Violet Delilah Vedder was born on October 9th 2001, and I decided that she would be our last baby, though honestly, I would've given birth to 10 of his children, but being a parent was not easy and also, we were very busy at the time. Spencer completed the tour for our previous album when I was already pregnant, and then we took a small break again. In 2002 we received another blow when we found out about Layne's death on the same day as Kurt, just 8 years apart. The mental health of my friends was something that always worried me, but Layne was harder to reach, and we all knew he wasn't the same since Demri's death... we all knew he didn't want to live since a long ago... and unfortunately the day arrived on April 5th 2002.
Eddie continued making music with Pearl Jam, and at the end of the year, in November, they released another album called Riot Act. In my case, Spencer continued with the break, since Adrien was pursuing an acting career in Hollywood and he was doing great, while Zack and Tom were busy with their families.
I continued contributing to music as a producer, being one of the producers in Gwen Stefani's debut album, as well as other bands. By 2007 Spencer released another album that earned two Grammys in 2008 and we toured until 2009.
Eddie and I were getting old, but we were doing it together, and still with a lot of love for each other, raising three kids that were teenagers (and one almost a teenager); within the years we started to slow down our lifestyle, and suddenly we started to be more indoor parents, which Eddie thought it was fantastic.
The lives of our friends had changed too, Chris and Susan ended their marriage in 2004, with a messy divorce that had a lot of coverage from the press, and in the same year he married another woman called Vicky Karayiannis, who was a French publicist that he met on tour with Audioslave in Paris, and just after he moved to Paris.
Having Chris so far was weird, since he was one of our best friends, but thanks to the technology we had those days, it was easier to keep in touch; plus, his new lady was nice and very polite, though it was a little weird because Susan was also one of my best friends. They had their first kid on September of that year, called Toni, and another one called Christopher Nicholas on 2005.
Speaking of Chris, we recorded an album together in 2014, that was met with critical acclaim and won two grammys in 2015. Also, we went on tour from May 2014 until January 2016, having in our opening number great people like Lana del Rey and Florence and The Machine, among others; as things were changing by them, the tour was like a therapy for both of us, and by the end of 2016 it was announced a reunion with Audioslave since he missed performing with them, a decision that I supported.
But then, on May 18, 2017 I died again when I received that call I never wish I received. Chris was found death on his hotel room in Detroit... and the police said it was suicide, though I never believed it; I knew he was dealing with depression and addiction since several years, but this didn't seem like that, it wasn't that possible... but anyway it was too late now.
That kind of wounds would never heal, I've seen my friends died, I've seen how my life goes on when other's just come to an end when they didn't deserve it... and it made me feel terrible and doubtful about why things should happen that way.
By 2019 I published a book with some poems, song lyrics and unseen photos I took of the so-called grunge scene in the 90s; I called it The End Of Love and was an instant success, as well as I started to write some new music with the guys. Then, the horrible pandemic arrived the following year, but by 2021 we slowly started to return to our normal life again, which for us meant to loose ourselves somewhere during the weekend or the whole week.
"That was nice" Eddie said as we got into the house.
"Yeah, I fucking missed those burgers" I said, laughing a little, since we were a bit drunk too.
"I missed going out with you" He purred in my ear as he was already hugging me by my back.
"Eddie..." I whispered in a fake scold as I was feeling him kissing my neck, knowing where he was going.
"What? You're the one to blame for being so hot" He whispered and I laughed.
"That's it, then?" I said, turning around and placing my arms around his waist. "Well... I could just say the same thing about you" I said while taking my hand to his crotch, caressing it slowly, and smiling immediately at seeing his facial reaction when I did that.
"Lily..." He said in a whisper.
"Yes?" I asked in a seductive tone of voice as we exchanged gazes.
Our gazes went from our eyes to our mouths and then we shared a wet kiss full of passion and lust, while at the same time my hands were busy unzipping his pants and his hands were slowly massaging my breasts, making me moan and feeling good on the texture of my velvet dress, that soon was removed and thrown away in the room.
We kept touching each other, feeling the wetness from both of us, as our moans were louder each time my magic hands or my lips did their thing, or each time the stroke of his fingers and his tongue moving perfectly right down in the middle of my legs made me wanna die and live at the same time.
When we both finally got rid of one another's clothes, I tangled my legs around his hips, as he carried me to our bedroom quickly while we were still kissing, since we both were anxious to continue what we started as soon as we closed the door.
Eddie sat on the bed, with me still on top of him; I asked him to go inside and he smiled in a flirty way, but obeying my command. Next thing we both let out a unison moan as we felt connected, and I started to move in that way we both liked so much, while he was busy kissing my breasts as our breathing and moans were filling the whole house, thanking at the moment that we didn't have near neighbors.
Then we switched a couple of times, making the pleasure almost bearable as we were about to explode; there was so much lust, passion, love there... we were a fucking hot mess and we were enjoying it, we loved it like that, we still had the intensity of the early days... we never lost that fire. Just when our moans became the loudest at unison, we knew that was the end... a pleasant end for both of us at the same time, so we just smiled while panting and rested on one another... closing the moment with a sweet kiss and a happy smile, until his snores made me feel sleepy too and I lost it quickly.
I was very tired from the previous night, but I had to get out of bed no matter what. I looked at the left side of the bed and I saw it empty, so I figured he went out for a walk or something. I finally got up, but before I could leave the bedroom he went in.
"Hey..." He said softly and approached to me to give me a kiss.
"Good morning" I said, smiling.
He smiled back and looked at me with those bright blue eyes "It's more like noon"
"What?" I asked confused and he just laughed at me.
"Someone's been sleeping a little too much" He answered while hugging me and I just rolled my eyes.
Eddie and I decided to get lost for the weekend because that was kind of our life by now... but not always was like that... and that specific rainy morning we both started to remember how everything began back then.
"It always seemed weird to me that keeps raining in L.A." I said, looking at the rain and the beach from our balcony, as I started to eat the breakfast Eddie cooked for both of us on that chilling noon.
"If you want, we can go surf tomorrow" Eddie added this time.
"No, we go today if the rain stops" I said nonchalantly.
"Ok, my love" He said smiling and kissing my hand.
"By the way... Aurora is going to bring his boyfriend for Christmas" I said, sipping on my coffee and waiting for his reaction.
"What? What boyfriend? When did she start dating? Yesterday I was taking her to the elementary school with her yellow raincoat and tiny red rainy boots... and today she's bringing someone over Christmas?" He said calmly but confused.
"Babe... she's 27" I said with a soft chuckle.
"I know but... she would always be my little girl"
"I know... but, these things happen" I said, taking his hands.
"Plus, I think this is some serious shit" He said, looking at me.
"What do you mean? Eddie... She's not pregnant if that's what you-"
"I'm not saying that... but, we've never met a boyfriend of hers before... and I remember someone saying once: I'll only take a boy home to meet my family if he's the one" Eddie said and I started to laughed about it.
"I can't believe you still remember that! That was literally 31 years ago!!! Jesus Edward!" I said, still laughing.
"That phrase really caught my attention and that's when I decided I wanted to be that one guy" He said and I laughed harder.
"You liar!!! You didn't even want me by then" I said, looking at him.
"I wanted you since I saw you at the gas station, when you walked in looking beautiful and I assumed you were a Valley Girl lost in San Diego" He said, looking melancholic and I just smiled warmly.
"But I really really felt interest for you the first time I stayed in your room and saw all those little details that told me so much about you though there wasn't a single photo of you"
"Stalker" I said and we laughed a little, but he went closer.
"Then my interest grew extremely that night you arrived from the airport and we met and we stayed up all night until morning just talking" He added, giving me a kiss, and then he looked at me again.
"But I fell completely for you that night I saw you performing for the first time in the gig that December... and then after sharing the kiss at the Italian pizzeria... and another one in the snow after you gifted me my first ukulele for my birthday... Man, that was one of the best nights I've ever had" He told me with dreamy eyes and kissing me again.
"I love you Lily... I always did, since the beginning... and I always will" He said, smiling brightly as I kissed him this time.
"I... love you too, Eddie... forever" I said, looking at him and sharing other kiss.
After our typical romantic moment, we washed the dishes and went for a shower, as we waited for the rain to stop, that eventually did, so we started to get the things to go surf.
Many people sometimes would ask us what was the secret for our solid marriage of 28 years, and we just agreed it was basically based on love, respect, support and romance... because that was our secret and it wasn't so hard to make it work
Aurora (28) became a great photographer that ended up working for National Geographic, while Daniel (24), became the principal dancer of The Royal Ballet and was currently living in London, and Violet (20) was a pianist graduated from the Münich Conservatory, and was part of a Jazz band she created with her girlfriend.
Eddie and I had raised excellent kids, with good values, though it was kind of hard during the teenage years because Aurora and Violet were very rebel, while Daniel was the easiest one, but now seeing them as the independent adults they were, being as sensitive and caring as his father and me, was perfect, and we were very proud of them.
That afternoon Eddie and I went to the beach and we surfed like we usually did; it was funny how after all these years, there were some stuff we would still do like in the early days, but now we were perceived as the perfect marriage of the rock scene, or as one of the most political couples in the business, though this last thing never was a surprise, because Eddie and I were always open about our politics since the beginning of our careers in our music and onstage, like when we showed our displeased for George Bush back in 1992. It was well-known we were liberals that supported democrats, and we were involved supporting gun control, climate change research and environmental concerns, as well as feminist causes and rights for women, the BLM and other human rights movements... so it was pretty obvious what our political views were, but even with that, there was a lot of people displeased with it, though, we didn't give a fuck.
We were grown up people that learned within the years, with the experience, we wanted a better place for everybody, and we fought honestly for everything we wanted since day 1. We had a lot of love and I was more than grateful for having him in my life.
Watching him going through the waves with that smile, and that beautiful face and frame that looked a little bit rough by the years, but still perfect for me, was everything I wanted.
"I love you Eddie" I said, as I saw him smiling and approaching to me on his board as I was there, waiting for a big wave for me.
"I love you more, Lily" He answered smiling and giving me a big kiss.
"I see a good one... Shall we?" I told him, looking at an upcoming wave.
"Let's go, babe" He told me with a smile and we started to swim.
The sea, surfing, the sun, the beach, and the love of Eddie... was all I needed, was all I had, and all I was happy to have... and I just thought it couldn't get better than that, because just wasn't possible.
Nobody told us this was what it's all about... but we were living for it, and we loved it.
The End.