False Starts || Dave Grohl

Chapter 47

"Did I Lose You? Somewhere Down The Line."

November 18, 1993

New York, NY

Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to turn around and never look back as I stare up at the large 'Nirvana MTV Unplugged' sign lit up outside Sony Music Studios. I'd done everything in my power to avoid the band since February, but now here I am ten months later to give my support.

Rhys stood at my side, a giddy childlike grin on his round face as he squeezes my hand. The three-year-old has been gushing about the band all week, screaming along to their music videos when MTV played them (which is more frequent than I'd like).

"Rosemary! Oh my gosh I can't believe you're here!" I didn't have time to react before a pair of arms are wrapped securely around my waist, causing me to lose my grip on Rhys. "How have you been? Why haven't you been answering my phone calls? What did you do to your hair? Ugh I just have so many questions!"

Shelli stood in front of me, hair longer than usual with a small layer of make-up covering her blemish free face. She looked happy, and for that I am glad. Everything was falling apart when I last saw her in Seattle. After the close call with Dave, Krist convinced his wife and I to head home so the band could (hopefully) figure things out with their drummer.

"We have all day Shell." I can't help but giggle at her series of questions, having expected it since I've been hiding out on the east coast. The break was refreshing and has given me a new sense of clarity on the situation. "Let's not rush through everything right off the bat."

The older woman visibly groans before kneeling down to be eye level with Rhys. "And you must be Rhys," the photographer sticks her hand out for my little brother to shake before continuing, "I'm Shelli. Your sister talks about you all the time little dude."

Rather than hiding behind me, Rhys steps forward to shake my friends' hand, surprising both of us. It's not often that children his age are outgoing; Bean is a prime example of this. "Hi Shelli."

"Quite the charmer I see," Both of us giggle as the small boy straightens up. "Everyone's going to be falling at your feet when you're older."

My hand falls to the top of his head, messing up his recently combed dark brown hair. "More like sprinting away. He's a little pain when he wants to be."

"He just knows what he wants." With that the dark-haired woman stands back up and points at the building. "So, are you just going to stand out here staring at the sign all afternoon, or are you going to say hi to everyone?"

"You know exactly why I'm so hesitant to go in there Shelli." I bend down to lift Rhys up, propping the three-year-old on my hip like I would when he was still a baby. "I've seen him once since Minnesota, back in June. He thought I was hiding out at my mom's again, not in Corolla."

"Well?" She crosses her arms over her chest, "Did the two of you talk?"

I shrug, "We said maybe ten words to each other. He apologized for not knocking before grabbing a few things and heading to a hotel..."

"And you didn't go after him?"

"Rhys was with me!" It isn't an excuse really. My younger brother is rather smart for his age and would've been fine if I walked out of the living room for ten minutes to talk to Dave, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He scared the shit out of me at Pachyderm and I was too shocked to say anything.

Shelli saw through my bullshit though, giving me a look of disapproval before grabbing my free hand in hers. "Well then it's time for you to face your fears sweetheart because people are in here waiting on you."