Author's Note: Well, here it is folks—the sequel to Note to Self. I decided to start this one with a lot of action. A terrible secret about Tommy is revealed in Chapter two and so very much more, but I don't want to ruin the suspense. Hope you all love this one as much as the first. Will post chapter 2 later in the day. Smiles—Angel. And, oh, please please R&R. The reviews make my writing so much better.
Disclaimer: I do not own Instant Star or its characters although some characters in the sequel are my own, and all lyrics are always mine. Smiles and winks.
"Something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore." Spied said dryly as we stepped off the plane in Great Britain.
'You think so, ToTo?" I said with a laugh as I looked around the small airport for the man Darius had told us would be hosting us while we were here. The 'Jude Harrison' European tour had started off with a bang. After flying into Spain and doing publicity stills in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, we were all more than a little tired. Okay, lets be honest. We were exhausted! I was just ready to avoid any more press for at least a decade.
"Maybe we should travel the yellow brick road and see if it takes us to the wizard." I said warily, glancing around at the edge of the airfield—noticing, as did SME, that no one was there. I threw up my arms in frustration right about the time a loud 'bang' sounded behind me. Startled, I turned around quickly to see Patsy hanging her head out of the rear of an empty building dragging something behind her. Jamie was tagging along, giving her the evil eye as they walked. I threw a glance at Spied over my shoulder and smiled as he shrugged at me while sneering at the whole scene.
"Please tell me you left most of the building intact, Patsy! Darius is still reeling over the 'corset and panty' incident in Germany!" I yelled as she turned around and grinned broadly.
"Anyone up for a game of ball!" She cried out loudly as she turned the bag she held inside out, dumping the contents onto the grass where she stood. We all gaped as a baseball (or at least a ball that resembled one), a bat, and a few gloves came tumbling out. Afterwards, she held up her hands as if saying "well?" And I couldn't help it, I just laughed. We were so not sports people. I mean there is a reason we're labeled 'musicians,' but we all needed some stress relief and this seemed the perfect opportunity. I shrugged and ran toward her.
"Sure, why not? But I claim first base." I yelled as I took my place on the grass, running my foot back and forth to make a mark that we could label a base. We didn't have enough players to actually play a real game, but we could at least each take a turn at the bat before running the bases. It was the perfect way to release some pent up energy. The boys followed closely behind me laughing as they did. Wally took the bat first and Jamie called the game.
"Yo Spied! Want a lap dance?" I said with a chuckle, distracting him as he took the bat almost an hour later. He looked up with a grin before taking position—staring sullenly at me a moment with narrowed eyes.
"If I hit this out of the field, Jude Harrison, you are so living up to that promise!" He groaned as the ball flew toward him. A 'crack' filled the air as the bat made contact and we all watched quietly as it flew gracefully through the atmosphere, over all of our heads, and right into the shiny windshield of the most beautiful European luxury vehicle I had ever seen. I winced as I heard the crash and the whole group of us rushed forward into a huddle.
"Oh Dear God!" I groaned as Patsy quirked an eyebrow sardonically. "I'm guessing that's our ride." She said jovially as Spied grumbled next to me. "And I'm guessing that means I'm out of a lap dance." He said with a frown. I elbowed him hard against the ribs as a man in his mid-thirties stepped slowly out of the back seat of the car followed closely behind by a young man, probably older than Spied by a year or two, and a beautiful woman who had to be in her mid-twenties. Talk about age difference. I felt like I was in a very bad rendition of the 'Godfather' as the man stroked his chin thoughtfully before pulling a pair of black sunglasses off his nose. He perused us with quirked brows before straightening the collar of his 'Men in Black" suit and walking gingerly in our general direction. I tucked a strand of hair nervously behind my ear as he approached me almost tyrannically.
"Enjoying yourselves, I see." He said quietly. He had a low voice that sent shivers down my spine. I scrunched my nose in as innocent a look as I could.
"Immensely." I replied brightly as he glanced from me to his broken windshield and back to me again. I shrugged helplessly as I glanced over his shoulder.
"I guess you figured out we won't be trying out for the pros anytime soon." I said helplessly as the boy standing near the car snickered only to straighten suddenly when the man turned around sharply—although I noticed his lips still twitched at the corners. The man only mumbled 'mmmmm hmmmm' as he turned around and headed back to the car ordering his driver 'Jenkins' to gather up our bags. "Jenkins?" I mouthed silently to Patsy, SME, and Jamie as we followed 'the man' to his injured car.
"My name is William Moore. This is my wife Elizabeth and my son, Devon. I own the studio where you will be working, and I will also be hosting you in my home while you are residing here. So let's not make a practice of cracking windows." William said in a low tone as he entered the interior of the car and motioned for us to do the same.
"Ladies first." Spied mumbled as he moved out of the way for me to enter. I threw him a murderous look as I climbed in next to Devon followed closely behind by SME, Patsy, and Jamie. I shifted uncomfortably in the leather interior as 'Jenkins' finished loading the bags before entering the front of the vehicle and starting the car. The drive was the most silent drive ever made in history. Spied and Patsy both had to be reciting Canada's National Anthem over and over again to be able to sit still for so long. It wasn't until I heard Patsy murmur, "oh my," that I glanced behind me to see one of the biggest manor houses ever created. Talk about intimidation. Patsy just looked like she was in hog heaven. The driver pulled up into the circle drive, stopping long enough to open the door to allow us to exit before getting back in and driving around to the back. We were all led into the house stoically, and the marble, pristine interior of the place struck us all dumb. Patsy put out her hand to run her fingertips along an antique candlestick holder and I slapped her wrist forcefully.
"Down girl." I mumbled as William glanced back at us and I smiled sweetly to keep him from being suspicious. After meeting the butler, Humphrey—yes Humphrey, and Elizabeth's psycho poodle FiFi—yes FiFi, we were all led to chambers positioned along the same hallway where we could unpack our bags and get ready for bed. FiFi kept following Spied around as if he were a God, climbing onto his leg every time he stopped and humping until her eyes rolled back into her head.
"Look Patsy," I said on a laugh. "It's the perfect pet for you. Think you could stuff it into your bag?" I asked as Spied threw me a helpless look.
"Now I know how Tommy felt when pursued by his psycho Boyz Attack fan, but at least his psycho was human." Spied mumbled as he picked up his bag and dragged his poodle occupied leg behind him to his room. I giggled as I went into my room and closed the door to get ready for bed. We were scheduled to record my song "He Rescued Me" tomorrow before we set up to do our first big concert. I had just finished showering and was sitting down on the edge of the bed in a big over-sized t-shirt and a pair of ankle socks when my cell phone rang. I grabbed for it in the dark, knowing just from the lateness of the hour that it was Tommy.
"Say something sexy." I said as I flipped open the phone.
"Something sexy." Tommy quipped on a laugh as I pulled my legs onto the bed and sat back against a very big pillow.
"Ha Ha." I remarked quickly relieved to hear his voice after two weeks of not hearing anything. My sudden silence must have alerted him to my thoughts because I could hear a rustle in the background as he sat down on something.
"How are you, girl? Tell me you guys have been good." He said softly, and I choked on a laugh as I thought about our new hosts.
"Other than stepping into the 'Twilight Zone," I think we are all doing exceptionally well. We've had a shattering day." I said on a chuckle as I heard someone say something to Tommy in the background. He said something back before turning his attention back to me.
"I saw the recent publicity stills from Switzerland, Jude. You looked beautiful. I think your mother might have even cried." Tommy said, and I twirled my hair absent-mindedly as I listened to him lovingly. I was definitely starting to feel the jet-lag. I didn't know what to say to him so I did the only thing I knew to—I started to ramble, telling Tommy about an interviewer that sprayed you with spittle every time he talked, about Spied trying to order food in German only to be served intestines, about Patsy getting caught red-handed shoplifting a corset and crotchless—yes crotchless—underwear, about us getting stuck in an open glass elevator when Wally is deathly afraid of heights, about boating at a charity event only to overturn in the lake, and about our unfortunate mishap with our new hosts. Tommy listened patiently and laughed at our antics.
"I wish I could be there." He said suddenly, and I curled into a fetal position on the bed as I told him that I wished he were here too. My eyes drooped as I listened to him chatter about what G Major was up to before he suddenly got quiet.
"You're not falling asleep on me now are you, Jude?" He asked fondly as I mumbled 'no' while he chuckled.
"I should let you go to sleep." He said softly, but I stopped him with a groan.
"Don't you dare hang up Quincy. I'd rather fall asleep while you're still on the phone." I said forcefully, and I could hear him shift into a more comfortable position as he readied himself for the conversation. My eyes fell shut as he continued to talk, and I could swear I heard him singing the song he wrote for me on my seventeenth birthday as I drifted into dreamland.