Instant Star- Rise Of The Next Generation
Chapter 12- Mysterious Ways
Author's Note- Ok... it's here. I'm not going to say much now, just that the "song credit" in this chapter for "Mysterious Ways" goes to the band U2. Yet another 80's classic... The lyrics were slightly modified to make it fit... look for the "kiss in the rain line..."
Chapter 12- Mysterious Ways
Tommy Quincy stood before his full-length mirror one last time, making a final check on his appearance. Smoothing one stray hair back into place, he smiled, more than satisfied with himself.
Turning, he looked at Jude. She still sat at her dressing table, primping. He watched her fix a bit of smudged dark eyeliner and apply one final coat of mascara to her already long lashes. He then saw her brow furrow, as she questioned her own image.
"Beautiful" he answered for her, drawing closer.
"You like" she replied, standing up to give him a better view.
"Oh, yeah..."
Jude wore a dark red, cowl neck jersey dress that hugged her every curve. The color complemented her auburn hair and creamy complexion. The low neck of the dress provided the perfect frame for the star-shaped diamond pendant he gave her their first Christmas together.
She melted at the sight of her husband, dressed impeccably in his elegant dark suit. She always loved the way he looked in formal clothes. Understandably, on this special night her attraction was even stronger. Tommy felt it no less.
As always, neither could resist the magnetic pull that summoned them into each other's arms or the force that drew their lips together so sweetly and deeply.
"Happy 20th anniversary, Mrs. Quincy..." Tommy whispered between kisses, his fingers curved around her slender waist.
"Happy anniversary... I love you so much..." Jude's breathless voice responded.
"I love you too, sweetheart. Then. Now. Always..." Tommy crooned softly, as his mouth slipped down to the side of her neck.
Patrick swallowed loudly, attempting to gain his parents attention, as he and Ruby approached the open doorway.
"Can I open my eyes now?" Ruby asked him. She was glad her parents still were really into each other, but certain things just constituted too much information.
"Yes" her brother replied, just as Tommy stepped away from Jude but took her hand.
"You guys ready?" Patrick asked calmly, as if he'd seen nothing.
"Yes" Jude answered for both of them.
"You two look great. You clean up nice!" she affectionately told her children.
Ruby proudly sported the designer dress Kat sent her. It was a smoke blue light velvet, sleeveless, with a jeweled brooch at the base of it's V neckline. EJ helped her select the teal blue, gold-trimmed T-strap pumps that accentuated the dress perfectly. Besides her, Patrick replicated his father, wearing a similar dark suit, with coordinating shirt and tie.
Patrick then reached into his pocket and withdrew a set of keys.
"Ok. Consider me your chauffeur for the evening. Let's go!"
The foursome headed outside to his car. With a dramatic flourish, Ruby opened the back door for her parents, who slid inside. She then joined her brother in the front seat.
"Let's roll!"
At "Antonio's On The Point", the elegant Italian restaurant selected for the party, the elite group of guests excitedly awaited the arrival of the Quincy family.
"Sure they don't know?" Kat questioned Rachel, stifling her giggles.
"Trust me. I talked to Jude just this morning. She doesn't have a clue. Thinks it's just the four of them. Just the family."
"Well, in a way, it is." Jamie added, surveying the small crowd. Only family members and close friends were in attendance. His cell phone suddenly rang, alerting him to their imminent arrival.
"Okay, everyone. Ruby's text message just came! They're almost here! Quiet down!" he commanded easily, but firmly.
An anticipating silence quickly filled the room.
Now in front of the restaurant, Tommy, Jude, Patrick and Ruby left the car with the valet and slipped inside.
"Ah, yes. Mr. and Mrs. Quincy. Welcome. We have a very special table just waiting for you in our private dining room. Right this way..." The maitre D beckoned them in the correct direction, then stepped aside to open the door.
"Why is it so dark in here?" Jude began to ask.
Suddenly, the lights snapped on.
"Suprise! Happy 20th Anniversary!" approximately two dozen voices chorused.
"But you said... you did this?" Jude questioned, turning to Ruby and Patrick.
"Guilty!" her daughter grinned mischievously, as her son nodded, an equally impish look on his face.
"I love you" Jude told them, hugging and kissing both of them.
"Hey, that goes for me, too." Tommy added, responding in identical fashion.
"We love you, too, Mom and Dad..."
"Hey, what about the rest of us? Don't we get a turn?" a female voice broke in.
"Sadie!" Jude squealed, turning to embrace her sister.
She and Tommy made the rounds, greeting everyone. All the people who mattered the most to them were there, including Sadie and Collin, and their family, Victoria and her new husband, Eric, Stuart and Yvette and their twins, now grown up, Quest and Rachel, with Caitlin and her boyfriend, Kat and her husband, Jamie, and EJ as well as Georgia and Alex, who had flown in from California, especially for the occaision.
"Don't worry. No business tonight!" Georgia promised the radiant couple, as she laughed.
"Thank you!" Tommy thought.
Patrick and Ruby too said their hellos to their family and friends. Out of the corner of his eye, Patrick saw the familiar blond girl standing, waiting patiently, at the very perimeter of the crowd.
"Stacie..." he greeted her with surprise.
"Yes"
"I just... wasn't expecting you."
"I really wanted to come. Your mother... she's been really good to me..." she explained, adjusting her taupe satin halter top so it fell perfectly over the matching taupe skirt, with its black lace overlay.
"She even got my mom and my manager to let me record my own song. I wanted to be here for her. Ruby said it was okay. It is, right?" she blurted out, clearly rattled.
Patrick bent over and kissed her cheek.
"It is definitely okay."
Tommy and Jude took their seats at the head of the long table, flanked on either side by their children. Waiters moved unobtrusively around the group taking drink orders, and then delivering the requested beverages. Next, huge platters of assorted appetizers were then brought out.
"Mmm! Mussels!" Sadie commented.
"They are an aphrodisiac, you know..." she added, winking naughtily at her sister and brother in law.
"Not that you two seem to need one..."
Tommy's hand stroked Jude's under the table.
"I sure don't. I already have mine..." he whispered, just loudly enough for Jude to hear.
Her fingers pressed on his, giving him all the response he needed.
It was a wonderful party. The close-knit group of guests conversed easily as music played softly in the background. Dinner was leisurely, with salads following the appetizers. Next, a variety of entrees and side dishes were presented family-style and served from oversized dishes. Between courses, guests stood up and mingled.
Somehow, perhaps inevitably, Ruby found herself over by the music station.
"Brian? Hey." she said, easily greeting Q-Record's intern. He had assisted Quest during some of her sessions, but they never really talked before.
"I didn't know you were playing DJ tonight."
"Yeah. Quest asked me to. I like it. Gives me a chance to see what people respond to. What they like. You know."
Ruby nodded, understandingly.
"So, enough about me. How are you doing tonight?" he asked her.
"Ok" she replied, as her eyes skipped over Caitlin and David, for what felt like the millionth time that evening.
"She steal him from you or something?" Brian said, noting her tension.
"OMG! No! Why would you say that?"
"Because of that look on your face when you look at them. And because you two never hang out together anymore at the studio. And because you haven't spoken to either of them tonight."
Ruby just stared at him, stunned.
"Hey, I don't mean to push it." he explained apologetically. "Like I said, I just notice stuff."
"Yeah, me too. Stuff that most people don't..."
"So, you want me to shut up? Or do you want to talk about it?"
"There's not much to say. She doesn't want to talk to me anymore... I made one mistake... I tried to apologize. She won't forgive me. She doesn't need to. She has David now and all his in-crowd friends. I would never fit in there..."
Brian nodded compassionately.
"Something like that happened to me, too. It really sucks, doesn't it."
"Yeah, totally"
"Things changed. They may change again for you two. You never know."
"I guess... Hey, thanks."
"It's cool. Hey, if you ever want to talk about anything, you know where I am." he added.
"I'll definitely take you up on that."
"Anyway, come on... Help me pick the next song!"
Their heads bent over the CD assortment, perusing their selection. They were on the verge of choosing when Tommy approached them.
"If you don't mind..." he said, shutting the music off and reaching for the microphone.
"Everyone... I have some things to say." he began.
"First, I'd like to thank everyone here. Not only for coming tonight, but for being such an important part of our lives. Each of you is very special to us. Jude and I are blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. So, thank you all!"
The guests applauded. Tommy waited for them to stop before continuing. When they saw he had more to add, they quickly did.
"I have one more thing to say. A very special dedication to make tonight. Twenty years ago, I married the most special woman I had ever met. Someone truly beautiful, inside and out."
Jude blushed, feeling her insides melt as she listened to him.
"Many of you will remember... There was a very special song I wrote for Jude right before our wedding. One that expressed everything I felt for her then..."
The crowd sighed collectively and waited eagerly.
"Well, it still does. So, with your permission, I'd like to sing that song tonight. For my wonderful wife, Jude Harrison Quincy.
He sat down at the piano in the corner and began to play.
Come on, take a walk.
Headed straight for the moon.
Let her pale light in,
To fill up your room.
You've been living underground.
Eating from a can.
You've been running away,
From what you don't understand.
Love,
She's slippy.
You're sliding down.
She'll be there,
When you hit the ground...
It's all right, it's all right.
All right.
She moves in mysterious ways...
Come on, take a dive.
As you kiss her in the rain.
Let her talk about the things...
You can't explain.
To touch is to heal.
To hurt is to steal.
If you wanna kiss the sky...
Better learn how to kneel.
(On your knees boy...)
She's the wave,
She turns the tide,
She sees the man inside the child...
It's all right, it's all right,
All right.
She moves in mysterious ways...
It's all right, it's all right.
All right.
She moves in mysterious ways...
It's all right, it's all right...
All right.
Lift my days and light up my nights...
One day, you'll look back.
And you will see...
How you were held,
Held by this love.
While you could stand
And not move on this moment...
Follow this feeling.
It's all right, it's all right.
All right
She moves in mysterious ways.
It's all right, it's all right.
All right
Spirit moves in mysterious ways.
It's all right, all right.
All right
We move through miracle days.
It's all right, it's all right.
All right.
Lift my days and light up my nights...
Tommy modulated his voice and let it trail off as he finished the song. His eyes automatically went to Jude; hers were tear-stained. Not caring who watched them, he drifted over to her, taking her in his arms, and tenderly kissed her. Neither spoke, but merely let their lips and gentle hands communicate to each other the immense love they shared.
Their guests erupted into thunderous applause.
Stacie wistfully watched the radiant couple in front of her.
"They are... the dream. So perfect." she thought. "Most people live their whole lives and never find that. Will I ever? And would I know what to do if I did?" she added, trying to avoid Patrick's gaze.
Ruby saw her expression and walked over to her.
"Too much! Aren't they?" the younger girl asked her friend. Ruby was clearly a little embarrassed.
"Nah! They're wonderful. People envy them." Stacie responded softly.
"You?"
"Yeah. But mostly, I envy you. You have a real family. I never knew that. Maybe I never will..." she answered blandly, without apparent emotion.
Ruby immediately discerned her friend's sadness, and tried to lighten the mood.
"Well, feel free to borrow mine, if you want. Especially him!" Ruby replied, indicating Patrick.
The two girls laughed easily together.
Eventually, the party drew to a close. After everyone else left, Patrick and Ruby stepped outside with their parents, waiting for the valet to bring them their car.
"I still can't believe you two did all this." Jude glowed.
"It really wasn't that big a deal." Ruby modestly informed her. "Everyone helped. Rachel, EJ, Jamie. And grandma and grandpa insisted on paying for the whole thing!"
"We'll have to thank them. Tomorrow." Tommy said, as their car appeared.
"Yes. Speaking of..." Ruby continued.
"Pat and I are spending the night at Grandma's Vic's house."
"We think you two lovebirds should be alone tonight!" her brother grinned, ducking into the driver's seat and then taking his parents home.
"Goodnight, you two!" Patrick said, cheerfully. "Behave!"
"Thanks for everything..." Tommy began.
"It was a wonderful party. We love you both!" Jude finished.
"We love you, too!" Ruby replied, blowing them a kiss.
"Go on, already. We'll see you two tomorrow morning." Patrick added.
Tommy again took Jude's hand, leading her out of the car and up the front steps. His eyes locked with hers as he reached into his pocket for the keys.
"What?" Jude asked, noting his thoughtful expression.
"I was just remembering something. How much I used to hate bringing you home after our dates, or if we worked late. I never wanted to say good bye to you then. Even if I knew I'd see you the next day..."
"That's funny. I don't remember that happening very often. I remember mostly you found excuses to take me home with you..."
"Excuses! Like I needed them!" Tommy scoffed.
He bent over, wrapping his arms around her back and whispering his next words directly into her ear.
"I wanted you... Like I do tonight..."
His mouth moved from her ear to her lips, possessing them fully. Jude's response was equally heated and unrestrained.
"Yes..." she replied simply, as her feet touched an object on the ground.
"What's that?"
"I don't know, Jude."
Curious, she picked up the package, as Tommy opened the door. Inside, Jude tore the wrapping open, revealing the CD inside. She read aloud the accompanying note.
Tommy and Jude: Happy Anniversary! Here's what you really deserve!
She glanced questioningly at her husband.
"Really. I know nothing about it."
"So, let's find out!" she called out, seized with childlike wonder.
"Now?" Tommy protested weakly, intrigued himself.
Jude eagerly led him into the living room and inserted the disk into their state-of-the-art stereo system.
"Here we go!" she squealed, grasping his hand. "I bet it's something great!"
After a few silent moments, strange, initially unidentifiable sounds filled the room. Then an unfamiliar woman's voice emanated from the CD. They listened to her erotic grunts and cries. A man's lustful voice then joined her, echoing her desires and satisfaction. Their actions were unmistakable. Eventually, the male's identity became apparent too.
Jude dropped Tommy's hand and stepped away from him, feeling bile rise in her throat as she listened to the nauseating tape of her husband making love to someone else. Complete horror finally overcame her as she heard his concluding words.
"I love you sweetheart. It's always about you. That's never going to change."
Tommy stood, stunned. His shock disappeared instantly when he viewed his distraught wife. Fear and panic consumed him. He reached for Jude, to reassure her as he always had.
"Don't touch me! Ever! You said... How could you!" she screamed, tears running down her face.
"Jude, it's not like that. I didn't..."
"You didn't what?"
"I didn't sleep with anyone else. I swear to you."
"Really? Cause it sure sounds like you did!"
"I don't know what the hell that CD is or where the hell it came from!" Tommy exploded.
"Oh, I think it's pretty obvious where it came from!"
"Jude, it isn't what you think. Please believe me. I was never with anyone else."
"No? Then who is that on the recording?"
"I've no idea. It's a sick joke! It's not true! I could never be with anyone else! You know that! I only love you, sweetheart. Please!" he begged.
"Don't call me that! You called her that!" Jude shrieked, now hysterical.
"Why can't you believe me?" Tommy asked, with increasing desperation.
"Because! Just listen to that!"
"Yeah, it's pretty convincing..." he reluctantly admitted.
"Yes. So explain it to me! Exactly what is it?"
"I've no idea. But it's not what it sounds like..."
"Seems to me like it's exactly what it sounds like!"
"Jude, why won't you believe me!" he demanded, finally losing his temper.
"Because you can't tell me what it is... You have no explanation, because it's real!"
"Jude..." Tommy said, his patience totally gone.
"I have been with you for almost twenty-five years. Married to you for twenty. In all this time, I have never cheated on you! I have never lied to you! But now, tonight, you accuse me of both! On our anniversary! You can't even give me a chance to explain, to try to work it out. You said you love me. But clearly you don't trust me! Maybe you never have!"
"Get out! Just get out!" she screamed, throwing the CD case at him; it hit his cheek.
"Gladly!" Tommy replied, slamming the door, jumping into his car and speeding off.
"Tommy!" Jude sobbed, as she broke down, completely devastated.
Alone, she collapsed onto the floor.
(Author's Note: Ok. For what it's worth, it hurt me as much to write this chapter as it probably will for some of you to read it! But I promise- the drama is soooo worth it! So, what does everyone think? Did Tommy cheat on Jude? And if he didn't, where did that CD come from? Please let me know what you think... I'm really, really, really curious! I'd really, really, really love some feedback on this emotional chapter... it would make up for all the pain it caused me! LOL!)
dorothy