Chapter 18

 

 

Cream continued non-stop touring of Britain, then reaching Europe by late February. Brian, meanwhile, was recording the Stones new album Their Satanic Majesties Request. He was heartbroken for his new bride to be gone constantly, and dulled the pain by diving headfirst into drugs and drink. It started with pot smoking with Charlotte, which was an everyday occasion in their flat, and went onto acid. Acid once a week, combined with various pills, and of course, booze. He was out of his mind quite often, but not enough that would affect his work. Charlotte had no idea.  She was too concerned with a major issue that consumed her every thought, she was pregnant.

 

Cream was now recording with Atlantic records, and had finally gotten some gigs in the US., in NYC.  Called “Murray the K’s Music in the Fifth Dimension” , it was an eight day festival, in which Cream played every night. Charlotte struggled to maintain her vomiting, stay clear of drugs and alcohol, and get plenty of rest without anyone noticing. Not even Brian knew.

 

At the hotel the first night, Charlotte prepared herself for the next week to come, and got into bed early. Jack, who was her roommate since the band could not afford separate rooms, was in Eric’s room dropping acid. She suddenly heard a faint banging on the sliding glass doors that led to the balcony. Scared, she opened the drapes to see Keith Moon, upside down,  hanging by his ankle by a rope.

 

            “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” She screamed.

 

            “Hey, a little help here!!!” He yelled back.  She found a knife from her room service, and cut him down, making him land on his head.

 

            “Owww. Hey Char, whatca doin?”

 

            “What the fuck Keith?”

           

            “Hey, look at you, little  miss I’m a rock star with my big fat platinum wedding band. That’s no way for a rock star to look. Do you see me wearin mine?”

 

            “Well considering you knocked your 16-year old girlfriend up and had a shotgun wedding, I’d say your not the wedding band type.”

 

            “Well aren’t we a bucket of sunshine.”

 

            “Keith, its 3am. What are you, a fucking bat? Haven’t you ever heard of the day time? Anyways, what are you doing here?”

 

            “Well, you’ve been so busy touring that I couldn’t call you to say that the Who is playin the Murray the Gay thing too.”

 

            “Oh that’s not nice”

 

            “Oh please, the man’s a tool. Where’s Jack?”

 

            “Getting stoned with Eric, why?”

 

            “Well, um, I need a place to sleep.”

           

            “May I ask why?”

 

            “Well I put a cherry bomb in Rog’s toilet, then I nailed the furniture to the ceiling, therefore my bed is indisposed at the moment.”

 

            “God Keith. Jack’s going to be back in a bit so you can’t sleep here.”

 

            “Awe c’mon, lemme bunk with you.” He batted his long, thick black eyelashes.

 

            “Fine, I’m too tired to argue. Don’t hog the blankets.” Keith was a brother to her. They never, ever had any sexual chemistry or tension. He was very attractive no doubt, and he thought she was gorgeous, but they would both puke at the thought of anything sexual happening between them. That’s just the way it was. So Keith climbed into bed, and hogged the blankets. Jack walked in an hour later, so out of his mind that he fell asleep in the bathtub.

 

The last night in the hotel, Keith surprised Charlotte while she was packing, in just a tank top and jeans.

 

            “Charlotte, what the fuck is that”

 

            “What?” She grabbed a sweater to hide her tiny bump.

 

            “That” He grabbed the sweater and pointed to her stomach.

 

            “Keith….”

 

            “Your fuckin pregnant aren’t you. I’ll kill that motherfuckin’ asshole you call your husband”

           

            “Keith!”

 

            “He's done it on purpose, so you won’t be touring”

 

            “No, Keith. I dropped acid with John and Brian and forgot to take my pill. You can’t tell anyone, you’re the only one that knows.”

 

            “What the fuck are you going to do?”

 

            “Work until I’m in the delivery room. I can’t give this up.” She heard those words leave her own mouth. She cared more about her career than her baby. But she had just started this career, and she hardly felt as if something was growing inside of her.

 

The band continued to tour Europe that year, and combined with recording an album that would put Cream on the map as one of the most influential bands in history, that left little time to see Brian. He did however had a bit of time, and managed to clean himself up to go visit Charlotte in the various hotels Cream was staying at throughout the tour. She sat him down and told him the truth over dinner.

 

            “What? Charlotte, I don’t know what to say.” He smiled, and put his hand on her tiny bump.

 

            “Brian, we created this.” Her maternal instincts were kicking in.

 

            “Charlotte, the Stones have calmed down, we’re all very well off, and don’t need to be constantly touring. I could be with the baby, and you could do your thing with Cream.”

 

            “Do you mean that?”

 

            “Yes, you guys won’t be touring at this rate forever. Ride the wave, work hard, this is your dream.” And with that, they both smiled, their hands on her stomach. Brian thought to himself, no more drugs, this is it, this is my life now.