She Rocks My World
80's Rocker, Edward Cullen, is the frontman for the enormously popular band, Cullen.
He's every woman's dream; handsome, wealthy, and talented, but the elusive rocker has something to hide until an overwhelmingly gifted, doe-eyed beauty steals his heart at first sight and sound.
A/N: I don't like to do this without my Fran. She's my rock! But she's on a deserved holiday, and I have a chapter. All mistakes are certainly mine and the ones Spell Check didn't find.
Story rec: The Boy in the Backyard by mariecullen
:/ s/13186521/3/ The-Boy-in-the-Backyard
Story rec: As You Wish by shaunna100
H t t ps s/5548740/1/ As-You-Wish
Chapter 28: We Get Down to Business
BPOV
The new opening is a comfortable entrance, walking onto the stage with my band members and not flying alone from the rafters. The crowd cheers as we take our instruments and settle in for the first song.
I sit at the piano, tickling the ivories, explaining my harrowing experience from the last show, and telling the audience they now view the premiere of Barry's lighting genius. The colors dance from one end to the other reacting to each musical note.
I play my giddy song 'Too Close to Heaven' and sing:
Yeah, I was too close to heaven
And seeing an end.
Very close to those pearly gates
And making amends.
Whizzing down the cables of doom
Cool air on my face.
Got no reason to fly again.
The ground is my space.
So, enjoy all the fancy lights,
Colors long and straight.
Enjoy their dancing up above.
The stage is my fate.
Making Edward a happy man
With lights around me
And not sailing from overhead,
As we all can see.
Man, I was too close to heaven.
Nope, don't want to go.
I'm staying on the ground singing
My musical show.
Yeah, I was too close to heaven
And seeing an end.
Very close to those pearly gates
And making amends.
~SRMW~
After the show, everyone stays at the venue except for Jasper. His quiet behavior all evening proves he wants to be left alone. He's on a sulking binge and I have a suspicion he's in one of his hiding places on the Cullen bus. Alice is as nervous as a cat, so I offer to look for him. When I walk through the entrance, I hear a faint twang of a guitar in the back.
Skirting around clothing, electrical cords, open guitar cases, soda and beer cans, I find him in a corner sitting on a bench with his back to me. I turn, in front of him, and whisper in his ear, "What's up with you?"
"What?" he surprisingly questions with innocence, but a snarky attitude to his tone and a frown on his face.
I roll my eyes. "You look as though you want to kill someone."
He shakes his head. "No, I'm just thinking."
He doesn't say anything else and I impatiently prod him, "Well?"
He leans his arms over the guitar and sighs. "Kids are a lot of responsibility, and seventeen is a scary age."
I ask, "For you or for Amanda?"
"For all of us."
"Jazz, you okay?"
"I have my reservations about this situation. How are we going to handle all of it?"
"Is this stemming from your worry about Alice and the baby."
He sighs. "Bella, what if I'm not a good dad?"
My mouth drops open. "Ah, now we get to it, Jasper." I hug him. "That's ridiculous. You're going to be amazing."
"Did Ali tell you to say that?" he mumbles.
I give him the stink eye. "No!"
"It just makes me think, that's all. We don't live a normal 'nine to five' lifestyle."
"No, but you'll work around that. " I rant, "Plus, you have many helping hands. Esme will be Grandma Extraordinaire. Carlisle is a built-in doctor. When Alice is at home with the baby, she will have a nurse and nanny. We've talked about it."
"But I need to be there as the 'Dad', don't you think?" he asks.
"Jasper you will be highly supported. Are you thinking of quitting the band?"
He quickly responds, "No."
"Then, realize something, Alice knew what she was doing when she married you. She knew you'd be on the road. She knew that you would be making music. She knew exactly what she was getting into with you. Do you honestly think she'd want you to give up what you've worked so hard to get? She trusts you, Jasper. I know you'll do all the right things."
"I don't know,' he sadly mumbles.
Garrett stands in the doorway watching us. "OT?" Garrett questions. He mouths, "He okay?"
I nod. "Maybe, you can set him straight, G-man." I plead with my eyes.
"What's going on, Jazz?"
"I mean, how do you feel about this Amanda situation?" He frowns, again.
"You're overthinking it like something Edward would do." He turns to me. "Is Edward freaking out?"
I lean against the wall crossing my arms. "No, Jen is family, so is Amanda."
He winks at me. "That's because of you." Garrett places his hand on Jasper's shoulder. He begins to speak, but hesitates, looks at me, and I nod. "Jazz, I've been there, man."
Jasper looks surprised. "What?"
Garrett sits next to him on the bench. "When I was seventeen, I fathered a kid from a one-night-stand."
Jasper shakes his head. "Wow, you got a kid?"
He sadly says with a drawn sigh, "I never got to see it. I was playing a gig in a few towns over from my home. I heard that the girl took off."
"Did you try to find her?"
He huffs, "I never knew her name. I did ask around, but it was a small town, and people protect their own."
"How come this is the first time I'm hearing this?"
"Because now I want to tell you."
"Does anyone else know?"
"Just OT."
"I don't want to make this about me, man, but how come Bella knows and the rest of your band mates don't?
"Because you fuckers don't talk. It's always about the music. And you haven't said anything about being afraid."
Jasper argues, "I'm not afraid." He hesitates. "I'm uncertain."
"Like the great unknown, Jasper, you'll find out. But it's all about effort and desire." He pauses. "I … aw … always wonder if my kid's in the crowd."
"I'm sorry, man."
Garrett stands. "You're not alone, Jazz, your baby will have many uncles …" He looks at me. "And aunts." He walks past me to the entrance. "Besides, you fuck up, we'll kill ya. And as for Amanda? I think she's my second chance and your first." He exits the bus.
"He has a point."
Jazz shrugs.
I sigh. "Can I say one thing?"
"Sure."
"Well, Alice has been worried about you. Maybe, you should talk to her."
He grins. "Thanks, Bella."
~SRMW~
We smoothly sail through Northern California with ease. The lighting show works like a charm being that the crowd enjoys the artistry a little too much. "Yeah, man."
If the crowd in Santa Barbara is any indication what we'll find in Los Angeles, then it'll be one hell of a ride.
Edward expects a lineup of bands to join us. He's very quiet about this and insists on making it a surprise.
I hate surprises.
No hotels or the busses for tonight. Edward has enough room to set everyone up in style and comfort in his home. The driveway looks like a car lot. We'll stay a few days preparing for the show.
While Jen is on the phone, pacing the edge of the pool, erratically waving her arms and setting the arrangements for the LA opener, Amanda and I sit in a corner going over her class work. The more time she spends with me, the less she feels giddy.
Trickster, G-man, runs past Jen and jumps into the pool splashing her from head to toe. She doesn't flinch a muscle continuing her phone call and walking away shooting him the bird. Amanda and I try not to laugh, but Garrett easily lifts himself out of the water chasing Jen shaking his soaked hair over her. She runs into the house while Garrett shouts to Amanda, "I've got your Algebra lesson ready for you. So, next?"
She giggles, "Yes."
"Can I change that to History?" Jasper asks as he lounges behind us with Ali, Kate, and Christy. "I have to go for a sound check with Edward later."
"No problem, Jazz," Garrett shouts while entering the house. "Hey, Jennnnn!" He waves to Kate, "Babe, you comin'?"
She stands, "If he shakes his wet hair on me," She wickedly smiles. "I'll kill him."
I laugh. "Be prepared."
"I'll put nail polish on him while he sleeps," Kate angrily spits.
Amanda says, "But Steven Tyler wears polish."
She sings, "Not where I'm going to put it."
We laugh.
EPOV
I stand in the wings watching as Bella and her crew make their way onto the stage with strobe lights and a hint of mist. Bella looks around in awe, Bitsy and Ria skip to their instruments, as Barry jumps up onto his drum platform, and Danny pulls his guitar strap over his head.
Bella plays the intro to "Too Close To Heaven" and Steve Perry passes me, commanding the spotlight. "No, no, Ms. Bella, we're going to sing, "Don't Stop Believin'."
The crowd roars.
From the other side of the stage, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora with their guitars in hand, protest they want to perform, "Livin' on a Prayer".
More cheers.
Bella's wide eyes and open mouth satisfy my surprise abilities, and with the last man standing, Tommy Lee of Motley Crue drags his drum set with stagehands near Bella's piano. "Naw, naw, naw, man." He sharply points at Bella. "I fuckin' challenge you."
The crowd explodes, stomping their feet, clapping their hands and shouting, "Battle, battle, battle."
Barry quickly hops down and helps Bella onto his platform. "Get him, Bella."
She turns to Tommy and accepts his challenge, "You're on."
Tommy rolls his sticks over his snare, cymbals, and toms, beating his bass and hi-hat, twirling both sticks in midair. Bella follows right along. She mirrors every twirl and roll keeping the pace. Both do a standard snare roll, heightening their speed.
Sweat pours down her brow and her long hair shakes with every movement. Tommy starts to growl, but Bella roars.
The crowd shouts and whistles.
Jazz stands next to me in absolute awe while Garrett cheers for Bella sitting on Emmett's shoulders. It's a free for all.
And when the last sticks hit their snares, they both fling them out to the crowd.
Silence.
Then, the crowd erupts.
Tommy rises from his set, climbs on Barry's platform and grabs my girl hugging her close.
He kisses her forehead and shoots me a wave and a thumbs up. "This chick can rock!"
Okay, Jazz has my arm holding me back. I didn't expect Tommy to lunge for my woman.
Steve, Jon, and Richie play a few songs with Swan. Bella continues with her band.
We segue into their last song, as Swan exits the stage, and we play for another ninety minutes.
I announce, "We'd like to end tonight with something different. A little on the soft side. A little acoustic."
With his guitar hanging on his back from his strap, Jasper drags two stools to center stage, as I meet him with two double mics.
Garrett and Emmett sit on the drum platform legs dangling over the side.
Jazz and I settle on the stools, adjusting the microphones and strumming the intro.
He softly explains, "I've had this idea in my head for the past few months. Something I want to share with my Ali and all of you." He shrugs. "I think … well, it'll explain itself."
Jasper's sings … Daddy's Lament … with Edward's harmony on the chorus.
Hey, I'm the guy who plays the music
And writes his own songs,
Singing them along.
I'm the guy who sees a different stage
Every day or two,
The old and the new.
(Chorus)
My lady's giving me a baby.
She's trusting me to do the right thing.
My lady's giving me a baby.
Music man will be the Daddy King.
I'm biding my time while she's with me.
Soon she'll be back home
And she'll be alone.
Our baby will come into this world.
I'll be on the road.
She will have the load.
My lady's giving me a baby.
She's trusting me to do the right thing.
My lady's giving me a baby.
Music man will be the Daddy King.
I don't want to leave my love behind.
Have to do my part,
But I can't leave my art.
I'm tearing myself into pieces.
I need to be there.
I need to be here.
Please, my lady, tell me what to do.
Got to make this right.
Got to stand and fight … for you.
Silence.
And fade to black.
A/N: What an exciting concert. Wow, I know I'd be overwhelmed with that kind of talent joining me on stage. And what did you think of Jasper's song for Ali?