Untitled

by Jackie Chanel

  “The impromptu party you threw on the beach? You and your classless drunk friends, shall I go on?”

  When I didn’t answer, she continued.

  “Do you realize that you walked into a Denny’s and cursed out the waitress because they don’t serve rum and coke milkshakes?”

  “What?” I laughed. That did not happen. A rum and coke milkshake? What the hell is that?

  “Do not laugh. The damn video went up on YouTube fifteen minutes after it happened.” Tracy was mad. I could feel her fury through the phone.

  “Watch it and see how you embarrassed yourself. This is ridiculous, Aiden. You really need some help. You were supposed to be on a flight to Chicago yesterday to record with Fat Cat and Roy. I cannot believe you didn’t get on that plane.”

  “Sorry,” I mumbled, feeling like a little kid. I have to get rid of some of these mother hen type women who work for me. Between Roxy, Tracy, and Kat, I’m being scolded like a ten year old damn near every day. A man would understand. I’m just having a little fun.

  “Don’t do shit to be sorry for and you won’t have to keep apologizing,” Tracy fired back. “I hope you’re up because Roxy booked you on another flight. You need to be on that plane in two hours, Aiden. I swear, you better be.”

  Tracy disconnected the call. For a second I was torn between going into the bathroom and seeing what the girls were up to and going back to sleep. The artist in me told me both ideas were bad. My album is more important than anything and Tracy is right. I should have been on that plane yesterday.

  After calling a cab for Courtney and Tara and downing four aspirin, I drove to the airport with the worst hangover in the history of hangovers, thinking about all of the “trouble” I’ve been getting into lately.

  It's not really trouble, if you think about it. I haven't been arrested. I'm just having fun with my friends. We're not breaking any laws. I understand why Tracy is mad though. My big fan appreciation weekend was the best and worst thing we could have done.

  We called it "Valentine's Day is For Fans" and it included a party hosted by me, breakfast with me and the band, and tickets to our Madison Square Garden show on Valentine's Day. Over five hundred of my biggest fans invaded New York hotels for the party and breakfast. Of course the show sold out. It was a great weekend!

  The concert at Madison Square Garden was awesome! I don't think I've ever played so well. The parties that came before and after were the issue. I don't think I've ever gotten so drunk or screwed so many different girls in one weekend before. It was not my best moment. It didn't help that most of my antics were caught on camera.

  That was three months ago. I can't believe people are still talking about that. I'll just put out a new album and give them something to talk about that won't make my publicist's job so hard.

  Recording a brand new album wasn’t my idea. Third Time’s a Charm has been out for almost two years but I haven’t really done anything with it. I could probably release a couple more singles and ride them out for another year or so before I have to make something new. All I really wanted to do was play the blues with some of the guys I met in New Orleans. It was Joey’s idea to record a full length blues album.

  We went back and forth over this idea. I’m a damn good blues player but the music industry doesn’t consider me a blues player. It’s like they’ve never seen me play at Rabbits. They act like I do this shit sporadically. I play pop sporadically.

  I don’t know if the industry will accept a full blues album from me. There was some talk of just recording the songs for fun but Joey shot that down. If we’re going to pay for studio time, he wants the music to be released. That’s all there is to it. We’ll see what happens.

  ****

  “So glad you decided to show up,” Delilah said sarcastically when I climbed into her rental car at O’Hare.

  “Don’t start with me,” I answered. “You guys are acting like I got arrested. All I did was get drunk.”

  “Maybe you do that a little more than you should,” she snapped. “Drunk Aiden is not very bright and does stupid really well. Maybe he should keep his ass at home.”

  “Whatever, Mom,” I replied and leaned back against the seat. “What’s on the agenda?”

  “If you’d spend more time checking your email than hooking up with strippers, you’d know,” Delilah stated then sighed.

  “You’re in the studio with Mike, Fat Cat, Roy, and Eddie today. Erica will be here tomorrow. Then we’re having dinner tomorrow night with Sara and Tahir.”

  “Is Paulie coming up here?”

  Delilah rolled her eyes and made a face at me.

  “What?”

  “Paulie’s already here. He got in last night, after flying back from Charlotte. You know, after meeting with Aaron.”

  Damn, I forgot about that meeting. I was supposed to have gone down there with Paulie to talk to our friend. Aaron has a new company called Windy City Blues that sells the best jeans ever. I’m seriously considering investing in his company, which is why Paulie and I were supposed to go to Charlotte.

  I ignored Delilah’s scowl and called Sunny to check on her and the little princess. After Summer was born, I expected major changes on Sunny’s end. Nothing’s changed. She’s still the same old Sunny, just a little more protective. I don’t go to Atlanta as often as I’d like because Sunny doesn’t like the attention I bring. It’s hard staying away from Summer though. She’s so precious and cute. She’s only five months old and is already full of personality. The last time I was in Atlanta, I made her laugh. It was the sweetest sound in the world.

  I fully expected to go to the hotel so I could eat and change before heading to the studio so I was surprised when Delilah pulled in front of the studio on Michigan Avenue.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Aiden. People have been waiting for you since yesterday. I had distinct instructions from Roxy to bring you straight here.”

  “You work for me, not Roxy,” I reminded her.

  “Don’t start with me. You should have more respect for these men and be grateful they’re still willing to work with you after that stunt you pulled yesterday. That was so damn rude.”

  “Does it look like I have any of my shit with me?” I asked angrily, sick of being scolded like a misbehaving child. I’m twenty-eight years old. I’ll do whatever the hell I want to do.

  “Did I just start working for you today? Your shit got here before you did. Get in there. Call me when you’re ready to leave.”

  Chapter 50

  “That was a good take, A.T,” Roy said. “You were feelin’ that one, boy.”

  We’ve been recording for a week and this was the first time Roy has said something good about my work. Usually he just grins and nods. I smirked and played the recording back. Nothing sounds better than a compliment from a legend.

  This is the best music I’ve recorded in a long time. The blues...this is my genre. This is what I should be playing all the time. Fat Cat, Roy, Solomon Blue...these are the musicians that I need to impress. Screw everybody else. I’ve already impressed them. Besides, who doesn’t like the blues?

  “Don’t you have to get out of here, kid?” Fat Cat asked me. “Ain’t your mama and daddy coming to town for dinner?”

  “Yeah,” I answered him. I’m not looking forward to dinner with my parents.

  I haven't seen my father since Sara's wedding either. He didn't even come to Atlanta after my accident. I guess he's still pissed off that I paid for my sister's wedding. He should be grateful. He'd be in debt if I hadn't paid for it. He should thank me for saving his ass.

  “Well go on and get out of here. This ain’t our first time in a studio, youngster,” Fat Cat laughed. “We know what to do with all your little fancy equipment.”

  I can’t imagine some old school musicians like Fat Cat and Roy knowing anything about the equipment in this studio, but I do have to leave. Knowing that Joey’s here helped ease my mind a little. I just know that while I’m having a very uncomfor
table dinner with my family, they’ll be playing an awesome jam session. I don’t want to miss that.

  Delilah and Paulie were waiting in the rental when I came outside.

  “There’s a shirt and tie in the back,” Delilah said.

  I looked down at my Windy City Blues jeans and long sleeve t-shirt. I thought about changing for a second then decided against it. I’m Aiden Tyler. I don’t have to abide by anyone’s dress code. There’s not a restaurant in Chicago that will turn me away because of my clothes.

  “It’s just Mom and Dad. I’m not changing for them.”

  “Whatever you say, Aiden.” But she didn’t stop scowling.

  Mom and Dad were already seated at a table when we walked into Charlie Trotter’s.

  “There’s seven of us,” I told the hostess. “Do you have a private room available?”

  “Sure, Mr. Tyler,” she said. “Give me a couple of minutes to make sure it’s okay.”

  I glared at Delilah. “Why didn’t you take care of this?”

  “I didn’t know we wanted to be incognito. You’re the one who kept saying ‘It’s just Mom and Dad’ when I was making the damn reservation.”

  I ignored her mocking and walked over to my other sister...the only one I like right now. I grabbed her in a big bear hug until she laughed. Sara looked happier than I’ve ever seen her. Marriage must be treating her well.

  I shook Tahir’s hand and gave both of my parents awkward hugs. My father’s expression was tense and my mother looked embarrassed.

  They must have seen the Denny’s video.

  I waited until we were seated in a private room and everyone’s drinks had been ordered before I acknowledged their anger.

  “Go ahead and say it,” I stated. “I know you saw the video.”

  “Why must you carry on like that, Aiden?” my mother asked. “Do you know how embarrassing it is to walk into the grocery store and see your child on the cover of magazines acting like a jackass?”

  “I was just having some fun with friends and things got a little carried away. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Mom,” Delilah cut in. “Please don’t argue with him. He doesn’t listen to anyone. Not you, not me, not his manager or his lawyers. Aiden’s going to do whatever he wants to do.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “That was not a compliment,” Delilah answered.

  And that’s how dinner continued for the rest of the evening. The only time I got any peace was when I started to ignore my parents and talk to my brother-in-law. It wasn’t until dessert when things got exciting.

  “I have an announcement,” Delilah announced and pushed her cheesecake away from her.

  I remembered the last time we all had a meal in a fancy establishment and Sara dropped her engagement news on us. I looked down at Delilah’s hand. She wasn’t wearing a ring. I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “What?” my father asked suspiciously. He remembered Sara’s announcement, right along with me.

  “Paulie and I have been talking and we’ve decided to get married.”

  I couldn’t help the loud choking laugh that came out of my mouth. My sisters are crazy!

  “No, Delilah,” my mother cried. “You’re too young to be thinking about marriage.”

  “I’m twenty-five and we’re doing it,” she answered.

  “Are you pregnant?” Sara asked with a smile.

  “No,” Delilah smiled back. “Just in love. I want to marry Paulie. What’s so wrong with that?”

  I shot Paulie an “I’m going to kill you look”. He looked down at his napkin. I really am going to kill him.

  “This is ridiculous,” my father spat. “What the hell is happening to my family?” He tossed his napkin on the table and stormed out of the room. My mother looked at me.

  “What?”

  “Go get your father,” she insisted. “Now.”

  I got up and followed after him. I don’t know what she expected me to do. I haven’t had a decent conversation with my dad in years. I caught up with him outside of the restaurant, heading to his car. Steam was coming out of his ears.

  “Dad, what the hell is the problem?”

  “This is all your fault,” he spat. His eyes were filled with a hatred for me that I’ve never seen before. What the hell did I do?

  “How is this my fault? I don’t want them to get married any more than you do!”

  “You’ve ruined everything that I’ve worked for with this family. I didn’t raise my daughters to go against everything that I’ve ever taught them!”

  “Again,” I said, “how is this my fault? I haven’t told them to do anything. They made their own damn decisions!”

  “Your sisters have always looked up to you,” he stated with so much anger that I thought he was going to hit me.

  “They’ve always followed your example. When you openly defied me and dropped out of college, you just showed them that they can do the same. Sara could have been a great surgeon, if she had listened to me! She and that illegal immigrant husband of hers are struggling to make it! And don’t get me started on Delilah!”

  “You can’t blame anything that Delilah has done on me. I’m not the one who wanted her to move to L.A. That was Mom’s idea.”

  “Your mother had no idea that her brother would let his little sister drop out of college! But you did and exposed her to all of that Hollywood bullshit that you revel in! Sara too!” he yelled. “That kind of life may be what you wanted, but I did not want that for my daughters!”

  “Too damn bad,” I hollered back. “If I influenced my sisters to do anything, it was to have a backbone and do what makes them happy. Who the fuck wants to live in Mt. Vernon and live the ridiculously boring life that you and Mom have?”

  “Look at you,” my dad glared at me. “You’re nothing but a drunk, half assed musician who thrives off all the attention he can get. What you have isn’t a life. It’s a fucking disaster in a Vodka bottle. If you and Delilah think for one minute that I’m going to stand by and let her ruin her life like you, you are sadly mistaken.”

  His words stung a little. Is that what he really thinks of me and my career? No matter what I’ve done, it’s never enough for him. I’ve won Grammys! I introduced him to the Rolling fucking Stones and he thinks I’m a half assed musician!

  “Fuck you,” I yelled. “You’re just jealous that I had the balls to pursue my dream while you retired your fucking half assed football career before it even started. You weren’t calling me a half assed musician at the Grammys or when I paid off your fucking house!”

  “Is that all you got?” My father sneered and stepped closer to me. “All you can talk about is your money. Your money didn’t keep your wife. Your money hasn’t bought you any happiness. All your money can do is buy you more alcohol.”

  He walked closer to me, like he wanted to hit me. I took a step back, ready to swing if he tried.

  “Still a pussy, I see,” he chuckled evilly. “You always were and you always will be.”

  “Fuck you,” I said again. “I’ve never been afraid of you. I don’t have to be drunk to see what a loser you are. I tell you what, though. I’m taking my sister back to Los Angeles with me and if she wants to marry my black best friend, she will. I’ll even have her new black father-in-law walk her down the aisle, because if your racist ass ever comes near either of us again, I will knock your ass out. Asshole,” I spat and turned around.

  I walked right past my mother and sisters coming out of the restaurant. Paulie ran behind me.

  “Aiden! What happened?”

  I kept walking. “Get Delilah and go back to the hotel,” I called over my shoulder. “Now!”

  I don’t know how far I walked but I ended up in a park, staring at the dark blue water of Lake Michigan. Who the hell does he think he is? No one gets away with talking to me like that!

  I can’t even wrap my head around what just happened. As much as we disagree on things, a father should not hate his son, no matter what.
My father hates me. He made that clear.

  Drunk, half assed musician...is that how he really sees me?

  I’m a multi-platinum, Grammy winning singer/songwriter. I have more fans than he would ever have had if he played in the NFL. People love me. I make music that changes lives. He’s done nothing with his life. He hocks legal drugs to doctors. If it wasn’t for me, no one would know who the fuck he was.

  This is how he repays me? Okay.

  As long as I’m alive, it will be best that I never lay eyes on Doug Tyler again.

  Chapter 51

  For three day, I couldn’t get the fight with my father out of my head. It’s been eating at me, making me feel sick to my stomach. I cannot understand what I ever did to him that was so wrong that he’d speak to me so callously.

  How he talked to me is almost beside the point. I’m more concerned about what he thinks about my sisters. He’s just an ass who knows that his life is a complete failure. His children should be his proudest accomplishment since he hasn’t done shit with his own life.

  But we’re not. We’re just the opposite.

  I’m very happy for both of my sisters. I’ve never seen them happier than they are now. Sara is a doctor, for Christ’s sake! Despite what anyone thinks, Delilah hasn’t thrown her life away. She works for me and she’s been very instrumental in getting me where I am today. Delilah has seen a lot and experienced more than any normal twenty-five year old. She’s carved out quite a place for herself in L.A.

  A parent shouldn’t be jealous of his children.

  My father is and that’s why he’s miserable. He can be miserable alone. I don’t give a shit.

  Still, the pain of his words ran deep...the pain of knowing that I’ve been wrong thinking that I could ever make him proud of me. I wanted to prove him wrong and become someone he could be proud of. No matter how many albums I sell, no matter how many awards I win, I can’t do anything that’s going to make that man proud of his son. It’s my own fault for thinking that I ever could.