Author's note: AusllyTraceObsessed98, your positivity and earnestness are beyond appreciated. I am humbled and grateful that you continue to enjoy the story, and by your steadfast support of the other authors who still write for this space. Thank you to all of my readers, and reviews are always loved and appreciated.
I'm sorry Ally, but this is a business decision. I already took a huge risk on you and Austin when you announced to the world that you would become a duo…before checking with me, might I add. The media attention and hype helped carry your first album together, but music is an ever-evolving landscape…especially now. The numbers from your last record just aren't enough to justify renewing the contract as is. Consider this an opportunity- I'm sure there are other labels out there who will welcome you both…and if there's any trouble, please tell Austin that he can still reconsider my first offer…
"I cannot believe you didn't talk to me about this!" Ally stared at her husband across the kitchen island, exasperated as the conversation with Ronnie played through her mind on repeat.
"There was nothing to talk about Ally!" Austin let out his own frustrated breath, putting his hands down on the countertop as he stared at his wife. "Ronnie called me out of the blue and told me that after he got our email and met with Trish, the" best option" would be for me to continue as a solo artist under Ramone records. That isn't what I want to do!"
"And what about what we need to do as a family, Austin?! This isn't just for us anymore! This is all of us now, and…"
"Don't you think I realize that?!" Austin interrupted, his face slightly pink with frustration. "That's all I'm thinking about- how we can do what we love as a team!"
"It didn't feel like we were a team when Ronnie blindsided me with the news that he was willing to have you continue as a solo artist today!" Ally felt her own cheeks heating up, trying with every last shred of self-control to keep her voice somewhat level as Ava slept down the hall.
"Because that's not an option Ally!" Austin fumed, continuing as his voice grew louder. "I don't want to do this without you! I want to make music with you- together."
"You don't think I want that too?! Ronnie isn't wrong, Austin. Our numbers for the last album and tour weren't great, and the whole industry is changing. We need a plan, and that means talking to each other about all our options."
"I think if you just had a little more faith…"
"Faith is not a plan, Austin!" Ally interrupted. "We have to talk about these things, together!"
"I have faith- in us. Together," Austin said flatly.
"Of course I have faith in us!" Ally yelled. "But us means all of us, and we have Ava to think about. There's no way we can tour with her, and recording and performing are going to be harder than they were before. You need to understand that…"
"Understand what?!" Austin threw his hands in the air, starting to pace. "That I should be gone for months at a time while my wife and daughter are here in Miami without me?!"
"That isn't what I meant," Ally said. "I still don't think you understand that…"
"I understand perfectly fine," Austin fumed, interrupting her again. "Even for someone who didn't go to Harvard."
Ally bit back the reply she wanted to give, glancing over at the clock to realize that she was already going to be far more than "fashionably late" for her meeting with Trish.
"I cannot do this with you right now," she said, walking to the side to grab her purse. "I need to go meet with Trish, and we can finish this conversation later tonight."
"Fine," Austin said, his voice growing quieter as Ally moved towards the front door.
She paused at the landing, closing her eyes for a moment as she caught a soft "I love you" from Austin just as the door swung closed behind her. Sighing, she walked down the driveway towards her car, trying to focus on how best to handle the meeting…and everything else that had just happened.
"That bad, huh?"
Ally looked up from her tea, watching Trish give her a compassionate stare from across the table as she set her spoon down in embarrassment, the tea bag she had been lightly pushing back and forth on a small saucer suddenly no longer as interesting as it was a few seconds ago.
"I was upset he didn't tell me that Ronnie reached out to him about continuing as a solo artist…and that he rejected the idea out of hand before we could even talk about it," Ally sighed, watching as Trish gave her a soft nod.
"He is Austin Moon," Trish sighed. "And just so you know, while I am clearly on your side of this…disagreement…I can't imagine him wanting to do anything differently," she added.
"Why not?" Ally gave her best friend a confused stare, Trish returning a look of equal confusion.
"Because he obviously wants to do all of this with you- that was just as true that week after the Helen show as it is now. At least he still knows what he wants?"
"Now you sound like Austin," Ally grumbled slightly, earning another compassionate sigh from Trish.
"Oh no- hold on…wait, I still know that Zebras are real, so I think I'm okay."
Ally gave a slight snort, rolling her eyes as Trish smiled back at her before continuing.
"Seriously though- back when Jimmy gave me that counteroffer and extension after I presented the partnership agreement with Ramone records to him, I was so shocked I almost signed it for him without asking. I couldn't believe I was reading a Starr Records term sheet."
"What was so special about the offer?" Ally asked, further confused. "Austin told me Jimmy offered him a ten-year extension to stay solo, but it wasn't worth considering. I just assumed since it was Jimmy and Austin was less than a year away from his first contract ending it was boilerplate stuff."
Trish's eyes widened for a moment, Ally watching her friend suddenly seem to gain interest in her own drink.
"Trish…" Ally pleaded, watching her as she exhaled and looked up.
"Ok- I'm going to tell you this, but only if you promise me that you will never tell Austin I told you."
Ally stared back at her…but seeing Trish's resolute stare finally nodded in agreement herself.
"Ally…Jimmy might not always be the nicest or most generous guy…or even very friendly for that matter, but he is one of the absolute best label heads in the biz on the business and marketing side. When you and Austin were…apart, Jimmy had his people help shape Austin's sound and image to get him out of the teen pop space, and it really paid off with his third album. Austin obviously put in the work, but after that album broke into the top five Jimmy was sure he had a number one record in him…and I don't think he was wrong, either. The extension Jimmy offered him had one of the biggest non-recoupable advances I have ever seen, and a lot of other bonuses that most people could only dream of."
Ally sat in silence, carefully processing what Trish had just told her. Trish surveyed her friend quietly before continuing.
"I talked to him about it of course. It would have been malpractice if I didn't. He gave me exactly the same response you said he gave Ronnie- he dismissed it out of hand. I even had to slowly repeat the number for him to make sure he heard me right. When he still said no, I talked about how the change might impact his endorsements, his branding deals…just to be sure of course," Trish added, noting the now unreadable expression on Ally's face. "Same answer- he was sticking with you."
Ally stared quietly, a million thoughts racing through her head all at once. The divergent roads quickly led her to a single destination- she had been frustrated with what she thought was the impetuous way Austin had made his decision, only now realizing it hadn't been hasty at all; making music with her instead of alone was clearly something Austin had thought about and decided long ago. His last solo album had showcased his talent as both a performer and a writer, and despite the riches being offered he had still chosen what he wanted anyway…which was her.
"I didn't make this worse, right?" Trish said hopefully, seeing Ally's pensive look.
"No…you didn't at all," Ally said, watching relief fall across Trish's face. "I guess I hadn't fully considered this from Austin's perspective…or the nerves this have might touched on for him."
"Good," Trish replied, her smile starting to grow. "I still think he should consider the solo deal with Ramone Records too…but I would be a terrible manager if I didn't do my own due diligence, and there are a few other contract options for you guys to look at…including another very interesting one from Jimmy Starr."
Ally looked carefully at the folder Trish slid her way, her eyes now wide in curiosity.
Ally sighed quietly as she stepped up to the landing, pausing for a moment to carefully open her front door. She slipped off her shoes, greeted by strange silence and the curious scent of light citrus…along with the familiar aroma of pasta sauce. She stepped quietly into the kitchen, pausing for a moment to look towards the living room and admire just how clean everything seemed to be, the laundry, toys and board books that had been strewn about earlier now neatly put away. Her heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight of a fresh bouquet of lilies and orchids sitting alone on the dining table, a small card leaning against the white vase holding them. She picked up the card carefully, immediately recognizing her husband's handwriting on the front.
Ally
I'm sorry. I should have talked to you about the offer from Ronnie before saying anything. I got so caught up in what I thought was right for all of us I didn't stop to think if it was also what you thought was right.
As my favorite person sometimes tells me, arguments aren't me vs you, it's us against the problem- sorry for forgetting that.
I love you always,
Austin
Ally felt a small lump form in her throat as she set down the card, making a silent note of the casserole dish warming in the oven as she walked down the hall towards Ava's nursery. She reached the doorway, her heart swelling at the sight in front of her.
Ava was gently nestled in her crib, sleeping soundly as her tiny chest seemed to rise and fall in perfect rhythm. Austin was asleep on the floor next to her, one arm outstretched toward the crib, his body curled away from the doorway towards their daughter. She slipped quietly into the room for a moment, watching them both sleep peacefully- calm and at ease, as if this was exactly where they both should be.
She knelt quietly beside her husband, lightly brushing a strand of hair away from his forehead before pressing a gentle kiss against his temple. He stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open as he saw Ally smiling down at him.
"Hey," he whispered, his voice still fogged with sleep.
"Hey you," Ally replied, reaching out to help her husband up off the floor. "Thank you for the flowers…and the card…and cleaning up," she continued, giving his hand a gentle squeeze as he rose from the floor and smiled back at her.
They quietly made their way down the hallway back and back into the kitchen, Ally stopping to wrap her arms around her husband, placing a gentle kiss against his lips.
"Ally…"
"Me first," Ally interrupted, her hands slipping into his. "I'm so sorry Austin. I got frustrated earlier because I didn't stop to consider why you said no to Ronnie so quickly. I thought it was just a spur of the moment thing…but I forgot how long you've been so sure about this…about us. I got in my own head about making sure we were doing the best thing for Ava…without remembering that you and I together are always the best thing Ava could have, and everything else comes second."
Austin gave his wife a broad smile, his hands still holding hers. "I still should have talked to you first," he said quietly. "I definitely got in my own head too…I kept thinking about the last year that I was a solo artist, and how…crappy a lot of things felt. I don't think I ever fully thought about why and how everything might have been related until our…uh…discussion earlier. I just knew I didn't want to go back to feeling like that ever again."
Ally shifted her head to the side, her eyes now full of compassion as she leaned in to hug her husband again.
"I love you," she whispered quietly, her head turned against the side of his chest. "And whatever we decide to do, I know we'll make it work."
"I know we will too," Austin said, placing a gentle kiss onto the top of Ally's head.
"Did you make your mom's baked ziti?" Ally said, gesturing towards the oven.
"Guilty," Austin said, raising his hands in mock surrender as he stepped back. "But it was self defense your honor- I might have upset my wife earlier, and I happen to know how much she likes a clean house and a good baked pasta dish…"
Ally smirked at her husband, taking a blue folder off the island as Austin eyed her curiously.
"What's that?" he asked, knitting one eyebrow upwards.
"Something to look at during dinner," Ally replied. "Trish did her usual magic- we have more than a few offers to review now that the word is out that we are interested in making a change…including something from Jimmy Starr."
"I'm going to open a bottle of wine then- I'll probably need a glass or two before I see whatever it is that Jimmy said."
"You never know, you might be surprised," Ally said slyly, placing a gentle kiss on her husband's cheek.
Austin turned on the baby monitor as Ally started getting the table ready for dinner. She watched her husband take the pasta out of the oven, smiling at him from across the table- knowing that no matter what, they were ready to face anything…together.