Sam woke to a pounding in her head that made her want to burrow deeper into the pillows and blankets. She could feel Ty beside her, his arm tightening around her waist as she moved closer to him, and the pounding seemed to take on a life of its own.
"Is somebody at the door?" he finally grumbled.
"Jesus!" She sat up, coming awake quickly as she realized that it was, indeed, someone knocking on the door. And they were getting insistent. "Get in the bathroom!" she hissed, nudging him. "What if it's Johnny again?!"
"Christ." He rolled off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom as she pulled on a robe and closed the bedroom door behind her. "I'm coming!" she yelled as she padded across the living room. She peeked out the door and felt her heart start slamming in her chest as she recognized two police officers.
"Samantha Weber?" the first officer asked her, his eye narrowed slightly, giving his already round face a strange, pinched look.
"Yes, is something wrong?" she breathed, pulling her robe closer around her.
"We have reason to believe there's a Ty von Etter on the premises." The officer held a badge in his hand.
"On the premises?" she questioned, suddenly feeling a twinge of fear. "What does that mean? What's going on?"
"Is he here, Miss?" the second officer stood up straighter and seemed to be trying to intimidate her.
Samantha raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a search warrant? Am I in some kind of trouble?"
"Miss, we just need to talk to him," the first officer said quietly. "We have some questions about a case we're investigating and he seems to be missing. His roommates haven't seen him and they said he's missed work the last couple of days."
"I'm here, Officers." Ty came out of the bedroom in clean jeans and a t-shirt, though his feet were still bare and his hair definitely needed brushing. "You don't need to involve Samantha--"
"Ty, hush up!" Sam glared at him and for a moment they shared a silent battle of wills, with Ty eventually relenting. "Officers, you don't have a search warrant, and you're obviously not afraid for my welfare, so either tell us what's going on, or we're going to close the door and go back to bed." Sam was totally bluffing--she'd never spoken like that to a teacher, much less an officer of the law--but they didn't know that.
"Could we come in?" the second officer asked after a glance at his partner.
"Of course." Sam stepped aside and the two men came in, looking around as though they expected to find drugs or piles of stolen DVD players.
"Mr. von Etter, we understand you're acquainted with a Ms. Lynn Stahl?"
"Yes. She's my ex-girlfriend. We dated all through high school and on and off since then." Ty looked from one to the other, suddenly edgy. "Why? What's going on? Is she okay?"
"Why would you ask that?" the first officer asked quietly, looking at him.
"Because I've been calling her for days and she hasn't called back and now you're here." Ty shoved his hands into his pockets. "Tell me what's happened to her? Did someone hurt her?"
"She's dead, Mr. von Etter."
"Oh my God." Sam gaped at them, her mouth hanging open as she stared from one to the other.
"No, no, no, no!" Ty sank onto the couch and buried his face in his hands. "Dammit, I knew it. I knew they were going to do something! I knew it! I told you, Sam! Didn't I? Didn't I tell you that they--"
"Who is they, Mr. von Etter?" Officer number two leaned down towards Ty.
"I, er, they..." His voice faultered and he looked at Sam pleadingly. Then he seemed to find his voice. "Tell me what happened," Ty whispered hoarsely, his face suddenly even more ghostly white than usual. "Just tell me what happened to her." He clenched his fists tightly at his sides, and stared off in the distance.
"She was strangled." The officer with the narrow eyes spoke with slightly more compassion.
"Was she in her apartment?" he whispered again.
"Her apartment?" Office number two blinked. "No, she was at your apartment. Your roommates found her early this morning when they got home, around 4 a.m."
"In my apartment?!" Ty stood up like a shot and glared at them. "Didn't you talk to them? Didn't you ask them what the hell she was doing there?! She lives in God damn Minnesota! She's never been to that apartment and--"
"Hang on, Mr. von Etter, now, we--" The first officer tried to talk to him, but Ty stalked to the other side of the room.
"Don't tell me to hang on!" he yelled, looking around. "Don't you understand what's happened? Those bastards killed her and I bet they told you they think I did it, right? That I'm missing, that I'm weird or some such bullshit. Johnny probably gave you his song and dance about how I'm like a brother to him, but I've always been a little strange, and how my relationship with Lynn has been on and off and that I don't treat her right. Right? Right?!" He looked at the two policemen knowingly.
They exchanged a glance that told Sam everything she needed to know and she bounded into action. "Has her family been notified?" she asked, standing beside Ty and putting a comforting hand on his forearm.
"One of your roomies gave us--"
"So what do you want from us?" Sam asked, interrupting. "Ty has been with me since Friday night. He hasn't left the house. His roommates took his rent money and then told him he must have lost it, so he's been hiding out here with me. Does he need an alibi? Do we need to make some kind of formal statement?" She looked at them calmly, waiting as though she hadn't another care in the world.
"Mr. von Etter has a history with the victim, and she was found dead in his bed, so we need to ask him some questions."
"Ask them!" Ty growled, his chest heaving with the effort it was taking for him to stay calm. "Ask me whatever you want! I didn't hurt her--I would never hurt her! I loved her most of my life! Just because we couldn't live together doesn't mean I killed her!"
"Calm down," Sam whispered, moving closer to him. "Just answer their questions."
Ty sat down then, his hand clamped tightly around Sam's, and told the officers everything that had happened in the previous weeks. Sam added her own experiences in the last few days, and the policemen wrote everything down without comment. They asked a few more questions and then slowly stood up.
"Mr. von Etter, are you planning to remain here for a while? Your apartment will be a crime scene for another 24 hours and then you'll be allowed back in."
"You're welcome to stay here," Sam whispered to him.
"Thanks." He nodded numbly. "Yeah, I guess I'll be here for a while longer."
"Don't leave town, Mr. von Etter. There will be detectives on the case with more questions."
"I'm not going anywhere," Ty said as they retreated out of the apartment.
For a while, they sat there quietly, neither speaking. Finally, Sam reached over and touched his face. "You okay?"
"I'm numb." He said after a long moment. "I'm sad, because she was my first everything and I'll always love her, but more than that I'm scared, because I know I didn't do it and that whoever did is trying to make it look like I did."
"I know." She squeezed his hand. "But we're not going to let anyone frame you. We'll figure this out. We'll make calls, we'll get a lawyer--"
"How the hell am I going to pay a lawyer?" he interrupted. "I can't even pay my own rent! My parents still send me grocery money! I'm 28 years old and I don't have a pot to piss in--how the hell am I going to get a lawyer?!"
"We'll figure it out," she said gently. "I could lend you--"
"No!" He glared at her. "You're already doing too much--I never should have involved you, but I guess it's too late for that! You're not going to give me money. I'll get a day job, or sell a few guitars, I'll do something." He got up and started to pace. "He killed her. I can't believe he killed her." He turned and stared at Sam. "Sam, I've known Johnny my whole life, and up until about a week ago, I never would have guessed he was capable of something like this. What the hell am I going to do?"
Sam didn't have any answers for him.
To be continued...
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Some Holiday Shopping Savings Tips...
Since so many of you tell me how busy you are all the time, I thought I'd give you some of the updates on the price comparisons I've done so far this holiday season. I'll give you some of my favorite places, some deals I've found and whatever else I think might interest you.
We'll start with books... many of you out there are Stephen King lovers, so let's take "Under the Dome." It's been out for a few weeks and it's available almost everywhere. You can hit the big name stores like Barnes & Noble and pay something like $22 for it. You can hit Walmart and pay right around $19. Costco has it for $18 and change. However, if you're smart, you'll head straight to Amazon.com, find it for 14.50 and take advantage of the FREE Super Saver Shipping. You have to spend $25 to get the free shipping, but they will combine almost anything that ships from AMAZON (not one of their re-sellers) to give you the discount. If you have readers on your holiday list, always go to Amazon first.
For all you scrapbooker's on my list, there are a few products that are pretty cool this year, but some of the deals already passed on Black Friday. The Making Memories Slice machine was $89.99 at Hobby Lobby (reg. $149.99) and they had all the cartridges for $19.99 (reg. $39.99). Archiver's had a pretty good deal too; they offered it for $119.00 but you got the Sports cartridge free (reg. $39.99) so you got $190 worth of products for $119.00.
Right now one of the hot items is also the Sizzix Texture Boutique Embossing Machine. The Beginner's kit retails for $49.99 but you can get it for 34.88 at www.scrapbooking-warehouse.com. Their shipping is fairly reasonable too, although it used to be a flat rate and they don't do that anymore. You can find it all over the place, but there are really no other great deals on this. Even on Ebay it's selling for almost full price, and with shipping you might as well pick it up at your local store.
One of the hot toys this year seems to be this goofy little truck from Matchbox called Rocky the Robot Truck. There were no deals on Black Friday and the only place I've actually seen them has been at Target. They are going for full price on Ebay and while the retail price at Target is listed as 59.99, they are on Toys R Us.com at 64.99, although they're offering free shipping. I think it's a crock, so if you're looking for Rocky, try your local Target. I have yet to see them at Walmart or any other discount-type stores. I got mine the week BEFORE Thanksgiving at Target for $45.00, but I think that ship has sailed...
Now if you're already relatively frugal, you still need to keep your eye on the ball. There are a lot of sales going on everywhere. Hobby Lobby and Michaels are putting most of their Christmas-themed items (everything from trees to ornaments to wrapping paper) on sale at 40-50% off. Some of the bigger name stores like Macy's have been advertising "Friends and Family" specials with "extra 25% off everything" type deals. There are tons of coupons in the newspapers and online, and I've noticed that a lot of stores seem to be price-matching. If you see a digital key chain for $9.99 at one store, chances are you will find it at several other stores as well. No one wants to lose a customer this year, so keep your eyes open.
The only things I've noticed this year that isn't "on sale" in general is holiday-themed entertainment. The Radio City Rockettes are in town and tickets range from $45 to the $100 range, which is a lot for a family of four. Stone Mountain and popular rides-throughs like the one at Lake Lanier Islands haven't been broadcasting discounts this year either. It's sad, because the prices really make them almost prohibitive, but there's enough going on this time of year to make up for it. However, I've noticed a lot of Homeowners Associations are doing fun things this year like cookie exchanges and breakfast with Santa, so if you're looking for affordable holiday entertainment, check your local neighborhoods!
I'll have more tips and bargains for you in the coming days...
Kathy
We'll start with books... many of you out there are Stephen King lovers, so let's take "Under the Dome." It's been out for a few weeks and it's available almost everywhere. You can hit the big name stores like Barnes & Noble and pay something like $22 for it. You can hit Walmart and pay right around $19. Costco has it for $18 and change. However, if you're smart, you'll head straight to Amazon.com, find it for 14.50 and take advantage of the FREE Super Saver Shipping. You have to spend $25 to get the free shipping, but they will combine almost anything that ships from AMAZON (not one of their re-sellers) to give you the discount. If you have readers on your holiday list, always go to Amazon first.
For all you scrapbooker's on my list, there are a few products that are pretty cool this year, but some of the deals already passed on Black Friday. The Making Memories Slice machine was $89.99 at Hobby Lobby (reg. $149.99) and they had all the cartridges for $19.99 (reg. $39.99). Archiver's had a pretty good deal too; they offered it for $119.00 but you got the Sports cartridge free (reg. $39.99) so you got $190 worth of products for $119.00.
Right now one of the hot items is also the Sizzix Texture Boutique Embossing Machine. The Beginner's kit retails for $49.99 but you can get it for 34.88 at www.scrapbooking-warehouse.com. Their shipping is fairly reasonable too, although it used to be a flat rate and they don't do that anymore. You can find it all over the place, but there are really no other great deals on this. Even on Ebay it's selling for almost full price, and with shipping you might as well pick it up at your local store.
One of the hot toys this year seems to be this goofy little truck from Matchbox called Rocky the Robot Truck. There were no deals on Black Friday and the only place I've actually seen them has been at Target. They are going for full price on Ebay and while the retail price at Target is listed as 59.99, they are on Toys R Us.com at 64.99, although they're offering free shipping. I think it's a crock, so if you're looking for Rocky, try your local Target. I have yet to see them at Walmart or any other discount-type stores. I got mine the week BEFORE Thanksgiving at Target for $45.00, but I think that ship has sailed...
Now if you're already relatively frugal, you still need to keep your eye on the ball. There are a lot of sales going on everywhere. Hobby Lobby and Michaels are putting most of their Christmas-themed items (everything from trees to ornaments to wrapping paper) on sale at 40-50% off. Some of the bigger name stores like Macy's have been advertising "Friends and Family" specials with "extra 25% off everything" type deals. There are tons of coupons in the newspapers and online, and I've noticed that a lot of stores seem to be price-matching. If you see a digital key chain for $9.99 at one store, chances are you will find it at several other stores as well. No one wants to lose a customer this year, so keep your eyes open.
The only things I've noticed this year that isn't "on sale" in general is holiday-themed entertainment. The Radio City Rockettes are in town and tickets range from $45 to the $100 range, which is a lot for a family of four. Stone Mountain and popular rides-throughs like the one at Lake Lanier Islands haven't been broadcasting discounts this year either. It's sad, because the prices really make them almost prohibitive, but there's enough going on this time of year to make up for it. However, I've noticed a lot of Homeowners Associations are doing fun things this year like cookie exchanges and breakfast with Santa, so if you're looking for affordable holiday entertainment, check your local neighborhoods!
I'll have more tips and bargains for you in the coming days...
Kathy
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Grown-Up Letters to Santa...
When I was a kid, I don't remember ever writing "letters to Santa." I guess I figured out Santa wasn't real at a fairly young age, but my parents "played" Santa well enough that I never found the need to ask for anything--I usually got what I really wanted. When I got older and moved across the country, however, it got to be a joke between my parents and I, so I started writing letters to Santa that I would send them around the holidays so they would know what I wanted and/or needed.
Now that I'm married, with children of my own, I tend to continue the "Adult Santa Letter" tradition with my husband, who then passes it around to my parents, his parents and anyone else who wants to know what to buy me. Frankly, it's a lot of fun, and the family really appreciates the opportunity to buy me something I want, instead of a widget with a bow that's going to sit in the box for a year until I decide to re-gift it. Truthfully, I usually put a lot of things on my list because I don't want to KNOW what I'm getting--I do like surprises--and if I just put three or four things on there, it won't be hard to figure out what's under the tree.
So just for fun, I thought I'd put my Santa Letter on my blog this year so that the whole world will know what I want--but also so that some of you out there will post yours in the comments section as well! Maybe after the holidays we can all see how many of got what was actually on the list!
Dear Santa:
I've been a really good girl this year, volunteering at my boys' schools, getting a part-time job subbing, and taking care of everything when Kevin travels. It would make me SO happy to get a few little things on my list...
1) "U is for Undertow" by Sue Grafton
2) "Dark Horse" CD by Nickelback
3) "Use Once and Destroy" CD by Rock City Angels
4) "Fa La La" cartridge by Making Memories (for Slice Machine)
5) Slice Carry Bag
6) Archiver's Gift Card
7) KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer (in red)
8) "The Unit" Season One DVD
9) iPhone
10) Spa Gift Certificate (especially a massage!)
11) Tickets to see Bon Jovi in April
12) "Bookplate Special" by Lorna Barrett (paperback only)
13) "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Deborah Grabien
14) "Frill Kill" by Laura Childs (paperback)
15) Sizzix Texture Boutique Embossing Beginner's Kit
So there is it, my 2009 holiday wish list... from the super cheap to the fairly costly! Now post your lists and let's see what we all wish for when we're not being practical!
Until tomorrow!
--Kathy
Now that I'm married, with children of my own, I tend to continue the "Adult Santa Letter" tradition with my husband, who then passes it around to my parents, his parents and anyone else who wants to know what to buy me. Frankly, it's a lot of fun, and the family really appreciates the opportunity to buy me something I want, instead of a widget with a bow that's going to sit in the box for a year until I decide to re-gift it. Truthfully, I usually put a lot of things on my list because I don't want to KNOW what I'm getting--I do like surprises--and if I just put three or four things on there, it won't be hard to figure out what's under the tree.
So just for fun, I thought I'd put my Santa Letter on my blog this year so that the whole world will know what I want--but also so that some of you out there will post yours in the comments section as well! Maybe after the holidays we can all see how many of got what was actually on the list!
Dear Santa:
I've been a really good girl this year, volunteering at my boys' schools, getting a part-time job subbing, and taking care of everything when Kevin travels. It would make me SO happy to get a few little things on my list...
1) "U is for Undertow" by Sue Grafton
2) "Dark Horse" CD by Nickelback
3) "Use Once and Destroy" CD by Rock City Angels
4) "Fa La La" cartridge by Making Memories (for Slice Machine)
5) Slice Carry Bag
6) Archiver's Gift Card
7) KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer (in red)
8) "The Unit" Season One DVD
9) iPhone
10) Spa Gift Certificate (especially a massage!)
11) Tickets to see Bon Jovi in April
12) "Bookplate Special" by Lorna Barrett (paperback only)
13) "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Deborah Grabien
14) "Frill Kill" by Laura Childs (paperback)
15) Sizzix Texture Boutique Embossing Beginner's Kit
So there is it, my 2009 holiday wish list... from the super cheap to the fairly costly! Now post your lists and let's see what we all wish for when we're not being practical!
Until tomorrow!
--Kathy
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Those Who Can, Do; Those Who Can't...
No, I am NOT going to say "Teach" because that's just wrong! Especially now that I'm a (substitute) teacher. Teaching is just as hard as doing, and sometimes harder! But that old saying has left me wondering lately. Not because I agree with it, but because a lot of times, it's true. Musicians who are now music teachers, artists who teach elementary school, and writers (like myself) who are substitute teachers-what, exactly, are we all doing?
In my case, the reason is two-fold. First, I wanted to be home with my children when they were born, and I used the a good portion of that time earning my Bachelor's Degree, which was a long-time goal. Second, writing just doesn't bring home a steady paycheck unless you get into a full-time, often stressful, position. In the old days, getting a check for $25 and a pair of concert tickets was enough, but now, it would cost me more to pay the babysitter so I could attend the concert than anything I might get paid. And frankly, those jobs are few and far between too.
I've been told I have a fair amount of talent, and I writing is what I do and who I am at a most basic level, but at this stage in my life, I simply don't know how to to be a "do-er" in my field. So I write for my own pleasure, now I have my blog, and occasionally I do freelance work that brings in craft supplies or some other form of minimal payment. In the interim, I am a substitute teacher. Sometimes, it feels really, really good. I can work when I want, be home when I need to be, and still bring in extra cash.
Other days, it sucks, plain and simple. Not because it's a bad job, but because it's not the right job for ME. I want to write--I NEED to write--and I do write, but if no one (hardly) ever sees it, where does that leave me? I don't necessarily write for a particular reason--like money or praise or controversy--but it seems unfinished somehow to leave my works on a disc or in a box somewhere. What good is my creativity, my gift if I deign to call it that, if no one sees or reads or appreciates it?
So I guess I started to wonder... do you DO what you love or do you just do what you can? Am I selfish to believe that I should be able to do what I was born to do, or do I suck it up and just be happy that I have a husband who can support us and that I can at least dabble in my passion? Because those that can don't always do it, and those that can't sometimes do it anyway. The rest of us fall somewhere in the middle. Right? Wrong? Weigh in...
In my case, the reason is two-fold. First, I wanted to be home with my children when they were born, and I used the a good portion of that time earning my Bachelor's Degree, which was a long-time goal. Second, writing just doesn't bring home a steady paycheck unless you get into a full-time, often stressful, position. In the old days, getting a check for $25 and a pair of concert tickets was enough, but now, it would cost me more to pay the babysitter so I could attend the concert than anything I might get paid. And frankly, those jobs are few and far between too.
I've been told I have a fair amount of talent, and I writing is what I do and who I am at a most basic level, but at this stage in my life, I simply don't know how to to be a "do-er" in my field. So I write for my own pleasure, now I have my blog, and occasionally I do freelance work that brings in craft supplies or some other form of minimal payment. In the interim, I am a substitute teacher. Sometimes, it feels really, really good. I can work when I want, be home when I need to be, and still bring in extra cash.
Other days, it sucks, plain and simple. Not because it's a bad job, but because it's not the right job for ME. I want to write--I NEED to write--and I do write, but if no one (hardly) ever sees it, where does that leave me? I don't necessarily write for a particular reason--like money or praise or controversy--but it seems unfinished somehow to leave my works on a disc or in a box somewhere. What good is my creativity, my gift if I deign to call it that, if no one sees or reads or appreciates it?
So I guess I started to wonder... do you DO what you love or do you just do what you can? Am I selfish to believe that I should be able to do what I was born to do, or do I suck it up and just be happy that I have a husband who can support us and that I can at least dabble in my passion? Because those that can don't always do it, and those that can't sometimes do it anyway. The rest of us fall somewhere in the middle. Right? Wrong? Weigh in...
Monday, November 30, 2009
Fiction, Part I, Section IV...
Monday morning loomed bright and sunny. Sam rolled over and felt a surge of energy. She'd finished the two articles she'd needed to turn in and emailed them to her editor last night. Then she'd cooked a nice dinner for herself and Ty, and they'd spent the evening drinking a bottle of Merlot and going over everything he could remember about Johnny, Lynn, the band and the events of the past few weeks. At some point they'd wound up in bed, the sex simultaneously energetic and gentle. Ty had always been a bit reserved in the bedroom with her, and she'd chalked it up to the fact that he wasn't in love with her, but last night had been almost ground-breaking for him. This morning, she was still high from the after-glow.
She glanced over at him, quietly snoring, his face mostly buried under her pillow and his hair, and she smiled. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and squinted at the clock. 10:35. Not bad, considering they'd been up until after 3 a.m. She made a pot of coffee, paid a few bills that were sitting on the counter, and checked her email.
She'd eaten a bagel, changed into her gym clothes and was brushing her teeth when he padded up behind her and slid his arms around her waist.
"Good morning," he whispered against her hair.
"Hmph," she said through the toothpaste in her mouth. She spit it out and then leaned up for a kiss. "There's coffee in the kitchen, bagels in the microwave and my neighbor's newspaper on the table. I'm going to the gym and the grocery store, and I should be back in about two hours. Think you can stay out of trouble that long?"
He gave her a grin. "Sure. But what can I do around here while you're gone?"
Her eyes widened slightly and then she frowned. "Okay, who are you and what did you do with Ty? The guy I know is only good for one round in the bedroom and is usually gone before I wake up. Last night was way more than one round, and even if he did stay the night, he never, ever offered to help around the apartment. What's wrong with this picture?"
He rolled his eyes. "You really know how to ruin the moment for a guy who's trying to change," he muttered.
"I'm sorry." She leaned over and playfully kissed his cheek. "You can make the bed and clean up the coffee pot and stuff when you're done."
"Okay." He moved towards the toilet and she decided they weren't ready for that level of intimacy yet, so she yelled good bye and headed out. The minute she got in her car, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Liz's number as she turned onto Burbank Boulevard.
"Girl, where have you been?!" Liz demanded when she answered.
"I've had a house guest," Sam laughed.
"And you've been gettin' it on," Liz sighed dramatically. "When are you going to learn that casual sex with pretty musicians is only going to get your heart broken?"
"Oh, I know it, but it's so much fun while it's happening!" Sam chuckled. "Besides, Ty's being really different. I mean, he offered to clean up while I was out today. Does that sounds like the insensitive musician I occasionally get naked with?!"
"No..." Liz was truly startled. "Wow. He must be really freaked by whatever's going on with that band of his."
"Yeah." Sam sobered. "Liz, Johnny came to my apartment lookiong for him--and after I told him I was busy working on a story and hadn't seen Ty, he stood outside my door listening for a while. I saw him through the peephole!"
"He stood outside?" Liz frowned. "Girlfriend, you'd better be careful what you get yourself into. Ty's a decent guy, but you don't know what those buddies of his are capable of."
"I know. That's why I'm letting him stay for a while." Sam turned onto Ventura Boulevard and headed towards Universal City. "Anyway, I'm going to the gym--you wanna meet me?"
"I've got a casting," Liz said. "Some new TV show. I think they're looking for a five-foot white girl, but my agent said a six-foot black girl might surprise them so much they hire me!"
They both laughed before hanging up. Sam pulled into the parking lot of the gym and grabbed her towel and water bottle. She felt better after a night of good sex and some shared laughter with Liz; maybe things weren't as serious as Ty made them out to be.
After 45 minutes on the treadmill and 30 minutes doing strength training, she got a smoothie at the juice bar and then headed to the grocery store. Ty had spoken to his mother yesterday and she was sending him $200 to give Sam for groceries, so Sam had mentally planned out some healthy but inexpensive meals. Ty was still too skinny for his own good, and though his mother didn't know what was going on, Ty had told her that his rent money had been stolen so he had no money for food and that Sam would force him to eat better. Sam wasn't sure if eating well included beer and wine, but she put it in her cart anyway. After she picked up some staples like skim milk, coffee, peanut butter and pasta, she threw in a loaf of French bread, sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese, grapes and a pint of Haagen Dazs ice cream.
She'd just put everything on the check-out counter when a deep voice breathed in her ear. "Hello, Sam."
She jumped, her hand on her chest as she spun around. Her eyes widened and she stared at Johnny in shock. "You scared the shit out of me!" she sputtered, glaring at him.
"Sorry." He gave her a small smile and shrugged. "I guess you were so lost in thought you didn't hear me calling you."
She frowned. "No, I didn't."
"Cooking tonight?" he asked lightly, his eyes taking in the items laid out before them.
"I don't know," she shrugged. "But if not tonight, certainly a few nights this week."
"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked, leaning forward.
She took an involuntary step back. "No one serious. I'm dating, though. Why?"
"You're real pretty," he said softly, reaching out to brush back a curl that had escaped from her ponytail during her workout. "I always wondered about you and Ty."
"Ty and I are good friends," she said, turning towards the cashier. "But it's not really any of your business, is it?"
"Well, only if he's your boyfriend." His eyes glimmered dangerously. "But if he's not, I was thinking you might want to go out sometime."
She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "Ty and I are friends, but we date on and off, so I don't think that would be a good idea. Two guys in one band could cause problems, you know?"
"I think you'd be worth it," he said, reaching for her again.
She turned away, smiling at the cashier. "How much?" she asked, ignoring Johnny.
"It's 49.66," the teenage cashier said mildly.
Sam put fifty dollars on the counter and waited for her change. She willed her hands not to shake even though there was no doubt that they were. It took all of her willpower not to leave her groceries and take off full speed for her car, but she managed to put them back into her cart and start making her way out.
"Need help?" Johnny followed her.
"Johnny, what's going on?" Sam's temper overruled her fear and she spun around, one hand on her hip. "You've never said more than ten words to me, in two years, and suddenly you're showing up at my place without an invitation and then stalking me at the grocery store. Tell me what you want, because I don't buy this 'I-think-you're-pretty' crap. I know you dated Ty's old girlfriend Lynn when they broke up in high school, so don't play innocent with me."
"Whoa, there, little lady!" Johnny held his hands up in mock surrender. "Don't get your panties in a bunch. Maybe I went about this all wrong, but I do think you're pretty and I do want to take you out. I've always wanted to, but I thought you and Ty were together. Then when he got all pissy about the rent money he lost and missed rehearsal, I thought maybe he'd be with you. When he wasn't, it occurred to me that maybe you guys either weren't together anymore or were never together, so maybe this was my chance. I didn't mean to scare you and I'm not stalking you." He gave her a conciliatory smile. "Really. I just realized how hot I thought you were when I saw you yesterday, even without make-up and all." His voice trailed off and he looked to her for a comment.
She shook her head. "Johnny, I've seen you in clubs all over town with two, sometimes three girls at a time. I don't play that way, and really, Ty and I aren't serious, but we are together sometimes. I don't think I need you complicating my life. Especially now that you guys have an album coming out. If you have some kind of hit, you're going to have girls coming out of the woodwork, and that's not where I'm at in life."
Their eyes locked for a long moment and she could swear she saw the wheels turning inside his head. Whatever he was after, it wasn't a relationship with her, and he knew that she knew it.
"You're too smart for your own good," he said quietly. Then he turned and walked away. "But you haven't seen the last of me, Pretty Samantha," he called over his shoulder.
Sam took the long way home, driving north on Ventura, east on Van Nuys and then south on Lankershim. When she was relatively sure she didn't see any sign of Johnny or his red pick-up truck, she stopped in the parking lot of the library she frequented and called Liz's cell phone. She filled her in on what had happened and asked her to come over after her casting. Then she headed home.
Ty was sitting on the couch playing guitar when she came in, and she paused to smile at him, enjoying the picture he made with his handsome face half-covered by his hair, his long fingers caressing his acoustic guitar, and his voice strong but soft in the dimly lit apartment. The spell was broken as he looked up and put down the guitar.
"Let me help," he said moving towards her.
"Johnny was following me today," she said quickly. "Stay here. I'll be back with the rest of the groceries. You can start putting them away."
He was pacing when she returned. "He followed you?!" he demanded. "Jesus Christ, Sam! I shouldn't have gotten you involved! You have no idea how--"
"Stop!" She put a hand on his chest. "I'm fine. See? I'm all here, safe and sound. I told him that even though you and I weren't serious, we were still involved enough for me to not be comfortable dating him."
"He asked you out?!" Ty gaped at her.
"Yeah, but he's not my type." She moved against him purposefully. "You're my type."
"Sam, we need to talk--"
"Nope." She kissed him, digging her fingers in his hair and pulling him close to her. "I felt violated just talking to him--he made me feel dirty. Now I need you to make that go away. Please."
His answer was to pull her towards the bedroom.
She glanced over at him, quietly snoring, his face mostly buried under her pillow and his hair, and she smiled. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and squinted at the clock. 10:35. Not bad, considering they'd been up until after 3 a.m. She made a pot of coffee, paid a few bills that were sitting on the counter, and checked her email.
She'd eaten a bagel, changed into her gym clothes and was brushing her teeth when he padded up behind her and slid his arms around her waist.
"Good morning," he whispered against her hair.
"Hmph," she said through the toothpaste in her mouth. She spit it out and then leaned up for a kiss. "There's coffee in the kitchen, bagels in the microwave and my neighbor's newspaper on the table. I'm going to the gym and the grocery store, and I should be back in about two hours. Think you can stay out of trouble that long?"
He gave her a grin. "Sure. But what can I do around here while you're gone?"
Her eyes widened slightly and then she frowned. "Okay, who are you and what did you do with Ty? The guy I know is only good for one round in the bedroom and is usually gone before I wake up. Last night was way more than one round, and even if he did stay the night, he never, ever offered to help around the apartment. What's wrong with this picture?"
He rolled his eyes. "You really know how to ruin the moment for a guy who's trying to change," he muttered.
"I'm sorry." She leaned over and playfully kissed his cheek. "You can make the bed and clean up the coffee pot and stuff when you're done."
"Okay." He moved towards the toilet and she decided they weren't ready for that level of intimacy yet, so she yelled good bye and headed out. The minute she got in her car, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Liz's number as she turned onto Burbank Boulevard.
"Girl, where have you been?!" Liz demanded when she answered.
"I've had a house guest," Sam laughed.
"And you've been gettin' it on," Liz sighed dramatically. "When are you going to learn that casual sex with pretty musicians is only going to get your heart broken?"
"Oh, I know it, but it's so much fun while it's happening!" Sam chuckled. "Besides, Ty's being really different. I mean, he offered to clean up while I was out today. Does that sounds like the insensitive musician I occasionally get naked with?!"
"No..." Liz was truly startled. "Wow. He must be really freaked by whatever's going on with that band of his."
"Yeah." Sam sobered. "Liz, Johnny came to my apartment lookiong for him--and after I told him I was busy working on a story and hadn't seen Ty, he stood outside my door listening for a while. I saw him through the peephole!"
"He stood outside?" Liz frowned. "Girlfriend, you'd better be careful what you get yourself into. Ty's a decent guy, but you don't know what those buddies of his are capable of."
"I know. That's why I'm letting him stay for a while." Sam turned onto Ventura Boulevard and headed towards Universal City. "Anyway, I'm going to the gym--you wanna meet me?"
"I've got a casting," Liz said. "Some new TV show. I think they're looking for a five-foot white girl, but my agent said a six-foot black girl might surprise them so much they hire me!"
They both laughed before hanging up. Sam pulled into the parking lot of the gym and grabbed her towel and water bottle. She felt better after a night of good sex and some shared laughter with Liz; maybe things weren't as serious as Ty made them out to be.
After 45 minutes on the treadmill and 30 minutes doing strength training, she got a smoothie at the juice bar and then headed to the grocery store. Ty had spoken to his mother yesterday and she was sending him $200 to give Sam for groceries, so Sam had mentally planned out some healthy but inexpensive meals. Ty was still too skinny for his own good, and though his mother didn't know what was going on, Ty had told her that his rent money had been stolen so he had no money for food and that Sam would force him to eat better. Sam wasn't sure if eating well included beer and wine, but she put it in her cart anyway. After she picked up some staples like skim milk, coffee, peanut butter and pasta, she threw in a loaf of French bread, sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese, grapes and a pint of Haagen Dazs ice cream.
She'd just put everything on the check-out counter when a deep voice breathed in her ear. "Hello, Sam."
She jumped, her hand on her chest as she spun around. Her eyes widened and she stared at Johnny in shock. "You scared the shit out of me!" she sputtered, glaring at him.
"Sorry." He gave her a small smile and shrugged. "I guess you were so lost in thought you didn't hear me calling you."
She frowned. "No, I didn't."
"Cooking tonight?" he asked lightly, his eyes taking in the items laid out before them.
"I don't know," she shrugged. "But if not tonight, certainly a few nights this week."
"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked, leaning forward.
She took an involuntary step back. "No one serious. I'm dating, though. Why?"
"You're real pretty," he said softly, reaching out to brush back a curl that had escaped from her ponytail during her workout. "I always wondered about you and Ty."
"Ty and I are good friends," she said, turning towards the cashier. "But it's not really any of your business, is it?"
"Well, only if he's your boyfriend." His eyes glimmered dangerously. "But if he's not, I was thinking you might want to go out sometime."
She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "Ty and I are friends, but we date on and off, so I don't think that would be a good idea. Two guys in one band could cause problems, you know?"
"I think you'd be worth it," he said, reaching for her again.
She turned away, smiling at the cashier. "How much?" she asked, ignoring Johnny.
"It's 49.66," the teenage cashier said mildly.
Sam put fifty dollars on the counter and waited for her change. She willed her hands not to shake even though there was no doubt that they were. It took all of her willpower not to leave her groceries and take off full speed for her car, but she managed to put them back into her cart and start making her way out.
"Need help?" Johnny followed her.
"Johnny, what's going on?" Sam's temper overruled her fear and she spun around, one hand on her hip. "You've never said more than ten words to me, in two years, and suddenly you're showing up at my place without an invitation and then stalking me at the grocery store. Tell me what you want, because I don't buy this 'I-think-you're-pretty' crap. I know you dated Ty's old girlfriend Lynn when they broke up in high school, so don't play innocent with me."
"Whoa, there, little lady!" Johnny held his hands up in mock surrender. "Don't get your panties in a bunch. Maybe I went about this all wrong, but I do think you're pretty and I do want to take you out. I've always wanted to, but I thought you and Ty were together. Then when he got all pissy about the rent money he lost and missed rehearsal, I thought maybe he'd be with you. When he wasn't, it occurred to me that maybe you guys either weren't together anymore or were never together, so maybe this was my chance. I didn't mean to scare you and I'm not stalking you." He gave her a conciliatory smile. "Really. I just realized how hot I thought you were when I saw you yesterday, even without make-up and all." His voice trailed off and he looked to her for a comment.
She shook her head. "Johnny, I've seen you in clubs all over town with two, sometimes three girls at a time. I don't play that way, and really, Ty and I aren't serious, but we are together sometimes. I don't think I need you complicating my life. Especially now that you guys have an album coming out. If you have some kind of hit, you're going to have girls coming out of the woodwork, and that's not where I'm at in life."
Their eyes locked for a long moment and she could swear she saw the wheels turning inside his head. Whatever he was after, it wasn't a relationship with her, and he knew that she knew it.
"You're too smart for your own good," he said quietly. Then he turned and walked away. "But you haven't seen the last of me, Pretty Samantha," he called over his shoulder.
Sam took the long way home, driving north on Ventura, east on Van Nuys and then south on Lankershim. When she was relatively sure she didn't see any sign of Johnny or his red pick-up truck, she stopped in the parking lot of the library she frequented and called Liz's cell phone. She filled her in on what had happened and asked her to come over after her casting. Then she headed home.
Ty was sitting on the couch playing guitar when she came in, and she paused to smile at him, enjoying the picture he made with his handsome face half-covered by his hair, his long fingers caressing his acoustic guitar, and his voice strong but soft in the dimly lit apartment. The spell was broken as he looked up and put down the guitar.
"Let me help," he said moving towards her.
"Johnny was following me today," she said quickly. "Stay here. I'll be back with the rest of the groceries. You can start putting them away."
He was pacing when she returned. "He followed you?!" he demanded. "Jesus Christ, Sam! I shouldn't have gotten you involved! You have no idea how--"
"Stop!" She put a hand on his chest. "I'm fine. See? I'm all here, safe and sound. I told him that even though you and I weren't serious, we were still involved enough for me to not be comfortable dating him."
"He asked you out?!" Ty gaped at her.
"Yeah, but he's not my type." She moved against him purposefully. "You're my type."
"Sam, we need to talk--"
"Nope." She kissed him, digging her fingers in his hair and pulling him close to her. "I felt violated just talking to him--he made me feel dirty. Now I need you to make that go away. Please."
His answer was to pull her towards the bedroom.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
25 Days of Christmas Challenge!
Hello Everyone... I'm really a slacker here on this blog. I know it, and you know it, but you're probably too polite to say so! So I'm challenging myself to post every single day for the 25 days of December leading up to and including Christmas Day (although that post might be a short one!).
I don't "do" New Year's resolutions, but I do like challenges and I really like giving myself something to work towards, so this is it. However, since I'm doing it on my blog, and I really want to encourage everyone to come here regularly--kind of like checking the daily newspaper but not for what's going on in the world--I've got a challenge for YOU guys as well. On December 25th, when I post my final blog of the challenge, I will select one winner who has A) visited and left comments on my blog during the challenge, B) encouraged, critiqued and/or challenged me in those comments, and C) brought me at least one new follower...
The prize is going to be a simple RAK (Random Act of Kindness) but I can't tell you what it will be because this is a unique blog in that I don't have just ONE theme, but I write fiction, talk about scrapbooking, do music reviews, and a lot more. So the prize will depend on WHO the winner is. It might be a homemade CD of songs I'm listening to that I think you might like, a paperback I've read that's interesting, a scrapbooking item, or even a stocking stuffer-type item.
In the meantime, the challenge officially starts Tuesday, December 1st and I will have at least one post on each of the topics that I love... music, scrapbooking, the ongoing fiction story, life here in the suburbs, and couponing. Everything else is a crap shoot, but there will be one every single day. I hope.
And here's the fun part: If I drop the ball and miss a day--assuming there is no serious tragedy, God forbid--then I will allow YOU GUYS to post about whatever you want on my blog... you can have a whole day/post to talk about whatever you like. Deal?
Okay, so today is Saturday, November 28th and there are three days until we begin. I'm going to get started right now, though, to get a jump on things since this IS a super busy time of year! (And you might even get some bonus points if you post a comment on THIS post...)
--Kathy
I don't "do" New Year's resolutions, but I do like challenges and I really like giving myself something to work towards, so this is it. However, since I'm doing it on my blog, and I really want to encourage everyone to come here regularly--kind of like checking the daily newspaper but not for what's going on in the world--I've got a challenge for YOU guys as well. On December 25th, when I post my final blog of the challenge, I will select one winner who has A) visited and left comments on my blog during the challenge, B) encouraged, critiqued and/or challenged me in those comments, and C) brought me at least one new follower...
The prize is going to be a simple RAK (Random Act of Kindness) but I can't tell you what it will be because this is a unique blog in that I don't have just ONE theme, but I write fiction, talk about scrapbooking, do music reviews, and a lot more. So the prize will depend on WHO the winner is. It might be a homemade CD of songs I'm listening to that I think you might like, a paperback I've read that's interesting, a scrapbooking item, or even a stocking stuffer-type item.
In the meantime, the challenge officially starts Tuesday, December 1st and I will have at least one post on each of the topics that I love... music, scrapbooking, the ongoing fiction story, life here in the suburbs, and couponing. Everything else is a crap shoot, but there will be one every single day. I hope.
And here's the fun part: If I drop the ball and miss a day--assuming there is no serious tragedy, God forbid--then I will allow YOU GUYS to post about whatever you want on my blog... you can have a whole day/post to talk about whatever you like. Deal?
Okay, so today is Saturday, November 28th and there are three days until we begin. I'm going to get started right now, though, to get a jump on things since this IS a super busy time of year! (And you might even get some bonus points if you post a comment on THIS post...)
--Kathy
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Fiction, Part I, Section 3*
They talked most of the night, but neither of them could put their finger on specifically what was going on. It boiled down to a few unexplainable events that made Ty nervous and merely confused Sam: a missing money order meant to pay his share of the rent, a brand new carton of milk that was suddenly sour, and a strange, almost desperate long distance call from Lynn, begging him to come home to Minnesota, something she'd never done before. Ty had been in a meeting with their band's manager when the phone call came, so he'd told her he'd call her back, but that had been three days ago and he hadn't been able to reach her.
Sometime near dawn, they fell into a restless but platonic sleep in Sam's waterbed. She tossed and turned, but after a while she could tell by his steady breathing that he was finally resting. In the moonlight, she studied his profile for a while and had to force herself not to touch his face. So handsome, yet so troubled, she thought sadly. A great guy who couldn't seem to catch a break in his life, both personally and professionally. She longed to wrap her arms around him, tell him she'd fix everything, and take over his life. The thought made her smile, because she knew he would balk just as surely as she knew she would never do it, but part of her really wanted to. He was not the kind of man she pictured herself with in the future, but sometimes it seemed easier to try to fix a guy that already existed than to wait for a knight in shining armor to come riding into her life at some unknown time.
Full of curiosity and strange longings, she finally fell asleep.
When she finally woke up, it was close to noon and she was alone. She rolled over, stretched and eased herself onto the side of the bed. She could hear someone in the kitchen and she smiled to herself, wondering if Ty could cook or make coffee. When it came to practical things, like changing the tire of a car or grocery shopping, Ty didn't have a lot of common sense.
After using the bathroom to pull her hair into a ponytail, brush her teeth and wash her face, she found him at her small kitchen table, a phone book in front of him and his cell phone at his ear.
"--I know, Mrs. K," he was saying. "But I'm worried about her. She called me when I was in a meeting, and she sounded really upset, but I haven't been able to reach her so I thought... yes, ma'm, I know, but if you would just--" He rolled his eyes but took a deep breath. Finally, he thanked her and hung up. "Ignorant old bat!" he muttered, looking up at Sam with a smile. "Good morning!"
"Good morning." She pulled a mug down from the cabinet and poured a cup of the coffee he'd made, hoping for the best. "Who was that?"
"Lynn's mom!" he shook his head. "It's not like her to not take my calls, but that's what her mom told me, that she was finally growing a backbone and letting me know she was done with me."
"Any possibility that's true?"
"Maybe." he shrugged. "But she sounded really upset, and in my last message, I just told her I was worried, and even if she didn't want to talk to me, just send me a text to let me know she's okay."
"And no word at all?" Sam frowned. She'd met Lynn once, and she'd seemed like a quiet, intelligent woman who still carried a torch for her high school sweetheart. She was an elementary school teacher, so it wasn't like she had the freedom to just drop off the face of the earth. That gave Sam an idea. "You could call her work Monday."
"Yeah." He sighed. "She's just never done this before. No matter how much of a fight we've had, she always picks up when I call."
"You think this is related to what's going on with Johnny?" she asked, taking a surprisingly delicious sip of coffee.
He nodded. "He's trying to distract me from something else by giving me stupid shit to think about--missing rent checks, stressed out ex-girlfriends..." He fixed his blue eyes on her and blinked. "I think he just wants me out of the band."
"He can't write all those songs himself!" she laughed. "And no one gets the girls to come to the shows like you do... besides, you own the name, don't you?"
He nodded. "Yeah, but that's easy. He could add an "e" to the end or put "the" at the beginning. That's the least of his worries."
Sam propped herself against the counter and cocked her head. "Ty, you know I'll do anything to help you, but you're not giving me anything concrete."
"If I had something concrete, I'd be doing something instead of just worrying about it!" he snapped. Then he sighed. "Sorry. I'm a little on edge."
"Well, I've got work to do today so I'm going to turn on the computer and--" She was interrupted by a brisk knock on the door. They looked at each other and Ty immediately stood up and tip-toed to the door.
His eyes widened as he looked out, and he gaped at her. "It's Johnny!" he mouthed.
Sam grabbed his sneakers and threw them into the coat closet, while Ty grabbed his wallet and keys off the kitchen counter. "Into my bathroom," she whispered. "Close the door and don't come out." She mussed her hair a little and walked to the door. "Who is it?" she called.
"Um, Sam, it's me, Johnny Kranston."
"Johnny?" She opened the door a crack and forced herself to smile, despite her heart slamming in her chest. "What are you doing here? How do you know where I live?"
"You're in the phone book." He gave her a disarming smile so guileless she almost wondered if Ty was imagining things. "I'm really sorry to bother you on a Sunday morning, but I'm worried about Ty and wondered if you'd seen him."
"Actually, I saw him at the Rainbow last night," she said, with a frown. "But he was in a hurry and we only talked for a minute before he took off."
"I haven't seen him since rehearsal Thursday night," he said, leaning forward as though hinting at being invited in. "And we've got rehearsal tonight, so I'm a little worried."
"Gosh, that's not like him," she said earnestly. "But I don't know what to tell you. If he calls, which he probably won't, I'll tell him you're looking for him."
"Um, okay." Johnny looked a little surprised that she was dismissing him. "You okay, Sam?"
"Yeah, I've just got a deadline and I drank too much last night." She gave him a lopsided smile. "You know how it is."
"Yeah, I do. Well, thanks anyway." He looked past her for a moment, gave her another winning smile, and then turned away. She shut the door, locked it and then leaned against it, waiting for her heart to still. Finally, she peeked out the peephole and jumped back, startled that he was still standing there, apparently listening against the door.
With a gasp, she tip-toed across the room, went into the bathroom, shut the door and then flushed the toilet. She threw herself against Ty and clutched his shoulders. "You're not kidding, Ty. Something is definitely up; he's still standing by the door!"
"Shit, shit, shit." Ty wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his nose in her hair. "Oh, God, Sam, I'm sorry I got you involved in this. I just didn't know where else to go."
"It's okay." She breathed against his chest. "We're going to figure this out. I promise."
To Be Continued...
*Disclaimer: This story is pure fiction. I'm writing it because I love fiction and mysteries and writing and all that goes with it. I'm going to write installments no more than twice a week (sometimes less) until no one is interested in reading it anymore. No outline, no pre-conceived plot or characters. I'm writing this soap opera style, with an ongoing storyline and characters that "build themselves." I will be using my experiences in the music business, the legal business, as a writer, as a mom, celebrities I've met, etc., but none of them will be real. I will also be using some of my favorite names, but they do NOT represent REAL PEOPLE. I know at least 8 or 9 musicians named Mark in real life--but the Mark in this story is not any of them! Names are names, nothing more. If you don't like the story, that's okay, but please don't get up in arms if I make a reference about Mick Jagger being too skinny or Pamela Anderson's breasts being too big--this is all for fun. Thanks for reading!
Sometime near dawn, they fell into a restless but platonic sleep in Sam's waterbed. She tossed and turned, but after a while she could tell by his steady breathing that he was finally resting. In the moonlight, she studied his profile for a while and had to force herself not to touch his face. So handsome, yet so troubled, she thought sadly. A great guy who couldn't seem to catch a break in his life, both personally and professionally. She longed to wrap her arms around him, tell him she'd fix everything, and take over his life. The thought made her smile, because she knew he would balk just as surely as she knew she would never do it, but part of her really wanted to. He was not the kind of man she pictured herself with in the future, but sometimes it seemed easier to try to fix a guy that already existed than to wait for a knight in shining armor to come riding into her life at some unknown time.
Full of curiosity and strange longings, she finally fell asleep.
When she finally woke up, it was close to noon and she was alone. She rolled over, stretched and eased herself onto the side of the bed. She could hear someone in the kitchen and she smiled to herself, wondering if Ty could cook or make coffee. When it came to practical things, like changing the tire of a car or grocery shopping, Ty didn't have a lot of common sense.
After using the bathroom to pull her hair into a ponytail, brush her teeth and wash her face, she found him at her small kitchen table, a phone book in front of him and his cell phone at his ear.
"--I know, Mrs. K," he was saying. "But I'm worried about her. She called me when I was in a meeting, and she sounded really upset, but I haven't been able to reach her so I thought... yes, ma'm, I know, but if you would just--" He rolled his eyes but took a deep breath. Finally, he thanked her and hung up. "Ignorant old bat!" he muttered, looking up at Sam with a smile. "Good morning!"
"Good morning." She pulled a mug down from the cabinet and poured a cup of the coffee he'd made, hoping for the best. "Who was that?"
"Lynn's mom!" he shook his head. "It's not like her to not take my calls, but that's what her mom told me, that she was finally growing a backbone and letting me know she was done with me."
"Any possibility that's true?"
"Maybe." he shrugged. "But she sounded really upset, and in my last message, I just told her I was worried, and even if she didn't want to talk to me, just send me a text to let me know she's okay."
"And no word at all?" Sam frowned. She'd met Lynn once, and she'd seemed like a quiet, intelligent woman who still carried a torch for her high school sweetheart. She was an elementary school teacher, so it wasn't like she had the freedom to just drop off the face of the earth. That gave Sam an idea. "You could call her work Monday."
"Yeah." He sighed. "She's just never done this before. No matter how much of a fight we've had, she always picks up when I call."
"You think this is related to what's going on with Johnny?" she asked, taking a surprisingly delicious sip of coffee.
He nodded. "He's trying to distract me from something else by giving me stupid shit to think about--missing rent checks, stressed out ex-girlfriends..." He fixed his blue eyes on her and blinked. "I think he just wants me out of the band."
"He can't write all those songs himself!" she laughed. "And no one gets the girls to come to the shows like you do... besides, you own the name, don't you?"
He nodded. "Yeah, but that's easy. He could add an "e" to the end or put "the" at the beginning. That's the least of his worries."
Sam propped herself against the counter and cocked her head. "Ty, you know I'll do anything to help you, but you're not giving me anything concrete."
"If I had something concrete, I'd be doing something instead of just worrying about it!" he snapped. Then he sighed. "Sorry. I'm a little on edge."
"Well, I've got work to do today so I'm going to turn on the computer and--" She was interrupted by a brisk knock on the door. They looked at each other and Ty immediately stood up and tip-toed to the door.
His eyes widened as he looked out, and he gaped at her. "It's Johnny!" he mouthed.
Sam grabbed his sneakers and threw them into the coat closet, while Ty grabbed his wallet and keys off the kitchen counter. "Into my bathroom," she whispered. "Close the door and don't come out." She mussed her hair a little and walked to the door. "Who is it?" she called.
"Um, Sam, it's me, Johnny Kranston."
"Johnny?" She opened the door a crack and forced herself to smile, despite her heart slamming in her chest. "What are you doing here? How do you know where I live?"
"You're in the phone book." He gave her a disarming smile so guileless she almost wondered if Ty was imagining things. "I'm really sorry to bother you on a Sunday morning, but I'm worried about Ty and wondered if you'd seen him."
"Actually, I saw him at the Rainbow last night," she said, with a frown. "But he was in a hurry and we only talked for a minute before he took off."
"I haven't seen him since rehearsal Thursday night," he said, leaning forward as though hinting at being invited in. "And we've got rehearsal tonight, so I'm a little worried."
"Gosh, that's not like him," she said earnestly. "But I don't know what to tell you. If he calls, which he probably won't, I'll tell him you're looking for him."
"Um, okay." Johnny looked a little surprised that she was dismissing him. "You okay, Sam?"
"Yeah, I've just got a deadline and I drank too much last night." She gave him a lopsided smile. "You know how it is."
"Yeah, I do. Well, thanks anyway." He looked past her for a moment, gave her another winning smile, and then turned away. She shut the door, locked it and then leaned against it, waiting for her heart to still. Finally, she peeked out the peephole and jumped back, startled that he was still standing there, apparently listening against the door.
With a gasp, she tip-toed across the room, went into the bathroom, shut the door and then flushed the toilet. She threw herself against Ty and clutched his shoulders. "You're not kidding, Ty. Something is definitely up; he's still standing by the door!"
"Shit, shit, shit." Ty wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his nose in her hair. "Oh, God, Sam, I'm sorry I got you involved in this. I just didn't know where else to go."
"It's okay." She breathed against his chest. "We're going to figure this out. I promise."
To Be Continued...
*Disclaimer: This story is pure fiction. I'm writing it because I love fiction and mysteries and writing and all that goes with it. I'm going to write installments no more than twice a week (sometimes less) until no one is interested in reading it anymore. No outline, no pre-conceived plot or characters. I'm writing this soap opera style, with an ongoing storyline and characters that "build themselves." I will be using my experiences in the music business, the legal business, as a writer, as a mom, celebrities I've met, etc., but none of them will be real. I will also be using some of my favorite names, but they do NOT represent REAL PEOPLE. I know at least 8 or 9 musicians named Mark in real life--but the Mark in this story is not any of them! Names are names, nothing more. If you don't like the story, that's okay, but please don't get up in arms if I make a reference about Mick Jagger being too skinny or Pamela Anderson's breasts being too big--this is all for fun. Thanks for reading!
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