Stronger Within (The Silver Lake Series Book 1)

by McCallum, Coral

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “Pleasure, ma’am,” he replied in a familiar voice.

  She looked up and found herself looking into the unmistakable face of Simon Power. The resemblance to Jake was uncanny.

  “Captain Power?”

  “Miss Hyde?” he said, with a smile so like Jake’s that her heart skipped a beat. “We meet at last.”

  “So it seems,” she replied. “Let’s move inside. We’re blocking the doorway.”

  Once inside, Lori spoke to the young hostess about her reservation and they were shown to a booth in the middle of the restaurant. Lori took her jacket off and folded it on the seat beside her. Across the table, Simon was doing the same. Both of them felt awkward and a bit unsure as to what to say. The waitress came over to take a drinks order.

  “Can I have a white wine spritzer, please?” asked Lori, deciding she needed a little something to settle her nerves.

  “I’ll have a beer. Bud if you have it,” added Simon, flashing a “Power” smile at the girl.

  “So what’s the plan?” he asked Lori as the waitress walked away.

  “Cut to the chase, why don’t you?” she said with a nervous giggle.

  “Well?”

  “I left the band finishing up their sound check. Jake said he would try to slip out and come over here for about five. He’ll need to be back over there before six though. If this goes well then you come back with us,” replied Lori calmly. “He might struggle to get out. It’s quite crowded out there already.”

  “I noticed,” said Simon. “I kind of feel out of place. I didn’t know what to wear. I don’t know what to expect. It’s a long time since I’ve felt nervous like this.”

  “What you’re wearing is fine,” assured Lori warmly. “You can’t go far wrong with jeans and a sweater.”

  “You’re not what I expected.”

  Lori looked at him curiously, then asked why.

  “You’re more petite than I imagined,” replied Simon somewhat awkwardly. “You don’t look like an artist or a property tycoon.”

  “So what do I look like?” she teased with a mischievous smile.

  “A beautiful petite woman. My brother’s a lucky man,” he answered softly.

  “Ah the Power charm and flattery runs deeps,” she declared as the waitress arrived with their drinks.

  “Sorry. Nerves,” he apologised, taking a swig from his beer.

  “It’s ok,” she assured him. A cricket chirp from her bag alerted her to a text message. When she checked her phone, it was from Jake. “On my way J x”. Putting her phone bag in her bag, Lori said, “Your brother’s on his way over.”

  “So what’s this rock star lifestyle that my baby brother’s leading like?”

  “Hectic. Chaotic. Loud,” laughed Lori, feeling the tension melt a little. “Well from what I’ve seen anyway. He’s done at least two interviews today. There’s been two sound checks, as he joined in with Weigh Station, and he’s still to warm up properly before the show. Then it’s show time.”

  “And today’s his birthday?”

  “It sure is,” she smiled. “We’re having a small celebration after the show.”

  “I remembered,” said Simon quietly. “I even brought him a gift.”

  “What did you get him?”

  “I got a set of dog tags made up for him. I hope he likes them.”

  “Closest to the air force he’s likely to get,” giggled Lori. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate the thought.”

  “We’ll see,” sighed Simon, sipping his beer.

  With the ice broken between them, they both relaxed a little as Lori asked what had brought him to Britain. He was limited in what he could disclose but the answer seemed to satisfy her curiosity. Simon went on to explain that he had taken four days leave to allow him to spend some time exploring London before he headed back to Virginia. Just as Lori was beginning to wonder where Jake was, he came rushing in and slid into the booth beside her.

  “Sorry,” he apologised. “I got caught by a group of fans outside. I still can’t get used to that.”

  “As long as you were nice to them,” said Lori, giving him a hug.

  Before Jake could greet his brother, the waitress arrived to take their food order.

  “Are we eating here or back at the arena?” asked Lori.

  “Let’s have a snack here,” said Jake. “Gives us more time to catch up and a little privacy.”

  “Fine by me,” agreed Lori, as she turned to the waitress. “Can I have some nachos, please?”

  “I’ll have a mineral water and a chicken salad,” said Jake. “Simon?”

  “Loaded skins and the chicken strippers, please,” requested Simon. “And another Bud.”

  Once the waitress was out of earshot, Jake turned his attention to his older brother, “So how’s life treating you? Been a while.”

  “I’m good, thanks,” replied Simon awkwardly. “Changed days. You’re on the mineral water and salad and I’m ordering a second beer. Oh, and happy birthday, little brother.”

  “Thanks,” said Jake with a warm smile. “Relax, Simon. The past’s in the past. Let’s leave it there.”

  “Suits me,” agreed Simon, as he fished in his jacket pocket for Jake’s gift. “I brought you a present.”

  He handed Jake a small metal tin with the air force insignia stamped on the lid. With a quizzical look at his brother, Jake opened the box, then laughed out loud as he lifted out the customised dog tags. He was genuinely touched by the effort his brother had gone to as he read the inscription – Power, Jake, rock star #1, O Negative, Delaware. On the reverse the air force insignia had been replaced with the Silver Lake logo.

  “That’s awesome, Simon,” he declared, with obvious delight. Jake slipped the chain over his head and tucked the tag into his shirt, shivering at the chill of the metal and the chain. “Thank you.”

  “Glad that you like it,” said Simon, relieved that his gift had been well received.

  “Well, are you up for this show tonight?” asked Jake, stealing a sip out of Lori’s wine glass.

  “I don’t know,” admitted his brother. “I’ve not been to a rock show in about twenty years, if not longer.”

  “I’ll look after you,” said Lori. “We can both watch from the side of the stage.”

  “Do I need to get you ear plugs to cope with the noise?” teased Jake mischievously.

  “Very funny,” laughed Simon. “To be honest, I’m looking forward to it. I was listening to your album on my iPod last night.”

  “You have an iPod?” asked Jake, astounded at this revelation.

  “Yeah, but there’s not much heavy rock on there,” confessed his brother.

  “We’ll soon sort that,” stated Lori, glad to see the two brothers enjoying each other’s company.

  Once their food arrived, the three of them, now wholly relaxed, chatted casually about the tour, life at the beach and life in general. Simon was curious to hear about how they met so that tale was also told.

  “Sounds like you’ve had a long road to recovery, young lady,” said Simon warmly as he finished off his beer.

  “It’s been an interesting journey,” replied Lori quietly. “Jake, you’d better keep an eye on the time.”

  It was almost six and Jake agreed that they should be making a move. Simon insisted on paying the bill then the three of them headed back towards the arena. The doors still weren’t open to the public and the square outside was now crowded with excited fans. Keeping his hood up and head down, Jake led them round to the side entrance he had used earlier. He phoned on ahead to Gary to get him to meet them at the door. When they reached the side door, there was a small group of fans waiting. Patiently Jake posed for photos and signed autographs, promising to watch out for them all in the audience later on. When they eventually got into the building and back to the dressing rooms, Maddy was pacing up and down.

  “Cutting it fine tonight, Mr Power,” she snapped.

  “Chill,
Maddison. Plenty of time,” he said, giving her a hug. Turning to Lori and Simon, he said, “I’ll catch up with you shortly.”

  “Where’s he off to?” Simon asked Lori as Jake disappeared through a nearby doorway.

  “He’s gone to warm up,” explained Lori, taking her jacket off and dumping her things on a nearby table. “He had a problem with his voice a while back and now sticks to a strict vocal warm up routine. It’s not pretty to listen to but its working so far.”

  “How long does that take him?”

  “Over an hour every night,” said Lori. “Now let me introduce you to a few folk.”

  Quickly she introduced Simon to Maddy then to Grey and Rich. The two musicians were tinkering with their guitars and generally just jamming with each other. Both of them greeted Simon warmly, making him feel welcome.

  “Maddy, where’s Paul?” asked Lori, realising the drummer was missing.

  “Taking a nap,” replied Maddy, pointing to what Lori had mistaken for a pile of jackets on a couch at the far end of the room. “He’s not feeling so hot. Man flu.”

  “Aw, poor baby,” sympathised Lori, as she sat down across from her friend.

  “He’ll live,” stated Maddy bluntly. “So Captain Power, how did the big reunion go with your brother?”

  “So far so good, ma’am,” answered Simon, as he sat down next to Lori.

  “Maddy,” began Lori. “Simon’s coming out with us after the show. I take it that won’t cause a problem?”

  “Not at all. I booked for a few extra people just in case. Jason’s due to show up in a while.”

  “I thought he’d be here by now,” said Lori then explained that Jason co-owned the band’s management firm and called the shots about most things Silver Lake.

  Time ticked by until shortly after seven then the whole band regrouped in the dressing room. Paul crawled out from under the pile of jackets and declared he felt much better. When Jake came striding back in, dressed all in black, Lori noticed he was still wearing the dog tags. Once they were all assembled, the lights went out and Gary appeared carrying a large candle lit birthday cake in the shape of a guitar. There was a rowdy chorus of “Happy Birthday” and in the midst of the celebrations, Jason walked in.

  “OK, guys,” called Gary loudly a few minutes later, bringing them all to order. “Showtime. Let’s move it on out.”

  Standing at the side of the stage, Lori could feel Simon fidgeting beside her. The house lights had been dimmed for a few minutes and the crowd were cheering with wild anticipation. With a final glance over at Lori, Jake ran out onto the stage, the last of the group to do so. The lights went up and Silver Lake launched headlong into Dragon Song, their set opener. Instead of watching the band, Lori was watching Simon. His reaction was the same as his father’s and sister’s had been. He was hypnotised by the polished confidence and talent of his young brother. He stood in stunned silence until after the acoustic interlude, drinking in the whole experience. When the stage hand brought Jake’s stool back off stage, Lori signalled to him to bring it over so she could sit for a few minutes.

  “You ok?” asked Simon, putting a concerned hand on her shoulder.

  “I’m fine. Just getting a bit uncomfortable,” she replied.

  Out on stage Jake had glanced over and noticed her taking a seat. He returned his attention to the audience and stepped up to the microphone, “So are you still with us, London?”

  The sell-out crowd roared back at him.

  “I can’t hear you!”

  A thunderous roar surged back at him.

  “OK,” acknowledged Jake, adjusting his guitar. “If you know this one, feel free to sing along.”

  Before Jake could begin his guitar solo intro, Rich stepped forward and addressed the crowd, “Change of song, folks,” he began, conscious that it was the first time he had spoken to the audience on the tour. “It’s Jake’s birthday.”

  The arena went wild with whistling and cheering.

  “Will you help us to sing Happy Birthday to him?”

  While Jake stood shaking his head and grinning, the band played and fifteen thousand rock fans sang Happy Birthday just for him. At the side of the stage, he could see that the crew plus Lori and Simon were also singing along. It was a moment in time that would live with him forever.

  “Thank you,” he called out when the song ended. “Thank you very much. That was quite something. So very special.”

  One fan down on the barrier at the front of the stage called out, “I love you, Jake!”

  “Why thank you,” he replied, obviously flustered. “I love you too.”

  And with that, the band started the final section of their set with Highway To Hell. All too soon they were playing the closing notes to Flyin’ High. They left the stage to a thunderous roar from the London crowd. A small section of fans down near the front sang out another round of Happy Birthday to Jake and were rewarded with a bow and a wave.

  At the side of the stage, Lori got down from the stool and turned to Simon.

  “Well?” she asked, a smile lighting up her face.

  “Jesus Christ, that was amazing!” he declared, his eyes filled with wonder and admiration. “Was that really my kid brother out there?”

  “It sure was,” she laughed.

  “My mom would’ve been so proud of him if she’d still been with us,” said Simon with a sad smile. “She always believed he’d be a star.”

  “Moms are like that,” agreed Lori, giving him a hug. “Let’s go and catch up with him.”

  Back in the dressing room it was the usual chaos as the band all tried to get drinks and cleaned up, all of them talking at once. Jake was standing off to one side with his shirt off, drinking a bottle of water, when Simon and Lori came in. His brother’s bear hug caught him by surprise, spilling water all over both of them.

  “That was quite some show, Jake,” said Simon sincerely. “What happened to my scrawny kid brother?”

  “He cleaned up his act,” joked Jake, downing the rest of the water. “But show’s not over yet. I’m out with Weigh Station in a while.”

  “Weigh Station?”

  “Yup,” he replied with a grin. “Just for a couple of numbers.”

  Lifting a clean shirt and another bottle of water, Jake led his brother and Lori back out of the dressing room; back to where they had been standing at the side of the stage earlier on. Out on stage Weigh Station were charming their home crowd and were seemingly unable to put a foot wrong. It was hot beside the stage and Jake stood with his shirt in his hands, waiting for his cue. He had one arm draped protectively across Lori’s shoulder as he drank down the bottle of water. On his other side, he could feel his brother tapping his foot in time to the music. Time ran away with him and before he could pull on his T-shirt, Dan was announcing him out on the stage.

  “Shit,” he muttered, tossing the shirt to Lori.

  Still stripped to the waist, he walked back out to join Dan, picking up his guitar from the technician as he went.

  “Looks like the birthday boy is feeling the heat tonight, folks,” commented Dan with a devilish wink. “Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Jake Power.”

  Before he had time to get any more embarrassed, the band began his first number. Refocussing his attention Jake powered his way through Broken Bottle Empty Glass then almost brought the house down with his rendition of Sunset After The Storm. As he sang out the last note, Dan came up behind him, then called out, “Please give it up for the under-dressed Jake Power!”

  A mix of cheers and wolf whistles filled the arena as Jake took a bow and ran off stage. Behind him, he could hear Dan crack another joke at his expense, then Weigh Station began the next number on their set. Lori and Simon were both laughing when he reached them. Giving him a huge hug, Lori handed him his shirt.

  “I’ll put it on after I’ve taken a shower,” he muttered, still embarrassed. “Half of London’s seen me half naked now anyway.”

  Jason was standing in the corridor be
tween the stage and the dressing room. He too had seen Jake’s performance. As they reached him, he said, “Smart move to win over more female fans, Mr Power.”

  “It wasn’t intentional,” admitted Jake, gradually beginning to see the humour in it. “Lesson learned about being ready for your cue.”

  “No, seriously,” said Jason, clapping him on the shoulder. “It was an inspired move.”

  “Perhaps,” muttered Jake then changing the subject asked, “Are you joining us for dinner?”

  “Yes, I am,” declared the Englishman. “Go and get cleaned up. I’ll see you when you’re better dressed.”

  Maddy had excelled herself with her choice of restaurant for Jake’s birthday dinner. She had booked the band and crew into a local oriental restaurant. The owners had agreed to stay open late to cater for the Silver Lake party. It was the first time the band and road crew had had the opportunity to share a meal together. The crew had clubbed together to buy Jake a present. While they waited for their meals to be brought out, the band and crew presented a very surprised Jake with a variety of gifts, ranging from a novelty alarm clock right down to a custom made guitar, presented by Jason on behalf of the management team. Their generosity overwhelmed him and, when he was called upon to make a speech, Jake was lost for words.