AT&T Stadium(Cowboys Stadium)
Attendance approx: 80,000 - Sold Out
Approximate Gross Revenue: $25 million
The golf carts stopped abruptly, startling anyone nearby who wasn't paying attention.
In groups of two, the women stepped off the back seats of the carts. Lilly looked at Aubrey, who looked at Chloe, who then looked at Lynn and before anyone knew it the four women were staring at each other with bated breaths and not even registering the stage technicians fitting each of them, except for Lilly, with their "stage wings."
Nobody heard Stacie approach, but when she did the women fooled themselves into thinking their worries were washed away by the sight of the woman who took a chance on them and delivered on every promise she made.
They owed their lives and careers to the leggy brunette and her potty mouth and no-nonsense attitude.
"Just picture them in their underwear," Stacie joked. The technicians made the final adjustments to their wings before finally giving the ladies, and Stacie, the thumbs up.
"Oh sure, like there aren't a million sexy people out there," Aubrey stood on her tiptoes desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of anyone.
"Well, then you ladies will have plenty of pickings for the traditional post-show hookup. Come to think of it, it's a bummer that hotels only give you two key cards. Kinda puts the kibosh on any potential screw parties," Stacie winked at her clients, "Unless you know how to get creative."
Lynn, Aubrey, and Lilly chuckled. Chloe filed it away for later, recalling a couple of girls she met earlier in the day whom she was dying for an opportunity to get acquainted with a little more intimately. She knew her band-mates were doing the same, covering their lecherous thoughts behind the veil of a smile.
Lynn chuckled. "So this is it, huh?"
Chloe, Aubrey, and Lilly looked at her then smiled.
"Get ready girls," Stacie said.
"Would you give us a moment please, Stacie?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah," their manager said, and proceeded to walk off in the direction of the sound mixers, probably to check and make sure everything was in tip-top shape.
"Alright ladies," Chloe began. "This is the moment I've dreamed of since I was thirteen, and I know you all have as well."
They nodded.
"Regardless of what happens, we're bonded together forever because of this, and there's not a more talented group of girls I'd rather share this with than you three."
"So let's go put on one kickass show!" Lynn added.
Aubrey didn't know what possessed her to do it but she offered her hand, "Hands in," she said enthusiastically.
Lilly, Chloe, and Lynn followed suit.
Stacie dashed back to her clients, "Okay girls, you're on!" and she gestured to the stairwell.
Lynn, Chloe, and Aubrey rested a hand on Lilly's upper back, taking a deep breath as she climbed the stairs to take her place on the stage.
Silence swept the audience uniformly when the merciless and unwavering stadium lights suddenly went dead.
Whistles and cheers defied the darkness.
A voice echoed over the loudspeakers.
Arlington! Are you ready?
Three celestial beings have left their homeworld and are descending upon Earth to bless us with Rock and Roll.
The Angel of Fire!
Bright red-orange mist concentrated on the center of the stage.
The Angel of Nature!
An apple green smoke manifested on the far-left side of the stage.
The Angel of The Underworld!
A neon purple haze appeared on the far-right end of the stage.
They've chosen an envoy amongst the people of Earth to set their beat.
A spotlight illuminated a young woman without makeup.
"Oh wow!" Lilly said. "I'd love to play with you guys!" she chortled, utterly amazed by the three beings below her. Unbeknownst to the audience and the rest of the band, Lilly's dialogue was unscripted.
She climbed up onto the drum riser and then quickly settled in.
The crowd gasped and then cheered as three bodies took shape under the different colored mists.
They are….GENERATION II !
Drums thundered.
Duhn-duhn-duhn-duhn-duhn
Guitars roared to life.
Fireworks exploded followed by a synchronized chain of pyrotechnics and the crowd lost its fucking mind!
The dry ice instantly evaporated and audiences were greeted by three women; a blonde, a redhead, and a brunette with a pixie cut. All three were wearing tights which began on the bottom as a jet black before transitioning into a dark maroon on the top half.
Chloe thought she was going to be lifted off of the ground from the audience's reaction. This was the culmination of all their hard work. Chloe wondered if the audience saw the chemistry the four of them had on stage or if their thundering applause was them being polite?
However, something else happened the moment she crossed that stage.
Something possessed her.
Something otherworldly.
No longer was she Chloe Beale, the girl who always wanted to be in a rock band, she was her character, The Angel of fire; strutting across the stage; putting a spell on her kingdom while flames and fireworks erupted on both sides. Her guitar wailed, and Chloe refused to let up until it bled for her loyal subjects.
When the last wave of pyrotechnics died down Lynn adjusted the mic stand. During the planning of the tour, all of them decided the opener should be the titular song from their recent album, Triple Crown.
While their rhythm guitarist sang the first verse, Chloe and Aubrey stopped short of running into each other. The two hopped and bopped while facing each other and trading licks.
Sheets turn and my head starts to pound. You're topping and we're not stopping.
Aubrey noticed Lilly had a little groove going while she pounded on the drums, it made the blonde smile.
Aubrey knew everything would be alright. If all else failed, if Generation II truly was a flash in the pan then at least nobody could ever accuse them of putting on one great show.
Faster and faster the night winds down.
We're not stopping till we cross that finish line and hit that triple crown.
Later…
Lynn received the thumbs up from the crew letting her know that her harness was secure. Everything boiled down to this, it was the riskiest, most death-defying stunt they performed.
The nervous woman stood on the stage staring down…a lot of fucking people, almost one-hundred thousand of them, she took a deep breath.
Just think of the money. Think of that sweet seven-figure check baby, she thought.
The lighting technicians hit the audience with a blinding white light. An eerie death bell suddenly rang out, its reverberations swept through the stadium in spine-chilling waves, and before the audience knew it a figure glided above them.
"Wow. Look at her go!" Lilly said into her microphone, causing Aubrey and Chloe to turn around stunned, only to relax and smile softly.
The audience roared with applause while they watched the Angel of The Underworld fly over their heads only to circle back and fly around the entire stadium a second time.
Oh, Lynn you crazy bitch what the fuck are you doing flying around a fucking stadium? What the fuck were you smoking when you agreed to this?
Before she knew it Lynn was being guided back onto the stage. Her legs were wobbly and she swore her body felt like she was still being pulled around.
Chloe, Aubrey, and Lilly smiled, and Lynn finally relaxed.
Tonight might just be perfect after all.
"I don't know about you Arlington, but it's pretty warm up here!" Aubrey pretended to wipe sweat from across her forehead. "Chloe, thank you for warming us up baby, but it's like a sauna."
"Sorry sweetie," the Angel of Fire smiled. "What do you think we should do?"
Aubrey looked out into the crowd, "I think it's time I conjure up a little…Frostbite!" she yelled into the mic.
Suddenly the stage lights went dead.
The sounds of winter winds echoed through the speakers.
When the lights came back on a calm fog engulfed the stage, then a soft drum beat crept up and Aubrey twirled across the stage.
Aubrey set her pick and played a galloping beat on her bass when all of a sudden a snow flurry broke out.
From backstage Chloe and Lynn watched their friend do her interpretive dance.
It was a shame it would all melt once Aubrey's solo was over and they rejoined her and Lilly on the stage and resumed their usual pyrotechnics, but for right now nothing mattered to the two of them other than living in the moment, basking in the crowd's delight as thousands of people had their eyes glued to the stage.
"Arlington!" Chloe shouted into the microphone, "I love my girls here on stage but I think it's time I come out there and get to know you!"
The crowd whistled and roared.
"So what do you say? Can I come out there and visit you?!"
The cheers were so loud the band thought the roof would blow off of the stadium.
Chloe smiled. From the side of the stage, the technicians gave her the thumbs up signaling her wings and harness were secure. Being the bad bitch she is, Chloe tossed the microphone behind her. She took a deep breath and then ran towards the front of the stage.
She hadn't fallen. Hadn't felt an impact. Instead, she was met with a feeling which surprised her, serenity. Chloe glided towards the designated platform which was placed on the left corner of the first level of the stadium.
She kept her gaze fixed on the platform so she wouldn't be blinded by all the lights and cameras.
Within seconds she arrived on the platform on the backs of thunderous applause and rapturous cheers. The crew made sure that her footing was secure and that none of the wires were tangled. Quick work was made of everything and Chloe strummed her guitar and leaned into the microphone to sing.
The stunt went off without a hitch, but something still didn't feel right, this part of the concert felt as though something was still missing. Lynn and Aubrey's stunts lived up to their band's mission statement, but something nibbled away at Chloe's intuition, the nagging sensation kept at it until a random scan of the crowd around her sparked inspiration.
A woman her age was enjoying herself, but Chloe noticed the woman wasn't vibing like everyone around her was. This woman's energy was misplaced.
Chloe didn't know what possessed her to do it, but she slid the strap of her Flying V down her arm and leaned over the protective railing to give this woman her guitar.
The stadium was deathly silent.
Reaching behind her, Chloe fished the microphone off of the stand and brought it to her mouth, never once breaking eye contact.
"What's your name?" Chloe asked, sweetly.
"Inez," the woman said. She looked around her and noticed tens of thousands of glances, the Jumbotron even managed to pick this interaction up.
The young woman's eyes met Chloe's. Certainty and purpose, now clear, Chloe once again gestured to the Hispanic woman to take her guitar.
"This is for you Inez. Thank you for coming out to see us tonight!" The Angel of Fire smiled.
"No way? Okay," Inez said, which made the crowd laugh. She eagerly accepted the gift from the entertainer, "Thank you so much!" she shouted.
"Thank you. I love you. I love all of you!" Chloe waved to the crowd, once again on the verge of blowing the roof off of the stadium from their cheering, whooping, and hollering.
Chloe turned back around. It was time for her to fly back to the stage, this time empty-handed, but she honestly didn't care, she'd finish the show with her red Gibson Les Paul, the one Clara bought her a few years prior.
She succeeded in living up to their mission statement, she and her band-mates made sure every single person who came out to see them had the best day of her life. Chloe didn't even register her feet touching the stage when she landed, nor did her friends grinning like Cheshire cats.
The musician was on cloud nine.
The encore winded down and the crowd went wild over Lilly's drum kit glowing in the dark and rising above the stage along with the three angels who were suspended by cables.
"You've been one hell of an audience and we will never forget you, Arlington!" Lynn shouted into the microphone. "Good night!" and the three of them disappeared into the same colored mists that they appeared in.
The lights died out on the stage and slowly trickled back to life across the stadium until the entire venue was illuminated.
When they landed the band was quickly whisked off of the stage by their people.
When Chloe spotted her parents backstage, she couldn't hold back her tears.
"Mama!" the ginger sobbed as she engulfed her parents in a hug. "I did it."
"You were incredible honey!" Chloe's dad said.
"I-I don't-I don't know what came over me on stage but I did it!" she bawled into her parents' shoulders.
"That's the power of Rock and Roll baby," Lynn yelled at her, and Chloe looked up just long enough to see her rhythm guitarist walking down the corridor with her elbows locked with two people Chloe didn't know. She managed a weak chuckle which was met in kind by Lynn.
Once Chloe took a second to dry her eyes and let her parents croon, the redhead looked up to see Aubrey and Lilly, equally as affected, being comforted by their loved ones.
"Your father and I are so proud of you," Catherine Beale said.
"Thanks. I saw you guys in the front row," Chloe said.
"You flew right over our heads," Frank Beale said, still blown away.
Chloe's confidence found its way back. "We totally kicked their asses didn't we?"
"You did honey," her mother assured her. "It was really sweet, you giving your guitar to a fan."
Chloe scoffed, downplaying the whole thing. "It just felt right, you know?" The rockstar looked up to see her band-mates kiss and hug their parents goodbye, then scurry off to go find potential bed warmers.
Her parents noticed. "Now go have fun, sweetheart," Chloe's mom gave her a knowing wink. To which Chloe playfully rolled her eyes. But laughed as she bid her folks goodbye.
"Just be safe!" Chloe's father said while she walked away.
Chloe practically skipped down the halls of the stadium. Tonight had been the greatest night of her life, her seemingly lifelong dream finally achieved.
Tonight she was going to celebrate, hopefully, with those two cute girls she met before the show. If not then she'd settle for a cute guy, or two.
Come hell or high water Chloe was determined to end the night on her knees and sweating like a maniac.
Part IV.
The remainder of the tour went very well. Chloe refused to let any show underperform the previous one. Refused to disappoint their fans.
Their tour of Europe kicked off with a USO performance in Cádiz, Spain.
The four of them made their way down the steps of the plane and were then whisked off to the hangar where their soundcheck would take place.
That's when Chloe first saw him. A man who made up one-half of their security detail approached them wearing typical army clothes and expensive sunglasses.
"On behalf of the Department of Defense we would like to welcome you to Naval Air-Station Rota, Spain," he said.
Chloe looked him up and down, she couldn't take her eyes off of the soldier. His lips were perfectly supple and puffy, and once he took off the sunglasses he had that shy "boy-next-door" way about him.
His name was Walp. His rank, Staff-Sergeant.
Chloe couldn't stop smiling at him, couldn't stop drinking in his body. Couldn't stop staring at his lips.
The soundcheck went well but the entire time her mind was elsewhere.
Chloe and her band strut through the lobby of their hotel wearing sunglasses and pea coats while the wheels of their luggage and their high heels clicked on the tile floor. Their faces covered by cloth masks. All eyes were on them. Their confidence and swagger diverted all of the energy in the room.
People wondered who in the hell they were. The four women weren't locals, they knew that for sure. Maybe they were friends? Or maybe they were there to shake things up? One thing was for certain, they sure as hell weren't going to find out with the sea of security surrounding them.
And all Chloe could think about, as she neared the elevator, was Staff Sergeant Walp's soft lips covering the most intimate parts of her body.
A fantasy she turned into a reality when she invited him into her bed the evening after the concert.
Chloe was surprised when he asked her for a date, but the shock went away, and naturally, she said yes to a wonderful dinner on the river walk.
They clicked right away. She laughed at his jokes. They teased each other about their favorite baseball teams. Chicago was a Braves fan while Chloe was a ride-or-die Tampa Bay Rays girl. National League and American League, like two ships passing through the night. Chloe told him that her favorite movie was Field of Dreams; it won the soldier points when he said that he was fond of that movie. Fond of almost anything starring Kevin Costner.
Chloe found his fumbling cute when he accidentally spilled sauce on his shirt. She laughed, not in a mean way but a hearty way. And then something miraculous happened, Chloe looked down and saw that she too spilled dressing on her shirt.
How could they ever go back from that? They were two dorks bonded forever.
The first date turned into two, then three, and the next thing Chloe knew she was flying him out to Brussels or jetting off to Spain whenever the band had a few extra days off.
The two spent the days eating at dive bars or stealing kisses while cruising the shops downtown, and their evenings snuggled up together. Talking about anything and everything from their childhood pets to which guitar brands were a fucking ripoff.
Those nights always end the same way, with the couple falling asleep together in the wee hours of the morning.
Chloe realized that Chicago was becoming a staple in her life. Someone whom she wanted something more than a brief fling.
Every dark angel needed a priest, right?
Once the band arrived in Paris, the musician made special arrangements with her stage technicians and tour manager. An arrangement to do something sexy and unique for her boyfriend.
"Okay. Open your eyes," Chloe said as she approached the man who was eagerly waiting for her on the bed.
Chicago opened his eyes to see Chloe standing before him at the foot of their hotel bed wearing her massive Angel wings.
Wearing only her Angel wings.
The soldier felt his heart jackhammer and his arousal immediately channeled into his sex.
"Ever made love to a celestial being before?" Chloe smirked, and Chicago could see the faintest hint of a blush creep across her cheeks.
All Chicago could muster was a slight head shake.
Chloe climbed on the bed. Then climbed on top of Chicago, who leaned up to capture her lips in a hungry kiss. Breathy moans escaped Chloe's lips as warm kisses trailed down her neck and then her chest.
Enough was enough and Chloe couldn't take it anymore.
She needed him.
Chloe parted his boxers and then lowered herself and started bouncing.
It was sunrise when she finally collapsed onto his chest, trembling and gelatinous, her muscles practically nonexistent. The soldier reduced her to a state that only one other lover ever managed to do so before.
She consecrated him.
"You don't need wings to convince me that you're an angel," he whispered.
Chloe murmured then nodded. The soldier un-clipped the buckles which held the harness that supported her stage wings. They dropped like weights and the couple used their last bit of energy to kick them off of the bed. Chloe didn't care if they were damaged, she could afford to buy new ones.
Shifting her legs, the rockstar wrapped her arms around his body like a tight shield. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
The soldier pulled the blanket around them.
The last thing Chloe thought about as they drifted off into a deep sleep was how satisfied she was. How she never felt more satisfied, more secure, and more powerful wrapped up in the warm embrace of the soldier.
An embrace she never wanted to leave.
A year later they were married at the Beverly Hills Hotel surrounded by almost two hundred guests. All of them friends or family.
Chloe dropped a few million dollars on a gorgeous five-bedroom home on Westgate Avenue. In the backyard was a pool surrounded by palm trees and smaller decorative trees and lined with ivy walls which also led to a tennis court.
"Sugar Mamma!" Chicago cheered, which made Chloe laugh.
"Oh hush," she gave her husband a playful push on the shoulder. She leaned up to kiss him on the lips. The couple took each other's hands, interlocked their fingers, and went about decorating their new home.
Three years later…
"Mommy, mommy, mommy," the child bounded into his mother's office. Stopping once he collided with her legs.
"Oof," Chloe exaggerated.
"Sorry honey. He just couldn't wait anymore," Chicago smiled.
Chloe picked her son up and set him on her lap. She kissed his head and then went back to clicking things on her computer screen.
"Whatcha doing, Mommy?" Connor asked.
Chloe tousled his hair. "Answering emails," she said sweetly.
"E-mails," the child slowly enunciated each syllable.
"Whass email?" Connor asked.
"Oh, it's just people asking mommy if her band will come and play for them."
"Oh," he smiled with a toothy grin. Connor didn't know much about his mommy's job, just that she made music and made people happy.
With a new album and potential world tour coming up, Chloe and Chicago were working out how they were going to communicate these things to their toddler. How they were going to introduce aspects of Chloe's career like seeing his mommy backstage, or in makeup.
"Whatcha got there, cutie pie?" Chloe asked and then gave her son another kiss on the head.
"I made you a card!" he held up a folded up piece of computer paper with scribbles and lines of crayon all over it.
Chloe gasped. "You did?!"
Her son shook his head and handed her the card.
"Happy Birfday, mommy!"
"Awwww," Chloe hugged her little man tight. "Thank you, sweetheart."
Connor smiled and then giggled when his mom attacked him with kisses. "I love it!" she held the card open, admiring its artwork.
"Happy Birthday, Babe." Chicago leaned over and pecked his wife on the lips.
"Oh Mommy!" the child kicked his legs so Chloe set him down so he could run around. "I made you a birfday song."
"You did?!" Chloe asked, sweetly.
"Uh-huh."
The musician got up from her computer chair and went over to Connor who was standing over by her acoustic guitar and anxiously pointing at it.
Chloe scooped up her son and her guitar and joined her husband on the couch so her baby boy could sing his made-up song. Chloe's heart never stopped fluttering the entire time.
Geffen Records Conference Room.
"I'll cut to the chase," Stacie began. "Ladies, we need to make a change. Something's gotta give."
"Album sales are okay, but they're not great. Your concerts are expensive," one executive said.
"But our last two albums have been certified gold!" Chloe protested.
Aubrey, Lilly, and Lynn gave supportive nods.
"And that's a remarkable feat," Stacie leaned forward in her chair. "But if you four want to go on another world tour then, we need to make-" the brunette paused, searching for the right word, "adjustments," she settled on.
"What kind of adjustments?" Aubrey asked.
"We've come up with a few options," another executive said.
Lynn looked at the other three band members before looking at the woman currently speaking. "Go on?"
"We could raise ticket prices…"
"Absolutely not!" Chloe snapped. They weren't the Eagles or Elton John, they didn't want the upper echelons of society being the only ones who could afford to attend their concerts. Generation II was a fun band and everyone in the world deserved to have the time of their lives.
"Yeah. We're not doing that," Lynn agreed. Which made Chloe smile, knowing that she was being backed up.
Aubrey looked around. "So, what's our other option then?"
Stacie sighed. "You take off the makeup."
Chloe looked around the table, trying to read her band-mates. Hoping to gauge where they stood because this option was out of the question.
Stacie continued. "Obviously you can still perform in makeup and costumes but we figure an `unmasking'," she used finger quotes, "would boost sales."
Performing in makeup allowed them more anonymity than most celebrities. Sure, sleazy reporters tried to uncover their real identities but Millennials and Gen Z had a noble code of honor. They kept the girl's identities a secret, preferring the mystique. Unmasking them without their consent would ruin the magic.
Lynn huffed. "We agreed we weren't going to take the makeup off until our fourth album."
"Look. Either we raise ticket prices or take off the makeup. Otherwise, the four of you can kiss goodbye any hopes of a world tour," the president of the label interjected.
Lilly leaned over to whisper something in Aubrey's ear. A question she wanted the bassist to ask. Aubrey nodded once Lilly was finished.
"How dire is the situation?" Aubrey asked.
"We crunched the numbers and we've determined that you guys need to go platinum," Stacie said.
"A hit single wouldn't hurt either," one executive said.
Chloe rolled her eyes, "Gee thanks. We'll get right on it."
Two minutes of awkward silence passed before Lynn broke the ice. "So it's pretty much a no-go on raising ticket prices; so I guess we're taking a vote on the whole `no makeup' thing."
"I guess so," Chloe shook her head.
"All in favor?" Stacie asked.
Lynn and Aubrey immediately raised their hands. Which left Chloe and Lilly. In the event of a tie, Stacie was always the tie-breaker.
Chloe wasn't sure which outcome she preferred.
Slowly, Lilly raised her hand.
Chloe's head dropped into her hands which were propped up on the conference table by her elbows. She let out a long, irritated sigh.
"Three-to-one," Stacie said.
Lilly caught up to Chloe right as she was almost out the door of the lobby, the other girls trailing behind her.
"You're not mad are you?" she whispered.
Chloe's eyes darted upward and she eased up on her defensive posture. After a few seconds of hesitation, she hugged the quiet girl. "Just give me a couple of days, okay?" she murmured.
Lilly understood. When the hug ended, the drummer smiled and let Chloe leave.
"Mommy!" Connor practically tackled his mother as soon as she walked through the door. "I missed you."
"Awww. I missed you too little guy," no matter how crappy her day was, the musician could always count on hugs from her little boy to brighten her mood.
"Rough meeting?" Chicago asked after pecking his wife on the lips.
"Ughh," Chloe groaned.
"Son. Why don't you go play with your toys? Mommy and I need to talk, okay?" Chicago asked.
Connor perked up. "Okay," the child took off at breakneck speed for the living room. Leaving his parents free to talk.
Chloe told her husband about the meeting. Told him about the decision to take off the makeup.
"Oh honey," he hugged his wife. "I'm sorry."
"It's whatever. It's good for business," Chloe said.
"I thought we were doing pretty well?" the soldier asked.
Chloe nodded. "Oh, we are. Geffen, not so much." The girls owned the rights to their name, image, and likeness so the four of them were raking in the cash from merch sales.
"Are you mad at them?"
"No," Chloe said. "I'll always love my girls. I'm just upset you know? This isn't how I imagined things playing out. We were going to reveal ourselves on our fourth album. But whatever!" she shrugged. "It's like I told Lilly, I'll get over it in a few days."
Her husband noticed that something else was bothering her. "What else?" he kissed his wife's forehead which made her giggle.
"They need us to go platinum," she sighed.
"Dang."
"Yeah."
Chicago kissed his wife once more. "Everything will work itself out. I know it."
The stunt paid off and Salacious and Capricious was certified triple platinum and produced two hit singles.
Aubrey's solo Hard Wired reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their first top ten single.
And Chloe's song Irresponsible charted at #12 on the Hot 100.
Overall the album reached #9 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and #1 on the Hard Rock chart.
Having a hit album along with two hit singles meant there was enough cash flow that the band had no trouble booking a world tour.
It was decided that this time around the tour would kick off in Europe.
Their first show would be a nearly sold-out concert at Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens, Greece.
This meant that Chloe and Chicago had to prepare their three-year-old and try their best to explain to him that they'd be traveling with mommy for the next two months overseas.
Two weeks before they were scheduled to depart Chloe received a text from Aubrey telling her to meet at this private hangar at LAX.
Security cleared the ginger and she was ushered to the hangar. Chloe was surprised to see Lilly arrive almost exactly at the same time.
"What's going on Lil?"
The quiet woman shrugged.
"Surprise Bitches!" Lynn's voice echoed out.
The hangar door opened, and Lynn and Aubrey were standing in front of a sleek new jet.
"No way!" Chloe said.
"Yes way," Aubrey gestured to the plane. "Lynn and I pooled some money together. Enjoy it, girls, it's ours!"
Lilly and Chloe bounced with excitement, they couldn't wait to check out their new plane.
The staircase popped out and then lowered down. "Hey guys, I'm Jessica. Your flight attendant," said a jovial blonde girl as she walked down the steps of the plane.
The four ladies looked at each other excitedly before eagerly climbing aboard. "What kind of plane is it?" Chloe asked while climbing the staircase.
"It's a Dassault Falcon 900LX," Lynn said.
Made in 2012, it seated 14 people. The plane had luxury seats that reclined as well as two long comfy couches which could extend and be made up like a bed. Chloe liked that detail, it meant she and Lilly would have a place for their children to sleep.
Chloe, unbeknownst to everyone else, was already making plans for her and Chicago to sneak aboard one night so that they could get in a quick fuck and christen the new jet.
Chloe was disappointed to learn that Lynn already beat her to it.
It's a miracle that Chloe and Chicago weren't scarred for life when, thinking they were the only ones there at such an ungodly hour, boarded the jet expecting a couple hours of carnal mischief only to find Lynn getting down with some guy.
The four of them busted out laughing and the rhythm guitarist assured them that she'd hire a cleaning crew to make sure the plane was spotless before they departed from Europe.
Chloe was a little dejected, at least until they got home and Chicago, being the good and thoughtful husband, happily went down on his wife once they settled into their massive bed. Prompting Chloe to return the favor once she came down from her high.
When the day came to embark on their tour Connor slept peacefully despite the early awakening. He wearily registered his parents carrying him to the car and then onto mommy's airplane.
The jet was nearly packed to capacity with the four girls, Lily's husband and daughter, Chicago and Connor, Stacie, their flight attendant Jessica, and their two pilots; Barney and Jasper.
Situations like this caused Chloe to re-evaluate her stance on drugs because twelve people on a plane for two months, especially two toddlers was a recipe for a lot of headaches and cabin fever. Especially on those long flights over the oceans.
The plane rumbled and Connor panicked. Even though his mommy and daddy were holding his hands, he still turned his left and right, searching for them.
"It's okay baby," Chloe kissed him. "Daddy and I are right here."
"Okay."
"Who's my brave little prince?" Chloe asked.
"I am," he replied softly.
Chloe tickled him. "That's right!"
The child felt the plane moving so he tightened his grip on his parents' hands. He looked over to see his Aunt Lilly holding onto his cousin Sakura. The child couldn't figure it out but seeing them gave him some assurance. Seeing all of his aunts and mommy's friends comfortable and not scared made him feel not so scared.
He gasped and then clamped his eyes shut as soon as he felt the plane pick up speed. Then the most terrifying thing in his short life happened, the child felt like he was being pushed backward. The rear of the plane tipped back.
Connor screamed and clung to his parents.
"We've got you, son. You're safe," Chicago said.
Chloe leaned over and whispered in her son's ear, "It's okay sweetie. We're in the air now."
Hearing his mother's angelic voice made him feel safe enough to open his eyes.
Chloe smiled. "Do you want to look?" she asked while pointing to the window.
Cautiously the three-year-old shifted his position and crawled onto the other side of his mother's lap. Chloe opened the window shade slowly and her son sheepishly peeked.
They were soaring above the clouds. Connor saw nothing but pillowy white balls of fluff for miles.
"Hey Connor," a different voice called out to him. The child turned over to see his Aunt Lynn standing beside his parents. "You were so brave kiddo. Braver than I am." she chuckled. "I don't always like flying either. Your mommy used to have to hold my hand too!"
Connor managed a weak laugh.
Lynn crouched down on her knees. "Would you like to be my little helper?"
Connor nodded.
"Good. If you're a brave boy, then you'll be helping Aunt Lynn. Because I'll know that 'If Connor's got this, then Aunt Lynn's got this too'"
"Would you like that Connor?" Chloe asked. "Would you like to be your Aunt Lynn's airplane buddy?"
"Yeah!" he said.
"You're the best, kid," Lynn smiled.
"Geece!" Connor pointed excitedly to the country as it came into view from the window of the jet.
"Greece," Chloe corrected.
"No mommy it's Geece!" the child laughed.
"Geece, huh? Okay, my bad, baby!"
Once they were settled into their hotel suite, Chloe and Chicago put their son down for a much-needed good night's sleep in a spacious bed. While they snuggled up and watched a movie in the living space.
Chloe spent the next morning basking in as much family time as she could get in before she and the girls had to leave and head to the stadium for makeup and wardrobe.
"Look, Mommy. Di-o-saur! Rawrrr!" the child held up a picture of green scribbles. Chloe's heart melted at how adorable her son was. The three of them spent the past hour coloring pictures with crayons.
Chloe let out an exaggerated gasp, "You're so talented hon! It's beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you," Chicago smirked.
Chloe affectionately swatted her husband on the shoulder, "Oh hush!"
Connor curled up into his parents. "Pretty mommy," he smiled.
A few hours later Chloe told her two favorite boys that she had to leave now and get ready.
The four women were ushered into cramped SUVs surrounded by a sea of anxious fans who reluctantly parted once the vehicles took off to drive the ladies to the stadium.
Up from the hotel balcony, Chicago Walp took note of how the city was unusually quiet and the streets eerily empty. Off in the distance, he could see the lights from Karaiskakis Stadium, and he wondered if the entire city closed down just to see his wife perform?
The former soldier picked up his son and held him in his arms. "See those lights buddy?" he pointed in their direction, "That's where your mommy is singing tonight. Wave to mommy and your aunts."
Without hesitation, the child flapped his arms and waved gleefully.
It was a little past 22:30 when Chloe arrived back at her hotel room.
Connor was supposed to be sleeping but when he heard the double click of the hotel door he bolted out of bed and raced into the living area only to stop dead in his tracks.
Before him stood a towering figure in a light blue robe with strange markings on her face.
The child trembled and then took off looking for his daddy.
"Oh no, no, Connor sweetie it's okay. It's me mommy!" the rockstar reached out hoping it would calm the child
Chicago came into view carrying their petrified son in his hands. This wasn't how the couple had planned on introducing their son to his mom's "alter ego," All Chloe had planned on doing was showering and washing off the makeup like she did after every performance.
But here they were.
Chicago held the petrified toddler out, offering him to Chloe. "Connor. This is mommy," he said.
"No," the child stated with frightening conviction. "Not mommy!" he coiled and curled into his father's embrace, trying his best to escape the scary monster.
"Oh honey," Chloe soothed. "I'm your mommy, I promise."
"Not mommy!" the child's lip quivered and he began to cry. "Daddy!" he clung to his father.
"Shit," Chloe muttered under her breath.
An idea came to her and she motioned for her husband to carry Connor into the bathroom. Once inside Chloe turned on the faucet and wet a washcloth. Once it was soaked, the ginger wiped her face.
Chicago leaned in to whisper in his son's ear, "Look," he said.
Cautiously the child unburied his face and then turned around slowly to look at what his father instructed him to look at.
The child studied the bizarre figure. She had half of his mommy's face and half of a monster face.
"Mo-mmy?"
"Mmmhmm," Chloe hummed.
Connor reached out to touch Chloe's face with his small chubby fingers.
Chicago brought him closer. "Go ahead, son."
The toddler reluctantly allowed himself to be transferred into the embrace of the mysterious person. Maybe it was his mother's smell or her familiar hold, but the child finally relaxed a little.
"Mommy. Why your face different?" Connor asked.
Chloe smiled. "Because baby. I'm wearing makeup. When mommy sings and plays guitar she puts on makeup."
Connor watched as Chicago wiped the other half of Chloe's face until more and more of his mommy's face came into view. It seemed to be good enough for him at the moment.
After Chloe showered, she climbed into bed with her husband and child. Connor wanted to sleep in bed with his parents. Understandably, he was still a little rattled.
Chloe felt bad knowing that they'd have to wake him again in a few hours to board the plane.
"Mommy," the toddler grumbled.
"Shhhh, it'll be okay sweetie. Just keep your eyes closed," Chloe kissed the top of his head.
The musician tried her best to shield her boy from the barrage of camera flashes going off as they exited the hotel lobby and made their way to the cars which would drive the band to the airport.
One photographer got a lucky break.
A massive flash went off in Connor's face. Causing the child to squirm and fuss.
Angrily Chloe passed her son off to Chicago. "Do not take pictures of my child!" she growled, smacking the camera from a photographer's face which caused it to shatter on the ground. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she snarled in their face before being pulled back by her security.
Seconds later they were in the cars and being driven away.
Meanwhile, the photographer looked at her ruined camera and then back at the speeding vehicle as it disappeared under the cover of sunrise.
"Oh you're going to pay for that," said Fat Amy Hobart of the celebrity gossip website `Amy's Pie Hole.'
Chloe carried her child on board the band's private jet. She passed Lynn, Aubrey, and Stacie who were all settled into a reclining seat covered in blankets and trying to sleep.
She made a bee-line towards the back to the couches which had been extended out and joined together to form a bed. Sound asleep on the other side, laid Lilly's daughter Sakura.
Chloe tucked her little boy into the opposite side so that he was snug as a bug.
She dropped to her knees. "Goodnight my sweet prince," she smiled warmly and then gave him a light kiss on the cheek once he was tucked in, "And may the dream fairies come and whisk you away."
Chloe shut the light off and closed the divider, but not all the way, and then picked a reclining chair across from her husband to drift off to sleep.
The remainder of the European leg of the tour went as to be expected.
Phenomenal concerts, prestige, adoring fans. Chloe's private life was hit and miss, though.
Connor had his good days as well as his restless days. Some days were easy, and some were pretty rough on the child.
On some days, Sakura was his best friend, on other days his nemesis.
Chloe knew her son needed to be back at home so when the tour of Europe concluded she was elated that they were finally flying back home.
That's when things started going downhill.
If it wasn't Generation II being booked for last-minute gigs then it was Chloe being booked for late-night shows, Barbara Walters, or a commercial.
Olivia Rodrigo had even reached out to her for a collaboration. The pop-star wanted Chloe to play guitar on a track.
"Mommy!" her son sidled up to her one day, holding an oversized baseball glove. "Dodger's," he pouted.
"Aww, honey. I'll take you to a Dodger's game some other time." It broke her heart seeing her son stomp off with a pout.
Things will all work out. Chloe told herself.
Connor's fourth birthday happened while Chloe was in Santiago, Chile.
The WiFi was spotty so Chloe and Connor's FaceTime was rough and ended with both of them crying more than they'd intended.
Things like that became the new norm. Connor would ask to spend time with his mommy, Chloe would promise him another time and seldom keep the promise.
There was always a gig or an award show getting in the way
Chicago definitely noticed a change in his wife. Chloe was a dedicated and noble provider, but the former soldier was beginning to toy with the opinion that his wife wasn't ready to settle down.
Their fights became more frequent.
The final straw came when Connor was five-years old.
Chicago burst through the door of his wife's office holding his phone in his hand. "What the hell is this Chloe?!"
Amy's Pie Hole
[Image attached]
"Looks like Tom Henderson has a mouthful of everyone's favorite Angel."
The redhead jumped and then scooted closer to get a better look at the screen. Her eyes widened upon seeing the picture. "It's not what it looks like. I swear!"
"Oh really? Because it looks like your tits are in his fucking face!" Chicago slammed his phone down on Chloe's desk. "I don't fucking believe this."
Chloe panicked. The event in question took place a couple of weeks ago. It was true, she did have her bare breasts in another man's face while the band was backstage, but she meant what she said when it wasn't what it looked like.
"Tom's gay!" she said
Chicago gave a her a confusing look. "What?"
Chloe stood up from her chair and walked over to her husband. She wanted to comfort him but the soldier recoiled from her touch.
"Look, he's one of our crew. He wasn't ready to come out of the closet, and he told me some of the other guys were giving him shit because they never see him with a girl."
"So you thought it would be okay to shove your tits in his face?" Chicago's tone was incredulous, not that Chloe blamed him.
Chloe's eyes started to water. "I did the only thing I could think of. I was just trying to help a friend. I'm s-sorry," she cried.
Chicago refused to sleep in bed with his wife for the rest of the week. The couple put on a united front whenever Connor was around. Children aren't clueless, though. Eventually Connor saw through the cracks.
"I want a divorce," Chicago told Chloe a couple of weeks after the scandal.
Chloe felt her heart drop to her feet. Felt her entire body go numb. Chills washed over her and tears instantly streamed down her face. "Wha-Why? Is it because of the Tom thing? I'll fi-I'll fix it," she sobbed. "We'll do m-m-marriage counsel-ing."
Chicago sighed. "Chlo look. It's not about the Tom thing. I'll get over that. What I can't get over is how you're so willing to move Heaven and Earth for someone you barely know, meanwhile all your son wants is for you to take him to a ball game, or to the movies, or something. Do you know how many times I've had to watch our boy get his heart broken because his mother is too busy?!"
White hot rage washed over Chloe. "How dare you! How dare you insinuate that I'm a bad mom. Fuck you!"
"I didn't say you're a bad mom, but Chloe your priorities definitely aren't in order."
Chloe trembled, she was hyperventilating. She swiped her keys from off of the table then stormed out into the garage, refusing to look back even once as she slid into the seat of her car and sped away.
Present Day
Sioux Falls
Chloe cried herself into a nasty headache thinking about everything. Within the span of a decade she'd gone from happy and on top of the world, to a lonely miserable lump shriveled up and sobbing into her hotel pillows.
Something had to change. Chloe needed to try harder.
Needed to work harder. Being the rock and roll goddess, being large than life; it had to be the only solution.
Once she fights her way back to the top, only then would she be able to win back her baby boy's love and affection then live happily ever after.
A/N : The Lyrics to Triple Crown are mine. Please don't steal them.
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