Rock-n-roll story

by Davydenko

Book in the style of "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Hell's Angels" (Hunter S. Thompson). Tragic moments are described in the style of gonzo journalism and Rolling Stone magazine. It is a rock and roll drama.

The Rock'n'roll Story

Mariam Davydenko

"Being a child, I dreamt of becoming a vet, marrying the kindest girl in the world and having three children. Such an idealistic scene… but today I'm fifty, I'm a gay and I can't stand pets because you have to take care of them, they always leave spots, fir on sofas, carpets, clothes, and I just don't have time for all this. Moreover, I have a very distant idea of what children are. Of course, I myself was a child, I see them at my friends' houses sometimes, but my assistant doesn't allow them to come close to me, since they can slobber on me and suddenly have a wee.

Yes, I didn't become a veterinarian, I have no children, but my swimming-pool is the size of a golf course. By the way, I have a golf course, too. In general, I have a lot of interesting things: a billiard table, eight cars (no less than a hundred thousand dollars each), a record company, a dressing room the size of someone's not very modest house. Now I'm looking at all this from my balcony and thinking about just one thing: "Still, veterinarians don't earn that much."

Peter put his cigar down on the edge of a big golden ashtray and took a sip of whiskey. A feeling of deep satisfaction tormented him. A terrible complacency raged inside of him. For the first time in his life, he stopped for a second and looked at everything from the side. "Hmm… I'm successful, don't you think so?" the thought has been spinning in his mind for two hours. He looked up at the clear sky through his fifteen hundred dollar glasses. "I have a VIP ticket to view the sky," Peter decided. He absolutely did not feel the presence of glasses on his face. They seemed to become a part of him. It seemed to him that he had seen everything in the color of whiskey from his birth. With a sepia effect.

Sometimes he even forgot to take off his sunglasses, so weightless they were, and he noticed them only in the shower, when he looked at his reflection in the mirror or when drops of water were falling on them. He often forgot to take off his favorite "Omega" wristwatch when he was making love. He adored the "James Bond watch", and sometimes he was wearing them all day long. Peter couldn't imagine himself without them now. He knew that if someone would be asked to describe him, then, most likely, this person would only be able to describe his watch, glasses, suit, but not him. What can you do if people remember a Porsche better than its owner? There are plenty of people, and much less Porsches. Peter loved being rich, and only at that moment he realized it. He used to work too hard to enjoy life, but that morning he was lounging around in a luxury style and felt the charm of not having to think about tomorrow and how to pay for it. He didn't have to think about anything. Peter Temple paid for several lives ahead in case he had to stay in this world longer. What if he is immortal? You never know! He had too much power, money and opportunities. He felt almighty that morning.

What was hidden behind all these expensive things? Peter's eyes were the same color as his glasses and whiskey, which he drank in incredible quantities and that's why he never got drunk on it. His brown hair merged with his leather sofa, and no one paid attention to him anymore: everybody saw only his status. Now it didn't matter how he looked (by the way, Peter looked pretty good at his fifty), everyone looked only at his position and talent. Even if he were a blind Eskimo dwarf, it would not change anything in the attitude of people towards him. He had something that most people cannot afford themselves. Everyone had to reckon with him, and no one would dare to tell him: "Who are you?!" He carried authority.

Peter heard somebody play his piano – that was a melody he composed 15 years ago. As it wasn't so merchandised compared to his other songs, it didn't irritate him. That morning he was a little nostalgic and he liked it. He couldn't even remember the time when he came up to the piano, because he always had a lot to do. He didn't have to compose any longer, he had already composed enough. Peter earned so much money out of it all that he wouldn't be able to spend it even if he had ten lives before him. Moreover, there are so promising, young, talented and poor guys, who needed a chance… Sometimes they managed to meet Peter Temple and changed their life forever. Long ago, he wanted to be given a chance, but now everything is upside down: they sent him thousands of records from all over the world, hoped to cooperate with him and subscribed to his Twitter though he hasn't written anything on his page for six months already. Many people prayed to him more than to God, they counted on him more than on themselves. He was a light at the end of the tunnel of their obscurity.

"Happy Birthday, old friend!" the man, who had been playing his piano, violated Peter's privacy.

The guy had blue shorts on him and nothing more. His slim body with flawless muscle relief appeared in all its glory. The young man's eyes probably occupied half of his face. Blue, huge, framed by long eyelashes. He wasn't as young as it might seem at first glance. You would think he was thirty, but, frankly speaking, this handsome man was forty-five. Anyone would have gasped in admiration at seeing this cute, narrow-hipped, broad-shouldered and confident brunette. Having known about his age, you would continue to moan delightedly and desire to have sex with him. He literally personified sex, lust and beauty. It was easy to confuse words being next to him, to drop something, to stumble… He turned thoughts of nearby people into nothing. Everyone started to think only about him. It was not only his appearance, which mattered, but also his movements, voice and a naive look. Everything what was in him attracted, fascinated, confused. If they said "Joe", everyone immediately knew whom they were talking about, even if there were other Josephs in the room. He was so exclusive, like he had a monopoly on his name. It was Peter Temple's five-star boy, his perfect complement. Peter Temple could not expect less and he couldn't afford anybody worse. What for? Why, when there was Joe Thompson, whom he "created and modified", made a star out of him, and cherished for many years. "My main creation is him. Everyone will remember him. He will always be adored, while I just stand modestly in the VIP-zone," thought Peter.

Joe, snapping his fingers to the rhythm, began to whistle the melody he had just played on the piano. Anyone would have gone mad with exhaustion watching this, but not Peter. He had already been used to Joseph after eleven years of living together. All these treasures didn't made him want to run out of joy, and he didn't stick his tongue out anymore, looking at the original painting by Dali and at the body of his "friend". The best things were something ordinary to him. He no longer admired, he took everything for granted… but not in that morning. That morning was special for him. That day he felt everything especially keenly.

"Bloody Mary", I remember that movie. Though, it's better to forget."

"Except the music theme and Kristen, there was nothing worth in it," Joseph agreed.

"I suggest that we should lie low today."

"After Kate disrupted the concert in Vegas, we can lie low forever. Forever and ever will we be lying beside this swimming-pool!"

Joseph sat on the edge of a brown leather arm-chair near Peter.

"Fool! Stupid chicken! I hate her. She lost all her brains in cocaine, Joe! Dismember her with a gasoline saw and bury in Altus, I plead! It's better for her to stay there forever."

"Wow! Easy, man! Today's a holiday, you birthday, has she texted you, congratulating?"

"She's texted three times. Then she congratulated me on Twitter and said that she's sorry for her "light-minded" behavior."

"She'd better pay the damages!"

"Nonsense. But I'm still hurt. I've put so much effort in her, and al was in vain! I think, it's high time to send her back to Altus."

"She needs medication."

"I could make a chicken smarter than her. You were the best of all. What do you think of recording a new album, gathering all your fans in the stadium?"

"No… I'm a worn old faggot and I have no desire to shake my skinny butt on the stage. I'm through with it."

"Some are ready to die on the stage, and you won't go up the stage not for love or money."

"Not everybody has you, love. You're enough for me. I don't need squeaks and cheers of a stadium. By the way, that bass guitarist and drummer hated me; they were almost ready to stab me in the back. I have no idea of how we existed these five years. Matt's wife longed to lie under me, he was mad about it. Toby himself was ready to drag me to bed and was mad about our, I mean, yours and mine, relationship. Finally, he got so angry that took his stuff and went away! Two hours before a concert…

"Don't be sad, we found another one pretty fast."

"We did."

"His farewell note I've been keeping all these years and laugh each time I read it."

"Ah… "Fuck his ass till death do you part!"

"And a signature: "Beating the drums."

Peter and Joe shrieked with laughter so madly that the armchair leant and fell on the floor. They were laughing for two minutes until the butler, who appeared in the doorway, modestly coughed and did not hesitate to say:

"Mister Temple, your suit's been brought. The tailor is awaiting you."

"What suit?"

"The one you'll put on tonight for the pompous party to celebrate you're getting old," Joseph explained.

"Well, let everybody sympathize with me today. Tell that faggot in an orange turban that I'll be in a moment."

The butler disappeared as quietly as he had come in a minute before. It seemed the soles of his patent leather boots were made of cotton wool: so quiet he was. Peter sometimes thought that he had hired a ghost to work: here a Jew is standing by the stairs, and literally a few seconds later he is giving orders in the kitchen. Of course, the owner of the house liked Mark's quickness, silence and almost weightless state, but at times it all frightened him: so unnatural it was.

"Why are you saying so? Do you hate Navie so much?"

"Oh, it's because of love. After all, I'm a faggot also, and I wear green sneakers."

Peter looked at Joe once again. Joe was eating avocado toasts.

"What?" asked Joe, chewing.

"I'm trying to imagine how such handsome devils like you live in this world. Do you understand that your appearance hurts ninety percent of all men, while other ten percent want to fuck you? Nobody can just walk by you."

"That's a problem, right. I'm an outstanding guy. But don't worry, you bought my heart long ago."

"I think I bought the whole you, not only your heart."

"I love you too."

"Why?"

"Because you love me. It's worth a lot."

Peter and Joseph drove up to the club in a silver Lamborghini Reventon. This is the most expensive and powerful Lamborghini for all-purpose roads. Peter Temple had to wait about a year to get this auto, which was produced in a very limited edition – twenty cars. Now he opened a vertical door of this miracle, and got up from one of the most comfortable seats in the world, on which, probably, you could sit for a year and not receive hemorrhoids. When Peter thought that the car accelerates to 100 kilometers per hour in three and a half seconds drove Peter to frenzy; when he found out that the car was traditionally named after a bull (the bull Reventon killed the toreador Felix Guzman in 1943 during a corrida), his desire to possess this "baby" grew insane. He dreamed of this car, and almost cried when he saw her in his garage for the first time. He stroked her for at least half an hour, talked to her. He didn't let anyone wash it except himself and Joe. In other words, Peter felt like the king of the world in this car. Though, now he often felt like the king of the world.

He and Joe got out of the dream car. Camera lenses blinded Peter at once. He saw nothing and no one, only Joe, who was walking by. It seemed to him, the red carpet to the club was endless. Peter was afraid to fall right here: there were so many flashes that he lost coordination, but Joseph didn't have any difficulty in walking there; he stood on the edge of the stage so many times while fans took photos of him… He felt like a fish in water. A radiant smile never left his face, his every gesture to the camera was beautiful and effective. Peter found himself thinking that his friend was frighteningly perfect. Joe was that main dream that came true for Peter Temple.

"Mister Temple, what do you hope to receive today as a present? What is it possible to give a person who already has everything?" One young journalist asked.

"Today I hope to receive a great mood!"

"What did Joe give you?" asked another journalist standing on the opposite side of the carpet.

"As usual, himself."

"Joe, is it true that you stopped performing because your friend has too much money, and you no longer see the point of touring, recording albums?"

"You're right."

Everyone laughed.

"Joe, are you planning to return to the stage?"

"You won't see it!"

Joe signed several photographs, which girls frantically held in their hands, as if their lives depended on these pictures. One of the girls even managed to take a picture with him. Everyone was eager to touch Joseph. He had a truly magnetic attraction. If the security hadn't interfered, he would have been happily ripped into thousands of pieces, and each person would have taken home a piece of Joe Thompson. The perfumer of Patrick Süskind created an aroma out of thirteen girls for everyone to want him. He had to spend a lot of time, put his life at the feet of a divine scent that arouses an incredible desire in everyone, but Joe did it easily. When he was seventeen, every girl in school wanted him, and so did the guys. He got everything without much effort: all he had to do was smile. When he started singing or playing the piano, everyone was ready to rush at him and never let him go. "He is beautiful!", everyone repeated. Everybody sighed heavily behind him, so mouth-watering he was. Peter named him "weapon of mass destruction." Joe Thompson, the one and only.

"Mr. Temple, what do you think about the disrupted concert of Katie Billson in Vegas?"

"He tries not to think about it. Enough questions for today, gentlemen! Let us get drunk finally!" Joseph answered for him.

The crowd laughed again. Peter dragged Joe to the club: the press and fans were not allowed there.

"What a darling you are, Joe!"

"Just noticed?"

"Of course not, but today you are above all praise."

"As if I am fifty today, not you are. I'm a star!"

"Of course, you are."

Then Peter had to kiss on the cheek about fifty people. All of them were considered to be his friends, although he saw most of them no more than twice a year, and called them once. He did not like to talk on the phone: either his assistant, the butler or Joe answered the phone. "I'm calling you from Peter Temple. We need a table tonight", "Yes, he doesn't think so", "No, he doesn't like purple", "He's busy now, I'll tell him everything later", "He's doing great. Greetings! Kisses on both cheeks!" Joe, who am I saying hello to? "Your mother." "Well, tell her not to forget to go to the doctor." "I did. Maybe you can pick up the phone?" "Tell her we'll be there for Thanksgiving. Tell her we're waiting for her fascinating prune turkey." "Molly, we'll come to you and your prune turkey for Thanksgiving."

As a result, it turned out that he did not have to call anyone, to answer calls, to buy anything. It was enough just to show a desire, and there appeared people who fulfilled his every whim, for his money. Peter didn't even have to lift a finger now. Sometimes Temple did not understand why he was needed now, as everything was being done without him. Now he was just the person who paid everyone. He sent orders by email. He didn't need to meet anyone except Joe, and he didn't want to see anyone but Joe. Lately, Peter has increasingly wanted to become a recluse, because people annoyed him with their stupidity, sluggishness and vanity. He saw right through them, predicted almost all their words, desires, and actions. Everyone except Joe bored him. He was the only person connecting him with the outside world.

After five servings of whiskey, a performance by Pussybaby, seventy kisses of supposed friends and a broken bottle of Cristal, assistant Jacob came up to Peter and took the second bottle of Cristal. Jacob was a meticulous, punchy guy, educated at Harvard. It was a real event for an Indian to enter such a prestigious educational institution. Then he was professionally engaged in boxing, he was a promising sportsman… but, as it often happens, high hopes were replaced by some others, and he had to give up sport after a fight with an undefeated champion, and return to study at Harvard. His family, at hearing this, had a weeklong celebration. When Jacob finished the university, they gave him an apartment and a car (they had been saving up money during his learning). Then, he tried to record an album with his ethnic group, but it wasn't a successful try. The only good thing happened was the meeting Peter Temple. Peter did not see any special musical talent in the guy, but he saw an ability to carry out assignments, convince others that he was right, politeness, devotion and great capability to work. From time to time, Jacob had so many tasks that even ten people could not cope with them, though he did everything, and even sometimes overfulfilled the plan.

"Pete, Katie's arrived. She wants to talk to you in private. What should I tell her?"

"Send her to the VIP-room. I'm pretty drunk and ready to stand female tears. Is she high?"

"It seems she's not."

"Jay, help me! I will not go there myself."

Leaning on the stately Indian, Peter headed for such an elite VIP zone that there was no one there. Nobody but Katie. Her eyelids were swollen from tears, and her blonde hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. She was dressed in a plaid shirt, tattered jeans and red sneakers. She was of average height, but in such a careless style, and without heels, she seemed very small. The girl looked at Peter with her gray, frightened eyes, and immediately began to cry. Peter sighed heavily. He did not want to hear anything from her. More properly, he perfectly knew what she would say, but he was not interested.

"Pete!"

"Come here, my girl!"

He hugged her generously, and then sat down on a red sofa. Katie continued to cry.

"What's happened, my star?"

"Then I just flew back from a concert in Russia, got confused in time zones, overslept, and then I met one friend…"

"Oh, and this acquaintance turned out to be Hugh Dupree. He has a wife, if you don't know. She is, by the way, a daughter of a senator."

"I admit that I'm just a fool. I screwed it all."

"And not for the first time, I must say. Katie, it's time for you to get some treatment. Although… dullness cannot be cured."

"I can handle it! That's it, I gave it up. I'm ready to continue the tour."

"But I think the tour is not ready to be continued with you. I have canceled all concerts. I don't want you to be bombarded with rotten tomatoes. If you don't care about your reputation, then I still care about it. Go to Altus! See your mother at last, have a rest! Our contract has been terminated."

"Pete, it's my fault. Forgive me! I can't go home like this."

"You have enough money. You can not go there, you can be high till the end of your life. And life will not be very long in this case."

"I don't want to stop working now."

"But I don't want to work with you anymore."

"Why are you so heavy?"

"That is why I am who I am. Find a new producer if you don't want to check into rehab. But I am no longer your advisor, not your helper."

"I want to work with you. You are the best! I am now in a creative crisis. I can't make any new hits. I need your help!"

"Look for help elsewhere! I told you everything I wanted. This decision is final and not subject to appeal."

"Why are you so cruel to me?"

"If I was cruel, I would have canceled all your credit cards and sent you to the hospital. On the contrary, I was too kind to you; so many times I helped you when you broke the law. My patience is over!"

"People like you make money on people like me, and then they throw them away. They drink all the blood and then throw the people away!"

"It was you who drank my blood, dear! I'm not throwing you into the trash! You managed to earn some money."

"Hate you! I hate you! You didn't even let me fart freely for these five years! You controlled my every step! I didn't have a fucking week off! You did this all to me, and now you're giving up on me!"

"Okay, I will have to live with this thought until the end of my days. You know, I gave you this job, because you looked like an ordinary girl, a girl next door. I thought you would be the idol of all girls, I thought they would see themselves in you. You were a simple sweet girl. And what do I see now? High, capricious, hysterical starlet, who doesn't give a damn about everyone except her precious person. I didn't care that you were an ordinary person, because I saw a good person with whom you could work. You were sincere, direct, it was pleasant to watch you… And now you're walking around with a haughty face, as if you invented the iPad, pretending you're exhausted by fame, although you yourself haven't written anything fine, and you even don't know how to sing. You were just lucky to get to the right audition at the right time, and you imagined that you could risk other people's millions of dollars, and come off clear. Believe me, this is impossible in the real world. So piss off, dear. Everything will be fine with you someday."

Before Peter understood what had happened, Katie spat right in his face. He completely sobered up. Peter goggled at first in indignation and then slapped Katie on the cheek. The slap was so strong that the girl fell onto the sofa.

"Our conversation is over! Get out! This is my party. Or should I call Jake? He will quickly bring you out under you white little hands!"

Katie got up from the red leather sofa and headed for the exit.

"Say hello to Joe! Adiós, amigo!

"Don't you dare to come to him and ask to talk with you! Remember, it won't work."

"There are plenty of producers, everybody wants me!"

"Good luck!"

As she left, Katie got entangled in the blinds and nearly fell to the floor. Peter turned his back on her and took an electronic cigarette – an odorless, ashless and smokeless cigarette. He did not understand smoking, because it is harmful to health, but Pons cigarettes were a new trend and satisfied his need for nicotine. In addition, all his acquaintances quit smoking and used pons.

He sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs and began to stare at the ceiling. There was not a single thought in his mind then: a thick void. When he thought: "What to think about?", Joe ran into the room.

"Here you are! I wondered where our hero has gone, and he was right here, smoking his cigarettes. Oh God, how can you smoke the thing that works on a battery?

"Katie's been here. I told her to go to hell."

"What's done is done. Lord, what is there on your face?

"She spat in me. I'm so disgusting and nasty, ha-ha."

Joe took a lilac silk handkerchief from his jacket pocket and rubbed his right cheek.

- I told you, I had to stay at home. I've had enough of parties! You know, Joe, I don't know what to do next. I don't want anything else, I don't want to see anyone. Meaning, that's what I need!

- Do you want us to go from here?

- I do. I'm getting old for all this shit.

- I should have presented you a stick decorated with diamonds!

- You're funny. Did I say how lucky I am?

- Seems to be yes. Ten years ago. You said something like, "Joe, you're a miracle! You are so great at massage! I am very lucky to have you!"

- I was very lucky twenty years ago that I met you. That's true.

- And I was lucky. I love you, babe, so much.

- You really do? For what? I have a bad temper. I'm a bastard…

- You see everything as it is, and you never pretend. And... you have a lot of money. You can solve almost any problem. You are asking me for the second time today why I love you. Have you doubted yourself in your old age? Don't tell me you have cancer! You're sick? Are you going to die soon? I will not survive this! I can't lose both: you and my pug-dog in one year!

- Joe, I love you! You can always cheer me up. You're the best person I've ever met in my life. You are practically perfect.

- It looks like you're really getting old. You have become so-oo-o sentimental!

- Be careful how you talk, little boy.

- Let's go home already, old man! Jacuzzi, massage, aromatic oils, Elton John...

- Good program! Have you invited Elton John to visit us?

- Screw you! I'm not enough for you, or what? If so, I will also call George Michael for help.

- No, no… So, let's go home!

Lamborghini was waiting for them at the back entrance. Peter has been at his fiftieth birthday party... for fifty minutes sharp. About the same as it took to get to this party. And the guy in the red tuxedo… Peter gave him fifty dollars of tips. It was a magic number for him today.

The guests continued to amuse themselves at the expense of the birthday man until four in the morning. They were not embarrassed by the absence of Peter: everyone knew that he was a busy, spontaneous person. Guests were the cream of society, snack was the food of the gods, drinks were of the highest grade, gymnasts on trapeze were artists of Cirque du Soleil… Perfect, isn't it?

Joe got behind the wheel: he did not took a drop of alcohol that evening. Peter had fallen asleep by the time Joe quietly started the engine. Temple dreamed that he was poor again and played an Elvis Presley song in front of the truckers in the bar. Soon he woke up in a cold sweat and saw Joe… Peter felt rich, powerful and happy again.

The ice cream was melting too fast. Peter ate it very quickly. It was so hot outside that he thought he himself would soon melt like a stick ice-cream bar. Sweat poured as if a stream: if he took off his shirt, he could squeeze out half a bucket of water from it, not less. He and Joe were already quite far from the air-conditioned Porsche, and Peter looked forward to returning to the car where he would be able to get a good drink and cool off. At that moment, he himself was not happy that he had begged Joe to go with him to Huntington Gardens this morning. "Why hang around in Malibu? Let's go somewhere farther! There will not be all these pompous idiots, Joe, let's go to Pasadena!"

- Still, Long Beach would be better! – Peter said, wiping his forehead with a white towel. "There, we wouldn't have had to walk so long to the beach.

- Don't grumble, old man! We'll be back soon.

- I'm turning into a puddle…

- So, soon you will mix with the ocean.

A lot of tanned guys and girls flashed in front of them, all so similar to each other: shorts, glasses, phones, slippers. They all walked in small groups, chatted merrily, enjoyed life and drank coca.

Peter watched the usual rhythm of California life with a bored face until he noticed some naked bodies near the tallest palm tree on this coast.

- Joe, can you hear that?

- I see a giant palm tree. Beeeeach!

"Allez venez! Milord

Vous avez l'air d'un môme

Laissez-vous faire, Milord

Venez dans mon royaume"

- Someone's singing there! And singing pretty well!

- Yeah, cool timbre!

- Come on, let's see what's going on there!

Peter quickly made his way through the crowd and found himself in the front row of tanned spectators. Joe barely kept up with him.

"Regardez-moi, Milord

Vous ne m'avez jamais vue.

Mais vous pleurez, Milord

Ça, j' l'aurais jamais cru".

A short, skinny girl was standing on three cardboard boxes and singing. Peter was ready to believe that there were several bells hidden in her chest: her voice was very clear. He didn't even blink, he looked at the girl in the checkered orange shorts as if spellbound. He watched her every movement, he did not lose sight of anything. He seemed to be painting her in his imagination. Peter hadn't yet realized that she was not a fantasy. She turned on the cardboard box and continued singing. In uncomfortable flip-flops, standing on three cardboard boxes, she spun around her axis in such a way that most people can't do being on the hard floor. Then Peter noticed the acrobats hanging from the ropes. Those were her dancers.

Soon one of them took his hat off and began to beg for money from all those street onlookers. Peter pulled his cap down to the middle of his face. Now he could not see the girl, but only heard her voice. He could bet that later he would recognize this voice out of a thousand. This voice drove him crazy. Everything inside Peter was on fire. It always happened to him when he wanted to get something, and if Peter Temple wanted something, others could not count on it. He was in anticipation of something new.

- And what the most important thing is – it's her pronunciation! - Joe brought his friend back to earth.

- Yes, it is very good…

- Give them some money.

- What?

- I'm saying, give them some money, don't make the guy wait!

Peter carefully examined the singer from head to toe. His attention was drawn to her narrow boyish hips. In fact, she had a figure of a thirteen-year-old boy. Her dark brown long hair was pulled into a tight ponytail; her brown eyes sparkled brighter than the sun. Sometimes a person's eyes are lifeless, dull and do not express anything, but in her eyes, on the contrary, there was so much life and fire… They seemed to speak for her, they seemed to open her soul. They were as beautiful as her voice. He imagined her on the stage, and he loved this picture. She looked like an alien – her energy was so different. "Damn, she makes magic!" - Peter was surprised at his reaction.

Before Peter had time to come to his senses, the street performers disappeared in an unknown direction. The tanned crowd began to get sparse. Only traces of their worn flip-flops remained on the sand.

- Joe, I want her.

- I thought so. Wait, I'll be right back!

Joe went up to the lemonade seller and started talking to him. Peter could not make out a single word: there were so many other sounds around that even with his perfect pitch it was impossible to hear anything from this conversation. Just a minute later, Joe returned with two glasses of lemonade and said:

- He said they dine at the "Yummy Duck" every day. It's near.

- Sounds tempting.

- Are you sure you need her so badly? - Joe asked and took a sip of lemonade from a red straw, decorated with a paper umbrella.

- Oh yeah! The judge is final and without appeal.

- Lucky girl. Well then let's go! Let's check if this duck is really edible!

The cafe wasn't as close as Peter had hoped. They walked to it for half an hour, and Peter was sure he had lost ten kilograms during this time. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been walking that much. His head was aching from a hangover, his throat was dry and his heart jumped out of his chest, as if had spent three hours in a fitness club.

- That's it, Joe, I can't move my legs anymore, - said Peter, sitting on the curb. He put his head on his knees and took a pons cigarette from his pocket.

Joe pointed to a sign with a bug-eyed duckling.

- "Yummy Duck", finally!

It was an ordinary bistro: checkered tablecloths, plastic napkin holders, waitresses in frilly aprons, long-washed curtains on the windows. To Peter's surprise, there were few people in this eatery. At the far table was a new Edith Piaf, three Asian guys who showed tricks during her performance, and two cute girls. The cafe was pretty cozy and cool. Peter and Joe sat down at the nearest table and opened the menu.

- Her name, by the way, is Lisa. At least the lemonade said so. Let's see what is delicious here. A sandwich with cheese, salad and celery. I think it will do.

After a while, a bulky waitress approached them with a notebook. The woman was about three times as wide as Joe, and the folds under her chin completely hid her neck. Peter started looking out the window so as not to stare at her fat folds.

- Ready to order?

The next second she opened her mouth absurdly… She saw Joe. Peter gave a deep sigh. Sometimes it seemed to him that even if Thompson were not a star, he would still attract attention everywhere. He looked so much better than everyone around him, and that's why everyone was drawn to him, as if he could heal from any disease.

- Joe Thompson? I'm sorry, Mr. Thompson, I didn't recognize you at first!

- It's okay, love, it's difficult to recognize Joe Thompson in a man with a cap and glasses, - Joe said, picking his teeth with a toothpick.

- You are my idol since childhood! I listened to all your songs. Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean you are old. I'm just twenty-five.

"You look as though you're forty…" - Peter thought.

- And you are… Peter Temple! You are my favorite couple! I vote for you every day on Starlife!

- That's nice, I thought we were removed from this list long ago.

- Oh, of course, not, Joe has been on the thirteenth place for two months. Can you sign a napkin for me? Do you mind if I take a picture of you?

Without waiting for an answer, she pulled out her cheap red cell-phone and cuddled up to Joe. There was a completely disgusting sound, imitating a moving shutter in a camera. Peter had never heard a more horrible camera click. Peter caught a glimpse of the photo: Joe's white-toothed smile was amazing. In fact, he has not seen a single photo where Joe looked bad.

- And both of you… Yes, here… oookay!

The camera sound made Peter's teeth gritty. He was ready to choke the waitress, if only she would stop taking pictures on her phone.

- I cannot believe that! You both are in our cafe! I have to check if I'm sleeping, ha-ha! So… what will you order?

- What do you advise, Natalie? – Joe read her name on the badge.

- A sandwich with mushrooms and melted cheese. I remember you are a vegetarian. And for you, Mr. Temple, I recommend our best duck sandwich! You'll lick your fingers, I promise!

"Well, of course, she doesn't feel sorry for me. Let him eat the rotten duck!"

- This is exactly what you will bring us. Also green tea with lemon, sugar-free and black coffee.

- Just a moment, Joe! Joe, my mom adores you too! She and my grandmother were at your concert! Then they were talking about the event for a whole week! You are divine! I can't even say how old you really are! You're always young!

- I drink the blood of virgins.

- Yes, you really do look like a vampire. However, a little bit tanned.

When she walked away from their table, the huge shadow she cast on Peter disappeared, and he sighed with relief. There was absolute silence in the café again. Peter was afraid to say anything to Joe, because it would surely be heard by the street performers. The awkward pause lasted several minutes. Nobody dared to speak in this "Yummy Duck".

- It was you who sang under the palm tree today? - Peter broke the silence and turned to Lisa.

- Yes. And it is you who produce Katie Bilson?

- Produced. She's on indefinite leave now. Peter. - He walked over and held out his hand to her.

- I know who you are. And another million hundred people know you. Lisa.

- And this is Joe.

- I also know him, as another billion people do. His poster hung in my room, in the closet, in the bathroom and even in the toilet.

- That means you have good taste, - said Peter. - And you have an accent. Very cute.

- I'm Russian.

- So you are a Russian, singing French songs on the streets of California in the company of Chinese guys?

- Exactly.

- Bosh!

- As far as I know, all Russians hang out in West Hollywood. Why are you in Pasadena? - Joe finally joined the conversation.

- I came to California not to speak Russian with Russians. That's why I'm not in West Hollywood.

- How long have you been here? How do you like it here in California?

- Six years already. California is great. Here you can walk in shorts all year round, swim in the ocean where lifeguards look like a glossy picture. What else is needed for happiness?

At that moment, Natalie brought the ordered sandwiches.

- Natalie, here's two hundred dollars. We're already leaving. You can eat my duck sandwich.

While the waitress was looking longingly at the two hundred-dollar bills she had received from Peter, Joe took a sip of tea, got up from the sofa and put the card in front of Lisa.

- Call this phone. The guy's name is Jake, he is an assistant. He will explain to you how to get to the meeting point.

- Wow, I have to meet with you again.

- If you don't be silly, then more than once.

- What if you are old perverts? – she smiled.

- Yes, Joe Thompson, - said one of the muscular Asians, - we will protect our sister.

- Okay, Lisa, do as you like. You don't have to call, but do you see this guy in the Adidas cap? He's got a crush on you. He wants to work with you. And… if something comes into his head, then the devil himself won't stop him. If you worry about your innocence, then it's in vain. We prefer men.

- I think, Joe, she understood everything, and we can go now. Nice to meet you, Lisa! You're great!

- Your chance is running out, but promises to return soon.

- Joe, marry me! - Natalie shouted from behind.

- Next life! When we become mantises, and you'll be able to eat me!

They didn't say another word. After they left, Lisa could not speak for some time: she tried to understand the events that had happened over the past half hour. She was sitting in the bistro, eating her favorite duck sandwich, counted the money they made today, then Joe Thompson from Sunshine and Peter Temple appeared… Or did she overheat in the sun and everything was just a mirage? She asked Ian: "Was it really them?" "Blind me. It's hard to confuse Joe with someone else." "Vasilisa, I'll hide his business card. I'll be your manager. Won't you let your friends down, will you?" "Stop selling the bear's skin before one has caught the bear", she said and smiled.

Lisa in roller-skates climbed the stairs, overcame the revolving door, the reception, and rode up to the elevator. She pretended to be in a computer game and had just passed the first level. Before she could press the button for the top floor, a tall Indian in a business suit jumped inside. He pressed the same button. Lisa smelled the tart scent of his perfume and sneezed.

- Cool roller-skates! - said the Indian, but looked at her legs in orange shorts instead of feet.

Lisa took out the headphones and looked at him questioningly.

- I'm saying, cool roller-skates!

- Yes, I took them from a neighbor's girl this morning. She owed me fifty bucks.

- You are severe.

He took her headphones without asking.

- Oh God, you're listening to Joe Thompson. How trivial! You, I suppose, are Lisa. You and I spoke on the phone.

- So you are Jake. What do you have against Joe?

- Absolutely nothing. He is marvelous. Though, his songs are already boring to me. Anyway, honey, listen to the recommendations, nod at any of his phrases, agree with everything he says, sign everything he offers you. Believe me. He is one of those people, the imprint of contact with whom you then have on yourself for the rest of your life. He's a lucky devil! Just repeat after him! Got it?

- Yeah.

- That is great! I'll show you the way. Remember, if you knock down some vase costing a couple of thousand bucks, I'll sell you into slavery.

The elevator door flung open and Lisa imagined everything around was lit up with bright colors and children's voices singing "Hallelujah". Even on her roller skates, she couldn't keep up with the agile Indian. She looked like a trailer. Jake ushered her into the boss's office and left with the words: "See you, little one!"

Lisa caught her breath from the abundance of luxury here. She was afraid to sit in her unwashed shorts from the sale on Peter's swivel chair, upholstered in crocodile leather, but could not resist and began to rotate in it in different directions. Then she took a pen for two hundred dollars and threw it into the trash.

- Nice hit! - said Peter entering the office. - You get used to it quickly. How do you like the view from the window?

- Gorgeous! What abrupt transitions: yesterday, I sang standing on cardboard boxes, and today I am sitting in Peter Temple's office.

- And in his chair.

- Oh, I'm sorry, I thought that everyone here has such chairs.

She got up from her dream chair and sat into a non-rotating transparent one for visitors.

- Would you like something? Water, whiskey, tea, coffee? By the way, why are you on roller skates?

- I seem taller with them.

- Have you heard about high heels?

- I fall from them.

Lisa poured some water into a stylish glass, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. The water was also not cheap – she could swear it was taken from the Alps or from the glaciers of Antarctica.

- It seems that the cheapest thing here is me.

- No, I have cheap chewing gum? Want some?

- Sure!

He gave her an Orbit.

- Let's start! How long have you been singing?

- I do not remember. The question is a little inaccurately formulated: everyone sings in kindergartens at matinees, in the shower, in front of a mirror with a comb. I have been singing with a comb for over twenty years.

- How old are you?

- Twenty-eight.

- You look sixteen.

- It's all California outfit. Roller-skaters took off me another ten years.

- Have you ever done vocals professionally, do you play anything?

- At the age of five I was adopted by a very nice couple. For several years I went to a special French school, a school where everyone was forced to speak French, dance and play the piano. Soon they realized they were only wasting money on my education and transferred me to a regular school. As a result, I speak bad French and play even worse on the piano. However, I dance and sing well.

- What did you do after school?

- I understand that you want to know my biography. Okay. After school, I sang in a restaurant in Moscow. For long. They paid me well, and the work was good. Then I met a guy, on the Internet. He was from California. Although why I'm saying "was"… He still "is". He lives in Los Feliz. We got married, then broke up.

- Los Feliz? I grew up in the area. The place where all the evil spirits of Hollywood gather.

- A wonderful place! All bankrupt producers and drunken actors live there. And also those ones who rob them sometimes. Showing an iPad in a dark alley was a real extreme! It was my favorite pastime until I finally realized that life there is like death for a poor Russian girl.

- And for this reason, you divorced your husband?

- No. We just didn't agree on some points. When he went on a drinking jag, I stopped drinking. When I started drinking again, he didn't want to. Our time has never crossed. Therefore, we decided that it was not destiny for us to be together.

- Do you have a big problem with alcohol now?

- It was alcohol that had problems with me. I don't drink now. I'm tired of it. Not a drop. Although life seems better with vodka, whatever you say.

- Do you have citizenship?

- Sure. I've been living in the USA for six years, the ex-wife of a US citizen.

- Good. What's your favorite band?

- Sunshine.

- Seriously, please.

- I'm serious. How can you not love Joe Thompson and his breathtaking voice? All and sundry are having sex listening to his voice.

- Hmm. Not me.

- You are wrong. You may not listen to his recordings at such moments, but you do listen to him live. You are lucky.

- In short, don't you like pop music?

- Look at me and tell me, isn't it written on my forehead: "Rocknrolla"? Although, for a lot of money, I can sing pop music. I can sing anything.

- For a rock band, as you know, you need a permanent set. It is good when there are two brothers. You also need a great guitarist who plays great solos. It's not easy to find such people.

- Two brothers? Ian and Lee Luong. You saw them at the "Yummy Duck". They are twins. Ian plays drums so the membranes burst. He would have become a great drummer. Lee Luong is not bad on bass.

- But we need someone who really knows how to play the instruments, who can compose. The musical notation is very vaguely familiar to you, right? Although the charisma is maddening…

- Oh, shit!

Lisa hit the table three times with her fist, and then covered half of her face with her palm.

- Benny, Benny, bastard!

- What's it?

- There is someone you need, but I'm not sure he'll want to work with us. I can give you his recordings: you will see that we need this man.

- What's the problem?

- He is my ex-husband. We talk extremely rarely: only when I want him to lend me some money. I rarely pay off debts. He can't stand me.

- Why do you annoy him so much?

- It's because of my existence. Moreover, it was I who left him. Oh, it's very complicated.

- Do we really need him?

- He's… a man-band. He plays on everything that possible. He composes great, and he does such busting on the guitar…

- What is he doing now?

- Real estate agent.

- There are no such disagreements that big money could not resolve. I'll have a look at the recordings.

- So you really decided to work with me?

- Does it look like I'm joking?

- Well, maybe you had a bet with Joe that you can make a star out of the first person you meet on the beach. Like in a movie with Freddie the Prince. Then you are lucky that I was the first person you met. Or maybe you bet that you can make Miss America out of the first person you meet. Then I quit.

- We did not have any bets. I saw you, liked you, bought you. I need your voice. If I have to get your ex out of Los Feliz in order to promote the project, I will.

- You're a real rocknrolla.

- My dear, at some moment, any rocknrolla realizes that he will either have to stop being a rock star, and start living like all normal people do, or earn so much money to rock and roll until the end of his days.

- You rock great.

- As long as I can remember, yes, I do. And I need you to continue to do it with dignity. I'm pretty worn out and I need something new!

- I understand you, and I like you, Mr. Temple.

- We'll work.

Peter was surprised that she was not trying to please him though everyone around was doing nothing but blowing dust off him. She hid nothing from him, did not pretend to be someone else. She understood that the truth is revealed, sooner or later. She was what she really was: no better and no worse. She knew her merits, showed them, but she showed her drawbacks. Anything that would annoy you in other people made her cute and adorable. Peter couldn't tell if this was good or bad. She did everything naturally, easily, without unnecessary effort: she was frivolous, fickle and spontaneous. Maybe that's why she wore ten bucks shorts and sang on boxes at the age of twenty-eight, he wondered. "Either she is really a very simple person, or an insanely complicated one. The devil himself won't figure it out." Peter knew for sure: Lisa was what he needed, what could drive you crazy. He was ready to rub his hands. Peter Temple has found a new deposit. Although he had enough money for ten royal lives, he was eager to make even more. Stopping halfway was not his rule.

The "paper" house in Los Feliz, on which the pirate flag hung, reminded Peter of his childhood. It was the house like that where he spent his first seventeen years. A similar slate roof, the same unkempt courtyard, the same old pickup truck at the garage, the same inflatable pool. It seemed to him that he was transported thirty-five years ago and everything he has got now has disappeared. No, he was not afraid or in panic. Then he staggered all day on dirty streets and there was no man happier than he had been. He got drunk with friends, played the guitar, fixed motorcycles and did not think about anything. He had a lot of time ahead, a lot of opportunities in front of him. That's what he didn't want – to feel worthless, helpless, unable to protect himself again.

For a long time he had not been to such places, for a long time he had not seen anything cheaper than five bucks. For Lisa, everything was new and unusual in his office, but everything seemed strange and unusual to him here. He seemed to have been lowered from heaven to a sinful earth. It seemed to him that his mother was about to call to mow the lawn, give him a slap, and call him an idiot. How much he wanted to become significant, rich, influential, so that no one else would dare to tell him what he should and what should not do! He wanted to be free from poverty. He also wanted to be himself, and not whom his parents, brothers and sister wanted to see. He suffered a lot, did not pretend to be straight, did not try to forget that he deserved more. He knew he had a special path. He was always sure that he would break through, that he would write music, that he would make a lot of money. Peter Temple did not allow himself to doubt his own abilities, even when no one else believed in him. "I was impenetrable, what can I say!" - he thought and smiled contentedly.

Lisa, Joe, and Peter walked to the front door.

- I don't understand why you need me here.

- Joe, don't grumble! You do love fresh impressions. So enjoy these awesome beer cans in a flowerbed, butts in a watering pot!

- Yes, you won't get Mark here to ask for water.

- You know what a magical effect you have on people! You are here like a magic wand. You looked into someone's eyes and that's all – it's all right! Everyone agrees to everything.

- You exaggerate my possibilities, dear. I'm just a retired rocker. I water flowers and play the piano.

- Completely lazy! A couple more of these old man's statements and I will send you on a world tour! You will plow like a mule.

- I am silent, I am silent!

Lisa knocked on the door, Joe and Peter sat down on the wicker sofa on the terrace.

- Go away! - A man's voice came from the opened door, and then the door slammed shut.

- Benny, open it! I need to talk to you!

- Get out, I said. You ruined my liver and my life.

Lisa rolled her eyes and knocked on the door again.

- Benny, don't be silly! Leave the house, otherwise it is inconvenient to talk through the wall.

- Every time you show up, I give you all the money, and then I drink on the rest of it. Go away! - The voice outside the door continued to persist.

- This time I came to repay my debt. With percent.

- Well, then leave the money on the rug and get out!

- I brought you someone here.

- Have you finally thought of me and brought the girls from Little Red Riding Hood?

- Better, my friend, better.

- Yeah, maybe you have Joe Thompson hidden?

- I bet he saw me through the window! - Joe whispered to Peter.

- That is unlikely. You won't see much through these dirty windows.

- Besides, he has a terrible farsightedness.

Benny left the house. He was of the average height and a little angular. He was wearing only funny-rimmed glasses and black shorts. He had huge lips and his ears were protruding: a golden earring was in his left ear. In his hands, he held a pack of chips, which he threw on the plastic table without hesitation. He was very thin – Peter counted his ribs with ease. He saw a tattoo on his right shoulder: it was eyes framed by a strand of hair. Looking a little closer, Peter easily recognized Lisa's eyes. In combination, his huge lips, protruding ears, long fingers, and disheveled dark blond hair looked very good. Benny was very cute. It's like you want to scratch behind his ear, ruffle his hair or kiss him on the cheek. The first word that came to mind when looking at Benny was "plush". He looked like a stuffed toy or pet. A skinny pet.

For five seconds he was bewilderedly silent, chewing chips.

- Fuck! Joe, what are you doing here? I've said about Joe Thompson at random! I never expected you to be outside the door. Magic!

- Benny, these are Peter Temple and Joe Thompson. They have a business proposal for you.

- I see who they are. I'm more worried about how they got here! Are you lost or what?

- Benny, - Peter said, - we've seen your recordings. I liked them. I have work for you.

- Fuck, for no reason, Peter Temple comes to my house and offers me a job! I don't get it at all yet. Am I sleeping? According to my horoscope, I have a day, which is better to wait out at home.

- Yes, you are lucky that you wait out the day at home, otherwise we wouldn't have found you. We want to create a group. The frontman will be ... her. You're the lead guitarist, buddy.

- What? Everything seems too good to be true. It's easier for me to immediately go to hang myself, and before that strangle her. Where did you find her? In the sand on the beach?

- I don't care about your showdown. I think you will find a common language somehow. You already have a repertoire for the first time and the composition is selected. It's up to you, Benny. We need you.

- Benny, don't behave like a virgin, otherwise you'll be selling houses in Los Feliz for the rest of your life.

- Who else will be there?

- Yen and Lee Luong.

- Those Asians? God, Peter Temple, have you lost your mind in your old age? Why do you need this hysterical woman and these Chinese people with an addiction to national rhythms?

- Whom did you call a hysterical, pimply piglet?

- Girls, do not quarrel! - Joe said.

- You know what, dear, which of us is a fucking gay? So don't you call me a girl! Why don't you just get Joe to sing again than bother with this walking problem?

- Benny, I might change my mind. Besides you, there are normal guitarists. I like her voice. I like her. I like you much less…

- thank God!

- If I make a choice, I'll choose her. But at least you two are familiar, you have common material. And Lisa told me she can work only with you, Benny. Only you can control her. When you play the guitar, the heart stops.

Lisa looked at Peter in surprise, and he, unnoticed by Benny, winked at her and ordered her to be silent with a glance.

- She said so?

- Word for word, - Lisa confirmed.

- I was there, - Joe said.

Benny crunched his chips again.

- I have to think.

- How many seconds?

- Three seconds. My homie Jay C should be in the band too. We've been playing in the garage since childhood.

- No problem. Five people. Cool! What shall we call it?

- Lisa has a nickname. "Sunny honey". Let's call the group so.

- Benny, you are a genius! We need you. I like this guy!

- So, maybe you will come in? If you don't drink some water, you will melt soon. You can leave her on the rug. She'll wait!

- Benny, show them your garage! It's cool there! - ordered Lisa.

A stuffed boar's head was hanging over the garage door. It was wearing a felt hat, Ray Ban glasses, and had a cigar stuck between its fangs. A chandelier made of vinyl records complemented the entourage. There were empty bourbon bottles on the window. The smell of paint and turpentine made Peter breathe heavily. He noticed a carefully recreated poster of "Rebel without a Cause". James Dean, in his red jacket, was looking boldly at the rock'n'rollers of the 2000s, as if he was challenging everyone. In another corner, there was a portrait of Hunter Thompson and a recreated poster of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". Three Gibson guitars lay on a wooden table. "Why have I never thought of putting this boar's snout with glasses and a hat on the cover of some album? I have to fix it!" Peter thought, staring around.

- And where is the car in this garage? - Joe asked condescendingly.

Benny drew back the shade and everyone saw a silver Chevrolet. Peter whistled and said enthusiastically:

- Chevrolet El Camino 69th! My grandfather have potatoes in that.

- I got it from my grandfather.

- he drives a rusty trough, which stands on the street, - said Lisa.

Peter saw on the wall a portrait of a girl which had been showered with darts. The girl smiled, although the darts were stuck in her teeth. She had the most sassy expression on her face that you could imagine. She didn't have pink hair, piercings or tattoos, but she still looked cocky. This insolence did not manifest externally, but exuded from within.

- Is it Lisa?

- Yes. If I would have known that she'd abandoned me, I would not have finished drawing, but now it is a pity to throw it out, and as a target it's good.

- And this looks like Andy Warhol, - Joe pointed to another "exhibit."

- This is him. I got it from my grandfather too. Didn't sell it even on heavy days! And there is Robert Indiana!

- Your taste is good, dude! The underground collector. Not a bad guy!

- Well, Peter, it will never be compared to your collections. I love interesting things! Therefore, I married her. That's another exhibit of my exhibition!

- Show them your recording studio!

- Do you have a studio? - Joe was surprised.

- It is my oasis!

- Though you are not such a rogue as your mistress!

- Mr. Temple, no offense, please! He had an inheritance from his grandfather, and he was a native Yankee. Do not compare with a poor emigrant.

- Let's go to my studio, lady and gentlemen!

- He also has orchids, a slow cooker and a hookah! Maybe we'll see everything right away?

- Wonderful guy! You shouldn't have left him! - Said Peter.

- You had to stick to him, - Joe agreed.

- Bosh! He is a hysterical and vulnerable nature. By the way, there were other reasons.

Peter showed first his index finger, then middle and thumb, and then thumb, index and middle fingers. They read on his lips: "Let's go!" Lisa laughed instead of singing.

- What?

- You showed the fuck!

- Oh, how so? Record, guys!

Я приду поздно ночью

И увижу то, что ты не хочешь:

На полу женская одежда,

И она с твоею смежна.

На постели два голых тела,

И они белее мела,

Не прикрыты одеялом

И бутылка вина рядом.

Ты теперь не милый друг

Стал для меня вдруг.

Как ты мог любовь предать,

Наши чувства так растоптать?!

Падаю на снег, как снежинка,

А по щеке ползёт слезинка.

Все иллюзии и мечты

У меня отнял ты.

Посмотрел сонным взглядом,

Прикрываясь моим покрывалом,

А я хлопну громко дверью.

Я тебе больше не верю!

Каждый вздох – с тобой прощанье.

Каждый шаг давит воспоминанья.

Грязный снег темнее ночи,

И я реву, что есть мочи.

Ты теперь не милый друг

Стал для меня вдруг.

Как ты мог любовь предать,

Наши чувства так растоптать?!

Падаю на снег, как снежинка,

А по щеке ползёт слезинка.

Все иллюзии и мечты

У меня отнял ты.

"What a stupid text! Just what I need! " - rejoiced Peter. He looked forward to new broadcasts, tours, interviews, projects. It seemed to him that he was twenty years younger, so happy he was. "That's the feeling when you're a superstar", - he was thinking of the next hit. Lisa took a high note, and then Benny's accords followed. Peter was bursting with self-satisfaction. He felt the upcoming success.

- Excellent, my children! We recorded it at the first time.

- slip me fives! - Lisa exclaimed and came up to Ian and Li Luong.

- Don't forget to turn on the Maxidrom radio at eleven thirty tomorrow. It'll be there.

- So soon? - Benny wondered.

- Yes. Jake will take the recording to their office today. You thought I gathered you for the anniversary of the club of plant breeders, or what? I have it big, Benny.

- Thanks, Pete, I'm shocked!

Lisa took off her headphones and began to kiss and hug her producer. She had never experienced such a strong sense of joy. Finally, she did something right in her life. Finally she had something to be proud of. She was overwhelmed by a lot of emotions. It was like she was holding the first edition of her book in her hands, or has received an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy at the same time. She was ready to fly to the seventh heaven: if there were at least one window in this dark, isolated studio. "Nobody will take this away from me! I recorded the song at Peter Temple's studio! I'm no zero anymore. I'm a talent!"

- I propose to throw a little party. We have something to celebrate!

- For your money, we are ready to celebrate something every day! - Benny said sarcastically.

- Have you ever drunk Jack Daniels, my friend?

- Jay C and I never spend more than ten bucks on a drink!

- so you will taste this miracle from a square bottle with an engraving and you will understand what real booze is. They drink it not to get drunk, but to feel the taste. The best taste in the world. Subtle caramel aroma mixed with burnt wood scent. You look at its amber tints in the glass and see your reflection there. It's mesmerizing. Absolute happiness is available. It is enough just to take a sip of this divine drink.

Benny, JC, Ian, Lee Luong, Lisa, sound engineer, and Jake instantly imagined a glass of this whiskey and mentally licked their lips. They had an extraordinary urge to drink Jack Daniels right now. Peter made them forget about everything but whiskey. Whiskey became their goal, their motivation, their meaning in life. Even if not for long, but it took possession of their minds.

- Peter, you'll make anyone drunk! - Benny said.

- I've been the face of Jack Daniels for five years.

- I remember your eye against the whiskey, - Ian exclaimed.

- He invented the text for the advertisement himself, - Jake said, not looking up from his laptop.

- And I didn't get a cent for this. Just a couple of crates of whiskey. Misery, what can you say! Joe was the face of perfume, so they paid him ten million just for taking a shower on camera!

They all laughed. The next moment Joe entered the studio with a bottle of water, which he once advertised swimming in the pool. Everyone roared even louder.

- What's the matter? Someone drew a mustache on me while I was napping?

He quickly looked at his reflection in the glass partition and made sure that everything was fine with him.

- You can record it on your phone and send it to these water producers. I'm sure they'll give Joe a couple of millions. Quench your thirst with Joe! - Fantasized Peter.

Everyone continued to laugh. Only Joe did not understand what was happening.

- Did you work here or did you smoke?

Joe began to eat yogurt.

- For the fact that he eats this yogurt, he is paid one hundred thousand a month.

- I would eat it for free, but if they offer money for it, then what?

- I wonder how you two met? - asked Lisa, taking a sip of orange juice.

Peter and Joe were almost invisible due to the huge number of pillows on the immense sofa. Yen and Lee Luong were on the other end of the couch, hugging a bottle of Jack Daniels. They only occasionally opened their eyes not to fall asleep at all.

- Didn't we ever know each other? - Joe was surprised.

- twenty years ago. Yes, we didn't.

- I had no idea who Peter Temple was. I earned money by playing in a jazz club and had little idea of show business. I struggled to make ends meet and thought about how I could open my own jazz cafe to save my ass from unnecessary adventures. The guys and I played at the party, I even sang "Sometime" there…

- You sang amazingly. I remember that performance as if it was yesterday.

- And then it turned out that they brought me in as a present for the birthday boy. Of course, they forgot to warn me about this. At the end of the evening, that pal took me into the bedroom. I got overwhelmed. I realized that I didn't want to, that's all. He began to take off my jacket, to touch me. I felt so disgusted. I thought, "What the hell am I doing?" I walked away from him. He repeated a hundred times: "How much do you want?" I answered him a hundred times: "I'm not an escort." he kept increasing and increasing the number of bills on the table. When I was ready to break, a bright thought struck me: "You are not some slut, Joe! You are a musician, a good musician, a singer. How long will you earn money with your own ass? Yes, sometimes it is valued very expensively, but how long will it last? Who are you turning into?" I ran out of there with the speed of a bullet. The guys from the group, as I realized, had already left: they had long been accustomed to my "delays" and knew that then the drivers of such rich homosexuals would take me home. I ran to the gate and almost got run over by the Porsche wheels.

- My Porsche. I was just leaving the party then. I saw him on stage and, as you can imagine now, wanted him bad. But, obviously, I did not want to stand on the way of someone who could then take off my head for this. The only thing I wanted when I was leaving was for this guy to be in front of my car. I guess I wanted it so badly that he ended up there in the end. I nearly knocked him down. I jumped out of the car. I looked at him and understood everything at once. I understood why he came out of nowhere, why he was scared, why the guards headed towards him.

- He said: "Sit down!" And I sat down. I'm lucky. Only I wanted to change everything in my life - Peter Temple appeared in his Porsche and took me away. As soon as I realized that I wouldn't last a day like this, he appeared.

- To appear on time is my main quality.

- I'm going to cry! - Benny muttered, sprawled on the floor.

- Well, now you tell me something! For example, how did you meet Lisa? It is interesting, I have to know everything about my group.

- I'm not very happy to remember everything connected with her. Even less happy to see her.

- He hates me.

- What did you want? You wanted me to kiss you sweetly on the cheek, as if nothing had happened? Yes, I do hate you. You shook my whole soul out of me. You know, Peter, your protégée is just disgusting. When we flew to Russia to meet her friends and foster parents, we already had a daughter. Daisy. She was one year old. I left her with Lisa for four hours: I needed to go by subway to the Tretyakov Gallery. She left our daughter on the balcony because she screamed too much: in January, in Russia! Then she turned on the TV and fell asleep. As if nothing had happened! When she woke up, Daisy was already dead. You stupid chicken! How was it possible? That is impossible to forget!

Everyone fell silent. Lisa's eyes sparkled with tears and rage. She covered her face with a pillow. Her cry echoed in this large living room. Without a word, she ran to the second floor. She climbed the stairs in a matter of seconds and was out of sight.

- Why are you doing that?

- Why did she do this to me, Joe? Damn rock'n'roll girl! This is what she is all about. She has a complete lack of maternal instincts. I hoped, I believed that she would change.

- You should have supported her in such a situation. It was no easier for her than for you. It was not only your child. Yes, she's to blame. But you are very cruel. You hit the sore spot at the most inopportune moment.

- I agree with Joe. You acted like a nerd.

- Sorry that I'm not as sensitive as you are!

- Did you mean: "Not as sensitive as you, fagots"? Come on, go ahead! Say that! Prove that you are absolutely a dumbhead!

- I should give you a good face, - Ian said.

- How many defenders Lisa has at once! This is just now that you have bucks on your mind and perspective. But it wasn't you, Peter, who pulled her out of the shit, it was me. You would never have heard her sing if I hadn't arranged a green card for her, if I hadn't given her money, if I had really divorced her. I saw her like none of you have seen. I did not say a word about parting. She left herself. Said, "I can't do this anymore." You see, I got her out with my silent reproaches that next to me she felt so guilty that she had no strength. She left me at such a moment. She didn't care about me, about our child. Okay, the party is screwed. I'm leaving.

He drank a glass of whiskey in one gulp and headed to the exit. JC got up from the pillows and almost ran after Benny.

- It all turned out to be much worse than I expected. Joe, talk to her! You don't want her to hang herself here. A real rock'n'roll player first needs to at least shoot a video and record an album, and then hang himself.

- Okay. You guys have a drink, Lisa and I will be back soon.

Joe looked for her in the bedroom, in the gym, in the home theater, in the kitchen, and finally found the girl in a toilet that was the size of someone's not-so-modest garage. Lisa was sitting on the marble floors, hugging her knees. Long hair completely hid her face. She was sniffing softly, and next to her were crumpled napkins. Joe sat down next to her and drank from the bottle he had brought.

"You know, my father died when I was six. A year later, my mother married a volleyball coach. How I hated him, who would have known. He never let me watch TV, he always strove to hit, his dirty T-shirts smelled all over the house. On my thirteenth birthday, he gave me a ball. I hated team games, and he knew it very well, but he still presented the ball. I wanted to get a guitar, because I always played the neighbor kid's instrument, and he gave me the ball. On my fourteenth birthday, he gave me a punching bag. Look at me and tell me, have I ever been interested in boxing? And, most importantly, I saw how he looked at me, I knew what he was doing with the boys after training. I tried to tell my mother about it, but she said that it was all my stupid inventions. One day she went to her parents for the weekend and left me with him. I was disgusted with his presence. I was disgusted to breathe the same air with him. But for the first time in long years, he allowed me to watch whatever I wanted. Took a guitar tied with a bow out of the closet and made macaroni and cheese, which I adored.

His voice had a calming effect on Lisa. She was ready to listen to Joe for ages. His speech was very measured, laconic, and correct.

- He came to my bedroom at night and raped me. In the morning, he gave me twenty bucks and allowed me to rehearse in the garage. When my mother returned home, she wondered why we didn't fight anymore. I just didn't want to mess with him anymore. I received money from him and was silent, and he periodically came to my room. I waited for graduation as much as I never expected anything. I didn't go to the college because it was not far from our home. I gathered all the money and went to New York. I never saw my mother again. I just sent her a letter in which I poured out all my tender youthful suffering soul. You're not the only one who has had shit in your life, Lisa Longlake. You are not the worst or most miserable person on this planet. We just live on and that's it!

- Never even called her? For so many years?

- Never. I don't know how they got along with him. I do not know if she later had husbands and children. She tried to write to me, but as soon as I realized that the letter was from her, I stopped reading it. There are moments in life that you want to erase, kill, destroy. Sometimes it is better to imagine that all this was not with you, that you dreamed, that this simply could not happen to you, that you are simply not capable of such a thing. Otherwise, it will be the only thing that you will remember.

- Forget? Just to forget?

- like most dreams are forgotten in the morning. I forgot. I forgot that I was silent then, that I accepted his handouts. I forgot I was weak. Forgot the shame I felt. I forgot my guilt about trading my body. Why should I remember all this? I was able to become better, and who I was before... I was an idiot, scared and greedy for life. And now I'm Joe Thompson. Now they are ready to forgive me everything, and I easily forgive myself. By the way, the video will be shot tomorrow. Your drum solo in the rain, jumping on those unfortunate instruments ...

- It will be something!

- No doubt.

- What if you just lied to me? Invented everything on the fly.

- In your opinion I am a completely finished man to invent such things, even for the sake of saving the group, which has existed for several days?

She was amazed at the ease with which he spoke of his stepfather. He didn't even lift an eyebrow. As if it really did not happen to him, as if he was telling an anecdote, something insignificant. Or was he lying? No, you can't lie about that. Not an ounce of regret, not an ounce of sadness, not an ounce of love for his mother, as if he had never really wanted to talk to her in these past twenty-five years. "Perhaps someday I will be able to react to everything the same way. I will be able to get rid of everything that interferes with my life. they are not people, they are just some titans!" she thought.

- I wrote this six months ago. Since then I have read this piece of paper hundreds of times. I don't know why, but then I had to write it. But I think you, Joe, need it more.

Lisa took out a sheet of paper folded four times from her pocket. Joe unfolded it and began to read aloud so that the conversation would not stop:

"She bore you inside for nine months. Even then, you fed on her. When you grew completely in her, you began to stretch her skin, beat her from the inside with your small feet, did not allow her to sleep on her belly, although before you appeared she slept that way. She cut her voice when she gave birth to you. You hurt her the worst pain in her life. She changed your smelly diapers, listened to your hysterical crying, did not leave you not for a minute. She cared and cherished you, treated you so carefully, as if you were a porcelain figurine. She did not love you for something, she loved you with no reason. She didn't love you up front, she didn't love you on credit: she just loved you."

Joe stopped. His voice was out of tune ... As if he had just performed at a two-hour concert.

"And only now you realized that no one will ever love you like that. She gave herself to you, not even knowing which one will grow out of you: an ungrateful bastard, a loser, a good person, a creative person, a lawyer, a terrorist... It was like a Russian roulette: she could have been so unlucky with you! You could break her life, or you could fill it with meaning. She was ready to accept you for who you are. Maybe you didn't ask her to give you life, but she gave it to you, gifted it to you. She suffered to get this chance. You didn't choose each other, but she chose you to be here. So be! Be whom you can! Be a human!"

Joe folded the paper back and gave it to Lisa.

- Perhaps, you should keep it with you. I'm too old for all this. Everything is fine by me.

- Of course. If I were you, everything would be fine by me too. And you still didn't lie! Thinking about your mother is really unbearable for you.

- So it was you who wrote the text of "Not Dear Friend"?

- Yes, and the others. Benny never could rhyme even two words. Or everything came out too gloomy. After reading his poems, you want to kill the author.

- Today is just an evening of revelations!

- So many interesting things have become known about you, Mr. Perfect.

- Where? Where is Mr. Perfect? I have no idea who you said this to, Miss Charm.

- Miss Charm went out for bread. I'm for her. Miss Rock and Roll.

"Why is he so positive after everything that happened to him in life? Benny can be so angry! How does Joe handle everything? It feels like nothing can shake him. I wish I could learn to forget the worst things, learn to distance myself from what brings me pain. But I cannot yet. Now I consider myself too vile to be happy."

- Joe, where is the person's "Restart" button?

- Somewhere in your head. You will find it. The main thing is to forgive yourself. Everyone can be nasty.

When everyone was gone, Joe and Peter decided to play chess. This always calmed Peter down and helped him not think of something unnecessary. He understood his plans were collapsing too quickly. Recently, he was insanely happy and full of ideas, and now he again wanted to lock himself with Joe for the rest of his days. "How much I hate it when everything does not go the way I wanted! - thought Peter, - In chess, everything is in plain sight: if the opponent is stronger, he can easily plan everything. These figures do not have any emotions or feelings, they do not want to cut each other's throats. Here one person rules everything. For myself, I always know, everything that depends on me, I do in the best way I can. But in life, figures are sometimes weak and cause difficulties."

- What do you think of all this? – he asked Joe.

- I think you need to move your queen.

- I am not talking about that. You've lost anyway. I'm talking about Lisa and Benny.

- They are hopeless. It is unlikely you will bring them together now.

- And again, I mean something else. I'm talking about the group.

- You will suffer with these two, of course. But as they say, the game is worth the candle.

- Now I'm not so sure. I want to cancel everything. The relationship between these two is too complicated. I did not expect that everything is so bad. I thought maybe she caught him with another, or something like that but this… Death of their child due to the negligence of one of the parents… This is serious. They will cause problems all the time! By the way, Benny can give up on us at any moment. As soon as Lisa gets unbearable for him, he'll say bye-bye and take the copyright. I was dreaming too much, already dreamed of a new project. Fuck them! They'll cause too many problems.

- So who won't?

- You.

- Well, all the time I was like a dog you'd saved from the flayers. I did not dare to utter a word. I was very nice. And I love you too. And you never gave me hard contracts. I've always had some advantages.

- That's for sure. How can you be strict when you see this cute face! Do you think it's worth the risk with them?

- In any case, you won't lose anything, but at least there will be something for you to do.

- Right, right… I'm already wondering how it all will end. Maybe a new batch? You've lost this one.

- Last time I beat you in chess was in the nineties.

Benny couldn't sleep that night. He took a bottle of cheap whiskey and sat down at his laptop. A page of a Russian social network was opened on it, where people could listen to almost any song for free. Benny turned on the song "the western one", which he and Lisa were listening to on a Soviet cassette-recorder. Benny really liked this tune, and now he recalled Lisa dance to this song with a child in her arms and sing along with the Soviet performer. It was an unforgettable duet for Benny. He remembered this moment of his life so often, as if there were no other memorable moments. This moment was both the saddest and the most joyful one for him.

- I have never been so happy, Lisa, as on that day! And I will never be so happy again. Why did you ruin everything?! Just tell me why…

He closed the computer window and stared at the screen where Lisa and their baby's photo could be seen. Benny began to cry, and their picture began to blur in his eyes, but not in his memory. He clearly remembered that day. He remembered all the time spent with his child so well, as if it had been yesterday, but four years had already passed.

- Will it always be so painful to remember you, kid? Will it always be so hard for me to see you, Lisa? It is difficult, so difficult.

Benny opened Lisa's Twitter page. Her last entry was made a day ago: "Everything will be as it should be, even if it is the other way around."

- How much I loved you, damn it! I was just crazy about you…

Lisa was standing on the set in a short golden dress, with her eyes outlined in black, all wet and chilled. She was annoyed, but could not force herself to stop freezing, no matter how hard she tried. She barely held the drumsticks in her hands: they now seemed incredibly heavy to her. She almost did not feel her fingers: they seemed to have become stone. Bare feet were covered with goose bumps; she wanted to sleep more and more: her eyes tried to close, and she needed a lot of effort to stay awake in the middle of the filming process. The director now seemed to her the most terrible person in the world, and Peter – the president of the underworld.

- Another take!

- Peter, you're out of your mind! I've been jumping on drums under streams of icy water for the third hour! Don't we have enough for the video? You have James Cameron filming the sequel to "Titanic", or what?

- Be quiet, eggs, and listen to the hen! Jake, tell them to turn on the warm water. I don't want her pneumonia.

- What? You couldn't have said that three hours ago, while I was still able to move?

- Warm water does not keep you in good shape. But now you are cheerful.

- I'll kill you!

She threw drumsticks at Peter, then took cold water into her hands and sprinkled at him.

- Pete, now you are cheerful too! - Lisa exclaimed happily, climbing back onto the drums, – You were already dozing there.

- Go to hell, little fucking star! We are working! Music.

"She's really frostbitten! She doesn't think about the consequences at all. She doesn't seem to care if she becomes a celebrity, a millionaire, a star. Just does what she wants! And it is useless to explain something to her. She had nothing to lose for a long time, so she got used to the fact that she had nothing. Although, maybe this is good. She'll work more!" Thought Peter.

Lisa wondered why they were spending millions of dollars on thousands of poor, unnecessary videos, awards, publications and shows. "No, you need to have fun, of course, but most of the awards, where awards are given to stars of little-known TV shows, performers of songs that are not very familiar to people, and hosts of the stupidest shows, are not even known to many. The number of clips on television is enormous. The main thing is that you don't even want to look at some of them. After all, there are many ways to spend money with much greater benefit than organizing unnecessary filming and awards. In the third world countries people do not have enough food, but the Russian Ministry of Culture allocates billions of dollars for films, half of which will be watched by no more than a hundred people. How much money is spent on ridiculous adverts? Millions of millions. We are surrounded by stupid and incorrect use of money. It turns out that millions of dollars are walking around us, but all of them are thrown into a pipe called "pathos". Or, for example, some Hollywood actress was paid five million dollars for two minutes of a commercial. It would have been better if they paid one hundred thousand dollars to someone younger, and distributed the rest of the money among the orphanages. An impeccable promotion: "We are showing you someone younger, prettier, cheaper, more promising, and we will give the money that we wanted to spend on the Hollywood diva's fee to the children! If you buy a product, the children will get even more." So the goods will be disassembled much faster than just filming a mediocre video with a Hollywood star, and then no one will buy this watch for several tens of thousands of dollars anyway. They don't just wear a watch now: there are a lot of mobile phones around. And those who wear it to maintain social status will buy it without an expensive commercial. Or they organize mind-blowing charity evenings. More than half of all money will go to pay for the oysters, not to the children of Haiti. It's better to organize a charity evening with hot-dogs and Madonna's free performance," – Lisa thought about this, jumping on the drums. No, she did not consider her future video talentless, meaningless or useless at all. She believed that her work would bring real aesthetic pleasure to people. Their video turned out to be very beautiful. The tune was remembered fast. It was one of those songs you can't get out of your head and, once you heard it, you hum it for at least a week. "You are no longer a dear friend... oh! It stuck in my head!"

- Stop! Filming is over.

Benny almost smashed his favorite guitar on the floor, so happy he was. Yen and Lee Lung did somersaults in opposite directions. JC fell onto the wet floor. Lisa stood on the drums until Yen and Lee Lung helped her down. The glee was limitless. Soon two huge towels were brought to her, and people began to wash the mascara that had spread on her cheeks with wet wipes. Jake handed her his whiskey flask.

- The song has already hit the Maxidrom hit parade. Immediately on ... fifteenth place, - said Peter, when Lisa put on flip flops on her frozen feet.

- Considering that the song appeared there in the morning, it's not bad at all.

- Not bad at all. And now it's being played on ten more radio stations.

- Wow! Peter, what would I do without you?

- You would sing French songs on the streets of California in the company of the Chinese.

- That's right!

You get used to everything, and even more to a beautiful life. You live like a millionaire just for a week, and then you start doubting: could I ever live in a different way? You live with your loved one just for a week, and it seems to you that before that there was not life at all, only some kind of rehearsal. You are doing things you really love just for a week, and it's hard to imagine how you could do something else before. A beautiful life is addictive. You get afraid: what if everything ends suddenly, is taken away from you, people get disappointed in you. In the end, when you type something in "Word", you start saving the document every five minutes. It's psychosis, and you wonder: "Should I really do it? I was happy in my own way. No responsibility, no schedule, no worries. I lived every day like the last. I left Russia for the USA, was a volunteer in Haiti, was on the island where the film "The Beach" was filmed... And now my schedule has been made as if I am going to live for two hundred years! Now every day depends on the previous one," – Lisa thought, sipping tea from a mug with the logo of the famous evening show, - "Recently I began to think too much! This is not good!"

- Who is in charge in your group?

- Her, - Ian and Lee Lung said in one voice.

- Is it hard to be under a woman's hat?

- No, - JC replied, - She is loud, hot-tempered, but she can always cook borscht.

The audience laughed.

- Lisa, what is it like for you to be in the company of men all the time?

- It's okay. They never ask me to wear my dresses. And I'm a terrible owner. Although they often steal my eyeliners, no time to buy new ones.

The audience laughed again.

- About who is in charge of us, I want to make myself clear: they're gentlemen, so they said it is me. In fact, we have Benny. He writes music, checks the equipment, does not let us relax.

- And to be completely honest, - Benny interfered, - Peter is in charge. We never contradict him. He has our passports.

- You mean Peter Temple?

- No, he means Peter Parker, Spider-Man.

The presenter opened his mouth, but could not find what to say. He had to close his mouth back and smile for the camera.

- You, Lisa, don't look for words too long.

- Yes, I prefer to wear words in a bra, close at hand.

The studio exploded with laughter, then applause followed.

- And in our studio today is a young, but rapidly growing band "Sunny honey". Stay tuned, we'll be back after a break and you'll see them live.

A make-up artist instantly appeared near the presenter. Lisa and other members of the group were immediately surrounded by other workers. While they were making some make-up with the speed of light, Lisa did not notice Jake next to her.

- What are you doing, mommy? It's not you who hosts the show, but Billy. Words in your bra? Really?

- It's okay, Jake, she's doing great. "Words in the bra" was good, - said the red-haired showman, opening a bottle of water.

- I know, Billy. I said so for the sake of decency, so you would not be offended.

- Funny.

From the showman's grin, Lisa realized that soon she'll be punished.

- We're back in the studio, and I'm Billy Wayne. To remind you, I'll say that our guest today is a young promising band "Sunny honey". Before the break, we've been talking about whether it is difficult for the guys to be in the background of Lisa, and whether it is difficult for Lisa to work with men. But guys, there is another obvious problem in your group. As fans know, Lisa and Benny were married. Is it easy for former spouses to get along in the rock band?

- Very easy, he always knows what kind of coffee to make for me.

- And she always knows that I don't drink coffee.

- Yes, he takes care for himself. Coffee has eighty calories, and tea has only two.

- Do you often have creative differences?

- Let's leave this topic for Oprah!

The laughter did not subside. The audience was delighted. Jake showed Lisa his thumb. "Impudent girl! Where do they come from?" - Jake admired.

Everyone around was having fun, she nervously fiddled with the edge of the chair. It was unusual for her to perform on the show, to talk so much in public. Her whole body itched because of polyester, her throat was dry, and Lisa could hardly restrain herself from running to the toilet: she was always nauseous in unusual situations. Such shows seemed to her a useless pastime – she just had to show off and that's it. "The only thing my alcoholic father taught me was to show off. But that doesn't mean I like to show off!" - Lisa was nervous.

- Is it true you are going to record a duet with Joe Thompson?

- Yes, the song is almost done. It is a mixture of punk, grunge, Irish national motives, classical, disco, country and jazz. Patience and you will hear it soon! Joe has cooking classes and a swimming pool for now, but we're waiting for him to find time.

- Guys, does she ever speak seriously?

- I am always very serious when I'm silent, - Lisa answered for them.

- And now "Sunny honey" will do what we love them so much. They will sing! "Not dear friend" in live!

The cameras moved onto the stage. Benny took a guitar, Ian went to the drums. The applause didn't stop. As soon as Lisa sang the first line, everyone started screaming and jumping. Everything was shaking, the ground slipped from under her feet. It all reminded Lisa of some natural disaster: there was just as much panic, emotions, and screams around. Lisa realized that it was not enough for her. She realized that now she could not be content with what she had before, she wanted everything at once and without any effort. She wanted to get the whole world on a silver platter. She didn't know what would happen next, but at that moment she was happy. Whatever would happen after, Lisa knew that she would remember this performance and she would be fine.

- Well, guys, I'm really proud of you. It feels like it's not in vain that we are doing all this, - Peter praised them in the limousine.

- Lisa was perfect! - exclaimed JC.

- Above all praise. Now you can afford yourself to be a bitch!

- Really?

- But not when it comes to me!

- I knew it. Fuck.

- Let's drink champagne everyone!

Peter opened a bottle himself. The spray flew all over the car.

The next day Lisa took part in a photo shoot for some magazine. She liked it even less than performing on the show. They put on her some absurd clothes, gave her boots with fifteen-centimeter heels, and made a real war paint on her face. For three hours, she stood in front of the photographer in almost the same position: he wanted to make a cover with the girl. Her cheekbones were numb because she had to smile constantly. Jake amused Lisa by trying to imitate her unnatural postures and her bored expression.

After filming, Peter arrived.

- How was it there? - He asked when Lisa sat in the front seat of his Porsche.

- Not bad. Can I eat you? I really want to eat.

- So let's go to the restaurant. By the way, Jake got a call from Chris Barnes's agent.

- Who is he?

- An actor. Do you remember you talked to him at the presentation of the album? The blond one.

- Yes, he said we had great music, I said he had great shoes.

- But you recently tweeted his post. Have you seen at least one episode?

- Of what?

- A comedy he's making, "Bloody tears". This series is now watched by everybody. It's about vegetarian vampires: they work as veterinarians, so they can't drink animal blood and they have to drink human blood.

- He's a comedian, or what? I do not understand. You want me to watch the show?

- No. Tomorrow you have dinner with Chris Barnes. His agent called my assistant and made a date with you.

- And of course it was impossible to ask me: "Do you want, Lisa, to go on a date with this man"?

- It would be silly, because all America's housewives want him. He is the most successful young comedian in the country.

- But I'm not a housewife. I don't want to have dinner with him! What should I talk to him about? About his good-looking, popularity, the series in which he is starred and which I have not even seen?

- Yes. Everyone asks if you are with Benny or not. Soon, everyone will doubt that you are truly divorced. By the way, an affair with a popular handsome man will greatly increase your rating. All "Blood Tears" fans will become your fans. Of course, some will want to throw you with rotten eggs, but…

- You know, eggs that have lain in the ashes for several months are a Chinese national dish.

- Chinese! A restaurant you have the date in is Chinese. I said you love Chinese food. Just talk to him, touch him by the hand. Have a couple of paparazzi see you. You've been at the studio for a month, have some rest tomorrow.

- Only without Chris Barn.

- Barnes, Lisa! It seems to me you don't understand I am good as long as you do what I say.

- I understand that very well.

- So just do what I say. If I say, jump from the fifteenth floor – jump and don't think. There will be a soft landing below. You trust me?

- The matter is not if I trust you or not. It is my own opinion, which was neglected.

- Love, you have to go through the entire program of the Peter Temple School of Production. This is an elite program, so just enjoy it! Everything will be done for you. Do you trust me?

- More than myself, Pete. You always know what you're doing.

- Smart girl!

Lisa never liked to be pushed around. Moreover, she considered herself to be one of the most freedom-loving and free people on Earth. "I am a free bird. Flight and freedom are in my blood," - she always said. But she didn't dare say that to Peter Temple. He was like a trainer you have to listen to and who can be allowed to mock you as long as there are results.

Last time she liked his black-and-white boots, and this one blue short sleeve shirt. A blue-eyed tall blonde waited for Lisa at the table, carefully investigating the menu. After looking at his shirt, she examined his TAG Heuer wristwatch. She remembered seeing such a watch on an advertising poster with Joe, and everything that appeared on Joe automatically became stylish and bohemian.

- You're on time. My yuansao cooled down just about half an hour ago.

- The interview on the radio lasted much longer than I expected. What time is it?

When Lisa saw him at the presentation of the album, it was rather dark. She barely saw Chris. She remembered only his voice and his black-and-white boots, on which the spotlight fell. Now she liked his blue eyes.

"The watch is slightly better than his eyes. But the eyes are good too," - Lisa continued to evaluate te man. He was tall and a little sloppy: he had slightly puffy eyelids, his hair was a mess, as if he had recently woken up. "He thinks he is already sexy and there is no need to bother," Lisa decided.

- Time? Fifty minutes since you were supposed to show up.

- Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm really sorry.

She sat down at the table. Soon a waiter approached them: a puny Chinese man whose hips were probably no wider than Kate Moss's.

- Welcome to Dragon's Lair. You are ready to order?

- Yes, Teddy, I'll have a yuansao with a sweet filling. Add more walnuts, sesame seeds to the soup. And also lotus tea, please.

- Is that all, miss?

- Teddy, tell me, is it true that Mr. Barnes has been sitting here all alone for about an hour? I'm so embarrassed.

She handed him a hundred dollar bill.

- No, miss, he came about ten minutes ago. And two guys from the Bricks group sat down at his table.

- Thank you, Teddy!

- Bring me some rice vodka and stuffed fried tubes. And don't expect a tip from me too, betrayer!

- And with what filling do you want chunjuan?

- Any.

- Soy, pork, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots?

- Bring him some bamboo, Teddy! Chris, you'll like them.

The waiter nodded and went away.

- Well, eye for eye.

- Lisa Holmes!

- And you are Christopher Watson.

- Well, nice to meet you! At the presentation of your album, we were not able to communicate.

- How sweet that you decided to correct this misunderstanding and invited me here. Well, how's things? Where are you starring now?

- "Bloody Tears". Have you seen?

- Unfortunately not. Have no time. What's the show about?

- The script is just crazy. The main character is a young veterinarian. One fine evening he returns home and gets bitten by a vampire on the way. Soon he notices that he is tormented by an incomprehensible thirst. And stuff like that. And the vampire who did not have time to kill him, then falls in love with him and comes to work in his clinic.

- How interesting!

- Yeah, it's funny, and we also have fun on the set.

- So this is a comedy series?

- Yeah. As the main character is a veterinarian, when he becomes a vampire, he realizes that he is not capable of killing animals, so he begins to drink the blood of people.

- What nonsense! I have to see it.

- Yeah, and then the former lover of Isolda, a vampire, appears and also starts working in that veterinary clinic. All staff there are, after all, vampires. And the former lover of Isolda is just a vegetarian vampire and likes animals. He and Michael fight all the time about this.

Lisa almost choked on the lotus tea.

- So, the positive hero drinks the blood of people, but protects the animals, and the negative, on the contrary, drinks the blood of animals, but does not touch people?

- Yes. Bullshit!

- Who are you playing?

- The one who protects the animals.

- Your screenwriter is crazy.

- He needs to be treated. He is a lost man, he invented the battle between Michael and Isolda's lover at the zoo. They broke the cages, and when they made up, they had to drag the lion back to the zoo, and before that, give it some whiskey to drink.

Lisa put the cup of tea aside, because her fits of laughter now came very unexpectedly, and she was afraid to choke during the next one.

- Yes, this writer is awful! Such nonsense!

- You can stab me with a fork, by the way. They are very sharp here.

- So you're there the screenwriter too?

- Yeah. And for the producer. It's just that when I received my first fee for my role in a romantic comedy, I thought, why not create another popular series about vampires or doctors? And better about both at once.

At first Chris didn't seem so funny to her, but now she realized that he had an excellent sense of humor. She didn't have to make anyone laugh, he made her laugh instead. She forgot about the tight-toed shoes that had pinched her ankles all day, and the dumplings soup was ignored.

- I remembered where I saw you! In a film with Monique Drew. I don't remember, though, the title…

- Nothing wrong. Everyone, basically, remembers her purple swimsuit in this movie, not the name of this movie, and not me, two weeks unshaven and in an oversized T-shirt. I should have put on her swimsuit, and then you would have remembered me.

- Certainly.

- After all, for that role, I gained twenty kilos. At the end of the film, I had to appear as a handsome prince, so the whole crew took food from me and threw a laxative into my water.

- How cruel of them!

- Doesn't it bother you that I'm so handsome?

- Not at all. I'll fatten you twenty kilograms if necessary.

- It will be impossible to do eating only bamboo shoots. Mmm, how delicious!

Chris put some food on the plate and pushed it aside.

- I'm afraid you'll have to take me home. After rice vodka, I will not drive.

- They won't jail me for seducing minors? Are you, I hope, an adult, my friend?

- I'm almost twenty-four. Can I be offended that you didn't google me before going on a date?

- Sure.

- No, can you imagine, she didn't google the guy she went on a date with! - Chris exclaimed, and most of the diners looked in his direction.

Teddy nearly dropped the Peking duck tray in surprise. He was already wondering what he would do if two celebrities began to behave indecently: either he would film it and sell, or he would call the police, or would do nothing.

- He's allergic to rice vodka. Never mind! - Lisa apologized for her companion.

- I'm allergic to shoe polish. Therefore, I never eat it. It's true, Lisa.

- So, stop making me laugh. I can choke and imagine what they will write in the newspapers: "She almost vomited because of Chris Barnes".

- Sorry, I'm showing off too much. All the preparations for today have been exhausted. Now it's your turn to hit me. Otherwise you will think that I am only talking about myself and that I am an insensitive blockhead.

- Do you think you hit me?

- At least I tried.

- Okay. Since it's my turn to show off, then let's get out of here.

- So soon? And I was hoping for another batch of bamboo shoots.

Chris asked Teddy for the bill, and, leaving him a fifty dollar tip, headed out with Lisa. She led him to a silvery Lamborghini. To say that the guy was surprised is to say nothing. He looked at the car as if spellbound. Chris did not speak for some moments. Lisa was pleased with the effect.

- Knockout. My shoes are nothing comparing to a lamborghini.

- Peter gave this to me for today.

- It's a Reventon! This is one of the best and most expensive cars in the world!

- You can steer.

- No, I won't drive without a license.

- You don't have a license?

- Two months ago they took it away. If you googled me, you would know. By the way, it's good that you didn't google me. There was a small scandal, my photos from the courtroom…

- Drunk driving?

- Yes. Now my friends and taxi drivers take me.

- Do you drink that much?

- I would not say. You just look at the world soberly and you understand, you need to drink! I like this borderline personality disorder. It is when…

- I know. My ex-husband has the same.

- Oops! Apparently, this is fate. You are attracted to guys with BPD. I'm your type.

- A nightmare! Okay, sit down, I'll take you home!

Los Angeles at night looks divine. Lisa happily accelerated to two hundred kilometers per hour and thought: "How cool that I'm here! It's like Los Angeles is the city where the majority of the world's population lives. Of course, mentally, with the help of glossy magazines, computers, TV screens. Five hundred and five million people mentally fly to Los Angeles every year. More than half of the world's population is interested in what is happening to Hollywood people. Some are more interested in them than in their own families. Los Angeles is the center of world civilization. Movies are is the most affordable and popular entertainment; all mass series are produced in Hollywood. That is, Los Angeles has enslaved humanity. Some people watch Hollywood movies and TV shows all day because they have no work and this is the only thing that makes them a little happier, the only thing that is available, except video games, the Internet and pizza. I love LA!"

- You, as I see, are not afraid of speed! Driving like Schumacher!

- I'm afraid of everything. I'm afraid of fireworks, dogs, even Shar-Peis, afraid of old age, to say something wrong, I'm afraid of camera flashes. But I'm not afraid to crash.

- And I'm afraid, according to my horoscope today, I have an increased accident rate and amorousness. If we are talking about fears, then I have arachibutyrophobia and asynophobia.

- Asynophobia is a fear of donkeys, as far as I know. I am also wary of them, but it does not always work out. Like today. What is arachi… bla-laphobia?

- Fear of peanut butter sticking to your soft palate. Very unpleasant! But I have arachibutyrophobia for a different reason. My acting teacher made me repeat that word two hundred times, not less. Meanwhile he ate peanut butter sandwiches and offered them to us students. Since then, I have suffered from incurable arachibutyrophobia.

- Poor fellow!

- Turn left. Almost home. What do you think about spiders?

- I don't think about them. What?

- I have a scorpion named Joe. So small! By the way, I named him after Thompson. Very much like him.

- Does your scorpion have blue eyes and a perfect body?

- A perfect body. And it is gay. He prefers only males. In this, the scorpion and I are diametrically at odds with each other. But there are crickets we both love.

- Wow. And you play a vampire who doesn't eat animals?

- Yes, an actor's image sometimes does not coincide with reality! That's my house. Brake! I'll open the gate.

Chris got out of the car with difficulty – his head was spinning. He made a titanic effort so as not to fall on the asphalt. After a few seconds, he pulled himself together and headed for the gate.

It was a rather humble Malibu home. Since Lisa was the ex-wife of a real estate agent, she quickly estimated Chris's home at about five hundred thousand dollars. The car she was driving cost three times more. "What a stupid habit of converting everything into dollars!" - Lisa was angry with herself.

- Are you sure I should enter this scorpion den?

- I'm sure. Don't worry, he's completely harmless. Come on, I'll introduce you.

Chris took her hand and led her into the house. As soon as he turned on the light, the first thing Lisa noticed was the huge number of paintings on the walls. These were mostly still life pictures. Only above the fireplace there was a portrait of the house owner and some girl in the background of the sunset. By the far window, she saw an easel and several pencil sketches. She really liked this home art studio. Still life paintings were both gloomy (for example, a skull with a cigar in its jaws, a bottle of whiskey and half an apple), and cheerful, bright (for example, a bouquet of yellow roses in a breathtaking crystal vase and a bunch of green bananas). Lisa began to wander around Chris's living room as if she was a gallery. "Second Benny! Fuck, Lisa, again! Second schizophrenic!" – she thought. Among the drawings she found her portrait.

- Are you drawing all this?

- Little by little. By the way, this is a present for you. I prepared myself.

- So you knew that I would be at your house?

- I hoped.

She noticed a terrarium in a nearby small room. It contained a lot of moss, tree bark and a flowerpot sawn across. The terrarium beckoned to itself: it was lit in a dark room. Lisa leaned over to it and began to look intently. The scorpion was not visible. Chris pulled it out of hiding and began to spray from a hand-held spray bottle. The scorpion was the size of his entire massive palm. The invertebrate reminded Lisa of a tank: it was chained in heavy armor. When a contented splattered scorpion moved its mighty claws, she felt uneasy.

- He loves rain. Joe, meet Lisa!

Lisa waved her hand to the scorpion. Chris pulled crickets and crumbled them into his palm.

- Do you want to feed him?

The crumbled insect was in Lisa's hand in a blink of an eye.

- No, no!

- His bite is no more dangerous than a bee sting.

Joe began to "suck" the shredded cricket out of her fingers. Lisa thought she would faint at this moment, but the panic soon subsided. Then Chris put another cricket on her right arm. Scorpion calmly continued his meal.

- You see, he likes you.

- I like him too. But my heart periodically goes down to the heels. Why didn't you choose a dog?

- I'm allergic to fur. Joe was given to me by my friend when we were drinking at his birthday party. He waited until I got drunk to hand me Joe. And now we are inseparable. He always understands me. Really, Joe?

The scorpion shook his pincers fearfully.

- Okay, let me put him back.

Joe lay on the moss and continued to move his claws. Now that Joe was behind the glass and covered with a mesh lid, Lisa could look at it calmly. She watched him with undisguised interest. Lisa was Scorpio in the zodiac sign, and she felt some kind of oneness with Joe.

- My Lamborghini is beaten by your scorpion.

- Yes, we have just a perfect date today!

- Without the slightest flaw.

- If you didn't run away when you saw Joe, then everything is fine. I, of course, sometimes seem to be a nutcase, but, in general, I am quite an adequate guy.

- You yelled at the whole restaurant that I didn't google you before the first date, you are starring in a series about a vampire veterinarian who protects animals from vegetarian vampires, you almost fainted when you saw Lamborghini Reventon, your rights were taken away for drunk driving, you live with a scorpion and draw still lifes with skulls. Yes, in general, you are quite adequate.

- Maybe, I'm a little crazy.

- We all are.

- You know, all these normal people need to be isolated from society. They confuse all abnormal ones with their normalcy.

- Is this from your new stand-up monologue?

- Would you like to come see my solo album at Carnegie Hall?

- I'll try to. We will be in New York at this time. Do you think I'll completely melt when I see you on stage?

- Positive.

Chris deftly grabbed Lisa by the shoulders and pulled her towards him. Then he touched her face with his hand and kissed her. Before she even had time to think, she felt a tingling sensation from his stubble.

Joe and Peter were watching the third season of "Bloody Tears" on their laptop. Mark brought them two scarlet smoothies to the pool. Joe reluctantly looked up from the monitor to grab a glass. In the next second, Mark was gone. Benny was lying on his back drinking beer from a bottle. But soon he found vodkotini on the table, carefully left by Mark.

- Harold is going to eat the Ussuri tiger! - Isolde exclaimed, fiddling with the hem of her white robe. "I'm afraid the tiger might eat Harold."

- Do not be afraid, tigers do not like rotten meat. He is three hundred years old, no less.

- Who did you call rotten stuff?! - Harold protested, and his upper scarlet lip lifted eerily upward, revealing bloody fangs.

- I? called? Rotten meat? Nothing like this. I say the weather is fine today. Should we go to the beach? You're so pale. Avitaminosis, you see. Hold an apple!

- It's not an apple, moron. This is ketchup.

- Yes? And what's the difference: everything to you for one taste.

- Michael, don't make him angry! You're a vampire yourself!

- He is so dumb that he still does not understand it.

- Maybe in three hundred years I will be wiser. I still have plenty of time.

- I'll chop off your head, bake it in the microwave and bury it. You won't have that much time, so get smarter fast!

The humid air and dry martini had a pacifying effect on Benny: he lay flat on the lounger and did not move for ten minutes. He put on Peter's five hundred bucks sunglasses and felt like the king of the world. Peter and Joe were lying on the same lounger and smearing each other with sunblock, glancing at the laptop.

- How can you watch this heresy?

- And how can you drink beer in such heat? - Joe was surprised.

- Better ask, how can I not drink when a bloodsucker in orange shorts is coming?

Lisa was walking towards them from the side of the house. The sound of her heels was clear, uninterrupted, like a ticking hand on a clock. Dragonfly glasses hid half of her face. The branded handbag was simply oversized, in which Benny could easily fit his entire wardrobe.

- Hello, doves! Chatting?

- I chat with glasses, if only. Where is your Asian escort? Are they pumping up their last unworked muscle - the brain?

- No, they do acupuncture. They are looking for a point, by pressing which, you can correct Benny's brains. What are you looking at here? Bloody tears?

- I told you, turn off this heresy - do not disgrace yourself!

- Yes, Lisa, I'm afraid, also watches at this heresy. It's her ... - Peter stopped in mid-sentence.

- Favorite TV series, - Joe finished the phrase, - She watches and watches this heresy. I like it too, though. I am ready to watch the whole day. It absorbs. Plus, I still have nothing to do.

- By the way, it's tour coming. New York! After tomorrow! You'll go?

- No, Benny, I can't. I have a pool after tomorrow.

- Haha.

Peter picked up the phone and quickly dialed a text message. Lisa took her phone and read: "The PR campaign was successful. Now everyone is posting your pictures with Barnes." She immediately replied: "Whom did you slip me?! He is a former alcoholic, he paints skulls, he has borderline personality disorder! This is the same Benny, but younger! " Peter typed, "It's all your style, and don't thank!"

- What are you stuck in the phones there? You correspond with each other, or what?! Hiding something? - Benny protested.

- I wrote to Jake Ryder for a gig in New York.

- And I wrote to the stylist that I do not want to paint in purple.

Joe took the phone and wrote to Lisa: "It's good that Benny doesn't sit on the Internet and doesn't read newspapers, right?" And added a laughing emoticon. She replied, "I don't give a damn about Benny's opinion!" "So tell him!" "Never!"

- Joe? Who are you writing to? Benny asked.

- To Mark to bring a papaya smoothie.

- Yeah, yeah, that's how I believed it.

Peter took a grape from a plate and tossed it toward the ice bucket, which was about two meters away from him. Peter missed. He repeated this operation. And again failure. For the fourth time, he still managed to get a grape in an ice bucket. Joe managed to do it the first time. Everyone applauded him. He consolidated the furor produced with another well-aimed hit.

- Why are you shooting better than him, but you don't make such a lot of money? Benny asked.

- Because I'm aiming at the bucket, and he is at the one who shoots the bucket.

Chris's face with a microphone stand as a mustache sparkled all over Manhattan. Lisa even felt some pride in him. She put on a baseball cap, a black disposable medical mask, pulled on the hoodie and got out of the car. Today she was in a Toyota Prius.

Soon, Lisa was making her way through the crowd of spectators already gathering. Received a text message from Chris: "Where are you?" She didn't say anything, decided to let him get a little nervous. Only half an hour later she got to his dressing room. In her black outfit with a mask, with a huge camera hanging around her neck, she felt like a crazy stalker, tracking down an idol. She knocked on the door marked "Chris Barnes" and, without waiting for an answer, entered.

- You came!

Chris extended his arms immediately. She felt he smelled of tequila, which Chris always included in the rider. Then she noticed the bottle on the dressing table.

- You look spectacular! Direct special forces on a mission!

And he was wearing a bright blue sweatshirt and jeans. His stylist decided that it was inappropriate for such a young comedian to wear costumes.

- I had to go through a quest to get here. You're drunk.

- I'm so nervous, just fucking! My hands are shaking. I have never performed in front of three thousand people! When the producer conceived a performance at Carnegie Hall, I hoped that tickets would not be sold out and he would abandon this venture. And the date was getting closer and closer, and all tickets were bought and sold. And soon to go on stage! Suddenly I screw up and in the comments they will write "It would be better if we went here to Matsuev's concert, and not to this little thing".

- Don't worry, Matsuev's contingent didn't come to see you. Spectators of "Bloody Tears" are here.

- That's the whole point! I'm too young for all this shit! All the comedians in their forties are now looking at me like shit to perform at Carnegie Hall. Where they have been striving to perform for decades. Why am I so popular?

- Breathe deeper!

She took his hands.

- Inhale-exhale, inhale-exhale. Now we raise our hands up, lower them and say: "And the hell with him!"

Chris chuckled.

- And to hell with him! Let's get out of here!

- Where, Chris? Into a pit of humorous waste?

He laughed.

- Come on, you will act as an opening act, otherwise the guy who is now on stage is so-so!

- The main thing is that you are good.

- What if I'm not good at all? What if I'm just sexy and my jokes are weird? Let's get out of here and I'll be doing a lingerie commercial. Besides, you earn a lot, we will not be lost.

- Come on, you go on stage, screw up, and then we go and drink tequila? How do you like this plan?

- I think I already like you.

- If you go on stage, at least you won't pay the forfeit and all that. And screwing up is not the worst thing in life. Although I'm lying, the worst thing. For creative people, this is the worst thing. What if you succeed? But what if. You never know, a miracle will happen, crayfish whistles on the mountain.

- Crayfish on the mountain?

- Russian folk proverb. But you will never know what it is when the cancer whistles on the mountain, if you do not go to the stage.

- Damn, but this is not the window in the bar where I performed three years ago, this is not even Los Angeles.

- Just imagine that this is the very window in the bar and do not bother! Just talk! Whatever happens, speak up!

There was a knock on the door.

- Chris, your exit soon!

- We wipe the nozzles and run to the stage! - Lisa gave him the final parting words.

- To the window!

- Yes, on such a large window that can accommodate three thousand people.

He breathed in air, kissed her, and headed for the door.

- Will I be backstage with a camera? OK?

- Just don't leave me today if I screw up.

- I promise.

The guy in the hoodie soon found himself on stage in front of three thousand people. And he looked so confident, as if the other person had just recently panicked in the dressing room. He was instantly transformed. At that moment, he looked like the most impudent and impudent guy in the world, a guy who is not familiar with fear and doubt.

- How many of you! Mom, hello to you too. She still thinks that I studied to be a lawyer and that today is my first trial. Sorry Mom, I got expelled three years ago.

He joked about his mentally retarded brother, about his grandmother, who died, thinking that he was a lawyer and that she could easily leave for another world. "Now she's probably turning over in her grave. My grandmother believed that stand-up is for weaklings, for those who do not know how to lay bricks. When I looked at the performances of Chris Rock, I said: "There are no bricks on him!" Everything went into the hall. Chris was bathed in the rays of his own success. It seemed that he performed every day at Carnegie Hall, so at ease he behaved. Lisa wondered if this was the person she met not so long ago - awkward, awkward, withdrawn. "On stage - the king!" - she did not stop admiring, snapping the camera.

- Yours is good! One of the cameramen who was filming the TV version told her.

At the end of the concert, Chris said:

- Before the concert, I drifted a little. What to hide, I just put it in my pants out of fear. My girlfriend said, as they usually say, put your hands up, put them down and say, "To hell with him!" I suggested that she send everything to hell, because I would probably screw up, I suggested that she run away from here, because she earns a lot and we will not be lost. And she was like, "Where are we going to run, Chris? Into a pit of humorous waste? Come on you go to the stage, screw it up and we'll go and drink tequila. How do you like this plan? So at least we won't pay the forfeit. " I love her. And then this: "What if you succeed? But what if. You never know, a miracle will happen, the cancer will whistle on the mountain. I told her: "Cancer on the mountain? What it is?" And she was like: "Russian folk proverb. But you will never know what it is when the cancer whistles on the mountain, if you do not go to the stage. " I really want to find out from her today who is cancer and why he whistles on the mountain.

"Here is a brute! Used my words. I recounted everything right away in front of three thousand people! And how will you leave him now? "

- Thank you! You are just darlings! Happy continuation of the evening!

She saw in the lens that he was looking at her at that moment. "Today is clearly his day! Although every day is yours, when you do what you like, "Lisa thought.

What do you need? Only what makes you better. Nothing else. What don't you want? What makes you worse. Is it really that simple? No, first you need to make a choice of what is best for you and what is worse. This is the hardest part. Once you make a mistake, and you will no longer have the opportunity to be wrong. Is there never a second chance? It happens, but those who did not use the first chance usually miss the second and third one.

Peter told her that before the show. He spoke for himself and for her. And Lisa remembered, remembered his words forever. Because after them there was her first show. After these words, she stood in complete darkness, knowing that there were thousands of people ahead of her, that in a few seconds the light would turn on, her face would appear on the hexagonal screens, and the audience would be shaken with applause. And so it happened. A couple of moments of absolute silence, and then a surge of emotions: the audience screamed and flooded with such force that it seemed that the concert hall was about to collapse. Chris's triumph inspired her too. "If he did it, then I can," Lisa reassured herself.

On one of the songs, three trampolines were placed in the hall and one more in front of the stage. The Lisa started jumping on it, making flips in the air. Some managed to climb other trampolines. They jumped to the beat of the drumming. The concert was completely insane. The Lisa scattered and flew into the hall. It was the most memorable moment in her life. "Suddenly they will part and I will hurt myself to hell! Well, let it be! I'm flying, flying, flying! " She thought, spreading her arms like wings. The moment of flight seemed to her an eternity. For Lisa, it lasted longer than all the other twenty-eight years of her life. He meant more to her than all the other twenty-eight years of her life. Everything that was before is the path to this flight. For these few seconds she lived, for these seconds she endured, suffered, loved. And they did not make way: because there was no free space. They caught her. They began to pass it on down the hall. The guards ran around with bewildered faces and had no idea what to do, how to take the "star" back. They grabbed the Lisa by the arms, legs, ass, hair. She felt like a perfumer Grenouille, who was torn to pieces in the square by people in love with him. She was at the height of bliss. Thousands of people came to this hall to see, hear, touch her. "Don't leave, stay with me a little longer, absolute happiness!" But soon the security guards managed to get Lisa back. Her T-shirt was pretty torn, her hair was disheveled, her hands were scratched.

- Thank you for not eating me! - She shouted into the microphone, once again on stage.

The hall buzzed. She saw Benny talking to Peter backstage. She drank some water to catch her breath and walked towards them.

- You assured me that the trampolines would not bring, that you gave up this crazy venture! Benny yelled at the top of his lungs.

He was beside himself with rage. His eyes were about to fall out, his mouth almost frothy.

- Calm, calm! We decided that an original solution was simply necessary, and apart from trampolines, nothing else could be invented.

- Peter, you told me an hour ago that there will be no trampolines. And what do I see ?! You just lied to me. I understand that she is a psychopath and she doesn't care about herself, but you'll get fifty dollars, after all! Did you need a corpse? And if the people parted? What if some maniac were there and set her hair on fire?

- Benny, Benny, pessimism is your everything!

- No, I just don't want corpses at the concert! And I think about basic safety rules. Look at them ?!

Yen and Lee Lung jumped on the trampoline along with the fans.

- Benny, fun! Stop grumbling! - exclaimed Lisa.

- And with you, kamikaze, I'll talk later! I didn't sign up to come to your funeral. Therefore, be so kind as not to rush here to hurt your forehead! Well, the guards are coming to deal with us. I hope they'll kick you in the face at least!

- Come back to the stage! I'll sort it out!

- Wow! I trained with Yen and Lee Lung for a reason!

The Lisa saw Peter talking animatedly about something with the guards. He waved his hands, raised his voice. The guards persistently tried to explain something to him. They were clearly unhappy with what was happening in the hall. They tried to touch Peter to show their readiness for battle, their readiness to use force. Everything around Lisa seemed like a full-length film. In 3D. She seemed to be sitting in a movie theater, chewing popcorn and watching this action. She felt like a participant in the events, but was not able to influence them. As if this did not happen to her at all, but to some fictional movie hero. Everything was so good that she could not believe in the reality of what was happening. She would be in seventh heaven if she saw something similar on the screen in the cinema. If it were just a movie, she would still be on top of bliss. But that was her life. She could close her eyes and nothing would change, disappear, lose the essence. The Lisa was crazy with delight. She was ready to become a charge for the fireworks. "There are so many moments for which you want to live, but between them there are huge gaps in which you want to die," was her favorite phrase. But now she realized that everything had lost its meaning. There are no more those moments that she had in mind. There is something completely new, amazing, unforgettable. This happy moment did not end, it went on and on. It was glory. It was something that would never leave her to fend for herself. It was something that would never betray her. It was something that would never leave. "How many times have I said to myself: "Someday you will definitely get lucky. Someday, but today. «And I thought, where is "today"? Will it come at all? Will I ever be what I want to be? And at another moment I was already thinking: "Will I really not become what I should be?" And today "today" has come. I waited! Today the crayfish whistled on the mountain," Lisa exulted.

- Where is Lisa? - Benny asked at dinner: usually at this time the whole "team" gathered in the hotel restaurant.

"She's got a pool," Ian said.

"Peter said yesterday that she had a pool. Before rehearsal. She has marathon races every day.

Benny picked up his cell phone from the table and dialed the number from memory.

- Hello, leech! Where are you? At the hairdresser? Blimey! And Ian said you had a pool. Ah, will you go swimming after? That's right, they say, water with chlorine supports styling. Have a nice swim! We are waiting, we are waiting. Until!

Yen and Lee Lung exchanged glances, then took up the mojito again.

- Do they seem to me or are they hiding something from me?

- What can we hide from you?

- I have no idea. But you are so cute lately! It feels like I'm going to die soon, and you decided to be kind.

Peter stubbed out his cigarette in a bulky bronze ashtray and started typing on his laptop.

A couple of hours later Benny knocked on Lisa's room to show her a new song, but no one opened him. She only appeared at the rehearsal. Benny was annoyed by her high spirits: he terribly wanted to sleep, and Lisa talked a lot and loudly, constantly moved around the stage. The show in Vegas promised to be grandiose: jumping on trampolines was again planned, and a cage was also designed in which the Lisa could be moved above the audience in the hall. Benny had never imagined that Peter and Lisa's passion for experimentation would go so far. Ideas poured from them like a cornucopia. They made the sun the symbol of the group. All people in the fan zone were given orange pendants along with tickets. In the dark, these shiny trinkets looked very impressive.

The day after the concert, Lisa did not go on the bus with them. Peter said that she would still be in Vegas and then fly in by plane. Benny sprawled on the uncomfortable bus seats and completely immersed himself in his iPhone. He was looking through information about Salt Lake City. He was eager to see the Great Salt Lake, which had six billion tons of table salt. With nothing else to do, he began to drive the names of all members of the group into the search bar. He began, of course, with himself and was surprised at the huge number of his photographs that he found on the Internet. Here is a photo of him smoking on the balcony of the hotel, here is a photo of him leaving the concert hall, here is a photo in a cafe, here is a photo of him walking his dog. He did not even suspect that, it turns out, he was being photographed so much. When it was Lisa's turn, Benny realized that it was precisely from him that they were hiding.

- Your mother! He exclaimed and tossed the iPhone onto Peter's seat.

- What?! Are you completely crazy?

- Chris Barnes, your mother! Did you hide him from me in Vegas? Lisa has a pool, Lisa has a hairdresser, Lisa has an interview ... You thought I would never know that she was messing with this milk sucker. Is he even an adult?

- Benny, calm, calm! - CJ said, crunching chips.

- I don't give a damn, by and large. But I don't like the fact that this was so carefully hidden from me. How long have they been together? A month, two? And during this time no one said a word. Benny is the last to know. Benny never knows. And then how: he is crazy and will upset everyone's far-reaching plans.

- You see, you yourself answered your own question. That's why they hid it from you.

- Great, Pete! So I annoy everyone here. Maybe you will eventually kick me out of the group? Otherwise, I spoil the idyll with my presence.

- Benny, don't start! You know that I appreciate you as a musician.

"Peter, couldn't I have told you about Barnes before?" After all, we are a group and should know everything about each other.

- And then the tour would have been canceled a month ago. And it was conceived as a PR campaign. I didn't think it would go far with them.

- Here they write that he spoke about her in the final of his speech on Comedy Central! You are so thoughtful, however. And here are the figurines for you! And the tour will not fail further. I don't give a damn about this bloodsucker and his leech. Only you know that we are not officially divorced? Her surname is still Longlake, not Lykova.

- Seriously? I did not know. You need to get a divorce in this case. And if the press gets wind of it, then a new round of rumors will begin.

- Sorry, we still haven't bothered to sign the papers. And she would have had to return to Russia if we had signed the papers then.

- Maybe you just didn't want to sign them? The Lisa asked you a thousand times, and you were still busy, - Ian distracted from the computer game.

- What are you all attacking me today? I should be angry: they always hide something from me.

- Benny, you are so principled, straightforward, touchy: such people cannot immediately reveal the whole truth.

- Well! If I am principled, then I must be deceived.

"Do you even know that your best friend is gay?" From your expression on your face, I understand that it is not. That's why he didn't want to confess to you. After all, you would immediately begin to spread rot on him.

- What are you talking about, Peter?

- About CJ.

Benny looked at CJ with wide eyes. To say that he was surprised is to say nothing. Benny was silent , he could not connect a couple of words. As soon as he opened his mouth, he forgot English and began to wonder further.

- Peter, you didn't need to tell him.

- He wants the truth. Let him get it all at once.

- How? I had no idea, friend! You've always been a normal guy!

- So, in your opinion, gays are all inadequate?

- That's not what I meant, Peter.

- And in the end he said just that.

- CJ, I did not expect. I didn't expect it at all, honestly, brother. And suddenly ... Is there anything else I should know? Or are all the startling news exhausted? Maybe you, brothers-acrobats, are not Chinese at all, but Japanese-Yakuza?

"I think you've had enough for today.

- Eh, what does that mean? Anything else?

- I put it figuratively. It's okay, Benny. You can sleep well now.

- You see, I did not jump out of the bus on the move. I didn't break the glass with my head here. Yes, I screamed at first, but, you know, it was from what. You can completely trust me. You don't have to keep me always in the dark.

"If that calms you down, Chris Barnes is a BPD psycho with a subtle nature and a passion for scorpions and booze. Doesn't it remind anyone?

"I don't understand what are you talking about?"

- This is a more recent and successful version of you. Do not worry, she will not stand it for a long time.

- Pete, Pete, she's still going to break the kid's psyche. I already feel sorry for him. It seems not completely lost.

For the next two hours, there was complete silence on the bus. All engaged in intensive study of social networks and for a while forgot about the existence of each other. Only the driver then broke down and broke the silence.

A laptop, Lisa and a glossy magazine lay on the plush sofa of a suite in a five-star hotel. There was an espresso in a cardboard paper cup on a fancy-shaped table. The Lisa reminded herself of a beautiful picture on Instagram. Everything was of the highest standard, even the lighting was pleasant because of the huge windows. No filters were required. The Lisa was a little annoyed by the whole ideal setting. But soon Benny came along and diluted the impeccable interior with himself. His gray trainers and Lakers cap didn't look pretentious.

- I need to talk to you, glamorous bastard?

"You're so polite today, Benny, it's not good, not good." Well, sit down! What happened?

- Don't you know?

- Chris?

- Why was such a conspiracy necessary? And did you know that C.J. is gay?

- So long ago.

- And no one ever says anything to me. And how much younger is this Barnes? For ten years?

- Five, Benny, five. Also tell me that he is good for me as a son.

- You just read my mind.

- Still, we were together for five years.

"And while you are officially my wife, remember this. But that's not what I wanted to talk about.

- So what is it about?

- It's hard for me here.

- Do you think it's easy for me? Every time I see you, I remember the worst thing that happened in my life. Every time I see you, I want to hang myself.

- Likewise, kitty.

"Every time you get drunk, you remind me of the Daisy incident. And every time I feel guilty. And every time I just want to strangle you. And every time you find reasons not to sign the divorce papers. And every time you poke your nose into your own business. Every time you are not happy with the one I chose.

- Stop it! We could have been divorced without my consent, but then you would have been expelled from the country. But now we may well get a divorce.

- What, you don't like Chris? You have never seen him in reality.

- What I saw on TV is enough to draw certain conclusions. You need a man who can take care of you crazy, and he is a sucker who needs to wipe his snot himself.

- Who will take care of me? Maybe you? You who left me when I needed you most. You who turned your back on me at the most difficult moment in my life.

- You ruined my daughter, and I had to pretend that nothing happened? And you left.

"But you were just disgusting. You mixed me with mud. You just trampled on me, didn't give me any chance. And now you think you have the right to tell me?

- I have. Was it not I who constantly gave you money so that you would not starve to death, although one of your appearance caused me to panic. You say that I left you, but wasn't it me who took you out of the psychiatric hospital, brought you oranges? Or maybe it was Peter, who will be nice until you start to contradict him.

- Benny, I am very grateful to you for everything, really. You've done a lot for me. Nobody, perhaps, loved me as much as you. I can't just erase you from my life, because you can't put you in the trash for five years. And it was a good five years, until we both showed who we really are. But now I want to marry someone else, so somehow sign the divorce papers. Yes, we may be too much connected, but we hate each other. Yes, you were the most dear person to me, but your adherence to principles almost drove me crazy. We hurt each other a lot.

"And it's time for us to get rid of each other. You are going to get married? Really, I was not enough for you, so you also want to ruin his life? And didn't you quickly go over? You know nothing at all. Decided to take it lukewarm?

- Yeah, until I came to my senses. Do you really want to leave the group?

- Yes, I want to leave the group! Go to a place where I would never see you again. I don't want to hear from you anymore, although it's unlikely to succeed, considering what kind of rock star you are now! I don't want to know you anymore. It was crazy to play in the same band. Yes, we held out for four months, but it won't work further. Look for a replacement because I won't go on a world tour. I'll finish playing a couple of concerts in America and that's it!

- And you will go to some island to drink and feel sorry for yourself.

- It is my right. This is my life. The life you fucked up as best you could. And sometimes you just want to smack a baseball bat in your face. Some people look better when hit in the head.

- So hit if you really want to! You have morally spread rot for so long that a couple of blows won't change anything! You left me in a difficult situation once, now you also leave when the group is just accelerating. Run Forrest Run!

- Have you ever loved me? Or did you just need me to live in America?

- Loved it, Benny. There was a time when you seemed to me one of the best people on Earth. I was very wrong.

- Mutually.

- Forgive me Benny! Really, I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I was able to survive this, but you are not!

Benny left, slamming the door loudly. Lisa threw the pillow on the floor and muttered in Russian: "Go to hell!"

Just a few months ago, Jess was an ordinary girl from Salt Lake City: she gave out skates at the rink, met with her friends in the evenings, worried that the guy she liked did not call, propped up the refrigerator with her diploma as a landscape designer. But at some point, everything changed. She heard the song "Dear friend" and her life could not remain the same. First, she crawled all over the Internet in search of information about the members of the group. Then she bought their album. On a celebrity site, she met tons of other Sunny honey fans. Hours she spent on this site and discussed with girls from different cities Benny's lips, Ian's and Lee Lung's muscles, Lisa's voice, playing on CJ's synthesizer. They discussed any photo related to Sunny honey in one way or another. Every significant event for the group became so for them. The group became a part of their life, the group overshadowed everything around. Only in discussions with fans did Jess feel confident. She ran home from work and, grabbing a hastily cooked dinner, sat down at the computer and chatted with her virtual friends. Modest and silent in life, she was completely transformed in conversations with fans of Sunny honey. She told them about every little thing that happened that day: that her favorite tights were torn today, that she met a drug addict today, returning from the store. She complained to them that she was a loser. She could admit to them without a twinge of conscience that at twenty-three she still lives with her parents, that she has a low-paid job, that she has no boyfriend, that she cries over the Titanic, that no one understands her what she wants how something to change your life. She considered herself fat and scary, although with a height of one meter seventy-three weighed fifty-eight kilograms. She had gorgeous dark hair, light gray eyes, pale skin. She looked like Snow White. Her smile was always so careful, restrained, sober. She seemed to be afraid to show herself, to demonstrate who she really is. She hid everything inside and never showed herself to anyone. She just floated with the flow and waited for fate to give her a chance. She didn't know yet what exactly she wanted, how to get it, but she hoped that her virtual friends would help her understand herself.

Katrin: Oooh, dreams ... I dreamed about Benny the animal today, by the way ... he was some kind of evil omnipotent uncle))) XD))) In short, he flooded the whole city, and my friends who were in the canyon somehow, even razed to the ground, and at that moment I was next to him: I stood aside. He is like: "Shcha, I need to find one child, you stay somewhere for now, and I will be there soon." So simple! As a result, I look, and everywhere there is water and only small areas of land meter by meter, or even less ... in the end, I'm swimming, which means I'm swimming, Benny comes up, again something tries, like everything is fine, baby , come with me here and there, and again it is washed away, indicating where to swim. I look at some kids on the island, I go to them, that's all, like Benny and did not have time to meet again: my mother, as always, managed to wake me up (((in short, again nothing good (((

America: Why do many people have some kind of evil Benny in their dreams? We are friends with him in my dreams, not spill water.

Unforgiven: Hello everyone))) And I just woke up))) I dreamed of popcorn again today.

Dinara: And for me today is Yen-Asian prince i dreamed.

America: I was not too lazy here and read twenty pages from the flood ... My head will burst now from an overabundance of information. Now I'll post one new photo for you.

Grace: Oh, great! I'll put it on my desktop. I will admire. Lisa has such an expression on her face!

Jess: She has a stupid expression on her face. And in general, she is a fool, since she divorced Benny.

Amеrica: You never know what could have happened to them there. We will never find out about the reasons for the divorce;

Thumbelina: Who likes Chris Barnes?

Sam: Who is this?

Thumbelina: Come on, mother, this is Lisa's boyfriend from "Bloody Tears".

America: I saw a couple of episodes: I was dying with laughter. And the guy is likeable.

Jess: Benny is still better.

Sam: For you, Benny is generally the best in the world.

Grais: I like Lee Lung.

Thumbelina: And me C.J.

Grais: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Thumbelina: What happened ?

Grais: What is ?

Amеrica: What happened ?

Sam: Are you okay Jess?

Jess: Benny answered me on twitter! I'm shocked! I'm going to lose consciousness here now.

Grais: And what did you write?

Thumbelina: So go to twitter, watch the feed!

Grais: I'm too lazy.

Jess: BennySunnyHoney Nice work. JessSimple We've created your fan site! To the best guitarist the best fan site and the best female fans!

Amеrica: He liked it.

Grais: You bet. Did Lisa answer any of us at all?

Thumbelina: Kate noted a message once. She practically does not answer to anyone at all and rarely appears on the network.

Katrin: Ian also added me as a friend on facebook! Beeeee

Grais: I envy. Too bad I can't get out in Salt Lake City! So I want to see you all! And attend the concert!

Katrin: I was in New York at a concert, and now I can't come: I'm finishing school, exams, exams, exams.

Amеrica: Jess, are you getting ready for our arrival?

Jess: Of course, she booked your room. Tickets are in a pile.

Thumbelina: Hmm, what if you see Benny?

Jess: It would be great!

Thumbelina: And what will you do then?

Jess: I don't know, I'll turn into an ice statue, I guess.

America: Is the hotel either normal or not cheap?

Jess: Toilet and shower are shared in this hotel.

Thumbelina: I'm ready to catch fungus, tuberculosis and everything else: just to get to the concert. And for how much can you rent a shop?

Jess: Haha, very funny! Do not worry, you will only sleep there, and the rest of the time I have. You can take a shower with me. I just can't put you all in my house: brother, mother, father. Just Jane.

Sam: Of course, we understand everything.

Thumbelina: Being a fan is so expensive. Tickets, hotels, paraphernalia. Let's better open a knitting club! Will at least sell something!

Jess: No way! My hands are in the wrong place!

America: I won't trade our Asian boys for macramé!

There were fifteen minutes left before the start of the concert. Jess urgently needed to go to the toilet. She handed the ticket to Sam and quickly ran to the ladies' room. Crowds of people with sun-shaped pendants were everywhere, Jess struggling to move among them. Everyone touched her with their shoulders, pushed in different directions. Seeing the line in the toilet, Jess sighed heavily and ran to look for another. She remembered seeing the toilet near the entrance to the VIP stalls. A couple hundred steps and Jess was there. There were practically no people here: no one wanted to climb so high. Jess ran at incredible speed. She would hardly remember the last time she ran, and even at such a speed, even more so. And then she saw the desired door ... when suddenly, out of nowhere, a man appeared in a black leather jacket. A collision was inevitable. Jess flew in one direction, and the person who accidentally got on the way to the other. The wall interrupted her flight, and Jess felt her forehead hit against something. It turned out to be another young man in a strict business suit. Even before colliding with him, Jess realized that she had "knocked" Benny Longlake near the closet. She saw Benny sprawling on the floor when she touched the wall. His tinted glasses flew off in the opposite direction.

The two guards accompanying Benny quickly lifted him off the floor and put him on his feet, and then returned the glasses, which miraculously remained intact.

- Where are you going, crazy? One of the security guards exclaimed.

- I almost killed the guy! - the second assented to him, - Are you okay, Benny?

- I'm fine. Are you flying dragon okay? You also kind of got it.

- A trifle! She has a bump and a slight fright. Come on before another fan swoops in on you!

"Ben ... nn ... not Benny Longlake?"

- What's left of him.

- Didn't expect to see you today! Rather, I expected, but only from a distance of a couple of hundred meters, at a concert! I ... I am your fan, I am the administrator of your official fan site. Jess No Stress.

- Wow! So you tweet me a couple hundred messages a day? Jess, I think your name is.

- Yeah. Don't you have a toilet there that you had to go to this one? Oh, sorry, immodest question!

- Nothing. Well, glad to meet you. Until! Perhaps I will answer your millionth message. Enjoy the concert!

- Wait!

It sounded like an order. Benny, who was about to leave, stopped.

- Can I take a photo?

- Exactly! Somehow I didn't think. You kicked all my brains out of me.

Jess looked in her purse for her phone. First she took out a scarf, which she then hung on Benny, followed by wet wipes, a notebook, and powder from her purse. Soon a cell phone was found. Jess hugged Benny and the guard photographed them a couple of times.

- You have no idea, my friends and I talked about you so much, and so I met you near the toilet! This is so ... unexpected. Thanks to your group, I met my best friends. Sunny honey brings people together directly! I met Benny Longlake!

- Well, as I met, I would say, rammed. Sorry, but I have to go.

- Of course of course. Hopefully today you will finally get on the trampoline and maybe fly to us.

- That is unlikely. Listen, if this is the case, go backstage with your friends after the concert! Let's take a photo, chat. Naturally, after we take pictures with those who have "golden tickets".

- Seriously?! It's a joy. This is how, the main thing is to knock Benny Longlake down in time!

- Yes, yes, your charge hit the target. Ok, see you after the concert! Now run to where you were headed from the start.

Benny smiled, adjusted his glasses on his nose, and quickly walked away. For ten seconds Jess regained consciousness, then began to jump with joy, then suddenly remembered how terribly she wanted to relieve herself. She quickly rushed into the booth. After Jess washed her hands, she dialed Sam's number.

- I saw Benny!

- What? I hear nothing! There is already a warming up. Where are you?

- I saw Benny!

- Can't hear, Jess! Here the music screams! Where are you? Come quickly here!

- I saw Benny! Do you hear?

- Come here! I cannot hear anything.

She could hardly believe in the recent meeting. Jess thought Benny was a celestial. Previously, she looked at his photo and thought that she was looking at something unattainable, magical, incredible. And then it turned out that he was made of flesh and blood. Her hand felt the warmth of his hand. He spoke like a completely ordinary person, and Benny looked like a completely ordinary guy: nothing more, short hair, jeans, leather jacket, gray T-shirt. He didn't even let his eyes down with a black pencil, although all rockers like to do it. He was short, almost the same as Jess herself. And his hip girth was probably the same as Jess's. But she was crazy about him. At the mere memory of his plump lips, Jess's heart began to beat wildly, and she wanted to jump to the ceiling. During Sunny honey's performance, she only watched him. Lisa, Yen, Li Lung, CJ as if were not on stage. When Benny smashed the guitar, it was like she had an orgasm. "He's gorgeous!" Emily yelled in her ear. "That's not news!" She yelled back.

"Are you sure they'll let us in there?"

"I don't know, Benny promised. So let's check how much you can trust rock 'n' rollers.

They waited for the return of the guard with bated breath. When he nevertheless returned from Benny after a while, they prepared to listen to his every word. Jess, Sam, Jane, Sarah all fell silent. They looked at the security as if he were the most important person in their life. As if their entire further existence depended on him. Like he was a messenger from heaven, Hermes in flying sandals.

- Come in! - said the magic word Olympian.

And now, in front of them, they raised some kind of absurd rope, which was not at all an obstacle on the way to the stars: the way to happiness was blocked by hard-headed men in strict suits. A handsome Indian in a polo shirt suddenly appeared in front of the girls. They instantly recognized him. True fans of Sunny honey, of course, knew who Jacob Livey was.

- Hello girls! I'll walk you to the dressing room.

All the guys from the group were in the dressing room - Benny, CJ, Yen and Lee Lung. Only Lisa had a separate dressing room, and they had to huddle in one.

- Oh, Jess the fighter! Benny exclaimed. - Guys, get acquainted! She knocked me out at the toilet today.

"By chance, I'm not on purpose. And this is Sam. Sarah. Jane.

"I see Benny went to the bathroom well today," said Peter as he passed.

- Go, go where you went. This is not for your soul. And this is C.J. This is Yen and Lee Lung. I say right away that you can tell them apart only when they sing. Ian is simply fake, and Lee Lung is terribly fake.

- Oh, oh, sorry Sensei for ruining your appetite once with his singing.

- You are in a good mood! - said Sam.

- Yes, we are quite happy with the show. And how do you, by the way, girls?

- Benny, your solos were incredible. Yen, your trampoline flips are amazing! Jane yelled.

"Literally," added Lee Lung.

- And Lisa, Lisa, Lisa ... She is phenomenal! Such a voice! Such energy!

- Unfortunately, you won't see her today. She quickly washed away.

- Yes, it's annoying.

- It's so annoying that I have no strength. Can I give you something to drink? Jack Daniels, Hennessy, still water? Although one bottle of gas was lying around.

I guess with gas, Benny.

- Where are you from, girls?

- I'm from Salt Lake City. Jane from Detroit. Sam from San Diego. Sarah is from Boston.

- Wow! And you all gathered at this concert?

- We met thanks to Sunny honey. Now we are inseparable. We chat for hours on skype every day. The solar army united us. I must admit, you have the best fans in the world!

- It's true. They are not just fans. They are not just friends. They are truly everything we can hope for and what we can dream of.

- Oh, Benny, so nice to hear that!

- Maybe you want to ask something? We are answering all the questions today.

- For all? We already know everything about you. For example, Benny Longlake was born on December 25, 1980 in Los Feliz. Mom is a hereditary doctor, and father is a hereditary...

- Goat.

- I left you when you were five. Favorite food: popcorn, vegetables. Favorite drink: hot chocolate. Hobbies: painting, skateboarding, mountaineering, playing the trombone. Height - meter seventy-five. Favorite movie: All films by Guy Ritchie and Martin Scorsese. Favorite quotes: your own. Pets: none. Bad habits: I tried everything, but in small quantities. He studied at Boston University at the Faculty of Philosophy, claims that it is there that uniform psychos are trained. He also claims that talent is such a thing that you cannot hide, just like buttoned up.

"And really, it's all about me, Jess.

- She's your biggest fan! - Sarah explained.

- Don't embarrass your friend! There she blushed.

- I'm not ashamed of it. And if we are asking questions today ... For example, what would you do if you had a billion dollars?

- I'd be fucking crazy!

A deafening laugh rang out in the cramped dressing room.

"It's better to ask Peter about that, though. He has the necessary knowledge in this matter.

- How many times did you have sex in the past week? Jane asked Benny.

- Twenty five.

- This is a joke?

- Sure. Twenty one.

Jess couldn't tell if he was serious or not. Deep down, she knew that it was most likely true. There were so many insatiable female fans running after them who were ready to surrender to them without any questions! Concert halls were swarming with girls eager to have sex with them. Each of them had only to beckon a person they liked with a finger, and she would have come running with stunning speed. They do not need to do anything in order to be liked - everyone liked them already in absentia. They did not need to be explained who they were - whoever wanted to, found out almost everything about them on the Internet. Why is that? Because they are on stage, not around it.

"They say seeing a Hollywood star or a rock star is like seeing the Northern Lights. See the Northern Lights and don't want to see anything else! See Paris and die! Sleep with Brad Pitt and go to the monastery!"

Jess had a wild urge to turn around and leave. But she looked at Benny and realized that she would not leave. There, outside the concert hall, a lot of uninteresting, unbearably boring guys with a lot of problems were waiting for her. But Benny, he was not like that: for her, he was the embodiment of originality, wit, talent, attractiveness. She seemed to see a halo above his head. He did not look like any of her acquaintances. For Jess, he was like a breath of fresh air. He was something new in her life. For her, he was an angel in the flesh and a devil in jeans. He came down from the TV screen, and Jess watched only the channel, where they played some clips around the clock, and handed her a bottle of still water.

- I suggest a party at the hotel! - said C.J.

Jess could smell his breath, scent of mint and whiskey. Not long ago he was out of reach, and now she could sense his presence. She could ruffle his hair, pull his nose, throw water on him. They feel cramped on the couch. The space was getting narrower. It seemed to Jess that everything around had disappeared and only he and Benny remained.

- Is it true that you do not sleep in a bed, but in a wardrobe?

- Oh God, stop reading this shit! Don't listen to me! I have no answers, and I stole the questions from others. Better get a dog, tell your parents the truth, turn off your computer. Do something, but don't read all this nonsense!

- Benny, you're just lovely!

"Oh no, I'm far from cute. I'm picky, quick-tempered, meticulous, at times just nasty.

- I think I ruined everything.

- Maybe it's even for the best. I'm out of sorts today. Jess, you are a very nice girl, of course, but I think you need to leave. It was very nice to meet you, I'm glad you knocked me down today.

- Your mood has obviously deteriorated.

- Sorry, but it is.

Jess got up so abruptly from the couch that she slipped on the men's glossy magazine that was lying on the floor. Benny grabbed her. She felt like a sluggish cow, which for the second time in the evening piled on him. She was terribly embarrassed, and she was ready to sink into the ground. She felt his breath again. She was on his lap and looked into his huge brown eyes. Jess said the first thing that popped into her head:

- I hate slipping out of the blue and tucking blankets into duvet covers.

"Why are you saying stupid things every time I'm going to kiss you?"

- Maybe it's because I always say stupid things?

- By the way, I'm leaving the group. So you can no longer be a fan of me.

- How? It's true?!

- Yes.

- And what will you do then?

- I will open a fund to protect drunk men from ugly women.

- This is a joke?

- Sure. I decided to breed orange pigs.

- Why did you decide to leave the group, you are in full swing ?!

- You now hate to slip out of the blue and tuck the blanket into the duvet cover, and I hate my ex and basil.

- Let's not talk about her!

- We will not. Will you come with me to the island? A couple of days and I'm free!

- Are there already orange pigs on this island?

- Not yet, but we will think of something.

- And we won't take anyone with us?

- Nobody.

- And no Lisa?

- Absolutely. The Lisa will go to hell on an overseas tour.

- Won't you change your mind? I have to quit my job!

- I give a tooth!

- I'm in the bathroom. Be right back.

But Benny couldn't help thinking about her. Whatever he thought, his thoughts returned to Lisa again and again. His thoughts roamed in a vicious circle. If he looked at the guitar, sooner or later he began to remember how he wrote songs for Lisa on it. If he saw a cake, he remembered how Lisa loved them. If he watched some familiar film, he began to remember how he once watched it with Lisa. If he had sex with a girl, he remembered what it was like with Lisa. He did not know why this was happening, he had no idea how to get rid of his obsession, he was already used to it, stopped paying attention to it. It took possession of his mind, he stopped fighting it, he just left him alone. "The idea is a fix! I hope you will soon be gone from my life for good! I hope I will forget your name, I will forget how you look, I will forget how happy I was, I will forget what you did, I will forget how I hated you, I will forget how I loved you, I will forget your voice. Only then, I'm afraid, will I have to forget myself. Damn, this looks like a new song!"

Jake had nothing on except his boxer shorts. He was standing in front of the mirror choosing which suit to wear – a blue one or a dark-blue one. Both suits were new, from Tom Ford, they both fit him. Lisa rushed into the room.

"Jake!" she exclaimed and covered her eyes with her palm.

"Never saw a handsome man in shorts? Only skinny hipsters?"

"Some woman coming out of here let me in. Is it true that you are going to produce Benny's solo album?"

"Now I'm concerned about only one question. Blue or dark-blue?"

"Black, Jake, black suits you."

"Yes, I have to wear an old suit…"

She gave him a white hotel robe.

"Did you think what Peter would say when he finds out that you decided to support Benny's leaving, and even produce his album? Cover up!"

"This, by the way, is my room, so don't you tell me what I should do here! Benny wants to record the "Idea Fix" album. The main song is dedicated to you; in the video, there will be your portrait, pierced with darts. It's cool, isn't it? We'll make tons of money. Maybe we'll get some award."

He took out a black suit and started trying on ties. The robe still was on the chair.

"Are you serious?!"

"Absolutely. I have wanted my project for a long time. I think Pete will support me. In addition, it's better than losing Benny. He'll get some profit."

"Could you wait with this at least till the end of the world tour? After all, you are going to exploit my image, have a heart! Wait for some time!"

"So you want a world tour with the best lineup?"

"I'd love to."

"You want me to convince Benny to go on tour?"

"It would be great!"

"What's my benefit?"

"Don't say I have to sleep with you…"

"It would be great!"

"Stallion! I thought we're friends."

"What kind of friend am I, baby? Since I saw you on roller skates and in those shorts of yours, there can be no friendship!"

"Motherfucker!"

"I'm not sweet Joe, not Peter or skinny Benny. You won't order me about."

Lisa realized that she would not reach Jake's face to slap it. Then she just jumped up and slapped him on his left cheek.

"Bite me! Didn't you expected that? Where is your boxing reaction?"

"It was very unexpected. You hit like a hamster!"

"Show your giant Indian cock to someone else! Take Benny, go ahead! I don't give a damn about this tour anymore! Nobody will go to it."

"Did you really hit me in the face?"

"Yes, Jake, enjoy!"

She realized that Jake was about to chase her. "This two-meter body will try to catch me!" she thought.

"No, Jake, no!"

"You have one second. Tick-tock."

"Help!"

Lisa managed to run out of the room into the parlor. A second later, she was in the corridor, but Jake caught her hand and dragged her back into the room. His speed was incredible. In a few seconds they were on the terry carpet in front of the sofa. Jake took off her t-shirt and shorts. He literally controlled all of her movements. He was so much stronger than she was, that he easily suppressed any attempt to resist. "It's just a machine!" Lisa realized it was useless to fight. Soon he fell on her with all his weight. He pressed her hands to the floor, and then she felt him inside.

"Jake! Stop it! You hurt me!"

However, he did not stop. He practically pushed it into the carpet. Lisa was really hurt; his penis was too big. Soon her body began to tremble and enjoy. She could hardly restrain herself so as not to scream from delight. Jake didn't stop… "Has he decided to bring me to orgasm?"

"Enough! Jake!"

"Lisa?"

"Jake! I will scream!"

"Scream if you want to."

She grabbed his hair when he looked into her eyes. Lisa felt complete helplessness. He could do with her whatever he wanted. She began to tremble more and more, and finally relaxed her hands, putting them on his back.

"Say something, sweetie…"

"You're a bastard, Jake!"

The next moment she finished. Lisa managed to muffle the cry, but still she screamed. She felt sheer rage and satisfaction at the same time. Her pulse was off scale. Jake collapsed next to her. The Lisa slammed onto his shoulder with all her might.

- You are so cute when you fight! You shouldn't have hit me in the face, it really got me going. I misled the sides, and I wanted you for so long. Sorry, I went overboard. I didn't think anything!

- Beast! You puffed on me for fifteen minutes! I didn't think! Everything you thought perfectly!

- Sorry! I'm an idiot! You can kick me in the balls or take this body for your sole use. Agree, it was not bad.

- Are you funny? You acted like the last asshole! Take your hand off me!

She hit him in the shoulder again, but still couldn't move.

- I won't let go until you forgive me.

"Are you going to push me to forgive you?"

- Okay, what can I do to make you forgive me? The issue has been resolved with Benny, we have already signed a contract: if I tell him to go on tour, he will go. There will be a tour for you.

- I'll die with you on this tour!

- Only if from an orgasm!

- Let me go!

- Peace?

- Well, we will pretend that none of this happened. Let's assume that you didn't grab my hand in the hallway. And never remind me of this again! Not a word! Otherwise, I will bite you, ugly, to death! And don't come closer than a hundred meters to me anymore! I am afraid of you.

He still hadn't let go of her.

- You're still angry.

- Do you even understand that I'm pregnant with Chris? You raped a pregnant woman. Maybe there won't be any tour! I can't stand seeing you and Benny. One hates me, and the other raped me.

- Shh, everything will be fine. Now let's wait a bit, when you like me.

"Until today, I liked you quite well.

- And now you will be just crazy.

- Go to hell! I didn't consider you at all. Not a bit. We had a good relationship, and you took it and ruined everything.

- Maybe the opposite. Otherwise I would have jumped out for this hipster.

- Do you always get what you want?

- Always.

- Just take it and that's it?

- And then I just think. And you know, it always works.

The Lisa bit him for finger lets. Only after that did she manage to free herself. She dressed quickly and threw his laptop at Jake on the couch. Her opinion was again neglected. It hurt her more from the realization than from the fact that she had not even considered having sex with Jake. It was so unexpected that it simply did not fit into her head. Here she went to talk to Jake, and a few minutes later he had already pressed her against the terry carpet. "Usually sex is planned at least ten minutes in advance, but here it is such a horror!" - Lisa thought and flew out of his room.

- Harold, I'm tired of being a vampire! You eat animals and don't touch people, but I can't eat animals: since childhood, I adored all animals, I'm a veterinarian after all. Tell me what can I do to die?

- You need to chop off your head. This is the only way to end the vampire.

- And the stake in the heart, sunlight? Isn't that enough.

- Fi, in the sunlight you will look like a negro, but nothing more. It doesn't really work for vampires. And the stake in the heart also does not work, because you do not have a heart. Just chop off your head.

- Will you help me? Will you cut off my head?

- Friend, I have long turned into a dandelion of God. I have neither a sword nor an ax to adequately rid you of your head. I can try it with a penknife, but it takes a long time. I'm too lazy to be honest.

- And what to do?

- There is a way out. You take rope, wire, stool, superglue. You tie the rope and wire to the radiator, only the wire should be shorter by one and a half to two meters, you wrap your legs with a rope, your neck with wire, glue your hands to your hair, and then out the window, just look so that it's not from the first floor, but it's useless. After that, the head will quickly fly off your shoulders.

- Wow! I'll have to try. I just have a battery in my office, because, it turns out, you can't stand the cold.

"Not now. Our patient is a dachshund with acute chronic gastritis.

Harold went to the treatment room, leaving Michael in splendid isolation. Isolde filled out the patient's card, rhythmically tapping her long nails on the table. Her long curly hair was braided in a thick, neat braid.

- Hello Miss Maiden, how is Roxy?

- Not really. She continues to have constipation and bloody vomiting.

- So, we will treat her with Epsom bitter salt.

- Oh my God! It's Dr. Hilton!

A hysterical female scream was heard in the office. Harold looked out the window and saw Michael hanging upside down behind him, his hands glued to his hair. He swayed in different directions and said something. But the windows were secure and Harold couldn't make out anything.

- This moron can't do anything humanly!

- What does he do, Dr. Haley?

- Parkour, Miss Maiden, parkour.

Harold closed the curtains.

- Did you flush Roxy's stomach with soda solution?

- Yes, of course, as you said. Maybe you can help the person? He, in my opinion, is still hanging out there.

- Isolde, go help the doctor. He seems to be stuck.

After a couple of minutes, Harold went up to Michael's office. Isolde cut the hair off his hands. On his head, only awkward tufts remained. Michael would have looked very deplorable if it did not look so funny.

- You moron, I told you later!

- I could no longer live! I wanted blood!

- So why is your head in place?

- The wire was torn.

- Harold, so you offered him such brutal entertainment? - Isolde was indignant, and her eyes turned from brown to red.

- He asked to cut off his head, so I offered an alternative way! Who knew that he didn't have enough brains for that either!

- Idiots! Perverts! We have a scalpel, after all! Both of you are idiots!

- Oh, I'm sorry, I somehow did not think!

- Everything, hang up! Enough suicide for tonight!

The Lisa choked on the water, but still couldn't stop laughing. She seemed to be hysterical. It seemed to her that she had never seen anything more funny and ridiculous in her life. She herself was now pondering how best to commit suicide, this passage came in handy.

She collapsed onto the sofa and began pounding the pillow with her fists.

- Well, the sun? Did you shoot the episode normally?

- Oh yeah! This is such nonsense! But funny! It's not for nothing that you haven't got out of your laptop for the last week and wrote dialogues.

- I think my fantasy is still enough for a couple of seasons. So, did you go to the doctor? The mushroom soup is obviously not good for you.

- It wasn't mushroom soup that had a bad effect on me, but pregnancy.

- What?!

Chris put his laptop aside and got up from the chair. The Lisa understood from his eyes that he was glad that he would propose to marry him, that then soon he would give her a ring in a lot of carats, that he would rent a big house for them, that he would arrange a gorgeous wedding. She knew in advance how he would behave. For a moment, she felt uncomfortable with such predictability. Everything was a foregone conclusion. But one thought haunted her.

- Lisa, I will become a father! Who would have thought!

- You can just pay alimony if you are not ready. I can handle it somehow.

- I didn't think that at twenty-three I would become a father, but it's cool! I will be in twenty years It is good to look good and tell everyone that I am his older brother.

"I think everyone will know that you are his father. And suddenly it's her.

- Her, him, it doesn't matter.

He took her in his arms and began to circle the room. The Lisa could not understand one thing, why she does not feel such joy, why what usually gives everyone joy, puts her into a stupor, catches with melancholy, frightens. She did not understand what it meant to be a mother; she had no maternal instincts at all. Even the fact that she once had a daughter did not change anything. For her, it was something inaccessible: to be a simple girl, to live for the sake of someone. Deep down, she knew that she was terribly selfish and could never fix it. She knew that was her essence. She is interested, first of all, in herself, in her current work. She can never sacrifice herself and her work for the sake of her family, for the sake of some people, she realized this with complete clarity. She was disgusted with herself. She could not be different, no one could force her to be different. "Selfish, bitch, chatter - it's all me!" She said to herself and smiled at Chris.

- What about your world tour? - he asked the question that Lisa, of course, expected.

- Well, to hell with him!

- The devil who wears the Armani suit is unlikely to tell you the same. Rather, he will say the same thing, but about your child.

- Let's figure it out.

The Lisa was now more afraid than anything else in the world of Peter. He clearly wouldn't have liked the idea of giving birth when the world tour is about to begin. Paris, Milan, Rome, London, Dublin, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Minsk ... This was an incomplete list of cities in which concerts had already been scheduled. In all these cities, she has to jump from a trampoline into the hall, jump for two hours almost every day on stage. She was still vaguely aware that it would be very difficult for a pregnant woman to do all this. And she really wanted to go on this tour. She wanted to perform in Russia to the point of exhaustion, so that everyone who once knew her in her homeland would see who she had become. She wanted to speak Russian from the stage, give several interviews in Russian. She wanted her compatriots to appreciate the group's global reach. She wanted them to be proud of her, to tell everyone: "But this front woman is Russian!" And then panic arose in her. But she wants a child too.

But she no longer wanted to marry Chris. Jake constantly loomed before his eyes and, by his very appearance, reminded her that she had kept silent about the rape, in fact agreed that she did not mind, although in her thoughts she never had to sleep with him. She had feelings for Chris, wonderful memories of his solo album at Carnegie Hall, and Jake just took those feelings and erased them like an eraser. More recently, she was completely carefree, even the death of her daughter could not change her, she just pulled back from those memories and continued to live on. But cooperation with Benny, watching his suffering and hatred, Jake's act, pregnancy made her look at the world more seriously. And everything that had happened to her in twenty-nine years of her life at once fell on her and turned into some kind of unbearable burden. She could no longer pretend that this was not, that was not. She shouldered the entire burden of her life at once. And she had no one to tell all this. Only if Joe. "I really want to see Joe! One sight of him will calm me down! "

She walked along the beach for several hours before collecting her thoughts and calling Peter:

- We need to talk.

She, Benny and Peter. The office in his immense house was so small that it seemed to Lisa that she had become a schoolgirl again and landed on the headmaster's carpet. And she had to visit the director's office many times: as a child, she was restless, problematic. However, since that time, nothing has changed. More than ten years have passed since graduation from school, and she never turned into an exemplary girl and a beautiful white swan. She still caused trouble, rarely wore heels, and said what she thought.

- You guys are just nuts! Both. One went to Bangkok with some fan and wanted to spit on the group, and the second decided to have offspring before the world tour. This is simply inconceivable! The tickets are all sold out, the fans are ready to kiss the asphalt you walked on, and you just go and drop everything! After all, I didn't find you in a five-star hotel. You are not tired of the fame of a rock star. I picked you up who knows where, and hell would anyone else notice you, because you have long forgotten that you have talent. You were already going to spit on yourself, but then bam and Peter Temple appeared as if by magic. I gave you a chance, I put my soul into you, money, strength. I have done everything possible and impossible for you. In a matter of months, you've gone from being a failure to being a rock star. So what? What did you do with your chance at the earliest opportunity? You threw it away like Peter Temple is giving it to just about anyone.

- I can perform and pregnant.

- Just don't talk nonsense. We have a tour planned for a year. You won't shake your belly on stage. Abortion. That's all I can tell you. And as quickly as possible, because Paris is on course. And with you, Benny, I don't want to talk at all: your reason for leaving is completely incomprehensible to me. Well, you don't get along with your ex: this does not mean that you should throw the whole group because of your personal problems. This does not mean that you need to stop making normal money and do what you love. I can tell you one thing: go to Bangkok and go back to work, and you have an abortion and go back to work.

- Peter, I love him. He is a real treasure. I can hardly find someone like him. And he will not forgive me if I have an abortion. It…

- Lisa, my girl, listen to what I tell you.

Peter squatted down in front of Lisa and looked into her eyes. The Lisa felt his incredible energy, for the first time he was at such a small distance from her. There has always been a distance between them, the subordinate and the leader, but now this distance is extremely reduced. The touch of Peter's hand shocked her like an electric shock. He radiated strength. He was a man for whom the word "no" does not exist. It was simply missing from his vocabulary. It seemed that Peter is omnipotent.

- Well, you will give birth to him a child, you will stay at home while he sprinkles scripts and shoot his sit-com. You will die of jealousy for each of his admirers, you will die from the feeling of your own unfulfillment. You will start eating like a pig: either food or vodka. You will find fault with him in every way. You will completely stop taking care of yourself, since even now you do not pay much attention to your appearance. You will be enraged by everything around you. For one reason: you will know that this is not your place. You understand this perfectly well now, but you are afraid, afraid of losing your second child, your second beloved man. But he will leave you. In any case: either now, because you do not want to give birth to his child, or later, because you will turn into an evil, nasty loser. Do you think he will need you without your cheerfulness, extravagance, charisma? Do you think you will need him when you lose the scene?

- Thank you, Peter, you really supported me!

- I told the truth, which you yourself know. I just voiced something that you cannot admit to yourself. Ask Benny if he agrees with me or not. Why did you quiet down? Say something!

- I agree with Peter. You cannot become an exemplary mother and an exemplary wife. You tried, but it didn't work. At least not now. And a career won't tell you one morning: "I don't love you anymore: you are an annoying bitch who nags me from morning to evening." Career will not blame you all the time for the death of a child, our child. She is not a person to disappoint you. And if he really looks so much like me, then God forbid! Run from him! And you can't cope with a child alone.

- You agreed, or what?!

- It's just that if I leave the group, it can still be corrected. If you leave, then the group skiff.

- Yes Benny and will not go anywhere now. Really Benny? He will be so happy about your abortion and giving up on Chris that he will stop bothering you and we will start working normally in the end. Yes Benny?

- Quite possible.

- What are you bastards! You both don't give a damn about how I feel. You think primarily of yourself.

- I promise you will record a duet with Joe. I will persuade him. I promise we will shoot a video in the desert just like you wanted. Imagine blowing with Joe Thompson! No one has sung a duet with him yet. You will go down in history!

- Are you bribing me? In order for me to have an abortion, you and me and Joe, and Benny back to the group.

- I said everything, Lisa. It's up to you to decide. I am no longer your advisor.

- Oh, that's it, then! You think you can make decisions for me, decide who I really am! Do you think that I cannot change? And here are the figurines for you! Go both to hell! There you belong.

The Lisa left the office so quickly that Peter had no time to recover. Once and there is no Lisa.

- She will be back. I know her, "Benny said.

- No doubt.

The Lisa was in front of a long staircase to the second floor. She wanted so badly to see Joe. She knew that he could tell her what she wanted to hear. She ran down the endless steps. Then she saw a corridor, very similar to a labyrinth - as the designer intended. She stopped and could not move further: Lisa had no idea where to go. She wanted to stand in this corridor for ages and never make a decision. She would love to stop time. Everything she did always turned against her. Whatever choice she made was always wrong. And fear, fear, fear, unbearable fear to do the wrong thing again, tore her apart.

- Joe! She shouted at the top of her lungs.

- I'm here! - she heard a familiar voice.

Joe appeared at the end of the corridor: as usual, he was wearing only blue shorts and slippers. "Once you see the beautiful and want to live again!" - Lisa thought and threw herself on Joe's neck. Tears streamed down her cheeks onto Joe's shoulder. She felt like she could never stopcry. Tears flowed in an endless stream. But she took a deep breath, counted to ten and the hysteria stopped.

- Joe, what should I do?

"You see, Peter is that kind of person. He always turns out to be right. If you do not do what he said, then you run to him and say: "I shouldn't have listened to you!" I went through this. Trust me, he always turns out to be right. Every time I was about to leave him, he managed to convince me to stay. But one day he just let me go and said that I would last a week without him: I would get so tired of thinking about everything myself and sending all sorts of lustful uncles that I would come running back, wagging my tail. And I came running. Because he was right. And he said that if this happens a second time, he simply will not accept me. He always keeps his word. If you don't do as he said, there will be no way back. For him, it's a matter of principle.

- Yes, I already understood that he does not like to joke. But I want a child. I've already lost one. And I'm not nineteen. What if I will never be able to give birth again ?!

"Well, you have to make a choice.

- Where is justice then?

- You have to pay for everything in this life. A miracle can happen to anyone, but, as usually happens, just not with you and not with your loved ones. And everything else has to be gnawed out by the teeth, fighting, fighting and fighting. In this world, nothing is simply obtained.

And it became easy and simple for her. Lisa didn't want to complicate anything anymore. She was tired of being afraid of everything: being afraid to do the wrong thing, being afraid of not being able to do something, afraid to die, afraid to grow old, afraid to be alone. Fear, constant fear evaporated. "I am what I am! And the time to ask for forgiveness is over! «She really wanted to kiss Joe, take off those expensive blue shorts from him, drag him into the bedroom and not leave him for at least two hours. Who doesn't want to do this with Joe Thompson? He is the one everyone wants. He's a legend with a tight ass. He is one of the most desirable people on the planet. And the Lisa kissed him on the lips, and then she began kissing his neck, chest.

- I just need you now!

He was there, completely alone: it would be impossible not to take advantage of it. "Refuse to have sex with Joe Thompson ?! Are you kidding me ?! It's like having Zeus! " - Lisa justified herself.

- Let's go to the attic! Joe said and pulled her hand.

The Lisa was ready to scream: "He is mine, he is mine!" Even if not for long, if only for an hour, but Joe Thompson belonged to her. She's rented perfection. She remembered her question to Jake: "You just take it and that's it?" And his answer: "And then I just think. And you know - it always works." "Peter Temple's principles always work, so why not use them?" She decided.

Who is being picked up from the hospital in a limousine? That's right, Lisa Longlake. She handed her small bag of things to Jake and got into a posh car: there she was waiting for Peter. She hugged first Peter and then Jake. She was really glad to see them: the hospital atmosphere had a depressing effect on her, and she was pleased to see familiar faces. Although Lisa's room was of superior comfort, the Lamborghini's salon, of course, surpassed her in all respects. She immediately reached for the champagne. She started drinking straight from the bottle.

- How I adore both of you! I just don't have the strength! How glad I am to see you! I'm so glad that I can't stand it sober!

- Well hello, rock princess! How are you feeling? - Peter inquired about her health.

- They removed a part of me. How else can I feel? As if a part of me was removed.

- You don't look good.

- Thank you, Peter, you know how to support and calm.

Jake poured himself a whiskey. The Lisa took his glass for herself.

- And what is this jock doing here? You know she and Benny are going to record an album and put my javelin face on the cover? Lovely! It is not enough for them that one shook the whole soul out of me with his hysterics, and the second almost crushed me with his huge penis, they continue to mock me! What can I do to no longer see their faces ?! To move to another planet? Peter, send them to hell! Free swimming!

- Do not worry, my fish, after the tour we will say goodbye to them.

- I hope, Peter! Because after the abortion, bringing this muddling bell as a gift is cruel even for you!

- You already got drunk in the hospital, right? Jake spoke up.

- Yes, there were good people, besides you, who were treated to booze.

She poured herself another whiskey.

"Jake, you have to ask Lisa for forgiveness, shouldn't you? Go ahead!

- I already asked.

"I asked badly, my friend. Ask for more!

"Don't think Peter cares about you. He just doesn't want me to dash off on you and cast a shadow over his reputation. Well, I'm listening to you. What do you say, Indian moose?

- Peter, it's impossible to talk to her now! She is completely drunk.

"I can hear you perfectly, Jake. And all your words will be deposited in the subcortex of my brain. Speak. I, Jake Livey ...

- Yes, that's my name.

- Repeat after me!

- Jake, do as she says, I beg you!

- I - Jejk Livey ...

- The last bastard on planet Earth.

- The last bastard on planet Earth.

- I take women without their consent.

- It was the first and only time!

- Repeat, your mother!

- Okay. I take women without their consent.

- I had to be castrated as a child with particular cruelty.

- I had to be castrated as a child with particular cruelty.

- Lisa, my baby, are you satisfied? Now shake hands!

The Lisa splashed whiskey in Jake's face and then slapped him in the face.

- You gave me in the face again! Peter, she's on her own!

- Shut up and endure!

- He said he fucked me because I kicked him in the face and it turned him wild. So now you will touch the figurines, you damned cables! Here is a red cross for you! Asshole!

She pointed to her stomach.

- We'll see! You yourself will come to me.

- I'm already running and stumbling!

- When you want children again, you will definitely need me!

- Stop it, Jake! This is a sore subject! Some kind of kindergarten! You will already decide whether you will sleep there with each other or not, and do not fool me. I'm not a psychiatrist to listen to all this! I hope we sorted out this issue? Lisa, if you still have any complaints, I allow you to drag him in with a baseball bat.

He handed her a baseball bat tied with a bow. Lisa's eyes even sparkled when she saw Peter's gift. His joke defused the atmosphere.

"Pete, we didn't agree that! - Jake was indignant.

- The fact that you will dissolve your member and take my musicians away, we also did not agree. Lisa, do not deny yourself anything!

She hit Jake on the shoulder.

- I got it. Don't break my bones, please! I won't be able to train then.

- Can I go in the balls?

- Lisa, calm down!

The Lisa handed Peter a crumpled piece of paper. Peter began to read the text, carefully written by her in helium pen.

The umbrellas are in bloom

1 verse

Umbrellas are blooming over the cloudy city.

A homeless man pulls at his wet beard.

Dirty streams flow down from the rooftops.

A hungry mouse crawls to the trash heap.

The rain is upset today. The rain is outraged.

He destroys everything around him, not recognizing names.

Turns everyone's cigarette into butts

Blurs mascara under the eyes.

He got tired of the assholes

Carrying absurd nonsense.

Chorus:

Rain, you know how to be lonely.

Give shiver to smoky lungs.

Touch my transparent skin

And you will say: "How alike we are."

Verse 2

He gently caresses the May dandelion,

Pressed by a theatrical monocle.

Washes it from dog urine

On the site under the poplar.

Hopefully with a drop of rain

I can dissolve in the ground.

And then without regret I

I will become only a particle of the world.

- Will it do?

- What is it?

- The text of the new song. You promised me a duet with Joe. I'll give you a motive later - write some music.

- Somehow too depressing, don't you think?

- We are not singing some sugary pop songs! Let the song be fatal.

- In principle, there is something fascinating in this text. Underground. Beggarly chic! Exactly what is needed! Jake, read it!

- And how is the filming of the video in the desert? I offer first a picture of poor neighborhoods, Joe's profile, then the desert, I walk with a bandage on my head, dying of thirst. And suddenly he sees an oasis in the middle of the bustle of the city. Naturally, I see this oasis in the desert. There are waterfalls, beautiful guys and girls in dresses of the Greek style, they first bring him, and then me goblets of wine. Everything is perfect, the ultimate dream. And at the end he finds himself again in the rain in his native quarter, and I return to the desert with the same thirst and dry lips.

Peter and Jake fell silent for a moment: they were shocked by the flood of ideas coming from her.

- I see you are ready to work. With a vengeance. And I like the idea for the video. It will be beautiful, luxurious, poor. I think we'll fly to shoot in a couple of days. If only the song could be recorded. But we will do it quickly, Lisa. Once and the motive is already there. Welcome back, my girl!

"I've not been away that long.

"But you might not have come back, my darling.

- Oh, oh, did Mr. Temple doubt his gift of persuasion?

- Little. But Joe seemed to support my point.

- All of you as agreed!

- Glad to see you in great shape! Do you want to eat human food?

- I want a lobster.

- Whatever you want! I'm so glad you're okay.

- I'm strong.

- I didn't doubt it.

- But I also have a tensile strength! I do not advise you to try it anymore.

The video was a huge success. During the night the video was on YouTube, it was viewed by several million people. As soon as the video appeared on television, it immediately hit all the charts. The return of the legendary musician, and even in the company of a new rock princess, left no one indifferent. This work was liked by both thirteen-year-old teenagers and fifty-year-old clerks. It happens that you torment over an idea for months, and it is never fully realized, and sometimes you just voiced the thought, and it is immediately picked up and spread over many kilometers. Some things are self-explanatory. Some things are just worth seeing and you can never forget them again. Here what these rock 'n' rollers are: what we can never create, they sometimes create in a matter of minutes. They are creative people: they want - they create, they want - they get up. Do you think they work? Of course not. This kind of occupation is a pleasure. Pleasant, favorite work - continuous rest. We would like to rest as they work!

Jake met Lisa at Charles de Gaulle Airport. As soon as she took off her sunglasses, she noticed a tall, stately brunette girl next to him. Jake offered Lisa his right cheek, she kissed him so as not to attract attention.

- Lisa, this is Jess. Jess, this is Lisa.

- Oh, you're Benny's girlfriend. Very nice to meet you!

- You have no idea how pleasant it is to me! I'm so glad Jake let me go with him to meet you! I am your big fan! And, by the way, the clip "Umbrellas are Blooming" is simply gorgeous! I've looked at it twenty times already, I guess. And Benny told me a lot about you.

- Yes? Then it's strange that you are still my fan. I hope you and I will become friends again and buy a couple of blouses in the boutique.

- Oh, shops are great!

- And Paris is just drop dead!

- You can't argue with that!

Jake told her so that Jess would not hear: "She clung like a leech, we had to take her to the airport." To which Lisa replied: "I don't care!"

About five hundred people were waiting for her at the exit. They all shouted her name, stretched out their hands to her, endlessly photographed. Lisa crossed her legs in long heels and began to pose. She caught sight of a poster with a funny inscription: "The Lisa is blooming in Paris!" It was drizzling with rain, and Lisa felt tiny drops of water cover her black silk scarf. The expression on the faces of the fans was as if they had seen a deity. They opened their mouths in surprise, did not blink, and seemed ready to pinch each other to see if it was a dream. Lisa took a notebook from one of the fans and signed it. She almost fainted from the happiness that befell her.

- Lisa, we love you!

"Six months ago, you didn't even know my name! And now they behave as if I have been a star all my life! " - thought Lisa.

- Lisa, you are the best!

- Lisa, I want a child from you!

- Wow! Boy, I'm not sure I want him from you!

The crowd of fans burst into laughter. Lisa took a picture with several of them, and then Jake took her to the BMW. Her yellow leather jacket stood out against the background of an inconspicuous black car: In Paris, of course, a BMW is an inconspicuous car. The Lisa blew a kiss to the fans, Jake quickly opened the car door for her. Tinted glass immediately hid her from prying eyes. Jess began to talk incessantly and the Lisa could only assent and smile in time. She really wanted to sleep after a long flight, which was preceded by the filming of a video and another long flight. She did not sleep normally for a long time, but only occasionally passed out for a couple of hours. Now she imagined herself falling on a huge bed in her suite at Le Meurice. Lisa made incredible efforts not to fall asleep, and looked at the Louvre, which was only six hundred meters from her hotel. "Let's put off admiration for Paris for a couple of hours! I'm just no! Sleep, sleep, sleep! " - decided Lisa and continued to listen to Jess.

- You see the famous Lido cabaret! - did not appease Jess. - And this is an expensive Russian restaurant "Rasputin"! By the way, it was possible until two thousand and two to see a portrait of ... Lenin on the Champs Elysees. His mosaic image adorned one of the walls of the Aeroflot airline office.

- How interesting! It is a pity that now I cannot see the portrait of Lenin. I missed him so much! In Russia, there is a monument to him on almost every street.

- Truth?

- Yes. And in every city there is necessarily a street named after him.

- Yes?! What a cult of personality!

- It's just a pity to demolish the monuments now, so much money was once invested in them. And too lazy to engage in renaming the streets of the Russians, they do not have enough time for social networks, but here is the renaming of streets!

- Tell me, are all such jokers in Sunny honey?

- Undoubtedly.

As soon as Lisa entered the room, there was a knock on the door: it was Benny. In his bulky black sneakers, he walked across the carpet worth someone's modest home and left dirty footprints on it.

- Here I went to say hello! Yen and Lee Lung are somewhere at the Eiffel Tower. They also have Notre Dame on the course.

Benny kissed Lisa casually on the right cheek. "Now they are all crazy about me, because I no longer cause problems!"

- Great! By the way, I met Jess. A very nice and sweet girl.

- I could not stop her: she was so eager to see you.

- I wonder where you got it: on sale? That way, cheap and cheerful.

- What?! Hey, don't insult my taste! And we, unlike you, don't buy Chris Barnes in boutiques.

- No, Benny, I understand everything, but meeting with a fan who recently hung your posters on the wall, squeezed every thread on your jeans with her friends, cried at your concerts is too much! You don't seem to be quite a fool and you understand that she loves at allnot you, but you in the group. She just wanted to touch the beautiful, and you were happy to help. Probably, if she sees Joe, she will faint or, even worse, start babbling something absurd: "Oh, I listened to you as a child! My mom adores you! Can you sign for my grandmother on my belly? "

- Lykova, are you portraying Peter now, or what?

- What distinguishes me from Peter is at least the absence of a billion dollars.

"But you both love boys.

- Yes.

- By the way, how are you?

- What do you mean?

- You know what I mean.

- I already got this question! Peter, Joe, Jake, Ian, Lee Lung, even CJ asked me at least five times each, and they even look at me with such mournful faces as if I had died. But life goes on and I don't need to be constantly reminded of ...! It's okay! All perfectly! Our clip is on the tops of the chats, soon we will go to Russia, today we will play a great show. Everything is amazing. I am in Paris!

- Here, smoke!

The Lisa did not refuse the cigarette offered by Benny.

- If you have a pack of cigarettes in your pocket, then everything is not so bad today.

"It's okay anyway, Benny.

- I see. You haven't smoked in five years.

- Today we can make an exception.

- You know, Lisa, and I made a new tattoo. Your portrait on the back.

- Seriously?!

- Of course not. Caption: "We will all die, but that's okay."

- You're lying again.

- Oh yeah! Okay, Merlin Monroe was gouged out on my shoulder.

- Lord have mercy! Well, show me!

Benny took off his denim jacket and Lisa realized that this time he was talking seriously. She took a puff of tobacco smoke and began to gaze intently at Merlin's face engraved on his shoulder. And she realized that this face does not express anything, that she, perhaps, always had one expression: the expression of a blissful smile, the expression "high." There was nothing hidden behind this face that could arouse interest. Her curls interested people much more than she herself. And Lisa now experienced some unbearable pity for the standard of female beauty, she seemed to feel all the unbearable loneliness that Merlin experienced surrounded by people. "Still, to be desired by everyone, to be so beautiful is a punishment, a great responsibility, which she most likely could not cope with."

- Good job! She said.

- Yes, I was lucky, a real professional was caught.

"It would be surprising if he, for the money you paid him, made Merlin look like Spunch Bob.

- What makes you think that this is "he"? It was "she".

- Even so? Well, if I want a tattoo, I'll turn to her.

- Come on, have a drink with us! Here from the restaurant such a view of the Tuileries Garden opens! You're just going crazy!

- Can I go nuts a little later? I really want to sleep. I practically did not sleep for two days.

- Okay. Sweet Dreams!

- You are somehow suspiciously polite!

"I'm really just a darling, but sometimes I took it out on you."

- Wow! You are something cute at all. Okay, go enjoy the view of the Tuileries!

Lisa realized that everyone was too indulgent to her now. "I cheated on his girlfriend, but he didn't raise an eyebrow! Strange, strange, "she said in surprise. But there was nothing strange about that. Everyone tried to please her, to comfort her, to support her. Lisa just wanted to kick them in the face for such behavior. She was terribly annoyed by the universal love and attention. "Sometimes the care of others is a burden, it turns out!" - Lisa thought and put out her cigarette butt in the ashtray. "After all, glory is a universal pass! Wherever you want, there you go. I can yell at the waiter and no one will say a word to me. I can ask to make everything here with cacti, and in half an hour they will already fulfill my request. Now Benny also fawns in front of me only because I had an abortion, which I myself needed. And I forgot that I once killed our child. Lykova, you are always dissatisfied with something! If Benny yells, you don't like it, if Benny is calm, you don't like that either. «Lisa took off her yellow motley jacket and shoes with ten-centimeter heels, and then headed to the shower. There she saw an unthinkable number of bathing devices: bath foams, shower gels, hair removal gel, shampoos, conditioners, scented candles, aromatic oils, face scrubs, heels, and intimate hygiene soaps. "Jake did his best! It's like a cheerleader is here to bathe, along with the women's soccer team! And Jake got tired of apologizing," Lisa was indignant, choosing foam for the bath, and there were about twenty of them. Her eyes darted at such a variety of options. In the end, she settled on bubble bath with honey and milk.

Lisa heard that an SMS message had come. She took her phone out of her shirt pocket. "Hello! I will not be able to attend the concert: I will fly in the day after tomorrow. French television will be shocked by us. Kisses". Joe's every message lifted Lisa's spirits incredibly. She jumped into the empty bathtub and screamed.

- Joe's coming! Joe is coming!

She, of course, knew that he would come: they had a scheduled appearance on French television, but now she realized it fully. Paris and Joe, what could be better? Only that Peter will not come with him: he was busy with a new project and no longer fiddled with Sunny honey. Peter Temple now trusted Lisa and her taste, relied on Benny for the choice of musical material. He was only going to join them in Rome.

- Joe, welcome back! For many years, your fans have been waiting for new hits, and now you are with us again!

- Thank you!

- Tell me, what prompted you to return to the stage?

- Extreme need.

There was deafening laughter in the studio.

- Extreme need for creativity.

Joe took off his sunglasses in a manner that drew an incessant applause.

- Yes, he has eyes! Imagine! - exclaimed Lisa, - Someone has to write songs, jump on trampolines, but he just took off his glasses and everything is crazy!

This time Joe himself laughed. He ran a sleek, snow-white hand through his gel-slicked hair. He looked like a porcelain figurine, he was frighteningly beautiful. The presenter just glared at him. She was ready to eat it at the earliest opportunity. It seemed that only the Lisa sitting between them interfered with this.

- I wanted to say that I realized how much I lack creativity. Over the past five years, I have never performed in front of a large audience, have not written a single song, I, what to say, wasted time and money. And I am glad that cooperation with Sunny honey and, in particular, with Lisa gave me the opportunity to return to my favorite work.

- Yes, by the way, about that. Your clip "Umbrellas Are in Bloom" literally breaks all chats! Tell me, who owns the idea of this creation?

- It belongs entirely to Lisa. It was she who prompted us all to go to the Sahara. Quicksand just clouded her mind, she did not want to think about other options.

He put his left hand behind Lisa, on the side of the sofa.

- Of course, a stupid question, but how do you feel about what the group Sunny honey and Lisa are doing?

- I'm a fan!

- Oh, even so!

- I have not seen such a combination of soulful female vocals, heavy riffs and jumping on a trampoline for a long time.

- Yes, Lisa's jumping from the trampoline into the hall has already become a legend. The Lisa is silent for something today. It doesn't look like her at all.

- It's just that we have it so: when Peter or Joe speaks, the others keep quiet.

- Tell me, Joe, does she never interrupt you? I cannot believe it!

- She interrupts me only in cards, and never in words.

- Lisa, did you enjoy working with Joe?

- Awful, scary, I really liked it. Quicksand froze from his gaze.

The studio burst into applause, whistles, laughter.

- I'll blush now. It must be the same ... Thank you, dear, thank you!

- Transfer me thanks to the bank account!

"For such a comparison, Joe, you simply have to do it," the presenter agreed.

- That's for sure.

- What are your plans, guys?

- Sunny honey is currently on a world tour. Here are my plans for the coming year.

- And I'm currently working on a new album.

- Oh Joe, can we hope for a new album?

- He will. I promise. Pretty soon. And I'm also going to give a charity concert for a fund to help HIV-infected people. In London. This is a very large-scale event, we are working hard to make it take place. Several of my close friends will also perform there, including Sunny honey. This concert will be televised live on MTV. We are looking forward to this great event. And we will be happy to provide real help to people who have been diagnosed with a terrible HIV diagnosis.

- Joe, this is amazing! All your fans are jubilant, I'm sure.

- Yes, even though entrance tickets will cost as much as their monthly salary.

- Joe, but those of your fans who cannot get to the concert will watch it on TV or on-line.

- This is especially pleasing.

- Well, now Joe Thompson and Sunny honey will perform the song so beloved by everyone. The umbrellas are opening!

A bronze ashtray on white silk sheets annoyed Lisa, but she really wanted to smoke. As if for ages she had not seen good acquaintances and now, finally, she can talk to them.

- Since when do you smoke? Joe was surprised.

- Ever since you became straight.

- I have a bad influence on you, as well as you on me.

- But in a couple of days Peter will arrive and will not let you go a single step. He is always, always there. And what is most disgusting - I understand that he loves you no less than me, and maybe even more. And you have been together for twenty years, and he did so much for you. And I am so disgusted that I have to steal you from time to time, and then return you to your place. If only he didn't notice, if only Peter didn't start to show who is the boss in the house… Peter is our everything! Founding father, leader, tyrant, despot.

Joe hugged Lisa and began kissing her shoulders. His embrace always made Lisa shiver. She was turned on by the mere sight of him, and when he touched her, she was just ready to go crazy with pleasure. She understood that, most likely, they would never be together again: otherwise, sooner or later, the truth would be revealed, and it would be impossible for both of them to look Peter in the eye. Until Peter knows, they could imagine that they are not doing anything reprehensible.

"Do you know the last time I had sex with a woman?"

- Ten minutes ago.

- I mean before you. Twenty three years ago.

- Yes, you go!

- Seriously. I say, you spoil me.

- Come here, I'll spoil you a little more.

She wanted to shout: "Joe, I love you!" She wanted to say, "Spit on Peter!" She wanted to never let him go. But common sense did not allow her to do this. "I cannot love fully, I cannot hate with all my heart, I cannot have children! Why is it always necessary to limit yourself ?! Prohibitions, prohibitions, prohibitions! You cannot let yourself go: you will immediately be put in a much less comfortable cage, forced to do all sorts of nonsense. Until then, I have everything. So far I even have Joe. "

- Joe, I adore you!

- I love you too, my darling.

He gave her incredible pleasure. "It looks like everything he does, he does at the highest level! I didn't think such people exist. He has practically no flaws! He's almost perfect." The Lisa was ready to eat it. She did not have the strength to tear herself away from him. She didn't have the strength to give it back to Peter. Lisa realized that she did not want anyone else so badly. Lisa realized that she had not loved before. Such a man you want, you don't want to fall in love with, and if he is also not averse to having sex with you, then you cannot imagine how you can then live without him, how to pay attention to other guys. Lisa realized that he takes up all the free space in his heart and does not let anyone else go there. He takes the whole person, everything without a trace. And he distracted her from all the problems. She was so happy around Joe that the rest simply didn't matter. Joe was an obsession, a natural disaster, anything but someone to be indifferent to.

"It seemed that even such a venerable producer as Peter Temple would find it difficult to surprise us with something. Moreover, no one expected that he would create a rock band that would win the hearts of millions. Peter Temple's only rock project was the Sunshine group, which disbanded five years ago under very strange circumstances, and since then the famous producer has not ventured into rock music. He was only interested in pop culture. And all of his new projects have not enjoyed much success, with the exception, perhaps, of Katie Bilson. Many were already beginning to doubt the incredible intuition of the music mogul, who once opened the world to Joe Thompson himself. The newspapers vied with each other: "Where is that glorified flair for the talents of Peter Temple? Now he only lets out on stage voiceless girls with long legs, hoping their legs are long to compensate for their lack of talent." And then he showed the world Sunny honey.

This project was initially flawless: the girls squealed with delight at the sight of the cute musicians of the group, while the main driving force of this group is Lisa Longlake. The girl, who never seemed to be filmed for men's magazines, did not play silly people in TV shows, and almost everyone loves her. Lisa Longlake leaves no one indifferent. Girls want to imitate her, guys want to get to know her. And the majority are amazed by the fact that until recently this rock princess sang in hot places, and no one even out of their ears heard about her. And then, overnight, Peter Temple turned her into a world-class star. You can say that the girl next door performs at the stadiums, she is applauded by thousands of fans, she has several million followers on Twitter. The story of Lisa Longlake is similar to that of Cinderella, and all people love fairy tales, no matter what. The incredible charisma of this girl is undeniable. It is worth watching at least one of her performances on stage, at least one program with her participation, as you understand that it was not in vain that Peter Temple gave her a chance. Fans never get tired of quoting her, fans never get tired of listening to her gorgeous voice endlessly.

But the group, of course, remains at the top of the charts not only thanks to the charm of Lisa. It should be noted the excellent musical material of the Sunny honey group, which is written by a member of the group Benny and none other than Joe Thompson himself. Their songs are new, fresh, they feel their own style of the group. It's not just rock and roll. This is a disconnection from reality. This is a lifestyle. Lisa Longlake herself best described the music of the group in one of her many interviews, which all parse into quotes: "Imagine that God has sex with the devil! This is our music." Ambitious, arrogant, but not so far from the truth. Her voice excites millions, their music drives you crazy, the lyrics of their songs are engraved in your memory. And what is most interesting, no one in the group feels deprived and unfulfilled. Benny Longlake, who is also the singer's ex-husband, is almost more popular with fans than herself. Drummer Ian and bassist Ian Lung have appeared on the cover of a famous men's sports magazine: looking at them, you really want to play sports. They are in perfect physical shape. Keyboardist and backing vocalist C.J. has become just an idolall people of the wrong orientation after his statement: "I am gay, but not a terrorist!" They are a wonderful complementary team. And most importantly, this is just the beginning. The group has just started a world tour, just filmed a second video (by the way, with the participation of Joe Thompson). It is difficult to imagine what lies ahead for them. Let's hope that they will continue to delight us with new breathtaking songs, clips, shows. Their songs are already changing destinies, pushing the lives of people completely unfamiliar to concerts. I must say that Sunny honey fans are the best fans you can imagine: they never parted when Lisa jumped from a trampoline into the hall, never believed the gossip that the yellow press spread about her. They always support each other in difficult situations (I talked with many fans of the group, believe me, they are really very friendly), they consider themselves a huge family. And if something was the reason for the creation of an exemplary family, then it is definitely not created in vain. "

- Not an article, but a bag of sugar. Is it custom, or what? - Lisa asked Peter, closing the magazine.

- No, not at all. It's just that this Italian is a fan of the band.

- Ah, then I understand.

- By the way, he wants to interview you. He's just ready to sell his soul to the devil, just to interview you.

- Wow, what a word, Peter, you uttered. Interview... Interview...

- Interview.

- Yeah.

"You'll have dinner with him, amaze him with your wit and Italian fans are guaranteed.

- Maybe I should give him an interview in the issue?

- As you want.

- Come on, Peter! The last time you scheduled a date ended in pregnancy!

- Honey, I didn't ask you to sleep with him. I asked you to just have dinner with him. And this time too.

- Okay. I have a boyfriend after all.

- Which you have not seen for a month for sure. I sense Chris Barnes will be retired soon.

- And by whose grace, let me ask! By the way, how did you get there?

- I flew fine. Stewardesses in first class first class.

- Why aren't you on your Boeing?

- Under repair.

- Even so?

- Yeah. How was the concert, how was the TV show?

- Well. Everyone is just peeing with boiling water, so happy to see Joe back.

- Yes, sir, my girl, you are perhaps the best thing that happened to us over the past five years. You are a flawless project, and also encouraged Joe to return to the stage.

- Oh yes, if not for my abortion, he would still be sunbathing near your infinity pool.

- No doubt. By the way, I'll go to him, otherwise I flew in and immediately to you. I need to see my hitchhiker.

- Go, go. Make yourself a romantic getaway in Rome: just you, him and macaroni.

- He doesn't eat pasta.

- And, exactly, he is watching the figure. I think in a couple of years I will have to elicit from Joe the secret of his eternal youth. He looks like a maximum of thirty! And he is forty-five after all!

"It feeds on the blood of little boys.

"Mm, I'll have to look for those boys with magic blood later.

- You still have time. Do not worry!

- Okay, cap.

When Peter left, she imagined what he was going to do with Joe and she felt uneasy. She tucked her head under the pillow and muttered, "I am a wretched creature! Now I don't have Joe either! "

"As I love to give interviews, words cannot describe it! If I had my way, I would have been interviewed all my life! It is so pleasant to chat and it is so unpleasant to start putting these conversations into practice! How I love these blah blah! So that the fans have something to savor! And then my quotes are still misinterpreted or reduced to impossible. They also choose something like "I love coconut milk, but that's okay" in the headlines. Better to eat salt than read your interviews later! " - thought Lisa

Luigi's black, unkempt curls made Lisa smile. The journalist turned out to be extremely funny, and this could not but please Lisa. Most of all in her life she hated two things: tucking a blanket into a duvet cover and bores. Her bores were very depressing, her mood immediately fell next to boring people.

- Tell me, what is the secret of your inexhaustible energy?

- I'm on tranquilizers.

Luigi clearly did not expect such a statement. She already presented the headline "I'm on tranquilizers" and chuckled.

- It's a joke. As long as I can remember, I am always rushing. You see, you just can't stop, you just move forward, no matter what the circumstances. I don't need any doping to deal with the stress of life. I don't need drugs to be more effective. The main drug is life! She will bring us all to the grave sooner or later. Life is a source of inspiration, life is a source of joy, life is a source of depression. Everything that surrounds you can be directed towards creating something new, unknown, useful, or you can direct it towards your own detriment. It all depends on what choice you make. Oh, I was clearly distracted from the original question.

- Nothing, nothing, it's even nothing. Since we're on the topic of drugs, tell me, have you ever had a problem with drugs?

- It was the drugs that had problems with me. They is one hundred times I was tempted, but they never succeeded.

She presented the headline "The drugs had a problem with me" and smiled inwardly.

- A worthy answer. And hopefully true.

- Absolutely. Next question.

- Where the babies come from?

A curly-haired guy in a denim shirt amused Lisa with this question. This time she had to pick up her jaw.

- In this I still, thank God, have not figured it out.

She presented the headline, "I can't figure out where babies come from," and mentally burst out laughing.

- Do you always enjoy your work?

- I don't think I'm working. Work, I think, is something unpleasant, routine, depressing. And I try to give positive emotions to myself and our listeners. I am entertaining myself and my fans. I only get pleasure from the very process of creating a song, a video, and never from the result.

- That is, you are never satisfied with the result of your work?

- Yes.

- But millions of people are satisfied with the result of your work!

- You can always do better. Is not it so?

- Sure. What do you dislike most about your appearance?

- You puzzled me. Perhaps the big toe on the left foot. It was broken, and then it did not grow together correctly. Now it's a little crooked.

- Wow! Show me!

"For some reason, I had no doubt that you would ask me to do this. And what's so interesting about a crooked finger?

Lisa removed the red shoe from her little foot and placed her foot on the sofa cushion. It looked very sexy. She noticed that Luigi quickly turned away, so as not to get into a mess. He immediately became embarrassed, covered his mouth with his hand. His breathing quickened. "Lord, I'm becoming like Joe! Everyone wants to cum at the sight of one of my feet! What an abomination!" - Lisa thought and returned her foot to a designer shoe.

- I apologize. Something I did not have time to consider the crooked finger. Come on. Let's continue! Wow! Luigi, calm down!

He held his breath and then took a sip of water.

- Do you regret anything in your life?

- In my life, I only regret that there are only twenty-four hours in a day. I do not have time for anything practically, I am always late.

- Everyone would not have time to do so. By the way, I must admit, you weren't late for the interview.

- So I was just dragged out of the hotel room and taken here. So anyone will be punctual.

- Clear. I think I'll have to ask a question about your personal life.

- Maybe not to risk it?

- I will risk it all the same. What advice would you give to couples who are getting divorced so that they remain friendly and not hate each other? After all, you are on very good terms with your ex-husband.

"Oh yeah! Benny and I just don't have souls in each other! "

- My ex-husband and I are in a wonderful relationship. He supports me in difficult situations and he is one of the few people I can really trust. As for advice, I try not to give them, since each story is individual and you should never row one size fits all. And who am I to advise! After all, I have not yet built any lasting relationships, have not started a family, children.

- You and Benny survived the death of the child? How did you deal with this?

- As you can see, we failed. We broke up. I would not like to raise this issue.

- Understand. But would you like more children?

- Someday it will be necessary, but not in the near future. Now I am focused on work.

"Same questions every time? Everyone cares what happened to my child there. Everyone cares why Benny and I are talking. Now he is asking about Chris. Don't go to the fortuneteller though! "

- What about Chris Barnes? Readers are particularly interested in this question.

- I think Chris is a very witty, sweet, decent person. More, perhaps, I will not say anything on this issue.

- I understand, I understand. What would you wish our readers? Your life motto.

- Fly to your dream on the wings of hope! If you can't fly, run towards your dream. If you can't run, go. If you can't go - crawl. If you can't crawl - lie in the direction of your dream! But just believe!

- Yes, you are a dreamer, as I see.

- Yes, I am the greatest dreamer on this earth! Let them at least give me such a title! I deserve it. I have lived with only dreams so much that it seemed that they would remain just dreams. But at some point, dreams got off the ground and went on increasing.

- Thank you for such a fascinating interview! I just perked up and am ready for new achievements, Lisa!

- Well, it's nice if my words not only shake the air.

- Happy performance today! I am sure the Italian fans will not disappoint you.

- Thank you! I think if the Italian press did not disappoint, then the fans will not disappoint.

- That is, I conducted the interview passably?

"Better than just bearable. The questions were pretty tricky and interesting.

- You flatter me!

- Not at all. Nice to meet you, Luigi!

- And how nice it is for me! I still can't believe I'm talking to you. Although I have interviewed so many celebrities! I thought I was used to it. But you are a special case!

- Glad to be a special occasion! Until!

- I will not forget this conversation. Bye, Lisa! By the way, can we but to get to your after-party in Milan? And then something is difficult to get a ticket for this event.

- I'll tell Jake to write you an invitation. Contact him!

- OK.

The black-browed, black-eyed, curly-haired Italian finally deigned to leave. The Lisa immediately ordered a bolognese for herself: she did not eat anything all day, since she could not stand eating in public. And when she ate pasta, everyone looked at her with such condemnation: you do not care about your figure at all, do you have any idea how many calories it contains! Therefore, she preferred to eat in secret. While no one saw, she slowly ate chips, chocolates, cakes. She was not inclined to be overweight, she could not afford to go on a strict diet all the time. And she was constantly on such a drive that she burned, it seemed to her, two thousand calories a day. She couldn't stop even for a minute. "Only forward!" - she constantly urged herself.

And again the house in which there were still lifes with skulls and a scorpion, nicknamed Joe, lived. The Lisa managed to miss this well-equipped lair of the vampire veterinarian. Subdued light, calm music came from the speakers. The Lisa went to Chris's bedroom. She hoped that she would catch him with some vampire Isolde, that is, the girl who played this role in the series. She really wanted to yell at him so that he didn't have time to start doing the same. But he was lying on the bed with his laptop in his arms. He fell asleep writing the script. The Lisa sighed heavily and sat down next to him. Chris opened his eyes.

- Wow, what people! Thank you for honoring us with your presence, your rock and roll majesty!

- Yes, here I am.

- And where did you disappear, mademoiselle?

- First, shooting the video in Egypt, then concerts in Paris, Rome, Milan, London, Dublin. Don't you look at our fan site? There is a full account of everything I do.

- I am glad that everything is fine with you, dear! But remember the last time you called me! It seems two months ago. I called Jake, in hotels, wanted to talk to you, and you were always on the set, then at concerts, then at interviews, then at meetings with fans, then at the after-party! I have never been able to talk to you in two months! And what happened to the child? With our child?

- He's gone.

"Is that why I'm not surprised at all?" You didn't even bother to tell me that you had an abortion! You just disappeared for two months and did not answer your calls!

- So many things piled up at once! I was just being torn apart. Now I am ready to listen to you, to find out once again what a bastard I am, a fool, an irresponsible person, an idiot.

- I also have to explain to you what you already know ?! Nope. I'd rather just throw you out the window! Because no one has ever treated me so disgustingly. You put my heart in a juicer and squeezed all the juices out of it, your mother! I just pressed a button! As if nothing had happened, as if I was not a man at all! Of course, who am I for Lisa Longlake to reckon with my opinion, with my feelings.

- I understand that I acted disgustingly. But you also understand me. Peter was pushing me, and you know what his gift of persuasion is. And I just started performing, I just started to work normally. He gave me the chance that millions dream of. I couldn't just give a damn about him, myself, the guys in the band.

"So you only gave a damn about me alone.

- Yes. In that situation, it turned out to be the simplest solution. I know that the most difficult decision is often the most correct one, but I could not leave the group.

"Of course you chose to leave me. I can't understand one thing, why are you explaining all this to me, what do you want from me? I know you came to leave me. You came to pick up your favorite pompom slippers.

- But we had to dot the i's. And yet you need to disperse humanly.

- Blimey! You need to disperse as a human being! You need to behave like a human, not like a pig. I don't know, and why I didn't just get you in the face, but listen patiently to all this shit!

- Ok, Chris, it was nice to chat, I'll go. I will enjoy my bastardism.

Chris got out of bed and put on a palm-lined shirt on the ottoman. And Lisa involuntarily thought: "After all, he is a gorgeous guy! I shouldn't have done this to him! Very ugly! Disgusting from myself. "

"If you want to call me, remember what you did to me and hang up. If you want to say hello, remember what you did to me and walk by. Just don't get in my sight!

"Okay, I'll take your wishes into account, Mr. Barnes.

- And further. If I start calling you, remember what you did to me and hang up. If I get drunk and come to you, remember what you did and send me out.

- Okay.

"When you were backstage at Carnegie Hall, I was so happy. It was one of the best moments of my life. When I recounted your words at the end, I considered myself to be a genius of some sort! I was so in love. Into you, into yourself, into life. And you just took and trampled me. I bulldozed it. Now take your clothes, and get out!

"Why can I argue with him? He was still quite gentle towards me. Still, men with a real sense of humor are more loyal, kindhearted, understanding. An ordinary man would just hit with his right foot, but he would not allow himself anything like that. I am amazed at his restraint. Yes, I came to tell him goodbye. Yes, I came to leave him. I was scared to death of meeting him, as I was tormented by remorse, but I understood that I simply had to explain everything to him. And I have a flight to Madrid in two hours. Why do I look like a bitch, a slut, a heartless creature all the time? Maybe I am like that?"

- Good luck, Chris!

- I hope you really know what you're doing.

He began to cry, and Lisa hurried to the door to keep Chris retaining some rest of his composure. She wanted to disappear from this house in a split second. "And I believed that we have this for a long time! His solo album in New York was really cool," she recalled as she took her things from the next room.

In the tunnel, the driver stopped at the side of the road. Another car was already waiting for them. They often did this to break away from journalists, but today Lisa was not aware of the transplant.

- Dave, did I have to change the car today?

- Jake is there. He will take you to the airport.

- Oh no! I won't go with him alone! Go!

- But he said he would take you himself.

- I don't want to go with him!

- Lisa, I cannot disobey him!

- Whose driver are you? His or mine?

- He hired me five years ago.

Jake had already knocked on the window beside her.

- Come out, Lisa!

He was, as always, in a strict business suit, in patent leather boots, with a short haircut, clean shaven: that is who did not allow himself anything superfluous. He was in control of everything. In his small dark eyes, with the naked eye, one could see remarkable intelligence and self-control. His ability to do everything on time and solve any problems was admirable. Sometimes he seemed to Lisa as a magician: he managed everything so easily and quickly. As if by magic, Jake took out dry ice in a matter of seconds, if Lisa asked him, dry martini if Benny asked him, girls to whom Ian was already so used that he did not even ask Jake for them, but perceived them as something for granted. Jake spoke on the phone for everyone. If someone needed something from Peter, Joe, Lisa, Benny, they would go to Jake first. He decided whether it was worth bringing the request to the attention of the "greats" or not worth attention. This man, undoubtedly, possessed incredible stress resistance, because he had to solve millions of problems in a day, so that the "greats" did not face them personally. And now his "reinforced concrete" irritated Lisa in earnest.

She rolled down the window and said:

- Go to hell! I won't go with you.

- You will go. Need to talk!

- We have already discussed everything with you.

- You can't stand here for a long time. Come out!

The Lisa did not have time to recover, as he opened the door. He quickly threw her over his shoulder and put her in the car. Dave handed him Lisa's suitcase. Jake directed all her movements again. It was impossible for him to argue.

- You can go, Dave! Then we ourselves!

- Do you think if you are such an elk, then it gives you the right to drag me around like a carcass ?! - Lisa shouted at him.

Jake got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

- Well, how did it go? Jake asked.

- Well. As you can see, I am alive and I even took my slippers. And now he hates me.

- You are already used to this. Fine. Chris has a kind heart. You know, I even liked this guy.

- I liked him very much too.

- Soon I will begin to hate you, but I am not as harmless as they are. Lisa, Lisa, if I were you, I would be warned.

- What are you talking about?

- Would you like some advice? I know it's none of my business, but get Joe out of your head. He will never be yours. Peter helped him off the needle, Peter made a career for him, Peter took care of every little thing so that Joe didn't have to worry about anything. They depend on each other. And they are connected too much. Plus, queers are all so sentimental.

- What?!

- Did you think that I would not know anything? My main responsibility is to always be in the know.

- So why didn't you tell him anything? You work for him.

"The second most important part of my job is to keep Peter Temple's peace of mind.

"You know, I feel like the lousiest person in the whole wide world right now.

- Not the best, that's for sure. I'll forgive you. It's Joe Thompson, after all - an idol of youth, an icon, a legend and all that. How not to sleep with him, if possible! But if I catch you again, or even just suspect that you are fucking again, I will tell Peter everything. And jokes with him are bad! Do you understand me?

- The hints are very transparent!

- I was out of my skin, begging for forgiveness, but, it turns out, you yourself have fined! Lisa, Lisa, I, of course, expected everything from you, but to encroach on the sacred! Joe! You have completely lost your fear! Frostbitten!

- He is Zeus and he helped me deal with the decision.

- Do you think he cared about you? He realized that the only way to keep you in the group is by himself. He just helped Peter. Enthusiast, damn it! I took the initiative.

- Probably.

"Or do you think Benny cares about you?" All he cares about is that you took away his happy time. You know, I told him.

- About what?

- About the terry carpet in the hotel. And do you know what he answered? He said, "Finally, at least someone put her in her place!" He hit me five and continued, "Man, Jake! Serves her right! " If you think that he changed his mind about recording an album with me, then you are wrong. If he still loved you, he would have stuffed my face.

- How! Will beat Benny in the face of such a bully.

- But you were able to kick me in the face! And he didn't even try. He hates you more than he loves you.

- All this is so disgusting, scary, disgusting, awful that it's even good. And I understand Benny much better now than I did six months ago. I understood what it really means to hate a person and continue to communicate with him. I understood what it means to carry a grudge and try to pretend that nothing happened. It tears you apart, it kills the best in you.

- Are you talking about me? Didn't you understand that only I need you! Everything! I am tired of this. Rock and roll, what can you say!

- You better tell me, is it always like this? No options?

- Of course, there is always a way out. In the end, if all the doors are walled up, you can break through the floor and dig yourself a passage.

"You're just a management genius, Jake! I remember: "I just take it, and then I think about the consequences."

- The third part of my job is to always be the best. Trust me, Peter Temple has the best. He does not need anything else. And the point is not at all that he is so picky, but that if you have the opportunity to take the best from life, you have no desire to take leftovers.

- You can't argue with that.

- Once again I will see you next to Joe, I will not be silent, and you will see what Peter Temple is in anger.

- I get it, Jake, okay.

- By the way, how about dinner in Madrid? As soon as we arrive. I think I need to get at least a little benefit from the accumulated information. I have liked you for a long time, but there was such a line that I stood quietly on the sidelines. But now you seem to be free.

- Fuck! Jake's talking about tomatoes! And the conversation started so well! Jake, I'm not a rolling banner!

- So stop being it! My condition: I am silent in a rag, dinner in Madrid. Preferably naked.

- Fuck! I just have no words.

- So just say yes.

- Fuck your ass, Jake! Are you blackmailing me?

- Blackmail is the most effective method. No, why don't I get some benefit for myself too ?! When else will they manage to catch you. We need to catch you in time!

"Given my obsession with getting yourself into trouble, you will be able to do that very soon.

- I have waited so long!

- You? Have you waited? Thank you very much for not pinning me to the floor when we first met in the elevator!

- Let's close this topic! I was wrong, you were wrong. Now we are quits.

- How simple it is with you!

"If you don't calm down, I'll change the condition for the airplane toilet.

- No way, Jake! No more men! Recently, something has become too much sex in my life. I decided to slow down. For a very long time. Maybe even go to a monastery. My strength is gone. This is just some kind of horror!

- Yeah, she wanted to go to the monastery! Figurines for you! I'm not going to slow down. I'm just accelerating.

- Let's talk about it next month!

- You are crazy? So that hipsters cross my path again! Never! In general, I'm tired of apologizing. You think for a long time, so I change the condition for the toilet on the plane, and then dinner in Madrid. No more excuses! We, of course, did not start with that, but we will have time to catch up.

- I have no choice again?

- Nope.

"No, I can't see these men anymore! I have an overdose! To make them all fail! Yes, let them go to hell! I hate them all! Yes, so that all of them! " -

Lisa was angry. But most of all she was angry with Jake. "He always gets what he wants, brute! King of the jungle, your mother! It is useless to talk to him, to beg, to explain something. If he has decided something - just do it!" This time she thought in Russian, which had happened less and less lately. She remembered all the obscene Russian words. "At first I had to obey only Peter, and now also to him! Less and less I am that free Lisa that was in the beginning! Now I am some kind of doll that needs to be brought to the stage! And then how, to return to the slums and then what to do? "

It was about one in the morning when Lisa entered her hotel room. She immediately noticed that white roses in crystal vases were everywhere. "Did I include white roses in the rider? It seems not. Is this all Jake, or what? " - thought Lisa, taking off her bulky black sneakers with red stripes. She felt that something was missing. After a couple of seconds, she realized that she had lost her handbag. She was instantly overcome by panic, because there was a phone in which you could find a lot of candid photos, and even the coordinates of many famous people. "I forgot her in the car!" - shouted Lisa. There was a knock at the door. First she saw her purse, and then Jake.

- I'm a muddler!

- I do not argue.

- It's all because of you! I was on edge. And these flight attendants stared at us all the time. They, of course, guessed why you left the toilet a few minutes after me.

She reached out for her purse, but Jake held the design miracle up. He was no less than a meter ninety in height, so the handbag that turned out to be at a height of more than two meters was out of reach for Lisa. She jumped, but did not manage to grab her purse. Jake entered the room and slammed the door. Then he threw the purse on the dresser. In the next instant, Lisa tasted his lips.

"Someone seemed to be talking about dinner, not sex. I'm hungry, and you've already got sex.

- I, in principle, can and have dinner. Do you have any food, Lisa? I see an apple.

He went to the table and took an apple from the fruit basket.

"You didn't know there was food here!" He himself ordered to put everything here with pineapples, apples, mangoes, pies. This time there are innovations: white roses and candlesticks in the form of mermaids are everywhere.

- You love mermaids: you have a mermaid on your Twitter avatar, and a mermaid on your Facebook avatar.

- How observant you are!

- I have to. The work is like this. And the room is just gorgeous, however!

He walked over to the huge bed and fell onto it.

- Wow! Bomb mattress!

Jake took a bite of the apple.

- Something you are completely insolent, don't you think? Don't you think that you again, as you put it then, beguiled the sides?

- Me? I am the most humble person on the planet.

- It is noticeable.

The Lisa lay down next to him and began to examine the chandelier, which shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. It was simply impossible to take your eyes off her. The Lisa raised her palm up and looked at the chandelier through her fingers: she seemed to be looking at the northern lights. It was beautiful, it was like Antarctica. For a split second, she felt an eerie cold, goose bumps covered her body. But then she returned to Madrid again.

"Jake, confess this chandelier hasn't been here before, has it?"

- They hung in the morning, as far as I know. Rock crystal, which was mined in China on the island of Hainan.

- The crystal is beautiful.

- Well, you once said that you want to see the northern lights so that you don't want to see anything else. It seems very similar not to the northern lights.

- Yes. Why are you trying to be nice when you already get what you want?

- Okay. You can kick me out today. Today you can say, "Get out, Jake!" Or you can do whatever you want with this body.

- Why are you taking off your shirt then?

- It's hot something. You turned off the air conditioner.

"I don't want my voice to sit down. Why do you start undressing me then?

- You're hot too.

Lisa looked at his abs and covered her eyes with her hand. But she touched it with the other hand. Jake put her on top of him. When Lisa ran her hand into his fly, the phone vibrated in his pocket. She slowly thrust her hand into that pocket and Jake almost finished at that moment.

"This is Peter," said Lisa.

He pulled his hand to the phone, but Lisa did not think to give it up. And she continued to hold his cock, it was so difficult for Jake to move.

"I wonder how angry Peter will be that you don't answer his calls when it's not even three in the morning?"

- This is a prohibited technique.

- You said that today I can do whatever I want.

Jake twisted her hand and still got his phone.

- Yes, Peter. What?! You and Joe don't know how to turn on the shower? So there is no need to press these valves, the water turns on automatically. Temperature control valves! Yes, to make the water hotter or colder. I'm already asleep, Pete. No, I will not turn on the water for you. Try again as I said. Happened? Excellent!

On the word "excellent" Lisa bit his cock.

- That's it, Pete, good night! Till tomorrow!

When she began to lick his penis like an ice cream, Jake's phone vibrated again.

- Two o'clock in the morning! Imagine, this is Benny, - he was indignant.

- Send him to hell!

- Yes, Benny. What are the problems with the shower? He works. It's just automatic. Valves for temperature regulation. To the left it is colder, to the right it is warmer. No, I can't have a drink with you, I'm already asleep. Somehow without me!

Lisa took his phone and, turning it off, threw it on the ottoman.

- Why did you stop? It was cool!

- I got overwhelmed! I'm tired today. And tomorrow is a tough day. I'll go to the shower and sleep. You can go to your room.

- It's cruel!

- It happens.

"Your revenge is too damn awful.

- And here's another slap in the face, so that you do not sleep at all.

She slapped him in the face with all her might and went to the shower contentedly.

- To stand! You know, I'll go first. Something I don't have the strength to go to my place. I'll wash myself here.

- Will you go to my shower?

- I'm so tired too. And so he was sweating. I'll go freshen up. Have something to eat here for now.

Jake gave her no time to argue and took the bathroom. The Lisa pounced on the water as he left. She had the feeling that she hadn't drunk for two days. She washed her face a little. Jake showed up shortly thereafter, wearing only a towel on his thighs. Drops of water were still running down his skin. Jake's biceps gleamed with the aromatic oil.

- It's so cute there! So many body oils. I was born again.

- What is this underwear advertisement?

- What kind of underwear? What are you talking about? There's nothing on me.

He opened the towel and immediately put it back on.

- Oh, you are yours heartless lie! This is also a forbidden technique!

- I just don't have pajamas. I just.

He fell on the bed next to Lisa. "The almost two-meter body, which does not crawl out of the gym, is spread out on my bed! Jake is an animal! "

- I'm so tired. I'll sleep here. You go there in the shower, put on your pajamas. I'll be asleep already.

- I certainly won't be able to sleep.

- Imagine that I am not here!

"But you're here.

Jake snored defiantly. Lisa tried to push him out of bed, but could not move this body even a couple of centimeters. Only the towel moved and exposed his buttocks.

- Jake, I can't do that!

- Say: "Jake, stay!"

- Do you always win?

- I would be a champion if not for the injury.

- Okay, I say: "Jake, get out!" But you promised.

He got out of bed completely naked. Lisa herself did not understand how she got off her tongue:

- Jake, stay!

So that she did not have time to change her mind, Jake, without saying a word, pulled off her jeans, bra and in a few seconds was already lying on her. His body was warm, and the water droplets from his hair cooled Lisa. She almost lost her mind with the approaching desire and said:

- I'll burn in hell for this.

Jake began to slowly enter her, and then rolled onto her side, lifting her thigh. The Lisa trembled like a leaf in the wind. He quickened. She grabbed his shoulders like a rail on a ride.

- You feel good? Jake asked.

- More than.

Then some kind of unreal shaking began. The Lisa wanted to squeal with delight, but she held back.

- Jake!

- What did you say?

- Your name.

- Now you will pronounce this name very often.

She persisted and held back the orgasm with all her might. But Jake caught her at the moment of greatest weakness and orgasm came. At that moment, she uttered his name, almost gasping for breath. He realized that he had reached the goal. They looked into each other's eyes.

- Are you not afraid of me anymore?

- I don't think I know you at all.

- I can be different.

- Today you are a teddy bear. A teddy bear that I don't know at all.

- I'm here now, and the rest is bullshit!

"I don't even know how old you are.

- Thirty six. I have a son, he is ten. I have never been married to his mother.

He rested his head on her chest. Her heart pounded even faster.

- You never talked about him.

- I don't see him that often, but he is a handsome man and an athlete. Karate player. I can show you a photo if you decided to check my dossier today.

- Show me.

He only needs to rise a little in order to reach with his long arms to the ottoman, where Lisa left his phone. Soon, he showed a photo of a boy with a perfect smile. He was wearing a kimono and with a medal around his neck. It could be filmed in commercials. The boy looked perfect. The Lisa did not notice how she shed a tear.

- You are crying? I understand that I am very good, but not to the same degree!

- I just remembered. And you are happy. Cool kid! And he looks like you.

- You will be even better. They say I have a talent in this area too.

- How presumptuous!

- I'm quite ready to be a dad again.

- I hated you yesterday, and now you propose to close up a child for me. Cool!

"So you don't hate it anymore?" I think you adore me now, it's okay.

Lisa was surprised at how easily he managed to first erase her feelings for Chris, and then her feelings for Joe. It was as if he had dealt with her thoughts by force. I came, I saw, I took it. Now she only cared about Jake. He caused such conflicting feelings in her that it was impossible to ignore them. Lisa realized that she was now seriously hit.

When Lisa woke up, she saw Jacob sleeping, and she had a wild desire to kiss his forehead. Of course, a very strange desire at the sight of an almost two-meter mascara, but Lisa could not restrain herself. He woke up and brought her closer to him. But after a couple of seconds, Jake caught sight of a round clock hanging over the bed.

- Eleven! He exclaimed, and immediately jumped out of bed.

He quickly found his trousers and shirt, but the cufflinks disappeared without a trace in the vastness of a luxury hotel room. The Lisa tossed his jacket, which was lost in the boundless blanket.

"As far as I know, Peter gets up at ten. He's already searched you, I guess.

- Lisa, if you find cufflinks, call!

Jake headed for the exit. He moved incredibly fast.

- Jake, phone! I forgot on the couch.

Lisa had to get up and, wrapping herself in a blanket, carry him this phone to the door. Jake stepped on the blanket and it fell. The Lisa remained completely naked. Jake changed his mind about leaving and said:

- To hell with Peter!

After about twenty minutes, he nevertheless headed for the exit again. He kissed Lisa one last time and opened the door. Jake nearly collided with Joe. Someone they were definitely not expecting to see this morning. Jake and Lisa felt somehow uneasy: she was wrapped in a blanket, and Jake still had a boner. Here you don't need to go to a fortune teller to understand the situation. They were terribly embarrassed, but Joe felt very confident. Lisa and Jake were waiting for him to speak. They had no desire to start their morning conversation themselves. Joe folded his arms over his chest and said: "I was thinking this morning who I would lecture on promiscuous sex. And now a whole audience has gathered! Take a seat on the sofa. Turn around, Jake!

Jake and Lisa sat down on the sofa. Joe put on a stern expression and folded his arms over his chest.

- You guys have completely lost your scent. Jake, is it not enough for you that you fucked half of my fans and all Sunny Honey fans? You decided to get to our star. Why are you getting it all the time? It is not enough for you that you accidentally imprinted it on a terry carpet, did you decide to post it in all other places? I know your methods. Should have turned you into fagots when you were just hired, or castrated for FIG!

"That's who's mooing, Joe! Why did you come here yourself? Was hoping you would get something? You are not sinless.

"Don't teach me how to live, Jake Live! When you become Joe Thompson or at least a producer, let's talk! Until then, you are Peter's faithful dog. And don't bite the hand that feeds you! I'm worried about this fool too. Lisa, baby, you're out of your mind! After what he did, you should have kept him out of the cannon shot! You wanted to smack his head off with a baseball bat, and you hung up your ears and set up a trakhodr here with him. I, of course, understand everything, but both of you, of course, are finished. You don't fucking spoil the working atmosphere! Or decide already, you are a victim and a rapist or there is a guy with a girl. Otherwise, it will not lead to good, you will dissolve scandals here. Especially when you, Jake, will be fined, and you will certainly be fined again, I know you too well, she suddenly remembers that you are an animal. We don't need hysterics! She, Jake, already had enough problems. We barely pulled her onto the stage, we don't need new snot.

- Do you have that fatherly feelings woke up, pervert? You yourself would have remembered how you pulled her onto the stage.

- Jake, Jake, are you too quick, my boy? Everything that you have grabbed, everywhere you keep up.

- Well, come on, Joe, we'll fight here again!

- That's just not enough! - exclaimed Lisa.

- And you, dear, go and brush your hair! And then it looks like a washcloth. And I don't seem to be a nutcase: I'm not going to fight this boar. We are clearly in different weight classes. Plus, as if I don't know that he drenched everyone in some very heavy weight.

- If I hadn't drenched everyone in some very heavy weight, I would not have got to Harvard.

- No doubt. Moreover, if you had not soaked everyone, you would hardly have finished it.

- Maybe, after all, stuff your face? I don't care anymore! I prepared a safety cushion for myself.

- All this is incredibly interesting, of course, and I would love to see how it all ends, but I really want to go to the toilet. Bye boys! Get out of here! Please sort it out outside my room!

- Are you driving us out ?!

- Absolutely! Get out of here, I said! Both! You spoil my aura!

She pointed urgently to the door. They obeyed the Lisa and left. But after a moment she heard that someone fell in the corridor. She opened the door again and saw Joe lying unconscious on the floor.

- Jake, what have you done ?!

- I knocked him out. Damn, I didn't want to! He asked for it himself. Do you have ammonia?

- Of course, the whole tank is worth it! I'm always ready for the event that Jake knocks out Joe outside my room.

Jake dragged him by the legs into the room, and then laid him on the couch. There was complete silence. Jake slumped into a chair and sat Lisa on his lap. They looked first at Joe and then at each other. They felt like schoolchildren who smashed their parents' house to smithereens.

- Merry morning! Jake pointed out.

- And now what to do with him?

- Bring to life - not a problem! But here's how to explain to Peter the presence of a huge bump later.

- Let's say that he fell down the stairs, lost consciousness, and you saved him. Peter will immediately forget about your absence.

- Yeah, if only he confirmed everything.

He pointed towards Joe. Lisa went to the shower so as not to see Joe when he wakes up. Jake patted his cheeks. From such slaps in the face, the dead would come back to life. Joe opened his eyes sharply. For the first seconds he did not understand where he was, what had happened. He seemed to be reborn. But then he saw Jake, and everything returned to its place. He immediately recalled the chain of events.

- You knocked me out, or what?

- Joe, I'm sorry! I accidentally. I myself did not notice how I hit you on the head.

- Why, he did not notice.

Joe touched his forehead and found a giant bump.

- Your mother! Well, you!

He did not continue, as he could not find the appropriate expressions right now. Obscene words were confused in his head, and he could not choose what would be more offensive to voice out loud. As a result, he decided to use only normative vocabulary.

- Okay, Jake, let's cover it up. Take me to Peter and tell me I passed out and fell over. Please just put yourself in order! You look like a piece of shit!

Jake went to the mirror and himself was horrified by his hair sticking out in different directions. Then he tucked his shirt into his trousers and put on his jacket. He put his tie in his pocket: he didn't want to bother with it.

- It carries her perfume from you.

- I think your cologne stinks so will overpower this aroma.

- Jake, take me back to Peter! Something sucks to me.

- Come on, lean on me!

- You are a valuable shot, Jake Livey, first you cut out, and then you bring the victims home.

- Yeah. Joe, I'm sorry, really! You interceded for Lisa, I interceded, in calculation. I overdid it, of course.

- You went too far with anabolic steroids, but here it was just right.

- I will not persuade you, of course. Are you not offended by me?

- For a blow, no, but a little for Lisa. Although you have been driving wedges towards her for a long time, you could have guessed. You took care of her more than of Peter.

"Joe, you'd stay away from her yourself.

- And what, will you knock me out again?

- Already morally.

When Peter saw Joe walking with Jake's help and noticed his bump, his eyes literally went bloodshot. He immediately had a desire to kill someone. Jake was the only option.

- You did it like that, animal? Peter yelled at the top of his voice.

- Pete, calm down! I just passed out while walking down the hall. Jake was there in time. I seem to have eaten very little lately.

- I told you - quit your vegetarianism! Jake, find a doctor urgently!

- Will be done.

- And where have you been, you bastard? We've been looking for you all morning. He went in search of you and almost gave his soul to God! And why the hell is your phone turned off?

"For Peter Temple to forget to scold me for the puncture! Never in my life! Yes, this is simply impossible! Rather, he will come out in a woman's dress in Time Square! What to think of? "

- I had a temperature. Forty. Horror! I thought I'd die! But I drank an aspirin, slept, and now I'm back. The doctor said I was fine.

- I see that Madrid is bad for everyone. One fainted, the other's temperature jumps. Now find this doctor again and bring him to us! You see, the person is bad!

- Yes, I already ...

- Jake, doctors!

- Ok, ok, it will be in a couple of minutes.

"You usually did it in a few seconds, Jake. Something you are slow today!

- So I almost dropped my hooves. I was sick. Everything will be done.

Jake left his employers and went in search of a doctor, who still needed to be explained that he was terribly ill yesterday. The mere mention of Peter Temple's name helped him get the job done in a matter of minutes. The doctor was placed at their disposal. He spoke English with a slight accent and burst a little, but there was no reason to doubt his reputation.

- Doctor, if he asks if you were with me yesterday, if I had a temperature of forty, then you will definitely confirm this fact. I was just a little tired yesterday, turned off the phone, overslept and did not have time to get up, so he tears and flies.

Jake slid several hundred dollar bills into his hand. You don't need to show the gift of persuasion when you can just give money. This is the surest way to convince a person that he is right. And the doctor looked forward to another decent sum from Peter Temple himself for the cure of his beloved Joe.

- Of course, Signor Livey, I'm generally surprised how you survived yesterday. Forty! This is not a joke! Only a huge person like you could withstand such a temperature so easily.

Jake realized there was nothing to worry about. The cheerful pot-bellied doctor knew his business very well. You could rely on him.

When Lisa performed this time, she felt that she was doing it somehow differently. She was not the same as before. She moved differently, she sang differently, she spoke differently. She was no longer turned on by jumping from a trampoline, or being among an angry excited crowd, or flying on cables over the hall. She liked to just sing more. "What's the matter with me today? It's like I'm not me, but something completely different. I am not what I was before. I am something new. And I don't know yet whether I like myself in my new guise or not. Time will tell," she thought as she listened to the screams of the fans. She wondered how she could change so quickly. Just a couple of minutes ago you were one person, and then bam ... You are completely different, you are not interested in what you were interested in before. "I have matured or what? It seems late. Twenty-nine years after all!" It was as if a wave rolled over her, and she emerged as a different person. Lisa was already used to the stage, to the schedule of the concert, but today it all looked different. As if not she was looking at all this, but someone else. "Maybe I'm sick? Maybe I died? " But she pinched herself and felt pain: she exists, she is in her old body, she is in her old life, but she was no longer herself. She suddenly felt sorry for herself. What she was before seemed to her disgusting to the pain in her teeth.

"No, it's me too. You can't get anything out of life. But it is natural for a person to change, he, no matter how he wants to, either degrades or improves. I wonder if I'm degrading or improving? Hopefully it's the second. "

A black rose with a note fell on the stage. She was near Lisa, so she read it first.

- What is there? Benny asked.

Lisa read into the microphone.

- My name is Andrea. I am from Madrid. I'm twenty one. Guys, let's have dinner tonight! Next comes the phone number. I have to admit, the guys are completely free. Maybe they will accept your offer.

This announcement drew a storm of applause. Some guy shouted to her: "Have supper with me!". To this Lisa replied:

- Why are you so concerned here? I understand this is a beautiful place, and the only thing you can do here is to make love again and again and again and again and again ... and again. And procreate sunny men. But, perhaps, it would be necessary to sing something else.

The hall buzzed with approval.

- By the way, raise your hands, who understands what I am saying.

More than half of the audience raised their hands.

- And now I am addressing those who do not understand what I am saying. Maybe we can finish the concert naked?

The burst of laughter was not long in coming.

- That's it, I'm tying it up with the spoken genre! And now the song "Huntress".

The guys started the intro. "It's how good it is when you can carry nonsense from the stage, and you won't get anything for it! I can do almost anything I want! Freedom! When you see that everything is blooming around, you must breathe in and hold your breath for five seconds, and that state of joy that will flow into you, you must keep throughout your life ... So, now let's try! "

Before the next song, Lisa thought: "A rock and roll player is not someone without brakes. A rock'n'roll player is someone who turns the gas, but knows how to stop in time. A true rock 'n' roll player is distinguished by the ability to relax, not the ability to turn into an animal." The Lisa was happy. She felt that she was on the rise, that she was in her best shape, that she was now invincible.

Moscow appeared from the plane window. For five years, Lisa has not been in her native country. For five years she did not hear Russian. She was ready to cry: nostalgia. She remembered her childhood, in which there were no mobile phones, computers, or mp3 players. The foster mom yelled out the window to call her for dinner, instead of dialing her number. Lisa remembered how delicious instant vermicelli seemed to her when she first appeared in Russia. Lisa remembered being amused by the red tongue after drinking Zuko and Yupi instant drinks. Lisa remembered how happy she was with her first boiled jeans. Even the texts of the most stupid, mediocre songs that can be imagined have been preserved in her memory, but they could be heard from all windows in the nineties. Now you remember some nonsense, like your first gum, and tears welling up in your eyes. These are the people: any little thing from childhood causes them more emotions than, say, the death of a neighbor. Unless, of course, you owed your late neighbor a couple of thousand rubles or dollars, then you jump for joy.

The Lisa remembered how they called her Vaska, Vassenka, Vasilisa, Vasil. Lisa remembered that she was Russian. She remembered that she was one of those who would never learn the rules of baseball: it is easier for Russians to learn to play chess. Russians make nesting dolls with images of politicians, because in Russia both nesting dolls and politicians are funny. Russians drink vodka because it is cheap, angry and the effect is not long in coming. Russians read Dostoevsky at school, and when retired watch multi-part cartoons. Russian guys take girls to Swan Lake to drag them to bed. Russian girls get higher education in order to then get into normal clubs and get laid by oligarchs. Russian children do their homework to get a bicycle for their birthday. Russian doctors studied at the institute for six years in order to receive a beggarly salary, but pass a medical examination for free and exclude children from the army. Russians buy clothes made in China, household appliances made in China, they love films with Jackie Chan, but even Americanized Russians swear exclusively in their native language, because Russians absorb mat with their mother's milk. The first word that a Russian child hears when he is born is not rarely obscene. After all, Russian girls do not hold back in expressions, especially when giving birth. And in no language is there such a variety of obscene words as in Russian. Russian is the richest language. Only in Russian can a Russian person fully express what he feels. Russian stars arrange concerts that almost no one goes to. Russia stubbornly produces cars that no one wants to drive, but some simply have no choice. The Russians manage to live on twenty thousand rubles for a month, and even replenish their stash.

"And I am the same. You can't kill Russian blood. The Russian mentality will defeat any other. You can't be half Russian. If you were born and raised in this country, you will swear in Russian until the end of your life, love boiled potatoes with vegetable oil and celebrate May 9th". Russian fans are the most dedicated fans. Nowhere is half-forgotten celebrities accepted like in Russia. Because Russians cannot rejoice in moderation, suffer quietly, and rest decently. They don't like to work. As they say in Russia: "It doesn't matter where to work, only would not work." Work is perceived by them as an unpleasant duty, and all the working week Russian clerks patiently wait for Friday to get drunk to the point of unconsciousness. This is the problem of the nation - they do not, in most cases, take work seriously. It is better for a Russian to play solitaire on a computer than to double-check or compose a report. The animal with which Russia is primarily associated is the bear. An animal that sleeps and sucks its paw all winter and chases bees in summer. Woke up, sucked, fell asleep again. Woke up, sucked, fell asleep again. January diary of a brown bear. Russian peasants worked in the fields in summer, and spent the whole winter in a warm stove. This is the Russian tradition: woke up, sucked, fell asleep again. And rare glimpses of hard work. The Russians excel at hockey because they can knock out an opponent's teeth. Russians have excelled in ballet because in Russia only there can men wear tight leotards and listen to classical music. This is such a Russia. They leave her to love her from a distance. People come to it to call Americans names and tell everyone how "stupid" they are.

A friend came to Lisa's room, whom she had not seen for a thousand years and would not have seen as much, but she was added to her as a friend on Facebook and Lisa could not refuse her a meeting. And Lisa wanted to show this girl from a wealthy family, who got everything in life just like that, that she got everything herself, without the help of wealthy parents. Vera was entirely in designer clothes, with extended hair and nails, and she smelled of expensive perfume. At the sight of such long-legged beauties, cars honk. In clubs, they never pay for a drink. They are always in the spotlight and have no idea what could be otherwise. Vera did not have to worry about anything: she graduated from a prestigious university, married an oil oligarch and gave birth to two children.

- Hello, rock princess! - Vera exclaimed and kissed Lisa on both cheeks. - You look stunning! Such sneakers, such a T-shirt is interesting.

- What are you! Compared to you, I'm just plain ugly.

- Well, tell me, how are you?

- I speak, I speak, I speak. How do you?

- I spend, I spend, I spend. Sometimes my conscience torments me. As I saw your first clip, I immediately thought: "Vaska got where she wanted." You jump so cool on the drums there, words cannot convey. And I had no idea that you have such powerful vocals.

- Thank you. How are Aunt Tamara and Uncle Sasha doing?

- Dad died two years ago.

- Sorry, I didn't know.

- Yes, we are not eternal. Mom got married again.

- Wow! I'm glad for her.

- So many have not seen you! For ages, I guess! What have you become!

- And you haven't changed a bit!

- I'll count it as a compliment. By the way, do you remember how we staged a dance at school? Everyone we didn't take to our room just hated us! Or how your algebra teacher took your player away, and you had to ask the principal to take it from the teacher's room and return it to you, because it was mine. Most surprisingly, the director complied with your request. You always knew how to get your way!

- Come on! I smoked, drank, skipped lessons with some hairy rockers, and everyone said that nothing would come of my way. As you can see, nothing came of it.

- Don't slander! You're a star.

- You see, when a man walks right and left, easily attracts the attention of the opposite sex, he is considered a macho. If a girl does the same, she is considered a wallet, a slut, whoever.

- That's for sure. Such an injustice!

- Yes, a girl with a bad reputation is much worse than a man with a bad reputation. A man-rock-n-roll player is easily perceived, but a woman is better off sooner or later to stop rock-n-roll.

- Are you going to leave the group?

- Not. But I'm going to be decent.

- I saw a video from your concert in Madrid and almost wrote myself with laughter. And now I appeal to those who do not understand what I am saying. Maybe we can finish the concert naked? It was very funny. Or from your concert in Buenos Aires. Hey guy who looks at me like that! Yes, yes, you! Well, he took it and left there!

- Oh, you really watched our shows.

- Sure! They are gorgeous! And I really like your music. My son just adores you. He is six years old.

- What's his name?

- Sergey. Like a father. Do you have children?

- No, somehow it hasn't worked out yet.

- By the way, you kind of broke up with Chris Barnes? His show is played wherever possible. Although I have never understood this English humor. I barely beat a couple of episodes, and that's because he was your boyfriend.

- Oh, I haven't given you anything yet. Tea, coffee, cake, juice, fruit?

- I'm on a diet now. Special burning soup made from cabbage and celery. But I can get some pineapple today.

- Cabbage and celery? How do you still go after such a soup?

- I don't burn a million calories at concerts. I have to keep myself in check.

- You're in great shape.

- Thank you. By the way, will you have a concert in St. Petersburg only in four days? Come to our countryside! Meet my family. Then you will fly to St. Petersburg by plane.

- A tempting offer. You will need to think.

- Agree! Get some rest.

"Will I take Jake with me?" This is the group manager.

- Oh, I saw him in your followers. Such a handsome Indian. Let Sergei just practice his English.

- Does your six-year-old son already speak English?

- And a little French.

- Nightmare! I mean, it's great! At his age, we just broke off dolls' heads.

- Do you remember?! We played witches and cut off the heads of the heretics. It's good that at least they didn't burn it.

- What perverts we were!

- No need to say.

"What a woman's chatter! - Lisa scolded herself, - But sometimes I need it. When will I still demonstrate to this rich bitch who is the queen of rock and roll here?" She smiled inwardly. Now she could easily draw, now she had something to demonstrate to her rich girlfriends in the style of a lady. Lisa wanted to show off, although she had never been a member of a "prestigious women's club" or an exemplary female. "But sometimes, if you really want to, you can play this game of assessing women's success."

Peter and Joe were almost asleep on the couch. Yen and Lee Lung have long gone to their room. Benny was playing some kind of game on the iPhone. CJ fell asleep for a long time in an armchair with Jack Daniels. Jake was watching a horror movie on a huge plasma screen. The Moscow concert went off with a bang and everyone, without even saying a word, ended up in the room of Peter and Joe. It was three o'clock in the morning. The fun was coming to a logical conclusion: some of them flew to St. Petersburg tomorrow.

And Lisa just came from a party where she was with Vera, and saw this picture with a pile of bodies. She took off her gorgeous rhinestone sunglasses and looked around the room: nothing that she was better off not seeing, she did not find.

- And here the rock princess has come, - Benny noticed her and for a couple of seconds distracted from the game.

"Don't call me that!"

- I'll take it into account.

Peter opened his right eye and waved his hand to Lisa.

- Well, how is the party with the Russian oligarchs?

- Wonderful. By the way, I was invited to the countryside for the weekend. I just wanted to tell you.

- Doesn't it bother you that the concert is in four days?

"Pete, I'll get there on time. I have not been in my homeland for a thousand years! I would like to meet old friends and also speak Russian.

"Show off in front of them," Jake said as he ate the popcorn.

"This brute also seems to read my thoughts!" - Lisa was indignant.

"No, I became Lisa Longlake to be locked up and meet plumbers. I love to show off, otherwise you don't know. By the way, Pete, I'm so afraid of not being on time, getting confused with numbers, flights! Let Jake come with me. And then I have become so dependent already. This show business completely turns off the sense of reality.

- So you want to take Jake for almost three days and force me to solve all the problems in St. Petersburg myself?

- Exactly. And in St. Petersburg, almost everything has been decided. So, nonsense!

- So the concert may not take place if I screw something up. No, no, I, too, have long lost the habit of watching everything. What do you think, Jake? So be it I will give you the right to choose.

- It seems to me that if she does not arrive, the concert will not take place anyway. It's better for me to stay in Moscow. And she, Pete, is somehow prettier than you.

- Damn you, stay! It seems to me lately that you are working for her, not for me. And I'm tired of seeing your happy face! Do you have a new Hunter and Game RPG?

- But she's the main source of your income, like, at the moment, so I am saving her.

- You take care, I see. I'm already scared to leave you with her, otherwise you will suddenly kill each other. Or stabbing or fuck yourself to death. Your moods change quickly. Lisa, tell me honestly, why did he surrender to you outside the city?

- In my opinion, Pete, you just voiced it yourself. She wants to fuck me to death.

- Jake, shut up! Okay, Peter, to be honest. My rich girlfriend has a husband and a child. And for a Russian woman, a man is an indicator of wealth and success. For my girlfriend, I won't be a successful woman if I don't bring a man. Even if I'm a rock princess a thousand times, I don't wipe her nose if I don't show the man. I need some kind of guy for the weekend, even if some unprepossessing one.

- Who did you call ugly, baby? This?

He pointed to himself.

- In general, I need at least someone! If you don't let Jake go, you'll have to take Lee Lung or Benny.

- I won't go with you! I was already your man. Really. Enough for me! Benny said.

"Okay, Jake, help Lisa to wipe her friend's nose," said Peter, like an order.

- The ugly man no longer wants to portray the faithful.

- Jake, please!

The Lisa knelt down in front of him and humbly folded her hands.

"Then I'm waiting for you to tell me who is that ugly man you were talking about?"

He looked around.

- Okay. This is clearly not you. You are very handsome.

- Yet.

- You are just handsome!

- I know. Further!

- You are a gorgeous man.

- Facts, some facts. Say something more interesting!

- You powder brains to anyone.

- Yes. Yet.

- In general, Vera will go crazy when she sees you. I will be a very successful woman in her eyes! And you went to Harvard, it'll kill them altogether!

- That sounds convincing!

Lisa got out of the car and went to hug her friend, who had already opened her arms against the background of the marble columns of her mansion. Lisa even put on heels for this occasion - the day of the demonstration of female power. She looked one hundred percent today: styling, a dress of a promising genius designer, makeup artists worked on her makeup. Her habitual negligence could only be guessed at. Vera matched her friend - the total cost of her "bow" was at least ten thousand dollars. They kissed each other on both cheeks and screamed.

- Vaska! - she called her childhood nickname.

- Vera!

They jumped like girls across the lawn.

- Where is Jake? Probably busy?

- He puts the car in your huge garage. Will now be.

Soon the six-year-old son of the mistress of the house, Sergei came running. He literally pounced on Lisa and yelled:

- Lisa! I've seen your videos!

The boy was dressed as for a matinee - a light blue shirt, trousers, they even fastened a bow tie on him. He did not leave Lisa not a step away.

- You are so pretty! Even better than the unicorn clip.

In one of the videos, Benny, Lee Lung, CJ and Yen were in plush unicorn costumes. Lisa had to beg them to wear it for a week. "But now children also love us!" - she told them after the girl at the airport asked the whole group to take a picture with her and squealed with delight. Today Lisa was once again convinced that it was not in vain that she dressed up the guys in plush costumes. The blond boy looked at Lisa adoringly.

Vlasov, a stocky, sturdy man of about forty, a former judoka, also came out to greet the guests. Igor made his fortune in the nineties, that is, he went through a large school of survival. Have time to be both a member of a criminal group and a politician. Lisa saw him for the last time five years ago, when he was still a deputy of the State Duma. Now Sergey Vlasov is fully focused on business. He greeted Lisa with the words:

- You got up, mother, since our last meeting!

- And I'm glad to see you.

- Where is your jock? I was hoping to drink whiskey tonight with the men's company.

- It seems he is coming.

Jake appeared at the end of the gravel path. He brushed a bee off his jacket. The Lisa had to admit that he looked stunning against the backdrop of the summer garden. He was wearing a black Armani suit, a black silk shirt, a watch that Joe advertised. When he walked along this threshold, all the garden trees and flowers seemed to be a decoration, and he was a fashion model. "It's like a fairy tale, not a man!" - Lisa thought irritably. She looked at Vera's reaction: her jaw was almost falling off. Lisa realized that her plan to demonstrate feminine power was working.

- Hello! Nice to meet you. Jake.

Vlasov carefully examined his face and exclaimed in English:

- You're Jake Livey?

- Yes. Do we know each other?

- I saw your last fight - with Maurice. Ninety-ninth. My friend and I went to Vegas. Of course, we were rooting for Maurice, but you were good! Then I said about you: "Machine-man"! But in the fifth round, you were clearly out of luck. After that, you disappeared! But that fight was fantastic. Your left hand is like a sledgehammer! And I thought what happened to you!

- That fight is the best for me and the last. Then I changed my occupation.

- But, damn it, why?

- Injury. Yes, and I realized that I would not advance further. And I chose to pass the final exams.

- Yes, yes, they said that you studied at Harvard. Everyone called you Harvard Kid back then.

- Did you go to Harvard? - Vera intervened in the male dialogue. - My older brother too.

Vlasov ignored his wife and continued:

- You know, let them talk about their girlishness, and I'll show you my gym. I was engaged in judo. But boxing is not a lot. Show me a couple of tricks. When else will Blake Livey show me the left hook!

- It goes!

- Lisa, you brought me the best present! - he said already in Russian. - Such a boxer in my house!

- And the rock and roll star is with him, don't forget! I'm the main star here.

Vlasov waved his hand at her and dragged Jake into the house.

- I'm afraid we won't see them soon!

- I'm afraid so.

- Come on, tell me! At what exhibition did you dig it up? A picture, not a man! I want to know all the details! Everything. How did you meet, who took the first step. Is that why you dumped Chris Barnes? There are no options. Of course, Barnes is lost against the background of this Redskin leader.

- Chris is good too, but you can't order your heart.

- Here, not only can you not order the heart, but also all parts of the body. Let's go have tea! I want to ask everything!

Vera ran into the house.

- You haven't forgotten your son?

Little Sergei was sitting on the lawn with a bored expression on his face.

- Seryozha, go to the nanny! Lisa and I will chat.

The Lisa glanced at her friend's "mansion" as they walked into the kitchen. Everything was luxurious, but there was a lack of taste. It was all too much. Pretentiousness t was traced in every particle of the house. Separately, everything was fine, but together it did not fit perfectly. Chic went to the detriment of design. Lisa mentally imagined how this layout could be improved.

In the kitchen, and for Russian girls, the kitchen is a place for sincere conversations and the most important part of the house. Place of demonstration of female power. Vera quickly poured red wine into their glasses.

- Try this spinach! Wonder how good this is!

- Yummy!

Lisa thought that for a long time she was not worried about gossip, retelling of recipes, discussion of all her acquaintances, all new dresses, but when she found herself in the "circle of female power," she, to some extent, felt herself a part of it. Today she was a "Russian woman" with all the attendant circumstances. And she was interrogated with partiality.

- So how did you meet?

- I came to meet Peter Temple. I entered the elevator on roller skates.

- On roller skates to the elevator! Here is crazy!

- And then an almost two-meter Indian came into the elevator in about the same outfit as today. He said: "Cool skates!", But looked at my legs in short shorts. Then he took my earpiece and said something about the fact that Joe Thompson's songs are boring to him. I was so angry! How can anyone not like Joe Thompson's songs!

- I love him too!

- Then he said that he knew who I was and that he was taking me to Peter. Anyway, Jake was the first person I saw in Peter Temple's office.

"A little bit more and I myself will believe that Jake is my boyfriend, and that I am madly in love. But everything is not like people with me. "

- And you immediately fell for him?

- Not. I didn't even pay attention to him. He was the perfect companion for Peter's every move. I was passionate about work.

- And when did everything change?

"Perhaps when I went to fetch the maid in his room and burst into the bedroom to complain about Benny. He stood in front of the mirror in his underpants and was choosing a suit. That's when I noticed him! But I was planning an engagement to Chris, so I didn't care.

- And how did everything develop?

- Swiftly. Jake, it turns out, immediately liked my roller skates, he decided to act. I forgot my purse in the car, he brought it to me, it was three o'clock in the morning. We drank whiskey and started talking. He seemed so interesting to me on a drunken head! I couldn't resist. The next day, Chris Barnes was forgotten!

"It would be nice if it really was."

- Let's drink to you! You are such a good fellow, Lisa! You have always been the most talented of us, but honestly - no one believed that you would achieve anything! You were, how to say it, just don't be offended, a little unlucky or something. But you took a chance, left for an unfamiliar country, recorded a music album, give concerts all over the world. You proved to everyone that you are the best! I'm proud of you, baby!

They drank another glass of wine, then another. Soon they were pretty drunk.

- You are so happy, Lisa! You have realized yourself as a person! And I keep inventing some non-existent business for myself, creating unnecessary exhibitions and funds for anyone!

- Are you crying, or what?

- And Sergey doesn't give a damn about me for a long time! I am already, furniture for the exhibition. He has a lover for a long time. Okay, if he still looked like your Jake, I have to endure everything, because until the prenuptial agreement, I will be left with nothing in the divorce.

"I seem to have gone too far with the demonstration of female power," Lisa decided.

"But you have a son. I lost two children. And under such circumstances, you'd better not know. It hurt so much. And Benny did not support me at all at that moment: he closed in on himself and pushed me away.

- This story I heard briefly. And the second child?

- I was pregnant with Chris. And I really wanted this child. I hoped that he would help me come to terms with the loss of the first. But ... There was a miscarriage. And through my fault. I continued to perform a lot, did not take care of him.

"It would be better if it were really so"

- Not everything is so good with me!

- Do not worry, everything will work out! I'm sure you can still give birth. And there is someone from!

"I am no longer sure if I am able to raise someone, I really cannot cope with myself. I myself am like an eternal child. "

- What are you doing here? - came the voice of Vlasov. - Have you already got drunk? We drank almost two bottles! Jake, they're here!

Jake soon appeared.

- Oh, the girls kept secret so well!

- Already without us they started to drink!

- Let's go sing karaoke! - Vera commanded.

- Vlasov Jr. dreamed that you would sing to him!

Everyone gathered in the living room at a huge plasma screen. Vlasov set up karaoke. Little Sergei was not long in coming. He immediately made an order for Lisa.

- Sing my favorite song, Lisa! The girl with dark hair is singing.

- Say the name of the song in English, Seryozha! You're studying with a teacher!

- Love You ... Like ... A Love Song

- Selena Gomez? - Lisa was surprised.

Jake was already smiling with all his teeth. He looked forward to showing the band members a recording of Lisa singing a pop song. He defiantly took out his iPhone and waved it in Lisa's face.

- Our pop princess!

- If you show it to anyone, I will kill you!

- I'll look at your behavior. Maybe even I'll post it on YouTube.

- Just dare!

The boy handed Lisa the ears of Minnie Mouse. Vlasov turned on the searchlight and directed Lisa.

- Forward! Jake commanded and handed her the microphone.

- What can you do for the sake of the children!

Music began to play, Vlasov turned on the spotlight and directed the light at Lisa. She immediately began to dance, make faces, blink her eyes hard. Soon, Lisa became like a real animator and a pop princess at the same time. At the phrase "pipipipi" the boy laughed like crazy. Vera and Sergei tried to portray a dancer. Jake filmed Lisa's performance from different angles. She saw that he was completely delighted with what was happening. Lisa presented that she was giving a concert. The boy made her sing this song five times. Then "Baby" by Justin Bieber. Then he asked to sing the song of the Russian performer Bilan - "Impossible is possible." Lisa practically completed the concert. At the end of the performance, she was already ready to collapse exhausted.

- Lisa, you are super! - thanked the boy.

- Throw me a video later, Jake! - asked Vlasov.

- OK. Baby, what a diverse performer you are! It was really cool! I am impressed!

- Are you kidding me?

- I'm serious. I had no idea that you dance like that. It was a gorgeous performance!

"I agree," Vera said.

- I think our artist is tired. And tomorrow we have a flight. We'll send her, perhaps, to the crib.

- Yes, Jake, of course. Your bag was taken to the guest room. Will you find it?

- To the left, up, then to the left, again to the right, and then again to the left, I will see a door, and behind it a corridor, and at the end of it there is a guest room. I remembered.

- Exactly. It was cool! Good night guys! Don't be late for breakfast!

- Definitely.

Jake lifted the panting Lisa onto his shoulder and dragged her to the second floor.

- What are you doing?

- Delivering to the bedroom. The last point in your plan to demonstrate feminine power is to show you what sex is in life.

- I think today I have completed the program to the maximum.

- Not yet. Not only Vlasov Jr. liked your performance.

Vera and Vlasov looked after them and exchanged glances.

- Do you think about the same thing as me, Seryozha?

- That our guest room will see a lot today? Yes, definitely. She had never seen anything like this.

- No, well, he would at least not so obviously dragged her into the bedroom. There is at least some decency!

- If I were in his place, I would have done the same thing after such a concert. The Lisa is that little thing! The fire!

- He's clearly prettier than her.

- Well, she is shorter, of course, in stature, but the devil is good!

- Stop it! These are all expensive clothes, cosmetics, and in love.

- Jake, brother, it was nice to meet you! Lisa, you are fantastic! - barely dragging his tongue, said Vlasov at the airport.

- Guys, we, of course, were going to fly with you to St. Petersburg, but, as you see, slightly out of shape, - Vera justified herself and giggled disgustingly.

They could hardly stand on their feet. The Lisa also did not quite clearly imagine who she was and where she was. She only remembered that she drank absinthe yesterday, and then vodka. From the appetizer they had, it seems, only a few crabs. In the last twenty-four hours, she had slept zero minutes and the same number of seconds. "It also seems like there should be a concert tomorrow night," Lisa thought, putting on her sunglasses.

- Come, somehow else!

- Definitely.

- Yes, yes, Lisa you gave your word that you will be our little godmother.

- I remember everything. Sergei, Vera, see you!

- Lisa, you never saw your adoptive mother! What a pity!

- Now I definitely won't be in time, Vera.

They hugged again. If it hadn't been for Jake, Lisa wouldn't have made it to the plane. Although he drank as much as the others, he looked rather sober. They flew to St. Petersburg for a little over an hour. During all this time, Lisa never opened her eyes: hanging her head on Jake's shoulder, she fell asleep in a dead sleep. Even when landing, he could not wake her up. He took her in his arms and carried her out of the plane. It also had a laptop and a sports bag. With his left hand he rolled Lisa's suitcase on wheels. It was not noticeable that it was hard for him: for him it was just a couple of trifles.

They were greeted by Peter, Ian and several guards.

- Is she even alive? Temple inquired at once.

- Everything with Lisa is in order. She just didn't sleep and went over a little.

- Hi Peter! Hi Ian! - Lisa muttered and closed her eyes again.

- I see you took a good walk there.

Peter removed Jake's sunglasses. Jake felt like he was going blind. The bright electric light was akin to torture for him.

- Pete, put your glasses back!

- Yes, your pupils are like glasses! In broad daylight, you are already drunk. It's good that at least you move around, otherwise we would not see the concert tomorrow as our ears. She has to walk on her own feet to the car: there are paparazzi and fans. You can't be seen in such a state, and even in your arms.

Peter opened a bottle of water and sprinkled in Lisa's face. She woke up instantly.

- Hallelujah! The Lisa is with us! Not everything is so sad. Let's go! Put her on the floor, your mother!

- Pete, I can't go!

- You can!

The Lisa could hardly stand on his feet. Ian took the bag off Jake and took the suitcase.

- Yes, let him drag it! And then while he was having fun, his mother, I'm here toiled in the sweat of his brow! I ran like a damn thing!

"But how! Probably, he checked once how things are with the stage, and Benny checked the equipment, that's a hard worker and finished his grandiose work!" Jake grumbled to himself.

- Lisa, pull yourself together! You must go! There are paparazzi!

She took a mirror and sunglasses from her purse. Within seconds, she was ready to meet the photographers at the airport. She decided to carry the shoes in her hands.

- By the way, the video where you sing Selena got more than a million views during the night! Good ad came out before the concert! - said Peter.

- What? Who did this?! Where is my baseball bat?

- Jake sent me a video, we edited and uploaded a little.

- Bastards! We are ready for anything for the sake of PR. You will burn in hell!

At the hotel, Lisa fell into bed and slept for fourteen hours straight.

- Lisa, what were the stupidest questions you were asked? - asked her the host of one of the most popular shows on American television.

- Do you like music? It is difficult to imagine a more stupid question. It's like asking, "Do you like to breathe?" Music makes my breathing even, music makes it quicker, music makes me hold my breath. I only breathe for the music. I breathe in order to breathe at least something new into the music, at least something of my own. Music is my hope, my joy, my meaning, my love, my life. Music is killing me because I sacrifice everything for it, because I give it a tremendous value. Music gives me strength while I listen to it, while I compose it, but as soon as it stops, I return to the real world and chaotic sounds throw me out of balance.

Do you like to sing? This question has also been asked to me more than once. It would be better if they asked if I like to eat. It's hard to imagine how you can live without food. And it's hard for me to imagine how you can live and not sing. I go on stage and throw out everything that has accumulated in me. And no matter what happened to me before that, I always know: I will go on stage, sing and everything bad will go away. I am a happy man. Because I can throw out all my emotions in the audience. And I can get emotions from the audience. When this process is reciprocal, then I'm sure great shows are obtained.

Deafening applause rang out. They lasted at least two minutes.

- I confess, I read some of your interviews. They, what to say, fascinate, it is impossible to tear yourself away. I want to reread them. But this is the first time I see such frankness on your part. Impressive, impressive. Tell me, what act of those that a man did for you did you remember the most?

- When the guy was playing Contra strike, I asked what dress I should wear to the party. So he paused and went through all three options.

- God, Lisa, I wonder who is this ideal man ?! A truly amazing act!

- This is my stylist. Therefore, girls, if you want a man to fulfill your every whim, get rich and hire those who will fulfill your every whim. This option is a win-win.

"Now I recognize Lisa Longlake, whom we all know. Lisa, are you worried about the upcoming MTV Video Awards? The group has three nominations!

- Why should I worry? We will only sing one song there. There is no cause for concern. This is not a two hour performance. Whether we win or not win in the nominations - in any case, we will need to continue to do our job and it is desirable to do it efficiently.

- No, she is incomparable!

The audience applauded again in agreement. The Lisa again felt as if she had caught a wave. "Now I'm on the crest of a wave! I'm at my peak. At the top of my life."

The Lisa was in the dressing room of the television studio. This was one of the few moments in recent times when she was completely alone. No band members, no maintenance staff, no Pete, no Joe, no Jake. The presenter had already entered to thank herself for the broadcast, the car was waiting on the street. The Lisa pounced on the salmon sandwiches. The phone rang.

- Hello! Is this a laundry room? Are you erasing bad memories?

- Oh, Chris, hello! How do you? You said, if you start calling me, I have to remember what I did and send you to hell.

There was a knock at the door. It was Chris. He, as always, was in a sweatshirt and sneakers, with a sleepy expression on his face, as if he had just come into this world and did not understand a little what was what. He was always as if a little dumbfounded by everything that happened.

- Surprise! I was in the next pavilion on the set and decided to stop by.

- Wow! Really unexpected. Have a seat!

- I saw your broadcast on the monitor. It turned out great!

- Thank you. How do you?

- Yes, somehow not very much. I took away all your photos, I don't buy any newspapers or magazines, I don't watch TV, I stopped even going to the Internet, but today I drove past a huge advertising stand where you drink French mineral water and decided to call. And you turned out to be in the studio next door.

- Chris, pull yourself together! Don't be a rag!

- If you will be my mop, I am ready to be a rag.

- For a guy with your sense of humor, you are too handsome and cute.

- So. What other shortcomings can you attribute to me?

- Chris, no! You are a wonderful guy, fire, you clearly have acting and writing talents, you have a stunning sense of humor, you are handsome, although a little crazy, to say nothing, I will never forget our first date, because it was the best date ever. I was, but ...

- But?

- A lot of water has flowed under the bridge. Now everyone has their own path.

- I feel bad without you.

- And I feel bad with myself. Sometimes it seems that whatever I do is wrong. Sometimes it's downright uncomfortable to be yourself.

- I have the same bullshit.

"I'm glad you're not mad at me anymore. Maybe even our group will appear on your sitcom? Stir up something together? Like Isolde will become our fan and exterminate the fans of another group?

- A good idea! I think my producers will love it!

- Yes, nothing will spoil your scripts.

- That's for sure. Incidentally, I also plan to publish a book - "The guy who draws skulls."

- I'm sure there will be shit, but the fans will buy up and you will earn money.

- Oh, you little bitch!

- A joke, a joke, I am sure that there will be enlightenments and bright moments.

- There will be a little about you too.

- What is it ?! Benny wants my dart-studded face for the album cover and the music video. You will mention me in the book. I'm already becoming so legendary!

- There I described the performance at Carnegie Hall.

"It was an honor for me to be there backstage. And I got more emotions than from some of my concerts.

- For me, you will always be the best.

"I'm so nasty sometimes!"

- You are much better than you think of yourself.

- Not sure.

- Where have you been? I've been waiting for you in the car for half an hour! - said Jake, who entered the dressing room.

She and Chris looked at each other appraisingly: how much each of them has changed for the worse since the last meeting.

- What is this hipster doing here?

- And hello to you, Jake! Does it seem to me or are you a little dry? I got puffed up.

- I? No, not an ounce left. But you seem to be emaciated. Your bones shine through under this lamp.

- I suffered deeply from unhappy love. And call me about your filming in the series?

"I think so," Lisa confirmed.

- It's just that I talked so much with him on the phone when I met you, that I have a feeling that I slept with him.

- Curb your fantasies, amigo! - Jake was indignant.

- I was glad to see you, Lisa.

- And I will.

When Chris left, Jake folded his arms in displeasure and raised his right eyebrow.

- What?

- Have you decided to become an actress?

- You yourself said that I have a versatile talent. Why don't I give it a try? For years people have been trying to get at least some role, and they will give it to me just like that.

- Because you slept with the writer.

- Jacob Livey, let's not talk about who slept with whom. Because you will definitely win in this competition.

Lisa took a small backpack and got up from the sofa. "Benny was also missing here for a complete set!" - thought Lisa, grabbing a handful of dragees from the bowl.

For the first time in her life, Lisa visited a psychologist. Previously, she did not care about anything, but now she worried about too much. She was completely exhausted, both mentally and physically. She felt her wild enthusiasm and energy begin to wane. For some reason she always wanted to cry, and she did not understand why. She physically felt that she was getting depressed. She had a favorite job, but the future of the group after Benny's departure was in question. She had Jake, but she knew that he never fully revealed himself to her. Lisa knew she should be happy, she was so lucky to meet Peter and the team, but she did not feel joy. For some reason, all the best around her lost value. She stopped feeling euphoric. The performances became like a regular job. Lisa's mood changed with wild speed. She was then inspired by the very "I can not", then depressed. She felt that the "peak of form" was coming to an end. "I'm pretty worn out. I can no longer be always at the limit. Am I fading away? What's the matter with me?" - Lisa wondered.

- Do you feel guilty? Still? - The psychoanalyst asked her.

It was a blonde woman of about forty. "Yes, here she clearly never doubts herself, she breathes with harmony of personality and balance of actions. It can be placed on an advertising poster. And, she already has an advertising poster on the site, and there is a book written. It is as if "success" is written on her forehead. It was as if she never had any problems. At least this is how she behaves and looks like this," thought Lisa, lying on the couch.

- Probably.

- Lisa, you will answer in monosyllables there, then I will not be able to help you, do you understand that? Tell us in detail about your feeling of guilt, you can even compare it with some objects, natural phenomena.

- It looks like a skunk that constantly spoils the air around me. And this skunk always appears at the most inopportune moment. He's following me. Maybe he already lives inside me and has become a part of me.

- When did the feeling of guilt reach its apogee, so to speak?

- It did not overtake me immediately. When this happened, when Daisy died through my fault, I spent all my energy on finding out the relationship with my husband. I knew I was guilty, but I reassured myself that everyone can make a mistake, that misfortune can happen to anyone. And I still didn't feel like a mother to the fullest. My maternal instincts have not awakened. Sometimes I think I didn't give a damn about the child. And then Daisy was gone. And I didn't suffer. And Benny suffered.

- Have you tried talking to him about it?

- Of course, we tried to talk about it, millions of times.

- I mean without hysterics, without making claims. Right now, when you no longer annoy and hate each other so much. Why don't you finally talk it over with him calmly? You can tell him the whole truth about maternal instincts and guilt.

- He won't listen to me. And soon we will almost never be able to meet, he leaves the group.

- Only now you will suffer, not he. Rather, you will suffer more. And if you talk, it may be easier for both of you.

"Maybe you're right.

- You say you live in a hotel? Why?

- I'm on tour all the time, I haven't looked for an apartment yet. I had to then either live with Peter Temple or move in with Jake.

- And from these options, you chose to live in a hotel? Did Jake suggest you move in with him?

- Yes.

- And you refused?

"I said I'm not ready yet."

- You do not have strong feelings for him?

- I would like not to test, but I do.

- Does it feel like it bothers you?

- He perceives everything as weakness. He manipulates people easily. I'm afraid of him, to be honest. I never understand what's going on in his head.

- How does he manipulate you? Why are you afraid of him?

- When I was still with Chris, I went into Jake's room, some chick came out of there. I said something about the fact that he and Benny are going to record an album with me on the cover, or rather, there will be my face, studded with darts, the name is "Idea Fix". He said something about paying in kind, I slapped him in the face with a run, he is very tall. I did it as a joke. And then he knocked me down on a terry carpet and raped me.

The psychoanalyst took a sip of water.

- That is, you were not going to enter into an intimate relationship with him?

- And in my thoughts was not.

- And what did you do after that?

- I said nothing. He kind of convinced me not to say anything, because it would hurt the band, and Peter Temple's reputation, and so on.

- And you continue to meet with him now?

- Yes, I don't know how it happens.

- Did he still physically abuse you?

- Never again.

- And how did he convince you to meet with him after that incident?

"To be honest, he told me about what he might tell Peter Temple that I slept with Joe.

The psychoanalyst took another sip of water.

- That is, blackmailing?

- Yes, I have done many things in my life for which I am ashamed. That's probably why I forgave him.

- Lisa, Lisa, my girl, how everything is running at you!

- No need to say!

- So you are happy with him?

- When we're in bed, yes. After having sex with him, I forget about all the problems. I immediately look pleased and satisfied. And it's easy for us to communicate with him. But when he is not around, the euphoria quickly passes. And I start to wonder, is all this serious and am I doing the right thing? Maybe a tyrant-manipulator or a born leader, the devil himself will not understand him.

- And you try to live with him, you will understand faster. Living in a hotel is not an option! This will only aggravate the suspended state. And then you decide whether to look for an apartment or not. And Jake's apartment has a lot to tell about him. Were you there?

- Once. Always on the go.

- Especially.

- Let's drink better! I can't talk about it soberly anymore, honestly!

"After everything I've heard, I want to drink too!

She took out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from the cabinet.

- Today I felt myself in the role of a priest.

- Do you think I'm a bitch?

- Maybe a little, but, damn it, you have to go through a lot, honestly. I don't know how I can put myself in your place. I think that everything is not like with ordinary people and it is not for me to judge you. The main thing is, don't try to be normal, you still won't succeed. You seem to have your own point of view and your own path.

- And you are cool!

- There is!

- Let you become my friend, and then I won't pay you three hundred bucks for an appointment? How do you like this plan?

- It can be arranged.

Benny lay in the Jacuzzi with Ian, Lee Lung, and three pretty girls. The water was at the optimum temperature: neither hot nor cold. His skin felt great, so he himself felt good. Under the influence of beer and seething water, Benny felt sleepy, but it was only eleven o'clock, and at such a time he was not supposed to sleep at all. For Benny Longlake to go to bed at eleven o'clock ?! Yes, this cannot be! This is not in the rules of a rock and roll star. For this, and can ridicule. Benny thought that he hadn't written anything in the last month. He just didn't have time for it: touring, girls, booze. What kind of creativity is there! How can you work if you can have fun in the highest class!

- Ian, Lung, what are you going to do in the near future? We're on a break. There will be no concerts for more than a month.

- We will go to Hong Kong. Let's get inspired by the Bruce monument, knock on drums in clubs, and practice qigong. Then we turn to Hainan. Let's bask in the sun, hang out. And you?

- I probably won't go anywhere. I'll sit at Peter's house and write. The album needs to be finished. It's always like this with me. I always had to spend all my free time with the guitar. I have an urgent need to create something.

- So that's cool! Just look, the new album will be, - said Lee Lung and plunged headlong into the water.

- May be.

- Benny, can I talk to you? - He heard Jess's voice behind him.

- I'm coming! Girls, step aside!

Benny was already so used to the water in the Jacuzzi that he got cold when he got out. He wrapped himself in a terry towel and walked over to Jess.

- What is it, kid?

- I'm flying home now. A taxi came for me.

- When will you arrive back?

- I'm not coming back, Benny.

- Let's go!

They went into the sofa room. Benny collapsed onto a brown leather couch and lit a hookah. Drops of water dripped from him onto the parquet floor. He shook his damp hair and it tousled. He looked very cute in a white towel, swimming trunks and tousled hair. He just wanted to kiss him on the cheek, caress him, pat him on the head. He looked like a wet kitten.

- So you're leaving me?

- Sooner or later it had to happen. The euphoria passes. You have to go back to real life. And so nothing happened. We were just relaxing. As Lisa said in one interview: "You have one life! Well, live it. Follow your desires - quit your job, school, tell the guy that he is a goat, and leave! This is your time and this is your life. And dream more, it's the cheapest."

- Do you still read this crap?

- Yes, I read. So I'm tired of living your life. This is your life – not mine. As it turned out, I had nothing to do with her.

- So what are you going to do? Do you give out skates again at the rink?

- First, I guess. I want to do landscape design. I will have to remember what it is, because after college I did not do it, study, work, and how could it be otherwise? And I really like landscaping. Fumbling with Peter's yard, I figured it out. Perhaps nothing will change in a day, two, a week, even a year, but then ... But then everything will be fine.

- Well, good luck, Jess! Do this! Tell the guy he's a goat and go!

- Benny, you are a cute plush donkey! And I don't want to call you names now. I will definitely buy your album. I'm sure it will be super!

- Something normal is outlined.

- You do not belittle Lisa too much, after all, you owe her a lot. Do not forget about it!

- Are you protecting her now?

- It seems to me that she also had a hard time and still has to. Be softer with her!

- Jess, Jess, you're a fan again!

- I will always remember you, Benny! It was a great trip! Hugs?

She opened her arms to hug him. And Benny was glad that Jess had left on her own. "Like a stone fell from my soul! And now you can completely concentrate on the music!" He thought with relief.

Lisa decided to surprise Jake: to come to him at seven in the morning. She knew that it was at this time that he got up for a run. She parked her car near a high-rise building, took her orange suitcase out of the trunk. "Either I'll find the girl there now or stay with him: one of two things," Lisa decided.

She saw how from the building Gwen, her psychoanalyst and newfound friend, came out. Her hair was still wet, she was chatting on the phone:

- I forgot my organizer! Come down, please! I'm too lazy to get up. I can't do without a diary.

"I know this facial expression! It's called After Jake Live! I, of course, expected everything, but that Gwen! " The Lisa hid behind her car, and she already wanted to cry. Soon the door opened and Jake appeared. He wore a gray tracksuit and held a leather-bound organizer in his hands.

- I'm a muddler! It's all because of you!

Gwen hung around his neck. Soon she got into the car and Jake ran towards the beach. "It's too much even for him! It's not even the girl from my back-up dance that I'm sure he fucks too. It's Gwen! So all self-sufficient and cool! My psychoanalyst. He fucks my psychoanalyst! It's just... To which he sent me himself. You should have guessed that he knew her! What an idiot I am! And she laid out everything to her as if in spirit. They probably had time to discuss me in between the sex distances,"- Lisa was indignant. She dialed Gwen.

- Didn't you wake up?

- No, I'm on my way to work. Do rock'n'roll girls get up so early?

- I was thinking whether or not to move with Jake.

- And what did you decide?

- I think he is cheating on me. With that dancer girl.

- Are you sure?

- I can smell it.

- Maybe you're exaggerating?

- Knowing him, hardly.

- Well, treason is not the worst thing in this life, you yourself know very well. And in your situation, I'm even afraid to advise something. It is up to you. I support you in any case. You always know what you are doing.

- Thank you, Gwen.

- So we're going to an organ music concert on Saturday? You must hear this!

- Yes of course. It's time to diversify your musical preferences.

The Lisa got up from her hiding place and began to stuff the suitcase back into the trunk. She checked out of the hotel, so she had to call another hotel and book a room. Half an hour later, she was in dark glasses and with a suitcase in her hands stood near the reception. Two hours later there was a knock on the door. It was Jake.

- You found me quickly! Come on in!

- Why did you check out from the hotel and immediately check into another? Why didn't you come to me?

- You have a seat!

Jake sat down pretentiously on the sofa. Before he had time to recover, Lisa shoved him on the shoulder with a bat.

"You're sleeping with my psychoanalyst, then! He himself found it for me! Also tell me that she told you everything we talked about?

- I already know what you could tell her. I know you, Lisa. Yes, she is my friend. I once went to see her myself.

- Did you go to a psychoanalyst? That Jake Livey was even a little unsure of himself? Or a sex addict, or what?

- Imagine, that's why.

- And she said: "Let's check!"

- She said that I am not a sex addict, but just an asshole, but I have options to improve.

- And what? Fuck her mercifully? She has progressive methods.

- Imagine you are not the only one solving problems with the help of sex.

- You should have known right away when she said that it was worth moving in with you.

- Yes, I have known her for a long time. And she really wanted to help you.

- I have no doubt. And at the same time crawl into your bed again. As preoccupied as you are! So she would not be friends with you if she were not so preoccupied!

"She's that kid's mother.

- In the sense of your son. Excellent! You put your ex in my psychoanalyst! And why do you always want to make me look like a complete fool? What have I done to you ?! What did I deserve, damn it, is it all from your side ?! I guess I am a complete fool, since I allowed you to treat me like that. And you're glad to hit the sore spot!

- I didn't want to hit the sore spot. But you obviously needed a good psychoanalyst, or better yet, a psychiatrist.

The bat was still in her hands. She tossed it to Jake's right leg.

- Who are you, mister? I don't know you at all. This was the last time I was angry about you. You don't worry me anymore. Now I don't care about you! And I will have another manager. Get out!

The Lisa went out onto the terrace and closed the transparent soundproof door behind her. Jake showed her fuck and she read from his lips:

- Fuck you, Lisa Longlake!

She showed fuck back and said:

- Go to hell, Jake Livey!

When he left, Lisa sat down on the floor and sobbed. One of the best views of the city was not interesting now. Now she was only interested in self-pity and anger at Jake.

And she said aloud:

- I'm over it! It's time to dot the i's.

The Lisa was spinning the globe in Peter's office and for some reason most often got her finger on Australia. "Maybe go there?" She mused. The globe rotated barely audibly, smoothly, evenly. The Lisa wanted to repeat his spins over and over again. As a child, she only had a globe-shaped sharpener. Although she loved geography at school and dreamed of a globe. At Peter, he stood exclusively as part of the interior, completely useless and unnecessary. He had a lot of things of insane value, which he did not even touch. They just were and delivered to him a kind of aesthetic pleasure.

- And where are you going? Peter asked, lighting a cigar.

- What?

- I say, what are you going to do for a month? All are leaving.

- And maybe to Australia. It's cool there.

- And we are in Venice. Let's make some space for Benny. Let him write. Will you fly alone?

- What's left of me.

- Begins! What is it this time? I heard that you decided to change your manager. I told you right away that you should not let him in after he screwed up like that. But you yourself gave yourself some powder.

- Yes. Jake is hard to refuse. Almost impossible, I would say. Your school. I would say you are of the same breed.

- My boy, what can I say. It will go far.

- I never thought I'd say that. Peter, thank you for everything! I am really very grateful to you. I was ready to give up, to stop fighting, but you appeared like a devil out of a snuffbox and gave me a chance. A chance to be who I have always dreamed of. Be an improved copy of yourself.

- you are so sentimental today! You used to be a pirate copy of yourself. And now you are who you were supposed to be. By the way, I feel guilty. Guilty of having an abortion. I'm really sorry it happened. But in the end, it was your choice. And if you had acted differently, you would probably still be dating your vampire veterinarian. As they say, everything is for the best! Don't you take offense at me?

- She was offended, very offended. But I slept with Joe and somehow I felt better right away!

- What did you say?! Repeat!

The Lisa was silent for a few seconds. Doubts about whether to speak or not to speak were present, but she always acted under the influence of some unknown forces, which sometimes made her do inexplicable things.

You convinced me to have an abortion, and I slept with Joe. This is the kind of company we are!

Peter got up from the chair. He put his hands on the table and looked at Lisa with a terrifying look.

- What did you say?

- What you heard. And Jake will never again be able to blackmail and reproach me with this. And you see what Joe can do to help you. Unknown victims! I wouldn't be surprised if you asked him about it.

- I didn't fucking ask him! When?! I knew I didn't have to let him go to Paris alone then! What an idiot I am!

- And in Paris too.

- What?

- Peter, you then convinced me to get rid of the child, and then I really wanted to take something of yours, something very dear to you. I needed a person who always understood me and whom I always adored.

- You…!

- I'm in your team. And you're used to always settling bills. And you know, I don't regret anything. After all, Joe Thompson is Joe Thompson.

Peter grabbed a bulky ashtray and threw it at the door. Then he threw the folder with the paper at Lisa. But she managed to get up first and head to the door.

- Whore!

He calmly opened a drawer and took out a pistol.

- Well, Lisa Longlake, should I smash your stupid head?

- This is too much, Peter. Your vaunted principles.

- And after what I did for you, you are talking about principles?!

"I don't know what else I can tell you. Nothing more.

"You don't think I'll shoot?"

- I don't care!

Peter fired at the painting to her left.

- what's going on here ?! - they heard Joe's voice and briefly forgot about each other.

- And you think carefully, you dyed bitch, what's going on here! - shouted Peter at the top of his throat.

He put the gun back on the table and collapsed into a chair. Peter covered his face with his hands, and Lisa knew he was crying. "Lord, only his tears were not enough!" - thought Lisa and she was ready to sob. She heard Peter sniffle and with every tear he cried, it became more and more unbearable and unbearable for her to be in this world.

- I hate you! I hate it! The last time I cried was when I cut the onion. And that was twenty years ago!

- And why did you tell him? Look what you have brought a man to!

- And so that life does not seem like sugar to you! Otherwise, you have been sitting in this house for the last ten years and you only know what to get high. And you know, I even felt better somehow. Jake won't be able to reproach me with that anymore! Everything counts!

Peter kept crying. He began to hiccup as he tried to hold back his tears.

- Pete, kill me! I'd rather shoot myself. I can't look at you like that anymore. I am ashamed. I'm an idiot! Do not Cry! I don't know you. You are a rock to me. And here you are crying because of Joe, like a hysterical woman.

Joe walked over to him and knelt down in front of him. Their eyes were as close as possible to each other. He took his hand and began to cry too. Lisa's heart was breaking from such a picture. "This is love! Anna Karenina and Vronsky. Or Vronsky and Karenin," she sneered. She even felt a little funny.

- Pete, forgive me!

"Joe, this is a joint, a real joint," said Peter, calming down.

Joe put his head on his shoulder. The Lisa heard his sobbing.

"Hush, hush, Joe.

"I really wanted to help you both.

- I know, love. And you really decided the problem.

- And what the hell is going on here! I'm trying to write there, if anything, while you're yelling here! - exclaimed Benny, who entered the office. - Lisa, are they crying?

- Benny, let's get out of here! Show just what you wrote. And then gay porn will start here in a few minutes, apparently.

- And what happened? Why are they crying? Am I in a dream, or what? And I think I heard a shot.

Then he saw a bullet hole in the picture and opened his mouth in surprise.

- Benny, let's go! Boys, bye! See you, I hope, only in a month and a half! Adios!

An inexplicable joy seized the Lisa: as if some kind of weight had fallen from the soul. And the joy was such as if this load weighed at least a ton. She did not regret anything, she did not want to change anything. "Let everything be as it is! Yes, sir, if you want to go back in time to change something in your life, remember, even if you succeed, most likely you will remain dissatisfied with the result. Moreover, you will ask to return everything back, "Lisa thought as she walked with Benny to the white piano.

- So what happened? Why did they cry? And why did Peter turn the office upside down?

- Benny, tell me, do you hate me?

- Yes, but this is not news to you.

- Then don't ask me what happened! After all, if I answer, you will hate me even more.

- Don't tell me you slept with Joe!

- Benny, let's close this topic for today! I no longer have the strength to listen to all this.

- So she was asleep. Lisa, you're just disgusting! Although I always knew you drool over him.

- Benny, Benny, I know perfectly well how you treat me! You don't have to remind me of this every time.

- You know, it's not so easy to forget everything that happened between us, everything that happened to us.

"And you didn't even raise an eyebrow when Jake fucked your ex, against her will. What did you say there: "Serves her right! she will know her place!"

- Yes, I said so. Do you know why? I was disgusted to show him that I still have at least something for you. I was ashamed that I could feel anything for you other than hatred and contempt. And if you told me about it yourself, I would probably even break the contract with him. And you said nothing. You pretended that nothing happened. You always do that. Bam and everything is the same! And then you yourself began to sleep with him: apparently, you liked it. And I was once again convinced that you are the main nightmare of my life. At first you were something alien, unattainable for me, and then you trampled on all my admiration for you. You ruined my daughter. And then you fell even lower. How I loved you, you can't even imagine! And you trampled everything that I felt for you.

- Understand. Rather, I do not understand how you hold on, how you still have not strangled me. It was hard for you to hold back, I know that very well. And that's what Benny. Forgive me for not sharing your grief! Sorry to ruin our daughter. I'm sorry I didn't feel like a mother. I'm sorry I wasn't what you wanted. Sorry for not behaving the way you wanted. Forgive me for not being the picture you imagined. I am just me. I am not a figment of your fantasies. Sorry I didn't live up to your expectations! No matter what success we would achieve, no matter what good things happen, you and I return to Daisy all the time. I cannot forgive myself. You cannot forgive me. As a result, we both suffer.

- You're getting smart now. But I am not you. I cannot forget our daughter. I can't cross it out as if it didn't exist at all. I, unlike you, have at least some notions of dignity, decency, honor. I don't act like the last bastard. And if you want us to be friends, so that I forgive you, you just ... die! Then I'll forget all the nasty things you did to me and Peter. Then I won't remind you of Daisy.

- I understand you, Benny.

He sat down at the piano and began to play the Moonlight Sonata. With all his appearance, he showed that he did not want to talk to her anymore. His fingers ran from key to key, he looked in front of him, but did not see anything. He completely immersed himself in the music and forgot about Lisa's presence. She did not distract him and left. And Benny played and played. His fingers conveyed his mood, his fingers felt how to play at the moment. All Benny was concentrated in his hands. All his emotions were transferred to the keys. Now he was not a man, he was music.

Lisa went upstairs and went into Peter and Joe's room. She looked at the bookshelf and started to choose books as if she was in a library.

"Bukowski. It will do. Hunter Thompson will be appropriate as well. He killed himself. Now we need something bigger… Hmm… Expensive editions of Nietzsche! That's what I wanted!"

She put the books on the bed, right under the bed curtains. Then she opened a drawer with ties.

"Blue is too optimistic… The picture is too sweet… That one is too dramatic… The red one in the best. It's like I'm doing something heroic.

She tied the tie around her neck and stood up on the bed.

"I've had enough of it! Fare you well!"

With these words, she pushed the books from under her feet. That morning, she didn't even imagine that she'd like to say good-bye to her life, but it was natural for her – to follow her passing impulses. Though it all happened very spontaneously, it was done with determination. "At least, I had time to record my album and to fuck Joe Thompson. It wasn't a bad life. Daisy, be waiting for me!" was her last thought. She even didn't take her action seriously. She did it in such a simple way, as if she cooked some coffee, was choosing clothes to put on, or making an order in a restaurant. For her, it was just another choice: to go or to stay; and this choice was not harder than all things happened to her. Suddenly music stopped.

- Lisa, where are you?

Benny stopped playing. He didn't know how much he played: a few seconds or a few hours. He remembered Lisa's last phrase: "I understand you, Benny." He jumped up from his chair and ran to the second floor. Instinctively, he immediately ran to Peter's room. In a matter of seconds, he was there. She was already gasping for breath, hanging on a red tie.

- What a fool you are, Lisa!

He immediately grabbed her and took off her tie. She coughed. For the first seconds, it seemed to Lisa that the loop was still squeezing her throat. She thought that no one had ever found her and that she was dying. But it soon became clear to her that she was still alive. She is still Lisa Longlake - with all her flaws, problems and guilt. She is still here - in a world where she had a very difficult time.

- Lykova, what do you think, tell me! And if I played for just a couple more seconds?!

"Then I would have died," she said barely.

- Yes, that's just the point. Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, how can you?!

- I'm tired of you.

"I'm afraid you'll have to put up with us." I don't know if God himself forgives you, if Peter forgives you, if someone else forgives you, but I forgive you.

- Truth?

- Yes, I forgive you! Can you hear me? I don't hate you anymore.

And Lisa understood: a person in himself is nothing. He is an empty space without someone else's help. Man by himself is not capable of anything. No matter how talented he is, no one needs him until someone believes in him, until someone invests money in him, until someone tells him: "You are really capable of this. You really can. " No significant thing was created alone. Behind each of them there are a lot of people whose names the majority do not know. Great people always have great helpers. Gone with the Wind would never have found its readers if Margaret Mitchell's husband hadn't edited every page of the text she wrote, hadn't brought her money when she hadn't left the house for months, hadn't taken the manuscript to the publisher while she was throwing tantrums and shouting, that this novel will never show anyone that Gone With the Wind is disgusting. Your whole life depends on who will be there when you need help. If these are traitors, hypocrites, you, at best, will remain in place, and at worst, you will fall to the bottom. If you are lucky enough to meet someone really real in your life, you will soar to the very heavens, you will know this life truly. These people will not necessarily be ideal and heroic, but they will be real in relation to you. And they will know the real you, and this will not turn them away from you.

The Lisa was sitting on the window with her hands hugging her knees and looking out into the clinic yard. She hardly blinked. She tried to digest the latest news. Soon, she picked up the phone and dialed Peter.

- A Lisa.

- Peter, get me out of here! I promise I won't hang myself in your bedroom anymore.

- That's for sure?

- Absolutely. And can I stay with you? I really have nowhere to go. And they told me that I was pregnant. You know, maybe it was hormones, so I wanted to hang myself at your house.

- But how! We'll pick you up with Joe. Are the hinges over?

- It was an accident.

- So you accidentally took my best tie, stood on my bed, tied the tie to the frame and dangled your legs?

- It's all pregnancy. Hormones are raging!

- Imagine what will become of you in nine months.

- I can handle it, don't be afraid. I am strong, you remember.

- Rock-girl, I remember. So dry your tears, life goes on.

- The show must go on, that's for sure.

Jake saw Peter's limousine pull up outside the clinic. "Damned show-off!" He thought. Soon Joe and Peter got out of the car. Peter shook Jake's hand.

- What are you doing here?

- I want to pick her up.

"No, buddy, she'll hang herself with you for sure." She decided to stay with us.

- So it is more pleasant for her to live with two old fagots than with me?

- Jake, don't make me angry! By the way, do you know the news? Peter asked.

- And what is this news?

- You will become a daddy. But don't worry, we will be great grandfathers and raise your offspring somehow. We will send Lisa on a tour later and take up his upbringing so that, God forbid, he does not go to his father or mother.

- Damn you!

Lisa stood at the gate with a small sports bag in her hands. She was without makeup on her face, unkempt, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. On her forehead, almost to the middle of her face, she pulled a cap. "Everyone's gathered! As if I was returning from the hospital, and not from a rehabilitation clinic! " - thought Lisa, throwing a cigarette butt into the bushes. She walked slowly. The sun was shining so brightly that she wanted to screw it on, set it to a lower brightness. There was no wind at all: not a single breath. There was an incredible dryness in the street and in her mouth. She craved water unbearably. She seemed to come out of some kind of cave after a long confinement, where she was starved to death.

- So the rock princess is back! Peter exclaimed. - How are you now?

- Considering that instead of Australia, I was stuck in a psychiatric hospital, not very good.

- Well, it's her own fault. There was no need to climb into the noose, dear! And if you do, then be so kind as to go through the entire course of treatment, "Peter continued.

- I look like a madman? Why the hell was I being held in a psychiatric hospital?

- It's not very similar to a psychiatric hospital. Everything here is of the highest order.

- OK. Why the hell was I hanging out in a top-class psychiatric hospital?

- Lisa, we were worried about you. Crawling into a noose is not okay. And now you've completed your entire course in rock and roll. Everything is in order, dear. What kind of real rock and roll player can do without a psychiatric hospital?

- I'm glad you're in a good mood.

- Not every time you find out that you will be a grandfather.

"Yes, Peter, you're clearly getting old and getting sentimental. You, as I understand it, have already told him everything.

- Don't pay any attention to him! He passed by.

- Lisa, don't go with them! He said.

- Who shook the air here? Who is this guy? I do not know him.

- In general, Jake, Lisa needs peace and quiet, your entrance to our house is closed, - Joe said and took Lisa's bag.

- Again the limousine! What a show-off! Could you at least once pick me up from the hospital in a normal car ?!

- Do not be picky, otherwise you will go with him.

Flowers, champagne and a new branded handbag were waiting for Lisa in the limousine. The Lisa thought, "It's not that bad. Now I don't want to die".

Benny looked at himself in the dressing room mirror for distraction. It seemed to him that the whole world had narrowed down to this room, and he had no idea how to behave further. There was a loud knock at the door.

- Benny, get out of there! Jake shouted. - Soon your exit. The opening act sings the last two songs.

Benny didn't answer. For him now, only this room existed. All that is behind him is another Universe. He seemed to be plunged into a trance.

- Benny, your mother!

Jake sat down on the floor near his dressing room. Because of Benny, the project he had been waiting for was about to go down the drain. Now he considers himself a producer and is full of ideas, and in half an hour he can become a laughing stock if the "star" does not deign to go on stage. Jake dialed Lisa.

- Jake.

- Lisa, he does not leave the dressing room and does not seem to be going.

He heard from her the sounds of the online broadcast of this show in Vegas.

- So what?

- Call him! Maybe at least he will listen to you.

- So you are asking for help? The goat who slept with all the girls from my dancer and my psychoanalyst? Why don't you break down the door and drag him over your shoulder onto the stage? You can do it.

- In a couple of minutes I will do just that, but for now I want to try other methods. If not for me, do it for him, for both of us. He needs it too. I am begging you!

- Bye, Jake!

Lisa hung up and looked at the huge screen, where the warm-up was still playing. She took a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into her mouth. A piece fell onto her huge belly.

Benny had a prick in the ass on his phone and a picture of Lisa, studded with darts.

- What's the matter? - he immediately said.

- Why are you sitting and whining in the dressing room?

- I'm not whining. Where did you get it?

- I can still hear your snot spreading all over Vegas!

- And hello to you.

- Now I ask: "What's the matter?"

- Damn, what if I screw up and tomorrow everyone will say that the former Lisa Longlake is paranoid and mediocre! I'm a little dull. And suddenly my songs are shit! Scary.

- Benny, a living person will soon crawl out of me, and you say that you are scared ?! And there is no ice cream left in the house, and you say that suddenly your songs are shit ?!

- I'd rather bring you ice cream now than go on stage. I'm definitely screwing.

- Come on, you first go on stage, screw up, and then bring me some ice cream! How do you like this plan? So at least you won't pay the forfeit.

- That sounds good.

- And if you do not go on stage, then for sure everyone will say that the former Lisa Longlake is a pedal horse!

- Reasonable.

- Then get your ass up and run to the stage! Don't anger a deeply pregnant woman!

- I'll break down the door soon! - again he heard Jake's voice.

Benny opened the door and looked at him in surprise.

- Jake, what are you standing here for?

- Are you asking me? What the hell are you still standing here for ?! Go to the stage!

- So I go.

- Here you go!

- Here I go.

Lisa saw on the huge screen in Peter's living room that Benny and the band appeared on stage. Peter and Joe said they wouldn't be watching the show, but she knew they were locked in their office and watching on the computer. The audience screamed in anticipation. The first chords rang out. The show has begun.

At the end of one of the songs, Lisa got up from the couch and began to dance. Then it seemed to her that she had wet herself.

- Joe! Pete! - shouted she. she is.

Peter appeared, followed by Joe.

- No, I will not watch the show of these assholes. Do not even ask! Peter said, covering his ears.

- I think I'm giving birth.

- I hear nothing. What did you say?

"Pete, she said she's in labor. Where is the maternity hospital bag?

- So in the office. And what are we all worth?

Jake woke up to the sound of the "We are champions" tune. He clearly remembered that he had a standard call on his phone. Then he noticed two swarthy girls on the bed. "It seems like she was alone yesterday. Where did the second one come from?" Jake wondered. He got up and the floor seemed to shake under his feet. I had a hard time remembering that yesterday everyone was drinking at the party for the successful show. Then the standard bell rang.

- Now that's mine.

He started looking for a phone and found it in a vase of nuts. I remembered that I put it there on purpose so as not to lose it.

- Peter? You haven't called me for six months, - Jake barely uttered, - Do you really want to congratulate me on my success?

- Yeah, sure. I just wanted to say that you became a father. The kid is more than four kilos, the hog is straight.

- How is she?

- I mean, he? Oh, you mean Lisa? What will become of her, she's made of iron! Everything is fine with her.

Pete hung up. Soon Benny appeared from the living room, who still had little idea of who he was and where he was. He reached for a bottle of water that was on the table.

- That was still a night! He muttered.

- I think I became a father.

- Yes? Then we flew to LA! I promised Lisa ice cream yesterday. We have a break between concerts.

- Did she call yesterday?

- Yes, before the concert. Told me the same crap she told Chris Barnes before the Carnegie Hall show. But you know, it worked!

Peter held the baby in his arms, and Joe took pictures of them. The Lisa looked at them with displeasure, eating the apple. The entire room was cluttered with balloons with the words "Welcome to this world, Ryan!"

- It's still my child! - she was indignant.

"You'll never have time for him anyway. So do not bother grandfathers to rejoice!

- Joe, tell him to moderate his ardor! Otherwise I'll bite him.

"It's useless to talk to him now. He is all in the joys of fatherhood.

- And why Ryan?

- That was the name of my first love.

Joe's eyes flashed.

"Just kidding, kidding, in honor of Ryan Reynolds. He is cool. And his wife's name is Blake Live. And the baby will be called Ryan Livey, as if Ryan Reynolds took his wife's surname.

- What nonsense?

- Okay, that's my grandfather's name. It is good for you? My grandfather taught me how to sell tickets to non-existent concerts and drink wisely. That was such a man!

A hand appeared in the aisle, holding a bucket of ice cream, and then Benny himself appeared.

- Mom, hello! I promised you ice cream and lo!

- You made it back quickly.

- As soon as possible.

- Benny, you were inimitable yesterday! Joe praised. - To be honest, I thought that you screwed up, and you are great! You see, the Lisa gave birth to admiration!

- Not from admiration! It's just time! - corrected Lisa.

"The lighting was, of course, crazy," Peter said.

- By the way, I saw Lisa those episodes of the series with you, - Benny said, - you conquer new horizons!

Now a hand with a flower basket appeared in the aisle. All Jake appeared next.

"And you're here, you big bastard! Peter greeted him.

- I don't understand. The baby has already been given a name, or what?! Ryan! Ryan Livey. As if Ryan Reynolds took his wife's surname!

- I have nothing to do with it, - justified Lisa.

- What do you mean - has nothing to do with it? You gave birth to him.

- Okay, you can change his last name. Ryan Temple, for example.

"I like the way it sounds," Peter said to Lisa.

Jake put the basket on Lisa's bed and took the baby from Temple.

- Do you really have any doubts, whose son is this ?! You won't confuse my children with anyone else! No Temple, Thompsons, Longlakes. And why are you crowded here? This is not a metro for you! Get outta here! Have a coffee there.

- And what are you commanded?

- Peter, have a conscience! I may not see your faces in the ward for at least ten minutes! Out, out.

Jake drove them out so confidently that they obediently walked out into the corridor.

- How do you? - he asked Lisa when the number of people in the ward became much less.

- Fine. I see Ryan will have many fathers. We will not be lost.

- He has one father. And these will be incomprehensible uncles who give sports cars for their birthday. So now take a picture of us. Phone in a jacket pocket.

He went up to Lisa and turned his right side, still holding the child in his arms.

- I'm on the screen saver. It's good that at least not your album cover, where I am covered with darts.

She photographed them. She liked what she saw on the iPhone screen. She stared at the photograph for a few seconds. She wanted to immediately throw the photo onto her smartphone.

- It stinks from you very much. The concert, as you can see, went well.

- Oh yeah! And they celebrated well too. I woke up with two Mexican women. Where did the second come from, I don't know! Maybe she split in two overnight.

- Well, you do it - take care of yourself, protect yourself. And then you die inadvertently, who will then pay alimony.

- Don't worry in any case, you will not remain at a loss. Now you take it, and I'll take a picture of you.

- I think I'm not good now.

- Very natural, it will do.

- Oh, thanks. A Mexican will suit you, and I am wrapped in the mystery of motherhood now.

Jake also kept his eyes on the photo he had taken. He also liked what he saw in the picture. He immediately wanted to put a photo on the screen saver.

- You don't hate me anymore?"

- Too often in my life I have heard and said the word "hate". I'm tired of it.

- Will you marry me?

- No, it's better to drink vinegar.

- Seriously? That is, living with these old men is better than living with me?

- Definitely.

- If you don't marry me, every man approaching you will deal with me. They will look at you, but they will see me and think: "Oh, fuck!" They will shy away from you. You won't have sex for the rest of your days.

- It's okay, I will survive. Now there are many ways to do without men.

Jake pulled a small velvet case from his left pocket. When he opened it, a five-carat diamond appeared, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. A sunbeam hit the stone, and it flashed like a small flashlight. It looked like a miniature disco ball. Lisa's eyes involuntarily sparkled when she looked at him.

- Ring of feminine power. You can send a photo to Vera. You can even invite her to the wedding. Can you imagine how you will look with this ring on your finger? Like the queen of the world. And Ryan and I are by your side. Just the leader of Veras. And Gwen never had such a ring! You can send her a photo too. Or immediately post it on Instagram so that all the women can see.

The Lisa involuntarily pulled her hand to the ring and said as if under hypnosis:

- Yes, Gwen didn't have such a ring!

- Say "yes"!

- Jake, you are the devil! Give me the ring!

- You just need to say "Yes" and the ring is yours.

- Mmm.

- What are you muttering there? I cannot hear.

She pouted her lips.

- Give me the ring!

- I cannot hear. Did you tell me to give the ring?

- Yes.

- You said yes.

- What?!

- I congratulate you, you just said yes.

- Are you crazy, or what? That is not lucky for the child to be with such parents! - exclaimed Peter bursting into the room.

- Psychos… - Joe supported him.

- We don't need it! - Benny protested.

Benny didn't like to celebrate his birthday, and everyone knew about it. Every birthday seemed a torture to him: everyone paid too much attention to him, not understanding what was happening to him inside. It seemed strange to him that people were having fun, congratulating him on his life, having no idea what he was experiencing every day. People annoyed him, but he hoped that he would cope. Today he turned thirty-three, and he knew that he would either become a star by this age, or he would die under the fence. And today he thought that he was tired of limiting himself. He wanted everything at once, he has the right on his holiday. And thirty-three is the age of Christ. A great age to leave. But killing yourself is a sin. "Is hell worse than here," Benny reassured himself, "is it even more painful there? Hunter Thompson also said that he was reassured by the knowledge that he could leave at any moment, otherwise he would feel trapped. Nobody wants my problems. Nobody needs me. Rather, everyone needs me to be cheerful, prolific, happy. But I can't pretend to be okay. I'm not okay, and for a long time. It's like I'm not there, and no one notices. It seems to everyone that I am here. "

Everyone knew how Benny didn't like his birthday, so they decided to make a surprise party. Jake went to his house to bring the birthday boy on a plausible pretext to the place. He opened the door with his key, which he had since the time they wrote the album. The first thing he saw was two empty whiskey bottles on the table, an unused track of cocaine. Benny was hanging on the door in the living room. Jake carefully removed it, as if he were still alive, and laid him on the sofa. No other person seemed to him as heavy as Benny at that moment. Jake sat down on the floor as if from weariness. He saw an envelope with the words "to Lisa" behind the bottles. He took out a letter, written in small, but at the same time, wide handwriting.

"Lisa, my joy and disappointment, I was very happy. But this happiness was so fragmentary and so darkened that I began to doubt whether it happened to me. I tried in vain to find it again, but time after time I failed. I chased the shadow of those moments that we had when there were three of us. I was angry with myself, with you, with life, that I could no longer be there again. I wanted to turn back time, but I only tortured myself and you.

I cannot compromise, I cannot help but take to heart, I cannot accept. I'm an old rock 'n' roll player, and I have everything to its fullest. Love, suffering, happiness. I am a man of the past. Rock and roll is not the same, and neither am I. I am not keeping up with the time, or the time is not keeping up with me. The world is changing too quickly, people are changing too quickly, but I remain the same. We may be the last rock 'n' rollers of this century, but they will soon want to remake us too. Soften, adapt to the generation of bloggers, comb us, wash us and trim. But I am ingrained completely and irrevocably. I hope that you will still remember with the kind words of the old rock and roll player who loved and hated you to the fullest and without brakes. What did I want to say to this world? Nothing. Everything that I said was meant only for you. You're better than you think, my rock and roll queen. There has always been a place for me in your heart. But this is not enough for me. A true rock and roll player needs everything at once. I love you to the break, hug tightly.

Too yours,

Benny."

- Forgive me Benny, but I'll never show this to her. You understand," Jake said, and put the letter in the inside pocket of his jacket.

He sent a message to Peter: "The era is gone."

Peter replied: "What does this mean?"

"The Old Rock 'n' Roller is Dead"

If you don't know what to do, play some music. Maybe it will turn out to be what you want to hear. Maybe it will change your life forever. Sometimes you think: "This is just a song," but for someone it turned out to be the solution to the most difficult problem, its whole essence. Someone, perhaps, put himself into it. Someone, perhaps, found himself in it.

It's funny how sometimes songs change our lives, isn't it?