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| STAND BY YOUR MAN by Greeboina <<< part 1 PART 2 ”Stand by your man, give him two arms to cling to And something warm to come to When nights are cold and lonely.” James and the others have started on their new album. They work all the time and often James got home when I was already at sleep. Some times I woke up late at night and I could hear James playing and composing music in the living room. Other times I woke up and James was laying beside me exhausted but awake. Then I pulled him close to me, stroked his hair and held his hand. He sighed and closed his eyes as I sang into his ears, You're just too good to be true/ I can't take my eyes off you/ You feel like heaven to touch / I wanna hold you so much/ At last love has arrived/ And I thank God I'm alive/ You're just too good to be true/ I can't take my eyes off you. Then he fell asleep. When I got home one day, James was not there. I didn’t think about it as he and the others were probably in the studio. But as the time went and I couldn’t get in touch with him when I called his mobile phone, I got worried. After another hour I called Nicky. ”Hallo?” ”Nicky, have you seen James? I cannot get through to him.” ”He left five hours ago. He said he would go down to the pub to get a pint. We have had a rough day today, so he wanted a pint and then home to you.” ”He is not here. I have been waiting for him and it is not usually that he forgets to call me.” ”He’ll be there, don’t worry.” ”Thanks Nick.” ”You’re welcome. By the way, what do you wish for your birthday?” ”I don’t know, Nick. Surprise me, okay?” ”That’s a deal. He’ll be there, don’t worry”. ”Bye Nick” ”Bye love”. I made myself a cup of tea and started watching a film on the TV. Now and then I looked at the watch and my worry slowly turned into anger. Where the fuck was he? I woke up as I heard the front door being closed. Then the light in the living room was turned on and I looked at a very pissed James. I got mad at him as I remembered all my worries and that he had been out drinking without calling me. I started screaming at him. ”Where the fuck have you been? Why didn’t you bloody call me to tell me where you were? I couldn’t get through to you?” He looked at me and then he started yelling back. ”It is none of you fucking business. I have every right to go out having a pint without you behaving like a controlling bitch.” ”Well, sorry if I just wanted to have me you call me. And I am not trying to control you. That would be the most exhausting job one could get!!! But if you can do what you want then I can too!! Why don't you just fuck off!!!”, I yelled back. James looked at me and then he walked out the door. I sat down and start to cry. I hated it when we fighting but this time it was worse then it used to be. I still cried as I walked to our bedroom. This is the first time James had left our apartment in anger and I start to regret what I had said to him. But after a while I fell asleep. As I woke up the next morning I found myself alone in our bed. I suddenly remembered what happened last night. I stepped out of the bed and headed it for the living room. As I got into the living room I saw James was sleeping on the couch. But then I noticed all the daffodils in the room. Everywhere I looked, I saw tons of daffodils in the room. On the shelves, on every table in the room and in the window. I looked at him sleeping and I couldn’t stop smiling. That wonderful bastard had been out stealing all the daffodils from the park near our apartment. He knew how much I loved daffodils and this was his way of saying ”I’m sorry”. I kissed him and then I went to the kitchen to make some tea. As I was standing, looking at the teapot and waiting for the tea to be perfect, I heard him wake up and then I saw him standing in the door. He looked at me with a pleading look in his eyes. ”I’m sorry. It’ll never happen again.” I hugged him and I felt his arms around me. We were standing there for a while but then I noticed he was stinking. ”James, you need a shower, love. You stink like I don’t know what.” He grinned. ”Well, it took some time picking all the daffodils in the park. I’ll shower if you join me later?” I looked at him sternly but I couldn’t hide my naughty smile. ”You start and then I’ll be there.” He smiled and left the kitchen. I giggled and put a tea warmer on the teapot and started to take off my night gown. As we laid in bed, James was holding me and his hand was stroking my hair, I thought of what happened last night. Then James started to speak. ”We had problems with the songs yesterday. SONY wanted us to change some of the songs and we started to argue. It has been so difficult recording this album from the first day. Everything has gone wrong. As we decided to stop the recording I went for a pint down in the pub. Before I knew it I was pissed as a newt. The others sent me home because I nearly got into a fight with somebody outside the pub. So when you started to yell at me when I came home, I ticked. When I left you I went down to the park and when I calmed down, I regretted what I said. I didn’t know how I could apologise but then I remembered you loved daffodils. I think I took each and everyone down in the park. I think someone will be wondering what happened and where all the daffodils have gone.” ”I love you, James.”, I said and I could feel him looking at me. ”It is the first time you have said it to me. But I love you too, my little troll”. I looked at him and started to giggle and then he kisses me. And one thing lead to another. “Stand by your man, and show the world you love him Keep giving all the love you can. Stand by your man.” But all of this is now history. Their new album was a huge success. The critics and the fans loved it, so for a couple of months everything was perfect. But slowly our relationship changed. We were arguing more and more because I worked more and more and James was on tour or doing promotion all the time. I realised after a while that our relationship was falling apart. At the start I tried desperately to forget it, but the signs were getting clearer and clearer. James had noticed it too. One day as I came home, he was sitting in the kitchen. We hadn’t seen much to each other. The constant fights and our work had been keeping us busy and we had both, when we were together, stayed away from each other. He looked up at me and said: ”We need to talk”. I looked at him and nodded. ”I know.” I sat down on the other side of the table. For a while none of us said anything. Then he started. ”I don’t think this is working anymore.” ”I know.” ” Maybe it would be best if we kinda…” ”Split up?” ”Yes.” ” I can move into Kristy’s when you are away on the Europe tour.” ”You don’t have to…” ”She needs a flatmate and I can move in anytime.” ”I can stay at Nicky’s or Sean’s place, so you can pack your stuff.” ”That’s okay. I’ll go and call Kristy.” ”Yeah, okay”. As I came back after my phone call with Kristy, James had left a note on the table. He had written if I needed anything I could get in contact with him by this number. I sat down on the nearest chair. I felt miserable and a bit lonely. Then I started to pack. ”Stand by your man, and show the world you love him Keep giving all the love you can. Stand by your man.” I sighed and then I noticed I had nothing to drink. I gave the waitress a wink and she came and I ordered a new one. I started to think of the last couple of months. I moved into my friend Kristy’s flat and I tried to get everything working. It was difficult getting used to not having James around me. After all, we had been together for one and a half year. But slowly I got my days working and I started to see other guys. I heard nothing from James, but Nicky called once in awhile and I was happy I hadn’t lost his friendship. When we were talking Nicky avoided talking about James and I tried not to ask how he was. But when Nicky did mention his name my heart went crazy. I ignored it. I was finished with him. I was doing well and everything was perfect. As I one day came home, my friend Kristy came to me and looked like someone who had seen Elvis alive. She grab my arm and said. ”Nicky fucking Wire is sitting in our kitchen. You have to come.” I ran into the kitchen and before I knew it, Nicky was up and gave me a big hug. ”Hey, Nicky, I’ve missed you! How is Rachel and the others?” ”Everyone is fine. You look good.” ”Thanks, but what are you doing here?” ”We are having a party next Friday and I was wondering if you would like to come? We are celebrating our album’s success?” ”I would love to but is it okay with James?” ”Yeah, I asked him and he was okay with it. You could bring your friend with you?, he looked at Kristy. ”Damn it, I can’t.”, she said and looked very sorry for herself, ”I have to work”. I looked at her. ” I’ll get all the autographs I can get to you, okay?” ”Okay” Then I looked at Nicky. ”When is it and where?” ”It is at John Bull’s pub. You know where it is. I’m sorry but I have to go. We are going to do a signing at HMV in an hour, so I have to go. See ya!” ”See ya, Nicky”. As I walked to the pub the following Friday, I felt very nervous. I hadn’t seen James for a long time and I was wondering how I would act when I saw him again. When I got inside the pub I was almost immediately met by Nicky. Before I knew it I was sitting next to Sean and Rhian, his wife. We were chattering and I was happy to see them again. When I looked up while chattering with Rhian, I saw James. He was standing at the bar and beside him was the most beautiful girl. Rhian noticed me looking at James but she didn’t say anything. I looked back at her and was successful in hiding my feelings. After a while I had to go to the toilet. As I got to the toilet I sat down on it and placed my head in my hands. I tried not to cry but a few tears came down my cheeks. It was a hard blow to see James with the girl. It had hurt more then I thought it could or should. All my hidden feelings popped up as I saw him smiling and talking to the girl. I had to admit that I hadn’t forgot James at all. I had thought that I was finished with James but I was wrong. I was still in love with that bloody Welsh bastard. I had denied it since we split but now all my ignored feelings burst through me. As I was sitting there I heard someone coming into the toilet. I was surprised as I heard Nicky’s voice. ”Come out, love. I know you are here. Come out.” I snivelled and then I opened the door. ”Don’t cry, love.” ”I’m not crying”, I said very childish while I tried to stop the tears from running. Then Nicky hugged me. I put my arms around him and started to cry. ”Hey, hush. Stop crying. You end up looking like a racoon, if you don’t stop.” I started to laugh while I still cried. It made me stop crying though. ”Thanks Nicky”, I said as he removed a tear from my face. ”You’re welcome.” ”I think I will go home now, Nicky. Don’t wanna spoil your party. I, I don’t think I can face all these people now.” ”Because of James?” ”Yes. Because of James. I thought I was done with him but I was wrong. I’m happy for him. I wish him all the luck in the world. But right now I want to go home and lick my wounds.” Nicky sighed but nodded. ”It’s okay.” He helped me removing my make up and then he smiled his Cheshire Cat grin and said: ”We better get out of here one by one or everybody will think we have been doing naughty things in here…” I grinned. Nicky could always make me laugh. As I came out from the toilet I went to the table where Sean, Rhian and Rachel were sitting. I told them I felt tired and was going home. I hugged them and they told me to visit them some time. I said ”yes, off course”, and then I went to the door to get outside. When I turned around the last time my eyes met James’ eyes. My heart stopped but then I turned around. If I looked at him again I would make a fool out of myself again. As I walked home from the Underground, ,I saw my local pub and decided to get a drink. And I’ve been here the last couple of hours. Thinking of me and James, our relationship and how much I miss him but now I’m going home. I pay the waitress and walks home. I’m a bit drunk but I don’t care. Maybe it can stop me from thinking about James. Maybe it will make me sleep. As I walked up the stairs I was thinking about James. So as I looked up and met his eyes, I was startled. We looked at each other. He looked tired and he had lost some weight. He looked a bit like me. He was looking at me with his wonderful eyes with a tired look in them. I tried to relax and tried to find my keys but my hands were shaking. I opened the door. I looked at him and then he said: “I miss you.” “I miss you too. Would you, would you like a cup of tea?” “Yes”, he said, we went inside and he closed the door. “Where is Kristy?” “At work.” We went to the kitchen and I started to make some tea. James was sitting at the table. I had no idea of what to say. Somehow it reminded me of that evening when James kissed me the first time. I smiled. “You were thinking of the first time I kissed you, didn’t you?” I turned around and looked at him surprised. “ I remember I was trying to find the courage to kiss you but I was not sure of how you would react. But then you smiled exactly that smile you smiled before. It gave me the courage to kiss you.”. He looked at me. “If I kissed you now, would you turn me down?” “No”. Then he kissed me. He pulled me closer into his body and my hands was in his hair. Then he stopped. He looked at me. “Nicky told me you were leaving the party. I was devastated because I wanted to see you. I wanted to speak to you but I was afraid. What if you didn’t want to see me? When our eyes met, I saw you had been crying. It made me hope. I left the party to talk to you, but when I came to your apartment you weren’t there. I’ve been waiting for you to come home…”, then he stopped. He looked down on his hands and then he looked up at me. “If I asked you to come back to me…” I silenced him by putting my fingers against his lips. “Yes.” He smiled. I took his hand and then we kissed. <<< Greeboina's stories |