Kwest finally reached for the phone on the third ring, and I held my breath as he murmured 'hello.' It didn't take me long to realize we were both right to assume because I could hear Tommy's voice even from where I was sitting on the sofa.
"Tell me she's not at your place, man." Tommy said bitingly as Kwest sighed and turned away from me wearily.
"It was her decision, Tom." Kwest answered vaguely as I heard Tommy practically growl from across the room.
"She's sick for God's sake. What's she trying to do? Destroy her voice." Tommy asked as Kwest threw his eyes up in irritation.
"Oh come off of it, man. I may not do a very good imitation of the renowned Dr. House, but I can reasonably make sure she takes her medication, daddy." Kwest said with a humorous glance in my direction, and I smiled as Tommy sighed on the other end of the line. I couldn't hear the next part of the conversation as Tom must have lowered his voice, but Kwest suddenly turned away from me as if he didn't want me to see his face.
Tommy and Kwest…"Bring her back, Kwest." Tom asked imploringly as Kwest glanced questioningly back at Jude, trying his best to be indifferent about the whole situation.
"What happened between you two, Tom?" Kwest asked in a whisper as he walked pointedly into his kitchen. Tom just mumbled incomprehensibly as he ran a hand wearily over his face.
"I might have crossed the line just a little bit." Tom said slowly as Kwest choked on a sip of Coke.
"What!" Kwest demanded before realizing that Jude could probably still hear him. Lowering his voice, he leaned into the refrigerator to grab some sandwich meat while taking slow deep, calming breaths.
"How much of the line did you cross just so I'll know what I'm dealing with over here, Quince. I am not Dr. Phil, you know. I don't do therapy for a living." Kwest remarked sardonically as Tom grew quiet on the other end before exhaling heavily.
"Let's just say it was probably a good thing we got interrupted." Tom said quietly as Kwest grew rigid at the remark.
"For you or for her, Tom?" Kwest asked deliberately as Tom banged around his bedroom in irritation.
"Are you trying to tell me I shouldn't have stopped, Kwest, because coming from you, I would almost find that laughable?" Tom asked with a wry quirk of his brow as he sat down on the edge of his bed uneasily. Kwest just sighed.
"I won't go any deeper into that emotional vortex so I'll just leave it at that vague insinuation, man." Kwest said as he looked over into the living room—motioning at the sandwich he was making as he did. Jude just shook her head at him while he shrugged in a gesture that said 'your loss.'
"Darius called." Tom said suddenly, veering away from the subject at hand as Kwest stared at the receiver in anticipation.
"And?" Kwest asked imploringly as Tommy's voice grew somewhat excited.
"Jude's name has been listed as a possibility for a Grammy nomination, but I don't think it would be wise to tell her right now. I don't want her getting her hopes up, but chances are, she will be selected." Tommy answered smoothly as Kwest turned away from Jude's searching eyes so that he could do a little victory dance on the tile of his kitchen floor.
"Now way, man! When was the last time you or I took one of our artists all the way to the Grammy's?" Kwest asked with a lightened heart as Tommy smiled happily before leaning over and stuffing a picture he had been looking at of Jude back in his nightstand drawer.
"A long time, friend. An awful long time." Tommy replied haltingly as Kwest tried not to chuckle at the possibility while Tom, on the other hand, grew quiet again.
"I'd like her to come back, Kwest. What am I supposed to tell Sadie?" Tom asked almost in a whisper as Kwest leaned against his kitchen counter wearily.
"Try the truth, man. As for Jude, maybe you should just ask her to come back. It can't be that hard." Kwest said knowingly as Tom sighed from the other end before standing back up and walking towards his bedroom door.
"That's easier said than done, Kwest. Bring her into the studio tomorrow. Even if her voice isn't up to par, we have publicity stills to work on. Oh and Kwest, I found a new song she wrote downstairs. Something tells me it's going to be a hit." Tom said vaguely as Kwest raised his brow uncertainly.
"Found a song, Tom? Let me guess, she didn't give you permission to peruse it, did she?" Kwest asked with a heavy sigh as Tom chuckled from the other end.
"When has she ever?" Tom asked with a small laugh as Kwest groaned.
"You two are seriously going to be the death of me, Mi Amigo." Kwest said despairingly as Tommy chuckled.
"What can I say? She's Sharon to my Osbourne." Tommy said teasingly as Kwest sighed. "If only she knew that" Kwest thought with an amused shake of his head.
"Go get some rest, Tom. I'll bring her in tomorrow." Kwest said finally before looking at the receiver and hanging up the phone before Tom could reply. The Grammy's. Wow!