Over the next few days, Connor and I either texted or called each other to check-in. We never discussed dating, but we did talk a whole lot about his solo album. He was planning an all-acoustic sound with guest collaborators to round out the vocals, and I was one of them.
James didn't call me or even try to reach out, which hurt my feelings. I tried to keep my mind off of him by throwing myself into being a mom and practicing my set whenever I had time to myself (which wasn't often.)
Maddy was getting better incrementally, but it would be months before she was one hundred percent again. Her breathing was still labored at best and she was a lethargic shadow of her former sparky self. It took nearly all of my time, emotions and sanity to not worry when she had a coughing fit that racked her entire body into tiny convulsions.
Mrs. Yow re-arranged everyone's work schedule to give me another full week off. Missing my shifts was going to really hurt my budget, but this was the big week of the concert, and things were getting complicated.
By the time Monday rolled around, I was a walking exposed nerve.
Lindsey had been calling me non-stop since Saturday because Briana had suddenly quit. With each ring of my phone, Lindsey's lucidity and patience seemed to dwindle while she rattled off information at top speed. I tried to keep track of all the directions she was throwing at me by taking notes, but her accent was obstructive.
At one point I'd written down: 'Pack for a coma, cats will be there.' The first part of that note was referring to the five nights I would have to stay in Tacoma for the concerts. The second half was a mystery.
Starting on Tuesday, I was to work with a coach to stage my opening set. I was only supposed to perform two songs originally, but the fan-frenzy that Miles and I had stirred up, changed that. Now, I was going to sing three songs (minimum), with the possibility of a special collaboration with Ninja Bear. By Wednesday, we were going to be in all-day rehearsals up until our Thursday night concert, the first of three.
My mom magnanimously volunteered to take six whole days off while I stayed overnight in Tacoma to rehearse and perform. The last time my mom took that much time off work was for her honeymoon, and caring for an ailing three-year-old wasn't exactly a vacation. The only compensation my mom told me that she would accept, was a groveling apology to James after the craziness had died down.
"Where're you going?" Maddy asked me over and over as she watched me throw random clothes into a bag.
"Mommy's going on a trip," I told her while scrounging for clean socks and underwear. "It's only for a little while."
"Can I go?" Was the heartbreaking question to inevitably follow.
By the time a fancy looking black car had pulled into our driveway, I was having anxiety attacks over being separated from my daughter for so long. I'd never spent a night away from Maddy, and six whole days seemed like a lifetime. Even her raspberry kisses and darling goodbyes weren't enough to calm me down.
As soon as Katz (my driver) shut the door behind me, I fell apart. Thankfully, the patrician was up, so I was alone to blubber and snort until I was all cried out. Four hours later, I was dumped in front of Lindsey's devastating Louis Vuitton shoes.
"Good lord!" She exclaimed as soon as she saw my puffy cry-face. "What happened to you?!"
"Bad morning," I mumbled into my chest as I hefted my duffel bag out of the back of the car.
"Well, stiff upper lip!" She told me, breezing ahead into the double glass doors of one of the most incredible hotels I'd ever seen. "Rehearsals start in two hours and Nikki will not tolerate a hangover."
I chose to ignore her assumption and opted to stare like a goon at our gorgeous surroundings.
A twinkling waterfall poured down fitted slate stones on either side of the doors, making it feel as if we were walking into an expensive spa. Inside, the tributaries of gold running through the marble floors reflected the light from ethereal blown glass sculptures dripping from the ceiling. Fountains gurgled from chiseled mineral sculptures and a grand player piano tickled its own ivories from behind a forest of potted greenery.
Lindsey breezed past the front desk, and the click of her heels echoed into the cavernous ceiling. I scuttled behind her, dragging my enormous gym bag into the spacious elevator.
My room was bigger than the entire first floor of our house, with two king-sized beds and a bathroom to make the Queen of England jealous. I was left alone to speechlessly wander around while Lindsey touched-base with the band. I wanted to ask whether Connor had arrived from LA, but kept my lips sealed, heeding his sage advice.
Instead, I flopped down on the cushy couch and flipped on the TV to browse the channels mindlessly. When I was much younger, visiting my grandparents meant having unencumbered access to over twenty channels. Cable TV today consists of more channels than anyone could ever watch and enough inane content to rot every brain in America, and I was going to take advantage of it.
While channel surfing, I caught sight of some grainy cell-phone footage of Miles partying in a dirty bar. I'd landed on some noisy Hollywood gossip show.
I turned up the volume to hear the VJ shouting about a drunken bar brawl over the weekend that resulted in thousands of dollars in property damage. A shaky series of different clips ensued while the host narrated a melodramatic blow-up between Miles, Stephanie, and an unnamed woman.
The unnamed brunette flew past the camera holding up a thin, bronzed arm up to block her face. My jaw nearly hit the floor when I noticed a few of the spangled bracelets that Briana was wearing the day we'd met. I couldn't be sure, but it seemed that Lindsey's wayward assistant had been at the center of the insanity this past weekend.
A light rapping dragged me out of my stupor and I made my way to the door.
"Hey!" Connor's magnetic smile brought a wave of relief.
"Hi!" I replied widening the crack I'd left.
"I can't come in, I just wanted to check on you," he informed me.
I could help but drink in his well-proportioned chest in a deep V-neck t-shirt. His worn brown leather jacket and ripped jeans coupled with a few pieces of silver jewelry made him look every bit the rock star he was. Behind him was a small black rolling suitcase.
"Lindsey is hunting me down." He sniggered when he saw me stare at his bag. "You look nice."
A smile broke across my face because I knew that was patently untrue. "So do you. You look nice, I mean."
Connor chuckled nervously, casting his dreamy eyes to the floor and rubbing the back of the beanie covering his hair.
"What are you doing tonight?" He asked.
"Probably ordering room service and video calling Maddy." I shrugged.
"Want to write together for a couple of hours?" He offered with a hopeful edge to his voice.
"Connor!" Lindsey's sharp tone sliced through our stolen moment. "I've been looking everywhere for you! What are you playing at? I-"
She stopped short when she caught sight of me. Her eyes bounced between us, taking in what she had stumbled upon.
"Lindsey, I was just looking for you." Connor fibbed.
"In Mimi's room?" She retorted quickly. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"
"Briana must have given him the wrong room number," I timidly supplied false evidence to try and throw her off.
"Really?" Lindsey sniffed dismissively.
"Weird," I answered.
"Fine," she conceded after studying my face. "Connor, you're in five-oh-three down the hall. Blocking in two hours."
"Where's Miles staying?" Connor asked coolly.
"In five-oh-eight," Lindsey replied, matching his unruffled mien. "Why?"
"Just curious." He said with a nod. "Do you have my key card?"
Lindsey produced Connor's key and he gave us a casual wave before he turned to walk away.
"Mimi, I'm going to send you over to rehearsal early. Nikki wants to start right away." Lindsey was watching me suspiciously, still trying to discern the truth in my blank expression.
"Sure," I replied, glancing down at my ratty jeans and knotted t-shirt. "I'll grab my guitar."
"We have instruments at the space." She said sarcastically.
"But you don't have my guitar," I stood my ground.
"Whatever. I'm running late, can you just grab it?" She scoffed.
"As you wish," I agreed, retreating back into my room for a brief reprieve.
Nikki was a high-strung woman with an entourage of glamorous people, whose sole purpose was to make me look better. I was taught how to walk out onto the massive stage with charisma and I was drilled in personality plays for hours on end.
They liked my introverted style, and I even got a round of applause when I finished playing, but they ultimately determined that I couldn't be up on stage alone.
For hours Nikki and her crew scrambled to get me a backup cello and a pianist to accompany me during the concerts. The addition of two more musicians threw a whole new dynamic into their carefully timed set, which meant staying late.
Hours after I would have liked, I stumbled back into my hotel room. Maddy had been tucked into bed long ago and my mom had sent me a photo of her sound asleep. I was staring at the image intently when the phone next to the desk blared.
"Hello?" I greeted the receiver.
"Oh good, you're still up!" Miles' drawled in his captivating accent. "What're you up to love?"
My hopes fell a little when I recognized his voice. I'd secretly wanted it to be Connor on the other end.
"Oh big plans, I was about to order dinner and fall asleep watching bad TV," I told him with a laugh.
"Want to have a sing-along with me and the lads?" He offered. "We've got catering and booze aplenty."
"Uh, do you have a Coke?" I hedged.
Internally, I was wrestling with the idea. I wanted to see Connor, for sure, but I didn't necessarily want to see him along with all the other members of Ninja Bear.
"No, but I can get some. I like your style, merrow," He laughed deucedly. "Just come down to five-oh-eight."
Slowly, I gathered myself up along with my room key before heading down the hall. We were all staying on the same level (Lindsey and her crew had managed to book the entire floor for privacy), but the boys were on the opposite side of the building from me.
What do you think 'singalong' is code for? Oh, and who (wasn't) surprised that Briana suddenly quit?! I mean c'mon, there was something going on with her...and you're going to find out what!
More juicy secrets and crazy shenanigans to come!