Another Christmas Tori
By
John O'Connor
Summary: Sometimes the loneliest time of year can have a surprise or two.
Note: My holiday story this year. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season regardless of your denomination (or lack thereof).
Tori Vega stood near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, playing an obviously used acoustic guitar as she sang a series of Christmas carols. The guitar case sat open on the sidewalk before her with a scattering of change and some dollar bills – even a five-spot.
But nothing like she had dreamed of making.
As her high school career ended, Mason Thornsmithe started to actively groom her for a professional career. He convinced her to take a pass on college for the time being and concentrate on her singing. With his help, she became a regular on the L.A. club scene, performing in small then larger then still larger venues – making a name for herself.
Soon would come her debut album as well as stints on other music-makers' albums, including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and several other headliners.
Then, just before Tori's 21st birthday, the bottom fell out. A Federal investigation on payola in the music industry – pay for play on the radio and on-line music services – became focused on Mason and Neutronium Records. Assets were seized, including work Tori had done for the company. Mason lost his homes and other property as well. Then the IRS found discrepancies in his taxes. Within a year, he was in one of the many country-club prisons and Tori was out of work and out of luck.
The scandal painted everyone involved with Neutronium with a wide brush. Some, like Gaga and Swift, were big enough to weather the storm. Others, like Tori, were left to sink into obscurity.
Unfortunately, any money Tori made while working there was also taken in the seizure, leaving her virtually penniless. That led to her being homeless as well, for several months.
Shortly after her graduation, her parents split up. Mom went east with Gary when he applied and was accepted by the NYPD's detective bureau. Thinking Mason was taking care of his little girl, her father got a job with the SFPD as a Detective Lieutenant in Homicide and was in the Bay Area. After her own graduation, Trina had left for Hawaii with a boyfriend and they were last heard from living in a haole surfer encampment on the north shore of Oahu.
Embarrassed that she was caught up in such a situation, Tori let despair overwhelm her and she intentionally lost touch with any of her family and her friends. She knew they'd help but she was afraid of what else could happen and how it would adversely affect them. She did not want to be the cause of harm to her friends.
At the time her world fell apart, she managed to hold onto a little over three hundred dollars. At a pawn shop, she saw a battered old guitar in the window with a price tag of $25. Something told Tori to buy it even though that was enough for several fast food meals. It came with a handle-less case as well. The younger Vega jury-rigged a strap with some old rope she found in an alley, so she could easily carry it around.
Busking became her way of life. During the summer months, she accumulated enough money to survive on, barely. She slept under a pier at the beach during the warm weather. As summer was closing, she met another girl her own age who was performing on the Santa Monica Pier.
Li Ann Park was an orphan from age ten who ditched the institutional life of an orphanage. She told Tori, "We have a place you can move into. At least during the fall and winter. Longer if you like, girlie."
Glad to be saved from the cooler weather, Tori exclaimed, "I'm in!"
An abandoned furniture warehouse next to the Los Angeles River became her new home. The company had gone bankrupt. Instead of liquidating the stock, the owners left a lot of furniture in storage. Like the others there, she was able to salvage some pieces and made a small space in a corner.
The warehouse was actually a haven for young homeless people – some from the LA area and many others who came to Hollywood to be discovered but never were. The saving grace was the impromptu group in charge, which quickly included Tori, ruled no addicts were allowed. Pot was okay but anyone with a needle was out. There were other rules, like no violence, that had to be adhered to.
Not everyone there was a vagrant. In fact, most worked in some menial job but never making enough to pay the exorbitant rents in the Southland. One of the 'council' was actually an electrician who managed to work part-time with a company in Little Tokyo. She managed to hook up part of the warehouse to external power. Not a lot. Nothing to alarm the power company but enough for lights and small electric appliances like space heaters when fall came upon them.
Southern California has winter. Nights can be quite cool if not downright cold. And the rains came around December, leaving many days gray and bleak – even if the rain didn't fall.
Still, Tori went out every day to busk on Hollywood Boulevard. If the rains came, she ducked under awnings, preferably closed or empty stores. But she still performed. Old standards, her own work ('Screw the Feds! I didn't do anything wrong!') and even new songs she had created.
Some regular passers-by asked why she was wasting her time on the street. She just smiled, shrugged and played on. Her voice was still exceptional, and she managed to look clean and neat, even with second-hand clothes from the Salvation Army or Goodwill.
A couple of people in her old industry actually asked her to record. Then came the inevitable question, "What's your name?"
"I'm Tori Vega," was the natural response.
The industry people quickly disappeared. She saw them on occasion – on the other side of the street.
Still, she made a living, of sorts, with her natural talent. But since money was tight, she didn't waste any on junk food or sweets, thus maintaining her svelte figure.
It was a weekend after Black Friday and she was finding people were more generous during the holiday season. Given it was only 11 in the morning, the small sum in her case was pleasing to her. If that kept up, she might even buy a pizza for her friends in the warehouse that night.
In the two hours, more change and more than a few singles fell into the case. Then came a twenty followed soon after with a couple of ten-dollar bills. Elated at her good fortune, Tori debated taking a break and getting some lunch at the nearby Panera Bread or playing on.
The talented, homeless girl decided to go for some soup and a salad to refresh herself. Also, the afternoon was better if she rested her fingers for a while. Now was a good time as the lunch time crowds had dispersed so Tori pocketed the money, packed the guitar and headed down to the corner eatery.
The almost-pop star spent almost an hour in the sandwich shop. While the temperatures in Los Angeles were nowhere near as low as most of the country, it was noticeably cooler than the rest of the year. So Tori took advantage of the post-lunch rush to sit, warm up and people watch.
Finally, needing the money more than the warmth, she stood, stretched, went to the restroom and back to her spot on the sidewalk to perform. For the rest of the afternoon, Tori played and sang. Money dribbled into her guitar case but the dribbles became more frequent as rush hour neared.
She became more alert as the day passed and the sky darkened. Even though the area was well-lit most of the year, and even more-so during the holiday season, darkness hid a lot of potential dangers.
Earlier in the fall, Tori fell victim to a couple of members of a street gang who tried to steal her day's earnings. Fortunately, they were young and extremely nervous. They got away with just under forty dollars. While just as scared, if not more so, Tori had managed to stash another forty and get away without being physically assaulted.
Since that day, she'd been taking different bus routes from Hollywood to the old warehouse near the river, northeast of downtown. This required a transfer if not two and, often, a walk along some deserted streets. While walking along those, Tori kept a firm grip on a can of mace in her bag. It was real mace that her father passed on to her when she was still at Hollywood Arts.
Earlier in the say, dark eyes regarded Tori as she left the sandwich shop. Jade West rose and followed her former frenemy out, maintaining a discreet distance. She hadn't seen Tori since graduation and hadn't heard about her since the Neutronium scandal. Her curiosity was piqued.
Outside, she saw Tori set down her case, remove her guitar and start to sing to the passersby.
Her voice is still amazing, Jade thought. She managed to get close but out of direct sight so she could drop a C-note in the case before quickly walking away. Then, Jade walked over to another coffee shop where she could sit and observe the other girl.
As rush hour came on the area, she often found her view of Vega obscured by people standing around the singer or walking in front. When she got up to find the restroom, she lost Tori.
Returning to her seat, she couldn't see Tori. The girl had disappeared from her spot on the sidewalk. Tossing a ten-dollar bill on the table, Jade got up to leave, grumbling, "Shit!"
Out on the street, she noticed Tori as she boarded a public bus. Noting the route number on the front, Jade trotted to her car and managed to catch up before too long.
This bus was quick and dropped Tori off close to the old warehouse. She trotted up the street and through the gap in the chain-link fence then into the building. Jade parked near the building long enough to realize Tori was not coming out.
She had to find out what was up.
"Hey, Tomas! How's it hanging?" Tori greeted their late-day watch.
"Low and slow, chicka! How'dja do today?"
"Not bad. Enough to throw a nice bit into the canteen," the singer lowballed.
The canteen was their communal food fund. Everyone in the space contributed what they could and were usually able to amass enough to get provisions at Aldi or one of the bodegas. Even some of the merchants in Chinatown and Little Tokyo helped out the kids from time to time – especially in exchange for some help around their restaurants or shops. Wholesalers were even better, if they needed part-time work. This time of year, the merchants and wholesalers were even more generous.
Tori walked into the canteen, a room with a couple of camp stoves behind some left-over kitchen and dining room tables supplemented by long, plank tables "Hi Li!"
"Tor! Whatcha got for me?"
"This…" Tori held up the hundred dollar bill, seven twenties then handed over some of the other, smaller bills she had. The loose change went into a large jar that was regularly turned into cash at a nearby currency exchange that went into the kitty that was the canteen.
"Holy shit! You did good, girlie!" Li laughed. She was no older than Tori but called all the girls 'girlie'.
"Thanks. It's the time of year, I guess."
Outside, Jade gazed at the building. On the fence was a weathered 'For Sale' sign with a phone number.
The next day, Jade was in her office at WestCorp. Her father's company managed to survive his conviction for fraud and embezzlement, thanks to Jade's mother, his ex-wife, and her law firm. But he had to do time in a country club prison – provided he signed over the company to Jade. There was a multi-million dollar penalty but, fortunately the company was a billion dollar concern.
Coincidentally, he was in the same minimum security jail as Mason Thornesmithe.
Jade's kid brother, Jason, was her personal assistant and being groomed to take over. Elizabeth West, their mother, was the legal counsel.
Jade didn't want this gig. She wanted something more creative. But, for her mother and brother, she took the position for the near future, until Jason got through college and was ready to take over.
Even with the job load, the former Goth did manage to write a few short stories that were published. Recently, she had an initial question of interest in turning one of her stories into a movie. But that was still in the infancy stages. Meanwhile…
"Jason, I need you to do me a favor."
"Um…okay," Jason replied hesitantly. He'd been burned by his sister before, although, admittedly, not lately.
Sensing his understandable reluctance, she said, "No, this isn't like when we were kids. But I need you to be a kid again."
"Why?" the 18-year old college freshman asked.
"I need you to work your way into a group of kids in an old warehouse. I want to make sure there's nothing hinky there."
"No Fagin and the Artful Dodger or Jim Jones-esh culty thing?"
"God, you are too freaking weird! But yeah."
"As always, pot calling the kettle black… Anyway, sounds like fun. I'll do it. But!"
"What?"
"Why? There have to be dozens of these kinds of colonies and camps around the Southland."
"Someone I know is there. I wanna know they're okay."
"How long?"
"If you get in quickly, no more than a week. Okay?"
Jason left after getting a few more details. Jade called for her senior assistant. "Sherry, I need you to do me a favor. During the afternoon, I want you to head down Hollywood Boulevard until you see a street performer. Drop a C-note in her case."
"Um, okay…"
"This is the girl. It's an old picture but she looks pretty much the same," Jade said, handing over a copy of an old senior year photo of Tori. "Now, don't get made! This has got to be anonymous. And you're going to do this every few days."
"Got it."
Jade handed over an envelope of thirty hundred dollar bills. "Here's the cash."
Sherry took it. "Maybe I can get Hiram and Jackie to help?"
"Good idea! So it's not the same person…" Jade's face turned hard, "Do not get caught! If Tori faces you, do not mention my name or where you work! Throw a red herring at her."
Sherry nodded. "I'll tell the others."
"If, for some stupid reason, the LAPD does get curious about this, step in but do not let Tori know."
"Why would LA's Finest care?"
"Big money being traded on the street? Suspicions of cartel doings?"
"Gotcha. But what if she's busted?"
"Damn! Didn't' think of that. Um… Never mind! I'll burn that bridge when I come to it."
A couple of weeks later, Tori, as always, kept an eye on her back trail as she headed home that evening. Once in the warehouse, she found Li. "Hey! I had another big day!"
"Damn, girlie! Who you been blowin'?"
"Nothing like that! Jeez…" Tori rolled her eyes then said, "There are always stories on the news about some anonymous donor leaving gold coins in the Salvation Army buckets. Maybe I found my own anon donor…"
"Whatever, the money is definitely welcome!"
Two weeks after his sister dispatched him in his undercover mission, scruffy, dirty kid showed up at WestCorp. Security naturally stopped him. "Hey! I am Jason West! Call my sister, dammit!"
Several minutes later, Jason was in his sister's office. "Jeez, Jase! I didn't expect you to go native!" She pulled him into a hug, worried even before he even requested a second week for his assignment.
"At least I don't stink!" as he pushed out of Jade's rare embrace.
"Yeah, well, not at the moment but God knows when you'll blast a killer fart!"
"Hey! You want to know what I found out or not?"
"Yeah… Yes…p-please…"
Jason paused. He never heard Jade hesitate before. At least, not with the sad tone in her voice. This must really be important to her. And, while Jason loved getting something on his sister from time to time – in fun – he knew this was something more.
"Sorry, Sis. I got in pretty easily. They're a mixed bag but all good kids. About forty live there, using the furniture left behind when the company went bust. Oh, there is an adult in the mix, but she's not the boss – no Oliver Twist here. There is a council of sorts. Your friend, Tori, is on this, one of five. They decide who can stay and who have to leave. Any major disbursements of cash brought in, they vote on what the money can be used for after the necessary food is covered. But they don't dictate. The rest have a definite voice in what happens.
"They have their own rules. No druggies, nothing worse than weed. Any powder or pills or needles mean ejection. No thieves. Anyone who gets in a fight with anyone else is subject to expulsion, pending a ruling by the council. Everyone contributes to the common fund which mainly goes to food. They use local free clinics for medical needs."
"What about the kids there?"
"Jeez, Jade! I was getting to that. The youngest is five. She's a real sweetheart named Elizabeth. Her mother, Jenny, moved in after running away from her abusive family. I think the kid is from her father or some other twisted… I don't know. Neither does she. Oh, Jenny is seventeen. There's a seven year old boy, Steve, who's mother is the adult I mentioned. She came from an abusive home where her husband beat her and… You know the score. She and her son are in hiding now. Anyway, while there are few minors, most of the kids are over 18 and almost all are the victims of abuse or the siren call of Hollywood. You know, came to make a name but failed for whatever reason. Essentially, all are homeless. Some are orphans, some runaways, some victims of their own youthful hubris."
"Hubris?"
"Hey, you got me that Word-of-the-Day calendar! But yeah. These are the ones who came out to find stardom is rare and fickle."
"Okay, that's great. I feel a lot better."
"For the kids or for Tor…"
"Do not finish that statement!"
"Sis, it's okay. I'm not judging. Well, not now. I like her. I managed to get her to open up about her life… Hold on," Jason stopped his sister from interrupting. "I did not tell her anything. As far as she knows, I'm a kid from Bakersfield who hates his father. Sort of method acting…
"So, she told me about your old gang. Beck, Andre and Cat were her best friends. She liked Robbie but was always freaked out by that damned puppet." Jason had met all of Jade's friend except for Tori since Jade never acknowledged her as a friend. "She told me a lot of the same stories you have but with a different slant. The ping-pong thing and that Saturday detention were hilarious!
"Anyway, she spent most of her time talking about you."
"Yeah, probably still hates my guts…"
"No, I don't think so." Actually, Jason was pretty certain how Tori felt about his sister.
The conversation went on for another couple of hours with Jason probing and Jade evading questions and references about Tori. Jason admitted the reason he stayed another week was because of a girl named Anna. She was an Amerasian girl who he really liked.
Later, Sherry came in. "We're almost out of hundreds."
"Out?"
"Well, it's been a couple of weeks of daily drops. I've got another grand of the three thousand you gave me. Oh, and she did give me a look yesterday. I think she'd getting wise to this. At least as far as I'm concerned."
"Guess its time to change tactics…"
"Huh?"
"We're screwed!" Jenny stated. She had recently gotten a job with the county and had access to property records. "The building's been sold!"
"What? To who?" Li asked.
"Does it matter?" Israel asked. "Whoever it is will have us evicted regardless."
"Goddammit!" Estaban cried out, vehemently. "Feliz Fucking Navidad!"
Reluctantly still at her new home thanks to a head cold, Tori maintained her calm, "Hang on. We're not out on the street yet."
"But what do we do?"
"What can we do? Survive. We'll find another place," Tori told Israel.
"All of us together?" Li growled. "Well, girlie?"
"Maybe not. But we can't panic. The county cops or the wreckers won't be here until after Christmas, at least. We have time to make plans." Inside, Tori felt the same rising tide of panic, but she shoved it down. Now was not the time and, if all went well, neither would tomorrow.
Several days later, a small parade of SUVs, led by a pair of sedans, pulled up in front of the old warehouse. Rather than run, the residents stayed and many came out to meet their 'guests'.
Unlike Jade, Tori wasn't too nervous. Her people weren't dangerous. She hoped the same was true of the small caravan. She felt a wave of relief when her old frenemy Jade West was the first to get out of the lead vehicle. Well, relief and a certain amount of trepidation over the identity of the woman before her.
"We're not here to make trouble!" Jade announced. "We did buy your building but we're not throwing you out! Matter of fact, we bought the other warehouse along the river. They are both going to be converted to mixed-income housing. You kids can stay here until the other building is ready. Then you can all move into your own spaces."
"But we can't afford…" one of the scared-looking kids started to say only to stop when Jade held up her hand.
"We worked out an arrangement with the city and the county for a portion of the housing for the indigent. Now I know several of you are talented in different areas. Who's the carpenter?" Three hands went up. "Okay, and the electrician?" Another hand came up. "The cook?" Several hands rose. "Good. All of you can continue to do what you're doing now but it'll be official and you'll be paid.
"Now, since this is Christmas Eve, we have to work to do. Gang," Jade gestured to her team. They broke apart and started working around the common area. As Jason had reported, the place was surprisingly clean so there was little necessary there beyond sweeping the floors. Soon the room was full of Christmas decorations, including a live tree with lights, ornaments and presents underneath.
"Okay, folks? I know you all a bit thanks to my kid brother, Jason. I sent him in undercover to find out about you. Why? Maybe I'll tell you in time but for now, he praised how well this place was going and what you were all doing. He also clued me in on what some of you might like. The rest get gift cards. But first, Elizabeth?"
A cute little girl peaked around her mother's legs at the older girl holding a large, brightly wrapped box. "It's okay. I don't bite…"
Her mother urged her on and Elizabeth ran up, grabbed the box then ran back. "Lizzie, what do you say?"
"T'ank you," came the timid reply.
"Steve? This is for you…" Jade said as the boy came up and took the package from her.
"Thanks…"
"You both have a second present here too."
The gifts were passed out. When she wasn't focused on the residents and her friends, Jade found herself looking for or gazing at Tori. Tori noticed this and smiled the blushed. Finally, she came over, "Jade, this is so nice of you. These are all good kids who just need a break."
"I know. Jason did a great job spying for me."
"Why?"
"Around Thanksgiving, I saw you playing on Hollywood…" Jade explained the whole thing then asked, "Why did you disappear like that?"
"I didn't want any of you caught up in the Neutronium crap. I wasn't sure how far the Feds would go or who they'd go after. And I… Actually, I was too proud to…ask for help."
"Never feel that way with me. You got it? I…I missed you. Stunning, right? When I realized it, I was shocked too. But we became friends, even if we wouldn't admit it, by the time we graduated.
"By the way, you still have a beautiful voice. I think it's even better, to be honest."
"Ah! You were always the best singer in school."
"Yeah, but that's not what I want. Not really. I've actually had some short stories published… Once Jason is done with college and ready, he takes over and I become a full-time writer."
"I'd love to read some of your work."
"Well, I'd love to hear you sing so maybe we could work out a trade. You sing some carols after dinner and at my house tomorrow. After dinner as my guest, of course. But, meanwhile…"
While they were talking different people came up to thank Jade and she even got a hug from little Lizzie. Steve gave her a high five with a big smile too.
Jason came out of the canteen and called out, "Soup's on!"
Inside was a spread of Christmas hams, a couple of large turkeys, dressing, mashed potatoes, candied yams with mini-marshmallows, green bean casseroles, gallons of gravy, rolls, salad and a variety of salad dressings. On another table were several pumpkin and pecan pies, decorated cookies, brownies and other deserts. More than enough to feed everyone in the warehouse with leftovers to look forward to.
Jason smiled at his sister and nodded to the girl next to him who helped serve the others. He mouthed, "Anna."
Jade nodded. She guessed as much when she saw the blonde scolding her brother earlier as the gifts were given. That did turn to a hug when he handed her a gift.
As everyone lolled around the main room after dinner, Jade said, "You're on, Tori. No! Wait!"
She handed the singer a card. Inside was an appointment card for a recording studio in the Valley. "Jade?"
"On January third, you will be there. I'll drag you if I have to."
"But Neutronium and the Feds?"
"The Feds got what they wanted. I had my legal team check it out. And the guys here hated Mason and are more than willing to take a chance on you, if only to run his nose in it."
Tori pulled Jade into a tight hug, kissing her softly. Then she blushed and pulled back. Jade had a shocked look on her face but not necessarily in a bad way. So she pulled Tori to the side before wrapping her arms around the blushing songstress. She kissed Tori who returned the kiss.
"Jade? Not that I'm complaining but…"
Jade chuckled and ducked the question by pointing up to the sprig of greenery, "Mistletoe…"
Note: This is a holiday schmaltz-fest. It was basically three different story fragments that came together when I decided to frame it for Christmas.