Future Days

Bubbles, Blunts, and Books

Jeff slapped down a magazine on the table in front of Eddie and I. Bewildered at his zealousness I reached and picked it up to examine it.

"I thought you guys might wanna see it." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at us.

It was Eddie and I kissing at the bowling alley, and then again in his car. The headline read "Can't find a Vedder girl?" But the worst part was the article written about us on the inside.

"Eddie Vedder (50) and Sydney Marie Bennett (23) stepped out for their first public appearance as a couple and were not shy about displaying some hot and heavy PDA on a late night date night in downtown Seattle. The couple seem like they can't get enough of each other.

However, the 27 year age gap is enough to raise some eyebrows at where young Sydney's intentions really are with Seattle's king of grunge and his grunge empire."
                                               - Margret Mathews
                                         People Magazine 2013

"My intentions?!" My blood pressure spiked as I saw red. If this were a cartoon smoke would be blowing out of my ears! "What does our age matter, Eddie?"

"It doesn't baby. Look sweetheart, this is going to happen a lot. People are going to want to know about you and they only know what they see, so they write shallow and hurtful articles not realizing we're real people who can love and publicly suck each other's faces whenever and wherever the hell we want. I'm still in awe that I get to call you mine and I'm proud to show you off. Let them post our pictures, I want everyone on the planet to know you're mine, Syd. I'm the luckiest man in the world and I would never want to be ignorant to that."

I crashed my lips into his. I can't believe this man is real. "I'm the lucky one." I whispered against his lips.

"Jesus fucking Christ, you two. I'm going to get a water bottle to keep around and spray you two like cats!" Stone stood exasperated with his hands on his hips. "You're up Eddie, go lay your vocals. That's if Sydney didn't suck out your vocal box." He turned on his heel with a huff and the rest of the newly formed Temple Of The Dog laughed at his Stoney sass.

We all watched as Eddie sang his heart out on a track called Hunger Strike. Chris absolutely killed his vocals and blew us all away with his octave range. Eddies baritone voice effortlessly complimenting Chris' melodies and belting abilities, so we're all pretty excited about this one.

After Mike and Stone added in some finishing touches and we called it a night. Pearl Jam had a show in Chicago and had an early flight to catch in the morning. Eddie offered for me to join them as it would just be a two night show, but I opted out to stay back and get some rest. We had been working in the studio non-stop on the TOTD album and when we weren't, I was either still in the studio with Pearl Jam or helping Chris at the store. It's all catching up to me and I just really want a bubble bath and some me time. No offense to any of the guys, but sometimes I just wanna get stoned with a good book and a bubble bath so hot it momentarily burns my demons away.

Eddie was quiet the whole drive back to my apartment. He usually stayed with me on nights like this, but being he had an early flight he had to go home to prepare.

I studied his features as the golden street lights occasionally revealed the worry lines and clenched jaw giving away his anxiety.

"Eddie, what's bothering you?" His crystal eyes softened as they remained vigilant on the street before us.

"This is the first time I'll have to leave you. If it's this hard now, how could I ever go on an actual tour again? Once we release the new album, I'll be gone doing press, and then touring. How am I supposed to protect you if I'm not around?" It seemed if he was questioning himself more than me.