Roman Sky
Welcome To The Family
...2006
“Layla Marie, you are not wearing that.” Dad scolds as I walk into Metallica’s dressing room. “I don’t need the bands drooling over my daughter.” I look down at my studded bralet and shrug.
“Dad, last I checked; I’m 25. Plus I’m James Hetfield’s daughter. I grew up on tour and was taught by my daddy and uncles Lars and Kirk to be able to handle myself.” Lars just laughs before putting an arm around my shoulders.
“Lays does have a point.” He defends me. “Girl can wear whatever the hell she wants because she can kick the asses of any guy that harasses her.”
“I still don’t want her around the guys her age wearing that. I’m too young to be a grandfather.”
I just roll my eyes and sit next to my dad. “What bands are you touring with anyway? You never told me.”
“Tool, Trivium, Bullet for my Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold.” My heart flutters as my dad mentions Avenged Sevenfold. I had such a great summer on Warped Tour because of them. This time around, I’ve kept in contact with them. I’m surprised they didn’t mention touring with Metallica.
“Avenged Sevenfold?” I repeat.
“Yea, you know them?” Kirk asks. “I mean they’ve been on Warped Tour the last couple years. They’re actually at their soundcheck.”
“Yea, I know them. Excuse me.” I mutter before taking off to the stage to see them do their soundcheck.
I get over to the stage area just in time to see the guys walk off. Jimmy is the first to spot me and comes bounding over towards me; immediately pulling me into a hug and quickly pulls away to continue walking to their dressing room. One by one the guys, and Luna, follow suit until it was just me and Matt. Somehow it always ends with me and Matt standing together alone.
“How is it that you always manage to just show up out of the blue; in Africa of all places.” He smiles before pulling me into a hug. He lingers a bit before pull away. “What are you doing here? I thought you were working and living in Las Vegas.”
“The residency I was working on ended so I figured it was time to travel and spend time with dad.”
“Dad?” He questions me. But before I can even say anything Dad comes walking up to us with a smile on his lips.
“Matt, I see you met my daughter Layla. She’s the one I’ve been telling you about.” Dad turns from Matt and looks at me. “Matt was telling me about their need for a good stage manager. Of course I had to tell them about you.” As Dad goes on and on, Matt just looks at me. I don’t know if he’s pissed or hurt or whatever. He looks so unreadable.
“Hey, I’ve got to go back with the band. I’ll catch up with you later?” Matt says before quickly walking about earning a look from my dad.
“What was that about?” He asks me. “His attitude changed when I came over.”
“He didn’t know.” I quickly reply before running after Matt. “Matt wait up!” I yell causing the tattooed man in front of me to stop and look back at me. “Please let me explain.”
“Your dad is JAMES HETFIELD!?” He yells. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because of this reaction.” I reply. “People either get pissed that I don’t inform them of who my father is or they don’t believe me. Or worse they do believe me and use me to get to my father. I planned on telling you, I swear. I just had to be sure I could trust you. I’ve been fucked over too many times.”
“Looking back at everything, I now have answers to my many questions.” He chuckles. “I had my guesses but I never thought you’d actually be the daughter of someone in Metallica.”
“You mad?”
“I’ll get over it.” He admits. “I just wish you told me sooner. I’d never fuck you over.”
“I just had to be sure I could trust you.” I tell him. “Would you have believed me if I told you.”
“Probably not.” He laughs. “I knew he had a kid but I didn’t even think about how old she was or how badass she was.”
I can’t help but to laugh. “Should we tell everyone else? How do you think they’ll react?”
“It’s your secret to tell, Layla. But I honestly think they’ll be more jealous than pissed.”
“Well lead the way.” I tell him. “I might as well them now before I chicken out again…” He just laughs as he grabs my hand and guides me to the dressing room. Here goes nothing...
“Layla Marie, you are not wearing that.” Dad scolds as I walk into Metallica’s dressing room. “I don’t need the bands drooling over my daughter.” I look down at my studded bralet and shrug.
“Dad, last I checked; I’m 25. Plus I’m James Hetfield’s daughter. I grew up on tour and was taught by my daddy and uncles Lars and Kirk to be able to handle myself.” Lars just laughs before putting an arm around my shoulders.
“Lays does have a point.” He defends me. “Girl can wear whatever the hell she wants because she can kick the asses of any guy that harasses her.”
“I still don’t want her around the guys her age wearing that. I’m too young to be a grandfather.”
I just roll my eyes and sit next to my dad. “What bands are you touring with anyway? You never told me.”
“Tool, Trivium, Bullet for my Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold.” My heart flutters as my dad mentions Avenged Sevenfold. I had such a great summer on Warped Tour because of them. This time around, I’ve kept in contact with them. I’m surprised they didn’t mention touring with Metallica.
“Avenged Sevenfold?” I repeat.
“Yea, you know them?” Kirk asks. “I mean they’ve been on Warped Tour the last couple years. They’re actually at their soundcheck.”
“Yea, I know them. Excuse me.” I mutter before taking off to the stage to see them do their soundcheck.
I get over to the stage area just in time to see the guys walk off. Jimmy is the first to spot me and comes bounding over towards me; immediately pulling me into a hug and quickly pulls away to continue walking to their dressing room. One by one the guys, and Luna, follow suit until it was just me and Matt. Somehow it always ends with me and Matt standing together alone.
“How is it that you always manage to just show up out of the blue; in Africa of all places.” He smiles before pulling me into a hug. He lingers a bit before pull away. “What are you doing here? I thought you were working and living in Las Vegas.”
“The residency I was working on ended so I figured it was time to travel and spend time with dad.”
“Dad?” He questions me. But before I can even say anything Dad comes walking up to us with a smile on his lips.
“Matt, I see you met my daughter Layla. She’s the one I’ve been telling you about.” Dad turns from Matt and looks at me. “Matt was telling me about their need for a good stage manager. Of course I had to tell them about you.” As Dad goes on and on, Matt just looks at me. I don’t know if he’s pissed or hurt or whatever. He looks so unreadable.
“Hey, I’ve got to go back with the band. I’ll catch up with you later?” Matt says before quickly walking about earning a look from my dad.
“What was that about?” He asks me. “His attitude changed when I came over.”
“He didn’t know.” I quickly reply before running after Matt. “Matt wait up!” I yell causing the tattooed man in front of me to stop and look back at me. “Please let me explain.”
“Your dad is JAMES HETFIELD!?” He yells. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because of this reaction.” I reply. “People either get pissed that I don’t inform them of who my father is or they don’t believe me. Or worse they do believe me and use me to get to my father. I planned on telling you, I swear. I just had to be sure I could trust you. I’ve been fucked over too many times.”
“Looking back at everything, I now have answers to my many questions.” He chuckles. “I had my guesses but I never thought you’d actually be the daughter of someone in Metallica.”
“You mad?”
“I’ll get over it.” He admits. “I just wish you told me sooner. I’d never fuck you over.”
“I just had to be sure I could trust you.” I tell him. “Would you have believed me if I told you.”
“Probably not.” He laughs. “I knew he had a kid but I didn’t even think about how old she was or how badass she was.”
I can’t help but to laugh. “Should we tell everyone else? How do you think they’ll react?”
“It’s your secret to tell, Layla. But I honestly think they’ll be more jealous than pissed.”
“Well lead the way.” I tell him. “I might as well them now before I chicken out again…” He just laughs as he grabs my hand and guides me to the dressing room. Here goes nothing...
@Kimmie
The sequel is titled Nothing Else Matters. It's being posted now.
7/8/18