Love and Leather

Chapter 46: T.n.T (Terror n' Texas)

-June 1989-

I gripped Vanity's thigh as she was driving us to her grandparents house a little outside of Dallas. I stared out the window marveling at the open land and ranches along the road. Her mother had called and asked if we could both come to Texas to visit her family. I'm just assuming this is the next stepping stone for us as a couple, I mean we're doing things a little differently but that's okay I think. I was nervous about the situation as the last time I was around her family I was completely fucked up and called Van out in front of everyone at her party. I hope her mother and Greyson don't have any hard feelings...

"You okay, Sixx?" Vanity asked, laying her hand on top of mine,
"Yeah, doll. I'm good." I responded as she looked over at me, her honey colored hair blowing in the wind as her black sunglasses hugged her face.

"Nikki." She said my name sternly as I sighed, "Are you sure I have to meet them? What am I suppose to say to them? Let alone do."

I felt her thumb run across the back of my hand before intertwining her fingers together as she kept one hand on the steering wheel, "Yes, you have to meet them. Everything will be alright, stop overthinking." She told me as I shook my head, easier said then done babe.

"You just, you gotta be nice and respectful. No cussing and you can't smoke when we're there. You just gotta tone it down a little bit." I frowned at her words.

"So I gotta be something I'm not?" I scoffed as she squeezed my hand lightly,
"I'm not asking you to talk business and numbers, I'm just asking you to be not so...so, so heavy metal." She explained as I let out a groan.

"My grandparents are way more overbearing then mom and daddy ever were. They're your stereotypical conservative Texan Y'know? They don't understand people like you."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked over at her, "People like me? What the hell is that suppose to mean?" She glanced over at me before turning her attention back to the road.

"I don't mean it like that babe. I just mean like how you're outspoken and will tell someone to fuck off when necessary. They don't understand your lifestyle, or former lifestyle I should say. They don't understand the rockstar life, they don't understand our life."

"Baby, can't I just act like I'm sick and I can just stay in the car, please? They're gonna eat me alive." I begged her. I already knew I didn't and wouldn't ever fit into the life she was raised in. People like her family look down on junkie runaway rockstars like me.

"Nikki, we're almost there. C'mon you can't flake on me now. You said you would at least try for me." She stated as I sighed,
"Yeah, I know what I said."

"I'll give you some pointers though, make sure you call pops sir at all time whenever you refer to him, same with grandma but make sure you say ma'am. So yes ma'am or yes sir and no sir and no ma'am. I'm not just going to throw you to the wolves, Nikki. Okay?" She reassured me as her hand came over and touched the side of my face.

"I'm nervous too babe. I know how awful and difficult they can be." She confided as I nodded, taking her hand off my face and bringing it to my lips.

Vanity turned off the side of the road, seeing a giant cast ironed archway that read 'Blackwood' I scoffed at the arrogance. At least I know where she gets it from.