Chapter 19: The Scott Building

The office phone was still warm from her hand. Binks was a special project, Kayla reflected, she had no idea why Keith kept him in his division, but he wasn't good at getting shit fixed unless he was told what to do. Kayla drummed on her desk and looked over to the conference table and watched Fi and Jory doing whatever they were doing. She couldn't tell if they were coloring or if they were drawing, they had both bins of stuff she left in her office for them, out.

Kayla shrugged, and reached over to her inbox and wanted to see what was on top of the pile. Since she was here, she might as well as get a jump on tomorrow's work. With Keith away, Kayla, Haley, and Jenny had to do more work than they usually had. Haley was better at a lot of it then Jenny or herself, Kayla reflected, but that was because Haley was like employee number one or two.

That was when the office phone rang. Kayla looked it over and saw it was the line for Punked and Disorderly Studios, which was on the first floor of the building. Kayla looked at it oddly, and she didn't remember if anyone was recording down there today, then again, it was a different business unit, and someone else could have rented the space. Kayla shrugged and picked up her phone.

"Red Bedroom, Kayla Drake speaking, how may I help you," Kayla said.

"Kayla, I'm glad you picked up, Caden said you were here," The Voice on the other end said.

"What's up Mags?" Kayla asked.

"I was in because we have someone coming in who rented a recording studio," Magdalena "Mags" McMichael said, she was the person who ran Punked and Disorderly Studios.

"Mags, you don't have to tell me, well since you don't work for me," Kayla said.

"Well I heard some of the stuff that they play, and I thought, well as family, you might want to hear it," Mags said.

Kayla rolled her eyes. Mags was technically right, she is family, her nephew was married to Kayla sister, Kelly. But that didn't mean that much to Kayla, especially when it came to business. "So, you want me to listen to some of the raw recordings?" Kayla asked.

"Well, sort of as a favor for me," Mags said.

"Mags, you know I run the business operation," Kayla said.

"Yeah, I know, but with Keith overseas, I don't know who to recommend them to," Mags said.

"You've done this before?" Kayla asked.

"Yeah, when Peyton set up Punked and Disorderly, she specifically put me in charge to kind of spy who is out there that Red Bedroom might be interested in, and when Keith took over his department, I would talk to him," Mags said.

"I see, so since Keith is not here, you wanted to report that you think you have an act we might be interested in," Kayla said.

"Yeah, basically," Mags said.

"Is it your band?" Kayla asked.

"No, not at all," Mags said, "It's a band named Stonedface."

Kayla nodded, "I'm not sure if I can get down there, I have the kiddos with me," she said.

"I understand, Kayla, I can drop some raw Em Pee Threes for you and Hales," Mags said.

"Whatever you see fit, Mags, as you said there's a reason you're down there and I'm not," Kayla said.

"Keep an eye out for my email," Mags said and hung up the phone.

Kayla shook her head and looked over to where here children were doing their thing. Kayla sighed and went back to her inbox. Hopefully, Binks would call soon and then the real work would get done. Maybe, just maybe she could make Binks nervous, there is a Scott in the city that his fuck up took place. The oldest Scott child, of the senior branch, in fact, just getting a Scott to the venue and to see the show might get Binks nervous. Also, this Scott is known to have worked here and knows the deal.

Before Kayla could reach for the phone, she noticed the line was blinking. It was the security desk. That's never good if Caden is calling from the front desk and it's a Sunday. Kayla nodded and picked up the receiver.

"Red Bedroom, Kayla Drake speaking," Kayla said.

"Ms. Drake, there is someone that wants access to the offices," Caden said.

"You know the rules, Caden," Kayla said.

"Ms. Drake, she asked specifically for you," Caden said.

Kayla sighed and wondered who it could be. It was probably her niece trying to avoid seeing her mother after going crazy at the Beaulieu Manor New Year's Eve party last night. She was known to make the rounds to her aunts, on her Dad's side, or just hide at her Father's.

"What does my niece want, Caden?" Kayla asked.

"It's not Ms. Pierce-Burke, Ma'am, it's Ms. Hartmann," Caden said.

Ms. Hartmann? Why would she be coming here? They are on a break from their tour, and she is normally home, spending time with her family?

Kayla shook her head, "The younger or older one?" she asked, wanting to confirm what he was saying.

"The older Ms. Hartmann, Ma'am," Caden said.

"Send her up," Kayla said.

"Will do, Ma'am," Caden said, and the phone went dead. Kayla shook her head and hung the phone up.

Finally, she turned to the inbox and pulled the top thing off the desk. It was a memo, reminder to her about the fact that some substantial changes were coming down the line, and that an important executive meeting was coming up. The memo also stated that Kayla was required to attend. Things had been a bit ad hoc and shoestring around here for the past few years. They managed to hold it together, but it was time to adjust and fix it all.

Before she could reach for the next piece of business, there was a knock on her office door jam. Kayla looked up at the door and saw who she expected to see standing in the door.

"Come in, Kat," Kayla said, to the younger blonde woman who was standing in the door. Kayla noted Kat was going for the low-key look today, she had mom jeans, and boots on, with her winter coat. The building pass hung around her neck as she walked over and stood before Kayla's desk.

"Please have a seat," Kayla said.

Kat Jared took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Kayla's desk. Around the Scott Building, she is still known by her maiden name, Hartmann, but when not on the road, she uses her married name, Jared.

"Happy New Year, Kayla," Kat said, as she sat down. Kayla noted that all these years Kat still talked in a strange accent.

"Happy New Year, Kat," Kayla said.

"So, how was your New Year?" Kat asked.

Kayla shrugged, "It was New Year, I've seen plenty of them in my life. The family went up to Fantasy Hall, and the kiddos were watched by a nanny, as Chris and I were at the Drake's New Year Gala, boring stuff, really," she said.

Kat shrugged, "Better than my New Year, coming home as the year changed on a tour bus," she said.

Kayla shook her finger, "There are many people that would love to be in that situation," she said.

Kat nodded, "I know, and I've been in that situation since I was a teenager," she said, "It's kind of old hat. Well at least for me."

Kayla nodded, "You were what, like artist three signed here?" she asked.

Kat shrugged, "I believe HPHA was like three," she said.

"So, it's to be expected, one would assume, the malaise," Kayla replied.

"It's not that," Kat said.

Kayla tilted her head, "Then what is it?" she asked.

Kat looked at Kayla, "Ever make a choice that you regret and want to take back?" she asked.

Kayla laughed, "Only about the same amount as on Twitter," she said, "But that's called being human."

Kat nodded, "I regret doing the tour between the last two albums," she said.

"Nordwind did well on those tours," Kayla said.

"Not those tours," Kat said.

Kayla nodded, understanding, "Oh, I get it," she said, "Note, I thought it was a bad idea when you proposed it."

"You can say it," Kat said.

"I told you so," Kayla replied.

Kat nodded.

"Look, Kat, you and Nordwind have a soft place in my heart. You guys were signed around the same time I started working here," Kayla said.

"Well not here," Kat chimed in.

"Yes, it was the space in Club TRIC, but I was there for the band's maturity," Kayla said.

Kat laughed, "Well, then I wonder if I'm having growing pains?" she asked.

"Growing pains?" Kayla asked.

"I just don't feel, well fulfilled," Kat said.

Kayla nodded, knowing that feeling, "How so?" she asked.

Kat sighed, "I don't think you'd understand. Alix would but…" she said and trailed off.

"Alix is out of town, and believe me, I know about being unfulfilled professionally," Kayla said.

Kat nodded, "Well, I miss playing bass, and I don't get a chance to write anymore. Everything is the core three, and even Psycho is writing our songs," she said.

Kayla nodded, "Have you tried talking to Arne about that?" she asked.

Kat sighed, "Yeah," she said.

"I take it, it didn't go well?" Kayla asked.

"Yes, it didn't," Kat said.

Kayla shrugged, "I don't know what to say," she said, "If I knew what to do, I'd tell you."

Kat nodded, "I know, you've always been honest with us, and especially me," she said.

Kayla nodded, "I'm not in creative, but what it sounds like to me, is you need an artistic outlet," she said.

Kat nodded, "Hell, I'd be happy just playing bass again," she said.

Kayla looked hard at Kat. "Have you ever met my father?" she asked.

Kat shrugged, "I might have," she replied.

Kayla nodded, "He told me something once," she said.

"That would be?" Kat asked.

"He told me once," Kayla said and sighed, "If you follow your happiness, you'll rarely go wrong."

Kat nodded, "Sounds like solid advice," she said.

Kayla laughed, "He was a drunk when he wasn't working," she said.

Kat nodded, "We all have our crosses," she said.

Kayla nodded, "Yes we do," she said.

Kat smiled slightly, "Well I have to get going," she said, "Raya is home, and I've taken too much of your time."

Kayla nodded, "No worries," she said. Kat smirked, nodded, and walked out of the office. Kayla looked at the door and shook her head. Artists are hard to figure out, and she turned back to the work on her desk.