Fame (h.s)

End of an Era?

1985

We had a son four months later, a tiny baby with light hair and light eyes, and a scream that could cause me to go deaf from one ear if I wasn't used to the screaming from years on the road. We named him Hayden, after Harry's baby brother.

He was a precious gift in our lives, truly a miracle that we had him and he was as perfect as can be. Harry had been such a hands-on dad and even refused to leave the hospital room when I gave birth, threatening the doctor if he didn't let him stay.

After a few months of having him, I went back into the studio and recorded an album for three months. It was successful and currently, I was just about finished with a tour.

It was difficult I will admit, especially with Hayden getting older and Harry working on music himself. But I did it because it was part of me now. I couldn't just be a mother at home, I had to be out on the road and singing. I had to be writing and performing, it was who I was.

Today I sat in a salon that belonged to a friend of mine. She looked at me through the reflection of the mirror and smiled. “Why don't you just go by your name? Debra is a nice name.” I shook my head and ruffled the brown hair on my head. I was planning on going platinum blonde again. I had used wigs for the promotional pictures and on tour, but I really wanted my hair back the way it was since the wigs looked terrible on me. At least that's the way I saw it.

“Blondie is my name, and damaged hair is my game. Just lighten me up.” She nodded, beginning the process.

Billie got married a few months ago and his wedding was pretty nice. Lana, who was currently bleaching my hair, had moved in with him a couple of blocks from our house. She at one point went to beauty school in between tours and with Billie's help, opened the salon and had become a success.

Mitch had joined a band, quit, and then became a stand-in for guitarists. He, in his own words, said he just wants to play music. He recently worked with my good friend Joan as she had also gone and done the solo thing and became a huge success.

Josh had been busy as well, also joining a band. We recently ran into him at a record shop owned by my old friend Scotty who now owned a variety of record shops. He was just as much of a mommas boy, but he was well and that was all that mattered.

As for Pink, no one had heard from him since our last group meeting. It had begun to freak me out if I'm honest, we had planned on meeting again to discuss us performing at the Grammys together, but we hadn't heard a peep.

*

“What chord is this one?” Harry asked as he picked a string to our now two-year-old.

“E!” He squeaked.

Harry began strumming while I was fitted into my dress for the award show. “good job offspring, you too shall play guitar as good as your father.” I rolled my eyes at Harry's words.

“Can you please put on your suit so you can get tailored.” He saluted me and stood up to pick up Hayden and take him to sit on the ground with his toys. Harry had surprised me if I'm honest, he was just as good of a father as mine was with me and my brother.

The thought of my brother really put me down, he never talked to me the way I wish he would. It honestly had been years since we had a conversation and I guess he didn't think he needed to be around me since our mother died.

I learned something over the time I've been an adult. Not everything is perfect, sometimes people don't make up or get back together.

If this was a perfect world, my mother would have believed me when I told her about her ex-husband. My father would be alive and be my biggest fan, and my son would have grandparents. Harry's parents would accept their son and forgave him for a mistake he made when he was a kid. Harry would have never cheated on me either. I wouldn't be afraid of having one drink or being alone during a party, and our band would still be one big family.