Alexithymia | James Hetfield

4 do you have a kid?

June 19 1983
"Whose truck is that?" Eliza's grandmother grew curious, as she was eyeing the truck since they pulled into the driveway.

"I have a few friends over. Actually, if you remember him, James is here." Eliza didn't know if they remembered him, it had been three years since they last saw him.

Her mom and grandmas faces practically lit up. "Oh how could I forget? How has he been these days?" Her mother began asking questions about the boy her daughter used to hangout with and talk about 24/7.

"Why don't we just go inside and we can all talk," Eliza suggested.

"Ooh that's a great idea." Her grandma agreed. "Esme do you have all of your stuff?"

Esme nodded, eager to go inside. Liz picked her up, leading the other two inside the house. Once they got inside all eyes were on Liz.

"Hey guys this is Esme. Esme, this is Cliff, Kirk, and Lars." She moved down the line they were in and pointed to each of them. "You might not remember James cause you haven't seen him in a few years."

James took a few steps closer to look at Esme, remembering the times when he would come over and watch her cartoons with them, and go on little family dinners.

Liz set down her little sister so she could go put her stuff in her room. As soon as Esme was put down, Liz got shoved aside.

"Oh look at you!" Her grandma was so short that when she tried to grab his face he had to bend down a little so she could reach. "How old are you now? 20?"

"Actually, I'll be 20 in August."

"You gotta let us throw you a party then!" Everyone could hear the thick country accent coating her voice.

James chuckled a little before Eliza's mom moved the old woman over. "Oh you're so tall! How have you been these years son?" He smiled at her use of the word son, considering the whole situation with his parents. "I've been good, I have a band now and we're gonna be releasing an album soon."

"That's great! I'll have to buy it and maybe go to one of your concerts." She smiled back and winked. She was genuinely glad to see he's been doing okay, she always worried about him, even before the stuff happened with his mom.

"Okay well I'm glad you two got to see him but you should be going now," her country accent started showing. She practically shoved the two women out of the door. "Bye love you."

"Tell Esme we love her, bye baby." The two said their goodbyes and soon enough they were in the car pulling out of the driveway.

When she turned around to see everyone else, they were looking at her and James with furrowed eyebrows and puzzled expressions. "What?" Again, she didn't know why they were looking at them like that.

"Well that whole thing," Eleanor put her hand up and pointed between them. "Was weird as hell, what was that?"

"Nothin, they haven't seen him in three years."

"Do you have a kid?" Lars blurted out, to which Liz, James, and Eleanor started to laugh.

"No that's my little sister," she was still laughing when she replied. Her country accent was still there, which made everyone more confused. Well by everyone, Cliff, Kirk, and Lars.

"Uh, where'd the accent come from?" Cliff chuckled and asked.

"I grew up in Texas," Liz chuckled too, brushing it off and hoping her accent would've calmed down a little.

"So why'd you move to California?" Kirk butted in and asked her.

"There was a couple family issues and I got expelled from school so my mom decided California would be a better place for us. Been in California for seven years."

"Holy shit, what'd you do to get expelled?" Lars piped in.

"I got in this big fight, my grades and attendance were terrible, and I got a lot of writes ups." She shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Liz left to go to the bathroom and when she came back everyone except James was in the living room watching tv. James was in the kitchen waiting for her to get back.

She walked up to him and said in a low tone, "not to kick you guys out or anything, but I have work at 6 in the morning tomorrow. I get off at two on Thursday and I was thinking maybe we could meet up at the beach?"

"I don't see why not, I can ask the guys later. When do you want us to leave?"

"Any time before midnight I guess. I have to be up at 5 and my shift starts at 6, It ends at 2."

"Alright we'll go soon, I'll go to the beach on Thursday so I'll see you then. I can call you later when I have the answers. If you want." He shrugged.

"Whatever works, thanks." She smiled at him and walked to the living room to join the others.

a/n
hey guys i know i said this one would be longer but it wasn't i just ran out of ideas and i'm sososososososososososo sorry and i haven't released a chapter in SO long but i wanted to get something out and i'm sorry is this actually sucks and if there's any mistakes :)))

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(851 words without a/n)