He says, “You made damn near six million dollars so far from that Gap shoot, and more will continue to roll in. The smart thing to do is to find a house that is two million or less.” Hearing that amount out loud is fucking amazing. My heart is pounding out of my chest.
“So, I have two million to buy a house with and we’ll still have plenty left over?”
Stan laughs and says, “Kid, you are not going to have to worry about money again. Well, unless you turn into a dumb fuck, but I know you won’t.”
I ask him if he can refer me to a real estate person.
“I’ll call her and have her call you right away.”
I thank him and hang up. Two million dollars! If it were anybody else, I’d say I should wait, but it’s Lyrics and I know everything she has ever wanted in a house, everything. I’m doing this! She is going to flip out.
Five minutes pass and my phone rings. “This is Tani. Stan told me you are in the market for a new house.”
“Wow, that was fast.”
She laughs and says, “Well, he mentioned you have quite a bit of money to spend. You made it to the top of my to-do list today.”
I chuckle and ask, “So, what do you have on the waterfront to show me?”
“Mmmm, I like a man that knows what he’s looking for.” I snort a little because from the sound of her voice, she is either much older or has had a series addiction to Marlboro reds.
“Tell me where you live and I’ll come get you and we’ll make a day of it.”
Without thinking I say, “Is that normal?”
She responds in an almost offended way, “I’m not gonna kidnap you if that’s what you’re worried about.” She’s funny, I’ll give her that. I tell her my address and she says, “At those apartments?”
“Yes ma’am.”
She pauses and says, “I’ll see you in thirty.” I thank her and hang up. I hope Lyrics thinks this is as cool as I do.
I pull up some houses for sale, the ones on the waterfront. Turns out two million would put as at the lower end of these houses, but there are some amazing houses in that range. Besides, Lyrics is gonna shit when she finds out the price already. I see this house that is gorgeous. Five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two boat docks, a pool, Jacuzzi, outdoor kitchen, and there are music notes at the bottom of the pool. Holy fuck, this is the one! The asking price is exactly two million so I can offer less and buy a boat to fill one of those docks. I’m giddy waiting for Tani to show up. I’m in my low hanging jeans, an A&M sweatshirt, baseball cap, and sneakers. A brand-new BMW, all black and sexy as hell pulls into the parking lot, and I’m certain it has to be her.
She pulls right up to me, rolls down the window and says, “Hi, I’m looking for a sexy man for a mid-day romp, are you him?” I take a step back and must look like I saw a ghost because she busts out laughing and yells, “Get in, ya pussy. It’s me, Tani.”
I think she and I will get along swimmingly. She is an older lady, very refined in her appearance, clearly not in her behavior. She’s done well for herself.
“Do you have anything in mind?”
I pull up the house that I saw on my phone and say, “Yes, this one right here. That is our new house.”
She looks at me and says, “If we go see that house and you end up wanting it, I will dye my hair bright pink! I’ve been in this business a long time, probably since your mama was wiping your ass, and I’ve never had somebody buy the first house they saw.”
I smile, look at her hair, and say, “Pink will be a nice color for you. It’ll really bring out those pretty blues you have.”
She smiles and says, “Oh, honey, charm will get you everywhere.”
Tani calls the number listed on the house listing and says, “Make sure y’all are there in thirty minutes and be ready to sign papers. Yes, this is a cash deal. See you there.” She looks at me and says, “Cash speaks very loudly in this line of work. Why do I feel like I’m gonna be rocking pink hair tomorrow?”
I laugh and say, “You did say you like a man that knows what he wants, right?”
She smiles and with pizazz in her tone says, “I sure do, honey.”
On the drive there, I tell her that I am going to surprise my soon to be bride with a house. Tani about crashed.
She gasps and says, “A true romantic you are.”
I shrug my shoulders and say, “Yeah, maybe so.” We fill the rest of the drive with small talk and silence. We pull into this neighborhood that looks like it is straight off a movie set. The houses are insanely beautiful and the properties are perfectly manicured. I can’t believe I’m looking here for our new house. We take the street all the way to the end, and there it is. She pulls up the driveway which leads to a circular driveway right in front of the extremely large front door. I feel like jumping out and running up to the house, but I maintain a shred of dignity and wait for her to give the okay. I look around the front yard and there is a bush shaped into a treble clef and one shaped like a bass clef. If this isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.
I ask Tani, “Who owns this house?”
“Well the rumor is that it belongs to one of the Eagles, maybe the front man himself.” I’m pretty sure I just got a boner.
“So, you’re telling me that this house may or may not have been Don Henley’s house, from the motherfucking Eagles?”
She laughs and sarcastically asks, “Oh, you’ve heard of them?” I look at her like she’s crazy.
“Let’s get inside!” I say like a kid waiting for Six Flags to open.
“Let’s do it.” She fiddles with the lock box and the secret door opens and out comes the key. She opens the door and I am in awe. This house has natural wood beams on the very high ceilings, the layout is perfect, and there is a music room. I’m talking about a recording room, not just a music room. Lyrics is going to shit her pants when she sees her new house.
Before we even get off the first floor, I say, “Tani, I want this house.”
She laughs and says, “Honey, you haven’t even seen the whole thing.”
“I don’t have to, and besides, now Lyrics and I can experience seeing it for the first time together.”
“Ah, now the name Lyrics makes sense. The asking is two and it’s been on the market for about sixty days. Let’s offer 1.75 and see what they say. You are buying it outright, so I’m sure they’ll accept that offer.”
“Let’s offer them 1.6 and let them talk us up then.”
“Stan was right, you aren’t just a pretty face.” I smile and have to remind myself that I’m waiting for Lyrics before looking at the rest of our new house. Tani says, “You know you may have to wait two weeks for the escrow to close, right?”
I look at her and say, “I read that with cash deals, it could be as quick as four days. A woman with your clout and determination, I bet we get it in three days.”
She flashes me a seductive smile and says, “I will make it happen.”
“So, you taking me out for a dinner or what? We gotta do it tonight, I can’t be seen with a woman sporting pink hair.” We both laugh.
“Here they come now.” My heart is racing. My phone rings, its Lyrics. I become super nervous and she’ll know something’s up right away if I answer.
I text her, “Babe, I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you in a bit. Love you”
She texts me right back, “Oka jbst wanted to sy I lwve u”
I can’t help but laugh. I text back, “Maybe you need to lay off the alcohol? Be safe, love you.” I look at Tani and I laugh as I tell her, “She, my Mom, and her soon-to-be stepmom are plastered.” Tani laughs and immediately puts on her business face as she walks to the three people who get out of their convertible matte black Mercedes. I wait patiently as she speaks with them. After about ten minutes, they all walk over to where I’m sitting and one by one introduce themselves to me. All three are a lot younger than I imagined.
The suit named Bryce says, “Do I know you? You look very familiar.”
I shrug my
shoulders and say, “So, where are we on this deal?”
Tani’s eyes bulge a little and she says, “Gentleman, what’s it going to be? Keep in mind, this is a cash deal.”
The three men pow-wow for about thirty seconds and the one that stands about 5’5 and round like he hasn’t ever missed a meal says, “Because it’s a cash deal, we will take 1.75 and call it a day.”
Tani looks at me and I say, “Let’s do 1.7 and you have yourselves a deal. I gotta save some money to furnish this place with.” The men pretend to discuss, but I know they each have huge dollar-sign boners right now and want to jump to say yes, but they have to play the part.
Again, the short one reaches his hand out and says, “Done! 1.7 out the door.” My heart fucking sinks! I just bought Don Henley’s motherfucking house! Lyrics is going to absolutely crap her pants!
Once they situate all the paperwork and such, Tani shakes her head at me and says, “This is an absolute first. You are a man that knows what he wants, and I’m guessing you normally get it too.”
“So, I think you’ll look great with pink hair.”
Her jaw drops open and she gasps. “Oh hell, you just made me over fifty thousand dollars, in less than two hours. Pink will look fucking beautiful on me!”
She is a firecracker and I give her a hug and say, “Thank you. Remind me to thank Stan for referring you to me. You know, when I woke up this morning, I thought today would be a boring day without my Lyrics at home. Look at how it turned out!”
“I will get on the horn with the escrow company and see what we can do about getting you the keys in the next few days. So, wanna go get a couple brews and celebrate?”
I smirk and say, “Sounds like fun, but now I have two apartments to pack up and I have a lot of services I need to switch over.” She suggests that I only take what I really want and furnish the house with new items. It’s a good idea as we’ve had the same crap for a long time now and I can very comfortably afford to furnish our new, beautiful home. God, I feel so blessed right now, and it seems like ages since I’ve felt this way. I am happy. My best friend in this big ass world is going to marry me in two months, and I just bought a house where we will start a family of our own!
Tani says, “Raincheck?” I respond with a smile and a nod.
I tell her, “Make sure you keep April 25th open. You have to come to our wedding.”
She smiles and says, “I will absolutely be there. Let me get you home now so you can get out of that awful apartment.”
I kind of laugh and say, “It’s not so bad there. We have a whole lot of great memories at that place, and of course, one very bad one. A fresh start will be perfect.”
The moment I get into my apartment, I call Lyrics. I want to tell her so badly, but I decide that a surprise will be much better.
“Hello, my gorgeous, sexy fiancé. Have y’all sobered up yet?”
She laughs and says, “Mom and Sophia passed out on the couch and I’ve been looking at wedding magazines.”
I say with a smile, “Did you find the one you want?”
She says kind of pouty, “Not really. These all seem so frilly and fake. I want a dress that reflects my style, not one that makes me look like a Disney character.”
“Why don’t I call Chip and ask him for one of the designer’s number and you can call that person and tell them exactly what you want? Personally, I know that you will take my breath away in any dress you pick. Besides, the dress will look best when it’s lying on the floor and your naked body is in front of me.”
She laughs and says, “Well, Mr. Staff, are you suggesting I walk down the aisle naked?”
“Yes, ma’am, that is exactly how I want to marry you.” We both laugh and I say, “No, baby, I just want you to have the exact dress you want.” It’s getting hard for me to keep quiet about the house so I tell her I’ll call her later.
“I love you, always have and always will,” she says.
I quickly say, “I’m counting on it.”
Chapter 16
‘Through ups and downs, the sun still shines.’
Lyrics –
“Mom, Tan gave me the number to a designer that Chip has worked with and she says she can make the dress I want.”
Mom grabs a pen and paper and says, “Write it down here, so when you speak to her you won’t forget.” I take the paper and sit there blank.
Mom takes the pen and paper from me and says, “I’ll write honey, you talk.” I look at her and she smiles. She says, “Okay, let’s start with the length. Do you want a long train?”
“Shit, I don’t know. What do you think?” Mom rattles off a whole list of things and draws out the dress that she thinks is totally me. I look at it and say, “Seriously mom? This is perfect. Exactly what was in my mind, you just put to life!”
She puts her hand on mine and says, “Mom’s know best.” For a moment, I really miss my mother, but quickly realize that I am so lucky to have the Mom right next to me. My dress will have thin straps with rhinestones and the front shapes into a sexy but not slutty V-neck. The whole top is filled with bling, the elegant kind not the big ugly kind, and the bottom flares out nicely into a medium length train, with some more nicely placed bling. I called the designer and she is flying into Austin next week to take my measurements. I can’t believe this is happening.
I lean over and kiss Mom on the cheek, “Thank you so much, Mom. You are the best mom a girl could ask for.”
Her eyes tear up and she says, “Oh, baby girl, I know you’d rather your mom here, but I am just so honored to have you as my daughter. The fact that you’re marrying Tan makes it that much better. You’ve always been my girl, but now it’s going to be legal and I’m just so happy.” Oh crap, here come the tears! She gives me a big hug, wipes her eyes and says, “I’m gonna get dinner going now.”
“Do you mind if I write for a bit?”
“Not at all, I was wondering when I would see some new material.” I smile and grab the paper and pen.
I’m sitting on this porch swing; the same one I’ve shared with Tanner since we were just teenagers. The cushions are worn perfectly for me and my feet curl up just right. The word destiny keeps rolling through my thoughts. What Mom said inside about wishing my real mom was here, made me think about how different my life would have been. Would I have ever met Tanner? Instead of calling her Mom, I’d be calling her Mrs. Staff. Too weird to even think about. Destiny. This is definitely my destiny.
I begin writing and the words flow as if they have been waiting to be heard. For the first time, I hear the song in my voice. When I write, it is normally Tanner’s voice I hear when I imagine it being performed. Wow, I wonder if this means I’m supposed to sing it? I’ve never performed by myself and just the thought scares the piss out of me. It’s scary enough writing and singing with Tanner, but by myself, oh hell, that is terrifying. I spend another hour or so cleaning it up and I go inside and ask Mom to listen to me sing this song and tell me what she thinks. I know she’ll give an honest opinion as she has many times before. She finishes washing her hands, grabs a paper towel and heads to the living room.
She plops down on the couch and says with excitement, “I’m ready!”
I grab the guitar and prop the paper up in front of me. I’m nervous and it’s just Mom. God help me if I ever sing this in front of a crowd. I take a deep breath in and say, “Okay, here it goes. Remember, please be honest.” Mom rolls her hand at me like, get going chicken ass.
♫ Seems lately we’ve been up and down and all around
I’ve crumbled so many times, without a sound.
Nobody’s promised a road without twists and turns
But it’s you my love for which my heart continues to burn.
Chorus – Happiness don’t always come around that easy
Life ain’t just about pleasing me.
As long as I still know you’re mine
Through up’s and down’s, the sun still shines. (End chorus)
Lif
e’s sense of humor sometimes ain’t all that funny
Misery finds all, even people with money
But you and I, we’ve got this, you hear me
Like leaves that grow back on a bare tree
Chorus – Happiness don’t always come around that easy
Life ain’t just about pleasing me.
As long as I still know you’re mine
Through up’s and down’s, the sun still shines. (End chorus)
With you by my side on this wild ride
There’ll always be a pep in my stride.
Chorus – Happiness don’t always come around that easy
Life ain’t all about pleasing me.
As long as I still know you’re mine
Through up’s and down’s, the sun still shines. (End chorus)♫
Mom sits there quietly which makes me nervous as hell, and then she says, “Dylan, honey, that is going to be a huge hit! I absolutely love it, and you sing like an angel.”
I look at her with a cocked eye and say, “Don’t just blow smoke, Mom.”
“In all these years, have I ever lied to you?” She has a point. She’s been honest with me always, even when it was something I didn’t want to hear.
I call Tan but his machine picks up. I text him, “Babe, I have a new song! Mom loved it. Hope you do too.”
A few minutes pass and then he texts me back. “Can’t wait to hear it. I’ll call you in just a few. Love you”
I text, “I love you.” Hope he doesn’t think I’m edging him out, but this song has my voice all over it. I’m sure he will be stoked that I’m actually willing to sing it.
When we were about fifteen or so, I wrote a song and he got so mad at me because I wouldn’t sing it. I kept telling him that I wrote it for him to sing, not me. He would tell me what a beautiful voice I had and how I needed to drop the shy shit and get up on stage. Even now, the only time I’ve been on stage is when he is up there with me, taking the lead. After all, the girls do love him and the guys totally want to be him.
Soul-O (Music & Lyrics #2) Page 8