Forever Love
Chapter Two
He'd done it. He'd finally decided to round up a band and try his best to become something in the music world. Now, all he needed to do was convince her, convince his wife, that it was a good idea.
"Marissa? Sweetie? Could I talk to you for minute?" Chris asked, popping his head into the kitchen of his two bedroom ranch style home. The house was resting on the outskirts of Santa Barbara, California. Marissa's father had of course paid for it, unwillingly, and made the point clear of just that every time he visited.
Marissa looked up from feeding their two daughters, Kayleigh and Megan, a tired expression on her face. "What is it now, Chris? I'm really busy right now—" she was going to say more but Chris cut her off:
"I want to start a band, baby," his words trailed off slowly.
It wasn't like she hadn't heard this before. "Chris..." just as she spoke his name, Kayleigh threw Megan's jar of baby food clear across the kitchen. "Damn it, Chris! You know you can't start a band right now!"
He knew it wasn't a good idea to bring this up now. He knew, but he persisted. "I know that, I know, but," he paused, "What if I said that there was a way that I could guarantee that the guys and I could make it. Really make it, Riss." He advanced towards her slowly.
She knelt down by the wall with the spilled baby food on it, wiping away as she spoke, "I don't have time for this." She continued, under her breath, "Or for you."
He pretended that he hadn't heard her last remark, nodding his head and concluding that they'd pick up the discussion again later that night. For then however, he bent down, kissed her cheek, as well as the girls, and left for work.
-----FL-----
Haley stood up on the giant black stage at Mark's, the venue that she and her sister Liz were performing at that night. Liz was older, 25, and in the eyes of their parents, and Haley, she was much more talented. She could sing, she could dance, she'd been doing both since she was at least four. Haley on the other hand, had only started doing the entertaining gig because her parents had decided that a sister act would be good for business.
True, Haley wasn't a fish out of water on stage. She could sing, and she was funny when she needed to be. Her parents of course, could only seem to see that Liz was the talented, beautiful daughter that they had been blessed with, and Haley was just the girl that didn't fit in with their idea of a picture perfect family.
"No, no, NO, how many times do I have to TELL you, I said I wanted bluebacklights, not red! Who the hell has red backlights these days!" That was Mark, yelling into his miniscule cell phone as Haley tried her best to block him out and continued her rendition of Patsy Cline's 'Crazy'.
"Crazy… I'm crazy for feeling so lonely…" she sang into the beyond-ancient microphone.
"BLUE! HOW DO YOU GET BLUE CONFUSED WITH RED, ARE YOU AN IDIOT!" Mark screamed into the phone, unaware of tonight's act's growing frustration.
Haley closed her eyes and jammed a finger in her ear, practically screaming into the mic, "I knew you'd love me as long as you wanted, and then someday you'd leave me for somebody new…"
"B-L-U-E! BLUE! HABLAS INGLES!"
She'd had enough. "Do you MIND? I'm trying to rehearse and you're…" But she was cut off.
"Doll face, listen to me. You rehearse all you need to rehearse, and let Papa Mark take care of the business, okay?" He turned his attention back to the phone.
Haley decided to give up for now and stepped down off the stage, sitting down in one of the rickety seats occupied by hundreds every night. Her mother and father sat a ways behind her, counting money as well as busily flipping through their appointment books. Her sister was in the back of the auditorium, flirtily twirling around and talking to some random busboy. Haley closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, thinking about her life, and how unsatisfactory it was. How she longed to be doing something more entertaining then living her life with her sister. How she wished to continue her singing career, but in the way that she wanted to, and not in the constant demand of her parents. How-
"Haley! Come here for a minute!" Her father yelled down to her, obviously too blind to see that she sat six rows in front of him. With a groan, she stood, retreating back to her parents. "What's up dad?"
He looked at his wife, in mock astonishment. "She wants to know what's up. The ever talented, all-star Haley James is actually taking the time to talk to us little people, her mangers. Isn't that great, Sarah?"
Her mother looked up, exasperated. "Jeff… calm down. Just tell her."
Haley knew what was coming. She got this lecture at least once every two weeks. "Let me guess dad, we're either out of venues for the month, or Liz is pregnant?"
Her dad laughed sarcastically, looking like he was about ready to slap someone. Namely, Haley. "Oh isn't she funny. Isn't she funny Sarah?"
Her mother looked at Haley, then back at her dad. "Jeff, will you just tell her please? Damn.."
He looked up at Haley again, this time looking like he'd actually be saying something important. "Mark doesn't want you anymore. After tonight, you're out of the act."
Haley was speechless. "Wh.. what do you mean, he wants me out? He doesn't want Liz out? Just me?"
Her dad chuckled, like she was a little kid, incapable of understanding anything. "That's right, he wants you out. Liz can stay, as long as you're gone."
Her jaw dropped. "And so you're kicking me out when we can get a perfectly good, no, better scene than this dump? You're going to let Liz stay here and make me quit the act?"
Her mother nodded slowly. "We think it's best dear.."
"Well at least mom is trying to be sympathetic.." Haley thought.
Her father stood. "Look, you know we love you-" He was interrupted by Haley's scoff. "But, we have to do what's best for Liz. She's got talent, talent that we're not going to let go to waste. We're sorry if this is hard for you to hear.. but it's the truth. Tonight's your last show."
Her mom piped up then. "Haley-bub, we know that you need your sister to be successful. We know that, ok? And you may think that us sending you out on your own is a death sentence, but… maybe singing isn't what you should be doing for the rest of your life… maybe you need a new dream."
All the while they spoke, Haley looked past him. Past her mother, her sister, past Mark still screaming into his phone. She looked past the array of double doors leading out to the main street right out side the club, past the buildings surrounding, past her current location of Malibu, California. Past all of it, looking on towards her life. And she then decided that she didn't need, or want, to wait for tonight's show. She decided that she'd go out on her own, and she'd make it.
Without her sister.
