by A. E. Murphy
*
This room, the break room, can only be described as employee paradise. It’s more like a bachelor pad than a staff room.
It has its own kitchen, rows upon rows of hotplates filled with all kinds of food, vending machines full of snacks and drinks, fridges, and baked goods. It has everything.
The room through the large glass wall has televisions, laptops, PlayStations and more gadgets than I’ve ever seen outside of a gadget store. Beyond that glass room is another room, though this one is a bit more private as the glass is fogged and impossible to see through. Darren informs us that it’s a gym. A gym. A fucking gym.
“This is crazy,” Kai laughs, drawing the attention of a few people who are sitting on the sofas and eating noodles from little cardboard tubs. “Shall we eat?”
“How do we go about this?” Dane asks, looking a bit overwhelmed by all the choices.
“Follow my lead,” Darren chuckles, grabbing a plate from the stack at the end. He begins to help himself to smoked, skinless, shredded chicken breast. I decide that looks good so I get some of the same, followed by salad and a heated tortilla wrap. Now all I need is some sour cream and I’m good to go. When we reach the end, we scan our cards on the different touch screen systems that are on the wall and input what we took.
“It’s all very organised,” I say softly, enjoying how high-tech it all is. “I bet that makes it a lot easier for the cooks.”
“Definitely.” Darren agrees and leads us to a table. “How was your session this morning?”
“Fine, I think it went really well,” Kai replies around a mouthful of food. I roll my eyes.
“Good. They said it was great. They need to tweak a few things, get individual plays from you all to go over the track. They’ll want you in tomorrow to do the vocals again and Lockhart has requested you have his very best vocal coach.”
“A vocal coach?” I’m unsure whether or not I’m offended. “Why?”
“To help improve what talent you already have and to teach you to handle your voice without doing damage to your throat. Singing on occasion is fine, but soon you’ll be singing for hours every night and he needs you to be able to handle that, seeing as you insist on never lip synching unless necessary.”
“If people are paying to hear me sing, then that’s what they’ll get.” I take a bite of my cooling wrap and mentally cheer myself on at my food choice. It’s delicious.
“So you’ll agree to meeting with Lydia?”
I nod once. “It can’t hurt.”
“Great.” He grins and then frowns. “Shoot, I forgot a drink. Anyone want one?”
“I’ll get them.” Kai stands, his mouth full of cake this time. We tell him our orders and thank him. My eyes follow him across the room and then scan the room. There aren’t too many people in here, which is surprising.
“Does Mr Lockhart dine in here too?”
“Sometimes. He likes to make an appearance every so often and interact with his staff. It boosts morale when they think they’ve been noticed by their boss.”
I nod slowly, thinking of what it would be like if he were to walk through the door right now, stride over to me with his long, powerful legs and throw me onto the table, ordering everyone to leave so he can devour me and my body faster than Kai devoured his mountain of a lunch.
My mouth goes dry and I’m relieved when Kai places a bottle of water in front of me. Nobody bats an eyelid when I gulp it down greedily.
“I’m certain he said he’d be with us in the session?” I question carefully, not wanting to cause a stir or to seem ungrateful.
“It’s not something he normally does. He’s far too busy for such things. The only time he goes to the studio is when he wants to hear the final products, though mostly they’re sent directly to him.”
“The joys of technology,” Dane smiles, rubbing his full belly and belching so loudly somebody across the room hollers and claps.
“It’s day four already,” I tell my mum through the phone as I apply a little mascara to the ends of my lashes.
“I’m so happy you’re enjoying it.” Her warm, ageing voice soothes my restless soul. My mum is the person who handed me my singing talent.
“I need to lay off the break room though; I think I might have gained a bit of weight.”
“Use the gym instead of the canteen,” she advises, laughing a little. “If you’re anything like me, though, you’ll gain an arse and not a tum.”
“I sure hope so.”
Somebody bangs on the door. “Come on, we have to go,” Kai demands, banging again.
“Coming,” I call back. “I’ll video call you later when we’re in the studio.”
“Sounds good. Love you.”
“Love you too.” I hang up and stick the mascara wand back into the confines of its casing. When I open the door, Kai rushes past me and doesn’t bother closing it behind him when he urinates. I’m used to it.
Dane, who is finishing his hair in the mirror, winks at my reflection. I flip him off and grab my bag and the keys to the car from the little table by the door.
“Let’s go,” I announce, but before my hand touches the metal handle, there’s a light rapping at the door.
“Who’s that?” Dane asks as I spy a man wearing sunglasses and a dark suit through the peep hole.
I shrug and look to Kai, who is shaking the water from his washed hands. “Did you pay the bill?”
“What do you take me for?” He responds haughtily as Dane nudges me out of the way and opens the door.
“I’m Clyde. I’m here to escort you to your morning meeting with Mr Lockhart.” The man says. Standing at the same height as Dane, he looks at me over the top of his sunglasses when I peek around Dane’s shoulder.
“We have a meeting with Lockhart?” I wasn’t aware of this and neither were the guys if their shrugs are anything to go by. “Kai, call Rep.” Rep is Darren’s nickname. He doesn’t mind it and it makes us happy.
Kai places his hand over one ear as he makes the call. Dane and I stand awkwardly as Clyde seems to just stare at us through the dark lenses of his shades.
“He’s just calling Lockhart to confirm,” Kai whispers.
“So,” I click my fingers and fully step into Clyde’s view. “Clyde, huh? Cool name.”
“Thanks, my mother gave it to me,” he responds, his face stoic.
I snort out a laugh. I’m not sure why that was funny; it just was.
“It’s confirmed,” Kai calls after another awkward moment. “Looks like we’re skipping the studio and going to Lockhart.”
“Aye aye, captain.” I look down at my baggy joggers and vest top and wish I’d dressed better. These are my comfortable clothes, my exercise clothes, my laying around clothes. These are not my ‘seduce my boss’ clothes. Not that I want to seduce my boss. Do I? No, I just want to impress him with my physique.
“You’re going to bring us back later, right?” Kai asks Clyde, who nods and motions for us to pass him. It’s then that I see the sleek, black Jaguar waiting for us beside our piece of crap. The back windows are tinted completely black, but when Clyde opens the door I notice that I can see perfectly through the glass from the inside. That’s a pretty cool trick.
“Why does Lockhart want to see us?” I ask Clyde when he climbs into the driver’s seat after closing the door after Dane, who is the last to climb in.
“Do I look like the kind of guy Mr Lockhart would confide personal business details in?” He asks me in the mirror and his brow peeks over the rim of his glasses. It’s fair, like the buzzed hair on his head.
I pout my lips to stop me from smirking as I give him a salute of understanding.
Kai seems tense beside me, squished in between Dane and I.
“It’s nothing serious; he’s probably just going to discuss the album.” I pat his knee to ease his mind.
He smiles and sighs. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Dane mutters, “How do you both do that?”
&
nbsp; “Stop asking; you’ll never figure it out.”
Kai remains tense and I know he will until Lockhart has delivered whatever blow he wants to deliver. It seems odd that he’s doing it in person. Just yesterday Rep was saying how rare it is for anybody in the industry to deal directly with Lockhart unless they’re selling millions. My positivity is just too high right now to accept that it could be anything bad.
“Why didn’t he just pull us into his office when we were there?” I wonder aloud.
“Because he doesn’t like people having any kind of excuse to be late.” Clyde responds.
“Makes sense. So I guess ‘our car broke down’ can’t be an issue.”
“Exactly.”
“But what if your car breaks down?”
“Then I fix it.”
My mouth forms the shape of an O. “But what if you can’t fix it?”
“Then I order another one.”
“And what if that one…?”
Kai elbows me, cutting me off, and Clyde gives me an over glasses glare in the rear-view mirror. Sniggering, I look out of the window and rest my chin on my fist.
“Kai,” I whisper after a few minutes of silence.
“What?”
“We signed the contracts. Regardless of whether or not they drop us, they’ve still got to pay us the advance.”
“It’s not about the money,” he hisses, annoyed.
“I know, but with that money we can produce our own music, so don’t worry, okay? Whatever the outcome of this, it’s all going to be okay.”
He places a warm hand on mine and squeezes. I know I’ve said the right thing, though I also know it won’t stop him from worrying. He gets bad anxiety. It’s one of the reasons he’s such a good song writer. It’s also the reason he smokes. I hate smoking but it seems to relax him when he needs it. Who am I to judge?
*
As we wait outside the same office where we first met with Mr Lockhart, it feels very much like that meeting. The possibility of what’s to come is stirring us all in ways that are making us crazy. I feel like a child, unsure, anxious and wanting an adult to guide me and protect me from each and every eventuality.
I tap my fingers against the arm of the chair; it’s fabric so it doesn’t make much noise. Dane hears it enough to bob his head, eyes closed. I just know he’s hearing a rhythm similar to the one playing in my head right now.
“Ah, Miss Branch.” Lockhart’s voice startles me so badly I jump an inch off my chair. He strides along the long hall, his eyes on me, dark and intense. They don’t even glance at anyone else, not Dane, not Kai, not his receptionist. Just me. I can’t look away. His eyes are glued to my soul and when he looks away, I know it’ll rip a gash that no man will ever be able to fill. “You’re early.”
“Clyde,” I say by way of explanation.
He smiles. His eyes narrow and look me up and down, finally perusing my body the way I was waiting and hoping for. Even though I’m dressed like a chav, I really hope he finds me pleasing to the eye.
If he does or doesn’t, he doesn’t show it.
“Follow me.” He smirks, his smile secretive, his eyes still smouldering to hide a thought I wish I had access to. “Boys,” he says loosely at Dane and Kai and I can tell they both feel insulted. I don’t blame them either. There’s nothing worse than being treated like a child when you don’t believe you are one. I suppose to Lockhart they are simply boys, not yet men. “Morning.”
Lockhart has a thin beard today, lining his thick lips. He has been well groomed this morning. Even his hair looks different, neater than before, though still longer than his ears.
I wonder if he hires somebody to come to him to keep him so tidy?
When he falls into step beside me and his hand rests on my lower back, it takes everything I have not to stumble. I almost forget how to walk. The heat from his hand permeates through my spine and straight to my groin.
“Welcome back.” He waits for me to sit before rounding his desk and taking his seat. I watch as he taps on the monitor of his computer set up. “Right, I’ve gathered you here against your will to discuss two things that weren’t mentioned the other day.”
“We’re listening.” Kai shifts in his seat. His heel constantly taps at the ground, making his leg look as though it’s shaking.
“Are any of you fucking?” His question takes us all off guard. Dane chokes on air, Kai’s jaw hits the floor and I tense as though electrocuted. I feel as though I have been zapped too. He stares us all down, waiting for us to respond.
“Well, I’m not.” Kai blinks and looks to Dane, who immediately holds his hands up in surrender and states, “Definitely not.”
They both look to me as though to ask if I’m sleeping with either of them. As if they don’t believe each other. I respond with a scoff, “You’re kidding, right?” Then I look to Lockhart. “What does this have to do with anything?”
“I have to be sure. Relationships in bands never work out. Ever.” He says this to me more than to the boys. Does he think I fancy them or something? “If you were, I’d be putting an end to it. As it is, I’ll be moving you into temporary accommodations closer to the studio.”
“You will?” Kai asks, frowning. “Why?”
“Because you’ll be working together every day for the next year or so and if I’m to invest as much money into your quirky little band as I am, then I need to be sure that some silly argument over who is fucking whom isn’t going to mess up your progress. Are we clear?”
We all nod, all of us frowning.
“So you’ll have your own spaces away from each other. You need your own time to wind down. I’m willing to invest in that as long as you give me your word that no romances will start with anyone in this building that could compromise our plans.”
“You have it,” I respond first and then look to Kai and Dane, who both agree verbally, their faces determined and stoic. “We’re not like that anyway, never have been.”
“Good.” Lockhart looks back to his screen and taps on it once more. The light from it makes his amazing eyes sparkle menacingly, yet seductively. “The other reason I’ve called you in is to discuss your ridiculous band name.”
“What’s wrong with our band name?” Dane asks, raising his chin defiantly. I see Kai give him a sideways glance and decide to not get involved in this one.
“Dot, dot, dot?” Lockhart gives Dane a look that asks silently, ‘Are you insane?’
“It’s Ellipsis,” Kai explains.
“Yes I know that. It’s clever and cute but everybody else will call you dot, dot, dot. Is that truly what you want?”
We all shrug. None of us care; we just wanted something short, quirky and funny.
“We like it,” I say aloud without meaning to.
Lockhart taps his screen again and rests back in his seat. “As you wish.”
“Is that all?” Kai asks cautiously and curiously.
“No.” Lockhart taps the screen again and the door opens.
Darren strolls in, panting. “What did I tell you three about starting anything without me?” He snaps, pointing at us.
“It’s Lockhart,” Kai says by way of explanation. Lockhart simply rests back and watches the exchange with little interest.
“It doesn’t matter who it is,” Darren, aka Rep, snaps and then blows out a breath. He looks to me. “You should know that better than anyone, Ms Branch. Now… did you tell them?”
“No, I was awaiting your arrival,” Lockhart answers, smirking again. How can such an insidious look be so attractive? He looks as though he’s plotting something. Even the way he unbuttons the cuffs of his shirt is almost erotic. “Can I provide any of you with a drink?”
“No thank you,” I say, though now I wish I’d accepted. My mouth is suddenly dry.
“Who here has heard of Enri?” Lockhart asks and Darren begins to shake with excitement in the seat by the window.
“Who hasn’t?” I’d have to have been living under a rock to not kno
w who Enri is. He’s amazing. His voice is so powerful, his music so different and poetic, though his arrogance, from what I’ve heard, could use a bit of work. “He’s so talented.”
“Amen,” Kai agrees.
“Good, you’re opening for him.” Lockhart says this as though announcing toast for breakfast.
“WHAT?” We all exclaim. Kai and Dane look ready to jump out of their chairs after their eyes that have left their faces behind.
“When?” I lean forward, needing the information yesterday.
“How?”
“This is AMAZING!”
Lockhart finally smiles more than a smirk. “In a week, just a local gig at our own venue on the other side of the city.”
“The Phantom Stage?” I grin. “I remember when that was being built.”
“It’s a sure work of art.”
“It truly is. I can’t believe we get to play there.”
“Enri is a good friend of mine; he trusts my judgment,” Lockhart adds unnecessarily. “Don’t disappoint. This will make or break you.”
“Don’t pressure them,” Darren sighs, rolling his eyes at the domineering male. Then he looks to us. “Though he’s right. Enri is looking for somebody to open up for the rest of his tour after he screwed it up with his last opening act. If you impress him, he may keep you on which would mean a decent tour, expenses paid and money to be earned.”
“Plus it’s Enri. Didn’t his performances sell out in the first hour or something?” Kai asks, looking envious and in awe. “And you’re saying we’re going to open the show for him?”
“Yep, like I said, no pressure.” Darren grins, wagging his eyebrows at us.
Lockhart clears his throat. “So you’re in?”
“Hell yes!” Kai and Dane high five and finally jump up off their chairs.
“Good. Expect to be working until late tonight.” Lockhart announces and checks his watch. “You can go.”
I stand, hook my bag over my shoulder, tug on the bottom of my black lace skirt and then my brown bomber jacket.
“How are you getting on with Lydia?” Lockhart asks, tilting his head as Rep, Kai and Dane all chat animatedly on their way out of the room.