All That Jazz

by Hope Alexis Milam

  "Regression is not good. It can be fun, but it’s not good." Larry warned.

  "Don’t worry. It’s not like we’re gonna smoke crack and knock over a video store." The bassist took a seat at his little table. "Now, what all did you want to do today?"

  "First thing we need to do is go shopping for food. I managed to find some cooking utensils, and I had a few on the bus, so we’re set in that area." He seemed excited. "I thought we’d invite Steve to join us. We’re gonna eat what we cook tonight, then we can go explore the city."

  "Sounds fine to me." BJ stood. "I’ll go fetch Stevie."

  "So, you feel like you’re regressing?" Larry took a seat across from the bassist.

  "A little. I met up with an old friend a little while ago. Things have kinda felt different since then."

  "Why would that make you feel different?"

  "She was the other person in the car when I had my accident. I’m sure you read that in the article Jenna gave the interview for."

  "Yeah, it was hard to avoid, but didn’t I see you talking to a reporter?" He offered her a cigarette before lighting one.

  "Thanks. Yeah you did. I gave an interview to a small, gay magazine." Laurel laughed. "I know a certain deejay who gets that magazine."

  "And having him read the article is a good thing then?"

  "Yep. It should be at least." She grinned. "His best friend is my current ex-girlfriend."

  "Ah, it all makes sense now."

  "I thought it would. So what are we making tonight?"

  "Stir-fry. If you master one thing, make it this. I guarantee it’ll get you laid." He winked.

  "I’ll make sure to pay close attention then."

  "Did I hear a guarantee to get laid?" Steve asked from the doorway. "I’m all for that."

  "Me too. When do we learn?" BJ asked.

  "First thing is the trip to the store. You must learn how to buy the ingredients." He seemed thrilled with each little part of the lesson. "My mother would be so proud of this."

  "Why is that?" Laurel asked as he directed them to a car. "And why do you have a car here?"

  "I rented it. My mom was a chef. She would be pleased to know I paid attention to her cooking lessons." Larry explained. "The manager said there was a grocery store near here." He pulled the car into traffic.

  "Yeah, I can see the sign." Steve pointed to the left. "Two blocks up it looks like."

  "Not a problem." Larry maneuvered the car into the other lane. "That wasn’t so bad."

  "You don’t normally drive do you?" Laurel asked as the car protested his shifting attempts.

  "No, I can’t say I do. I grew up in a large city with public transport. I have a driver’s license, but that’s more for identification purposes."

  "Then I’ll drive back." The bassist commented as Larry pulled into the parking lot. He jumped the curb.

  "Curb check." BJ announced.

  "It’s still there." Steve answered.

  "Alright, no picking on the cook." Larry parked the car between two spaces. "Let’s go buy some food."

  The grocery store was not new, nor was it a superstore. It was small and so old it looked dirty. The green and white tile looked as if it had never been mopped. They knew the looks were deceiving when they were forced to detour around a yellow caution sign. At least that section of the floor was clean.

  "Ok, first we’re going to get the stuff to make dinner. Then we can get whatever you want to keep in your rooms." Larry grabbed a shopping cart. "To the veggies."

  "Veggies?" Steve asked. He was not a fan of green food.

  "Yep." The guitarist made sure they were following. "Here we go. Snap beans." He pulled a plastic bag from the stand. "You want to make sure there are no bad spots on them." He shoved handfuls of the beans into the bag. "Next, asparagus. Make sure they aren’t soft and wilting." He looked through the store’s offerings until he found a grouping of asparagus that met his approval.

  "Now what?" Laurel asked. She was actually paying close attention. It kept her from noticing the strange looks the other customers were throwing her and BJ.

  "Chicken breast." Larry led the way to the poultry department. "Here we go." He chose a package of chicken tenders. "These are easier to cut up." He told them as he set them into the cart.

  "Now for snack food?" Steve seemed eager.

  "Yep. We have to have something to eat for the rest of the time we aren’t cooking." BJ grinned. He was facing the cookie aisle. "Split up?"

  "Yeah, we can do more damage that way." Laurel grinned. "Meet near the cashiers in five?"

  "Sounds good. Let’s go." Steve headed for the candy aisle.

  The bassist went for ice cream. She chose a few pints of her favorite flavors before heading to the yogurt section. Laurel hated yogurt, but that was where the pudding was kept. She chose a package of pudding and turned to where she last saw BJ. The drummer was gathering packages of cookies into his arms.

  "You know, it looks like we’ve got a major case of the munchies." Laurel told him.

  "Yeah I know. Oh well, people will get over it." He grinned. "I’m just trying to load up. You know we never get to really eat properly now anyway. It makes sense to keep something in our rooms."

  "True. Very true." The bassist grabbed a package of chocolate chip cookies. "Ok, I don’t think I can hold anymore."

  "We’ll come back before we start the tour again." BJ’s arms were full of snack food. "I didn’t see those."

  "We’ll share." Laurel was eyeing some of his selections. "Let’s get out of here before they call the cookie patrol on us."

  "Good idea." The drummer laughed.

  Larry was already in line when they got to the cashier. He did not buy any junk food, but he did get spices for stir-fry. One by one they made it through the line. Laurel was surprised she spent so much on junk food. She never bought much of it before this tour. BJ was right. They never seemed to have time to eat decent food.

  "Well that was educational." Steve hefted his bags and placed them into the trunk of the car.

  "Yeah really. I had no idea you could spend so much on ice cream and cookies." Laurel added her bags to the growing pile. She added a carton of cigarettes to the pile as well. She hated finding a gas station to buy more.

  "Guess we’ll know better next time." BJ commented.

  "I did the same thing when we started touring. The only reason I didn’t buy anything else was I have plenty in my room still." Larry laughed. "I went a few days ago and stocked up."

  "Makes sense." Laurel took the keys from him. "Are we doing this as soon as we get back?"

  "Yep. All that shopping has made me hungry." BJ’s stomach growled to underline his point.

  "Cool." The bassist turned on the radio. She had the desire to hear something new. She was tired of the same songs she heard and played every night. "Damn. I think that song is following us."

  "Turn it please." Steve begged. ‘Goddess of Desire’ was on the rock station.

  "Doesn’t look like we have much of a choice." The bassist told him after performing a search for radio stations. "We have rap, country, oldies and us."

  "Silence is golden." The drummer cast his vote. They rode in silence back to the hotel. It was easier that way, as they could not agree on a radio station.

  ***

  Danny adjusted his tie and looked in the full-length mirror behind Nicole’s bathroom door. He was pleased with the black suit though he knew none of his family would be. However, he felt the situation warranted the dark attire. He had planned this moment since Nicole told him the news. He was willing to cover for his cousin for her sake, in fact he volunteered to be the child’s father before she asked, but he refused to let his cousin off the hook. Brian typically got away with everything he did. Danny did not want him to get away with this. This was too personal.

  "Are you done primping hon?" Aaron called from the living area.

  "Yeah, what do you think?" He pirouetted, making sure that the pants showed off his win
gtips.

  "I think you look incredible, but that is my rather humble opinion." Aaron made a great show of checking his lover’s appearance.

  "You look outstandingly nice, as always. Are we ready?"

  "Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean we aren’t invited or anything."

  "No, but we need to be there." Danny could feel the evilness in the grin and accepted it. He was not going on a social visit.

  "I agree, but I’m more prone to the indirect approach. You know, a little judicious kidnapping with the victim waking up in Sri Lanka."

  "Nah, he’d enjoy it too much. Let’s get out of here."

  Danny led the way from the Warehouse to the Cathedral. It was not a long walk, and the two men took their time making their way down the cobble-stoned sidewalks. Out of years of habit, the deejay made the sign of the cross before entering the old cathedral. His family, including his mother and father, were already there.

  "Danny." The diminutive woman pulled her son into a bone-shattering hug.

  "Mom, you remember Aaron?" Manners took over as he reintroduced his mother and his lover.

  "Of course, knock off that gentleman crap." His mother gave a good-natured motherly swat to his arm and a welcoming smile to Aaron. "Aaron, its nice to see you again, though I don’t know how you put up with my boy."

  "Must take loads of patience." A tall blonde man walked up to the group. "Danny." He pulled his son into a hug. "And Aaron of course. We don’t get to see enough of either you."

  "We will try to be here more often." Danny promised. "Now, what’s going on here?"

  "Well, Brian and Brenda are going through the whole thing tonight and then he is having his bachelor party right after. We managed to tell everyone that you were going to be here, so your aunt knows. She’s not happy about it, but she knows and so does Brian. Now, what are you going to do?" His mother looked stern, but Danny was glad he had talked her into the plan.

  "I just want to talk to him, that’s all."

  "Yeah right." His father did not look convinced. "Anyway, they’re almost finished with the last minute changes. Take a seat and watch for a bit before you run off and bust heads."

  "Thanks Dad." Danny clapped his father on the shoulder as the older man returned to his station by the door. He was an usher for his nephew’s wedding, though he had confided to his son that he was unwilling.

  Danny and Aaron attempted to make themselves as comfortable and as inconspicuous as possible. However, it was not all that easy. The wooden pews had cushions, but the parishioners had worn those down over time and no one had replaced the faded material yet. Also, two young men, obviously close friends and both wearing dark suits, stuck out in the vaulted ceiling sanctuary of the old cathedral.

  "That’s neat." Aaron pointed to the ceiling.

  "Yeah I used to lose myself in the paintings as a child. That statue has always been my favorite though." He pointed to the one behind the last pew and between the doorways. It was a statue of Joan of Arc, patron saint of New Orleans.

  "That is really cool." Aaron twisted around to look at it.

  "Oh, looks like they’re finished. Wanna shadow him?" He was eager to accomplish his mission. No one had spoken to them during the rehearsal. Danny’s parents accepted his lifestyle and his relationship with Aaron, but this side of his family did not. That is why he had not been invited to his cousin’s wedding.

  "It’s your plan. Whatever you wish to do."

  "Good, let’s go." Danny stood and waved his lover to his feet.

  The two men walked casually back into the wings where the choir waited before entering the sanctuary during Mass. Brian was there alone, refolding a sheet of paper and placing it in his pocket. He looked up as Aaron closed the door behind him.

  "Danny? What the hell are you doing here?"

  "That’s not nice language, especially in a church." The deejay told his cousin. "Course you have been a naughty boy lately haven’t you?"

  "What the hell are you talking about? And what are you doing here? I don’t want you at my wedding."

  "I’m not going to be at your wedding, Brian. I’m only here tonight because I wanted to talk to you." He began to take off his jacket. "So, let’s chat, cousin."

  "Why would I want to talk to you?" Brian’s disgust was plainly written on his face.

  "Because you did a very bad thing to my dearest friend not too long ago. I don’t like it when bad things happen to my friends."

  "And I don’t like it either." Aaron removed his jacket and carefully laid it across a low table by the door. "So, we are here to do something about it."

  "What are two fags going to do to me?"

  "Oh, just this." Danny swung with all his might and landed a neat right hook to his cousin’s stubborn jaw. Brian fell back against the wall and stood there dazed. "Now, I am not asking for an apology. In fact all I am asking for you to do is leave Nicole alone. Don’t go near her, don’t look at her, don’t call her and don’t even think about her."

  "Or else what?" Brian regained his footing and glared defiantly at his cousin.

  "This." Aaron did not hide the smile on his face as he threw a well-balanced roundhouse to Brian’s midsection.

  "Now, you go near her again, and if you ever even THINK about raping her again, I’m going to kill you." Danny added a solid left jab to the injured man’s nose. "So, that’s all I had to say to you." He wiped his bruised and bloody knuckles on his cousin’s shirt. "Well, congratulations. She does seem like a nice girl, and I’m sure you’ll be happy together."

  Before Brian could register what just happened to him, Danny and Aaron had donned their jackets.

  "It was nice meeting you." Aaron called over his shoulder as he followed his lover out the door. Both men were unable to stop themselves from giggling like school children. It had all gone as planned.

  "Well?"

  "I think he got our point, Mom." Danny told her. "We’ll see you tomorrow?"

  "Yeah, we’ll call after the wedding and take you two out to dinner. Take care." She stretched on her toes and kissed each of them on the cheek.

  "Until then, we have to go find Nicole and Sheryl." Aaron reminded the deejay.

  "Ok, they’ll love it when we tell them what happened." Danny smiled. He could not find it in himself to be guilty. "At least Sheryl will."

  "That she will." Aaron held the door open for his lover and followed him out into the growing darkness of New Orleans.

  Chapter Thirty Two

  "Do I look alright?" BJ asked for the eighth time.

  "You look fine." Larry answered for the others. "You did say that dye washes out didn’t you?"

  "Yes it does. Twenty-five washes according to the box." Laurel checked her look in the mirror. "They should be here by now."

  "Calm down. They’ll be here when they get here. Mandy doesn’t drive as fast as you do." Steve commented.

  "They did call and say they were at the airport almost half an hour ago. Are you sure we gave them the right directions?" BJ paced the floor again.

  "Yes. I gave them the correct directions." Laurel stood, opened the door and lit a cigarette.

  "Will you two quit worrying?" Larry asked. He joined Laurel at the door with a cigarette. "You’d think they’d never gone anywhere without you."

  "I’m not worried. I’m just a bit anxious. I haven’t seen Mandy since we left. It feels like its been years." She inhaled deeply. "At least Jenna’s not here."

  "Now that’s a story we all want to hear." Steve said. He had not been present at the altercation.

  "I’ll only tell it once, so wait until Mandy and Sam get here." She was sick of thinking about it. She had thought of nothing else for the two days since it happened.

  "Hey, that has to be them." BJ bounced on his toes. A car pulled into the parking lot. "It is." He ran to meet them. Laurel and the others followed a little slower.

  "Aren’t you going to give me a hug?" Mandy was out of the car almost before it stopped. "What on eart
h did you do to your hair?"

  "It’s good to see you too, Mandy." Laurel laughed as she embraced her friend. She was not prepared for the tears that wanted to show themselves. "It washes out."

  "I hope so." Mandy let go and held her at arm’s length. "You’ve not been eating either. You’ve lost weight."

  "Not so much. It’s been the lack of your excellent cooking."

  "Suck up." Mandy laughed. "Who’s your friend?"

  "Mandy, this is Larry. Larry, my roommate, savior, and best friend, Mandy." Laurel stepped back so the two could shake hands. "Larry has been my mentor on the tour."

  "So you told me. It’s nice to finally meet you, Larry. BJ and Laurel have been singing your praises for a while now."

  "And they have yours as well." He blushed in the dim light.

  "Shall we go inside?" Laurel asked.

  "I didn’t get my hug." Steve protested. Mandy obliged. "It is good to see you again. It’s pity Jenna’s not here, since I’m sure you would have loved to see her with a black eye."

  "Who gave her a black eye?" The redhead asked.

  "I did." Laurel answered shortly. "Yo, BJ. Quit making out and give everyone else a turn to say hello."

  "Just don’t say it the way I did." He warned as he released his girlfriend.

  "Now would I do that?" Laurel teased. "It’s nice to see you again, Sam."

  "You too. I like the hair color." Sam pulled her into a hug. "Have you been keeping this bear on his best behavior?"

  "Of course." Laurel lied. "We haven’t once set a hotel on fire."

  "I’m glad to hear it." Sam laughed. "Now, what’s this about black eyes?"

  "I’ll explain inside." She wanted their full attention. She did want to repeat the story.

  "Alright, everyone inside, move it." Mandy ushered the group into Laurel’s room. "Now, what’s the deal?"

  "Do you want anything to drink?" Laurel asked to prolong the moment.

  "No." The shout was almost in unison.

  "Alright, don’t scare the puppy." She picked the over excited dog up and held her. "Well, Jenna let something slip the other night. She came to my room while BJ was out with Larry. A bass string had snapped on stage and cut a pretty decent whelp on my arm. She used that as an excuse. She asked if I were ready to admit Nicole was right in letting me go since I was getting more accustomed to being on tour."