by Lisa Shea
Ginny folded into his arms, and the world was at peace.
Book 7 – Princeton
Madison’s shirt clung to her with sweat, but she maintained the steady rhythm of the drumming, her hands and feet moving in perfect time as the beautiful saxophone lead of “Take Five” billowed out from Tanya. The club was packed tonight and it seemed the stage lights just radiated heat down at them. No matter; the tropical feeling matched perfectly with the décor of palm trees and colorful cocktails. The two guitarists, one on each side, provided the steady foundation, but it was Tanya who soared and floated, who drew the audience into her spell.
Madison smiled as she watched her girlfriend. Just a few years ago she would have said Tanya wasn’t her type at all. Madison had mis-spent her youth seduced by fashion magazines and prime time TV, brainwashed into believing that all women should be blonde, busty, and slender. Tanya was nearly the exact opposite. A dark-skinned mix of Nigerian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican, she boasted short, frizzy hair and thick curves.
And Madison adored her.
The song cascaded to its close, and the audience burst out in enthusiastic applause. Tanya put up a hand with a smile. “Thank you, thank you. We’re going to take a short break now. Stick around for our next set!”
The crowd was an eclectic mix of Princeton students in their jeans and t-shirts, grey-haired professors in three-piece suits, and dissolute jazz fans in black-on-black. Somehow they all melded into a joyful medley of music-loving exuberance. The bar became four-deep as half the room took advantage of the pause.
Madison put her drum sticks into their holder and climbed up from her seat, pulling her black “Music is a verb” t-shirt away from her body to get some air. Tanya drifted back to her with that effortless grace that seemed to glow from within her. Tanya gave a playful tug on Madison’s long, blonde ponytail and then pecked a kiss on her cheek. “You did good!”
Madison smiled. “And you were awesome, as usual. Only two weeks until we play Princeton’s big Christmas Bash! That’ll be our largest audience ever!”
“And then it’s up to Bar Harbor, to spend the holidays with your parents. It’s a shame that your sister, Ginny, and that talented fiancé of hers, Sanjeev, won’t be able to make it.”
Madison chuckled. “Oh, I’m sure they’ll have a trip of a lifetime in India spending time with his parents. Can you even imagine? The foods! The landscapes! She might never come back.”
Tanya shook her head. “Those two adore it up in Bennington. They’ll head home when they’re ready. It’s a part of their souls.”
Madison nudged her. “And you? Where do you call home?”
Tanya lifted up her sax. “Anywhere I can make music with you. That’s all that matters to me.”
Madison’s face flushed red, and it wasn’t with the club’s heat.
The bass guitarist, a reed-thin black woman from New Orleans, came up to them. Zillie was in a white button-down shirt and grey slacks, despite the heat, and somehow was as crisp as ever. “Tanya, there’s someone here who wants to talk with you.”
Tanya raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Who?”
Zillie nudged her head toward a white-sparkled circular table ringed by a turquoise velvet bench. At it sat a pair of middle-aged men in three-piece suits.
Tanya chuckled. “They look like bankers. Maybe they’ve got some sort of annual meeting they’d like us to play at.” She put her sax on its stand. “C’mon, let’s go see what they want.”
She waved a hand to the fourth band member, Jax, the spiky-blond-haired guitarist in a Miami Dolphins jersey and jeans.
Jax glanced nervously at his watch. “My wife needs me home soon. It’s her ninth month, you know, and I swore I would be there for her. I wouldn’t be the absent dad like that deadbeat father of mine.”
Madison patted him warmly on the arm. “You will be an absolutely fantastic father, Jax. You’ve already proven it. You will be there for your wife every step of the way. If this chat goes more than five minutes, you head on home. We’ll take care of everything.”
Jax smiled at her in relief. Then they trooped over to the bankers.
Zillie waved a hand toward Tanya. “Here you go. Tanya’s the leader of our band.”
Tanya blushed. “She’s just saying that. We all make decisions together. How can we help you?”
The banker on the left leaned forward. “My name is John Singletary. This here is my associate, Mark Price. We would like to discuss a working relationship with you.”
“Oh? Do you manage a club here in Princeton? I thought we’d been by most of them over the past few years.”
He shook his head. “We’re visiting here out of Los Angeles. We’re with Diamond Sounds – we’re record producers.”
Zillie chuckled. “Do they even call them that nowadays? I can’t remember the last time I handled an actual record.”
John seemed to have barely heard her. “We are looking to expand our jazz library. Our research indicates that the US will see an increase in the popularity of jazz music soon and we want to be ready for it. The ideal band has three women and one man, to capture the perfect blend of listeners. The musicians must be in their early twenties – appeals to both the kids and elders. Those musicians also must provide a mix of Caucasian, black, and multi-racial skins. There were other criteria, of course. Facial structure, height, that sort of thing.”
He proudly leaned back. “Over the past year, Diamond Sounds has invested substantial money and time in this project. We have now created the perfect database of all jazz bands in the United States, and filtered the thousands of entries down to our ideal prospects.”
Tanya smiled in amusement. “That seems a fairly clinical way of finding music to listen to.”
John tapped his fingers on the table. “We live in a modern world. A world of instant YouTube sensations and viral global reach. The more precisely a band can be tailored, the more potential for an astronomical launch of Album One.”
Madison’s grin widened. “Heck, so why come out to clubs at all? Surely if you plugged in the variety of criteria, and then pointed a computer at YouTube, the artificial intelligence could scan the videos there until it came up with exactly the right group. HAL could choose it and be done with it.”
John’s face maintained its steady expression. “For the YouTube part of our process we used a bank of interns, but yes, that’s about what we did.” He made a rolling motion with his hand. “However, despite all our advances, unfortunately there’s still an in person evaluation that needs to be done. Videos can be faked. Music can be computer generated.”
The corners of his mouth turned down. “Perhaps you’ve heard of the Milli Vanilli lip-synching disaster. That cost quite a few careers, let me tell you. Fans can become rabid if they realize their musicians are shams.” He nodded to himself. “Mark and I need to ensure that the band we put our names behind is truly who they say they are. That, when we send out the band on its talk show junket, that the live audience hears exactly what the YouTube videos showcased.”
Tanya winked at Madison, then turned to John. “You’ve seen we’re the real deal, and we’re honored that you are interested in our music. What happens next?”
John took an envelope out of his breast pocket. “You sign. The contract grants us complete, binding, exclusive rights for four years. All YouTube, iTunes, Amazon, and other sales. All bookings for concerts, talk shows, and festivals. Total creative control over what you look like and what you play.”
Zillie snorted. “And what do we get in return?”
He tapped the paper. “A half-million dollars. Each.”
Madison blinked at him in surprise. “A … a what?”
The tiniest hint of a smile tweaked his lips. “A half-million dollars guaranteed. It could be more than that. Each. Our research is solid. Once we polish you up, fix you up, and get you in front of the right podcasters and bloggers, it’s a proven winner. You’re exactly the combination that will make us all rich.”
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nbsp; Zillie and Jax threw their hands in their air whooping with excitement. Tanya wrapped Madison in an embrace and lifted her clean off her feet, spinning her around in a circle. “It’s our dream! Our dreams are coming true! God, I love you so much, Madison. We’ve done it!” She lowered Madison to the ground and drew her into a passionate kiss.
Madison’s head swam with it all. She’d always known Tanya was an amazing saxophone player, but to be discovered like this! It was the dream of every musician!
All around them the crowd was smiling and pointing, aware that something special was going on.
John’s smile faded, and his brow furrowed. “Wait. Are you two a couple?”
Madison paled.
She had known it. It was all too good to be true.
Tanya turned, keeping an arm securely latched around Madison’s waist. “Yes. We’ve been seeing each other for three years now.”
John glanced at Smith, his frown deepening. “I don’t remember seeing that in our research.”
Tanya’s voice sharpened. “Well, we don’t feel the need to state it in our YouTube description. ‘Song: Take Five by Paul Desmond, performed by Tanya the lesbian, Madison the lesbian, Zillie the heterosexual, and Jax the heterosexual.”
John leaned forward, his hand resting possessively on the contract. “What you do in private is your own concern, as long as it remains private. But the both of you on stage in the same band? At some point you might touch each other. Who knows, maybe even kiss each other.” He shook his head. “No, no, it won’t work. Tanya, you’ll have to kick out Madison. You’ll need to choose a new drummer. A young, female, white one, of course, to maintain the racial make-up of the band.”
Madison’s heart fell, but she had no doubt what she needed to do. Her voice was low. “Of course. I understand completely. I’m sure Tanya can easily replace –”
Tanya spun on her. “No.”
Madison blinked in surprise. “But, Tanya –”
Tanya gently put a hand to her face. “Madison, I love you. I love how loyal you are. How you’ll put others in front of you. But what we play together is magical. I won’t lose that.”
“And you won’t,” stated Madison, her throat tight. “It’s only for four years. And it’s a lot of money!”
Tanya shook her head. “My mom died of breast cancer at thirty. Before she went she made me promise to treasure every day. To love with all my heart. And I’m going to do those things. I love you, Madison. I want to play music with you. That’s what I want to spend the next four years of my life doing. On my own terms. Proudly and publicly.”
She looked to Zillie and Jax. “I’m sorry, guys –”
Both guitarists were shining with pride. Zillie spoke up. “We’re with you two all the way. Screw the money. We’re doing well on our own and our Twitter numbers are climbing every day.”
Jax added in, “plus, with the baby coming, as much as the money might help, I need to be home. My wife depends on me. I’m the only family she has. I will absolutely be there for her, no matter what it takes.”
John pushed the contract forward, tapping it with his finger. “All right, then. A full million each. But Madison has to go. Grab some white girl drumming flunkie off the street, I don’t care. Just as long as she’s straight.” His eyes bore in on Tanya. “And there absolutely can’t be any public display of Tanya’s sexual preference.”
Tanya’s lips pressed together in determination.
She turned to Madison.
“I was going to do this later tonight, on the pier, but what the hell.”
She lowered herself to one knee, put her hand into her pocket, and brought out a small velvet box.
She opened its lid.
Madison gasped.
Lying within, on a black velvet pillow, was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It was platinum with two diamonds. Each side of the ring came around the finger to end at its own diamond. The diamonds were nestled side by side, eternally together, forming one complete whole.
All around them cameras clicked and video screens were held high, recording the moment.
Tanya’s eyes were held on Madison’s, shining with emotion.
“Madison, I love you. From that very first time you came into the club and danced in front of me all night long, I knew it. I sensed it in the way you felt my music in your sinews. And when we talked afterwards, all the way until dawn, I was certain.”
She looked up at Madison. “Every passing day has made me more certain. I don’t want to have anything separate us. Not for four years; not for four days. I want the world to know how wonderful you are. Please make me the happiest woman in the world and be my wife.”
Tears streamed down Madison’s face. She had always hoped that someday they might take this step, but there had seemed so many hurdles.
Now she knew the answer with all her heart.
“Yes, absolutely, yes.”
Tanya swept her up in her arms, the crowd roared its approval, and Madison lost herself in the kiss. It was as if the sweetest music in the universe surrounded them and thrilled through them.
John stood and stuffed the contract back into his pocket. “I’m disappointed in you. You are making an enormous mistake. You’re going to regret this moment for the rest of your life.”
Tanya drew Madison in close. “You’re the one who said that fans love an authentic band that they can believe in. One who never lies or deceives them. And yet apparently Diamond Sounds operates by forcing bands to lie about who they are so they present the proper computer-generated image to the world. Is that about right?”
Around her, hundreds of cameras turned, aimed at the two men.
John’s shoulders tightened. “You’ll be sorry. You’ll look back on this moment, in the years to come, and kick yourself for making the wrong decision.”
Tanya twined her fingers into Madison’s. “There is not an iota of doubt in my mind. Being with Madison will make me the happiest woman in the world.”
Madison’s heart glowed with joy.
Applause sounded all around them, growing in volume.
John growled, and then he and his partner pushed their way through the crowd out of the club.
Zillie held up her phone to the two women, her slender face beaming. “We’ve just crossed 100,000 followers on Twitter! And more are pouring in! These videos and photos are going viral!”
Tanya smiled at Madison. “My mom always said to follow your heart. To believe in love, and everything else will work out. Whatever happens, Madison, I adore you. Playing music with you makes me whole. If we have ten fans or ten thousand, that is all I want. You and me.”
Madison’s eyes twinkled. “And the guitarists, too, right?”
Tanya laughed out loud. “Yes, them, too. We gotta have the guitars!”
Madison looked up to the stage, where the instruments all sat ready for the next set. Her eyes moved to the drum kit, to where she’d tied the love token her sister had sent down to her. She’d laughed at the time, thinking it would be a fun totem for the band – a conversation piece if nothing else.
She looked to Tanya and grinned. “I guess that pair of dolls really did work after all.”
Tanya gave a tug to Madison’s ponytail. “I didn’t need dolls to know I wanted to marry you and spend every day of the rest of my life with you. That pompous guy just changed the proposal’s venue, that’s all.”
Zillie stepped forward to give each woman a kiss on the cheek. “I’m so happy for you both. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer couple.”
Madison smiled. Her sister had made it clear that the dolls should be passed along, once the time came. And she knew exactly who she would give them to.
She patted Zillie on the arm. “And you are a true friend.” She chuckled. “Heck, you just gave up a million dollars for me.”
Zillie held up her phone. The likes were scrolling by in a kaleidoscope blur. “We have just proven that the record companies and their computers don’t always know
what the audience wants. That following our hearts is the path to our fondest dreams.”
Madison turned back to Tanya. “I have my fondest dreams in the palm of my hand. If what we have is this moment in time, then I am wholly content.”
Tanya shone, and Madison’s world was joyfully complete.
Book 8 – Mystic
Zillie smoothed her white button-down shirt as she approached the door to her father’s apartment building. The elegant granite structure was a far cry from the shotgun corridor of a house they had grown up in deep within the lower ninth of New Orleans. But when Hurricane Katrina had barreled through and turned their neighborhood into a swimming pool, her parents had moved up north to be nearer to her youngest sister. And after her mother had passed away, her father had stayed put.
Zillie glanced at her reflection in the door’s glass. Her dark hair was braided tight against her head and her matching skin shone in the summer’s heat. Well, no help for that. And, compared with Louisiana’s sultriness, Connecticut was a walk in the park.
She pressed the buzzer.
Her brother’s voice came on. “About time you got here! I got in from Manhattan hours ago!” He buzzed the door without giving her a chance to respond.
She sighed, maintaining the smile on her lips. This summer get-together was important. No, more than that, it was one of those key junctures in life. For soon her beloved Daniel would be arriving to meet the family for the first time. And if it went well … if they all got along …
Her face glowed at the thought.
She glanced at the elevator to make sure it was in working order before taking the stairs two at a time. The tune from “Take Five” circled in her head, lifting her. Everything was coming together. Everything was just as it should be.
She got to the door and raised a fist –
The door yanked open before her, and her youngest sister was standing there. She’d ironed her hair to hang straight along her thin cheeks and her fuchsia tube-top showcased two fresh tattoos, one on each shoulder.
If Zillie’s mother had still been alive, Latisha’s arm décor would have been the only topic of conversation for the evening. But the woman had been hit hard by breast cancer a year and a half ago and, despite her fighting spirit, had succumbed within months. Latisha had been a good child. She’d waited a full six months before acquiring the tattoos she had dreamed of since she was able to speak. And the one on her right shoulder – of beautiful magnolias in bloom – was a tribute to their mother.
