Living Loving Maid

Chapter 14

Hailey had fallen asleep for a good long time, and by the time she woke up, the sun was already rising. She got out of bed and brushed her hair, and when she was done, Hailey headed out of the bedroom, and saw Jimmy sitting on the couch, and it looked as though he was reading a book. There was a cup of tea on the table in front of the couch. Hailey headed over to the couch and sat next to Jimmy, looking at the book with curiosity. "What are you reading?" She asked. Jimmy took a sip of his tea. "Just some poetry." He answered. Jimmy then looked at Hailey. "You've ever heard of Edgar Allan Poe?" Hailey nodded. "I've heard of him." She answered. "I've read some of his works for school." Jimmy smiled. "Really?" He asked. Hailey smiled. "Mhm." She said. "I think his poetry is magnificent." Jimmy's attention went back to his book. "Would you like some tea?" He asked. Hailey nodded. "Sure, I'd like that." She replied. Jimmy put his book down and got up from the couch. "Is it fine with you if there's a bit of alcohol content?" He asked. Hailey raised an eyebrow. "How much?" She questioned. "Only a light amount." Jimmy answered. "Yea, I know you're only seventeen." Hailey shrugged. "Fine with me." She said. Jimmy smiled. "Good, because my kind of tea involves a little bit of alcohol." He said, adding a wink. Hailey rolled her eyes and laughed shortly. "Let me guess, your alcohol of choice is usually a Jack Daniels?" She asked. Jimmy nodded and pretended to look surprised. "Looks like you know me well!" He said. Hailey giggled. "I doubt anyone wouldn't know that Jack Daniels is your favorite drink." She said. Jimmy rolled his eyes, and Hailey could spot a smile forming on Jimmy's face again as he turned around and walked off to the kitchen. Hailey watched as Jimmy got a bottle of Jack Daniels and started making the tea. She looked back at the book, and she was tempted to read some of it, but she figured that she shouldn't if it belonged to Jimmy. I honestly wouldn't want anyone touching my things without my consent. Hailey thought. She let the book stay where it was and instead, she went to turn on the radio, wondering what songs were playing. Not too long later, a song Hailey recognized as a Rolling Stones song started playing. Jimmy seemed to recognize the song as well, and he turned around. "Say, is that the Rolling Stones?" He asked, eyes lighting up. Hailey nodded. Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "Do you perhaps...like them?" He wondered. Again, Hailey nodded. "Wow, you have great taste." Jimmy said, looking impressed. He looked at the tea kettle, before looking at Hailey again. "Tell me, what other bands do you like?" Hailey took a deep breath. "Well, first of all, I like many bands, and I'm not lying when I say many. I actually mean it." She answered. Jimmy glanced back at the tea kettle and then poured the tea into a teacup. He took the bottle of Jack Daniels and poured a small amount of the whiskey into the teacup and took a spoon, mixing the whiskey and tea together. "Well, tell me as many bands you can think of." Jimmy said. Hailey groaned. "Are you sure?" She asked. "I'd be listing over twenty, probably." Jimmy shrugged. "Fine with me." He said. Jimmy took the teacup and walked over to Hailey, handing her the teacup. He sat next to her, taking his book and placing it on the table by his cup of tea. Hailey sighed and tried to think. "Well, besides the Rolling Stones," She said. "I like the Beatles, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, the Doors, obviously Led Zeppelin, Cream, the Byrds, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, the—"

Jimmy took another sip of his tea, and right when Hailey mentioned the Yardbirds, he looked surprised. "Did you just say 'the Yardbirds'?" Jimmy asked. Hailey nodded. A smug smile started to form on Jimmy's face. "Did you know that I used to be part of them?" He asked. Hailey's eyes widened. "No way!" She exclaimed. Jimmy nodded. "I was only part of them for a short period of time." He explained. "I used to play bass, then I switched to lead guitar. I joined the Yardbirds in '66, and after they broke up in '68, I formed Led Zeppelin. Anyways, your music taste is perfect." Hailey took a sip of her tea, and the whiskey seemed to soothe her throat, even though it wasn't sore. "Like I said, I love many bands." She said. "And, tell me something I don't know about you." Jimmy seemed thoughtful for a few moments. "I was a session musician back before I joined the Yardbirds in the 60's." He answered. "Oh, I also was on television once in the 50's with a skiffle band." Jimmy began to look proud. "I played on some songs by famous artists. You know the Kinks, right? I've played on some of their works." Hailey gasped. "You're kidding!" She said. "It's almost as if you were meant to be famous, and in the music industry." Jimmy laughed shortly. "Perhaps I was." He said. "Excuse me for this being a random question, but when's your birthday?" Hailey smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Why's my birthday important to you?" She asked. Jimmy shrugged. "I don't know." He answered. "Just curious." Hailey pretended to look suspicious. "Hmm...are you sure about that?" She questioned. Jimmy nervously smiled. "Yes, I'm sure." He replied. "I promise." Hailey slowly nodded. "Alright. Mine is July 5th." She said. Hailey then noticed Jimmy get a notepad and a pen, and he started to write something. "What are you writing?" She asked curiously, getting a bit close to him so she could see. Hailey saw Jimmy starting to smile. "Dude, seriously, what are you writing?" She asked. Jimmy looked at Hailey without answering, and only smiling. Hailey peeked at the notepad, and she looked back at Jimmy after seeing what he had written.

"-Get Hailey something for her eighteenth birthday on July 5th."

"So that's why you asked me about my birthday!" Hailey exclaimed, playfully punching Jimmy's arm. "I knew it!" Jimmy giggled. "Well, you probably would've expected me to get you something anyway." He said. Jimmy then got up from the couch. "Actually, I need to show you something that I'm proud of." He said, before heading off somewhere. Hailey watched him out of curiosity, wondering what he had to show her. A few moments later, she saw Jimmy with a Fender Telecaster, and it looked as though it had been painted. A green and red dragon had been painted on it, and the pickguard looked mirrored, almost like a rainbow was on it. Hailey's eyes widened. "Holy crap!" She exclaimed. "That...that's amazing!" Jimmy had a proud smile on his face. "Back when I was in the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck gave me a Tele and I painted it myself. I used this guitar during Led Zeppelin's early days and when I was in the Yardbirds." He explained. "You...you painted that guitar?" Hailey asked, astonished. "Is there anything you can't do?" Jimmy sighed. "Sing." He answered. "I can't sing." Hailey looked at Jimmy as if he was stupid. "I bet you sing perfectly." She said. "And you do sing really well! Didn't you sing backup on Thank You?" Jimmy started blushing, but Hailey couldn't tell if it was out of nervousness and embarrassment, or if he was flattered. "Yea, I sang backup on that song." Jimmy replied. "But seriously, I can't sing. I don't know why I sing backup sometimes when my voice is absolute shit." Hailey held Jimmy's hand. "Don't be hard on yourself." She said. Jimmy slightly smiled. "Well, I guess it's a good thing that you think I sound good." He said. Hailey smiled warmly. "Jimmy, trust me. There are probably lots of people who would think you have a great singing voice." Jimmy rolled his eyes. "If anyone listened to She Just Satisfies, they'd instantly change their mind." He said. Hailey sighed. "If you allow me to, I want to listen to it." She said. Jimmy seemed thoughtful for a few brief moments. "I guess." He said. "It's honestly a joke, though. I try to forget about it." Hailey took both of Jimmy's hands and looked into his eyes, a serious expression on her face. "Jimmy, listen to me." She said. "You're really talented, and you have so many good qualities. I don't want to hear you criticize yourself. I don't like to hear self-criticism." Jimmy sighed. "I'm sorry." He apologized. "Most of the time, I feel like I can control the universe, but I don't believe in myself sometimes." Hailey smiled. "You should think about how good you are at guitar, that you have great friends, that you have me, and how you've become so successful." She said. "It takes serious talent to be where you're at now. There's nobody who can be as talented as you, Jimmy. Think about that." Hailey saw a smile forming on Jimmy's face, and it made her feel happier. "You're right." Jimmy said, and he embraced Hailey in a hug. "People like you are all I need. Well, you're all I need."

"You're all I need, too."

somebody help jimmy with his self-esteem issues