MARIGOLD // Dave Grohl

XVI: Dead Knows Best

Tacoma, WA

June 24, 1994

Sarah blinked, and blinked again. She fought to keep her eyes open, yet simultaneously struggling to keep them closed. Tossing and turning made no significant improvement upon her comfort. She sat up with a huff, reaching over to her nightstand to flick on her gooseneck lamp. She grabbed her "Kurt" scrapbook from the nightstand drawer and opened it, flipping through the various captioned polaroid photos and notes on lined paper, all addressed to Sarah, in Kurt's handwriting.

First Sleepover

James bet me $1 that you'd chicken out last minute. You most definitely did not. We spent the night drawing, and you spent a straight hour talking about Ronnie James Dio and how amazing he sounded with Sabbath, and how much of a shame it was that he was so much older and shorter than you, or else you'd marry him instantly.

Sarah's Attempt at Joining the Landscaping Company: James is Not Pleased.

He wasn't so pissed about you joining the company, it was more about the fact that I spent so long trying to teach you how to use the equipment only for us to fuck around the whole time with the leaf blower. We barely got any work done

Kurt's First Kool-Aid Dye Job, Had to Cut it Out After a Year and a Half

It was a gross shade of lime green to begin with, but the little fading it did do ended up leaving my hair a vomit-like shade. Mrs. Hershkowitz, the busy-body that she was, called your parents about it, knowing my parents were too busy fighting to do shit.

Sarah's Senior Prom Photo (+ Kurt, Obviously)

This was not my idea, I repeat, THIS WAS NOT MY IDEA!!! YOU were the one who suggested we do a group photo, just the three of us, and Eric was so insecure about the fact that you had an older male best friend that he ditched you as soon as you got to the venue. But I came to the rescue (please, no applause) became your prom date instead, and we quite literally danced all night, even when we got home afterwards.

Our Firstborn Child, Puff

When you held this kitten out to me, I realized that I was in love with you. Even though you couldn't ever love me the way I wanted you to, raising Puff with you was the sweetest, most domestic experience I've ever had.

Sarah Gets Accepted to Art School!!!

I knew you could do it. I called it from day one. I will never understand why your parents didn't support your creative endeavors, but you obviously proved them wrong! And they knew it– every time I ran into them, I told them alllllllll about the awestriking work you were doing at NYU.

"So," a familiar voice drawled, scaring Sarah out of her skin, "I die, and now you're dating my drummer?" Her head snapped towards where the voice was coming from, only to see Kurt sitting in the armchair next to her bed, thankfully sans shotgun. He had to stop showing up like this. She didn't even remember falling asleep.

Sarah sat up while Kurt watched her, intently and patiently awaiting her reply. This was absolutely insane. But she'd indulge Dream-Kurt, just for a bit.

"Well, buddy, that's on you for dying."

"Fair."

"But Dave is good for me. We get each other, you know?" she smiled at the thought of her... friend? Grief partner? Potential boyfriend? But the expression on Kurt's face told her that he was not amused. In fact, he looked quite skeptical about the whole arrangement.