Sing To Me: A Glory Days Production

by Hissong, Theresa

  "So," he paused. "No comment?"

  "No comment, Charles."

  I hung up the phone and immediately texted Ash. This was something he needed to know. Even though I wasn't quite sure what Charles was trying to do, I had a feeling this wouldn't be the end.

  .

  Our photo from restaurant has hit the internet. Got a call from a reporter I know. Seemed like he was fishing. I said, "'No Comment".

  .

  It took all of ten seconds before my phone rang and I smiled at Ash's goofy picture I'd set as his photo in my contacts, "Hello."

  "Angel, what the fuck?" He sounded worried.

  "It's alright, Ash. Don't worry. I work with this guy. I think he was probing for information, since he is a reporter."

  Ash sighed into the phone, "I guess you do understand how these things work. I just don't want anyone to bother you. I'll worry."

  "Ash Martin, you worry entirely too much. You're going to get wrinkles by the time you're thirty." Picking up my leftovers, I went into the kitchen to clean up. Glory, the cat, followed me to stand by her bowl. I refreshed her water and gave her a big scoop of food. The rubbed circles around my ankles and purred her thanks.

  "Ok," he agreed. I paused, because that just didn't sound like Ash.

  "Hey, you okay?"

  "Miss you," he breathed into my ear. My legs wobbled slightly at his voice. "You sound better." Actually, I felt a lot better than I did Saturday night, and I still feel guilty about missing the concert.

  "Miss you too," I laughed. "You'll be here on Friday. That's really not a long time. Plus, we'll both be busy this week and time will pass quickly. Plus, I feel a ton better, so we can talk this week, when you're not busy."

  "One can only hope."

  After telling him I was tired, we said our goodbyes and I went for a shower. The last thing I wanted to do was to get in there and wash the remnants of him away. We'd made love this afternoon before we had to go to the airport and I didn't clean up. I could still feel his desire inside me. I wanted to keep him there forever.

  After I was done, I reached into my bag and removed the shirt he'd tossed me during the show. It smelled like him and even though the sides were slit all the way down to the hem, I fell into bed with nothing on but his shirt.

  I was asleep in no time.

  Ash

  When we arrived at the Staples Center, the fucking paparazzi were in full swing. Before the limo picked me up I searched the internet and found the picture of me kissing my angel. She looked amazing, all smiles. Liana was looking at us wistfully and I know that I stared at it for an hour.

  There was more than just the kiss. That photographer had been at the show. He'd been not too far behind her at the concert when I threw my shirt out to her. The photo online was of me smiling and her holding the shirt to her face. The thought of that son of a bitch that close to her made my blood boil. A quick call to my lawyer got things rolling on getting those pictures taken down. I'd just have to leave it up to him. Even though I wanted to do it myself, I had no business in a law office, I was a singer. I'd have to trust him to fix this.

  When we stepped out of the limo, the questions began.

  "Who's the girl, Ash!"

  "Ash, any comment!"

  "Where did you meet?"

  "Ash!"

  "Ash!"

  "Ash!"

  "What is Mary Montclair to you? Are you helping her sing again?" I froze. How did these fuckers already know her name? I spun around on my heel and headed for the pencil neck nerd shouting those questions. I was immediately blocked by Eric and David. Without a word, they herded me into the back door of the center.

  "Son of a BITCH!" I yelled and punched the metal door. The pain never hit, but Coraline was there to stop me.

  "Ash," she yelled. "You're bleeding!"

  "I don't really care!" I twisted out of her hold and turned to get away, far away from everyone. Coraline was having none of that.

  "Somebody get some damn ice and some bandages," she hollered behind her. "What the hell is going on?" She was dressed in denim jeans and a t-shirt of our opening band. She stood there with her arms crossed, tapping her steel toed boots. She looked like a gothic Tinkerbelle with all that damn crazy black hair.

  Gabe answered for me, "Some reporter out there asked about Mary. He knew her name. Asked Ash if he was going to help her sing again." Reed and Kane stood around us looking shocked.

  "Okay," she began. "First of all, does Mary know the pictures are online?" An ice pack was thrust at Coraline and I found my ass parked into a chair. She started bandaging my hand then placed the ice pack on top, taping it too in place.

  "Yes," I replied.

  "That's good. You're girl is in that business," she stopped on my angry look. Mary was nothing like them. Coraline held up her hands in defense. "What I'm trying to say is that she knows how these people work. She's a smart lady; she'll do the right thing."

  "I don't want them bothering her. We've seen it so many times. Those vultures cause people to get hurt." I took the Tylenol and bottled water she offered me and tossed back the pills and about half of the water. I needed to keep my hands busy so that I wouldn't hit something else.

  Kane put his hand on my shoulder, "Send David to hang out with her till you can get there. She likes him and it'll make you feel better."

  "Man, just wait until you fall for some beautiful girl," I laughed, unsteadily. "You'll go crazy too without her. You're just like me."

  "Hell, no!" he slapped my back. "You, my friend, are pussy whipped through and through." He shook his head and took off down the hall for the dressing rooms.

  I grabbed my phone and shot a quick text to David telling him to meet me in the dressing rooms immediately after the show. He'd have to leave out tomorrow. There was probably no flights out to Phoenix after the show.

  "Go get changed," Coraline announced. "And loose the ice pack before the Meet and Greet. I'll come get you when we are ready."

  Standing up, I removed the ice pack and tossed it in a nearby trashcan. When I hit the dressing room, I found Gabe and Reed in a heated debate. Any other time I would've stepped in, but right now I didn't really care.

  .

  The Meet and Greet was underway and the backstage area was full of fans and executives. We knew that after the Phoenix show, we were to be back in the studio to record the new album. We had a two week vacation before it was time to work out another album. Usually, I went away alone or sometimes Kane would go with me, to a remote location for peace and quiet. We spent most of the time writing songs. But for some reason, instead of some exotic island, I really wanted to spend my two weeks in the dry deserts of Phoenix, Arizona.

  After the long line of people passed through and The Surge were ending their set, we all went into the back room and sat for a moment. We always had a fifteen minute quiet time before the show. This, for me, helped me center myself before the workout to my body and voice.

  Tonight my mind was a million miles away, picturing Mary asleep at home, alone in her bed. She told me she had a cat named Glory. Kane thought that was the coolest thing he'd ever heard. Thankfully she lived in a gated community and only people with a code were allowed inside the gates. That may deter the vultures, but some of those bastards were willing to break the law for the perfect shot.

  What if they got a picture of her walking naked in front of a window? What if they came knocking on the door? Would she be able to defend herself? What if they chased her while she was in her car? Oh God, what if they broke into her house!

  My hands were shaking. I had to relax, because if I didn't I'd have an ulcer before we made it to Arizona at the end of the week. We weren't expected to be in San Diego until Wednesday before the show. If I took the first flight out in the morning, on Tuesday, I could be in Phoenix by eight in the morning, fly out around three on Wednesday afternoon. I could be back in Phoenix Thursday morning. She wouldn't be alone that long. I could take David with me and leave him there while
I was gone.

  I liked my plan.

  I just had to call her. I knew she was asleep, but this couldn't wait. I jumped up and startled the guys who were sitting with their heads in their hands.

  "Ash," she said sleepily, my cock hardened at hearing her voice. "What's wrong baby?"

  "I'm sorry for waking you angel, but I had to call you." I paced by the back wall as I laid out my plan for the week. Gabe looked at me like I'd grown horns and wings.

  "Ash, won't you be tired?" She sounded more awake. "As much as I'd love having you here, don't you think that's going to be hard on you?"

  "Not really," I said honestly. "I've done more traveling than that in less time before. Plus, I get to spend time with you."

  "Ok," she laughed. "What time do I need to pick you up at the airport?"

  "Just shoot me your address and we'll get a car," I said. I didn't want to put her out, or have her approached by the media. That would shake my control a little too much.

  "We'll?" she asked.

  "David is coming with me," I paused, chewing on my lip. "Is that okay with you?"

  "Sure, I have tons of room. I've got three extra bedrooms on the other side of the house. But why are you bringing David?"

  The guys were laughing at me, but have now sobered, they knew what she was asking. "Had a ton of paparazzi here tonight, angel. They know your name and we are worried about you. I've contacted my lawyer to get the pictures removed, but I'm afraid the damage is done. You're very easy to look up on the internet."

  "Oh," she squeaked. "Well, I guess you should bring David. Is he going to stay here while you're gone?" I grabbed a bottled water and drank the whole thing, it was almost time to go on.

  "Yes, angel. At least for the rest of the week, just in case."

  "Ok, Ash," she agreed.

  Coraline opened the door and said, "Time to go, boys."

  I stayed on the phone until it was time to climb the stairs. "Time to go make some money, angel. Sleep well."

  She was still giggling as I hung up the phone and gave it to Coraline. An earpiece was slapped into my hand and I stuck it in my ear. I went under the stage to my platform and waited for my queue.

  It was time to entertain twenty thousand of our closest friends.

  Chapter 9

  Mary

  Ash called and woke me up around six a.m. He was boarding a plane in Los Angeles and would be at my house by nine. David was traveling with him and a car had been reserved. I gave him the code to get into the gate and jumped out of bed.

  The room I'd chosen for David was in the back of the house far away from my room. If Ash was going to be here, then I wanted the privacy. I pulled off all of the sheets on my bed and the one in the guest room, dumped them in the washer and grabbed a cup of coffee. My house was clean, because I don't like it to be anything otherwise.

  Once the sheets were in the dryer, I ran and jumped in the shower. Nervousness didn't even come close to describing my feelings, in this moment. Ash Martin was on his way to my freaking house! I did a little ass shaking in the shower and I did something that probably wouldn't be good, but damnit, I felt like singing!

  I started out singing Good Times and while I did my hair, I sang a Glory Days song into my hairbrush. I even grabbed Glory, the cat, and sang a song I made up as I went. It wasn't long before I realized that was a bad idea.

  A pain twisted in the back of my throat and then it closed up. I started coughing, hard. Dropping Glory on the couch, I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a glass out of the cupboard. Thrusting it under the tap, I filled it halfway and then tried to get something to go down, anything. The first small sip seemed to help for a few minutes.

  I sat down at the kitchen table and breathed a very careful sigh of relief. My throat was raw and I wanted to cry, but didn't dare because I didn't want to mess up my makeup.

  Three sips later, I had no choice. The water went into my lungs and I was done. These episodes were the worst. My conscious knew that getting water in my lungs was bad. Within the next few days, I'd probably be in the hospital with pneumonia.

  The uncontrollable coughs attacked my throat and my lungs burned with the lack of proper oxygen. I fell to my knees and leaned over, grabbing a rag off the counter on my way down. If I just leaned over enough, it might help. My knees hit the floor with an audible thud; I squeezed my eyes closed as the pain flared up my legs.

  One cough produced a small splatter of blood. The next was slightly more. Tears welled up and spilled over my lashes. This was bad. My phone was in the other room, I couldn't move.

  The metallic taste in my mouth was nauseating. I gagged once, but kept myself from throwing up all over my clean kitchen floor. I wiped my mouth with the rag and seeing the amount of blood made the tears come out heavier.

  A knock on the door had me standing up and running. My coughing still hadn't subsided and I knew the moment Ash heard me, because he started rattling the door handle, "Mary!"

  I made it just in time, before he and David were about to bust it in. The look of horror on their faces made my knees buckle and I lost all balance. The lack of air to my brain had me light headed and I swear I blacked out for a second. Thankfully, I didn't hit the floor. Ash lunged for me and caught me before I face-planted in the foyer.

  "Angel," he cried out. "What can I do?" His hands checked me over from head to toe. His eyes were misting and I wanted to tell him everything would be okay.

  I couldn't talk, so I shook my head telling him, there was nothing he could do. The episode had to stop on its own. I vaguely remember David talking frantically on the phone.

  It could've been minutes or hours before the spasms stopped and I closed my eyes as I turned my face into Ash's chest.

  I heard David say, "The ambulance should be here any second."

  "N...no," I rasped and tried to get up, but strong arms held me prisoner against Ash's huge chest. It was warm and felt like home, and I didn't want to go to the hospital.

  "Eyes on me," he demanded. When I did, the heat in them told me he was holding on thin to his control and mine. "You are bleeding from a place that shouldn't bleed. The hospital is the place you need to be right now." He was angry and scared. All I could do was nod. He must've been happy with my submission, because he kissed my forehead and held me tighter to his chest.

  The ambulance arrived and Ash refused to let me be taken out on a stretcher. The medic argued but was no match for Ash and David. I was rushed out with both of them covering me from any prying eyes. Once inside, I was laid out on the gurney and given an IV of fluids. A sedative was injected into the line and I immediately relaxed. The pain in my throat was suddenly gone. By this time the blood had subsided a little.

  David was on the phone with security at Phoenix Baptist hospital. I was too groggy to know what this meant. My eyes were tired and I rolled on my side, facing Ash, and reached for his hand. He too was on the phone with what sounded like Gabe, telling him what was going on and where we were going. I'm sure Liana would be called at work and she would be there in no time. Closing my eyes, I just listened to the frantic voices of those around me.

  Ash was trying not to yell, but I could tell he was frantic, "I have no clue when I will be there. As far as I'm concerned, San Diego will be canceled." I moaned in protest but he didn't seem to hear me. "Get Liana on the phone and tell her to call me. Yes, I will. Okay. Bye."

  A warm calloused hand touched my cheek and I opened my eyes. He was blurry and handsome and all mine.

  David was spouting something on the phone about who he was and some credentials I had no clue what he was saying. He looked over at me and I smiled weakly. A hand touched my ankle and he patted it gently, "We're going to get you all better Mary, don't you worry." I nodded and closed my eyes.

  Sleep pulled at me and I succumbed quickly.

  Ash

  Hospital security was waiting on us as soon as we hit the entrance to the emergency room. There were about thirty paparazzi waiting there with camer
as flashing. David jumped out and blocked the view of Mary being pulled out on a stretcher with his own body. Thankfully security had pushed them back across the driveway of the emergency entrance. They were too far away to yell questions and for that I was thankful to the hospital.

  We were rushed in and immediately taken into a private room with a door that closed and not one of those flimsy curtains. Doctors and nurses were already prepped and ready to go when the wheels stopped rolling on the gurney.

  A tall man with salt and pepper gray hair leaned over and gave Mary a little shake. She woke up and scowled at him, but he started talking anyway, "Mary, I'm Doctor Starlington. Do you know where you are?" On her nod he continued. "This young man over hear has told us about what going on with you and I know that it hurts to talk. I'm going to look you over and ask you some yes or no questions so that you don't need to speak. Do you understand me?"

  She nodded her understanding and turned only her eyes toward me while the doc felt around her throat. He frowned slightly and asked her to swallow. When she did, tears fell out of the corner of her eyes. I wanted to stand up and hold her hand but there was no room to squeeze in.

  He reached behind him and grabbed a light to look down into her mouth and asked her to open. Her tiny fist balled into the sheets and she opened wide. Mary was in pain, I could almost feel it myself. Her arms and legs trembled. I said a silent prayer hoping whoever was out there would listen to me and make everything okay again.

  Nurses rushed around the room, setting up heart monitors and oxygen sensors. Doc held a stethoscope to her chest and frowned, "Did you choke on some water during this episode?" She nodded and he listened some more. "Your lungs have fluid in them." He turned to the nurse, "Start an antibiotic IV." He stopped and picked up her hand.

  "We're going to have to keep you for a while, Ms. Montclair. A few days minimum. I need to run tests and see what's going on in your throat. We'll keep you as comfortable as we can, and due to the excitement of your arrival, I'm going to have you put on a floor for our special guest." He winked at her and dropped her hand. The nurses started cutting her clothes off and I was glad that David was out in the hallway keeping watch.