Dirty Laundry

by Lauren Landish

  Nothin’ working so far, I’m getting desperate

  I can’t stand this creep, where is my Superman?

  He’s late, but I don’t give a damn.

  One glance in his eyes, and I know what I need.

  Gimme mouth to mouth, because he’s a total Heartstopper.

  Heartstopper, Heartstopper

  Can you feel it in my chest?

  Heartstopper, Heartstopper,

  Fingers on my breast

  Your touch is electric,

  Has been from the start

  Give it to me baby,

  Or I’ma stop your heart.

  We head to the back, his lips on my neck

  My knees shaking, my eyes rolling back

  I feel like I’m drugged, everything’s a blur,

  And I can’t believe when I grab his . . .

  The bed’s right there, he pushes me down,

  I bite my lip, I’m not like this,

  But I won’t stop, can’t stop,

  I have to have his kiss.

  Heartstopper, Heartstopper

  Can you feel it in my chest?

  Heartstopper, Heartstopper,

  Fingers on my breast

  Your touch is electric,

  Has been from the start

  Give it to me baby,

  Or I’ma stop your heart.

  He’s looking at me, and I know he’s feeling the same

  This isn’t a dance, this isn’t just one night.

  Somehow it’s become more than a game,

  He pulls off his shirt, I can’t believe the sight.

  I’m leaving town tomorrow, I can’t stay the night

  Have places to go, catching an early flight

  If you want me to stay, you gotta come correct

  My heart’s almost yours, take that final step

  Heartstopper, Heartstopper

  Can you feel it in my chest?

  Heartstopper, Heartstopper,

  Fingers on my breast

  Your touch is electric,

  Has been from the start

  Give it to me baby,

  Or I’ma stop your heart.

  The final notes fade away, and I stare at the radio as smooth silence drifts over the radio for a few seconds before the DJ comes back on. “Wow. You know, I’ve been in the radio game for a long time, going on twenty years now, and I haven’t heard a song this hot from a new singer in—well hell, I’m going to get in trouble with my bosses, but fuck it, let’s play that every hour!”

  “That’s Roxy?” Elena says. “I mean, I heard she was a singer but . . .”

  Suddenly, my cellphone rings and I pick it up. It’s Nathan. “Nathan, not now.”

  “What the fuck do you mean, not now?” Nathan says in my ear, sounding as breathless as the rest of us. “Roxy was just on the radio.”

  “I know,” I gasp, looking around my office. My body is burning, my chest tight and my stomach twisting. I know what I need to do. “But I need to think.”

  “Look, just listen up for a moment,” Nathan says, laughing. “I just got off the phone with the insurance company. They got back to me, and they’re cutting us a check. All of it, full policy value.”

  “That’s great, Nathan, but right now, I need you to do something else,” I say, grabbing my suit coat and pulling it on. Elena and Hannah are still staring at me, trying to figure out what the hell I’m doing. “Is there anything we can do to escalate the cleanup? Triple the amount of workers if we need to, get the club cleaned and patched up. If we can’t do that, then we’re doing this thing in the fucking parking lot in front of the fountain. That still works, right?”

  “Uh, It works, but what are you talking about?” Nathan asks.

  “I’ve got a woman I need to win back. And she’s got a concert to put on. Roxy’s going to sing Heartstopper live for her fans. No matter what.”

  I hang up my phone and head for my office door. As I reach the handle, Elena calls out. “Sir!”

  “What?” I ask, turning back.

  “There is a board meeting in forty-five minutes,” Elena says. “You’re supposed to be there.”

  I button my suit coat, nodding, and head back, grabbing my laptop and briefcase before I turn back around. “I forgot, but I’m still leaving. Tell them I had something very important to attend to. If they don’t accept it . . . well, they can fire me.”

  Roxy

  “And now, that local artist who’s shooting up the charts. She’s reached number twenty-five on the iTunes download charts already . . . here’s Roxy with Heartstopper!”

  I look over at the radio, shaking my head as I reach over and turn it off. While I’m amazed and shocked that my song has gained so much traction, I don’t need to listen to it again. I suspect that most of the buzz in downloads is from locals who saw me at the club, but it still feels good.

  Mr. Felix is sitting in my lap, purring. It helps, even though I still feel a little down. Looking around the apartment, it’s hard. In packing my stuff up, this place just doesn’t look at all like the apartment I’ve shared with Hannah.

  Some of the things are the same, the voice in my head says. This sofa is the place you and Jake first had sex.

  I run my hands along the cushion, sighing. Setting Felix aside, I glance at the clock. It’s nearly five thirty now, and Hannah said she’d be home around six. I promised her that I’d get some delivery Chinese food for us to share. I feel like hell, running out on her, but she said that she’s already got people lined up to share rent with her. I think she’s trying to make me feel better about it, but I hope it’s true.

  There’s a knock at the door, and I set Felix aside. Going over, I look through the peephole to see that it’s Mindy, and I open up. “Hey, Min, what’s up?”

  “What’s up?” she asks, grinning. “I just heard you on the radio again, and you ask what’s up? I see you’ve got the jaded pop star act down already.”

  I smile slightly, letting Mindy in. She looks around, whistling. “Wow, you got packed quickly. Is Hannah upset?”

  “No, she says she understands, and we’re going to have some girl time later. I mean, I still haven’t turned in my resignation to the office. I’ve got another three days of vacation time built up.”

  “That’s good,” Mindy says. “So where is your stuff, anyway?”

  “I packed up what I’m going to take. It’s in my room. Feels strange to be living out of a suitcase again. Well, partially. I gave Hannah a lot of my office clothes. If I ever have to put on a professional pencil skirt and those damn heels again, I’m going to scream.”

  Mindy chuckles, nodding. “The advantages of owning a cafe. I wear New Balances to work most days. The only heels I have I wear when Oliver and I—”

  “TMI!”

  Mindy laughs. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here.”

  “Where?” I ask. “I mean, I promised Hannah dinner!”

  “Send her a text. She’ll understand. And if she is upset, tell her Oliver Steele will pay for her to go out to dinner tomorrow anywhere in town.”

  I can’t help it. I smirk. “More of his ‘fuck you’ money?”

  “Something like that. Come on, the whole family’s waiting for you.”

  I wake up with a start, surprised that I dozed off. Part of it was that I’ve been getting over my depression, and part of it has been that my body clock is still so screwed up. I blink, looking around. “Where are we?”

  Mindy, who’s driving, glances over. “Ha, you don’t recognize it?”

  I sit up some more, looking out the side windows. Unfortunately, Mindy’s got some of those dark tinted windows and it takes me a minute. “We’re heading downtown. I thought you said we were getting together with everyone. The hotel’s out near the airport, right?”

  “Right both times, but I didn’t say that the rest of the fam was at the hotel.”

  I’m immediately suspicious, my shock growing as we make a right turn and I see Club Jasmine. “What the hell are
we doing here?”

  “Trust me,” Mindy says, parking out front. The amount of work that’s been done is amazing. There’s still some scorch marks on the front, but all of the fire smell is gone. Mindy leads me up the steps, opening the door. It’s dark inside, and I blink, trying to adjust to the gloom. “Well, here we are.”

  “Mindy, this is so not cool,” I complain. “I mean, why remind me . . .”

  “She’s baaaa-aaaaaack!” an electronic voice booms out of the darkness, and suddenly, stage lights blossom. The floor is still a mostly scarred wreck, but they’ve swept and cleared out an area in the middle, where the bare concrete is surrounded by lights.

  Hannah steps out of the shadows, grinning. “Our guest of honor has arrived. Have a seat.”

  “Mindy, what is going on?” I ask as the lights come up and I see Mom, Grandma, Brianna . . .

  “Hit it!” Hannah says as Mindy leads me over to a chair and sits me down. Hannah moves out of the light as bumping dance music starts up. There’s a silly little curtain, nothing more than a rope with a sheet hung over it, and Hannah giggles as she gets on the mic again. “Welcome to the Club Jasmine Gentlemen’s Revue!”

  Suddenly, the curtain twitches, and Bertha comes running out, yapping furiously. “Goddammit, Mary Jo, if you don’t stop dragging that thing with you everywhere, I’m not going with you anywhere anymore!”

  Mom gets up and chases Bertha down while I lean over to Mindy. “What the hell is this?”

  “Just enjoy. Think of it as more fuck you money,” Mindy says, patting my shoulder. “Trust me, you’ll enjoy it.”

  Mom gets Bertha under control and sits down, grumbling to Grandma. “You know, you’ve had pets too.”

  “Whatever,” Grandma says. “Bring on the flesh parade!”

  “Up first,” Hannah says, trying not to laugh, “is our very own superstar, former All-Pro running back, Gavin ‘Anaconda’ Adams!”

  Brianna, of course, claps the loudest as Gavin emerges, clad in what I can only call a stripper’s version of a Navy uniform. Skintight white pants are underneath his cheap white tunic as he adjusts the bill of his cap. Lifting a microphone to his lips, the music changes, and I groan.

  Gavin starts to sing Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker, and even Brianna has to clap her hands over her ears.

  “I love you, but never again!” she screams as Gavin shrugs and drops his microphone. Ripping off his tunic top, the music changes into a techno/club remix of the classic Joe Cocker song, and he gives his wife a lap dance that leaves Brianna in a fit of laughter before he sashays offstage.

  Mindy’s laughing her ass off as Brianna wipes her forehead with a hand towel. She looks over at Mindy and me, chuckling. “I didn’t marry him for his singing.”

  Hannah chuckles, shaking her head. “And now, for our second act . . . Oliver Steele!”

  Oliver comes out, and my jaw drops as he comes out dressed in perhaps the most ridiculous outfit I’ve ever seen him in, a leather set of hot pants and a motorcycle vest. “What the hell do you and he get up to?” Grandma asks. “That sure as hell ain’t what I expected!”

  Mindy’s beet red as Oliver picks up the mic and starts singing Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? As he sings, he dances, and he’s even worse than Gavin, Mindy blushing and laughing uproariously as he caterwauls his way through the song. “Brad would love this!” I laugh as Oliver peels off his vest to show off his chiseled torso.

  Mindy’s flushed herself as Oliver retreats behind the curtain, and Hannah takes a minute to laugh. “Don’t quit your day jobs. Either of you.”

  “So who’s next?” Grandma asks. “I love those men, but damn if my ears aren’t bleeding.”

  “Next . . . a very special performance,” Hannah says. The music slows, not the silly club mixes, but I’ve heard this in clubs before.

  The voice I hear next shocks me. I’ve never heard it like this before.

  I watch in pure amazement as Jake comes through the curtain, stripped to the waist, his body gleaming under the lights as he approaches me with pure love in his eyes, singing Take My Breath Away by Berlin.

  The song finishes, Jake saying nothing as he lowers the microphone, and I feel tears in my eyes. “Jake . . .”

  “HIT IT!” a booming voice comes from the back, and suddenly, Gavin and Oli are back, having changed clothes, thank God, this time with Nathan joining them as they suddenly break into the Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way.

  “My fucking ears!” Mindy screams in laughter as Gavin and Oliver both sing their parts. Nathan’s even worse, but he’s a good sport as he swings his hips in front of Grandma and Mom.

  I barely notice, my eyes on Jake as he sings, reaching out for me. I lift my hand to his, not even realizing it until he pulls me to my feet. I look in his eyes as he sings the final lines.

  The music fades away as the other ladies clap, but I can’t do anything but look at Jake. “Roxy, my sweet, beautiful Angel,” he says softly, wrapping his arm around my waist. “I can’t live without you. When I heard your song . . . I’m sorry. I was wrong. I was an idiot . . . please don’t leave. Stay here. Stay with me. I need you. I love you. I didn’t mean what I said. You were blameless. I was angry and scared for Sophie and took it out on you.”

  I nod, putting my arms around his neck and pulling him into a soft kiss. His tongue caresses mine, and I hear cheering behind me. I turn to see Mindy and Brianna in their husbands’ arms while Grandma and Mom wipe away their tears. Even Hannah is wiping away a tear or two, and Nathan looks like he’s got some allergies going on.

  “Looks like I’m staying,” I tell Mindy, who grins and gives me a thumbs-up.

  “But what about the apartment?” Hannah mock whines. “I’ve got two potential roomies wanting to see the place tomorrow!”

  “Well, I’ve got a spare bedroom,” Jake says, “and Sophie would love to have you around.”

  “Deal!” Hannah says, grinning. “Roxy, you’ve got twenty-four hours to get your shit out!”

  There’s laughter all around, and Nathan disappears to the back to return with four bags of Chinese food. He starts divvying it out, and I turn to Jake, looking into his eyes. “You’d really want me to move in?”

  “I want to start with you moving in,” Jake says quietly. “And Mindy already told me you want to leave Franklin. If you still want to, that’s fine. You can pay your share another way.”

  “How?” I ask.

  “Next Saturday, we’re doing an outdoor concert for Club Jasmine. Know of a hot pop act who can work the stage and has a song that’s rocketing up the charts who can sing her ass off for us?”

  I blush, giving Jake a raised eyebrow, and he nods. “Only if you want to,” he adds.

  I nod and jerk my thumb over my shoulder at Nathan. “Talk to my manager,” I say, giving Jake a huge smile. “He’s the brains of the outfit, remember?”

  Jake

  I grin at the happy, exuberant guy looking back at me in the mirror, stunned at the image. I can’t help myself and start humming Heartstopper, even dancing a little, popping my hips. The world seemed so dark a few days before, and now everything is looking up again.

  “Oh. My. God.” Sophie laughs quietly behind me, and I turn around. “Next thing I know, you’re gonna pull out those hot pants and start doing the YMCA.”

  For this first time in my life, I think I blush. Sophie comes over and pats me on my chest, grabbing my tie and pulling it around my neck. “Now you’re dressing me?”

  “You always take forever with your tie,” Sophie teases. “And this is your special tie.”

  I glance down at the cornflower blue tie and lift my eyebrow. “Really?”

  “Sure is. You only seem to wear it when you’ve got stuff planned or you’re really happy. So which is it?” she asks as she starts wrapping the silk around itself. “I think I know.”

  “What?” I ask, and Sophie laughs.

  “My big brother is in loooove!” she teases, tugging on the knot that’s magic
ally appeared. “Now, fix your collar, and you can fix me some eggs. And I don’t want to see that with your hips ever again!”

  This is what being in love gets me, I think as I tug at my collar and find myself snapping my fingers as she walks out. Doing things I would never do. It’s pretty awesome.

  I thread my belt, and as I adjust my fly, Sophie sticks her head in again. “Hey, eggs?”

  I look up, glad I had things mostly done. “Don’t you ever knock?”

  Sophie shakes her head. “You leave your door open all the time. Nothing to knock on.”

  “Huh,” I think. Point, Sophie. “Okay, well, how’d you like some bacon in your eggs?”

  “Always up for the fine swine,” Sophie says with a grin. “I’ll help.”

  The first half of the day flies by, and as I get ready for the monthly meeting with the advisory board and corporate, I still feel like I’m walking on clouds. Elena knocks on my door, and I call her in. “Yes, Elena?”

  “Miss Price has asked to see you,” she says, smiling a little. She knows, but she seems to actually be pleased by the whole thing. Maybe Elena’s a romantic at heart. “Shall I show her in?”

  “Please,” I answer, but before Elena can, she’s practically pushed out of the way as Matt bursts into the room, along with Byron and Maria Bennett, the woman corporate sent down to talk face to face with the Franklin Consolidated board today. She’s from human resources and was going to talk about the changeover of retirement and health insurance plans next fiscal year.

  “There he is!” Matt says, stabbing a finger at me. “I told you he’s been breaking Rule 34(b) of the Corporate Code of Conduct!”

  I sigh, giving Maria a look. “What’s he talking about?”

  “Don’t try to play innocent!” Matt says, his reedy voice grating on my ears. “They’ve been carrying on an affair. As the regional president, that’s a clear conflict of interest. I’ve watched them!”

  “Watched me do what?” I ask as I see Roxy slide in the back of the office, her eyes blazing. I hold up a hand, and she nods, keeping her peace. “Have any of you seen me or Miss Price do anything unprofessional in the office?”