It didn't take long for her to convince Fran to be her tour guide in the city, I was invited along. “In case I need someone low to the ground to carry my purchases.”
I pushed her shoulder lightly. “Watch it Twiggy. You may have giraffe-like proportions, but I'm still your big sister.”
I couldn't help grinning at the huge smile on Fran's face as she looked back and forth at us as we bantered. “You two are funny.”
Almost together we sisters Harris-West said, “Looking.”
There was another squealfest when Kat arrived home. She and Twiggy hugged and then the reasons she was here was discussed again. When Liz shared she was going to be staying in a nearby hotel, Kat chastised her and said there was plenty of room for her at her place.
We had an entertaining time catching up, we all made sure to include Fran in all of our conversations. Before long it was late, Fran had school in the morning, so we all retired. Kat helped me pull out an air mattress and get it inflated. I took the couch and my sister took the air mattress beside it.
I got up to use the restroom and saw a slight glow in the guest room, I peeked in to see Fran furiously practicing her finger spelling. I grinned and snuck away.
The next day I caught Liz watching Kat intently as she made sure Fran had breakfast and had all her homework done. I tilted my head at my sister, inquiring silently. She just smiled wistfully, “Kat's going to make someone a good mother one day.”
I grinned back. “I think so too.”
I went to the door with Fran who just looked at me in exasperation. “Really? Come on I can get to school by myself.”
I was about to protest when Liz piped up, “Come on June, she's almost in High School. You're being the perpetual big sister.”
I sighed, they were ganging up on me now. “Fine whatever.” I gave her cab money and some for lunch. “But we'll be picking you up after school. You have to show my sis around the city.” She smiled and nodded then she was gone. Heaven help me if I didn't worry about her making it to school ok.
After a pleasant day visiting with Liz and catching up on some of the recordings, which she helped with and commenting positively about the ones that Fran had singled out, we hailed a cab to go meet Fran.
We pulled up to the school to wait, watching the flood of school kids, busses and all around chaos that signified the end of a typical school day anywhere in the world. I waved my hand out the window and caught Fran's attention. She smiled hugely as I stepped out and let her slide into the middle of the back seat. Once we were seated and the cabbie asked, “Where to?” My sister and I just remained silent, not looking at Fran who finally got it and said noncommittally, “Ummm... Central Park West?”
I rubbed my hands together and gave an evil sounding, “Excellent!”
I asked about our parents and Zoey's family to find out all is well on the West/Rand front. She shared, “Mom got called away to DC yesterday though, something about that soldier lady, McKenzie Meyers.”
Then Frannie asked Lizzy the Lizard, “What's it like? To have a rock legend mom and a congresswoman for your other mom? I can't get JW to talk about it.”
My sister took a moment to seriously contemplate the question then finally just shrugged. “To be honest, I never really think about it much. To me they are just my moms, I guess I just have a different perspective than most people. Though I can't tell you how surreal it is to tune into an oldies station and hear your mother's voice singing some kickin' retro hits.”
I just sat back between the ladies and relaxed as they discussed both our and Fran's views on family. My heart went out to the little one as I realized that every happy moment of her life involved Vanessa. I could see that in her eyes, family was defined by her sister. She had nobody else in her life she considered family, and she didn't even realize it. Well, I hope we can change that.
I loved watching Fran as we went through the park. The specter that had been hanging over her since her sister joined the program seemed to lift as she had fun showing Liz the wonders of the park. Lizzie had kept her talking about all sorts of subjects the entire time. It wasn't until almost lunch that I realized what my little sis was doing, she was keeping Fran's mind off of her sister. God I love my baby sis. Kat joined us in the park just before dark.
We had Small Fry choose where we'd eat on the way back to Kathleen's. It wasn't surprising, but it still made me snort. She had her choice of the zillions of places in the city and she chose a fast food joint. I had a suspicion she was feeling guilty about how much money we have been spending on her. I'd have to talk to her about it later. We sat in the place talking as twilight gave way to night, we must have talked a couple hours. The manager had started giving us the evil eye so we figured we had overstayed our welcome.
So we walked until we realized it was past eleven. We hailed a cab again and started back to Kat's. Fran seemed anxious. I looked at her and promoted her with my eyes. She just shrugged and looked embarrassed then whispered, “It's Thursday.”
Oh! I had the cabbie drop us at the old garage instead of Kat's. We stepped into the alley and there were already about ten people there so we couldn't enter the old auto shop. Instead, we just pulled an old wood pallet down that was leaning against the wall and sat on it. Kat grinned as she looked to the far wall. Twiggy's face was scrunched up in confusion as she looked around at the strange mix of people in the alley. “What's going on?”
Fran and I, and about six other people all shushed her. I pointed at the man that appeared on the roof at the end of the alley. He whistled then the 'screen' was unfurled. The church bell chimed midnight and seconds later we were watching My Fair Lady. Fran snuggled into Kat and I smiled at the look of amazement on my sister's face as she watched.
I marveled at this for some odd reason as I watched the three women enjoy the movie, I have such a wonderfully cobbled together family. I wouldn't change it for the world.
Chapter 16 – The New Normal
The next few days were filled with fun and distraction, including game night. My sister's evil plan of keeping both Fran and my thoughts off of Vanessa was an unqualified success. After we saw her off at the airport early on Monday, Small Fry had said, “You really have an awesome sister JW.” I just nodded in agreement and shuttled my young charge off to school with instructions to meet me at Bellevue after school. I gave her her very own cellphone to let me know when to meet her at the doors.
I was nervous for some reason when I walked into the mental hospital and walked up to the man at the front desk and asked to visit with Vanessa. He looked something up on the computer, checked my ID, then made a quick call. When he hung up he said, “She's not in her room right now, she's in the common room.”
I was a little surprised when he just gave me directions instead of having an orderly accompany me. But then I got it. There were no security doors. She was in a different wing. She wasn't here against her will. This was for the people in the McIntyre program. I walked past 401B, her room and down the hall to some double doors like in the other wing, only these were not locked. I went in and there were a few people milling about.
I looked around but couldn't see Vanessa. A huge smile found my face and a sense of relief and elation swept through me as someone tapped my shoulder and a voice that resonated in my heart said, “Hey J-dub.”
I turned to see a smiling vision. “Hey Nessie. Missed you.”
She chuckled out, “I haven't had time to miss you, they've run me ragged here. Things are slowing down a bit now. I only have one group session later tonight.”
Then she sagged a bit, looking exhausted. She laid her forehead on mine, staring deep into my eyes and said, “Ok so I missed you. Sue me. I don't understand you, but I missed you. How's Frannie?”
I smiled. “She's doing good. She misses you a lot. She'll be here around three thirty, after school.”
Her eyes went wide and she backed up from me a step. “No, she doesn't need to see me here in the loony bin.”
I
smirked. “You think I can stop her once she has her mind made up, she is your sister after all. She's scared and alone and you are her only family. So woman up and be happy when she gets here.”
She looked at me for a long moment then finally just shook her head in defeat. “I'm broken and she doesn't need to see that.”
I snorted. “Broken? Good god woman, do you know how strong you are for coming into this program for help? Your sister only sees her personal hero when she looks at you.”
She looked nervous. “You think?”
I shook my head staunchly, “I know.”
We spent the next hour catching up with happenings then I mentioned how Fran had been helping me sort through possible candidates for the first band to sign with London Harmony. She chuckled. “If you can't get me you're headhunting Frannie huh?” I stuck out my tongue at her to which she just gave me a demure look. Then she had me play them for her and her insight eclipsed her sister's ten fold.
She stopped us at one point and said, “You really should start a label with your own stuff.” I quickly changed the subject.
After a bit we went back to her room, it looked exactly like the other one but without a locked door and no camera in the room. I gave her her own cellphone with Fran's number, mine, and Kat's already programmed in. “So you can text Fran whenever you think of it,” I had to add before she would accept it. I also pointed out that I had it loaded up with a couple thousand songs. This brightened her eyes. I know how she loves the music.
After lunch, we sat on her bed and discussed more serious topics. Then wound up sharing our insecurities, fears, and dreams. I even told her stuff I had never even shared with Liz, and I tell her everything. She chuckled and said, “This feels like another group session here, but I'd never share any of this stuff with them. I don't know why I feel so comfortable sharing it with you.”
I shrugged and she said, “Maybe it's because we’re both nuts.”
I don't know why, but that comment seemed to panic me a bit. I have always felt I was teetering on the brink being the person everyone wanted me to be, no, needed me to be. I have been that person, happily, for so long, but I don't really know who I am. That is sort of the whole point in my undertaking, and why it is half a planet away from home. I gave her a smile and nodded.
My cell phone buzzing saved me. I looked down at the incoming text. “Be right back, Fran is almost here.”
I ran downstairs and out to the curb as a cab pulled up and a familiar smiling face hopped out. I paid the cabbie and stood on the sidewalk with Fran. She seemed frozen in place, staring at the building. I reached out and clasped her hand. She gave it a little squeeze then took a deep breath and raised her chin and we walked in to see her sister.
I sat back and just watched them hug and cry and talk. Fran would only be able to see her sister a half hour a day after school. So I didn't need to eat up any of that time.
This quickly became the new normal for us over the next few months. Our daily visits were the highlights of our respective days. Thursday night, Friday night, and Sunday we continued their traditions with Fran in Vanessa's stead. The girls wound up being invaluable to me in planning the first contract.
In late September, I was getting antsy. I was sharing with Vanessa that I still hadn't come up with something to set my studio apart from the rest. It was an invitation only opportunity for the artists but was that enough? That's when Small Fry had an epiphany that would wind up defining London Harmony and make it the most sought after label since the Beatles Apple label.
She had said, “You told us about how your mother found Satin Thunder. When she asked Skylar Roth to come sing that single for her. She gave her that card.” Then she pulled out the card I had given her and Nessie all those months back. With my number on one side and the gold J on the other.
She grinned. “Ostentatious I know, but what about a J-Card like this handed out to only the musicians that you want to invite to be part of the London Harmony family. You could cloak it all in the mystery and make those cards the most sought after things in the underground music scene. Like those golden tickets for the Chocolate Factory.”
I was stunned, that was brilliant! I just smirked at her and said, “A little young to be using words like ostentatious are we?” We all shared a chuckle at the memory and then I added, “J-Card it is then.”
But then I sobered, we had all been avoiding the next conversation. I looked at Vanessa, she was so much different than the day I met her, in a good way. Her personality shone through like a blinding star, the anti-psychotics had, over time, lent stability to her moods and chased most of the voices away and a lot of the paranoia.
I spread my palms and took a deep breath. “I'm going to need to go to London in the next couple weeks. Have you decided if you are ready to leave this place?”
She closed her eyes and I saw a tear fall. She looked at Fran, her face was tight in stress and apology, “I... I can't yet. I know I've improved, but I still don't feel right. Like I did before I lost my job. I know I'll get there or learn to cope...”
Fran grabbed her hand to loan her strength, I grabbed her other and she quickly laced our fingers. I don't remember a day we weren't touching like this. Vanessa was a part of me now, a part of my life. And gawd was she a tease. It was always “Some day, maybe.”
I knew that would be her answer so now another hard question had to be asked. “That brings us to you Small Fry. I have to be there to open London Harmony. I have a responsibility to all my people over there, and I need to drop a J-Card on Velvet Fire. Zilrita has had people on the street buzzing about them and London Harmony. I even had her 'leak' a picture of the card we would be using. A glossy black plastic business card with a gold J embossed on it and London Harmony's phone number on the other. You need to decide if you want to come with me, or move to Vancouver to stay with Zoey and her family until Nessie here swims out of her lake.”
I knew this was a heart wrenching topic for both girls. There was no way Fran could stay in New York in any case, so they would not be able to see each other until Vanessa had herself discharged from Bellevue. My heart was beating faster as we looked at the young girl with so much emotion showing on her face. I saw her as my second baby sister now, after these months together and I knew how I wanted her to choose, but it was her choice.
I suppressed a sob when she just reached out and grabbed my other hand. I whispered, “Oh thank god.” I could almost hear all the sea otters in my head with their little hammers and workboots, tearing down the wall I was going to hide behind to bawl if she chose Zoey.
She looked up at me like she was confused. “You didn't think I'd choose you JW? I love you.”
Ok, I'm not made of stone. A tear flowed down one cheek and I wiped it on my sleeve. “Love you too Small Fry.”
Then we all sat down for a serious discussion about the mechanics of the move. I had my work visa, but I would need to get with Frank Davenport to see what needed to be done in the case of Frannie, but it sounded like we had a solid plan. By the time we were through, Fran seemed almost excited about the prospect of attending school in London.
We left that day with things hanging heavy in the air. Fran stepped out and then Vanessa leaned in and rested her forehead on mine. “No matter what happens, please know that I do love you June. You helped save me and Fran.”
I nodded, there was a huge lump in my throat and my heart felt like someone was standing on it. I nodded through blurry vision. “Love you too woman.” Then I got out of there with Fran before I burst into tears, I had so many emotions swirling through me and I couldn't identify half of them.
Chapter 17 – London Calling
The next couple weeks were a whirlwind, so many arrangements had to be made. Fran flew back to Seattle with me to make sure all my belongings got shipped off to London ok. We would be staying in a condo of a friend of Frank's daughter who had moved to the states to run the finances for Victoria Davenport's art gallery in Seattle.
We did some touristy things for Fran. She had never been out of the New York area and she fell instantly for Seattle, she said it was like a magical land from a storybook.
The personal stuff I wanted to store, we drove down to Vancouver to store at my parent's house. The little house by the park that would always be home to me. Most people can't believe that Mandy Fay Harris and Congresswoman Anabella West and their family lived in such a cozy little home. But it is natural to us, we would have felt so out of place in some cold and unfeeling mansion.
I grinned at the squealing hugs that Small Fry and Twiggy shared. My sister just picked the girl up and swung her side to side like a doll, she simply dwarfed her. I thought it was awesome that my sister was probably conceived in the land of giants.
Mother simply fawned over Fran. It was a surreal experience seeing a rock legend and owner of the most successful indie label bending over backwards to make a young girl feel welcomed. Mother said to me at one point, “With how glacially slow you and your sister work, little Frannie is the closest I'm likely to get to a grandchild anytime soon. I was thinking about contracting some Swiss clock makers and Irish druids to build one for me if you didn't get busy soon.”
Blushing, I spluttered out, “Mooom!” Though inwardly I was grinning as I stopped at the realization that, dear god, my inner monologue sounds just like her!
As we sat at the table chatting over coffee as we watched Lizzie and Fran over by the TV talking, Ma and I had a talk about the progress of the studio. Mother got a faraway look in her eyes then looked back toward Fran and said to me, “Have I told you how proud I am of the woman you've become baby girl? If not, I want you to know.” She reached over and placed a hand on top of mine.
Come on, pull it together JW! A twenty-five year old woman doesn't cry like this! Fine whatever. I said with a tight voice, “That goes both ways Mother.”
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