by Brian Cain
CHAPTER FOUR
Jason walked in to the sprawling second floor lounge of his father’s house with Malinda, hand in hand. “Dad I’ve brought someone with me who may be a bit of a surprise,” Jason turned and looked into Malinda’s eyes. “I think you’re going to have to get used to it as well,” he said with a broad smile.
Jason’s father lowered his newspaper and looked across the top of his glasses at the figure accompanying Jason. His lean, short, framework was encased in hand tailored clothes, his white hair reflecting sunlight from the window. He thought for a few seconds before admitting he had no idea who she was.
“Her name begins with M and she used to live opposite us.”
“Malinda!” Jason’s father interrupted as he got up and embraced her, “I was only talking to your father yesterday on the phone. He mentioned you’d taken off somewhere. He seemed to be worried.”
“I must ring him and let him know where I am,” she replied with a smile, a nonchalant approach to ease his mind, it worked.
“Please come and sit down and have a good chat,” said Jason’s father as he led her to one of the leather lounge chairs. “There are a couple of gentleman at your rehearsal room Jason, they have been there for an hour or so and said you were expecting them. You can leave Malinda with me for a while so you can get on with whatever you have to do; I haven't seen her for so long.”
Jason lent over and kissed Malinda’s lips.
“When he’s bored you to death, which will be in about ten minutes, come and see if we are doing any good,” Jason replied and made his way down the stairs. Out the large double rear doors around the pool and up the track towards the large iron shed, under the towering gum trees on the side of the hill. As he got closer he could hear a thundering bass and drums working in perfect time together. He stopped and listened for a few seconds, then quickened his pace, encouraged by what he was hearing. The playing stopped as he walked in the door and Vic the drummer immediately rose to his feet and held out his hand.
“Good to see you again Jason it’s been a long time. Couple of years I reckon,” they shook hands as Vic went on. “This is Brad on bass, we got here early and your father let us in. We met last night at a show in town and when we got talking found out we were both coming here today. Wouldn’t read about it would you?”
“Nice to meet you,” Jason said turning and shaking hands with Brad, “You guys are sounding really tight and obviously getting on well, I’ll go and get my gear. It’s in the car by the house, I won’t be a sec.”
“We can give you a hand to bring it in,” said Brad.
Jason walked briskly down the track to retrieve his car, reversed in close to the door and they began to unload his amplifier from amongst Malinda’s suitcases.
“You moving house or something with all these cases?” enquired Vic.
“No, they belong to my girlfriend. She’s just moved here from Sydney,” replied Jason.
“I thought you had mobs of girlfriends.”
“Not as of yesterday,” Jason said gently lowering his amplifier onto the carpet inside the shed.
“Must be some doll for you to do that! I’ve seen you with every good looker in town,” Vic replied as he sat down behind his drums.
Jason knew that Malinda was what he had waited for, so rather than get into a conversation that Vic wouldn’t believe he changed the subject, asking Vic about his drum kit and including Brad in the conversation while he tuned his guitar and adjusted the sound of his amp. They talked for a few minutes with Brad explaining about the difference of the borrowed equipment he was using compared with his own and Jason turned on the PA and tested the volume with a loud, “one, two,” through the vocal mic on the stand in front of him. Jason came up with the titles of a dozen cover songs, all of which they all knew, so they closed the door and started, with Jason stating the required key for him to sing to. They breezed through three numbers and then another three with Brad backing Jason up vocally with apparent ease. They played the entire twelve songs without any bad mistakes and took a quick break then back into a further few numbers and Brad and Vic came up with a couple of suggestions themselves. Brad gave Jason a break on vocals with a few songs and in a few hours they were what they all considered to be a band, it was as if they had been taken and lifted up by the experience.
Meanwhile Malinda was deep in conversation with Jason’s father, finding that although he didn’t approve of Jason playing in bands, he was proud of what he had achieved and that Jason had never asked him for money and had always done everything himself.
“He’s never ever done anything outside the circle he works in, inside this circle of talent far from my control. He was doing so well in university studying classical music and when he graduated his mother and I was so pleased, bless her soul. But after all that he still insists on playing this Rhythm and Blues, or whatever the hell they call it,” said Jason’s father, his tone and manner reflecting disgust.
“Have you ever gone and seen him play?” asked Malinda.
“I can’t stand the noise,” he said. “I’ve listened to his records though. Some of them are good, but that’s when he was in nice bands.”
“Jason has a God given talent, he’s a blues man.”
Jason’s father clutched her hand. “Can you rescue him for me, you know, get him doing something outside that circle he exists in? I can’t get in it and he won’t come out. I want to give him a job in the company beside me, so when I go he can take over and know what he’s doing.”
“I don’t want to change him. I came back to get him because I love him for himself, not because I want to change him for what I or anyone else want him to be and you won’t be able to give him anything because he likes going and getting what he wants himself,” she explained.
He looked out the window towards the rehearsal room. “You think sometimes that when you’re rich you’ve got everything. Since his mother died I’ve been so empty and I can’t get near him. I never knew we had drifted so far apart and now all the money in the world won’t buy him back. I’m getting old Malinda and I want my son.” He sat back down beside her and took her hand again.
“We both want him. I wonder if there’s enough room in his busy life for all that.”
Jason’s father owned a business manufacturing kitchenware and with a lot of hard work, had built it into a multi-national company manufacturing and distributing his products all over the world. He had never had much time for Jason, being so busy with work and was finding that he wasn’t getting much sympathy from Malinda who began to turn on him as soon as he mentioned money.
“You will have to be a father to him if you want his attention. If Jason wanted money he’d have it by now.”
Jason’s father looked out of the window towards the shed, where a faint sound of driving blues could be heard. “He even bought that bloody shed and all that’s in it on sometimes less than a hundred dollars a week and built his own empire. One that has a far harder budget than mine. What he has to offer is a rare talent, and I’m having a lot of trouble getting inside that circle that has enslaved him. As a child he never ever cried, even when he was left alone. It was as if something watched over him; sometimes I think it’s still there, he has courage beyond my comprehension.” He stood and walked to the window. “It’s getting dark and perhaps you can both stay the night.”
“You'll have to ask Jason, I don’t know what he has planned,” replied Malinda.
“Let’s both walk up and find out,” As they walked towards the rehearsal room Malinda explained perfectly about the lay-out of the garden where she and Jason had played when they were children. Jason’s father was interested to know how things had happened so quickly for her and Jason. She informed him that they used to tell each other how much they were in love, way back and she still believed that was true and that no amount of water under the bridge would change that, she had planned her return all her life, her marriages failed purposely.
The light was fading when they reached
the door of the rehearsal room. The music had stopped and Jason’s father opened the door for Malinda and she stepped inside. There was silence for a few seconds as Brad and Vic gazed on the perfect form that had entered, Malinda immediately commanded the space.
“How did things go, oh and I’m Malinda,” she said glancing at Brad and Vic.
“I’m Brad, I play bass.”
“I’m Vic, I play drums,” and they politely shook hands.
“I’m Bob, Jason’s father.”
Jason looked at his father, puzzled. “Dad, what are you doing up here? I’ve never seen you come here before.”
Bob looked nervously at him. “I come up here occasionally to see if everything is safe when you’re not around. All the wires and equipment worry me but I like to see if it’s all ok for you,” Jason frowned and turned to Brad and Vic.
“Today was really great guys. How about the same tomorrow, say about midday?” Jason asked with an obvious smile, they both agreed.
“How about I pick you up tomorrow in the van and we both come up together Brad?” asked Vic.
“No worries,” was Brad’s reply.
“Can we stay here tonight Jason, you father has asked us?” said Malinda.
“Your room is still there as it’s always been,” his father quickly added.
“You really want to?” asked Jason.
“Yes, I’m really enjoying this,” replied Malinda.
“I’ll go straight down to prepare some tea,” said Bob and he disappeared down the track into the darkness. Brad and Vic had beat a hasty retreat and Jason began turning off the power to all the equipment.
Malinda closed the door, “I didn’t know your mother was dead Jason. Can I ask how and when? Your father never said.”
Jason stared at the wall and then turned to her, “Was five years ago. Mum was coming back from taking dad to the airport. Four kids in a stolen car lost control on the freeway and hit her head on. Mum died on the way to hospital. Last time I saw her she was standing in this shed.”
“Oh my God Jason, I’m so sorry, I’ll never bring it up again. She was such a wonderful person.”
“I’ll never get over it and I won’t forget the kids in the baggy shorts and baseball caps who said they didn’t give a shit in court. Somebody let them become what they are. Society has a lot to answer for in some ways.”
“Jason I didn’t know. I can’t understand why your father never told mine.”
“Dad spent two days in hospital and then locked himself away for weeks. I didn’t think he loved mum till then. He never speaks of it and only lately has he even mentioned it.” Jason put his arms around Malinda’s waist.
“Any luck with the guys you played with today?” asked Malinda, choosing a convenient time to change the subject clearing the air.
“If all goes like I think it will we should be playing next weekend. I’ll find out tomorrow from them how fast we can move. What with you and them I must be the luckiest man in the world today. I feel like something strange is happening, like I’m being helped and protected by some invisible force. I feel a presence even when I’m alone, it must be the sense of having you again.”
“I feel the same way Jason, I hope it never ends,” said Malinda. She clung to him tight and pressed her head into his chest, wondering how long she could keep her secrets from him.