Carlee smiled his way, “I love you so much, Matthew.”
~ ~ ~
She called twice in the night, and the next morning Carlee was ready to go get the test over with so that she could go to the hospital. When Andy picked her up, she was proud as a peacock. “Aced it!” she told him.
When they arrived at London Royal, Carlee had her laptop with her so that she could do school work. Hatchet told her Kyliejo was sleeping a lot. She slipped into the room and whispered to Johanna, “Hatchet made arrangements for a room for you to get a shower and nap. Go. I’ll be right here.”
She sat in the chair beside Kyliejo’s bed working on a paper for her class; half an hour passed, and the little girl stirred. “Good morning sleepy beauty,” Carlee said as she leaned closer, stroking her hair. “That’s what Papa always called me.”
Carlee got water and helped her have a sip. “How are you feeling?”
“OK. Mum?” she asked.
“She’s taking a nap, so you’re stuck with me,” Carlee teased. “I have something to show you; do you feel like looking?” Kyliejo nodded, and Carlee scooted closer with her laptop.
“No, here,” Kyliejo, said motioning to the bed, and Carlee crawled in beside her.
She brought up a news site to show her. “I found this when I was looking for something for my paper for class. You’re a superstar! Look how many people love you!”
Someone had created a social networking page with clips from the concert, and there were over a million messages to her. The page had clips of music from the concert and pictures of Kyliejo from the event. She smiled as Carlee read some of the messages aloud and the music played in the background. Andy was getting ready to enter the room and saw the two of them. He stood at the corner of the door for a minute and finally turned toward the solarium.
“Where are you going?” Hatchet asked sarcastically.
“To a quiet place to gather my thoughts. Go away,” he laughed.
“She is a special one.”
“I hate that she’s so young going through this,” he replied.
“I was referring to Carlee,” Hatchet said with a tender smile.
“She’s surely been a blessing to me.”
“Don’t tell her I told ya so, but me too.” Danni Matchett joined Andy in the solarium. “I used to get up, come to work, put in my time, and go home. Now I make a point to smile when I get up, appreciate my job when I get here, and see if there’s a way I can provide comfort, aside from what is required of me, and when I go home, I feel good about the day. That’s the blessing she gave me. She talks to me a lot, you know, and I hear passion in everything she talks about. I see her with Kyliejo and it touches me in amazing ways.”
“Me too,” Andy said.
“And you will be a great Papa to the little one.”
Andy smiled. “She told you?”
“No, you just did,” she laughed. “When she was here the other day she said she was feeling some queasiness, and it scared the bejesus out of me. I watched her like a hawk and noticed her pull some saltine crackers and a bottle of water from her bag. Started thinking and suspected. And then I did what any nosey nurse would do, I asked Dr. Isaacs!”
~ ~ ~
Later that evening, they were all gathered at Andy and Geni’s dining room table. They talked of the day as they enjoyed the meal Geni had prepared when Carlee’s phone rang; she had it with her in case Hatchet or Johanna called. Not recognizing the number, she excused herself.
“Carlee Oliver Stevens, please.”
“What can I help you with?” she asked.
“Devin Marshall, here. My father, Franklin spoke with you some time ago,” he told her.
“Yes, I remember. It’s Carlee Davis now.”
“May I call you Carlee?”
“I reckon; it’s my name,” she laughed.
“I’d like to revisit the conversation about a movie for the book, “Rock and Roll Never Forgets.””
She looked up, and they were all watching her. “I’m in the middle of dinner right now, may I call you back later?”
“Sure, just real quick first, I’m in town for a few days and would like to meet with you.”
“Sure, I’ll call you later.”
She returned to the table and picked up her fork. “Franklin Marshall’s son, Devin, wants to talk about a movie,” she said and continued eating.
“That’s it?” Matthew asked.
“That’s all, he wants to talk. I’m going to finish my dinner.”
“But you said you would call him back,” Andy added.
“I said later.”
“Because you don’t want to talk about a movie?” Geni asked.
“I’ll talk to him. Right now, I’m going to finish my dinner,” she laughed.
~ ~ ~
When she was finished, she pushed her plate aside; the others did the same. “So back about five years ago, this producer that Papa worked with years ago, Franklin Marshall, contacted us about making the book into a movie. I had just read it for the first time, and it was almost like pouring salt into an open wound. I definitely was not ready at the time. He didn’t say so, but I would assume the concert and Papa’s revelation about my health scare made people start exploring, and the book came up again. The son, Devin, is ‘in town’ and wants to ‘reopen the conversation,’” she said making air quotes at his words.
“And?” Matthew asked.
“And I’ll talk to him, but I don’t know.”
~ ~ ~
Lying in bed that evening, Matthew raised up on his elbow to look over at Carlee. “Tell me about the first time,” he said out of the blue.
“Well, I was in London for my Thanksgiving holiday and I went shopping before I made the trip and got this hot…”
Matthew roared as she began, “I meant when you talked to the movie guy.”
“I knew what you meant,” she laughed. “Papa left it up to me – whether I wanted to explore it or not. At that time it was old news for everyone else, but the book was still new to me, and it had left me emotional and sad. Oh, they’d all shared bits and pieces of Papa and Mama’s journey together, so the story wasn’t really a surprise, but the words…”
She turned to face him; lying there quiet for just a minute, she continued. “Her words, not someone else’s. Norton Edwards put them together to weave the story, but they were my mama’s thoughts and her memories. Her feelings and emotions poured through every word I read. It was very hard, Matthew.”
“It was hard for me to read, to imagine that kind of life,” he replied.
“So anyway, when they called, Papa took me to L.A., and I talked to Mr. Marshall. Me. Not Papa. He said nothing to sway me one way or the other. ‘This is your decision,’ he told me, because it would hurt him too. I listened to Mr. Marshall’s ideas, his desire to make a movie that ‘has to be shared, it’s a beautiful story’… But all that kept running through my mind as I listened was that in the end, my mama would die again.”
Matthew watched her, afraid she was about to cry, but she didn’t. She just lay there watching him.
“I think if I talk to him, I’m gonna have to follow through this time, and it scares me. It’s been almost seven years, almost seventeen since Mama passed away, and it seems as though there is still at least one someone who wants to see this through.” She rolled away and moved into the curve of Matthew’s body. “For now, I just have to think and pray. I’ll call him tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll go with you, if you go.”
“I know.”
~ ~ ~
Wednesday morning, Carlee dialed the number that Devin Marshall had left with her.
“Good morning, Carlee,” he said. “I’m so glad you called. I was honestly afraid you wouldn’t. I know this is a tender subject and emotional for you.”
Matthew watched her as she listened.
“It is all of that, but I’ll meet with you to hear you out,” she said. “I have to plan things around my husband
’s availability, because I’m unable to drive for a while.”
“How about dinner tomorrow?” he asked.
“I have one little thing that could be a snag; I have a little friend who is very ill, if she needs me I will have to reschedule.”
“I understand. I’m staying at White’s of London; there’s a nice restaurant…”
“Six, I know it well. Does 6:30 work?”
“I’ll look forward to meeting with you and your husband.”
“Matthew. His name is Matthew.”
~ ~ ~
After her phone call, Matthew dropped her at the hospital on his way to the college.
Carlee entered the room, and Johanna left to go shower and nap. Carlee settled in with her laptop and schoolwork, and Kyliejo slept most of the time she was there.
Around one, Andy came with lunch. “I was afraid you wouldn’t remember to eat if I didn’t bring something.” He placed a sandwich in her hands. “Chicken salad,” he said.
“Where’s Geni?”
“She was on the phone with family back home and wanted to take care of some things at the flat,” he told her. “What I really think is that she wanted to give us some time.”
“Papa, Matthew and I are having dinner with Devin Marshall this evening.”
“I know; Franklin called me.”
“He did?” she asked and Andy nodded. “He didn’t ask me to try to sway you, he said it was a courtesy call. It’s Devin who wants to do it this time.”
“I’ll hear him out, but I won’t make a decision this evening.” She sat quietly a moment and asked, “If I do this, are you OK with it? I mean with Geni, because you know as well as me what it’s going to bring up.”
“I know. We talked about it last night. I asked her if she could deal with what this will mean, and she said yes.” He looked to Carlee. “There’s so much emotion with this.”
“I’m praying for the wisdom and guidance to make the best decision.” She looked at the clock on the wall and said, “Johanna should be back anytime, and then I need to go. I have a paper to do, and then I kinda feel like I need to rest before the evening.”
~ ~ ~
Kyliejo never woke. Johanna returned, and Andy took Carlee to the flat for a nap. He sat on the sofa with the keyboard and worked on tweaking the music he’d been working on, while Carlee slept. When he knew it was about time for Matthew to come home, he went to their room and looked in. Carlee was curled on her side, fast asleep, and Andy remembered so many times he’d looked on as she slept, and remembered each time he’d done the same with her mama, and thought about reliving all of that through a movie.
~ ~ ~
Matthew arrived at 4:45, and Andy left them. After he was gone, Matthew went to their room and crawled on the bed beside Carlee. His hand went to her belly and lightly caressed. She stirred and he smiled. “Just checking on my girls.”
She looked up, reaching her arms to circle his neck, “What makes you think it’s a girl?”
“I don’t think, I know,” he informed her.
“You do?” she laughed.
“It’s just something in my gut. I just know that our first child has to be a girl, a beautiful girl who will be as passionate as her mom and as talented as her dad,” he smiled.
Carlee pulled him close, “Papa said ‘she’ the other day too.”
“Come on, we gotta get ready.”
~ ~ ~
They arrived at White’s to meet Devin Marshall at 6:30 that evening, as planned, but couldn’t make their way through the place without hugs and kisses from all the staff. Cook met them and walked to the table with them. Devin Franklin watched the scene unfold from the table.
“You look incredible!” Cook told her as they walked toward the table.
“I feel pretty incredible!” She saw Matthew with that big happy grin on his face and said, “Oh for Pete’s sake. Just tell him!”
Matthew leaned to whisper in Cook’s ear. “She doesn’t want to tell everyone yet, but we’re going to have a baby!”
Cook could hardly contain his excitement. He stopped walking and reached for Carlee’s hand and pulled her to him for a hug. “She will be a beautiful blessing,” he said and kissed her cheek.
“She?” Carlee laughed. “That’s what Papa and Matthew think too! We’ll make a big deal to tell everyone soon, if I can keep this one quiet just a bit longer.”
When they reached the table, Cook kissed Carlee’s cheek and slipped away as Devin rose and introduced himself. “I see that you’re like a superstar here,” he chuckled. She noticed the other man seated at the table.
“This is my husband, Matthew. White’s and Six hold many, many good things for us, for my family,” she explained about her private entourage.
Once they were seated, Carlee continued the explanation, “Papa and I took a European vacation after I graduated high school, and we stayed here and Matthew worked here. We met in that booth right there,” Carlee pointed and laughed. “We married here at White’s too. The staff are all good friends.”
“Carlee, This is Brett Dunlap.”
He rose from his seat to shake their hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” he said.
“Likewise,” Carlee said sweetly.
“My father expressed to me his interest in your mother’s story a while back and told me why you were hesitant to move forward. He also told me of the agreement you made through Roddy Beamer, that if and when you were ever ready, you’d want to work with him. After the telecast of the combined concerts last month, I have great interest in this project…”
“Story, please don’t refer to this as a project. This is very personal to me; it’s my mama’s story.” Matthew watched and could see the emotion on her face.
“Yes, of course. I read the book. I’ve also been scanning social media and the sales outlets for the book. Are you aware that it’s back on the New York Times’ Best Seller list?”
“No,” Carlee replied. “We’ve been a little preoccupied, and I don’t know that I’d have even thought to wonder that the exposure of the concert would stir interest again. I am moved that people want to know my mama’s story, but I am also aware that some of that is Papa and Traveler’s fan base.”
Matthew watched her proudly. He’d never seen her in this type of situation and was amazed at the poise and grace of the woman before him. She handled herself like a pro. He tried to imagine this scene five years earlier and couldn’t conjure up the image of a sixteen-year-old girl having this conversation.
“I’ve been very blessed; Papa has worked hard over the years to keep me away from the limelight that my mama hated.”
“He’s done well. I knew about you, because of my father, but I didn’t know any details of your life except the adoption by Andy after your father died - didn’t know you were married, didn’t know you were living in London, any of that until the concert, and then details of you began to emerge. Let’s order and then we can talk more.”
They looked over the menu, chose their meals, and Devin ordered a bottle of wine. “None for me,” Carlee said. “I still have some things going on that keep me from drinking alcohol.”
“My father sends his best. He is slowly shrinking into retirement and said that this story is something that he feels passionate about, but doesn’t feel he has the ability to give it the full attention he feels it deserves, so I come to you in his place.”
Their dinner arrived, and they pushed their conversation about the movie aside, making small talk instead.
~ ~ ~
Done with their meal, Devin once again turned the conversation to the possibility of a movie. “I went out on a limb here, because I am hopeful that you will find that it’s time to tell this story. It’s been forty years since your mother came into the picture, and here we are, all these years later, and people still want to know her story.”
Devin nodded to Brett, and Carlee watched as he pulled a briefcase from under the table. He scooted his chair closer to Carlee�
��s. She noticed that he had a copy of the book, as well as a notebook. She looked on, seeing that the paperback copy of the book was as worn and tattered as hers. “I’d like you to read this and tell me what you think. I’ve read the book several times, and this is a part that I can see in my mind, very clearly. Dialog was pretty easy; your mama kept good notes.”
Carlee took the notebook and read through the scribbles on the page about their first trip to the Grammy awards; she closed her eyes a moment, remembering walking the red carpet with Papa, not so long ago. She could see her Mama, visualize the dress she wore, the flashes of light from the photographers, and she could see Andy. She opened her eyes and looked at the page again, and as she read the description of how Andy looked at her, she closed her eyes once more.
“OK?” Matthew asked.
“Yes,” she said and read some more. The picture in her mind was so clear, so vivid. She could visualize the way Andy must have looked at her mama. She remembered when they married, how he looked at her, so in love. She was young, but she remembered. She read of the dance they shared and remembered the first time she had danced with him, and she had to wipe her eyes.
“That’s enough for now,” she said handing the pages back to him. “I can see what you describe. It’s good. It’s just so…” she looked down a moment.
“Emotional,” Brett said. “I felt it as I read it; that’s what made it so easy to write.”
“Personal, I was going to say personal,” Carlee replied, taking the corner of the napkin to dab the tears from her eyes.
Devin pulled a flash drive from his pocket and handed it to Carlee. “It’s password-protected, and I’ll get that to you before we leave. This is a screenplay, as Brett and I see it at this moment in time. This is the beta work so that you can see where we’d like this to go and how we see it. As my father told you years ago, everything, every step of the way will be at your discretion, because I know this is personal.”
Feel Like Makin' Love (Rock and Roll Trilogy #3) Page 30