert started a fight between him and Jimmy, accusing his friend of stealing his shirt.

The argument was cut short by Bonzo walking into the room.
"Ah, here you guys are, having a party without me?" Bonzo smiled then looked down at Georgia. With her head still spinning, she reached out with grabby hands at Bonzo.
"Aww, Georgie too hungover to speak?" said Bonzo in a baby voice. Georgia paid no mind, it was too early for jokes. Bonzo jumped onto the bed, yelling for Georgia to wake up. Eventually Georgia managed to get a piggyback ride to breakfast by Bonzo.

A floor down, breakfast was being served in a large room. Two plastic tables were joined together, loveseats and mix-matching pairs of chair sat along the table. Georgia only recognized the band and maybe one or two others. Her dress was horribly wrinkled and her breath smelt like dying fish. Her and Bonzo shared a black coffee for their hangovers, Georgia's much worse than her friends. She never beileved that coffee could cure hangovers but at this point she was desperate. It made her feel better when she saw two roadies who seemed to be having as bad of a time she was. She sat down between Bonzo and a roadie who was still half asleep.

"What's up your stick, Percy? You look like you slept on a pineapple," Jimmy said. Robert looked up at Jimmy from the other side of the table. There were obvious circles under his eyes and his hair was an unruly mess. The beginning of his mustache wired out across his face.

"I did," was Robert's response. "Little-Miss-Fancy here took my bed," Robert lazily pointed at Georgia then flung his hand down to reach for a piece of ham. Bonzo wrapped an arm around Georgia, "Robert Plant? Rejected by a fan! What a wild thing!" Bonzo said jokingly. "But that's my Georgie! Stickin' it to the man!"

"I'm sorry, Robert. I really am," said Georgia, hoping the rock star wouldn't be too mad at her.

"Yeah, I'd be sorry if I caused Percy look like a homeless man too," Jimmy cracked another joke. Robert rolled his eyes and chewed on his breakfast. Peter Grant came into the room, wearing a pajama shirt and jeans. He sat next to a roadie and began to pick and choose from the breakfast foods on the table when he looked up at Georgia.

"Aye, Bonzo, I told you no strippers at the breakfast table," Peter mumbled while he poured himself coffee as if this was a normal early morning conversation.

"Oh no, Pete, this is my friend Georgia. She's from Redditch like me, we grew up next to each other." After Bonzo explained, Peter said nothing and continued to eat his food. At that moment, Georgia felt as if she was intruding. It was obvious that this group was a family, and you had to work your way in. Taking her last sip of coffee, Georgia stood up and told Bonzo she was going to grab her things and leave before the band had to head out for their next gig. Bonzo followed her back to Robert's room.

"Why are you goin' so soon, Georgie? We barely had time to catch up and I miss you," said Bonzo as they walked into the trashed hotel room.

"I just don't want to be in anybodies way, that's all," said Georgia.

"Is this about Pete? Ya know he's not pickin' on you, he's just grumpy in the mornings, I promise," sighed Bonzo. "I was thinkin' about this last night, G, and I wouldn't mind it if you came on tour with us." Georgia's head snapped straight up and looked into Bonzo's eyes.

"Are you serious, Johnny?" Georgia was dumbfounded. Bonzo nodded in amusement of Georgia's confused and excited face. "But what would I do on tour? I can't just leave my apartment and things like that.."

"You would just stand there and look pretty, Georgie, I don't know and I don't care. I'd love for you to come with us and Patty sure would be happy to have someone watch over my dumb ass," Bonzo and Georgia laughed.

"Okay," said Georgia. "I'll go with you." She couldn't even get her full sentence out before Bonzo picked her up and spun her around. Bonzo shouted with joy and rambled on about what fun they'd have. Bonzo told her he'd run over to her flat with her to gather her things and ran downstairs to tell everyone.