Five Years of Fame [COMPLETE]

5. A Call Home

Winter, Year 2, Month 11

Reeve jumped when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She slid her headphones off as the overhead lights turned on and Anton walked towards her from the studio entrance.

"You scared me." Reeve did her best to cover up her heavy breathing but couldn't settle her suddenly pounding heartbeat.

"You really didn't hear me come in?"

Anton leaned against the back of the opposite large leather chair, a companion to the one Reeve had settled herself into earlier in the evening.

"No. I didn't."

Reeve sat up straight from the lazy slouched position the long hours of sitting and staring out the window had slid her into.

"What are you doing here? It's late."

Anton's real concern was the first question, not the time. Reeve could tell he was still getting used to her showing up at random hours at his recording studio. Sure, it was under the pretense of writing but Anton had yet to hear a single lyric.

"I should be asking you the same question. Are you suppose to be heading home?"

Reeve's attempts at deflecting Anton's concerns didn't work but he seemed to accept that she was, in fact, okay.

"I just had to grab something. I didn't give you a key to this place just so you could squat here while I'm out of town."

It certainly looked like that's what was happening. Reeve followed Anton's gaze to the mess around her. She had done a pretty good job making herself at home with notebooks, pens, pencils, a jacket, and even a throw blanket Anton kept in the studio strewn about her.

"I guess it does look like I'm living here, doesn't it? But hey! I made it out of the house. That should count for something."

After nearly three months of sitting by her pool, sleeping, and staring out her bedroom window, Reeve had had enough energy to become desperate for a change of scene. If she came to the studio, it at least gave Jon the impression that she was starting work on her next album.

Anton nodded as if he too counted this as an accomplishment. Reeve was out of bed, dressed, she had even gotten in a car and driven herself the whole fifteen minutes it took to get from her house to the studio. That was a win in his eyes.

"You know, I've got time before my flight. When was the last time you ate? Do you want to go get some dinner?"

"You're starting to sound like Kelly."

Anton laughed but didn't defend himself.

"I'm fine. Thanks. I don't want you to be late for your flight. I know how excited you are to see your family for the holidays."

Anton sighed and Reeve could hear for the first time the toll the last few weeks had taken on him. Kelly refused to show even a hint of weariness around Reeve but that didn't mean Reeve didn't know it was there. She had threatened to fire Kelly if she didn't go home for the holidays.

"Yeah. I can't wait."

Anton's smile faded and his mind returned from across the country when he noticed the awkward silence that had descended between them.

"You know, you can always come with me. My mom would love to meet you and you and Gran Kaufman would have no problem getting along."

Reeve shook off his answer and looked out to the dark city beyond the studio window.

"Thanks. Really. I appreciate the offer but I'm good. Staying here in LA is for the best. I need to get some writing done if we're ever going to get this album finished. The quiet will be good."