I sigh as I walk out of the studio and start to walk to the small diner where Buddy and I had agreed to meet. It's only two or three blocks away... but which way? South? Right? Right!
I go to the right. I walk into the diner and see Buddy sitting at a booth in the corner. No one seems to have noticed him, that or they've noticed and already mobbed him. I walk over and sit across from him.
He looks up at me "Hey, babe. How was the interview?"
"Fine. It's cold out there, unseasonably cold." I say as I grab his coffee mug and hold it to warm my hands. "Sally got a little personal, but not as personal as that one guy last month."
Buddy nods. "He was crazy." He looks at the mug in my hands "I was drinkin' that, Vi."
"But Buddy, I'm cold." I complain, making a pouty face.
Buddy chuckles. "Fine, fine."
The waitress shows up with a tray of food. Looks like I have perfect timing.
"Hi, my name is Jessica, it's nice to meet you, Violet. Buddy went ahead and ordered for you both, I hope that's okay!" She has long brown hair tied back and a crooked smile.
"It's nice to meet you too, Jessica! I love your lipstick, what brand is it?"
"Oh, it's Max Factor!" She says as she sets down the plates of food.
"I love their makeup." I smile. It's not a lie, I use it all the time.
"Me too! Their foundation lasts for hours! What do you want to drink?" She asks.
"Water is fine, thank you," I say.
"I didn't know what you would want to drink, but I got you biscuits and gravy." Buddy says, rearranging the plates. "I thought you'd like 'em."
I laugh. "How do you know me so well?"
"We've been together a little while." He smiles. "How long has it been? Six years? No, seven. Seven."
"June 5th, right? What's written on that one box of letters? The one from our first Christmas?" I ask.
"June 5th, I'm pretty sure. It's been a while. Still back in Lubbock."
December 8th, 1953
Dear Buddy,
I've decided for Christmas that I'm going to write you letters and put them in a box with stuff you like. I don't know what else to do, you're hard to shop for. I guess I'll just write about the things I like about you.
Well for this first one, I like your sense of self. You've never thought you were better than anyone just because you're talented. You know what I honestly think, Buddy? I think you are better than everyone else. You're talented and kind and handsome and interesting and an amazing person. I'm so happy that we moved to Lubbock. If we didn't I would never have met you, and I would never became so happy. You make me happy, Buddy.
You make me laugh all the time and you make me smile and you're there for me no matter what. When I heard we were moving, I was upset. I didn't want to leave my friends back in Chicago. I didn't think that I'd make any friends. I thought everyone here we're going to be hillbillies, but in the long run, I'm so happy we came here. I'm so happy we moved. I'm just so happy that I met you. I love you. I, Violet Rosaline Winter, love you, Charles Hardin Holley. I don't know how to put how I feel into words yet, but I know that I've never been so happy to be around a person.
Sincerely yours,
Violet R. Winter
"That first letter was a struggle. I didn't know how to explain what love felt like yet." I smile and set down Buddy's mug. "I still don't, honestly."
"It was a struggle for me not to say I loved you on that park bench." He laughs. "It was so cute when you slipped and said it."
"Cute to you, embarassing for me."
July 11th, 1953. 10:38pm, The Winter's Roof.
"That's the little dipper, right?" Buddy asks.
We're laying on my roof looking at the stars.
"Yeah, that's the little one." I respond. Buddy reaches his hand over and I grab it.
"What time is it?" I question
"I dunno, 'bout 10 or 11." He says
"Don't your parents want you home?"
"Nah, I told them I was stayin' at Bob's for the night." He laughs.
I smile. "You, Mr. Holley, are crazy
You could get caught."
He shrugs, "So what if I do? It'll be worth it to spend time with you."
I blush. "I love you." My eyes go wide and I shoot my hand to my mouth.
Buddy looks over to me with wide eyes and starts to laugh. "I love you too! I've been waitin' for you to say it first, I didn't wanna seem pushy. I love you Vi, I love you."
I slowly and carefully sit up. "You do?"
He sits up too. "Of course, Vi. You're my girl, my steady, ma copine Wait, did I say the last one right?"
I nod. "Yeah, ma copine. And you'd be mon copain."
He leans over and kisses my cheek. "And how would you say 'I love you'?"
"Je t'aime. Haven't you heard me say it to Juliet or Vincent?"
He scoots closer and wraps his arm around me. "French is hard, babe. All sounds the same."
I laugh and lean my head on his shoulder. "English is harder. Too many weird rules and too many weird ways to say the same thing!"
"I can see that, I guess. Y'know, I've never asked. Why do you have an British accent and not a French one? Wouldn't it make more sense for you to have a French one? I got so used to the British that I never thought to ask." He leans his head on top of mine.
"I told you when we first met!" I laugh. "I learned English in England, so I just kinda took on their accent. Vincent and Juliet too. Plus we found that Americans understand the articulateness of British rather than the slurred French. For a while, we used our natural accents and no one really understood."
I feel him nod. "Can y'all understand Texan accents?"
I laugh "Yes, Buddy. We can understand Texan accents, sometimes it's difficult, though. Pronouncing somes words differently, like you say ol', we learned it as 'oy-yle'."
"And does France have different accents?" he asks.
"Yeah, of course. Someone in France could tell I'm from Paris, or at least the north. I could tell if someone was from Haiti or Quebec. And yes, we can understand them all, like you can understand me, even with the accent."
"How'd you know that I was gonna ask that?"
I smile. "Because we've been together for a while, even as friends, we've been around each other a lot."
"And that's why I love you."
"Je t'aime aussi."
"Vi? Vi? Violet!" Buddy chuckles and taps my arm.
"What? Sorry, I'm having flashbacks to that night. It was chilly." I grin. "Like today."
"All I do is have flashbacks to random times, but unlike you, I don't completely zone out and twitch." He teases.
"Hey! Rude!" I laugh.
We finally finish and pay the bill. Jessica asks for an autograph, Buddy gladly signs. We're about to walk out when Jessica calls back.
"Violet, if you don't mind, can I have one from you, too?"
"Of course! I never get asked, I usually hang around in the background." I grab the pen and paper and sign.
"Wait! You're left handed? And why's there and 'E' in Holly?" Jessica asks.
I nod. "Yep, I'm a devil spawn! The 'E'? There's an 'E' in Holley"
"Dropped it for a stage name." Buddy adds. "Talent scout missed the E."
Jessica nods. "Thank you guys so much! I love your music, come back soon!"
We say goodbye and leave to the car. Buddy opens the door for me, as always. "You don't still have to do that, love." I say once we're in the car.
Buddy shrugs. "I want to, Vi. I always have and always will."
I smile. "And I've always loved you and always will."