Back to Where We Started From (Miracle)

Chapter Seventy-Four

February 19, 1977
Los Angeles, CA

"You are well on your way to looking like an expensive hooker," Tommy told Julia as he entered her bedroom. She looked up from her spot on the floor in front of her mirror and glared at him. Her hair was in rollers and she was still dressed in pajamas, but her makeup looked even more glamorous than usual. Tommy saw the look she was giving him and laughed. "It was a compliment!"

"Thanks," Julia quipped with an eyeroll. She looked around at the makeup scattered on the floor, searching for a certain lipstick. After a few minutes of searching, she let out a huff of frustration.

"What's wrong?" Tommy asked, sitting on her bed.

"I can't find my lipstick! I can't find anything. We need a bigger place," she groaned. For the last year, the band had been living in an apartment on the Sunset Strip, but it was quickly becoming too small.

"We need a bigger place and you need to stop hogging all the makeup," Cyndi said as she entered the room, sitting beside Julia on the floor. "Scoot over."

Julia reluctantly moved over, sharing the mirror space with Cyndi.

"Are you guys nervous?" Tommy asked, looking at their reflections in the mirror.

"About tonight?" Julia asked, still looking around for the lipstick in question.

"No, Julia, about what to get Michael for his birthday," Tommy said sarcastically. "Yes, about tonight."

"I'm a little nervous," Cyndi admitted, staring at her reflection as she worked on her makeup.

"Me too," Tommy sighed, running his hands through his dark hair.

"The only thing that's making me nervous is the fact that I can't find my lipstick!" Julia huffed, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"We're nominated for two Grammy awards for Album of the Year and Best New Artist, and all you can think about is lipstick," Tommy acknowledged, shaking his head at Julia. She just rolled her eyes.

"You guys, our debut album is up against Stevie Wonder and Peter Frampton. Let's be real here. We're not gonna win, so let's just go have fun," Julia shrugged.

"Always the optimist," Tommy pointed out, searching Julia's bedside table for a joint.

"What about Best New Artist? We could win that," Cyndi said with a slightly hopeful tone.

"I'm just trying to get some free drinks and bump elbows with people way out of our league," Julia told them, earning a glare from Cyndi as she dumped another makeup bag. "Where is my lipstick?!"

"Wear a different one!" Tommy finally told her, getting a middle finger from Julia.

"Get outta my room!" Julia told him as he finally found a joint. He just smiled at her as he laid back in her bed, lighting the joint and taking a puff.

"Why are we fighting?" Jim asked, entering the room and shooting Tommy a look of disapproval.

"She's so dramatic," Tommy explained shortly. It really wasn't much of an explanation, as it covered most of the problems he had with Julia.

"Jim, have you seen my lipstick anywhere? The red one in the gold tube?" Julia whined with a pout.

"Yes, Julia, I borrowed it and forgot to put it back," Jim joked with an eyeroll. "Did you check the bathroom?"

Julia gasped, jumping up and running to the bathroom.

"You should probably start getting ready soon. And please, take a shower," Jim told Tommy pointedly. Tommy just scoffed and continued smoking.