The Rockin' Rodents

Secrets and Rehearsals

The band had four weeks to write songs and fine-tune them. The rules for the battle of the bands meant that they only needed four songs. Three for the performance and one for a potential encore. Jimmy immediately took over using his musical skills and experience to organize the younger musicians. Since the band lacked material to play and Jimmy had the rights to his music back, he taught the Rockin Rodents one of his songs "Peace in a Pizza box" to the band, but insisted that as soon as the others had some songs completed, that they would use them as well.

But Jimmy had one condition for Jerry.

"You've got to tell your parents Jerry, I won't have ya lying to them, rock is about the truth and we can't build that on a bed of lies, alright?"

"But Jimmy! They'll say no, I know they will, they don't want me to be a musician," he protested.

"Don't worry, I'll go with you when you tell them, it'll be alright in the end, you'll see. Family's important,"

"More important than Rocking?" asked Jerry.

"Yes kid, more important than even that."

Jimmy was as good as his word and went with Jerry to talk with his parents. The whole band went as moral support. Jerry felt sick to his stomach with nerves as they walked up to the front door of his home. Jimmy knocked on the door and his mum answered.

"Jerry love, I thought you were at Wayne and Bill's house working on your music project?" she said, giving Jimmy a strange look.

"Evening ma'am," said Jimmy, tipping his hat to Jerry's mum. "My name's Jimmy Halloumi, I'm a friend of your son, any chance I could speak to you and his pa?

"Eh, of course, come in" replied Jerry's mum, a little taken aback by the eccentrically dressed adult rat claiming to know her son, and a band of what to her appeared to be misfits.

They went into the living room and Jerry's mum called his father. When Jerry's father came in he immediately saw Jimmy and gave him a double-take.

"Jimmy Halloumi! What are you doing here?" Jerry's father asked.

Jimmy shot the mouse a puzzled look "Don't I know you? Francis, right? I remember you used to roadie for the Drowning Kittens, you and your brother Eddie,"

"Yeah, well that was a long time ago" answered Francis. "Before I met Ruby." Jerry saw him share an uncomfortable glance with his mother

Jerry's mouth had dropped; he could never have imagined his father knowing Jimmy. What else didn't he know about his father?

"Ruby? Ruby Tuesday?" asked jimmy. Jerry didn't know what to say; now his mother knew him too.

His mother played coquettishly with the end of her tail.

"Hi Jimmy," she said warmly. Jerry could have sworn he saw her wink at him.

His father coughed and then his parents continued the family tradition of eyeball sign language for a quick moment. After a scary moment when his father's left pupil almost disappeared into the back of his skull, he finally asked

"What can I do for you, Jimmy?"

"Well, Jerry here, he's got the music bug. He's got it bad. So bad he's willing to lie and come to my part of the dump every day and practice."

Jerry watched as his father nodded as he did when he was mulling something over in his head.

"Don't you think it's time he knew the truth?" his mother said to his father.

Francis looked at the band "Guys could you give us a moment with Jerry and Jimmy?"

Jerry's mother told Tina and Hammy to find something to eat in the kitchen.

"Listen, son, I used to be... an alcoholic. When I was on the road I drank a lot and was destroying my life. Then I met your mother and we had you and that changed everything. I don't want the same thing happening to you?"

"But dad I just want to play music, I don't want to do any of that other stuff."

"It's true Francis, we're just gonna play music, he'll be under my supervision at all times. You know me" said Jimmy

"Yeah, I remember you were always about the music Jimmy. Well, okay, but on the condition that I can go along as your roadie, on your first gig." And Jerry, Jimmy, his mum, and his dad put out their arms and gave each other a big hug.