Don't You Remember (21 page)

“I’m going nowhere Jen. I will always be here for you. Always,” he shouted, as they began to drag her back to her cell.

Jen stopped looking directly at Johnny with her big eyes. “That’s what you said last time,” she accused.

Johnny jumped slightly and woke up…  The sheets were wet from sweat.

“Bloody dream,” he said to himself, lifting the wet sheets off his body.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

The American Music Awards were due to start in a few hours and Johnny and Eliza got ready together in their hotel room.

Johnny put on his black leather trousers and leather waistcoat. They gave him a real rock star gothic look, the way his fans liked him to look, giving him a seductive edge. His hair was cut to collar length with a long fringe trained to fall effortlessly to the side of his face. The tapered wispy layers shaped his face, complimenting his jaw line and giving off a sexy casualness about it. He didn’t have to try hard with his looks, he was blessed with a chiselled, yet rugged, handsomeness that, combined with his musical talent, had made him a sensation with his adoring fans.

Eliza put on a short fitted purple dress that hugged her flawless curves perfectly. They looked like the ‘beautiful couple’, two good-looking people going out together and the tabloids loved it. A picture of Johnny and Eliza together made a lot of money. Knowing this they often went to social events separately hoping the paparazzi would get fed up of trying to get at least one good photo of the two of them together.

Now it was time for their entourage to enter, including hair and make up people, security, assistants and Hunter Management. The final touches were made and then they took the lift to the basement floor where the limousine met them. The driver opened a door first for Eliza and then for Johnny. They got into the back of the car and Eliza fixed her dress to sit perfectly on her body while she sat because, when it was time to get out, she had to make sure she could get out faultlessly. She didn’t need her underwear parading every tabloid paper or magazine that ever existed. Eliza was not the type of girl to get caught off guard, she thought things through, especially when it involved a photograph of herself.

Johnny took her hand. “You look beautiful as always.”

“Thank you.” She smiled slightly. “I’m feeling a little nervous tonight.”’

“No need to feel nervous. You look amazing and you’ve done these type of awards before.”

“I know, I know,” she nodded, understanding her statement sounded ridiculous given she was an old hand at this. Twelve years she had been modelling and for the last seven years she had been at the top of the business along with only a handful of other girls. Eliza was in constant demand and could command top dollar for a day’s work.

Silence hit as they looked out the car window at the streets of Los Angeles. Johnny had a few things on his mind keeping him preoccupied. He wondered whether he should ask Eliza to marry him tonight. She had given him enough hints over the past few months and maybe he ought to say something officially at the awards. He kept thinking about how she would respond. Would she like him to propose in front of the whole world? Or would she prefer it to be between the two of them? He didn’t even have a ring, but that was easy enough to organize. His mind wandered over to thoughts about Jen. Surely she would want him to be happy. He knew she would, she was so unselfish, just another quality he adored about the woman he would no longer hold ever again.

As the limo pulled up in front of the theatre, Johnny and Eliza got full view of the frenzy going on outside. Crowds of people stood everywhere. Johnny’s management team and security got out of the car in front and walked over to collect Johnny and Eliza. Security opened the door and waited as Johnny and then Eliza got out. Johnny took Eliza’s hand and held her tight making sure she was safe with him. The television cameras honed in on them so that everyone could see them at home on their TV sets. The paparazzi went wild, flashes went off everywhere so it was hard to stop blinking. They were quickly ushered to the red carpet where they would be interviewed and photographed in a gentler manner.

*****

I sat indoors on my own in my pajamas and a long cardigan used as a dressing gown. My hair was still damp from having just washed it. I was glad to have the evening to myself as I wanted to watch the music awards on TV. I secretly wanted to watch Johnny. In spite of everything, I remained interested in his life.

Sean was thankfully at a work dinner that would probably last all night and, although we were not officially living together, he did spend a lot of his time at my place. He expected the work dinner to be long and arduous, discussing a new development opportunity on the East side of Manhattan.

I curled up on my little sofa with my TV a short distance away, eating a large bowl of popcorn.

I gasped as I saw Johnny. He looked as sexy as ever. I shoved a handful of popcorn in my mouth without looking at the bowl, so I would not miss a second of him live on TV. The camera then moved onto Eliza. It was true, they were still together and they looked amazing. I was kind of happy for Johnny, happy that he had finally found a partner, someone who seemed perfect for him. Eliza was one hell of a lucky lady. While I felt happy for Johnny, I felt sadness too. What had happened to us? Where did it all go wrong? The only feasible answer I could come up with was that Johnny had decided to play the field instead of getting bogged down with a teenager, unworldly with so much to learn about real life. I could almost forgive him for leaving me.

I lent forward turning the volume up on the TV as I crunched on more popcorn. “So Johnny, your band is up for a lot of awards tonight, how do you think you will go?” the interviewer asked.

Johnny talked directly into the microphone “There’s no doubt there are a lot of good acts out there now. It would be great to win again this year, but we will see soon enough,” he beamed.

“How does your latest album compare with the others?”

“Our music has evolved as has the band, and we try and move with the times and write and play music about how we are feeling at the time. Sometimes we write music from someone else’s perspective. There are no hard and fast rules, we do what feels right and hope our fans like it.”

I nodded at the TV as if I understood where he was coming from. I remembered the way we used to spend hours talking about music and, even better, the times that Johnny played his music for me as if my opinion counted. Perhaps it did back then.

“Johnny, I see you’ve bought the lovely Eliza along with you.”

“I have,” Johnny said, eyeing up his girlfriend.

“Eliza always looks amazing,” the interviewer stated as Eliza pushed herself closer to Johnny’s side.

“Oh yes, she always looks sensational,” Johnny laughed.

“Eliza, are the rumors true? Are you and Mr Johnny Cromwell getting married?”

She laughed, slightly embarrassed but composed herself quickly. “Well, you will just have to wait and see.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“No. That’s a wait and see.”

“So that’s a no?”

“No. That’s me not answering your question.”

“So there you have it, folks,” the interviewer said, talking at the camera lens. “Johnny and Eliza not confirming if they are getting married or not, but not denying it either.

I sat back on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. Was he getting married or wasn’t he? Why did I still care?

I turned off the TV and rang Daniel for a chat. He was also watching the Music Awards.

“Did you see Johnny Cromwell tonight?” Daniel asked.

“Yes.”

“Oh, my God. If I were heterosexual I would stop at nothing to get to him. Isn’t he to die for? Did you see what he was wearing? I am so in love. I wish he were gay. Why are all the good ones heterosexual?”

“Well, I could say that about a lot of homosexuals too. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.”

“You’re so right, girlfriend,” Daniel said with a hillbilly accent for emphasis. “And what about that Eliza, pretty stunning don’t you think?”

“Yeah she’s pretty stunning,” I huffed, confirming the truth.

“Oh, honey…. Do I sense a slight hint of jealousy?”

“No,” I proudly said. “Not at all.”

“Well, honey, let me just tell you something now, you ain’t got anything to worry about. You’re pretty breathtaking on a day you’re not even trying.”

“And that’s why I love you, Daniel. You always say the nicest things.”

“Darling, it’s true. One day you will believe me. Anyway how’s that sexy boyfriend of yours?”

“Working, so I’m just staying in watching the awards.”

“Oh, me too. We could have watched it together. Never mind,” he said in retrospect.

“I haven’t seen you for a while.”

“Well, that’s because you’re too loved up with Sean. Isn’t he wonderful? I’m so glad I matched you two up. I knew you were perfect for each other.”

“He is one of the good guys,” I agreed, “and so very good to me. Listen I’m going to put the kettle on, I’ll call you back,” I said.

I made a cup of tea and used the bathroom, ready to resume my conversation with Daniel. I picked up the phone next to my bed, dialled his number and flopped back onto the bed.

“It’s me,” I said.

“Have you got your TV on?” Daniel asked.

“No. I switched it off.”

“Jen, get the TV on. Johnny’s up there accepting an award.”

I ran from my bed over to the TV with the phone and turned it on. There was Johnny and his band up on stage thanking all the people who have helped them get where they were. Johnny took the microphone and announced: “We’d like to thank our fans first and foremost, for without you we would be nothing. We would also like to thank Hunter Management for helping make this band what it is today. And then there’s friends, family and loved ones and not in that order. Thank you, thank you,” he said, holding up the award for everyone to see.

“He didn’t thank Eliza,” I said out loud, not meaning to.

“Yes, quite right. I suppose he couldn’t just thank her, then he would have to thank all the other band members’ girlfriends and families.”

“The other band members could have said their own thank you for themselves,” I announced, trying to look for faults in Johnny’s relationship.

“Well, I’m not sure that’s how it works. You know they are on a tight schedule up there. Just say a quick thank you and then off. Besides I can’t stand it when they go on and on thanking anyone and everyone. It’s like listening to a boring story about characters you don’t even know.”

“Yes, I don’t like long thank you speeches. For one thing, if it were me up there thanking everyone for my writing career; I would surely forget someone.”

“Well, as long as it’s not me, then I don’t care.”

“You’re wicked.”

“Me? Look at you with your little secret crush on Johnny Cromwell.”

“What?” I said long and drawn out.

“It’s true. You’ve got all the CDs and you love the music, you agree he’s good looking.”

“So?”

“So, you have a secret crush. It’s OK. Nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Well, I don’t think I do.”

“Now I know you definitely do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because you’re denying it. Classic denial means you don’t want anyone to know.”