So, most of you readers (hopefully, anyways) will be happy to know that since the beginning I've had two routes planned for where the story could go from here, and I've picked the longer one. Enjoy!
How good does it feel to break free? We all need to be ruthless, reckless and impulsive sometimes. Since society dictates such an outbreak only every so often, you better make it worth it. You better make it hell of good. Cause if you don't, you're left feeling cheated, and that makes you feel shitty.
Sometimes, though, breaking free means being tied down to someone, contradictory as that might seem.
Jude, Haley, Ben and Rob sat in Jude's apartment. Jude was sitting down in a chair, holding an envelope- a store in England that was selling the album had sent her a check. She took a deep breath. "First paycheck from the new album." She started to open it, but she stopped. She sighed. "I can't take all the money."
"We agreed," Rob said, firmly. "Your rent is late, you haven't eaten in a week and you are in desperate need of a new coat, which you can't afford. You are taking the whole paycheck."
"Fine, but we're splitting the next one evenly," Jude demanded. "Twenty five percent each. Maybe even a little less for me."
"Jude, just open it," Haley said, impatient. Jude took another deep breath, and opened it.
"Holy shit!"
---
Tommy had taken to sitting in his room and listening to Jude's album while unpacking and repacking his suitcase. He hadn't been able to sell the lease on his apartment for a couple of weeks, and the customer wanted him to take care of it until he moved in, which would be in a week. Tommy hoped that Jude would take him even though he wouldn't be able to reach her until three weeks after she had, quite publicly, apologized, in writing and song.
---
"Mr. Fenway, I've had a lovely time talking with you. Would you and your wife like to join us for dinner this evening?" Mr. Shankly asked.
"I'm not married, Mr. Shankly," Liam said, surprised.
"Oh? I thought you and that lovely blond- Sadie, that's it, were…" He waved his hand, searching.
"Sadie and I are friends, and co-workers. If your invitation still stands, I'd be happy to dine with you if Sadie is."
"Well of course it does!" Mr. Shankly said enthusiastically. He and Capo Records were about to go bankrupt, and Liam Fenway, a well-respected, wealthy man, had shown an interest in taking it off his hands for him.
"Well then, Ms. Harrison should be here in about… two minutes." He took out a couple decks of cards. "Are you fond of Nerts, Mr. Shankly?"
---
"So why do we have to be here again?" Karma asked, sitting down and picking up one of NBR's studio guitars. "Do you have a pick?" Speid handed dug in his pocket and produced two.
"Heavy or thin?"
"Thin."
"We have to be here because we're mixing my album," he said, handing her the pick. She started tuning the guitar.
"Yeah, but everyone's gone except Nana, so why do we have to be here today?" Karma hated going into the studio. It taunted her, saying 'you can't make music anymore, you failure!' Music had always been about the fame for Karma, but she hadn't ever realized how much making music meant to her. She hadn't ever realized that pouring her soul into the mic was therapeutic, and that even though the songs she wrote weren't that good, she had liked just writing them.
"Well, Jamers is having a day off with Zepplin, and Kwest is sick, and they both forgot to tell each other, but they still expect me to have made some progress, so… well, yeah. Why are you so sick of the studio lately?" he asked.
"It's nothing," Karma said sharply. "Just go ahead, start on the album."
His eyes softened. He went up to her, took the guitar from her hands and placed it off to the side. "Babe, I know you." He reached up and stroked her cheek softly. "You've got a song bugging you, don't you?"
She nodded. "This time, I can hear it all," she said, staring into space. "The lyrics aren't even half-bad, but I can't physically hear it, and it's killing me. I need to hear it. It's all bottled-up, you know?"
Speid thought for a moment, then took a deep breath. "We can make it happen, babe. It won't be released, but we can record it. Jamie and Kwest won't mind, as long as I get some work done today. We can let you really hear it if you want."
She smiled through tears. "I'd need a pair of tap shoes, and some bongo drums. Is the floor in there tile?"
Speid gaped, but nodded. "We have some bongos in the studio. Tap shoes?"
"I know they're kind of expensive, so we can cut that part out, I guess…" she said, smile faltering a little.
"No, it's fine. Let's go."
---
After the first one, checks had been clogging the P.O. Box weekly. But then again, it had only been three weeks, so the album was still new. Jude refused to read the album reviews; instead she listened to any music but her own.
Haley came in, two more envelopes in hand. "One's a check, but the other's from the church where we recorded," she said, shedding her coat and sitting down on the couch next to Ben. She kissed him. "Missed ya."
"You mean, in the fifteen minutes you've been gone?" he asked, grinning. She ignored this remark and started making out with him.
Rob glanced at Jude, and she shrugged. "Let them be happy," she said quietly. The tall man shrugged back, and then pointed at the envelopes. "We'll open the check later," Jude decided. She reached for the other envelope.
After she had scanned the letter, Jude smiled. "Oh guys, we have to!" Jude said excitedly. "This is perfect!"
"What?" Rob asked in his usual blunt, mono-syllabic manner. At least, it was normal when he was hung over, as he was now. He, Ben and Haley had decided to quit waiting for Jude to change her mind; they'd gone partying without her.
"The church has a midweek dinner every Wednesday; lots of people come. They let anybody come, even if they don't go to the church. They want us to come and do a set! It's no pay, of course, but just a few songs. This is exactly how I've always wanted to perform: just for the music." Her eyes were shining.
Rob shrugged. "I'm in." He glanced at Haley and Ben, who had stopped making out in favor of listening to Jude.
"Sure," Ben said.
"Anything for the children," Haley said. Jude froze; images of Music Helps flashed through her mind, or, more specifically, images of Tommy during Music Helps. That had practically been his catch phrase. Anything for the children.
Someone knocked on the front door. Jude opened it, not bothering to try and look through the dirt-encrusted spy hole.
"Hey Girl," Tommy said as soon as she opened the door. "Is it 2 a.m. yet?"
Jude launched herself into his arms and cried. He awkwardly maneuvered Jude, himself and the suitcase through the front door and sat down in the nearest chair. He glanced at Rob, Ben and Haley. "I'm Tommy Quincy. You must be Lacy Prat. Thanks for taking care of Jude."
---
"So, I just sign on the dotted line?" Mr. Shankly asked. "It's really that easy?"
"Just sign on the dotted line," Liam confirmed. "We'll take care of Capo Records; I promise. You even have a week to move out, but Ms. Harrison and I will start taking over tomorrow."
Mr. Shankly signed.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Fenway… Ms. Harrison. See you tomorrow." He donned his hat and left.
Liam turned to Sadie. "We did it! Our first studio," Sadie said. "Party time!"
"With who? We don't know anybody here," Liam said, grinning.
"Well, you and I can just let ourselves go to bed early tonight, but I was thinking; what better way to get acquainted with our new employees than to host a party in our new home?" Sadie said.
"I like the way you think, Harrison. I'll see you tomorrow, Sadie." They parted, Liam going to his first floor bedroom and Sadie walking up the stairs and into her third floor bedroom. The reason Sadie got the master bedroom was simple; it had a bigger closet.
---
"It's beautiful, Sweetie," Speid said, kissing her head. Karma smiled, satisfied.
"It sounds exactly like in my head."
"It sounds like hit material," Jamie said. Speid and Karma jumped at the unexpected comment.
"Hey Jamers," Speid said awkwardly. "I tried to get some mixing done, but…um, yeah."
"Karma, would you like to release a single through NBR? You would, of course, get the major part of the profits…" Jamie said. He straightened, his voice taking on a sale pitch. "You could even release some more, freelance. Absolutely no binding contract, so if a major label wanted to pick you up again-"
Karma smiled. "As if I'd leave here. But freelance sounds nice; I don't think I can write a whole album in less than a couple years. I'd love to start recording again."
"Well then," Jamie said. "Let's call a lawyer and draw up a contract."
---
"Tommy and I are going to go upstairs," Jude said. "Just to get him unpacked. Feel free to stay."
"Unpacking my ass," Rob sneered. "You guys are two musicians who used to be romantically involved and haven't seen each other in months. I don't want to hear bed springs all night. See you tomorrow."
"We're good," Haley said before attaching her lips to Ben's again.
"No sex on my couch," Jude commanded playfully. "Use the floor; it's easier to clean." She and Tommy ran up stairs.
There was an awkward silence. "You think they noticed that they forgot Tom's suitcase?" Ben asked.
"We don't have to talk about it, you know. Sex. We haven't done it and we don't have to," Haley said.
"Let's go to the park," Ben suggested. "It's pretty vacant at this time of night; we can talk privately."
---
"Seriously?" the secretary, Danni, asked excitedly. At Sadie's nod, she smiled and walked into the center of the lobby. "Hey!" she yelled, and everyone instantly paid attention to her. "The old geyser's gone; we've got new managers, and on Friday they're throwing us a party!" There were cheers all around.
Danni walked back to Sadie and people went back to business, their smiles a little wider. "So, Ms. Harrison-"
"Sadie," she corrected automatically.
"A, where's your partner?"
"Getting an espresso machine; he says the one you have now isn't fit to brew shit."
"Damn right," Danni mumbled. "And B, tell me more about this party."
So, as you can see, we've got a lot to go. Oh, and don't worry, more drama starting next chapter. These past chapters have got you on a fluff high, maybe, but I can't handle large amounts of fluff. It clogs up my muse's mind, and that's no good…