Chapter 3 Enter the B*tch
Joshua walks into the Davenport he is irritated. It showed when he started session. "Let's go" Candy asked was Angel coming? "I guess, I don't know, can we start please." Vivian Arrow walks in. Joshua turned on her "Nice of you to show, we start at 4." Joshua sings one of his newest songs he gives the sign for the band to speed up. He then closes the song. Grabbing his guitar he starts to play, Vivian thought he was cueing her to play his echo. He plays faster, Vash and Deon keep tempo Candy plays and shakes her head. Vivian smiles back at Candy, winks, and plays faster she walks in Joshua's way. He walks forward not seeing her and bumped into her. A screech is heard as she falls over. "What the hell were you doing?" Joshua reaches out to help her up. She takes his hand and he pulls her to her feet.
Blue eyes meet Blue eyes as she smirks and says "Sorry boss, I guess I got too close. Thanks for the lift." Joshua let's her hand go and tells her to please stay behind him. He walks out to where he usually stands and tells her that she wasn't supposed to come past mid center stage. "That leaves you down stage all alone." She couldn't keep the cheesy smile off her face. They were almost the same height. She was blonde and he had light brown hair to his shoulders. He tells her if she is playing that means he is singing more than likely he'll be singing with Angel. "Oh the red head." Vivian tilts her head to the side "looks like she's late for the party." He tells her the red head has a name. "My bad Boss man I'll address her as Angel from now on. Are we cool?" Joshua tells her yeah and starts another song.
Angel walks into the club and stops. Up on stage Joshua was playing and Vivian stood next to him. They almost looked to be back to back. Vivian then smiles at her. Candy rolled her eyes. Angel walks closer to the stage and it was an illusion Vivian was actually standing feet away from him he was down stage center and she was center stage right. Joshua had taken off his top shirt. When he ends the song. Vivian tells her she's late and that they started at 4. Joshua rolled his eyes. He tells the band to take 5. Setting his guitar down, he walks to the edge of the stage, jumps down in front of her. Knowing what he was about to do, Angel steps back so he won't land on her and says "I'm sorry I'm late."
"Just don't make it a habit." Joshua says as he takes her hand and guides her up the stage steps. She tells him she had to find the email with which location they were going to be using. His irritation swarmed around him as he snaps "So you thought I would have had you drive all the way to Dallas by yourself. DO you hear yourself?"
Vivian smiles as she stands just on the inside of the curtain listening. Candy and Deon come out of the vending area and catch her snooping on Joshua and Angel out on stage. Candy walks up and whispers it's not nice to snoop on people. "Candy, you know what is nice? Minding your own business and staying out of mine. Looks like boss man needs saving." Vivian walks out on stage as Angel is about to say something and says "Okay let's get this show on the road so we can get it on the road." Angel walks down stage and Joshua follows. He tells Angel Viv had a point. Vivian smiles at Angel when she looks back at her. So boss man had given her a nickname nice she thinks. Joshua starts the song Not While I'm Around. Angel stands ramrod straight when they changes songs she sings with him. He ends session and says while staring at Angel that the next session was going to be at the studio. Vivian asks Joshua could he take her home. He asked how she got there she tells him she walked but it was late now and she didn't feel like getting mugged.
All look at Joshua he didn't like the scrutiny especially from Angel. "What? Would you rather me tell her no go risk her life walking to who knows where with a target the size of a guitar on her back? I've taken Candy home before and you didn't look at me like this, what gives?"
Angel blinks at his tone and says "Your right, I'm just batting a thousand with you today I'll see you later." Angel power walks out to her truck gets in, slams the door and burst into tears. She'd held it together between the song, and him being mad at her and now this guitarist was toying with her. Candy knocks on the window Angel wipes her face and powers down the window.
Seeing that Angel had been crying, Candy steps closer so that Angel is hidden when Joshua and Viv walk out of the club heading towards Joshua's car. "Hey since Viv lives in Grandville North you totally don't have to but could you take me home? Deon is going to ride with Joshua so he won't have to ride back alone." When Angel says sure Candy says "Thanks, roll up your window so she can't see you." Angel powers up the window and in seconds Candy is sitting in the passenger seat. "Do you feel like ice cream I'll buy" Angel says she didn't have to do that. Candy says "I know but I think after tonight and having to deal with the Kelly Bundy look alike, and Joshua and his mood swings we deserve Ice cream. That line she threw at you was what he told her when she walked in 10 minutes late."
Angel pulls out and says "I think there is a diner that stays open all night. I don't feel like going home right now any way." Candy tells Angel the stuff she missed before she got there how Joshua knocked Viv on her ass for getting in his way. Angel looks alarmed. She explained he bumped into her and she took the most dramatic nose dive ever. "Wow so what did Joshua do?" when they get to the diner they take a seat and Candy fills Angel in on what happened up until she got there. "I don't know her and from what I suspect I witnessed tonight I don't think I'm going to like her all that much, but it could just be that my emotions are all over the place here lately."
Joshua drives, Deon is sitting in the back because he lost the game of rock, paper, or scissors for riding shot gun. Vivian smiles and turns on the radio. One of Angelic Impression's songs is on the radio she makes a face and turns the station. Joshua looks at her and tells her to not touch his radio. He hits the button to switch back to the song. His phone plays Bossy he really had to change that damn ring tone for Sophie. He grabs the phone off his belt clip and tries to slide the armor off. "OH Shit Watch the road." Vivian screams as she snatches his phone Joshua looks up and swerves back in his lane just in time not to hit a car.
"Hello, He's Busy." she then presses end. Joshua yells at her asking her why she would answer his fucking phone. "You seemed to have your hands full. You don't multitask very well do you?" he asks for his phone she hands it to Deon who hands it back to Joshua. He gets her home and Deon helps her with her guitar.
Joshua calls Sophie back as he is waiting on Deon to come back to the car. "Sophie, will you listen to me everything is fine, what did you call me for? What, she's not home yet? Okay, well I know Candy rode with her. No that was my guitarist. She was out of breath because I almost ran into a car head on, believe me sex was the furthest thing from my mind right then. I'm on my way back in to Grandville South now." Sophie hangs up and Joshua lays on the horn for Deon to hurry back to the car. He watches as Deon hands her guitar to her and runs back to the car. Joshua calls Angel's phone and gets her voice mail.
After pigging out on Ice cream Angel takes Candy home. She walks in and Sophie tells her what happen when she called Joshua's phone looking for her. Angel checks her phone she hadn't turned up the ringer from when she was in session. She apologizes to Sophie and dials Joshua's phone, Deon answers. "Hey Deon tell Joshua I'm fine I just forgot to turn my phone off silent from when I was in session." She can hear Joshua yelling that she did it on purpose and hangs up.
Deon looks over at Joshua who is still talking loud enough for Angel to hear him. "Dude she hung up. What's your problem you've been in a foul mood ever since session?" Joshua says what's on his mind about Angel trying to throw him a birthday party. "Wow so you're all hyper and pissed off, because someone that gives a fuck about you wants to do something nice for you. Do you hear yourself?" Deon keeps talking and some of the underlying reason comes to the surface. "Stop, Joshua, Angel's not your siblings, or your fucking half-baked roommate. Yeah, she was pissed, from what you said you just kind of went Godzilla all over her damn feelings. So what's up with the song, you said yourself we weren't doing the Not While I'm Around cover anymore. Did you see the look on Angel's face? Viv did and you might want to watch out for Viv she was spying on you guys when you told us to take 5. She went all top bitch on Candy and then proceeded to cut Angel off in mid-sentence and you just stood there." Joshua shoots back about Angel being mad at him for taking Viv home then turning off her phone. "So it never happened before tonight? Angel never left her phone on silent after leaving session?"
"Enough okay" Joshua had just got a dose of a clear headed Deon. The bad thing was seeing his actions through someone else's eyes opened his. He drops Deon off and calls Candy. Candy gave it to him with both barrels. Wanting a female's opinion he asked should he have taken Viv home. That opened another can of worms. Candy told him to never compare their friendship or use the fact that he does something for her as a bridge to do shit for Vivian. She also says Vivian didn't walk to the Club. That Joshua knew from how long it took him to get her home. He pulls up outside of Ivey Mansion and looks up at Angel's window. "Hey I'm at Angel's place see you at session tomorrow." Candy tells him to go get some sleep. Joshua walks in and up the stairs. When he opens Angel's bedroom door he is hit with a burst of sound. Angel had went to sleep with her music on. His promo song was what she was listening to on repeat. She was curled around his pillow. He walks over and turns down his guitar solo. He walks around the bed and when he sees that she had been crying Candy's little tirade comes back into his mind. He sat on the couch and put his head in hands. What seems like minutes later Angel is telling him to wake up? He looks up and she was sitting up in bed. He was about to apologize but she holds up a hand.
Angel didn't want to fight with him. It wasn't very smart and it was his decision she also didn't want to chase him away. Her father had asked what she was going do about it. Her decision, leave it alone. "I don't want to fight anymore. I should have never said anything. Will you forgive me?" He asks her what brought on the change. "It's not worth it, if it is just going to piss you off, or make us both miserable."
Joshua gets up and sits on the bed "Your heart was in the right place, I just took it way too far. I'm also sorry for being two kinds of crazy at the club tonight." His phone rings. He pulls it open and Vivian's Facebook picture dances across his screen. Joshua was no fool he puts it on speaker phone. "Hey, you're on speaker phone what's up, are you calling off already?"
"No, I was just checking on you to make sure you had arrived safely back home. Good night boss man. Night, whoever else is listening." She purrs and hangs up before Joshua can tell her who was listening. She already knew so he'd went to stay at Angel's place after all. She sends him a sleeping emoticon in a text message saying sweet dreams. Vivian smiles turns over in her bed and goes to sleep.
Angel is about to say something when his phone chimes. He opens the program and Vivian's good night text message pops up on his screen. He shuts off his phone. "She's texting you?"
"I'll set everything straight tomorrow." Joshua says as she lays down he lays down beside her. Wrapping his arms around her he pulls her closer to him. She turns around in his arms and faces him. They can see each other in the moon light coming through her window. "Like I said before I'm sorry. Deon said I went Godzilla on your feelings. He pointed out that my whole reason for being pissed was stupid. Even if I could discount his rant Candy said almost the same thing. I also shouldn't have snapped at you over Viv needing a ride home. Candy threatens to clobber me if I use her as an example again. It just kind of rubbed me the wrong way that you were acting like you didn't trust me."
"Joshua, it's not you that I don't trust. You are one of the only people that I do trust." He tells her that he sees he is going to have set some guidelines with certain new band members. They kiss, since she was more comfortable on her other side she turns around and soon falls asleep with his arms around her. Joshua sighs. He had no trouble getting himself in trouble he didn't need any help from Viv he thinks and soon drifts off as well.
The next morning Angel gets up and in the shower minutes into her shower the curtain moves. Screaming she throws the shampoo bottle at whoever was pulling it open. "Ouch fuck Angel it's me." Joshua says as she tells him all she saw was the curtain moving. "I was coming to surprise you. You watch too many movies. I think the baby has improved your aim." She washes the soap out of her face and is rewarded with the sight of naked Joshua. He stood in the mirror looking at where she hit him in the face with the shampoo bottle. Climbing out, she almost slips on the now wet floor from the curtain being open. Joshua reaches out and grabs her hand "Whoa, be careful babe I'm fine."
Angel stands in front of him she hadn't broke the skin but he was going to have a bruise on his forehead. "I'm sorry" he tells her no she's not before she says anything else. He smirks and says his turn. She steps back. "You're nuts if you think I'm going to let you hit me back." He quickly reaches out and pulls her against him. Telling her the thought never crossed his mind. He then picks her up and carries her back into the bedroom.
As he lays her on the bed he says "like I said my turn." He then starts kissing her after a very large amount of teasing her. Joshua sends her into orbit then follows. They shower together and head downstairs in search of food.
Jonathon was sitting in the kitchen when they come down. He takes one look at Joshua's forehead and raises an eyebrow. Joshua tells on her "Now I see why you and Sophie ask Am I Invited. I call myself surprising her, the next thing I know she screams and I get hit in the face with a giant shampoo bottle." Jonathon bursts out laughing.
After breakfast they head out to the studio in Angel's truck. Angel tells Joshua to pick up Candy. Candy comes out when Joshua gets out helping her store her equipment she stares at this head. "Do I want to know? Yes what happened to your head?" Joshua combs his bangs down over the mark and says Angel clocked him with a shampoo bottle. "Oh wow"
Angel looks around and spots her old house before they moved into Ivey Mansion. As Joshua helps Candy get her Keyboards secured in the back. Angel gets out of the car in a daze and walks up the sidewalk. She didn't go in the yard just stared at the house. She was 13 when they moved she remembered this house it was for sale, scratch that it had been sold said the marker across the sign on the other side. If she remembers correctly her father had built the house from the ground up along with his father and grandfather. To think he'd let her mother stay in a house built by three generations of McBride so his daughter would have a place to stay. Angel looked up at the ledge that she used to climb out on and sit on the roof. Her hiding space when shit got rough. Until Chase rode his bike down the hill and spotted her, yelling at her to get back in her room and off the damn roof. He hadn't told on her though. The little three bedroom starter house. Angel hoped that whoever bought it made better memories than her mother a woman that couldn't even bring herself to love her own child. Angel tucks her hand into her hoodie and rubs her stomach telling her unborn child "Little one, Mama, & Daddy already loves you." Joshua walks over and looks at the house then back at Angel, it then clicked this was where she grew up. Sophia had not allowed him to come over until Chase spoke to her whatever he said must have worked when they moved he was at her house more than his. He asks her was she ready to go. Sighing she says yes and heads back to the truck.
Candy leans forward and whispers "I heard you clocked Joshua. Was it on purpose?" Angel says no in a detached tone. She stares out the window at what once was her home.
Joshua gets in his phone rings. "Look, Viv the answer is no. I'm not trying to come all the way back to Grandville North just to come get you and we're already running late you live clear on the other side of town. Find a way there or call off your choice Goodbye." Sighing he pulls out of Candy's driveway and aggressively drives into to Dallas. He slows down when he glances over at Angel she is holding on to the Oh shit handle above the door with eyes screwed shut. She opens her eyes when she notices the decrease in speed. He takes the ramp and soon parks at LEGNA. The moment they park Angel covers her mouth, jumps out of the truck, dashing for the building.
Joshua looks in the back seat Candy meets his gaze and tells him. "It is official you've lost your mind." He disagrees, "Joshua you were going 80 the whole time. In town you almost took out a garbage can. On the highway you challenged a Simi this" Candy waves her hand in a circle representing the area of the truck "is a truck not a Simi. I thought we were gonna end up a splat on the wall." He says she didn't say anything and neither did Angel. "Oh no, you don't get to jump on the defensive this time. You got mad, because Vivian called you to come get her. What the hell were we supposed to do scream STOP, and have you slam on the breaks making everything worse? We already had a visit from King Kong Davenport yesterday can we please have our band lead and my best friend Joshua today?" he sighs and leans his head on the steering wheel. He says if his mood was that obvious to her it probably spoke volumes to Angel. He asks what she and Angel did last night when they left the club. "You really want to know?" He looks back at her and nods. "When I caught her crying I offered to get her ice cream and we went to a diner nothing big just time enough for her to calm down. She's pregnant and emotional, but last night it was mostly about you, and Viv, and the song. You being mad at her, Vivian toying with her, and that song you sang all the time before mania." Candy gets out of the truck and walks around to the driver's side door. "So who do we get today King Kong or Joshua?" He rolls up the window gets out and says Joshua. "Good to have you back buddy"
They walk in LEGNA Joshua finds Deon in the lobby. Vivian walks in with her guitar strapped to her back. She raises her hands and says "I'm here you lucky people." Vash walks in behind her and asks her to please move. She glares at him and steps out of his way. "Hey boss man, I know you didn't have a mark on you when you left my house last night who V8ed you?"
Ignoring Vivian for now Joshua walks towards the restrooms Angel comes out into the hall smelling like Listerine. He'd called her and her phone is playing Love Is here to Stay. He ends the call since he is now standing in front of her. It clicked then why she might not like (Not While I'm Around) anymore. It reminded her of the shit with Scott. "You okay?" She tells him yes and to please not drive so fast like that anymore. If she was asking him to slow down then he was speeding because she drove defensively fast herself. "I really didn't think I was driving that bad, until I looked over at you. I scared you, and it won't happen again." She warily watches him. "What?" she asks is he still mad about Vivian's call. "I'm not going to lie. I'm a little irritated but I'll chill out." She sighs in relief "Was I that bad?" she looks at the floor and asks him was that a trick question. "No, and I think I got my answer. I don't need you finding shampoo bottles in your purse. We all need to have a meeting this shit ends before it begins. She looks around and kisses his cheek placing her hand on his chest. He bites his lip and says in a low sexy tone. "Don't start anything you can't finish Little Red Riding Hood."
They head into the studio holding hands. Candy smiles at them Vivian rolls her eyes and starts picking up her guitar. Vash smirks and Deon warms up and ends with shredding Here Comes the Bride laughing the whole time. Vivian pulls her phone and starts texting. Joshua gets a text message from Vivian saying "wow they're all lame poor boss man." With a sad face emoticon.
Joshua hands his phone to Angel and tells her to please put his on silent. Angel reads the messages sent by Vivian and deletes them. She says she cleared the screen saying she knew he didn't like threads on his phone for long. He looks back at her and thanks her. When he turns back Vivian looks pissed. "Okay we got a lot to do in a little time. I first want to say a few things and get some things straight. As far as transportation unless there has been a previous arrangement made you are all responsible for your own transportation." Vivian sits in a seat saying she wasn't the only one that got a ride last night, as she looks at Candy. "I said unless a previous arrangement is made." Angel turns her phone on silent. The beep reminds Joshua of something else that he had really never had to stress with anyone else. "When I came in you were texting. This is session we are here to work all phones or anything else that makes noise could mess up our sound." Since he didn't want Viv to think he was picking on her he turns to Vash. "Vash this room is wired for sound. You don't have to play as hard in here as you do live or at the Davenport." Vash says he kind of figured. "Okay one more thing then we can get this session started. "Um Viv I'm saying this to you because you're new and you didn't know. Yes you have my number you can ask any of these guys I don't like being interrupted when I'm not on the clock." I run a business music is a large part of my life but I have a personal life outside of Personal Touch." He walks over and asks for his phone from Angel. He holds it up. "The number to this phone is for business only. Unless there is an emergency or you are calling off do not call this number after 10 pm. If it is a night that we will not meet don't call or text my phone."
Vivian bats her eyelashes at him "So you can call me but I can't call you. That doesn't seem fair." she purrs crossing her legs.
Joshua sighs "Vash we've known of each other since I was a child and my parents owned the Davenport how many times have I called you just to chat?" Vash thinks about it and says none. "Deon you've worked with me for a while now, do I ever just call you out of the blue?"
Deon says "um No and Joshua I guess this is a good a time as any to ask you for your number again. My phone had an update and since Facebook's sync function is trash and you have only called me once last month. My phone ate your number."
Candy says "I'll give it to you Deon. Josh and I, are best friends and he really doesn't even call me that much. When he does he'll ask how I am but more often than not it's something about the club or a show we have or something like that."
Vivian smiles at Angel "let me guess you don't call her either right."
Angel walks closer and tells Vivian in her most professional tone. "Joshua doesn't have to call he's usually in my presence. When he feels the need to call me or I him there is no issue. Now Vivian he has said it very nicely. I'm saying it so you will fully understand. You aren't a stupid woman, so you'll understand when I say unless it is professionally necessary, leave my fiancé alone." Vivian glares at her. Angel turns to walk under the microphone. They go over a few songs. Joshua excuses himself saying he had a surprise. He walks back in with a violin. He gives the sheet music to the band and starts to play the song Angel wrote a few months ago. Angel sings the song. Joshua soon gives the sign for the band to stop and ends the melody on his violin.
Vivian says "boss man wow, I had no clue that you could write like that."
Joshua smiles "I can't" everyone except Angel starts asking who was it a cover for. He smirks "It's not a cover Angel wrote it "
Angel blushes and says "You guys did great. When I wrote it I kind of had a guitar solo in mind but this was way better."
Vivian smiles at Angel and says "That's why boss man is the lead and you're just along for the ride."
Candy mumbles rolling her eyes "without Angel, the song wouldn't exist." The woman in the booth chimes in and says that the studio was booked for another band's session in 10 minutes. Joshua asks did she get the song they just played recorded so they could take the copies home and practice. The woman tells him yes the song clips would be finished in time. He thanks her. Candy says "Hey Joshua when is the next session for us and will it be here or at the club?" They all decide to meet up at the club the next night.
Joshua is thankful that all goes well for the next two weeks. His birthday had crept up on him. He hadn't said anything else about it and Angel hadn't either. Today he was officially older than Angel. They were 4 months apart. She was now 14 weeks along. He turns over and kisses her on the nape of her neck. "Happy birthday baby" she whispers sleepily as she snuggles under the covers turning to face him.
"Um Thanks" she tells him that she has something for him. "Hmm is it a kiss?" She tells him no but that can be arranged. She smiles at him kissing him. She gets up and walks across the room grabs a large envelope and comes back with it behind her back. Sitting on the side of the bed she hands him the envelope. "When I went to the doctor I got some news that I figured I could wait till today to give you."
"You went alone?" she says Sophie went with her. Joshua rips the envelope open and pulls out a picture frame. He turns it over and pauses. It was a 3 section picture. A copy of his high school senior picture a picture of Angel as a toddler and in the middle was a 3-D ultrasound picture that read it's a boy. She asks him to please say something. "I…I don't know what to say."
He sat there staring at the picture. "Is it a good speechless or a bad speechless?" When he looks at her the answer was written all over his face. "Like I said before happy birthday" He hugs her. "Joshua Davenport Jr." he lets her go. A haunted look claims his eyes as he tells her he'd rather her not name their son after him. "I thought you like your name?"
"Davenport's fine I just don't think naming him after me is a good idea. He's going to be his own person. I never liked the idea of the second the third the forth, babe we are two very creative people I think we can do better than naming him Joshua. If he was a girl would you name her Angela?"
Angel looks at the floor. "I see your point. I thought it was different with guys." He says if he had of been born Joshua Davenport he might feel differently but he wasn't. What it boiled down to was that Joshua was just a way better name than Boy."
Chase had invited Jonathon to a game of golf at the Grandville South Country Club. Chase had lots of free time on his hands now that Sophie was comfortable in her new position. His home was finished and he'd moved in to a 3 bedroom home in the middle of town. Ivey house in Florida was sold and so was Angel's condo in Manhattan. She ended up taking only her unfinished songs and a few papers the rest of it she either donated or threw away. Chase didn't know if she would do it or not. When she came to him he agreed to fly her up to New York. Joshua was very supportive and made sure she didn't get too overwhelmed.
Seeing Jonathon, Chase waves him over. "Are you ready for this fantastic whipping McBride?" They play and Jonathon was better than Chase had thought. After the last hole is played Jonathon grins like a Cheesier cat and says he hoped Chase had a good day. "The only reason I lost was because the sun was I my eyes. Anyway, I called you here for a reason."
Jonathon picks up his golf bag. "I kind of figured. So since you couldn't school me in golf, what did you want to discuss exactly?"
"Paula showed me something very interesting about your main location. You mind if I ask why you haven't brought your US location to scale."
"Chase, I've seen your work, and I know that you still own the land that LEGNA sits on." Chase opens his mouth to say something. Jonathon puts up a hand. "I figured Dallas was far enough away but I was wrong. Though you yourself don't own the land. Ivey Enterprises owns the bank that does." Chase asks Jonathon would he consider buying a larger location for LEGNA since it was a massive structure in Ireland compared to the ten story leased location. "Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm no fool. When it becomes more of a necessity I'll buy out of that leased location. I won't have you one day decide to fuck up everything I've done."
"Okay look I see you've done your homework. I have something to show you. I have done mine as well. LEGNA USA as it stands right now is costing you more than what it should have. That is not my doing we are both business men I would like you to consider moving into Grandville South. I know the only reason you have set up in Dallas was to avoid what has happened. Chase pulls a piece of paper out of his brief case once they get to his car. "Look it over this location would be owned by you the land and the structure that is on it currently." At first glance Jonathon is suspicious as to why and offer 35% lower than what he was paying in leasing one of the properties in Dallas was even on the table. Not being afraid to question such a business move he brings his concerns back to Chase. "Like I said in the proposal there isn't enough work here in Grandville South. The original owners of some of these businesses are getting older and closing. I don't want to see my town fail. Grandville use to just be Grandville. Grandville North is the prime example of what could happen. The price of the location is a reflection of the fact that in 10 years no one has been even willing to rent the property. Give it some thought and call Sophie at the number listed. Now I'm going to play dirty. While you're thinking it over you would also be closer to our grandchild."
"Well played I'll give it some serious thought. Wait until I tell Angel I beat you in golf." Chase says it was purely the sun's fault. "Uh huh" Jonathon walks back to his car whistling one of his newer bands songs. As he is driving towards the club he stops behind Vivian walking her motorcycle. The little blond looked like a Ghostbuster with her guitar strapped to her back. He gets out of his Land Rover and walks up behind her. "Having trouble?" She turns around and her eyes widen.
Vivian felt like an idiot. Her fuel gauge had messed up and she'd run out of gas. Now her boss was standing in the street watching her through his lightly tinted sunglasses she could still see his eyes. "Yeah, I just need to get to the station."
"I can get you some gasoline. Where you headed to practice tonight?"
"Yeah, it's Joshua's birthday and I was trying to get there before he did. I don't need him being pissed off because I'm late. Kind of my present to him heh." She half laughs.
"Has your attendance been an issue?" Jonathon asks as they get in his vehicle.
"Not really I made it there last night with 15 minutes to spare it's just that sometimes I kind of rub people the wrong way." He asks her what she means. "Well I joined Personal Touch as back up lead and the songs we are playing are not what I expected. I asked Joshua about an idea I had but he really threw cold water on my suggestion. I have vocal experience as well as guitar. I wanted to do the song we are doing since he is playing violin I wanted to play and sing the song. With us both up there playing it would really be pleasing to the eye. He cut out one of the songs all together which put us back at 8 songs for the album." Vivian notices that this is news to Jonathon and smiles to herself. He asks her idea. "I think it would work better as an acoustic song or at the very least let me sing." Jonathon says he'll speak with Joshua. They get her bike started she leans up quickly and kisses his cheek thanking him.
Jonathon stands near his door stunned before he can say anything she hopped on her bike and drove off. He heads to the club he had already added a list of the songs they had agreed on he didn't like to be left in the dark. Jonathon puts this date into his phone Joshua was going to be kin soon so he thought he should add the young man's birthday and set up a reminder.
Angel finally admitted that she still really wanted to do something for Joshua's birthday. He said baby steps and she suggested Paula's bar in a private room saying it wasn't a party just dinner. Seeing that it still meant so much to her he agreed that after session they would go out to Paula's bar for his birthday dinner. He really liked Paula's homemade pizza that she had recently added to her menu. Joshua gets a text message from Jonathon saying they needed to have a meeting. "I guess we are heading to the club early tonight. Does your dad know about the all caps rule?" Angel looks at the screen and shrugs. They walk into his office at the Davenport. He puts his present up on the wall. Angel goes in his in suite bathroom. A knock is heard its way too soft to be Jonathon. "Come" Joshua says as he walks toward the door. It had to be someone from the band no one else was in the club this early.
Vivian walks in, in a halter dress with her hair down. "I heard it's your birthday okay maybe I looked it up. My gift to you I'm on time." She starts to sing Happy Birthday as she meets his eyes and walks towards him. She sees the bathroom door opening and that's when she launches herself at him wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him. His gaze changes from suspicious to surprised anger in seconds flat he puts both hands on her shoulders and pushes her off of him. She looks behind him and feigns surprise as the bathroom door slams shut. She'd met Angel's gaze before he pushed her off.
Joshua takes a breath and tells Vivian to get out. She tries to walk around him saying she would straighten everything out. He steps in her way. "We were doing so well everyone was getting along then you lose your fucking mind. You don't have to go home but right now you have to leave here."
"Joshua I didn't know she was in here I thought you would be in here alone. I'll straighten everything out I promise. Angel please come out." Joshua points to the door. His usually hooded gaze is blue fire as he tells her to get the fuck out. "Are you firing me?" Taking a breath he says no but he wanted her out of his sight for a while. "Fair enough I'm sorry, I do like you but from the way you repelled my ass like a bug zapper I now see it's just one sided. It won't happen again." Vivian walks out of his office.
Jonathon's gaze darkens at the site of Vivian coming from Joshua's office dressed in half of nothing with her lipstick messed up. She stood with her back against his door crying. "You mind on telling me why you are here dressed like that and crying." She says she wasn't proud of her side chick status but Joshua called it stress relief and she liked him so she went along with it. "So why are you out in the hall crying?" her next words made him want to punch a hole in the fucking wall.
He looked intense but she'd played it this far might as well go for the head. "Angel caught us, I didn't know she was here yet." Jonathon looks about to explode as he tells her go home because session was canceled tonight.
Inside Joshua's office he beats on the bathroom door. "Angel It's not what it looked like I swear." His office door bangs open and Jonathon stands in the doorway. Joshua didn't need this right now. Angel had locked herself in the bathroom. Now Jonathon was in his office. "Look I don't know what you are pissed about I…"
Seeing the lipstick smeared on Joshua's lips. Set Jonathon off like a rocket he was across the room and pinning Joshua to the wall by the throat in mere seconds of seeing him. They hit the wall with such force it broke the window three feet away. "You fucking bastard I should kill you. I saw your Whore, You lying piece of shit." Joshua tries to say something. "Angel trusted you we all did. I asked you for one thing not to hurt my girl." Joshua kept his hands on Jonathon's trying to separate his hands from around his neck. Jonathon slams him again. "You gave your fucking word" Joshua's eyes were starting to glaze and his grip loosened on Jonathon's wrist.
Angel comes running out the bathroom at the sound of what sounded like the building coming down. When she sees Joshua starting to shake she begs her father to let him go. He let's go and turns to her. Joshua crumples to floor coughing and wheezing. "I know what I saw, but hurting him isn't going fix anything." When Jonathon tells her what was said by Vivian Angel's tears wouldn't stop blinding her. She say's "I...I don't know what I did wrong. Goodbye Joshua." She walks into the hall Jonathon follows her telling her he'd drive her home.
Joshua felt like he was going to pass out. Hearing Jonathon tell Angel of Vivian's "confession" he'd felt sick. Vivian's lie was what more than likely got his ass handed to him. It all made perfect sense. Vivian had not left the building after all. Yeah Vivian fucked him but it wasn't the way Angel or Jonathon thought. When the old man charged him into the wall he was completely caught off guard. Angel may have very well saved his life tonight. He turns watching her as she is now speaking when she tells him goodbye and leaves the room his emotional dam broke along with his heart as he covers his face. He hadn't let it happen ever since childhood tears ran down his cheeks unchecked. No anger just pain. He usually wore his anger as a shield against the outside world. He'd let Angel in long time ago.
Candy walks down the hall and sees Angel and Jonathon walking towards the rear exit. "Hey guys. Angel?" Angel looks back Jonathon says something to her and they walk on out the back door. Angel was all red in the face like she'd been crying. Thinking maybe Joshua was up to his King Kong Davenport feeling stomping ways, because it was his birthday, she power walks into his office and stops dead in her tracks. His office was trashed the window was busted out and on the floor lay Joshua crying. Anybody else and she would have slowly backed out of the office. Joshua didn't cry he yelled, he screamed he fought, he threw shit, but crying wasn't near normal. "Joshua what happened?"
Joshua wipes his face and sits up leaning on the wall. On a shuddering breath he says "Go home just go home session's canceled."
"Well that's kind of why I came Deon won't be here tonight he was helping his parents move and now he's stuck in Evergreen township. His car broke down. Joshua what's wrong I saw Angel leaving with Jonathon? She wouldn't even speak to me she seemed upset. I come in here and you're on the floor crying and your office is trashed what happened?" When he looks up at her she see the lipstick smeared on his lips. Candy walks closer when she bends down and rubs some of the lipstick off and smells it. "I can defiantly say this isn't in one of Angel's collections what's going on Joshua?" He gets to his feet and almost face plants the desk. "Whoa, okay um how about you sit down, before you fall down." She grabs his desk chair and he sits in it. "Look up again." when he does she sees the bruising around his throat. Her eyes widen as she says. "What the fuck happen?"
"Please don't yell. My head hurts like having a hangover without the fun of alcohol." he tells her all of it. At points he has to stop speaking. He finishes with "I can't even be pissed that she don't trust me anymore. This shit was layered fuckedness. For two weeks we've been fine no fighting no arguing no drama. We even went and cleaned out her condo in Manhattan. This morning…" he had to stop again.
"What happened this morning?" Candy asks as she gets off his desk and walks in the bathroom grabbing wet towel paper. She walks back out and hands him the towel paper. "Please wipe that shit off your face. I believe you but seeing Vivian's shade on you still pisses me of, and I'm not even dating you."
Joshua harshly wipes off the lipstick. He lifts his gaze to Candy's she says much better. He looks down at the napkin crumples it up and tosses it in the trash can. Joshua grits his teeth. "That is probably why Vivian's story was so believable to Jonathon. That bitch told him that she is my side chick. I don't even like blondes. No offense." He says as he clenched and unclenched his fist.
Candy smiles her Joshua was at the very least not crying anymore. Now the work could begin. "None taken I know which blonde you're talking about. Mine comes from a salon. Hey did you get Supervisor installed yet?" he says yes "Is it wired for sound or just video?" he shrugs and says both and asks her why. She just looks at him. "You'll catch it soon." She sees when the light bulb comes on.
Joshua's eyes light up like a kid at Christmas. He about knocks her out of the way getting to his computer. He tries his favorite password it wasn't working. "Fuck come on, I know what I set as the fucking password." After the third try he pounds his fist on his desk. Candy leans over and pushes the cap locks off. "Thanks" he says when Supervisor loads. Joshua rubs a hand over his face. Paula calls him on his desk phone. "Davenport" Paula asks was it him he tells her yes and she asks where were they? "I need your help." Paula says sure "before you agree you should know that as of now. I'm about as screwed as anyone can be, when it comes to being on Angel's shit list. I'm going to send you a video check it out and call me back."
At Ivey Mansion Angel sat in her room. She held the envelope that he had ripped open. Sophie calls her. She answers the phone. Sophie asks her was she still going to the Last Ride. "NO there's no reason anymore." Angel starts crying all over again. She cried on the way home she cried when she turned on her music. She'd thought she was done but everything in her room reminded her of Joshua. Sophie asked could she come in. "I don't care"
Sophie brings in chocolate holding it out in front of her. Angel had come home and changed into one of her long gowns and sat on her bed her face is puffy and red she sat cross-legged holding a torn envelope. "Hey I need a chocolate buddy and it looks like you need chocolate."
Angel looks at the tin of imported candies and takes one. "I need my fiancé not to be a lying, cheating toad." Angel unwraps the candy and pops it into her mouth. She twist the wrapper around her ring finger "Maybe it's for the best that the ring got stolen. At least I won't have to return it knowing it will go to her."
"Whoa, What? Who? Angel I'm going to need you to start from the beginning. What happened?" Angel starts with the kiss and then what Viv admitted to Jonathon. "What did Joshua have to say about it or had he regained speech yet?" Angel admitted after Jonathon told her what Vivian had admitted to him all she heard was her heart in her ears. She admits that she kept feeling dizzy but couldn't stop crying. "If he going to upset you that much you don't need his ass. You should have let Jonathon snap his little ass in half."
Angel tears up "As crazy as it sounds even knowing that he picked someone else I still love him. It just makes no sense. I don't know what I did to push him into her arms. It must have been something major because he said he's not attracted to blondes. That was a long time ago though." Sophie tells her it isn't anything she did wrong. "Maybe he just fell for her because she has some of the same skills as he does? They both play guitar." Sophie says Angel plays guitar too. "I play base at best."
Sophie gets a text message. She then looks down at Angel hoping Paula was right Sophie says "Angel let's go." Angel says she did want to leave the house. "Have you eaten since lunch?" Angel says she'll catch what catch can later, she wasn't hungry right now. That was the wrong response Sophie was kind of irritated now. "Angel, I've seen you catch what catch what catch can, it usually involves nothing. Now I know you're all bummed out because Joshua turned out to be a toad but it's not just about you anymore. Sis, you have my nephew in there hostage and I'm pretty sure he's hungry so don't eat for yourself eat for him."
"Fine, let me get dressed at least." Angel walks in the bathroom and sees her blotchy reflection she agreed to eat she didn't agree to make up. Who the hell cares what she looks like anymore anyway? Sophie was mad at her Joshua was cheating on her. She didn't get it she'd never understand. Nothing fit all the clothes she'd bought didn't fit right. She looks at herself and touches her belly she was showing now. "Baby boy your auntie Soapy is very bossy." More tears flood her eyes as she continues "But at...at least she loves us." She puts back on the outfit she had on earlier washes her face and walks out Sophie is sitting on her bed texting and waiting. "I'm ready"
Joshua had knots the size of watermelons in his stomach if this backfired some way it would really be over. Candy drove he sat in the passenger seat of Angel's truck. Candy had asked could she drive the truck Angel had told her she didn't care just get the keys from Joshua and return the truck after session or whatever she was doing. "She sounds about as bad as you look." He thanks her. "You're welcome. Now please cheer up. If we have to tie her down and tape her eyes open she's going to at least see what has everyone willing to help you even Paula. See all blondes aren't bad." He rolls his eyes.
He gets a text message from an unknown number. It read: happy birthday looks like you need help from some kin. Angel's ring is fixed and at your house in the mailbox. -Mark- P.S. Don't be too mad at Jonathon, he could have shot you and death is forever. You got a second chance make the best of it and good luck.
Joshua just hoped this worked and he got a chance to give it back to her. Jonathon called him. "Hello"
"I've spoken it over with my business partner. If you don't press charges against me. Personal Touch will remain a band minus your blonde whore. If you can't fire her I will."
"SHE'S NOT MY BLONDE!" Jonathon tells him to watches his tone. Candy looks over at him and mouths who it is? "Mr. McBride I'm not attracted to blondes you looked me up, Take a close look and my birth mother and ask yourself why in hell I would want to fuck a blonde. As far as pressing charges against you. The way my luck is right now I'd end up owing you court fees or some crap. As for firing Vivian I don't care what you do with her fire her, set her on fire I don't care. She's not at the top of my list" Jonathon hangs up. Joshua sighs. They pull up outside of Paula's bar. He takes a breath and pushes it out slowly. "Wish me luck." Candy had made him change shirts and made sure all the cheap ass lipstick wasn't on his face anymore.
Sophie and Angel ride in silence. When they pull up outside of Paula's bar Angel looks like she's about to cry again. "Why are we here? Maybe I wished so hard that he had a good time on his birthday. That he went out and found what he considers a good time now. She's taller than me, she's thinner, and more street than me, she's also platinum blonde."
"Hey little girl come on in here." Paula says standing outside of Sophie's car on Angel's side. They walk past the booths.
Angel stops when she sees Joshua sitting at a table in the room she'd reserved. He turns around when she starts speaking. "He changed clothes maybe he had Vivian come finish where she started." Angel felt sick at the thought of him fucking that bitch. She was hot really hot and Joshua blurred. The next thing she knew Sophie and Paula was fanning her and she was laying on the ground. She smelled him before she saw him. He comes into view. He wasn't blurry anymore. Candy looked down at her. Luke was invited to this thing when it was a birthday dinner. He asked was she in pain. Angel thinks about it and no there wasn't any physical pain. Her baby boy was safe. She looks Luke in the eye "I'm fine I got hot and dizzy and well you know the rest. Sophie, can I please just go home."
Sophie says "After you feed my nephew."
Angel is helped to her feet "I'm not hungry I don't even know why I came I just want to be left alone Damn it" Joshua walks over to her. He asks her if he leaves will she eat. She swallows hard and glares at him "I'd love to say she stole you but you're not property, you both are two consenting adults. I say happy birthday and I get "Um thanks" she dresses like a slut and sings it and gets a kiss. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN FUCKING HER BEHIND MY BACK?" She screams and slaps him.
"Okay since this is not going well Angel come with me." Paula says as she guides Angel in her office. "I was going to show this on the big screen but before you do something or say something you can't take back look at this." Angel goes to argue with her and stops when she sees overhead footage of Joshua's office. When Vivian enters Angel gets up saying she didn't want to watch the porn version of what she saw today. "Hush this is what you thought you saw today see it's time stamped and this is one of Chase's programs so you know there wasn't any tampering done."
Angel watched and listened. She was so engrossed in the screen on Paula's lap top that she didn't see Paula walk to her door nor did she hear Joshua and the rest of their small group come in the room. Angel put her fist up to her mouth when she sees Joshua forcibly pushes Vivian off of him. The stuff she said Joshua's response. She saw the point when her father tried to kill him. She flinched when he hit the wall. After she sees herself leave the room, seeing Joshua crying made her cry that much harder. She touches the screen and then closes the laptop putting her head down. "It was all a trick and I fell for it. Candy asked me not to hurt him and that's exactly what I did."
Joshua couldn't take this shit anymore. He walks behind her. "Am I invited?" Angel turns around and launches herself at him. Kissing him and apologizing and crying. He holds her still "Hey no fair you didn't answer my question. Am I invited? "She tells him yes he's invited anywhere she is. She tells him she sorry for. "Please don't be. Like you said it was a trick. That was the scariest 7 hours of my life. When I saw the look on your face and heard what Vivian had said to your father I felt sick. I just knew she'd fucked me but not like you or Jonathon believed." She bites her lip and her eyes water. "Candy deserves a raise coming here was her brainchild because I had no idea that you would ever speak to me again. She pointed out that my office is wired for sound and so is the main entrance the only place that isn't is the bathroom of course and the stage because Vash didn't want extra feedback." Angel comments that he'd changed clothes. It's kind of tight but when Candy saw that bitch's lipstick on the shirt I had on. I wasn't going to show here smelling like her cheap ass perfume or with her lipstick on my damn shirt. This was the only shirt in my office and I now know why it's tight on me do you?"
Angel leans in and sniffs it. "Yeah it's my shirt. At least I'll be able to wear it longer now." Jonathon walks in, the room goes quiet. Angel turns around and stands in front of Joshua facing her father. "Daddy we got it so wrong."
Jonathon walks over to Angel "Excuse me Angela" Angel looks back at the look on Joshua's face. His eyes were back to hooded. His stance wasn't challenging but his hands were on his waist. He was prepared for an attack without looking on guard. Angel walks out of the way. Jonathon noticed the younger man's stance as well. He doesn't advance on Joshua. "I hung up because I was getting a call from Markus he's out of town and this situation or steaming pile of shit has reached his ears as well. When I saw the footage. I felt like an idiot. I knew where you would be and even if Angel was not willing to show up I wanted to tell you. If you want to sever all ties I'll let you out of the contract no tricks. It's the best I have, that and I'm sorry."
"Mr. McBride when you spoke about me pressing charges after seeing what you thought you saw. You said it before we're not so different because if someone hurt my child in the way you thought I did. I would have no problem with trying to flatten their ass. I'm not hurt at least you didn't shoot me. I don't want out of my contract. You know what you can do for me?" Jonathon raises an eyebrow. "I would appreciate it tremendously if you fired Vivian Arrow. For the past 7 hours Vivian made my life a living hell her trick could have very well got me killed tonight. I don't have many people that I love enough to go jail over. In fact Angel is the one and only. If Vivian ever attempted to put that look back on my babe's face again. Vivian would cease to exist because I wouldn't hurt her I'd kill her. Jonathon agrees that he'll have her called into LEGNA on a day that session is at the Davenport. "Thanks."
"Joshua you got about 5 minutes of birthday left any plans for next year?" Paula asks with a smirk.
Joshua looks at Angel, she shakes her head no and says she'll never ask him again. "The only thing I have planned for next year around this time is staying hidden in my home with my wife and child. Speaking of my baby boy it's time for you to eat something like real food." The small gathering of people moves back into the private room Joshua gets his pizza. Angel sits on his lap and feeds him and he her. When Sophie asks to take a picture Joshua accidently puts pizza to high and catches Angel in the nose instead of her mouth. Sophie snaps the picture anyway and cracks up. Saying that's what Angel got for not feeding her nephew. Angel wipes the sauce off her nose saying she didn't think inhaling pizza was that great of an idea if she wanted to fit in her dress. She takes one of the smaller slices and feeds Joshua. He catches her trying to hide a yarn. Her truck alarm is heard going off. Angel gets up Candy and Sophie are the first ones out of the room. Luke and Deon follow Joshua.
Vivian is caught in the security lights as she writes in her lipstick on the windshield. When she climbed up on the truck it had went off honking and blinking. When she sees Angel she tilts her head to the side and smiles as raises her arms like Angel dose to cue the band she starts to sing. "Nothing's going to harm you not I'm around." Angel walks towards the truck. Vivian jumps down in front of her. Candy comes to one side of her Sophie on the other. Vivian looks over Angel's head and sees Joshua walk behind her. Angel asked why she did it. "What the truck or steal your man." Candy tells her to leave. "Oh I told you before to mind your own damn business." Vivian steps closer to Angel "You look like shit. He deserves someone like me. That can keep up with him."
Sophie steps more in front of Angel taking out her earrings, putting her hair in a tight bun. Telling Vivian "Okay Bitch Bunny it's time for you back off. I still owe you a fresh one for hanging up on me. If you don't shut you're fucking mouth and walk away now. I'll show you better than I can tell you that you're fucking with the wrong family."
Vivian pushes Sophie backwards into Angel. Angel screams for Vivian not to touch her sister and starts to advance. Joshua pulls her back telling her no pregnant fighting please. Sophie grabs a hand full of Vivian's hair and starts punching her in the face. Vivian slaps at her and tries to pull Sophie's hair out of the bun. Candy had been wanting for a piece of this bitch since seeing Joshua cry. She holds Vivian's hands and starts stomping on her. Soon Luke grabs Sophie and Deon grabs Candy and pulls them away from a now unconscious bloody Vivian. Sophie looks around for her earrings wide-eyed Paula hands them over.
Luke calls a med team and soon Vivian is taken away in an ambulance that read Grandville Memorial North. Angel cringes saying that Chase was in the South Campus and they almost killed him. Luke tells her that his job as a health care professional was done when he got her help of any kind. "I'll try to stay on your good side. You're a scary guy Lucas Sheldon." Angel says as she tries but fails to hide another yarn. Sophie says Luke wouldn't dare send Angel to Grandville North because he'd have to deal with her. Luke says Angel couldn't do anything to him bad enough for him to send her to Grandville North or Grandville Memorial. Angel looks at her truck Vivian had dented the hood while standing on it. She reads aloud the lipstick message "Viv gets what Viv Wants!" Angel gets in and hits the windshield wiper fluid cleaning her window. She gets back out Joshua asks can he drive. "How are you on sleep?" He said he wanted to take her to his house tonight it was closer than driving back to Ivey Mansion and he had something for her. "We still have to go back to Ivey Mansion we have to take Candy home."
"Not so I can catch a cab from here it it's only about 11 dollars. You two go get some sleep. My godson has been trying to get you to go to sleep all night." Angel asks is she sure "Go now" Joshua takes the keys and says Candy had a point he tells Angel he fought too many obstacles tonight to have her pass out behind the wheel.
Angel hugs Paula and whispers "thank you so much." Paula tells her she was just looking out for her cousins. Angel hugs Sophie and thanks her for making her come. Sophie says that she's welcome and tells Candy that since she was going home and Candy didn't live that far she'd take her home.
"That's terrific Oh and Angel Viv did get what Viv wanted, a beat down." Candy smiles her couple was back together. Angel surprises her and hugs her whispering she's sorry for hurting Joshua and she was thankful that Candy helped fix everything. "Angel, make that the last time you apologize to me about this night. As long as Joshua is happy I'm good, it took some work but I knew if I could first get him off the floor we were heading in the right direction. Besides, I was lost after the Scott ordeal you cheered me up and I now have a female that I can call friend if I didn't thank you when it was happening thanks. You guys are my favorite couple I couldn't let that bitch break you up. What kind of friend would I be? Go get some sleep girl."
Joshua drives her truck to his house. When he looks over Angel is asleep. "Babe wake up we're here." She looks at him they sit in silence for a time listening to the engine run in cool down mode. "Come on, like I said I have something for you. When he gives her the ring she looks at it places it back on her finger and then hugs him thanking him for finding it. That night he lay there just talking to her with her in his arms and his hand on her stomach. He stops speaking when he hears her light snoring, his mind slowed down enough for him to finally get some much needed sleep.
AN: Thanks for reading Guys and Gals please feel free to review.
(Happy Face Emoticon) :End Note