Chapter 13: A Happy Ending - For Now
It's been two weeks since Carmen told her parents about her and Vega. To her surprise, her father took a liking to Vega. He offered her an opportunity to record the song she and Carmen wrote together and helped them out a ton.
Today's the day they record it. Vega's so excited. She can't wait. The song is going to sound so cool!
The songwriting had started a couple days after Vega met Carmen's parents, when her own mother came home.
Jade walked through the door, where she saw Vega and Carmen talking. "Hey! Didn't I tell you to dump her?"
Vega gulped. "Dad says that it's fine. And remember, you said you didn't care if I liked girl.
"Well, guess what? I lied. So dump her."
Beck came downstairs. "Jade, we did agree that it doesn't matter if our kids are gay or straight, remember?"
"Too bad. I'm going back on that."
Through all hours of the night, Beck and Jade shouted at each other. Molly and Zach asked Carmen and Vega if they wanted to play Monopoly, like every other time their parents had a fight.
Vega said yes and they decided to play in the den. They always had played in the den, because it was the perfect spot, where they could hear the fight, but they had to listen.
Zach got the game out from under his bed, Molly got the soda from the basement, Carmen made popcorn and Vega threw potato chips into a bowl. Then they were ready to play.
Molly said, "Are you and Carmen going to be a team, Vega?"
"Yep," Carmen grinned and ruffled Molly's hair.
They played Monopoly and Molly won. Well, mostly because Zach, Carmen and Vega were listening to the fight.
After the third game, Molly had to pee because of all the soda she had drank. As soon as she was gone, Zach said, "I don't get it."
"What?" Vega asked.
"Why Mom and Dad are getting so worked up about you and Carmen. I mean, didn't they promise that it was okay if you weren't straight?"
"Mom lied." Vega said flatly.
"Look, Vega, I totally support you guys, but don't go around telling people about you. I mean, Hannah and Jayson are okay. It's not like they're going to judge you. But people are mean. So be careful."
"Okay," Vega whispered and Carmen stroked her hair reassuringly.
"They can't take away our love," she whispered to Vega.
Later that night, neither of them could sleep. Finally, Vega switched on the light and got out a piece of paper. She wrote: Hurt, used, done. FInished forever. Stare at the ground, 50 feet below. How easy it would be, just to jump. Then you see me. You pull me back, say it's not worth it, tell me there's hope.
And then Carmen added bits in and then they talked. They made it into a song. A beautiful, sad song.
It hadn't taken long for Carmen and Vega to show it to Andre. He was impressed and said they should record it in his recording studio. And here they are.
"Hey y'all." Andre says. "Come on in. We've got a song to record!"
The lyrics were there, but the song was just vocals. Andre wanted them to record the vocals, so he could put music to it.
Their song, Spiraling Up, goes like this:
Vega: Hurt, used, done
Finished forever
Stare at the ground, fifty feet below
How easy it would be, just to jump
Then you see me
You pull me back, say it's not worth it, tell me there's hope
Both: I was spiraling down, out of control
Then you picked me up
Showed me where to go
Yeah, you showed me how to love
Now I'm still spiraling, but I'm spiraling up
Spiraling with you up towards the love
Carmen: Found you on the bridge
Looking way down
I was searching for someone to heal the pain
Made you come with me, brought you to my place
And you stayed
Now I got your heart in my hands
We ignore the stares
But you ask, why do they glare
Both: I was spiraling down, out of control
Then you picked me up
Showed me where to go
Yeah, you showed me how to love
Now I'm still spiraling, but I'm spiraling up
Spiraling with you up towards the love
Carmen: I've been waiting for you all my life
Vega: They tell me it's wrong, but you're my light
Both: One day they won't judge
They'll see us for us
I was spiraling down, out of control
Then you picked me up
Showed me where to go
Yeah, you showed me how to love
Now I'm still spiraling, but I'm spiraling up
Spiraling with you up towards the love
We're spiraling up
Andre whistles. "That was great, you two. I think that the piano would suit this. You should sing this at Hollywood Arts."
"I can play piano," Vega offers.
"Too bad there isn't a guitar part," Carmen frowns.
"Look, Muchacha, guitar would ruin the sadness in it." Andre says. "But, I guess you could throw in some simple chords during the chorus, since that's the uplift of the song."
"We should," Vega says.
"Then I'll write a guitar part," Andre smiles. "Thanks for letting me write the music. I love the song."
"Thanks for helping us out," Vega says and Carmen nods.
"Thanks, Papa," Carmen grins.
#+#
Carmen and Vega's next stop is Mrs. J's house, to pick up Vega's new puppy. They ring the doorbell.
"Carmen and Vega, what a surprise," Mrs. J smiles. "Are you here to pick up Shiloh?"
Vega has named her beagle puppy Shiloh, since she's reminded of the beagle in the Shiloh trilogy.
"Yep!" Vega skips in and is surprised to see Shiloh waiting for her. The beagle jumps all over her excitedly.
"How did you know we were coming?" Vega asks as Shiloh covers her with doggy kisses.
"A little bird told me." Mrs. J glances at Carmen.
Vega gasps dramatically. "Your so mean, Carmen! You never told me!"
"Surprise," Carmen smirks.
As they're walking home, Carmen says, "I think everything turned out alright. It's a happy ending."
"A happy ending," Vega agrees. "For now."
"I'll take it!" Carmen grins and kisses Vega softly, then interlaces their hands.
Please review and tell me what you think. And remember, I'm still looking for OCs for the next few parts of this fic.