Jim's Folly

I'm so cruel. I know. It's sad, really. Sadistic. Sick. Gross. Putrid and all words that the thesaurus can find for "Raine Ishida's madness". Hey, that should be a book title.


Chapter Forty Two

Jim awoke from another dream. This one was also about Andrew. He was with a tall man and a young girl. The tall man was explaining something to Andrew and then Andrew would go off into an enclosed space where the girl and the man would watch him from behind soundproof glass.

When Jim woke, he was confused. What had that been about?

---

Andrew was singing softly to himself while thumbing through a textbook when Simon came through the door. Andrew barely gave him a glance before he stopped singing.

"Hey, you singin' again, boy?" Simon asked, dropping a couple of bags on the kitchen counter. Andrew shrugged. "Not really," he replied quietly. Picking up his pencil, he made it appear that he was doing homework.

Simon sat in the chair across from him at the kitchen table, crossed his hands and stared at his son.

"Son, I've heard you singing before. You have some real talent. You know your voice has been changing, too. Before ya know it, you'll be some teenaged prodigy. It'll be great. You'll be famous and everything! Y'think we could record you singin' and send it away to some agent-type people?"

Andrew just stared at his father blankly. "You're kidding me, right?"

"No. I'm serious, boy. We could use the money."
Andrew chuckled, amused. He had that part right.

If he did become famous and get on TV, his mother might see him in Montressor…he could travel…No. Simon wouldn't let him travel.

Simon wouldn't let Andrew leave Capernaeuma.

Andrew looked his father in the eyes, smiled faintly and shook his head. "I'll think about it, but don't expect anything."

"That's my boy," Simon said, ruffling Andrew's hair and walking into the kitchen to put groceries away.

"Just think, Andy. You could be like that Avery guy on the radio right now."

Andrew thought for a moment and nodded. Avery was a young guy probably a couple of years Andrew's senior who was popular at the moment.

Interesting. Wasn't it every boy's dream to become a rock star? Andrew had no talent playing any instruments…his instrument was his voice.

If he had a band…or something…

---

Avery December looked at his manager in disbelief. "You can't possibly think I'm going to sing this." In his hand he held a lyric sheet for a new song.

Avery read some of it outloud to his manager.

"Avery comin' atcha, gonna rock you 'til you can't stand no more? Brock, I don't sing this kinda stuff, you know that! I sing songs that make sense!"

He threw the sheet at his manager and stormed off. "If you need me, I'll be in my room."

Brock sighed heavily. "Avery, you need a partner or something. Someone who might actually sing this. Someone who wouldn't complain at everything your writers give you!"

Avery poked his head out of the doorway to his hotel room and narrowed his eyes. "You want me to have a partner? Go find one for me and then we'll talk."

---

Andrew was on the computer a few days later when he noticed an article on Avery December.

"According to agent Brock Wilson, Avery December is scouting for a new partner. Send your demos to…"
Andrew, out of curiosity, scribbled the address down and put it away so Simon wouldn't find it.

----

"So, when are we having the Christmas party?" Leland asked Sarah one afternoon in late December. Sarah shrugged. "As long as we have some hands in the kitchen helping me cook, I don't mind at all when it happens. When do you think we should have it?"

Leland glanced at the calendar. "Well…how about Christmas Day?"

Two weeks from then.

Sarah bit her lip as she washed some dishes and thought. "I'll think about it. Ask Jim and Raven if they have any plans, okay?"

Leland nodded. "Sure."

---

In the music studio at Andrew's school, he clicked the recorder to 'On.'

Since it was near Christmas, he sang a couple of Christmas songs. He wasn't sure what exactly he was doing, but after singing a few rounds of 'What Child is This?' he decided that would be a good enough demo.

On the way home from school, he put it in the express delivery slot at the Plasma Mail Studio.

Excitement ran through his bones, even though he knew nothing much would be accomplished from this. There was a ninety eight percent chance he wasn't even going to be looked at.

He didn't care. It was worth a try. If he got famous, he might be able to escape Simon and find his mother.

--

Raven had had enough. She was all cried out. It was her third miscarriage in two and a half months and the doctor was beginning to lose hope.

Raven didn't say anything about how hard she was believing it would happen, she just knew it would happen eventually.

Jim was afraid to even try anymore. Leland had told Jim about Raven and his talk and now paranoid, Jim didn't even want to risk making Raven lose another child.

"We'll have a baby, Jim," Raven assured him one night. "It just…might take awhile."

Jim said nothing. In the pit of his heart, he knew this had to be all his fault.

---

It had been weeks and Andrew had heard nothing from this Brock Wilson fellow. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up, but…

That evening as he did his homework, Simon came in the door waving something frantically. "Andy! Andy, come here!"

Simon was holding an envelope addressed to Andrew. The return address was Brock Wilson's.

Paling, Andrew ripped the envelope open to find a chip for a video message. Putting it into Simon's mail player, Brock's face popped up on the screen. "Hello, Andrew. My name is Brock Wilson. I've just listened to your tape and I find you have fabulous potential. If you're interested, please come to the Friar Rose building at ten AM on Monday morning for an interview and a small demo in front of a few of us. We're all excited to meet you after I played your demo for everyone. You can sing whatever you like, just please be there.

"I probably shouldn't get my hopes up or yours, but Avery December overheard your tape and couldn't help commenting on your talent. I hope to see you on Monday, Andrew. The address is…"

Andrew's hands were shaking and Simon was turning red.

"You sent it in without telling me?!" he shouted. Looking at Andrew's face, he decided he didn't need to get angry. It would be a waste of breath. His son was going to be famous!

---

Avery December himself was present on that Monday morning when Andrew walked in. Even though Andrew was only thirteen, his height was to his advantage. He was around five foot seven and he wasn't finished growing yet.

Brock immediately stepped forward when Andrew came in, Simon close behind.

"Hello, you must be Andrew," Brock said, extending his hand. Andrew nodded. "This is my dad, Simon."

Brock shook Simon's hand too. "Well, Andrew, I'm glad you came. This is Avery, he asked if he could attend your audition as well."

Andrew studied Avery, while frowning. The boy with the amazing voice who had to be around sixteen was tall and very thin, not human, but close enough. He was around six feet tall with black hair and dark eyes. His kind reminded Andrew of Amy, who had discoloration around her accentuated cheekbones. Avery was a little more defined. His skin was tanned a lot darker and was even darker around his chiseled cheekbones and his ears were slightly pointed and longer than a human's.

He had several piercings in his ears, his hair was spiked over his eyes and he had a nice smile. He definitely looked made over, kind of synthetic. That could have been partly his nationality, but he was definitely wearing a lot of makeup, especially around the eyes, and he was well-groomed. He was what some of Andrew's school friends called a 'pretty boy.'

His immediate reaction to Andrew was "Whoa, he's just a kid!"

Avery walked up to Andrew, looked him over with his lips pursed and nodded. "How old are ya, kid?"

"Thirteen," Andrew replied.

Avery raised his thinned eyebrows. "Well, you have a voice like a king. Come, sing for us, if you please." Andrew noticed that Avery's tongue was pierced. There was a green barbell in the older boy's tongue. Interesting.
Avery struck Andrew as a 'get what he wants' kind of guy. Nonetheless, Andrew felt nothing but friendliness radiating from him.

Simon sat in a chair and beamed with pride.

Andrew, trembling, stood before the few people and frowned. "What should I sing?"

Avery grinned. "Sing my new song, if you know it."
"The one about…" Andrew started and Avery finished his sentence. "The fact that there's no love in this world. You know, the chorus goes 'I'm looking for a place to call my home; 'Cause there's no one out there who really gets me;' y'know that one?"

Andrew nodded. "Yeah…not by heart, but…"
Avery grinned. "Sing what I just sang. That should be just fine."

Andrew cleared his throat and sang what Avery had just sang for him.

Avery's eyes were wild and he got shivers. "Sign him on, Brock. Right now!"

Brock studied him. "He's a little young, Avery, don't you think-"

"Child prodigy!" Avery cried, throwing up his hands. "Brock, who cares what you want. I thought you wanted me to have a partner! Andy here is perfect. Andy and Avery. Wait…" He thought. "You need a stage name. It's obvious my real name ain't Avery, but that's not important."
Simon stood. "What would you call him?"

"What's yer middle name, kid?" Avery asked, slinging an arm around Andrew's shoulders. Andrew frowned uncomfortably. "Richard," he said quietly.

"Ricky! We'll call ya Ricky. Great! We'll find a last name for you. Anyway, let's get you signed up for a contract! Bring yer daddy and we'll go to Brock's office on the thirtieth floor, 'kay?"

Andrew looked back at his father who shrugged. "Fine by me," Simon replied.

"Meet us there, Mr….Andrew," Avery said, leading Andrew away, still with his arm around Andrew's shoulders.

Simon grinned as he followed Brock close behind. His son was going to be famous.

---

Author's Note: Well that CERTAINLY took a turn I didn't expect. Away from the homeliness of Raven and Jim and into the lives of Simon and Andrew for once! I know Squabbit's an Andrew fan, so I thought I'd write about him a little more…not to mention Raven needs to know where he is! Hee. I'm excited. Avery sounds really hot, too. Perhaps I'll draw him and find a way to post his picture somewhere. *grin grin* When I picture him, I picture some whacked J-Pop star. Whoa…*melts* Yumminess. :P Not to mention Avery wasn't supposed to show up…nor Brock. No one was really supposed to show up…but I think Avery might turn into some kinda character! What's with me bringing all kinds of new characters into the world of Jim's Folly? This is supposed to be a Treasure Planet story!