by Mj Fields
DATE: 9/3/11
SUBJECT: The situation
Check this out and tell me what you think. I would suggest putting it on Twitter and Facebook. I���ll do a press release when you give me the okay.
The photos plastered in the papers this morning where interesting. My publicist invited a friend to hang out this weekend. I literally ran into her at the park, pretty comical. I asked her to dance, and she was deeply touched by my music, like the rest of you are. I think my song Blue Love, made her cry. So I gave her a tissue. I haven���t moved on yet ladies, still healing. To the idiot who decided this was news���well there are many more important things going on in the world then my jog or a dance with a friend of a friend���.Cheers
Brody.
Brody laughed, nice spin. So this is what he had been avoiding, he never liked the idea of hiring a publicist. They always seemed so damn dishonest. Lila did what was asked of her. I like her.
DATE: 9/3/11
SUBJECT: The situation
TO: Lila
Nicely done, I���ll put them online now. What are you up to this evening? I���m doing an acoustic set at The Place, maybe you could drop in. You could bring your friend. I would like to apologize to her.
Brody
* * *
Brody moved from England seven years ago. He grew up in Liverpool with his parents, brother and sister. He was twenty seven and his music career had peaked in England, and he had hoped to become even bigger in the United States. He worked hard and kept to himself. He knew that if he���d been a publicity junky his career would have taken off much quicker.
He was tall and handsome. He didn���t just blend in, with brown messy hair and his large bluish green eyes could be mistaken for no one else. He hung with his band, and they all kept pretty much to themselves. They went to small bars when they went out and watched local bands play. He enjoyed when they played original music but when he was drunk and wanted to dance it was always more fun to listen to and sing along with covers.
Brody was drunk at an award show the night he met his ex-wife. She was a tall leggy woman and was handing out the awards. He had won his first MTV music video award and she handed it to him. When he left the stage he saw her and kissed her. They had been together ever since. His drunken moment of bravery, as he had always thought of it, ended up being just the type of drunken brainless moment he���d avoided since his move to the States. They traveled together and laughed a lot. When her career took off she traveled often. When he wasn���t touring he traveled with her. When she wasn���t working she went with him on tour. He believed she loved him, why else would she say she did? He would never understand why she wouldn���t tell him that she was unhappy. Or instead of breaking up, she did this. He himself had plenty of opportunity to cheat on her, but respected his marriage enough not to. He was hurt at first, and that quickly turned to anger. They had only spoken a handful of times since she asked if they could fix this, and at first he considered it. After a month passed and anger turned to disgust ��� he told her no. Now Ariel was living with a different guy, not even the asshole she cheated with. They were speaking only through lawyers. His phone chirped, it was Lila.
After a lot of persuasion��� Emma finally agreed to come watch you perform���Lila
She hates me, he thought. He couldn���t blame her; he was pretty heartless this morning. He knew what she was going through, sort of. Eleven years of marriage, how old was she? It doesn���t matter he thought, as he tried in vain to wipe her out of his mind.
Alright, I wanted to apologize, that���s all. It really isn���t a big production���Brody
* * *
Emma and Lila walked right past the security team. ���Look at you Lila, all important,��� Emma laughed.
���I told you one day I would be, you should have known,��� Lila laughed as she flipped her hair.
They walked to a table marked reserved and sat and talked. Brody came on stage.
He smiled, ���Thanks for coming out tonight,��� he said looking over the crowd. He quietly counted, ���One, two, three, two, two three.���
The crowd clapped and cheered when the first song finished.
Brody smiled shyly, ���Thank you.���
He played three more songs. His voice was amazing and smooth. Each song was a story that pulled you in. Brody didn���t interact with the crowd; there was no dancing or jumping around. His music felt like it was a part of him. He closed his eyes a great deal while he performed, you just watched as he got lost in it. When they were opened he didn���t look into the crowd, but over it. Guitar playing was for him as well. He cradled the guitar like he was keeping it safe and close. You could feel the love he had for his music. It was almost like he didn���t want to give it to you, but you could join him if you wanted.
Emma was lost in his music. She felt like she was looking through a window watching a very private and personal moment, one that she couldn���t walk away from. One that Brody allowed you to watch, from a distance. The wall he put up was infinite, yet not built of stone but instead shatterproof glass.
When he ended he stood and smiled, ���Thank you, goodnight.���
He said looking over the crowd. Brody glanced down and saw Lila and Emma sitting with his manager and a couple friends. Smiling slightly, he walked off stage.
���Pretty good, isn���t he?��� Lila smiled looking at Emma who was still staring at the stage with her mouth opened slightly.
���Yes. He is very…intense,��� Emma shook her head in agreement.
She noticed Lila trying not to grin.
Emma smiled, ���I wonder if there is a Kids Bop version.���
���I don���t think so,��� Lila laughed.
Brody joined them at the table sitting next to Emma.
���Thanks for coming. I wanted to say I���m sorry about this morning,��� he whispered sincerely into her ear.
���Thank you, I���m sorry as well,��� Emma looked away.
He smelled like heaven, clean with a hint of sandalwood, and his hot breath hit her ears making the hair on the back of her neck stand.
���So��� what did you think?��� Brody asked.
Emma was looking the other direction, and he laughed.
���Emma,��� Lila whispered, ���Brody asked you a question.���
���I���m sorry, what was the question?��� Emma face was heating up.
���Was it alright? The music, last night you said it was alright. What did you think?��� Brody asked looking amused.
���Yes it was very good,��� she smiled and immediately looked away.
The waitress brought a tray of drinks and put a beer in front of her. She looked at it and glanced across the table.
���I wouldn���t mix that with vodka if I were you,��� he tried not to laugh.
Emma shook her head and smiled, ���Thank you.���
Another band took stage and Emma sat back and sipped her beer. She smiled at Lila and the band began to play. Emma looked at Lila and bit her cheek trying not to laugh. Lila laughed and Brody smiled as he watched them.
���They���re really bad,��� Emma giggled and Lila laughed.
Everyone at the table heard her and started to laugh. Emma���s face turned red, and she tried to stop smiling.
Emma excused herself and went to the bathroom. Her phone chimed and it was a message from London.
- Mommy I���m scared, and I need you���London
- Can you talk? Can I call you? ...Mom
���London what���s wrong baby? Where are you?��� Emma asked as she answered the phone.
���In the bathroom upstairs. Mommy, there are a l
ot of people here and bad things are going on, Mommy,��� she cried.
���Lock the door; I���ll be there as soon as I can be. Where���s your father now?��� Emma asked as she walked out of the restroom and grabbed her jacket off the back of the chair.
���What���s going on Emma?��� Lila asked.
She shook her head, as tears fell down her face; Lila followed her out the back door.
���Honey, I���ll be there as soon as I can be, just stay in the bathroom. Did you lock the door?��� Emma asked. ���Okay good girl, is your phone charged up?���
Emma stayed on the phone trying to get a cab. None would stop and she was beginning to panic. A black Limo pulled up.
���Get in,��� Lila yelled to her as she opened the door.
Emma jumped in and closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, ���Hey London we���re on our way okay? If your phone dies I won���t be able to call you when I get there, so no games or music okay? I love you, it shouldn���t be long. Do you want to stay on the phone? Okay don���t answer the door for anyone, do you understand? I���m going to call every five minutes London and I���ll be there as soon as I can but if you need anything call me. I love you more,��� She hung up and buried her head in her jacket.
���Emma, what���s going on?��� Lila asked as she rubbed her back.
���I fucking hate him!��� She screamed and looked up at Lila
Emma was shocked when she saw Brody sitting in the car across from Lila. He looked down sensing her discomfort. He didn���t seem to want to make her feel any more uncomfortable than she already did.
���Sorry,��� she said and tried to pull herself together. ���He is having some sort of party and there are so many people there that she doesn���t even know. Her father is apparently arguing with someone and she���s scared. I can���t believe this Lila, he can���t even handle two nights?���
���We���ll be there in an hour, Jersey Shore right? Do you have the address?��� Lila asked.
Emma gave them the address and called London, ���Hey sweet girl are you okay? Good…Okay…Soon baby, very soon.���
Emma sat back hiding her face with her hair rocking slightly back and forth trying to comfort herself.
���Emma, we should call the police,��� Lila said.
���I thought the same thing, but I���m afraid they���ll take her or she���ll be scared. I don���t want her to see her father get arrested…She���s already been through so much. What do I do?��� Emma began to shake as she looked at Lila for an answer.
���I have a suggestion,��� Brody said, his tone was direct but bordered angry. ���If you wait until we���re almost there to make the call you���ll be killing two birds with one stone. You���ll get her out safely, and he won���t have a chance in hell at court. But only if you feel that she���s safe. ���
���I agree with him, Emma,��� Lila said.
She looked out the window and tried to breathe, tears fell again, ���Okay,��� she whispered.
Brody handed her a tissue.
She shook her head, ���Thank you.���
Emma stared out the window as she nervously knotted her hands together. It was so hard to keep it together, but she had to. She closed her eyes and leaned into the leather seat and took deep breaths and slowly released them.
���We���re thirty minutes away. Should I make the call for you?��� Brody voice was soft and calm.
���Yes, please,��� Emma opened her eyes and called London.
���Mommy there���s a fight, I hear people fighting,��� London cried.
���Okay you���re still in the bathroom right?��� She asked softly.
���Yes Mommy,��� London said crying harder.
���Okay we are coming London, and we���re going to make sure you���re safe. If someone knocks on the door don���t open it, I���ll be there very soon. I���m so sorry London. You won���t have to deal with this again,��� Emma kept her voice steady and strong even though she was ready to fall apart.
They pulled in front of the beach house, and Emma opened the door, Brody grabbed her arm.
���Might I make a suggestion?��� He asked as he pulled her back in. ���Call her and have her flash the bathroom light so you know where to go and if you could wait for the police, it may work out better for you in court.���
Emma���s hands shook as she dialed her phone and he grabbed them to steady her, Emma took a deep breath and settled down a bit. She looked up into his fierce eyes.
���Emma, you���re doing great. Breathe okay, like you were before. In and out slow and steady,��� Brody rubbed his thumbs up and down her hands, softly and gently. She did as he asked, ���Very good Emma. Now call.���
���London can you turn the bathroom light off and on really fast until I tell you to stop?���
Emma saw the lights flash and shuddered slightly, ���Okay baby, look out the window and you will see me.��� She stood outside and waved to her. ���Yes honey ��� you can ride in the limo.��� she laughed. ���But you need to wait until I get to you so I can come help you get your bags together. Yep Lila is here.���
London���s phone died.
���Her phone died!��� She started to feel panicked again.
���Emma you���re here, everything���s going to be okay,��� Brody voice was soft and comforting but rage manifest in his eyes.
���She can���t see you, I mean after this morning and the paper and tonight. Oh God, she can���t see you.��� She said grabbing her hair, ���This is your car, I need to get a cab, Lila������ She started.
Brody interrupted, ���I���ll sit in the front she���ll never see me, the police are pulling in, get it together. There are little eyes watching you now from the window up there,��� Brody pointed up.
���Thank you so much,��� Emma jumped forward and hugged him tightly.
She immediately felt odd and turned to Lila and did the same. She wiped her eyes and got back out.
The police knocked on the door and no one answered. The music was too loud. They walked in the door and Emma was disgusted with what she saw. She saw the stairs and started towards them.
���What the hell are you doing here?��� Troy jumped out and grabbed her arm.
���Getting my daughter,��� Emma tried to pull away from his grasp.
���She���s asleep!��� Troy yelled.
���No, she���s been awake for a while now; she���s been locked in the bathroom scared out of her mind waiting for me. Now let go of me!��� Emma yelled and tried to pull away.
Troy pushed her down and ran up the stairs. Before he reached the door the police apprehended him and took him outside.
���London, its Mommy, open the door baby,��� London unlocked the door and Emma walked in and pulled her into her arms and hugged her tightly as they both cried.
���You���re okay baby,��� Emma wiped her face. ���We���re going to hide you under this towel so none of those weird people see you.��� London laughed as she put the towel over her head.
She grabbed London���s belongings and hugged her all the way to the car.
They walked out, and Emma was giggling with London who was still under the towel, ���Hey London, you���re going to hang out with Lila for a few minutes, if that���s alright with her, so I can go talk to your Dad okay?���
Emma shut the door and turned around, straightened her cl
othes, and took a few deep breaths.
���Are you alright, Emma?��� Brody asked from the front window of the limo.
She jumped and laughed nervously, ���Yep I���m great, thank you so much for everything tonight, I���m very sorry.���
Emma turned around and stormed up to the house.
The police had Troy in hand cuffs and were reading him his rights.
���Are you happy now, Emma?!��� Troy yelled.
���I���m happy my daughter is safe, not that her father has turned into someone I don���t even recognize. You should be ashamed of yourself,��� she fought back tears, ���Do you need me for anything?��� She asked the policewoman.
���We would like to get in contact with you later, so we���ll need your phone number. But right now you should get her home and to sleep,��� the officer said.
���Thank you,��� Emma handed them a piece of paper with her name, number, address, London���s full name, and date of birth. ���Get it together ��� for her and for you,��� she looked at Troy sadly before she walked away.
Emma jumped in the limo, and London and Lila were laughing.
���What���s so funny in here?��� Emma smiled, a show for her daughter.
���Well London was just telling me how Troy googled my friend Brody, you remember him right?��� She laughed, ���Apparently London likes his music and thinks he���s very cute. She also thinks he would make a perfect boyfriend for you, although Troy disagreed with her.���
���Well I don���t have time for a boyfriend and even if I did, he���s way too young. Maybe someday but I���ll date someone my own age and from the same social circle,��� Emma laughed and hugged her daughter. ���Are you alright London? Do you want to talk about tonight?���
���No Mommy, not right now, alright?��� London said with a sweet yet sad smile.
���Okay,��� Emma hugged her tightly.
���Mommy you���re squashing me,��� she laughed and tried to lighten the mood. ���I want Lila to tell me all the famous people she knows.���
