Take Me As I Am

by JM Dragon

  “Yep, Liz and I grew up in the same neighborhood. You might know her folks, Jim and Ellen Clancy. They own the grocery store. Or at least they did, last I recall.”

  Thea knew the name of the grocery store was Clancy’s but a young couple worked there. “It’s still called that but a young couple, Frank and Lisa, run it now.”

  “Frank? Really? He was so dumb in school.”

  “Joanna, that’s not nice.”

  “Frank is the youngest son of the Clancy’s kids. Dave probably went onto bigger and better things and as you can see…the only daughter wound up here.” Joanna winked, slugged back her drink, and waved for another.

  “Speaking of which, do I take it you used to perform here?”

  “That can be taken in several ways you know,” Joanna said laughing.

  Thea flushed.

  Joanna grinned and picked up Thea’s hand.

  Thea’s blood sizzled at the contact. Maybe her wish wasn’t so crazy after all. Joanna had been hugging her more since they came home and tonight there was all the handholding.

  Besides, hadn’t Liz said something about…?

  “The band I was with was close to breaking up and I’d decided to try it on my own. Liz was opening this place and it was a good venue. The ladies appeared to enjoy the performances and I got paid along with fringe benefits.”

  “Fringe benefits?” Now this really is getting interesting.

  “Plenty of ways to get hold of drugs and the company of the ladies wasn’t bad either.”

  “Joanna.”

  “Come on, Thea, I was only messing with you. Look at my track record. It speaks for itself, doesn’t it?”

  Thea saw the glimmer of amusement in the blue eyes and she smiled. “Messing with me, huh? Well, it’s time you settled down with someone you love. That’s all I can say, regardless of gender, if they make you happy.”

  “You make me happy. Should I settle down with you?”

  My God, this isn’t happening. I’m in a dream. It has to be a dream.

  Thea’s heartbeat thumped rapidly in her chest as she stared wide-eyed at her friend.

  “Drink your drink, Joanna. I need to go home soon, I have to work tomorrow.”

  †

  Jo chuckled at the affronted and flustered expression on Thea’s face. She downed the recently delivered drink and stood unsteadily.

  Thea was right. I wasn’t up to this yet and damn, I so wanted to explore this new relationship with her tonight.

  Several women crowded around them, staring at her in disbelief.

  “Jo Lackerly. It’s Jo Lackerly!” The scream went up from several women and then before she knew it, a mass of bodies had surrounded them.

  Thea watched wide-eyed at the crowd.

  The screams increased and the number of women converging on the spot multiplied. Jo watched Thea using her smaller frame to sidle her way from around the table and across the huge line, managing to get next to her.

  “Need any help?” Thea grabbed her hand.

  Jo had never needed help more than she did at that moment. The next words that passed Thea’s lips astounded her.

  “Hey, ladies, she’s mine. If you want her autograph, see the owner and maybe she might get Jo to perform one evening, if you let her alone, now.”

  A rousing cheer went up as the crowd turned toward Liz. A few remained but soon disappeared as Thea glared at them. Grasping Jo’s hand tighter, she led her toward the exit.

  Once outside the building, they both took in a gulp of air before glancing at one another and bursting out laughing.

  “I was thinking that maybe when I went back to Nashville, I could rely on you being my manager again?”

  Thea looked surprised and remained silent.

  Jo assumed her invitation was unwanted and shrugged, feeling like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. “I guess that’s selfish of me. You have a new life and you’re catching up with your long lost family. I can’t expect you to—”

  “Joanna, shut up your babbling.” Thea giggled.

  Jo knew that her face showed astonishment at the comment.

  “You do know that we made a great team. Right?”

  Jo’s face beamed as she saw the laughter and warmth filling Thea’s features. She’d so missed this friendship and connection that had intensified during the past few weeks. A bubble inside her chest wanted to burst whenever she made Thea smile. How could she let her go now that she knew what she meant to her life?

  “Yeah, we did and we can go onto greater things together in the future. What do you say?”

  †

  Thea knew that life with Joanna might not be all sunshine and roses, quite the opposite, probably. However, they had a bond that when broken bled them both to the point of soul death. Who knew what life held and how fate would mete out the years? All she knew was that, in the year that Joanna wasn’t in her life, she’d merely existed and it had taken a near fatal illness to bring her to her senses. Now, she had a family and a home that she could come back to whenever she wanted.

  Thea knew in her heart that the only place she wanted, no needed to be, was beside Joanna. The woman she loved with every fiber of her being. If all life offered her were a deep friendship, she would take it and be eternally grateful. After all, how many people could boast such a relationship in their lives and know it would stand the test of time.

  “You need a protector,” Thea stated.

  “Me?” Joanna blinked rapidly at Thea.

  “Yes, you.” Thea had been relieved that her ruse in the club had gone as well as it had. Anything could have happened and Joanna was still frail, even if she didn’t believe it.

  “Don’t I have one already? You?”

  Their glances locked and they smiled simultaneously.

  “I guess you have. You always did, as you are mine.”

  “Improbable protectors.”

  “Yep, improbable, but a wonderful team.” Thea knew that they both felt the rightness of the situation. Smiling, she settled inside the car for the drive home. “Let’s get you home.”

  †

  Thea pulled the car to the sidewalk and looked at Joanna. She’d barely been able to keep her eyes open during the short journey.

  “Joanna, we’re here,” Thea said, as she gently shook Joanna’s arm.

  “What? Here? Where…oh, right. Sorry. I must have dozed off. What a terrible companion I am,” Joanna mumbled, as she ran her hand through her hair.

  “Never terrible. Not with me, anyway.” Thea took her hand away from Joanna’s arm.

  Joanna snaked out a hand and held their hands entwined in the air. “I do love you, Thea.”

  Thea gasped.

  “Yeah, I know my timing, as always, sucks. I’m way too tired to have a meaningful conversation about us right now but I want to. In fact, I insist.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Jack shook his graying head at the door that had been slammed hard behind the woman who had been rehearsing at the studio. He pulled at his chin in contemplation of what to do next before giving the sound mixer a rueful look.

  “She never used to be this touchy about her stuff, Jack. This is the fourth session she’s run out on us.”

  “You know Jo, she’s a perfectionist. If it isn’t right to her, she will go through it again and again until she’s satisfied, Dave. I call that true professionalism. Has Steve finished with our new songbird?”

  “Later today. Tandy is not only a great looking babe, but she’s talented too. He told me she did everything top speed, with no rehearsal time.”

  The sigh from the man at the console made Jack smile. Their new signer was little more than a fresh-faced kid out of high school, but she could sure belt out a tune. When Jo was out of commission for months, they’d needed the new blood.

  “Unlike our current songbird, huh? I’ll talk with her and find out what the trouble is.” Jack smiled at the sound mixer and left the small recording studio.

  Jo was actin
g way out of character. She had been back in harness for a month now and still hadn’t cut her first recording in the studio. At first, she’d wanted rehearsal after rehearsal then said she was as ready as she would ever be and they had planned to record at least three tracks for the new album. To date they hadn’t managed to keep her in the studio to mix one track. At the rate it was going, it would be a year before they had sufficient tracks for a release. What puzzled him was what was wrong with her.

  Yes, she’d been sick and the recovery had taken longer than he expected. He had only himself to blame for that. He’d insisted she take the time out for as long as she wanted. She had. He’d been supremely confident though that if she jumped right back on the horse that had thrown her, there wouldn’t be a problem. Her only album release had gone platinum with great street appeal and had narrowly missed a top award. In this industry things moved on and he hated to say it, but the youngsters were piling up behind her to take her crown. Tandy being one of them.

  Turning the corner along a short corridor, he saw the woman he’d been thinking about and smiled wryly. She had all the makings of a superstar who could remain indefinitely in the industry along with the guts and work ethic to see it through to the end. The question—did she want it badly enough? The first time he’d met her, he’d thought so. Now he wasn’t so sure. She no longer had the drive she’d had the first year. Something else had become more important to her or maybe being near death had changed her. He didn’t know what it was or how to find out. Jo wasn’t exactly the most gregarious person when it came to her life.

  “Hi, Jo, I was in the mixing room for that last session. It looked like things were going well.” The attractive woman looked at him with a suspicious glint in her eyes.

  “Yeah, so why did I leave? I want a new session man,” Jo replied imperiously.

  “Dave is one of the best, Jo, and you know it. Have you thought that perhaps—”

  “Perhaps?” She lifted her eyes and stared at him.

  “Perhaps it’s you. It’s been a while, you know, maybe you’ve become accustomed to the soft life. Not that I blame you, Jo. Hard work, especially the way you go about things, must take its toll. Look how sick it made you,” Jack said, standing his ground.

  “Are you saying I’ve passed my best?” Jo asked caustically.

  “Not me, Jo. Now others.... Want to prove them wrong?”

  “Do I need to prove anything? The first album went platinum, didn’t it?”

  “Sure. However, you need at least two to ensure that the pundits out there don’t think you’re a one hit wonder. Anyway, don’t you want to be singing to the grandkids and embarrassing the hell out of them?” Jack grinned, placing his arm about her shoulders in a friendly fashion.

  “I’ll do what’s in my contract. If you want more you’ll have to negotiate again.” Jo’s words were full of bravado.

  Jack smiled. “I’ll look forward to that. When do I get to meet your new manager? I take it you did finally decide to replace Ms. Danvers?”

  †

  “I didn’t. Thea decided that she wanted to stay on the job. She will be here tomorrow to take up the role full time.” Jo didn’t care what people thought. It didn’t matter to her. All that did matter was that Thea was on her way. She missed her so badly that it was affecting her recording sessions.

  “I will have the pleasure of negotiating with Ms. Danvers again? Why, thank you, Jo, that’s a wonderful gift.”

  Jo glanced at him sharply. What did that mean? Was he interested in Thea? He was too old. Then again, wasn’t that bastard banker too old and he’d been downright ugly to boot.

  She was once again deciding Thea’s best interests. Damn. She’d spent too long with Thea when she was sick. That had to be the reason.

  “I’ll bring her here before tomorrow’s session. But now, I’m going to call it a day. I have things to do. Do you mind?”

  “No problem, Jo. Let’s say we meet in the studio at...?”

  Jo mulled the unsaid question for a moment. Thea was due in town in just a couple of hours. Tomorrow at ten would be good. “Ten okay with you, Jack?”

  “Perfect if it’s ten in the morning, otherwise, at night isn’t an option. Not tomorrow anyway.”

  “Morning it is, Jack.” Jo laughed for the first time since she left her hometown a month ago. “Will you apologize to Dave for me? Tell him I’ll make up for my attitude tomorrow, I promise.”

  “Yeah. He’ll forgive you, but I’d like to see a track completed, if you don’t mind.” Jack raised his eyebrows.

  “How about two tracks or more?” All Jo heard was his chuckle of approval as she opened the door and hit the glare of the afternoon sunlight.

  Things hadn’t been going well, that was true. Not well at all. Her mind was back in her old hometown, where her family was, but more importantly, where Thea was. They’d both arranged to come back here together. Unfortunately, Bradley had a relapse of his earlier pneumonia and Thea had stayed behind to look after the family business, vowing to follow as soon as she could. True to her word, she was on her way. Bradley was finally out of the hospital and Thea’s mother said everything was under control and that she should follow Joanna.

  †

  “I can’t believe this, Joanna. It is spectacular.”

  “Yeah? See, I have the table here by the door for you. All you need do is fill it with flowers like you used to.”

  “You kept it?” Thea asked in amazement.

  “Yes, of course I did.”

  Thea looked at Joanna’s face. She was happy. The glow about her brightened the spacious hallway where they stood. At the same time, she felt an equal emotion. Joanna had always made her feel special, even if she never knew she did, by simply walking into the room. All that mattered was that they were together and the apartment was superb. Okay, not as friendly as the one they had originally, though they had a wonderful view of the Cumberland River to compensate.

  “You do like it, don’t you, Thea?” Joanna gave her friend a pensive look. “Okay, spit it out, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. Nothing at all. Everything is perfect. Come on, Joanna, and show me around the rest of the place.” Thea unconsciously reached out and gently touched the lines of a frown that had appeared on Joanna’s forehead.

  A relieved expression replaced the frown and Joanna grinned happily. She took Thea’s hand and literally dragged her around the massive apartment.

  “Oh, Joanna, this place is fantastic.”

  †

  Jo finally stopped outside one room smiling broadly before opening the door with a flourish, “Your very own boudoir, Madame. I hope you like it.”

  Thea moved forward with a tentative glance at the room.

  “It won’t bite you, Thea, I promise.” Jo watched from the doorway, as Thea walked inside like a dreamer in a wonderland. Thea’s awed expression engulfed Jo in a euphoria she’d never felt before.

  “Look at all the carnations of every color.” Thea held her hand to her mouth. “You remembered.”

  “Of course I did. I remember everything about you.”

  Thea smiled and ran her fingers over the coverlet on the bed that had a carnation embellished in the center.

  “The furnishings are so unlike the rest of the house.” She looked at Jo. “You picked it all out just for me, didn’t you?”

  Jo nodded. She’d spent hours deciding on the delicate, ornate furniture that reflected Thea in so many ways. It was her friend’s domain and she hoped it would make her want to stay. Now she stood silently by the door, with a lump in her throat, watching Thea’s every move.

  Thea spun around, her face beaming with pleasure, “I don’t know what to say, Joanna. It’s incredible and the flowers... did you go to the market to select all these yourself?”

  “Nope, didn’t have the time, but I did ask for every single color possible.” A sheepish look traveled across her face. “Do you like the room? I did choose the furniture myself and the salespers
on thought I was crazy.”

  “What, did they think that you’d gone all delicately feminine on them?”

  “Something like that.” Jo pursed her lips. “Not that I cared. The only thing that matters to me is if you like it. Do you?” Jo asked anxiously.

  A tender expression filled Thea’s beautiful face. “I love it. You knew I would, that’s what makes it so special. Thank you, Joanna, for being so thoughtful.” She looked around the room again. “It feels like a home.” Thea hugged her tight. “Anyone ever tell you that you are wonderful?”

  Jo wrapped her arms around Thea and breathed in her clean, fresh scent. “Only you. I missed you, Thea. You don’t know how glad I am that you’re here. I need you.”

  “I missed you too. Have you been busy?”

  “Oh, I think you should ask Jack and my sound man Dave about that.” Jo released Thea, walked to the French doors that opened to a balcony, and went outside, settling against the railing, looking pensively out at the river.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Not really. Maybe another day.” Jo let out a long sigh.

  “That’s cool. It’s a beautiful view. Are you sure I haven’t stolen the master bedroom from you?”

  Jo smiled slowly. Thea was easing the tension she felt ever since arriving back in Nashville. She knew a great part of it had been the separation from Thea, but there was something more and she wasn’t exactly sure what it was. Her recording sessions were disastrous, due mainly to her inability to concentrate.

  “Well, it might be the master in some people’s eyes, but to be honest I wanted the one next to this one. It has a different view—part water and part city. It helps the muse when I’m writing my songs.”

  “Ah, that means we can wave at one another from our balconies during breakfast.” Thea giggled. “It will be like living in a hotel.”

  “I’d rather sit directly opposite you and bore you with my up and coming morning. Incidentally, do you want to accompany me to the studio tomorrow? Jack would like a word or two with you.”

  “I’d love to. I need to have a word or two with him, too. I can’t have my girl working so hard that she gets sick again.”