Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.
Author's Note: We are stepping away from Tennessee for a spell to check on Jackson and his trip to Washington, DC. Now normally I would just mention a trip like this in passing, but since I am devoting a whole chapter to it, then you know something important must be happening. So sit back, relax and enjoy.
By the way, the name of the female character in this chapter is pronounced TAM-era with emphasis on the first syllable, not Ta-MERA like the twin from Sister Sister, if you're familiar with that show.
Back to the Future
Chapter 4
Capital Investment
Friday, September 22, 2017 – Ronald Reagan National Airport - Arlington, Virginia
Jackson's plane touched down at Reagan National Airport, just a stone's throw from downtown Washington, D.C., just after 9 am. Jackson had a meeting with the concert promoter for his sister's upcoming tour. The fifteen-city tour would coincide with the release of Miley's first album as Miley Stewart. Before that, she hadn't released anything since her last album as Hannah Montana nearly six years earlier. Jackson was determined to have everything go right for his little sister.
To say that Jackson and Miley had grown closer was an understatement. As much as they annoyed one another as teenagers, they had become as close as a brother and sister could be as adults. They text messaged each other several times a day and always had a kind word for each other. After Robby Ray went into the hospital several years earlier for what they thought was a heart attack, which turned out to be an angina attack brought on by stress, they vowed to each other to not bicker over petty things because they knew that the next day was not promised to them.
Jackson had worked hard to set this tour up and personally traveled to every city to ensure that preparations were going exactly as planned. Washington, D.C. was the seventh stop on the tour, scheduled to begin in May. He was of the mindset that as long as things went according to plan, he would be a happy camper, therefore, his baby sis would be happy as well. His plan for a smooth trip to the nation's capital, however, was thwarted as soon as he stopped at the baggage claim area for his bags.
Jackson pulled his two bags off of the conveyor for his two day trip to D.C. He was flying back home to Malibu on Sunday. As he was about to walk away from the baggage carousel, his cell phone rang.
"Jackson Stewart."
"Jackson, Tom Qualls from Capital Productions. How was the flight?"
"Smooth sailing. What can I do for you?"
"I'm afraid I'm not gonna be able to meet with you today. I've been pulled on to another project. I know you came to D.C to go over logistics with me but I've given all the details to my replacement and I arranged for you to meet with her this morning." Tom said.
"No problem." Jackson replied. "I'm gonna drop my bags at the hotel and then come to your office."
"Well, that's the catch. She's not in the office. She's out at Merriweather Post Pavilion setting up for The Jonas Brothers Reunion Show." Tom said.
"Merriweather? Damn Tom! If you had told me that yesterday, I could have flown into BWI!" Jackson said, referring to BWI Airport's close proximity to Merriweather's location in suburban Maryland. He was about 40 miles away from the outdoor pavilion from his hotel's location in Southwest Washington.
"I'm really sorry about the short notice Jackson. I just found out about the switch when I walked in this morning. But look, Tamera Carson is one of the best. I put you in good hands." Tom said.
"I'm gonna trust you on this one Tom. You haven't let me down so far." Jackson said.
"And she won't either." Tom said.
"All right T.Q. I'll call you later and let you know how things went." Jackson said.
"Okay buddy. Talk to you soon."
With that, Tom hung up. Jackson snapped his phone shut and muttered to himself.
"Dang Flabbit. Step off the plane into a field full of cow patties." Jackson mumbled. "Momma said there'd be days like this. There'd be days like this, momma said." Jackson spoke the words to his favorite version of the song by Sam Cooke.
Jackson picked up his rental car and dropped his bags off at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in town before heading out to Merriweather Post Pavilion out in Columbia, Maryland. Everyone from Iron Maiden to Roberta Flack to Sheryl Crow to REM has performed at Merriweather and although Miley's concert was going to be at Nissan Pavilion in Northern Virginia, Jackson had Merriweather on his final list of D.C/Baltimore area venues.
He arrived at Merriweather around 11:30 and immediately went to the stage area. There was a busy hum in the facility as preparations were underway for The Jonas Brothers performance that night. Being used to such an environment, he knew how to maneuver to stay out of the way.
"Excuse me." Jackson said to one of the stage hands. "I'm looking for Tamera Carson."
The stage hand, a tall African-American man in his twenties in a dark t-shirt and jeans, stopped for a moment. "Look for the fine honey with a clipboard and an attitude. That's her." The man said before resuming his travel across the stage.
"Thanks." Jackson said to the back of the man's head as he walked away. Jackson continued backstage, walking amidst sound equipment and cables. Another stage hand, a petite Asian female came breezing by. "Excuse me? Tamera Carson?"
"Over there." The young woman pointed over her shoulder to the corner of the backstage area as she hustled by.
"Over… there." Jackson said as he peered across the stage. He saw an attractive young African-American woman in her mid-to-late twenties with straight brown hair past her shoulders having a very animated discussion with a young Caucasian male that he assumed was a subordinate. As he got closer, he could make out part of the conversation.
"They will be here any minute for a sound check and we have to do our own sound check before they arrive!" The woman exclaimed in irate fashion. "What the hell do you mean the mics aren't set up yet?"
"The case with the mics got misplaced and…" The young man tried to explain.
"Well if they had been staged properly like I suggested, that wouldn't have happened, now would it?" The woman scoffed.
"I guess not." The young man said.
"You guess not." She said in sarcastic fashion. "Well I guess that you have five minutes to set the damn mics up before I lose my patience and you lose your job. Five minutes, three mics. Okay, Skippy?" She said before looking over and seeing Jackson there.
"Great. The band is starting to arrive." She said in sarcastic defeat before turning back to her underling, who was standing there like a deer caught in the headlights. "GO! SET THE DAMN MICS UP! JESUS!" The young man went sprinting off to find the mic case. She then turned back to Jackson who, by his appearance in a leather blazer, t-shirt, jeans and boots, she assumed to be a member of the band. Her face instantly changed as she flashed a smile. "Hi. I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm Tamera Carson. You must be with the band. The green room is set up. There's fruit and stuff in there…"
"Oh… I'm not with the band, I'm…" Jackson started.
"Wasting my time." As instantly as she flashed the smile, she returned to her shrew-like state as she started walking away. Jackson smiled to himself and began following her. Sensing his presence, she continued her invective. "I have a sound check to do and I'm meeting with Miley Stewart's brother slash road manager so whatever it is, tell it to my assistant. Her name is Kimber." Just then Jackson's cell phone went off.
"Jackson Stewart." When Jackson said that, Tamera stopped dead in her tracks, afraid to turn around to face him. "Hey Miles… Yeah, I'm out at Merriweather… I know you're supposed to be at Nissan. I just met the concert promoter who just treated me like I was a pebble in the sole of her shoe aaaand I have to help her take her foot out of her mouth." Tamera slowly turned around with as sheepish a look on her face as Jackson had ever seen. "Yeah… I will. Kiss Mamaw for me… You too… Bye." Jackson closed his phone slowly as he smiled and cocked his head to one side.
"So… on the scale of biggest asshole you've ever met, where do I rate?" Tamera asked with a wince.
"A seven." Jackson said calmly. "You had good sarcasm and narcissistic rage, but you lost points for lack of swearing."
"So I'm an above average asshole." Tamera said.
"You've got a chance to redeem yourself. Jackson Stewart." Jackson said as he extended his hand.
"Tamera Carson." Tamera said as she shook his hand.
"You've got a sound check to do so I'm just gonna hang out…" Jackson said.
"Feel free to grab something from the green room. There's fruit, juice, cookies." Tamera said.
"Thanks. And… can I give you a piece of advice?" Jackson asked.
"Okay." Tamera said with an incredulous chuckle.
"That kid was terrified of screwing up. A kind word from you would make his day bright right about now." Jackson offered.
Tamera looked quizzically at Jackson. "Enjoy your fruit." She said with a head nod as she turned and walked toward the front of the stage.
Jackson milled around for a little while backstage. When the Jonas Brothers arrived, he greeted and chatted with them for a few minutes before their sound check. About forty-five minutes later, the sound check was finished and after saying his goodbyes to the brothers, he waited for a few more minutes before Tamera entered the green room.
"Finally." Tamera said as she walked in and sat down in the leather chair opposite Jackson. "Did you enjoy your fruit?"
"It was fruitalicious." Jackson said.
"Good." Tamera said. "I want to apologize for the whole asshole thing earlier. It's been a rough morning."
"No apology necessary. I don't offend easily." Jackson said. "Which… around you is a good thing."
Tamera chuckled. "I'm only half as crabby as you saw this morning."
"That's okay. I'm only half as charming as I usually am." Jackson countered.
"Oh… I get it. This is where you flirt with me and I give you the little feminine giggle that lets you know I'm interested and we banter back and forth until you wear me down and I accept a dinner invitation from you." Tamera said with her sarcasm on full display.
Jackson, knowing from experience what he was up against, changed tactics. "No. I was just being nice and making small talk." Jackson smiled. "So Miley is really excited about coming to D.C…"
"Wait a minute." Tamera said. "That's it?"
"That's what?" Jackson asked.
"You throw out a line, I shoot it down like a scud missile and you give up?" Tamera asked. Jackson saw in his mind that the interest on her part was clearly there.
"Oh… I get it." Jackson said, mirroring her comment from a moment earlier. "This is where you act wounded that I ceased what I perceived to be a fruitless effort to mack on you, bruising your ego in the process because men hit on you on a daily basis and you've become accustomed to the attention. And when you meet a cute, eligible bachelor that you have interest in because of his wit and he wants to talk business, you're a little taken aback because you don't quite know how to read his signals."
Tamera looked at Jackson blankly. "No. I was just being nice and making small talk." Tamera then smirked.
Jackson smirked. "Have you gotten all of the flirting out of your system?" He asked.
"I'm not flirting with you!" Tamera exclaimed in conversational tone.
"You're flirting because you haven't just shut me down and moved on to business." Jackson said. "If you didn't want to continue this tone of conversation you would have shut me down with the quickness."
"With the quickness." Tamera said. "I haven't heard that since Mystikal."
"Here I go! Here I go! It's the man right chea (right here)!" Jackson said, rapping the hook to Mystikal's song, Mind of Mystikal.
Tamera laughed. "What do you know about that?" She asked.
"What? You think 'cause I'm white, I don't know about Mystikal?" Jackson teased. "I don't assume because you're black you don't know about… Nickelback."
"I love Nickelback." Tamera said with a smile.
"See what I mean?" Jackson said. "I listen to Mystikal, DMX, Jay-Z, Fiddy and you listen to…"
"Daughtry, Rascal Flatts, Christina Aguilera and Elvis Costello." Tamera said with a smirk.
"A cultural melting pot of auditory preference." Jackson said.
The door opened and the same young man that Tamera had chastised before stepped in. "I'm… sorry to bother you Tamera, but the lighting guys have a couple of questions."
"I'll be right there." Tamera said. The young man nodded and stepped backward to close the door.
"Kenny?" Tamera called out to him. He stepped forward. "I'm sorry about earlier. You've been working your tail off today. Things get misplaced. Don't sweat it."
Kenny cracked a small, toothless smile. "Thanks… thank you." He said as he nodded and then retreated.
Tamera turned around to Jackson and her finger shot up in the air. "Not… a word. That wasn't because of what you said. He's a good worker and people are productive when they feel like they're appreciated." She said. "I have to go talk to the lighting guys."
"Well since we accomplished nothing but establishing your repressed sexual desire for me…" Tamera's mouth flew open and a single audible chuckle came out as Jackson spoke. "I propose that we have a working breakfast tomorrow to discuss our business."
"Proposing so soon, Mister Stewart? We just met." Tamera teased. "And what? No dinner invitation over wine to get me drunk and try to take advantage of me?"
"I don't need to get women drunk. Besides, you have a concert tonight. You'll have to be patient if you want to get at me. I don't give it up on the first date." Jackson shot back.
"We're not having a date. It's a working breakfast at nine o'clock at the Capital Hilton on the corner of 16th and K Northwest." Tamera said.
"It's a date then, I mean, it's a breakfast." Jackson said with a smirk.
Tamera shook her head and smirked as she stood up, heading for the door. "Have a good day, Mister Stewart!" She said as she left, not looking at Jackson.
"You as well, Miss Carson!" Jackson called out. When the door closed, Jackson popped his collar. "Yep. She wants me." He said before striding confidently for the door and exiting stage right.
The next morning, Jackson arrived at the Capital Hilton at 8:30 in anticipation of his breakfast with Tamera. While awaiting her arrival, Jackson ordered a cup of coffee and thumbed through the USA Today newspaper he picked up from the host station. About ten minutes into his reading, a voice broke his concentration.
"You clean up well Mister Stewart." Jackson looked up to see Tamera standing at the table. Tamera was referring to Jackson's navy blue pinstripe suit with a cornflower blue shirt open at the collar. Jackson took in the sight of Tamera's black pants suit with a metallic pink blouse and power heels and was equally impressed.
"Not looking so bad yourself Miss Carson." Jackson said. "Please." Jackson stood up and pulled out the chair across from him for her.
"Thank you." Tamera said. The server saw her and came over to the table. "Coffee, regular and a glass of grapefruit juice please." The server nodded and went off on her way.
"So how was the concert?" Jackson asked.
Tamera sighed. "Successful… and tiring. But it was all in a day's work, which we will have to do in May for your sister." Tamera said.
"Before we talk about that, I just wanted to apologize if I came on a little strong yesterday. It's an old habit I've been trying to break." Jackson said.
"You saw something you wanted and you went for it. No shame in that. It's an admirable quality." Tamera said.
"Oh? What exactly did I want?" Jackson asked playfully.
"See, you just apologized for the flirting and you started again." Tamera said with a grin, shaking her finger at Jackson.
"I did not!" Jackson said.
Tamera lapsed into an impression of Jackson. "Oh? What exactly did I want?" She said in a close approximation of Jackson's voice.
"That wasn't bad. You do me better than most women." Jackson said before catching the double entendre. "That didn't come out right."
"That came out exactly the way you intended it." Tamera said. "Will you just ask me out so I can say yes and we can get to our meeting please?"
"But, this is my last night in town. I don't know if I'll be back before May." Jackson said.
"Well you better ask quick then." Tamera said.
"How about dinner at Morton's tonight at eight?" Jackson said.
"You can't get a table at Morton's on such short notice." Tamera said. Morton's is a popular steakhouse in downtown D.C. that is frequented by the powerful political elite.
"My last name is Stewart and I'm Miley's brother. I can get a table at Morton's." Jackson said.
"All right, Mister Big Time. Morton's at eight it is." Tamera said.
"So where do I pick you up?" Jackson said.
"I'll meet you there." Tamera replied. "I don't know you well enough to have you coming to my house."
Jackson cocked his head to the side. "It's because I'm white, isn't it?" Jackson teased.
Tamera laughed. "It's not… because you're white! My last boyfriend was white. It's because you could be a murderer or a rapist like on Law and Order. CHUNG CHUNG!" She said, adding the famous Law and Order sound at the end of her sentence.
"So Morton's, eight o'clock, no racial profiling, we're good." Jackson said.
"Has anybody told you that you're crazy?" Tamera said.
"Has anybody told me that I'm not crazy? That's the question you should ask." Jackson said. "Now, how about we eat and discuss my sister's concert."
Tamera smirked and nodded her head. "Miley's concert. Right." She said with a smile as she began giving Jackson her plan for pulling off a successful show.
Eight o'clock saw Jackson standing at the host station inside Morton's awaiting the arrival of his dinner date. At roughly three minutes after the hour, Jackson spotted Tamera through a throng of people that had congregated at the door. After two quick scans inside, Tamera spotted Jackson, who had signaled to the host that his party had arrived.
"A shirt and tie this time. More fashion points for you." Tamera said as she walked up to her date.
"And you actually have legs – nice legs. You've earned a few points yourself." Jackson countered, taking note of Tamera's dress just before the host escorted them to the table.
A server immediately came over to the table and took their drink orders.
"So do you always go by Tamera or do you have a shortened name? Tammy? Tam? Tee?" Jackson asked.
"Wow! You just jump right in don't you?" Tamera said.
"This is kind of the pace we've set. We kind of just let 'er rip." Jackson said.
"Okay." Tamera said. "The only people that call me Tammy are my father and my grandmother. Everyone else calls me Tamera."
"What does your mom call you?" Jackson asked.
"My mom… doesn't call me anything. I haven't seen her since I was four. She's… a crack addict. My father raised me." Tamera said.
"I'm sorry." Jackson said.
"You didn't know and I washed my hands of her a while ago so… what about Jackson?" Tamera asked. "Are you a Jack or Jackie or Jay?"
"Just plain old Jackson. My momma named me after the president." Jackson said.
"Andrew Jackson. Seventh president of the United States. Born March 15th 1767 in Waxhaws, North Carolina. Died June… 8th, 1845 in Nashville, Tennessee." Tamera recalled.
"Okay, that rode the fine line between being impressive and creepy." Jackson said.
"I was a history major in college. I wanted to be a teacher." Tamera explained. "I wrote a paper on Andrew Jackson my senior year. I actually got to see The Hermitage when my father went to visit my grandmother a few years ago."
"Your grandmother lives in Tennessee?" Jackson asked.
"She lives in Knoxville. Had to drive 200 miles to see Jackson's home but it was worth it." Tamera said.
"You're not gonna believe this but my grandmother lives in about an hour away from Knoxville!" Jackson said.
"No way! Seriously? Where?" Tamera asked excitedly.
"Misty Hollow." Jackson said.
"I know exactly where that is!" Tamera said. "My grandmother owns some land in Wears Valley! Wow! Whatta small world!"
"It is small. Did you grow up down there?" Jackson asked.
"No. I grew up here. I went to high school in the city then I graduated from Howard." Tamera said. "How about you?"
"We lived in Misty Hollow until I was twelve. We moved to California when my mother died." Jackson said.
"I can tell by the sound of your voice that you still miss her." Tamera said.
"I do." Jackson said. "Sometimes it's tough because Miley looks so much like her."
Just then the server came back with the drinks and they placed their dinner order.
"So how did you go from history teacher wannabe to concert promoter?" Jackson asked.
"Well, I had an internship with a local hip-hop station and they sponsored a few shows and… I fell in love with it. Don't get me wrong. I love history, I mean, The History Channel is my favorite. But I really love putting shows together."
"It is a rush." Jackson said.
"So how was it being the brother of a teenage pop star?" Tamera asked.
"A living hell." Jackson joked causing Tamera to laugh. "Seriously, besides listening to the same songs over and over again, it wasn't that bad. I wasn't the best big brother back then… well let's face it, I was a tool…" Tamera laughed again. "But now I really appreciate everything she had to go through. That's why I want to be a part of what she's doing now. I get to help my sister do something she really loves to do."
"That's sweet." Tamera said with a smile.
"Plus I get to go on the road and meet hot concert promoters that think I listen to Linkin Park all day!" Jackson teased.
"I… made an assumption." Tamera said. "I made an ass of myself and my ump shunned me." Tamera said in a play on the breakdown of the word assumption. "But I'm cool now."
"Cool enough to go out with me again when I come back in December for a status report?" Jackson said.
"I could give you that over the phone." Tamera said.
"But then I wouldn't have an excuse to ask you out again." Jackson said.
"Why don't we see if this date ends successfully before we go planning another one." Tamera said.
"The way I see it, I've got a twenty point lead and I'm dribbling out the clock." Jackson said.
"I think your scoreboard is broken, buddy!" Tamera said. "You've got a one point lead with five seconds left and I've got the ball in the front court."
"You a basketball fan?" Jackson inquired.
"The Washington Wizards all the way, baby!" Tamera said.
"My Lakers come here in December. You and I are going to that game." Jackson said.
"Just don't go embarrassing me by wearing a Lakers jersey." Tamera said.
"So you're saying yes." Jackson said.
"You had me with the basketball analogy." Tamera admitted.
"Stewart with the steal! And this game is over!" Jackson joked.
Moments later, their food arrived at the table.
Tamera chuckled. "Shut up and eat your food, funny guy." Tamera ordered playfully.
They both simultaneously shook their heads and smiled as they began eating their meals, each having the thought run through their heads that after only a short amount of time, it was the best date they had been on in a long while.
I was in the mood to write some playful banter. So what do you think about Jackson and Tamera? I like them. I hope you do too.
(Lilly's voice) – "Next, in Back to the Future…"
Lilly and Miley go house hunting. Luanne and Jennifer go shopping. And Robby Ray calls on an old friend. Saturday in Nashville is next.
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