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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Feb 13, 2021 9:49:49 GMT -5
Chapter 13
Nika was curious when she saw the package which came in the mail. She saw that it was from her father but had a postage mark from Chicago. She watched as John Sr. took out a knife and cut open the tape holding the seams of the box closed and opened the flaps. Inside was a VHS tape with John's handwriting. Nika was curious as she turned on the TV and her grandfather programmed the VCR as they sat on the couch to watch. "That's Dad!", she exclaimed when she saw him in the Scar Tissue video.
"Yes, that was the first single off the album. John was so eager to show us the video, he thought the song was going to be huge. It was huge", said Gail proudly.
Nika watched the video, intrigued at the images. The band looked all battered and worn as they drove through the desert in an equally battered car. John wore an old fisherman's hat which covered his curly dark hair and his unshaven face, while the others looked like they got knocked out by Mike Tyson. "Was Dad all right?", she asked in alarm.
"Of course, that's all stage makeup. Trust us, we were there. It was the same location where they did the video for Give It Away", said Gail.
Nika tried not to giggle when she saw the video for Around the World since her father his bandmates were shirtless. They were in an orange room and had light glowing out of their bare torsos as weird lights danced on them. "Dad is skinny", she said.
"He is, but he looks much better now. And that's what the band does, they used to go onstage wearing only socks", said Gail with a laugh.
Nika's blue eyes were wide. "What? Like fig leaves?", she asked in disbelief.
"Sort of, they don't do that anymore", said Gail.
The idea of seeing her kind, shy father onstage with only a sock on his privates make her giggle, then laugh uncontrollably. "Sorry, but that sounds so funny" she sputtered.
"It is, we saw the pictures and were so shocked. But they don't do that anymore", said Gail.
"That's Dr. Cagliari, Pepere likes that film", said Nika when she saw the video for Otherside.
"Oh, John said the same thing. He said that Flea saw the movie on late night TV and suggested they do a video based on it. It's been a big hit", said Gail.
Nika nodded in agreement as she watched the video. The cool gray, black and white photography seemed to fit the dark, brooding song as the tormented young man was chased by malevolent forces before falling down onto the floor surrounded by blood-red flower petals. "This is really interesting, does Dad watch a lot of movies?", she asked.
"Not really, he's more of a reader. Even as a child, he didn't like to watch much TV, even cartoons. He'd rather read, or listen to music and play guitar. I think he only has a TV to look normal, he barely watches it. Even the cats watch more TV", chuckled John Sr.
As if on cue, Gabriel and Bianca scampered atop the couch and looked at the TV with curious eyes. They meowed happily when they recognized their master and purred, their mouths turned up at the corners. "I think they like the music", laughed Gail.
Nika laughed as Bianca snuggled into her lap. At first she was caught off-guard and didn't know what to do when the fluffy Persian sat in her lap, but then Bianca looked at her with big blue eyes and purred softly. "She wants you to rub her back", said Gail.
Nika gently stroked her back as Bianca purred happily and arched her back, her paws spread out lazily. "She liked you, she realizes you're part of the family", said Gail.
"Yeah, John got the cats after he got healthy again. We always had cats in the house when he was growing up, once he got better he decided to get some cats for companionship. Having Gabriel and Bianca has helped him stay healthy, since he needs to take care of them", said John Sr.
Nika wondered what they mean by her father being healthy, if he drank too much or had cancer. She resolved to ask him when he got home as Bianca cuddled in her lap. The next video had her father standing in a mock-up of a desert landscape wearing khaki trousers, a red sweater and a blue and white knit cap as he played a turquoise Fender guitar. "Dad looks so young!", she exclaimed.
"He was only, he was only 21", said Gail.
Nika did some mental math and realized that he was only 30. "Then he was 19 when he became my Dad", she murmured.
"I know, he was a young guy in a successful band having a lot of fun and acting like a rock star. We were proud of his success, but concerned he was going to hurt himself", said John Sr.
"Like what?", she asked.
"Partying too hard, drinking too much, too many girls. But he was a young, immature kid, he didn't know how to handle things", said Gail quietly.
Nika resolved to ask her father when he got home. She wondered if his shy, kindly nature couldn't handle being in a famous rock band. But if that was the case, than why did he rejoin? "I don't want to be famous, I hate crowds and meeting new people. I like peace and quiet", she declared.
"John was the same way, he would spend all day in his room playing guitar, listening to music or reading", said Gail.
Nika mused on this as she watched the TV. She had been shocked to find out she had a father at the meeting with her mother's lawyer, but she knew when she first saw John that he was her father. The resemblance was so alike, even if had hazel eyes instead of her blue ones. And now her grandparents were telling her about him as a kid confirmed it, but she also wondered exactly what happened to him.
The video finished and she rewound the tape before putting it back in the box. "Do you want to order something, when John comes back he's going to cook macrobiotic food", asked John Sr., a pleading tone in his voice.
"Of course, I know you can't stand macrobiotic food. But remember, this is John's house", reminded Gail.
"I like it", said Nika.
"Oh dear, I can't stand it. People weren't mean to live on weird hippie food", muttered John Sr.
"It's better than eating too much meat, and the doctor said you need to lose weight", chided Gail.
John Sr. grumbled but his hazel eyes twinkled with amusement. "When John comes back, I'll eat the damn hippie food. But now, I really want a pizza and not hippie pizza with veggies", joked the older man.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Feb 19, 2021 11:49:54 GMT -5
Chapter 14
"Enjoy your week off, and have fun with your daughter", said Flea, clapping John on the back.
"It's strange, on other tours I'd wanted to get home but that was because I was concerned about the cats. Now my parents are there and I'm going to see my daughter again. I really missed her, does that feeling ever go away?", he asked quietly.
"No, every time we go on tour I miss Clara so bad. I felt the same way back when she was a baby, and I still feel the same way. If you stopped feeling that, then you would be a shitty dad. It never goes away", said Flea.
John understood as he nodded. The men bid goodbye to the rest of the group as they got off the plane at LAX and went to their cars in the parking lot. "I hope Josh can buy a new car soon", he said as the younger man got inside his beat-up pickup truck.
"Yeah, that looks like a truck from Hee Haw. Any moment it might just fall apart", said Flea.
"At least his parents are more supportive. I was in the same situation at his age. I hope Nika gets along with my parents, they were so shocked to have a grandchild. They'd about given up hope", said John.
"And they must be thrilled to finally have a grandchild after all these y ears. They're probably spoiling her rotten", teased Flea.
John felt his heart pound in anticipation when Flea dropped him off in front of the house. His parents embraced him and he looked over to see Nika waiting in the doorway, a confused look in her eyes. John went over to his daughter and gave her a hug as Nika leaned stiffly against him with her eyes wide in fear. "Nika, what's the matter?", he asked in surprise.
"I don't like hugs, Mom made me hug an ugly man at the studio", she whispered.
John was both confused and alarmed by her reply. "Nika, I'm sorry if I scared you. I won't hug if you don't want", he said kindly.
Nika nodded silently, her eyes still wide with fright. John made a mental note to ask her grandparents since he knew that Zoe had no other known partners and he was concerned about her reaction. "Okay, do you want to see your present?", he asked.
Nika smiled and her face lit up. John smiled at her and took a bag out of his suitcase. "Josh helped me pick it out, he's a huge bookworm like me", he said.
John watched as Nika took the book out of the bag and saw her eyes lit up. "Ooooh, Oxford Press! Pepere and Uncle Ian say they have the best history books", she exclaimed.
"You're welcome. Josh picked it out, I'm not too familiar with ancient Egypt", said John.
"Are you tired are do you want to order something?", asked Gail.
"I'm not tired, but I feel like going out for dinner. I just ordered room service on the road, mostly salads. I had to explain to Josh that the management pays for room service, he was eating off the Dollar Menu at McDonald's and scrounging for change, he had no idea", said John with a fond chuckle.
"Oh dear, how is he?", asked Gail.
"He's dong really good, him and Bob are doing great with the Bicycle Thief. He looked a bit shy the first couple of gigs but towards the end he was much more energetic on stage. I was the same way when I started touring. He might be coming over sometime in the week to work on some songs", said John.
"He's a good kid, Josh is lucky that he found a couple of good mentors in you and Bob", said John Sr.
"Yeah, since we're all sober. You want me to invite him for dinner, he says his parents are out of town", said John.
"Of course, he's a good kid", said Gail.
John called Josh's parents' house as the younger man picked up the phone. "Okay, Dad will pick you up in the rental. See you in a bit", said John.
"He's coming, Josh was just going to heat up a frozen dinner and watch the Dodgers game on TV", said John.
"He lives with his parents?", asked Nika.
"Yeah, he lives with his parents in the Valley. He can't afford his own place yet, if he makes more money he wants to get his own place and a new car", said John.
An hour later the family was in the rental car headed towards the Valley. The ever-present LA traffic was strong as ever while John Sr. tried not to lose it while traffic inched forward. "Josh is a life-long Angeleno, he'll understand", said John.
They finally arrived at Josh's parents' house in the Valley as Josh waited outside for them. He was dressed as usual in baggy black sweatpants, long black t -shirt and a dark blue beanie atop his longish brown hair. He made sure the front door was locked before he got in the backseat of the car. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Frusciante. Thanks for the invite, I was just going to nuke a frozen dinner and watch the Dodgers", he said.
"I used to be an old-school Dodgers fan, never got a chance to see them at Ebbets Field. Maybe we can catch a game at the stadium, the Mets are on their West Coast road trip and they're playing LA next week", said John Sr.
"Awesome, I'm going to listen to KLAC and see if I can win tickets in the contest. I won tickets last month, but they were nosebleed seats against the Marlins", said Josh, making a face.
"What are the Dodgers?", asked Nika.
Josh tried not to laugh, seeing she was serious. "Uh, they're a baseball team, the other LA team is the Angels. I'm a Dodgers fan, they're my National League team. The New York Yankees are my American League team, since my family is originally from New York. I'm trying to win tickets by listening to KLAC, the radio station which broadcasts Dodgers games", he explained.
"Sports are dumb, they're a waste of time", said Nika dubiously.
"I love watching sports, I love baseball and basketball. I can't play them, though, I'm too skinny", he joked.
"I hated gym class in high school and have never played or watched sports, the other guys are all big Lakers fans. That's the basketball team", said John.
"Yeah, no one roots for the Clippers", said Josh.
"What's wrong with the Clippers?", asked Nika.
"They're the other LA basketball team, they really suck. The Lakers are much better", said Josh.
"When are you coming over?", asked John.
"Maybe tomorrow, Bob might want to rehearse. We're working on some songs too, I got all these ideas bouncing around in my head", said Josh.
"Same here, I'm always coming up with songs and ideas. I might put out a solo album since they're not songs that fit the band's music", said John.
"Cool, like electronic stuff?", asked Josh.
"I've been messing around with different keyboards, I'm learning to play by ear", said John.
"Same here, I'm playing piano by ear. I want to get better, I'm taking a mail order course on how to read music. Makes it easier to compose", said Josh.
Nika listened to their conversation and was intrigued. She knew that her father played guitar but also found out he played keyboards, and wanted to hear his new music. She wondered if her father could read music and if she could teach him. "So Nika, how did you like our videos?", asked John.
"I liked the video for Scar Tissue, but why were you all dirty?", she asked.
"It's the concept, where we're all bloody and battered but we're still standing. It was Anthony's idea, since we went through a rough time but got through. But it's a metaphor, that's the same desert where we filmed Give It Away in the early 90's", John explained.
Nika nodded, knowing this was not the best time to ask. She was relieved when her grandfather parked in the lot of a Japanese restaurant in Hollywood. "Trust me, Hollywood is not as glamorous as people thing. There's a lot of jerks around here", said John.
The group was led to a large booth in the corner and handed menus. The restaurant was done in a minimalist bamboo black and white scheme with soft piano music coming from a solo pianist in the corner, a long bar on the opposite side manned by a black-clad hipster bartender. "I like this place since it has macrobiotic food too, on the road I don't like to go out for dinner so I just ordered salad from room service", said John.
"Thanks for letting me know about the room service, I had no idea", said Josh.
"You're welcome. McDonald's isn't good for you, even when I was younger I never liked fast food. It was murder when I first started touring and we couldn't afford decent restaurants, we'd have to eat fast food since that was all we could afford", said John.
"One day I am going to get used to eating healthy", said Josh ruefully as the waiter set down glasses of cold-pressed juice in front of everyone.
"You have the typical Valley diet, fast food and junk. Your system is stronger than mine", said John with a sad smile.
Nika took a sip of her cold-pressed carrot juice. "My Lacroix grandparents wouldn't drink this, they're British. Grandmere makes a lot of British food and Greek food since Pepere likes it. She would say this was hippie food", she said.
"Hah, I agree. But once in a while won't hurt", laughed John Sr.
"I love British food, my mom is Irish and she makes similar stuff", said Josh.
"Then is your dad German, Klinghoffer is a German name", said Nika.
"Sort of, Dad's family are German Jewish. The family came over in the 1850's and none of them were left when Hitler got crazy", he quipped.
"Ohh, I'm sorry!", she exclaimed.
"That's all right, my Dad's family isn't particularly religious. I haven't even been to a synagogue except one time for a wedding, church too. So I don't come from any sort of religious background", Josh explained.
"It's common here in LA to be like that, be half-Jewish. So it's not freaky at all", said John.
"Or in New York, my parents are from the East Coast", added Josh.
"So Josh, how did you like your first real tour?", asked Gail.
Josh took a sip of his cold-pressed berry juice before replying. "It was a real learning experience, I've played clubs with Bob around here but these were the biggest shows I'd ever played. I was scared at first but I settled down", he said.
"I know, I was the same way. And you thought you had to eat McDonald's", teased John.
Josh blushed guiltily. "I had no idea, but thanks for telling me. I'm only 19 so I got a while to go before I get old and eat hippie food", he joked.
Nika giggled as the adults looked on in surprise. "It's funny", she mumbled.
"Sorry, but you ought to laugh more, your face lights up", said Gail.
"It's okay, I'm not used to being around a lot of people. But I like you guys", she whispered.
John wondered exactly what sort of family the Lacroix were that she seemed so shy and reserved. Her grandparents seemed nice enough but her mother Zoe seemed more and more unlikable from the way his daughter acted. He made a mental note to ask her grandparents one day as he looked at the food menu and drank his vegetable juice.
The group ate their dinner and chatted amiably. Nika ate her grilled salmon and overheard John and Josh talking about recording music while her grandparents chatted about visiting different places in California. She hoped they were not taking her to Disneyland or Knott's Berry Farm since the commercials on TV made them look terrifying. The idea of being around screaming kids and thrill rides made her stomach clench in fear as she took a deep breath to calm herself. "I don't want to go Disneyland", she whispered.
"Oh, okay. Where do you want to go?", asked Gail.
"Museums, I love museums. Especially art ones, I saw the Tate and the V&A museums in London when we visited our British relatives", said Nika.
"Wow, that's exactly what I want to do when I go to London. Especially the Tate Modern, I love modern art", said Josh eagerly.
"We could go to LACMA, that's the best art museum in the city. We could go on Friday nights. Or the Getty Center, they have great concerts on Saturdays", said John.
"I prefer LACMA, I like more modern art. But the Getty has older stuff, what do you prefer?", Josh asked Nika.
"The Getty sounds better, modern art is ugly", said Nika.
"Well, it's an acquired taste. My favorite art movements are the Impressionists and Abstract Expressionism, my own paintings are more towards Abstract. I don't have the patience to be so detailed", said Josh with a laugh.
"Same here with my art, but I haven't painted anything in years. I might try again", John mused aloud.
"Then I want to go to the Getty", I like older art", she declared.
John beamed, glad to see his daughter happy with enthusiasm. "Then we'll go", he announced.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Feb 25, 2021 20:21:17 GMT -5
Chapter 15
"Tomorrow we go to the Getty Museum, but today I'm going to Bob's place to help him with Bicycle Thief. He sent me this tape of a song they're working on and it sounds amazing", said John as they waited for Josh to pick them up".
"Okay, is it going to be noisy?", asked Nika.
"Yeah, but I can give you headphones. Bob wants to meet you, his son is a little older than you. He helped me regain my health, I owe my life to that man. He was as messed up as I was and for a longer period of time. But we made it", said John with a proud little smile.
Nika clutched tightly onto her book and resolved to thank Bob for his help. She gasped in horror when she saw the battered old truck approach, so rusted and battered it looked as though it escaped from a junkyard. "Josh is going to boy a new car when he makes more money", he explained.
The ancient pickup stopped by the house as John helped Nika get inside. "You cleaned it, it's no longer a hazmat zone", he teased.
"Hah, because I know your daughter was coming. And I even took it to the car wash, I paid for in quarters and loose change", said Josh with a laugh.
Nika immediately felt guilty for thinking the truck was ugly. "How old is your truck?", she asked.
"I had it for two years, but it's from 1985. I got it from an ad in the newspaper. When I get a bigger royalty check, I'm getting a new car. I really want a Volvo", said Josh.
"They're Swedish, do you like Swedish stuff?", she asked.
"Sort of, I think Volvo's are cool cars. I want something that not everyone else has", he replied.
Josh drove westwards on I-10 towards the suburbs of Orange County as the truck's air conditioner wheezed and gave off a thin blast of cool air. "At least the air conditioner doesn't smell, it does that sometimes", said Josh.
Josh parked in the lot of an old warehouse that held a recording studio out in the Valley, in an industrial park in Orange County. "Trust me, it's a rehearsal studio", said John reassuringly when he saw the look on her face.
Nika held tightly onto her father's hand as she looked around warily. A thin middle-aged man with dyed cherry-red hair and a brown hat stood by the doorway smoking a cigarette. He looked up when he saw them and a grin broke out on his face dominated by round tortoise-shell rimmed glasses. "Hey, glad you made it. John, is this your daughter?", he asked kindly.
"Yeah, Bob. Nika, this is my friend Bob Forrest. Bob, this is my daughter Nika", he said.
"Glad to meet you, Nika. I was surprised to find out Fru had a daughter, I had no idea he ever had a child. I felt the same way when I found out about my son", said Bob.
Nika dropped down into a curtsy. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Forrest. Thank you for helping my father", she replied solemnly.
"Wow, you're welcome. Fru, she has excellent manners. And she looks just like you, she has your curls", said Bob.
"I know, that's how I knew she was my daughter", said John proudly.
Bob finished his cigarette and led them inside. A short corridor led into a cavernous room that was gray and concrete, windows high above on the second level letting a thin stream of light. Leaning against a stack of milk crates was an amplifier and behind that was a drum kit and a keyboard, the only other décor some old folding chairs. The whole room resembled something out of an action thriller were the bad guys held hostages as Nika clung to her father.
"Relax, it's perfectly safe. It's just the cheapest place we could find", Bob explained.
Nika sat down on one of the folding chairs and began to read. She watched out of the corner of her eyes as Bob and her father took out their guitars and tuned them while Josh took out a pair of drumsticks from his guitar case and sat behind the kit. She read a few pages before she was distracted by a drumbeat and guitar chords as she set the book aside to watch. She had never seen music performed live before and watched as John played a brown Fender guitar and Bob played an acoustic guitar while Josh hit a steady drumbeat.
Nika was fascinated as she watched her father play. His long dark hair flew around his face as he bobbed his head and his lips parted, his eyes slightly shut. His long fingers picked the strings and then flew up and down the fretboard as she watched with curiosity. She then turned to face Josh and watched a his skinny pale arms pounded the drums. His long brown hair peeked out from under his black beanie and his pale skinny arms were graceful as birds' wings as he used the drumsticks to manipulate the sound of the drums.
"Did you like that, Nika?", asked John.
"Yes, very much. I've never seen music performed live before," she replied.
"Wow, live music is awesome. I've seen so many shows, my first concert was New Kids on the Block in fourth grade, Young MC opened. I was your age, actually, I saw them at Long Beach Arena", said Josh.
"Those guys sucked so bad, but you were a kid, so I forgive you", teased Bob as Josh blushed.
"My first concert was Black Flag at some VFW Hall in the Valley", said John.
"Your first concert was a lot cooler than mine. I did see Pearl Jam at the Forum in '93 and you guys on the One Hot Minute tour. But I normally don't go to big concerts, I prefer going to little places", said Josh.
The group played some more as Josh moved over to the keyboards. He played a few chords on the keyboards to warm up and then the actual song as his long pale fingers flew over the keys. Nika had stopped reading by now and just watched them perform, especially her father. He was normally so laid back and easygoing but playing guitar he was a demon, his curly dark hair flying about his shoulders and his mouth open. She wished she could play with such abandon but knew she couldn't, it wasn't in her nature.
"Now we're going to the studio, I want to get the song done", said Bob.
The studio was just down the street but they still had to pack up their equipment in Josh's truck. "My studio isn't big enough, mine can only fit two people", John explained.
"Yeah, and it isn't cool as yours", Josh laughed.
This studio had none of the hominess of John's home studio, but instead had the charm and warmth of a dentist's office. The interior of the studio was a blinding white not softened by the use of harsh fluorescent bulbs, the sterile interior smelling of bleach. "Next time, we'll try to use your studio", said Bob in distaste.
Nika was surprised when Josh joined John in the control booth. "I'm learning to be a producer, I want to produce so we don't have to use outsiders and pay extra", he explained.
"I thought you just push buttons to record", said Nika.
John laughed. "Producing can be as simple or complicated as you want, with my solo records I use a more old-fashioned style on analog", he explained.
Nika watched as the men set up the tape to record while Bob went to smoke a cigarette. "Mr. Forrest, how did you get to know Dad?", she asked.
Bob chuckled as he took another drag. "I'm friends with Anthony going back to the 80's, our bands played together a lot. I remember when your dad auditioned for my band, then Anthony poached him for his band. But there's not hard feelings, my band was a mess. I helped him out, I had problems too and I knew how John would want to get better. We needed to get the perfect place for him, or else he would have been a goner. As you can see, your dad is in great shape", he said.
Nika wondered exactly how bad her father's health had been. He seemed healthy enough now but he always wore long-sleeved shirts and smoked cigarettes, wondering if he had some sort of cancer. "Your dad was really messed up, I've been there. He'll tell you in time, it's not something easy to talk about", said Bob.
She went back to the control room when Josh and John finished setting up the tape. John joined Bob as her father gave the younger man a signal. Josh pressed Record as the two guitarists played, bobbing his head in time with the music with headphones perched on his ears. Nika tried not to laugh since the overgrown headphones on his skinny head around his beanie made him look like Mickey Mouse. She bit her lip to keep from laughing and planted a hand on her mouth to keep from giggling.
"That's it, you want to hear the playback?", asked Josh via the studio microphone as the men nodded. The music played from stereo as Bob and John bobbed their heads and grinned.
"That was great! If you want, you'll get producer credit", said John.
Josh blushed. "I don't know, I didn't add much", he mumbled.
"You don't have to add a lot of stuff to be a producer, you have to know when to add and when to subtract", said John.
"That makes sense, but I want to make sure I what I was doing is worthy of a producer credit. Hitting record doesn't seem like much of a producing job", Josh argued.
"All right, but I'll show you how to properly produce something so you get credit. If one produces their own record, you can make it sound however you want", said John.
Nika realized that the desk with all the buttons was larger than the one at John's studio. "This is a professional recording studio, mine is a home studio", he explained.
"Yeah, because I don't trust other producers with my stuff. We use a producer for the band's music, but I produce my solo material", John replied.
"And John is a great producer, I was awful at it", said Bob.
"Producing is one thing, some people are just good at it and others aren't. Anyways, do you think the song sounded good, Bob?", asked John.
"Yeah, I don't want it to sound perfect. Perfection sucks the life out of music. Anyways, I have to bring my son lunch and I have my NA meeting later", said Bob.
Everyone got into Josh's truck and headed towards a 7-11 where Bob bought a sandwich and a bottle of juice. After that it was a short drive to a school where Bob got out and was let in by a security guard. Nika looked at the school in distaste. It was a modernistic glass and steel structure which had sea-green panels on the exterior which reminded her of a Piet Mondrian artwork. "I know, it's ugly. My high school looks like this, except the panels were red", said Josh.
"I was homeschooled", she said.
"I wish I was homeschooled, I don't like being around a lot of people and the other kids would pick on me for being skinny and having a big nose, plus I didn't play sports and sucked at gym class", said Josh.
"Is that why you read a lot?", she asked.
"Yeah, school was boring and pointless. I knew much of the stuff already so sitting down in class with a bunch of jerks listening to the teacher drone on about stuff I knew was a complete waste of time", said Josh.
"Then I don't want to go to school", she declared.
"Josh, you're corrupting my daughter. But seriously, you need to go to school. You have to learn to be around kids", said John.
"I hate kids! The girls beat me up!", she yelled.
Both men were taken aback at her outburst. "Wow, that sucks. But I'm away on tour or recording and I'm not a qualified teacher. The law says you have to go to school", said John.
"No! I can read lots of books, the kids are going to beat me up", she whispered.
"I'll ask Flea and Chad about schools, but you have to go. I'm sorry", said John softly.
"Mom said I don't have to go to school, she says I have a high IQ and schools are for lazy, dumb kids", she said triumphantly.
"I need to talk with the guys. And Nika, you are a very smart girl but you can't call other people stupid. You need to learn social skills", said John.
"No, because kids suck. I like adults", she said smugly.
"If you don't stop talking like this, I'm going to punish you", said John quietly, but his hazel eyes turned dark brown with an underlying anger.
"No! Don't be mean, I'll shut up!", she wailed.
John was alarmed and this made him determined to find out about her mother and how she was raised. "Calm down, Nika. I don't want to scare you, but you shouldn't be scared of me. I just want you to be considerate of other people and be kind", said John.
"What happened?", asked Bob when he got back to the truck.
"Nika freaked out when I told her she had to go to school", John replied.
"I know, school sucks. I hated school too, but I went with the flow and shut up until graduation. Elijah hates school too, but he goes and gets good grades", said Bob.
Nika was still angry and hurt at the idea of going to school. She hoped that her father didn't send her to a school for mean kids like the sort her mother had threatened her with. Nika then vowed to herself that she would show her father and his friends exactly how smart she was so she didn't have to go to school.
"Your parents are still away?", asked John after they dropped off Bob.
"Yeah, they're gong to be away until Saturday. They trust me with the house, I have no interest in throwing a massive party like in Can't Hardly Wait", laughed Josh.
"What's that?", asked John.
"It's a teen comedy about a house party, some teens throw party and trash the place. It's a dumb movie, but Jennifer Love Hewitt is hot in that film", said Josh with a nervous giggle.
"Who? I don't watch mainstream movies", said John.
"She's on that show Party of Five, she's one of the sisters. Her and Neve Campbell are hot, the show is cheesy and melodramatic but those two make it worth watching", said Josh.
"Hah, I suppose we all need some junk food in our diets", said John.
"And besides, I got a date tonight", said Josh as his cheeks turned bright red.
"Awesome, who's the lucky girl?", teased John.
"Her name is Ashley, we met at a Bicycle Thief show in Pasadena. Her friend was in another band performing that night, we started talking and I got her number and asked her out", said Josh.
"Awesome, congratulations. Hope you have a good time", said John
"Yeah, I have to go home and get ready. I haven't been on a date in months", said Josh.
"I haven't been on a date in five years, since I broke up with my old girlfriend", said John.
"Yeah, I've never had a real girlfriend. I just hope she doesn't freak out over the truck", said Josh.
"It's all right, she probably knows you don't have a lot of money. Girls love musicians, that's why I joined a band", joked John.
"Yeah, but you're better-looking than me. Bicycle Thief tends to attract a lot of hipster, arty types, hardly any girls. Then again, I'm not interesting in just hooking up", said Josh.
"You're mature than I was at your age", said John.
"Thanks, John", said Josh.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Mar 7, 2021 21:05:51 GMT -5
Chapter 16
"I love art, it's my favorite class at school. I'm going to be an artist or a photographer when I grow up", said Clara as they waited to get in the car.
"Me too, but i can't draw or paint. I do like looking at art, Pepere has a lot of books on Medieval art plus Byzantine art because he's a professor of Byzantine Studies", said Nika.
"I think I've heard of it, it was Greek? Our social studies book had a paragraph on it", said Clara.
Nika normally would have thought the red-haired girl was stupid, but she was nice so she said nothing. "Sort of, it was the Eastern Roman Empire, the Empire split in half in 395 AD. The Byzantine Empire fell in 1453 after it was attacked by the Ottoman Turks", she explained.
"Oh, I didn't know that", said Clara in awe.
"Wow, me neither. Then again, I just graduated high school", laughed Flea.
"Same here", agreed John Sr.
"We'll meet you at the Getty, you go and pick up Josh said", said Flea as her, John Sr. Nika, and John got in the rental car.
"Yeah, since his house is more our of the way", said John.
"I hope Josh isn't tired from his date", laughed John as they got in the SUV.
"Nah, he's not that type. But he's a lot shier around girls than any of us. But it's good he went on a date, he's so shy", said John.
"Why would he be tired after going on a date?", asked Nika.
The men blushed. "Uh, maybe they were out all night having fun", said John.
"What kind of fun? There's nothing interesting after the news at 11", said Nika.
"Maybe they went to an all-night show, or out dancing", said Gail as she nodded in understanding.
Josh was waiting outside his parents' house, a grin seemingly stuck to his face like a Joker mask. Like always, he wore baggy black sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt with a beanie over his floppy brown hair, his t-shirt depicting the cover of Rubber Soul by the Beatles. "My Grandmere likes the Beatles", said Nika.
"Awesome, tell your grandma she has awesome taste. My parents love the Beatles, I like them too", said Josh as he got in the backseat with Nika.
"My great aunts Olivia and Tessa think rock music is noisy, they love jazz. Olivia likes West Coast jazz and Tessa loves Coltrane and Ornette Coleman", said Nika.
"Wow, she's got awesome taste. I love Coltrane but Coleman is better, Flea turned me on to them", said Josh enthusiastically.
"And you listen to that as much as Radiohead, it must drive your parents nuts", laughed John as they all chuckled.
"It's a matter of taste, jazz isn't very popular with many people. But when you get older, you'll like it", said Josh.
The group drove towards the Getty Museum. "I think you would like the Getty Villa, it has a lot of Greek and Roman art", said John.
Nika's eyes went wide as saucers and a grin formed on her lips. "Ohh!", she squealed.
"I know, I thought you would like it", laughed John.
The group arrived at the Getty Villa museum where Flea and Clara waited. Nika was impatient as they waited in line to buy tickets, seeing the museum in front of her which resembled a Roman villa. John and Flea bought the tickets as Nika opened up the museum map. "This is the way to the Greek section", she declared.
The grownups looked on with bemusement as she led them straight to the Greek section. Her eyes were wide in delight and had turned an intense purple with delight when she saw the art on display, nearly dizzy with awe. "Calm down, Nika", said John kindly.
"Wow, this is an actual Minoan fresco from Knossos, it might be palace of Minos. That's bull-leaping, it might have been part of a religious ritual", she said.
The adults were silent in awe as Nika pointed out the different types of art and explained what they were and what they represented. She was in her element as she as they stopped in front of the statues and told them what particular god or goddess it was, or the mythological scenes on the black and orange vases. Other people stopped and starred as they listened to the little girl who seemed to know more about Greek art than a college professor.
"And this is Achilles dragging Hector behind his chariot, it was revenge of Hector slaying Patrocles. Patrocles was Achilles' boyfriend", she explained about a black vase with orange figures.
"Ah, wow. I knew that Achilles fought in the Trojan war, but I didn't know he had a boyfriend", said John.
"The ancient Greeks were tolerant of homosexuality", she explained.
Her grandparents exchanged a look. "Uh, that's not appropriate for kids", said Gail.
"But it's the truth, the ancient Greeks were tolerant of homosexuality. In fact, Alexander the Great was closer to his boyfriend Hephaestion than to his three wives. Anyways, this is a kouros, a male statue from the Archaic period", she said, gesturing towards a weirdly-modernistic statue of a nude boy.
John was speechless as he led her talk. While he knew she was smart, this was far above what he thought was appropriate for a girl her age. He glanced over and saw that his parents and Flea were just as astonished. Only Josh seemed tranquil, his brown eyes thoughtful. "I was the same way your age, Nika. Except my thing was music and reciting baseball statistics. Mom and Dad loved to hear me play and show off to my relatives", he said.
"Cool, Mom liked to do that too, she had me go on TV at the Palm Springs TV station and answer questions, but the host was creepy", said Nika.
John felt an odd sinking sensation in his stomach, followed by a sudden burst of anger. The idea of his daughter performing on a TV show like a trained seal made him physically ill, especially if the host was a creepy old man. "Nika, you are not performing on TV again, you're a kid", he growled.
"Mom said I had to, she wanted people to see how smart I am. I didn't like it either", said Nika with a shrug.
"Ugh, that sounds like low-rent Star Search", said Josh in distaste.
"Oh dear, that won't happen again", said Gail as John Sr. nodded in agreement.
John was still troubled as Nika led him towards more exhibits of Greek art. The initial euphoria of seeing his daughter's intelligence gave way to a feeling o f dread and unease as she gave a detailed run-down of the statues and vases. Her earnest tone reminded him a museum tour guide or a PBS broadcaster, so striking in an otherwise healthy little girl. The idea of Nika seeing a therapist and going to a private school sounded more urgent. While he had little experience with children, he did know that a young girl shouldn't be so eager to show off or have such knowledge, that no child should have such an extensive knowledge of ancient Greece. He knew he had to ask her grandparents about how Zoe had raised her and about that TV show as he followed her to the next room.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Mar 16, 2021 8:30:35 GMT -5
Chapter 17
"Nika, you shouldn't show off like that", John chided.
"Why not? Don't people like to see that? Mom always had me do that", said Nika.
John frowned. "That was rude, nobody likes conceited people, especially children. And your Mom was being conceited too, children shouldn't show off", he said.
"Really? She used to take me to the studio and have me speak Greek and Latin. The TV people liked it", she said.
John had an uneasy sensation go through the pit of his stomach. "I'll need to ask your grandparents, but I don't like that. I don't like children performing", he said.
Nika was confused. While she disliked going to the studio, she'd thought people liked seeing children perform. "Okay, when is Josh coming over?", she asked.
John raised an eyebrow. "Uh, he's coming over in an hour. Now you go and apologize to Grandpa and Grandma", he said.
"Why, all that stuff is true", she replied.
"Children aren't supposed to know that stuff, or talk about it in public. It embarrassed them", he explained.
"But why? It's the truth, and I know it's true. What's your IQ, mine is 135", she said triumphantly.
"See, it's not good to boast. I don't know, but I suppose it's a bit above average. Please apologize to your grandparents", he said.
Nika sighed and went upstairs to the guestroom. She was confused at why she had to apologize since her mother had her go on their local TV station and show off and everyone seemed to like it. Her grandparents were in the guestroom as she walked inside on shaky legs. "Grandma, Grandpa, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you yesterday at the museum", she said softly after dropping into a deep curtsy.
"We weren't embarrassed, just startled. Children normally don't know stuff like that", said Gail kindly.
"But Mom used to take me to the TV station in Palm Springs so I could show people stuff. They liked it", she said, looking confused.
"Oh dear, I suppose that's different", said Gail with a frown.
"Really, that's weird. Nika, we know you're a really smart kid, but you can't be showing off like that", said John Sr.
"But Mom liked it when I showed off, she said it was a good thing I was smart. She said the other kids were stupid", said Nika.
The older couple exchanged a look. "Nika, it's not nice to call people stupid", said Gail.
"But what if they were?", she asked.
"It's still not nice. You have to learn how to get along with others", said Gail.
"No I don't, people annoy me", she said matter-of-factly.
"Nika, this isn't a healthy attitude. And do we annoy you?", asked John Sr.
"Not really, you're nice. Dad too, and Josh and Flea and Clara. But the girls in my old neighborhood beat me up", said Nika.
"That's terrible. But not everyone is out to hurt you, people are nice if you give them a chance", said Gail.
"No thanks, I prefer books. It's nothing personal", said Nika softly.
The front door and Nika was relieved to see Josh. "Hey Nika, how's your grandparents?", he asked kindly. He took off his black beanie and his long brown hair stood up from static electricity, then quickly flopped down around his face.
"Hi, Josh. Did I embarrass you guys yesterday?", she asked.
"Sort of, kids normally don't know stuff like that. Then again, I knew weird stuff when I was a kid too, like how male seahorses have babies or that a platypus lays eggs", said Josh.
"Really? That's cool, I'm not familiar with animals", she said.
"Except for cats, I suppose. But not all stuff you know is appropriate. There was a kid I knew in first grade who told the class during show and tell about how babies were made, the teacher was so embarrassed and everyone made fun of him", said Josh.
"That's disgusting! I'm never going to let a boy do that to me", she vowed.
Josh let out a nervous giggle as he turned pink. "Uh, okay. I felt the same way at your age", he mumbled.
"Have you done that with a girl?", she asked.
Josh could only stutter as he turned the color of pickled beets. "Uh, uh, not yet", he stammered.
Before Nika could ask any more questions, John came downstairs. He saw the younger man's red face and frowned. "Dad, Josh hasn't done it with a girl", she said earnestly. Josh actually turned a darker shade of red verging on purple as John put an arm around his friend. "Nika, that's not a good question to ask someone", he chided.
Josh gradually turned a more normal color. "Uh, okay. But this state won't last forever, I haven't found anyone I'd like to be with it", he said.
"I know, you've done that since I'm here, Dad. But it's gross", said Nika.
John just shook his head and sighed. "Nika, this is a very strange conversation to have. Grandma and Grandpa want to take you out", he said.
"As long as it's not Disneyland", she said.
"No, they want to go to Venice Beach. You'll like it, there's a lot art galleries and street musicians", said John.
"Really? That sounds cool", said Nika.
"It is, I played some busking gigs there after I left school. There's a lot of great people in Venice", said Josh.
"Ok, Dad. I'll behave for Grandma and Grandpa", said Nika.
"Nika, we're not going to punish you if you make mistakes. Have fun, but you also have to learn how to interact with people. Being conceited isn't going to make you any friends", said John.
"But aren't you proud of your guitar playing?", she asked.
"Yes, but Mom and Dad taught me not to brag. When I got a big ego as a young guy, bad things happened", said John.
Nika really wanted to know what happened to but decided not to ask. "Okay, but Mom was very proud", she replied.
"Some pride is good, but not too much", John warned, a sad, knowing look in his hazel eyes.
John made sure Nika got in the car with his parents before Mildred started preparing tea. "So Josh, did she really ask you that?", he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Josh blushed. "Uh, yeah. Nothing happened after my date with Ashley, I just dropped her off at her place. We are going on another date Friday, but we do go back on tour Monday", he said.
"Hey, that's cool. Don't rush it, when I joined the band at 18 I was so eager to lose my virginity because Anthony kept teasing me. I don't even remember it, I was drunk", said John.
"Wow, trust me, it won't be like that. I want to lucid when that happens, but I want to be ready", said Josh thoughtfully.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Mar 26, 2021 8:22:47 GMT -5
Chapter 18
At first Nika was frightened of the big crowds surrounding them at Venice Beach, but curiosity got the better of her when she saw the street artists and public art on display. The Pacific Ocean waves pounded the surf as sea breezes wafted over the boardwalk and the tangy scent of salt lingered in the air. "Can we see the art gallery, please?", she asked her grandparents.
"Of course, Nika. That looks very nice", said Gail.
Nika smiled shyly at her grandmother as they led her inside one of the galleries on Venice Pier. Inside showcased paintings and sculpture by local artists as soft classical music played in the background and discreet docents in black stood around. "This looks like a Van Gogh, see the swirls? And this one is like a Gauguin?", she said.
One of the docents raised an eyebrow. "Yes, they do resemble Gauguin and Van Gogh. You know your artists, you lady", they said.
Nika gave the black-clad hipster lady a side-eye. "Thank you, madam", she said politely.
"Yes, this is a view of the Pacific at night. And this is a depiction of how the local Native American tribe lived", said the lady.
"Interesting, it's pretty", said Nika.
"Oh yes, the artists have several pieces here", said the lady.
"Should we buy a piece for John's house? Or do you think he would prefer his own art?", asked John Sr. as Gail bought a painting and arranged for it to be sent to their house in Queens.
"Dad's taste in art is weird. He likes garbage like Duchamp and that stuff which looks like blobs", said Nika in distaste.
"It is ugly and weird, but it is his taste. At least it isn't that scary stuff he was painting", said Gail.
Nika wondered how scary his art was since the weird modern art he collected was already ugly. "Let's get some lunch, I really don't like macrobiotic food", said John Sr. with a chuckle.
"I like Dad's food, it's healthy", said Nika.
"It's bland and tasteless, food isn't supposed to be that way. But because he had all those health issues, he can't eat normally", said John Sr.
For the umpteenth time Nika wondered exactly how sick her father was. She wanted to know if he had cancer or some other illness but didn't want to look rude, especially since that time at the museum. "Okay, but macrobiotic food is good for you", she reminded her grandfather.
They spent the rest of the afternoon looking through the various art galleries and watching the street performers. John Sr. and Gail were glad to see the smiles on their granddaughter's face, how her lovely purplish-blue eyes would widen in delight. In those moments, she looked more like a normal girl instead of the child prodigy she acted like just yesterday.
It was with reluctance that the older couple led Nika towards the car that afternoon. "I'd like to see the sunset, but traffic in LA is horrible", Gail explained.
Nika understood as she got in the backseat of the rental car. She wondered if her father and Josh had finished recording and if the album was done. She was curious how an album was recorded at his studio since the recording session at the other studio didn't seem very impressive. Luckily they had headed back just before LA rush hour started and they dodged the worst of the traffic on the way back to the Hollywood Hills. The sky was still bright and the sun had not yet set when they arrived back at John's house. "Hi Mom and Dad. Josh just left, he has a date tonight", said John as Gabriel and Bianca tried to climb all over Nika.
"How nice, Josh is such a nice boy. I hope he finds himself a girlfriend", said Gail.
"Yeah, it's his second date with this girl, Ashley. He met her at a gig, he seems really taken with her. I hope he finds himself a girlfriend, he's still young", said John.
"Why? People can be annoying, and all couples do is kiss", said Nika, making a face.
At this statement, the adults cracked up. "Uh, people do more than that on dates. They go out and see the movies and go dancing, and if they really like each other, they'll get married", said Gail.
John Sr. bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Yeah, that can happen", he mumbled.
"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Frusciante. I'm making vegan stir fry", said Mildred.
The older couple exchanged a look. "Uh, okay. Thank you", said John Sr.
"I love Mildred's vegan stir fry, it's really good", said Nika happily.
The older couple sighed. "Okay", said John Sr.
"We went to Venice Beach and saw some art galleries. Grandma and Grandpa saw a painting and bought it for their house", said Nika.
"Cool, Venice Beach has a lot of art galleries. I used to hang out there back in high school", said John wistfully.
"Yeah, and we'd have to go and pick you up", chided Gail.
Nika excused herself to go to her room. With every passing day, the details of John's past seemed to make more sense but also become more murky. She knew that he had been sick and had to go on a macrobiotic diet, but she was still confused about the exact nature of his sickness. She decided to wait until he was comfortable telling her, since he was leaving to go on tour again in a few days.
Nika felt odd, thinking that she was going to miss him and Josh. She had never missed her mother even after she died but now she knew she was going to miss her father much more. She was even going to miss Josh, since he was very nice to her and had picked out the book on Egypt for her. Maybe she thought about calling her other grandparents in Palm Springs.
She looked through her bookshelf and scanned the spines of the books. Her books had all come in from Palm Springs and she had arranged them while her father was on tour. She took out her favorite book on ancient Greece and flopped down on the bed to read.
Within a few minutes she was transported to Athens under Pericles, imagining herself as a man on the council debating items about running the city. Nika wondered what it would be like to live in Athens, and if she could change her gender to be a man since women didn't seem to do anything interesting. Nika wondered why her mother had gotten with her father, since her mother had never shown interest in dating.
With reluctance, she closed the book and went downstairs for dinner. Her grandparents had polite smiles on their faces as they waited to be served, but it was clear they were not eager to eat macrobiotic food. "Hi Nika. Did you like Venice Beach?", asked John.
"Yes, I liked the art galleries. Some of the art was pretty", she replied.
"She impressed the lady by saying the paintings resembled Van Gogh and Gauguin", said Gail.
"That's great, do you like Impressionist art?", asked John,
"Yes, especially Monet and Renoir. I prefer landscapes", said Nika.
"Awesome, maybe one day I'll take you to LACMA, they have a lot of modern art", said John.
"Good, as long as it's not the blobby stuff", said John Sr. as everyone laughed.
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