As they walked into the airport together having just left their taxi and carrying their luggage Cassie asked “I couldn’t talk you into coming to Nashville could I?”
Karin smiled sadly at the temptation “I’d love to but I have to get back.”
Cassie said she understood but she was saddened that they would be apart again. She resigned herself; this long distance love affair was going to take some adjustments.
“So has she talked you into signing with her?” Travis said in a nasty tone when next he saw Cassie a few days later.
She stared at him not understanding what he was talking about. So she asked “what are you talking about?”
“That woman, Karin Myers? Did she get you to sign with her firm?”
She blinked at him across the table where they were all sitting in their offices in Nashville. “No, I didn’t sign with their firm” she answered quietly, confused, what was he talking about? What did Karin have to do with anything?
The other members of the band looked uneasily between them. They had all wondered what was happening. Since Tallahassee Travis had been like a bear with a thorn in his paw. It made them all wonder though and when Chet had found out who Karin was exactly and shared it with the band they had all begun to think maybe it was time for a change. It wasn’t up to them though, it was ultimately Cassie’s decision and she hadn’t indicated she was hiring a new group to represent them.
“I hope you realize you won’t get the personal touch you do with me” he said in a nasty tone.
“Travis” she said kindly “I wasn’t planning on replacing you.”
That didn’t seem to appease him as she had hoped. He just looked at her suspiciously and they went on to other business. They met to talk over ideas, go over new songs, and shoot ideas into the air. It gave them a chance to air grievances too. When they were in the tour bus they had similar meetings but being in so close quarters it was still different. They were more cordial then, they had to be. Here in Nashville they saw each other a little less and it was a good thing after weeks on the road, especially this small tour which hadn’t been a good one. They were meeting today to discuss possible ways to make the next one better. Travis used Austin to berate them and bend them to his ideas and agenda. They were all tired of it as their meeting came to an end.
“Hi Chet, hi Alex, what are you doing here?” Cassie asked as she answered her front door a few hours later.
“Can we talk to you?” Chet answered for both of them.
She looked at them puzzled and said “of course, come in” she invited them into her house.
They sat in the western styled living room. The decor was decidedly western with pictures of cowboys and horses as well as a wagon wheel coffee table. They sat on the leather couch and Cassie looked at them expectantly. “What’s going on?” She hoped they weren’t quitting the band. They had been together a long time and she loved them like brothers.
“We think you should replace Travis” Alex began.
Cassie looked at him in alarm. Travis too had been with them a long time and they hadn’t had any problems with him except in the last year or so but then that was her fault. They were all paying for her having come out publicly as a lesbian. They had fully supported her need to be honest and truthful but the public backlash had hit them all and hard. She was barely working and they all knew it. Austin had been only a small part of it. She couldn’t blame Travis for her failures. “Travis has been with us a long time, he works hard for us” she argued.
“Does he?” Chet asked astutely.
“What do you mean” her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“I mean, he doesn’t seem too happy these days and today’s meeting was just the tip of the iceberg. I don’t think he fully supported your decision last year. We need someone who is going to go to bat with us. We aren’t going to get anymore recording contracts with things the way they are. No one is going to want to support someone who doesn’t put people in the seats, can’t fill a venue, your talent is well known, and we need someone to promote it.”
“Travis has done all that for years. He got me that contract with Sony, you all know that!”
“Yes he did and that was while you going up. They dropped you before you came out though, did you ever really wonder why?”
“What are you saying?” Cassie sat in a chair to hear what they had to say.
“I think Travis cost you some things before you made your announcement. Do you see the expression on his face when he tells you once again you’re in a GLAD party or LGBT parade or something that is even remotely related to being gay? He despises it even if he tries to hide it well.”
Alex put in “I think you should ask your friend Karin to either represent you herself or put you in contact with someone who will.”
“She won’t” Cassie put in almost absentmindedly.
“Why not?” Chet asked curious she didn’t seem the type to refuse her girlfriend.
“She doesn’t do entertainment representation” she repeated almost verbatim. She had heard it time and again through their various conversations. She bit her lip musingly wondering what she was going to do. She had noticed some of Travis’ reluctance but had thought it was the strain of being on the road, too much work, or a million other excuses. She didn’t know he didn’t approve, when she thought about it though she got angry.
“Cassie, how much of your finances does Travis’ office handle?” Chet asked.
She looked at him in alarm. That she didn’t really know made it really sink in. She might be in more trouble than she realized and this made her want to panic. She had thought long and hard before she came out last year. The book was supposed to explain everything. She had only been half kidding when she said to Karin that she should have represented her with the book. The sales had been dismal. Her coming out was supposed to have freed her; instead she was in real trouble and knew it. The tour had been a failure and while they had made money, they had barely made ends meet. They had never lost money like in Austin, the spot that Travis kept harping on.
That afternoon she went over her statements closely from Travis’ office. The amounts had steadily decreased over the last two years but had drastically declined after she came out. In fact if she read the last two correctly she was in danger of losing her house. She looked around. It was a symbol of her status and fame. It wasn’t large or fancy, she had seen larger and fancier in the country music field but she had been comfortable. It was hers. Or was it now? Perhaps she had put too much trust, too much faith in the wrong people? Alex and Chet had put the bug of suspicion into her and she now knew the paranoia would eat at her. Who could she call?
“Kreske Public Relations” the impersonal voice answered the phones.
Cassie had never called Karin at her work but she was panicking and Karin hadn’t answered her cell phone, she was probably very busy. “Karin Myers please?” she asked a little shakily.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Myers is out of the office at the moment, would you care to leave a message or would you like her voicemail?”
“Voicemail please” Cassie said weakly, she didn’t want to leave a message there too but she had tried her cell phone numerous times. This was a first that Karin hadn’t answered when she called except a few times when she was on a plane or in a meeting. Maybe that was it! She had gone somewhere? “Wait, wait, can you tell me where Karin is?” she asked the person who had answered the phone.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have that information, who is calling please?” the voice asked.
“Never mind” Cassie mumbled as she hung up the phone dejectedly. She was feeling a little panicked. What if she lost it all? That had been a real concern that everyone had discussed when she came out. Apparently though, if she was reading her statements and other papers correctly, this had been coming about for two years. Six months before she had come out. What the heck was going on?
She dialed another number. “Hello?” a gruff voice answered.
“Dadd
y? It’s Cassie” she said relieved to hear his comforting voice.
“Cassie baby, how are you? Are you on the road?” he asked pleased to hear from his little girl.
“Daddy, I think I’m in trouble. Real trouble” she sobbed into the phone.
“What’s wrong baby, what can I do to help?” he asked concerned.
“I don’t know daddy. I think my career is over and I’m not sure where to turn.”
“Well, that’s what Travis and them boys are there for. They’ll look out for you honey.”
“That’s just it Daddy, I think Travis has given up on me. This last tour was a failure” she exaggerated but then she was feeling despondent “and I think he’s doing something with my money. I don’t know what to do Daddy.”
“You want me to come over to Nashville and talk with that boy?” his Kansas twang was never more evident than at that moment when his baby girl was threatened.
She smiled at his protective instincts “No Daddy, I don’t think that would help. I guess I just needed your shoulder to cry on.” She sighed. She was an adult and over forty, she should be able to handle this on her own. She had just needed to hear his voice and know he was on her side.
“You can come home any time baby girl. You know that” he said with a distinct crack in his voice.
“I know that Daddy. How’s Wally?” she asked to change the subject.
“Now you don’t worry about your brother, he’s doing fine, mighty fine. Those kids of his keep him busy. It’s you I’m worried about honey, you tell me what is wrong now ya’hear?”
Cassie told him her suspicions or rather Chet and Alex’s. She told him what her reports and financials told her. She also told him her gut feelings.
“You trust those gut feelings darling, they will never lie to you. What about that New York gal you told me you were seein’. Can’t she help ya?”
“I tried reaching her today but her phone is off or something. She must be on a plane going somewhere.”
“Must be hard to date if you’re both all over the country going somewheres” he said astutely.
She grinned wryly. Trust her daddy to hit the nail on the head “yeah Daddy, it can be very hard” she thought about the last weekend they were together and the surprise that Karin had for her “but she loves me and I love her” she said quietly.
“She loves you eh?” he said pleased for her.
She smiled “Yes Daddy, she loves me, she told me so.”
“Well that’s good ain’t it?”
She nodded; thinking about Karin always made her feel good. That was why she was the first person she wanted to talk to about this. Not only her expertise but her own innate goodness could help. She’d calm her down. She’d have wise words of wisdom, or at least Cassie always thought so. “She’s terrific Daddy, you’re going to like her when you meet her.”
“And when is that darling?”
Cassie shrugged. With their schedules it was going to be hard but someday they would manage it. “I don’t know, we’ve only been going out for a few months.” She started thinking about the timing of it all and realized how short they really had been together; it seemed like much longer since they spoke so much on the phone. She spoke to her dad for about an hour on the phone and felt much better after she got off. His simple plain-spokeness always comforted her. While he hadn’t been thrilled when she came out it had taken a while for him to understand it and realize it wasn’t his fault he had come to understand and loved her all the same. She needed that support at a time in her life that was increasingly difficult.
“Are you okay?” the voice came over the phone lines concerned and tinged with anger almost.
“Karin” she breathed relieved to hear the voice she had wanted to hear all day. “Thank God.”
“What’s wrong?” she barked out.
“All hell is breaking loose here, I think I’m in danger of losing my house, my career is over” she broke down in sobs and couldn’t continue. The stress was getting to her.
“Hey baby, what happened?” Karin softened her voice to comfort.
“I think Travis is sabotaging my career and might be stealing from me as well, I don’t know but Chet and Alex brought some of their suspicions to me and I’ve been going through my reports and paperwork and I just don’t know” she sobbed.
Karin was torn. She wanted to help Cassie but she also didn’t want to get involved in her business. It wasn’t her concern. She realized though that she had the contacts, she had the skills, and she could do a lot for her. She didn’t want to though! She had gotten out of the entertainment business. It was too full of pitfalls and spoiled people who made their own hells on earth. It was people like Karin who were left cleaning up the messes that they made. She didn’t like it. It was why she stuck to literary and other public figures to make their careers. She was good at it and everyone knew that. She didn’t need these headaches. “Shh, baby, tell me what you found, shhh.”
Karin soon realized that most of it was speculation, suspicions, and paranoia on Cassie’s part. She couldn’t word it like that though. The diplomat in her just wouldn’t allow it. She also loved this woman and she was genuinely upset. She wanted to comfort her. Looking at her watch and around the house she was in she wondered if she could catch a flight to Nashville to help. She realized at that moment that she had trapped herself. If she didn’t say no soon she would be drawn in regardless of her feelings on the issue. She could help in limited ways though so that Cassie wasn’t this upset. “Baby, I’ll be on the next flight down. I have some calls to make. I’ll let you know when to pick me up” she said firmly and Cassie felt the first glimmer of hope in an increasingly bad situation.
Karin looked around her house. She had come home for the weekend after an intense week at work after the weekend in Tallahassee. These trips to Milwaukee were becoming harder and harder. She wondered why she bothered except she did have two cats, three fish tanks, and all her stuff here. It wasn’t all hers either as she had seen that both boys still had plenty in each of their bedrooms. She watered her plants as she called the airlines for a flight. She was fortunate, a commuter flight on a smaller plane left in an hour from Milwaukee to Nashville. She was genuinely surprised that there was a direct flight but apparently Nashville was a hub to other destinations large and small. She called a taxi next. By the time the taxi arrived she had locked up the house, all her plants were watered, the automatic feeders on the fish tanks and the cat dishes were full and she was ready to go, she hadn’t had the chance to even unpack the bag that she had brought. She texted Cassie with her flight information before turning off her smart phone and boarding the plane.
She had been to Nashville before once or twice for clients but she hadn’t been back in years. It hadn’t changed she saw as she arrived. Carrying her bag and with her familiar briefcase over her shoulder she didn’t look any different than when she had seen Cassie the previous week except she was fully recovered from her food poisoning. She did look a little tired, two flights in a day were always a little much but she had worried about what she could do for Cassie the whole flight from Milwaukee. She had started a list of people she could contact while she was down there. She also worried if things were as dire as Cassie had said. Her whole face lit up though as she saw Cassie waiting by the luggage carousel.
“Hey baby” she whispered as she hugged her close and refused to allow her to kiss her on the mouth in public. She settled for one on the cheek.
“God you don’t know what a sight for sore eyes you are” Cassie breathed as she held her close.
“I hope I can help” Karin told her as she pulled back to look at her. Cassie looked devastated, almost as though someone had died. Karin hoped this wasn’t the case.
“Is this all you brought?” Cassie asked as she saw the small case Karin was carrying and her briefcase.
Karin nodded “I was only planning on being in Milwaukee for the weekend” she told her.
Cassie nodded. It made sens
e now why she couldn’t reach her when she was panicking. She felt a little foolish now but knowing what was on her desk at home maybe not.
They talked as Cassie led her to her Trans Am. Karin raised an eyebrow at the sports car. It seemed a little cliché to her but who was she to judge. She had known from their conversations that Cassie drove one, the reality though made her want to laugh. As they drove from the airport and Cassie talked Karin just sat and listened. She could still hear the panic in Cassie’s voice that had come through on the phone. It was late and she was tired, she didn’t want to deal with this tonight but then that was her forte, working at all hours for her clients. Cassie though wasn’t a client; she was her lover, her girlfriend. She wasn’t sure what she could do for her and she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do for her. All she knew was she could try.
Cassie pulled into a modest little house that surprised Karin. It was so simple. Built shotgun style you entered either from the garage or the front door into a living room that was totally country in decor. The kitchen was kind of small and the bedrooms as well but Karin was used to a lot different. This was simple, it was country, it really didn’t seem to suit Cassie though as she was shown around. Karin could sense Cassie’s pride though in the first house that she owned herself and didn’t let on that she wasn’t impressed. Someone of Cassie Summers’s stature though deserved a lot more than she was seeing. Where had all her money gone? Karin refused to even look at the paperwork that night. She was tired, she had been on planes all day, and she hadn’t eaten. She needed to relax and refuel. Cassie whipped up some eggs, toast, and bacon and they ate this with some nice beer. Karin almost gagged on the beer but managed to not convey her disgust over it. When she drank beer she drank Corona, it appealed to her pallet. Most of the time she either drank mixed drinks or red wine. She wouldn’t let on to the upset Cassie though, she was trying, she was upset, and another time it would be different. She was here for Cassie, not to compare their differences. She loved this woman, bad beer and all.
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