by Jessica Kale
“Listen, I’ll call you back,” he said, hanging up and stuffing his phone back into his pocket. He couldn’t deal with Dorothy and her yelling right now. “Margaret!”
Margaret appeared out of nowhere. She shook her head at Straub, who let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know what’s going on, no one is answering me,” she said. She squeezed past Straub and popped her head through the curtains. “Should I go out there and apologize for the delay?” she asked.
“No, no. We can do that when we’re sure they’re on their way!” Straub said, lighting a cigarette.
“Of course they’re on their way,” Margaret said. “The tickets are sold out. The people are out there waiting. There’s no turning back now.”
“You’re stressing me the fuck out, woman!” he yelled, crushing the cigarette filter in his hand. “Just keep calling them over and over again until they pick up!”
Straub’s phone started ringing again.
“Dorothy, will you stop yelling?” he shouted. “We’ve tried everything, they’re still not picking up.”
Looking through the curtains, Straub saw the crowd increasing. People already had drinks in their hands; some of them were dancing to the light music playing in the background, others were immersed in conversation.
Suddenly, he heard a wave of applause. He froze in his place, as if an electric current had run right through him. He popped his head through the curtains and peered outside. The wave of applause died down, and what he saw horrified him.
The screens flickered on.
At first, all he saw was static, but then the faces of Gabriella, Sandy and Logan appeared. Straub repeatedly blinked as the screen swam in and out of view. It was like he was living his worst nightmare.
Gabriella was smiling at the camera, a kind of diabolical smile that made Straub cringe. The crowd was confused. Some of them were cheering, while others felt an overwhelming need to ‘boo.’ Straub shook his head, suddenly realizing that all three singers were reporting from somewhere else, somewhere that looked like a coffee shop. That was when he knew he was screwed. Gabriella took a while to adjust the camera, while Logan and Sandy smiled gleefully in the background. Straub’s eyes were darting from one audience member to the other; at one point it got so overwhelming that he felt the need to fixate on the screen just like everyone else.
“Good evening, everyone,” Gabriella said. She was at the forefront of the camera, with Logan and Sandy sitting on either side.
“We want Sandy Day!” an audience member yelled. The rest cheered, but the wave of applause died almost immediately.
“My name is Gabriella Tolken, and I’m here to make a confession. And so are my mates here, James Logan and Sandy Day. We’ve all been cheated, and you were, too. Not by coming to this show, not by listening to our music. But by a monopoly.”
There was silence. Straub’s heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. He clutched the stage curtains; this isn’t happening, this isn’t happening.
“David Straub, I know you’re there. I know you’re watching this,” Gabriella said, her eyes drilling into the camera. “You tried to coerce me into becoming someone I’m not. You tried to buy me with your money. You tried to use me as a tool to 'appeal' to a lesbian audience. Well guess what? The jig is up.”
“Andy, Andy! Stop this thing! What the fuck?” Straub said, bolting across the stage. The crowd booed him. “Stop this thing!”
“Many producers these days think they can poach artists with their money. To them, signing a contract means they own you. It means they can change your style however they want. It means they can completely change your vision for you in the name of an 'ever changing industry.’ No more. We’re not your slaves.”
There was a collective gasp among the crowd. Straub went backstage and started collecting his things. Logan leaned forward in his chair, staring deeply into the camera.
“About a month ago I went to StoneCrawl Music with a vision. You know what Straub did? He completely distorted my vision. He wanted to put my face on every single t-shirt out there. What he didn’t know was that I don’t sing to satisfy my own ego, I sing because I have something to share with the world.”
Someone in the crowd started cheering. Then it caught on, until everyone was doing the same. Straub couldn’t take it anymore.
“God, make it stop!” he said, roaming around the place. “Margaret, where the fuck is Andy?” he asked, his nostrils flared.
She didn’t answer. She just looked at him with disappointment in her eyes. “I don’t know,” she said before walking away.
“David Straub has tried to poach me from another producer,” Logan added.
“And did you know that this producer was me?”
“David Straub told me to dance dirty in my music videos, just so I could appeal to the people watching me.”
“And it’s not just that,” Sandy said. “In our first meeting, Straub said that I would only make it if I gave his pervert producer what he wanted. I think you all know what that means.”
The whole place went up in flames. Anger rose from amongst the crowd; people were booing, yelling, even throwing things. Gabriella still had that diabolical smile plastered across her face.
“I have no way of knowing if you guys are still there, but I have a feeling you’ll stick around till the end,” she said.
Suddenly the screen went black for a moment before it flickered on again. This time, Dorothy was seated at her desk, fumbling with some documents.
“As soon as the concert is over, we’ll sign these and you’ll be good to go, sugar,” she said.
“I doubt there will be any problems,” Gabriella said.
“Good, good,” Dorothy said, scanning the documents in her hand and smiling at Gabriella. “Welcome aboard, sugar,” she said.
“Thanks,” she said. “Hey, is there a bathroom around here that I can use?” Dorothy nodded.
She disappeared for a few seconds and then came back and sat down at her desk. Straub could be seen grinning. It was only the side of his face, but you could tell it was him. Both didn’t notice the camera.
“So, I guess we have ourselves a new moneymaker, huh?” Dorothy asked, raising an eyebrow at Straub. “That Jessica was no good anyway. She’s getting too old.”
“Way too old,” Straub whispered. “You know what’s so special about Gabriella?”
“What?” the black-haired woman asked.
“Three letters; G - A - Y.”
“You’re damn right,” Dorothy said. “That girl’s gonna drive the lesbian crowd fucking wild,” she continued. “And with all that neo-liberal bullshit about gay marriage coming out these days, whew, that girl’s gonna represent our label like no one else has!”
“And you’re forgetting one thing,” Straub said, his cheekbones rising as he smiled. “Straight men love lesbians! They’re going to have fun watching her swivel her hips all day long.”
Dorothy slammed her hand against her desk and leaned back in her chair. “Most important thing is, we don’t bombard her with this shit on her first day. We gotta play it cool; slow transitions, so she doesn’t feel it happening,” Dorothy said. “Once she’s signed the documents, then she’s all ours.”
Straub nodded and smiled. Suddenly there was a loud creak.
“Hey,” Gabriella said, bouncing back into the frame of the camera and slumping down in her chair.
The screen went black.
The whole crowd roared, booing, shouting profanities, throwing things. One by one, they started to leave. Some even threw their drinks at the screen. Straub was long gone. He had bolted out the back door a long time ago, in hopes of disappearing before this whole charade was over. “Fuck StoneCrawl!”
Straub pulled his coat together and ran across the street. He had gone out the back; there was no way he was going to let anyone see him. He marched, but the night air was wicking his heat away faster than his body could replace it.
Night had fallen. No more than an hour ago the sky had been painted with hues of red, orange and pink, but all color had faded, leaving only a matte black canvas with no stars to be looked upon.
Everything felt bleak; Straub had no choice but to disappear and never come back. How was he going to face his employees at the studio? How was he going to get rid of those videos? A million and one thoughts were racing through his mind.
“How did I let this bitch in with a camera?” he asked himself, brushing his fingers through his hair.
Suddenly, he felt desperate. He slumped down on the sidewalk and rocked his body back and forth, like a madman.
Dorothy was calling him.
“God dammit, Dorothy!” he yelled, throwing his phone across the street so it exploded into a thousand glittering fragments. He squeezed his eyes shut and gulped in the night air. Nothing was going to get him out of this.
Nothing was going to save him.
CHAPTER 17
Alicia looked around the bank reception. There were soft chairs, soft music and soft lighting, but the place was utterly soulless. The posters were of middle-aged men with silver hair and steel-rimmed spectacles. The reception was quiet and claustrophobic, with a brown marble floor, three elevators to one side, and above the desk, a row of clocks showing the time in every major city in the world.
But Alicia didn’t mind, not today. Today marked a new beginning, a new chapter. She eyed her father and Jeremy as they shuffled through piles of paper. Across from them sat the bank manager with his fancy suit, signing off papers and passing them to her father. The men exchanged whispers, glanced at each other briefly and told a few jokes. She read through the contracts, nodded and smiled. Everything was falling into place.
“Well,” the manager said, peering up at Alicia. “After careful consideration of your financial situation, and after having reviewed all terms and conditions, I don’t see why I shouldn’t grant you this loan.”
Alicia felt a warmth radiate through her. She looked over at her father, whose cheeks were tinted red with happiness. He got up and shook the man’s hand.
“Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Hiddleston,” he said, grinning from ear to ear.
Alicia stood up and looked around. Suddenly the bank didn’t look so gloomy anymore. Every poster looked merrier, every customer looked a little bit more satisfied. Alicia adjusted her skirt and made her way for the exit, an ecru file in her hand.
“Dad, we did it!” she said, jumping up and down excitedly. She glanced over at Jeremy, who looked just as excited as she was. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
Daniel Harper flashed her a coy smirk. “Straub got what he deserved,” he said. “I would’ve killed to see the look on his face when Andy played those videos.”
Alicia chuckled. “He probably ran around everywhere looking for him,” she said.
“Ha, like Andy was ever going to side with him,” her dad said. “He’s hated that man since day one. When I found out he worked with him, I was in total shock.”
“He was a tyrant in his own company,” Jeremy said, looking at Alicia and smiling. “Good thing Andy exposed him for who he is.”
“Good thing my daughter exposed him for who he is,” Daniel said, patting Alicia on the shoulder.
“I gotta hand it to Gabriella, she did most of the work,” Alicia said. “Getting Andy on board with us was like the cherry on top.”
“True that,” Jeremy said. “Well, I gotta go back to the studio. Alicia, are you coming with me?”
“Yeah,” she said, hailing a cab. “Dad, I love you,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. She drank in his scent once again, and when it was time to leave, she could almost feel herself tearing up. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?” she said.
“Darlin’ I’ll call you first thing in the morning,” he smiled, waving at her.
Jeremy and Alicia hopped into a cab and drove off. The windows were rolled down; a bleak, thin wind was flying around, like a fine sour wine. It was gentle, subtle, almost relaxing. It caressed Alicia’s cheek and told her everything was going to be okay.
“On second thought,” she said suddenly. “Can you drop me off at the house?”
***
Alicia fumbled her keys. She couldn’t wait to share the news with Gabriella. Before she could get the key into the door, the blonde opened and smiled at her. “You’re done with the meeting already?” she asked, squinting through the sun.
“Were you asleep?” Alicia asked, squeezing past her. She held onto the ecru folder, her eyes wide with excitement. Gabriella nodded and dragged her feet across the floor. She collapsed on the couch, put her feet up and hugged the pillow to her chest.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Alicia said, running up to her. “I have news to share with you.”
“What?” Gabriella asked, fluttering her eyelashes at Alicia. “Wait, is it about the loan?”
“Yes,” Alicia said, tracing her fingers over the folder. She handed it over to Gabriella, who opened it impatiently.
“Oh my God,” she said. “They granted you the loan!” Gabriella ran her fingers over the lines of writing. “So it’s done? You’re starting your own record label?”
“Let’s hope so,” Alicia said, brushing the hair out of her eyes. She drew it back into a ponytail and smiled. “This is only the beginning. I still have so much work ahead of me.”
“Yeah, but before you know it, Harper Records will be everywhere. Alicia, you’ll be everywhere!”
Alicia leaned in and kissed her. “God only knows how much you’ve supported me throughout this whole thing,” she whispered against Gabriella’s lips.
She could feel her hot breath colliding with her skin; beads of sweat were now trailing down her forehead. Alicia couldn’t fight against the thoughts that were going through her mind right now; Gabriella’s smell was flooding her senses. Her face was bare but Alicia couldn’t help but picture her with red lipstick on. Those sweet lips, pressed against her own, her tongue tracing lines all over her body. “I love you so much,” she hissed, her words barely audible. Gabriella’s tongue began to explore her mouth; a rush of excitement surged through Alicia.
“Let’s go upstairs this time,” Gabriella said. Together, they skipped up the stairs and went into their room. Alicia collapsed on the bed, waiting for her girlfriend to join her. “Wait,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Must you torture me like this every single time?” Alicia asked.
But Gabriella was already gone. She could hear her washing up, spraying some perfume on. But there was a moment of silence that made Alicia feel like she was up to something. Suddenly she heard her footfalls approaching before she saw her entering through the door, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. Alicia was sitting on the bed, atop the comforter, her legs extended, her feet crossed at the ankles. Upon hearing her, she sat up in attention, anxious for her arrival.
“Woah.” Alicia smiled wide.
The champagne-blonde stepped through the doorway, her aura of confidence preceding her. She wore a white blouse that was tight on her torso, with perhaps too many buttons undone, accompanied by a slim black pencil skirt, long smooth legs, and black, medium heels that reflected the light on the ceiling fan above them. Elegant, beautiful, professional, her moderately freckled cleavage difficult to ignore, her red lipstick still morning-fresh. She paused and looked at Alicia, who couldn’t help but shake her head in disbelief.
“You’re stunning,” Alicia mouthed. She reached her hand out to her, inviting Gabriella closer, reeling her in. Gabriella approached her slowly, like a cat crawling up to a bowl of water, ultimately standing at the edge of the bed, looking down her nose at Alicia, a slight shaking of her head in disappointment. “What?” Alicia asked, narrowing her eyes at her. Gabriella’s lips broke into a smile.
“Nothing,” she said, inviting Alicia to come closer. She happily obliged, leaning forward. G
abriella cupped her chin in her hand and stroked her cheek. She shifted her weight from side to side, moving her hand from Alicia’s chin to run her fingers through her luscious hair. “You’re perfect,” she said, tugging at her shiny locks.
Alicia winced. “Feeling a bit aggressive, are we?” she asked, her eyes boring into Gabriella’s. But she didn’t move. Alicia nodded at her, meeting her stern gaze momentarily before breaking contact, not really knowing a better way to respond to her.
"Fix me a drink, why don’t you?” the blonde said. “You know what I like."
Without hesitation, Alicia got up, wiped the wrinkles off her clothes, and sauntered off to the kitchen. She pulled a glass from the cupboard, added two ice cubes from the freezer, grabbed the tequila and poured her two fingers worth before returning to the bedroom.
She waited for her there, sitting in the soft chair in the corner of the room, her legs crossed, one foot bobbing up and down impatiently. Alicia handed her the glass which she held near her nose, taking in the aroma of the liquor before enjoying a moderate sip.
“Thanks,” she said, flashing Alicia a coy smile. “Here, drink with me.”
Alicia had taken a small sip before she kissed Gabriella again. Their lips tasted of alcohol, of chapstick and sweet tequila. Slowly, Alicia dropped to her knees. Gabriella reached out, her hand behind the back of Alicia’s head, and pushed her head onto her thigh, indicating to her that she wanted her there. She stroked her hair again, gently, and affectionately.
Alicia continued to kiss Gabriella’s thighs, sucking gently on the flesh. Suddenly she lifted her cheek off her leg, looking at her again, curious to what she had in mind. She turned around, her back to Alicia. "Pull them down," she whispered.
Reaching for the seam of her pants, she slowly pulled them down, loosening the fabric from around her hips. Gabriella wriggled her pelvis a little, her hands assisting, pushing the pants down to the floor and stepping out of them. She collapsed back on the bed, kicked off her shoes and spread her legs out for Alicia. Gabriella crawled over her, straddling her waist, kissing her lips lightly before moving onward, until her legs straddled her head, her knees pinning down her arms with her weight. Her sex hovered inches above Alicia’s face, too far to reach. Her eyes remain fixed on hers. "Reach for it," she purred. "Show me how much you want it."
