A Sound Like Hope (Fallen Tuesday #3) (3 page)

To Luke.

He kept the conversation short and
to the point.

“
Listen,
Luke, I
’
m at the
airport. I
’
m here. I
’
m back in New York. I need a
ride because there
’
s
a group of reporters looking for me.
”

Trent slipped from the crowd and
snuck away along a back wall. He worried he would look suspicious in the
airport with sunglasses on and a hood up over his hat, but it was a chance he
had to take for the moment. Trent made it down the first set of escalators and
then someone spotted him. A fan screamed his name, and that brought on the
attention of the reporters. Trent kept his composure as he signed the fan
’
s autograph and then he had no
choice but to go out the main doors of the airport and face the music. The
reporters gathered around him as he stood there. They all shouted questions at
him
…

Where are you flying from?

Why did you leave your band?

Fallen Tuesday did a radio
interview without you. Did you hear it?

Were you in a rehabilitation
center?

What will come of the charges
against you?

Can Fallen Tuesday survive this?

Will you be replaced in the
band?

Trent looked down the road and
waited for someone to come get him. There were dozens of cabs around, most of
which were readily available. But he wasn
’
t
in the mood for a cab ride and he especially didn
’
t
want to put a cab driver's life in danger having to navigate through the crowd
of reporters looking for one more picture of Trent.

When the reporters wouldn
’
t stop, Trent finally looked over
his shoulder and smiled.

“
We
’
re all good,
”
he said.
“
I
’
m
here to get back in the studio and finish recording the album. It
’
s all for the fans. They
’
re the ones who know the truth.
”

The questions flew at him again.

Do the fans believe you
’
re innocent?

What kind of example are you
setting for your fans?

Do you have a drinking problem?

Do you have a drug problem?

Trent started to walk and it was
just in time, because a black car came speeding down the road. The driver
flashed the lights and pulled to the curb. Trent knew it was a hired driver so
he went to the backdoor. When he opened it, he found Luke in the backseat
waiting for him.

“
Got
some friends following you,
”
Luke said.

“
Yeah,
I know.
”

Trent got into the car and it peeled
away, cutting across lanes, knowing just how to escape the cameras and
questions.

Once they were away from the
airport, Trent looked at Luke and offered his hand.

“
Good
to see you,
”
Luke said.
“
Alive and everything, you know?
”

“
I
know, man. I
’
m sorry about
this mess.
”

“
What
mess? Our bassist going to jail? Or our bassist fleeing to California? Or our bassist
acting like a complete ass? Or the fact that our radio show interview turned
into nothing but questions about you. Did you know, we only played one song because
there was no time left? What mess do you want to start with?
”

Trent swallowed his pride for the
moment.
“
How about I
apologize again and then explain what happened.
”

“
I
know what happened. Chloe happened. My question is
…
why?
”

“
I
have no idea,
”
Trent said.
“
I was having a beer and she
magically appeared. She started her shit, so I left. I did the right thing. I
got into my car and sat there. But she followed me, then a cop showed up, and
next thing I knew, I was going to jail.
”

“
There
are pictures of you in cuffs,
”
Luke said.

“
I
know. What was I supposed to do?
”

“
Damnit,
”
Luke whispered.

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
Trent said.
“
When
Frank got me out, I had to get the hell out of here for a little bit. I don
’
t know what to do when I see
Jake.
”

“
Why
does it matter?
”
Luke
yelled.

“
Because
it does,
”
Trent said.
“
He knows what happened.
”

“
It
was years ago.
”

“
Look,
I can
’
t wait to get back to
playing music, both in the studio and on the radio."

“
Yeah,
well as of right now, Frank doesn
’
t
feel confident putting us on the radio anymore.
”

“
Why?
”

“
Because
of what happened yesterday to us, Trent.
”

“
Let
me talk to Frank. I can work this out with him. I
’
ll
do the next show and I
’
ll
answer the questions about myself. There
’
s
nothing to hide, man. I did nothing wrong. The charges won
’
t stick and this will blow over.
”

“
Is
that what you think?
”
Luke
asked.

“
Yes.
Why?
”

Luke put a hand to Trent
’
s shoulder and shook his head.
“
What makes you think Chloe
’
s gone?
”

The question sucked the air out of
Trent. He blinked fast.
“
Well
…”

“
I
’
m just saying it because it needs
to be said. As much as this bothers you, it
’
s
the same for Jake. The reason I know is because he
’
s been trying to get in touch with her.
”

Trent closed his eyes.

The past was no longer in the past.

(3)

A few months ago when Emily Unther
took her ten year old nephew, Nicholas, into her home to raise him after his
father left, she knew it wasn
’
t
going to be all sunshine and happiness. Nicholas had always been wild, acted as
though he had a sense of freedom nobody else did, and most of all, he respected
nothing, including himself. That
’
s
what bothered Emily the most, the fact that the young boy didn
’
t respect himself. If there was
something to break, he broke it. If someone dared him to do something, he did
it. And now, halfway through instructing a yoga class at the fitness center she
owned with her best friend, Terri, Emily found herself in a downward dog
position, exhaling a deep breath, listening to serene music softly playing in
the background, while tears filled her eyes.

On more than one occasion she had
considered what to do with Nicholas. She wasn
’
t
a mother and she did not have that special bond with him. She didn
’
t carry him in her womb, she
didn
’
t push him from her
body, and she didn
’
t feed
him as mother and son. Yes, she had fed Nicholas many times when he was a baby,
but that was when her sister, Amelia, was still alive.

Some days Emily pinched herself to
make sure the last year wasn't just a bad nightmare. When Amelia got pregnant
with Nicholas, she told everyone it was from a drunken one night stand, so
that's what Emily believed for nine years. However, when the truth finally came
out last year, all three of their worlds were flipped upside down. Not only did
she have to bury her big sister, she now had to raise her ten year old nephew
who lost his mother and his care to live.

Emily managed to regain her
composure, finish the yoga class, and smile. She said goodbye to everyone and
when the hollow room was empty, she shut the door and the click echoed. Emily
sat on the floor, legs bent, her head back against the wall. This would have
been a perfect time to take very deep breaths, like the kind she instructed her
students to take when they were reaching for different poses, but breathing
right now didn
’
t help much
of anything.

The door to the room opened with a
squeak and Terri walked in wearing her tight athletic wear to show off her
perfect physique. She was holding a small stack of folders.

“
There
you are,
”
Terri said.

“
Hey.
Sorry. Was just taking a minute to myself.
”

Terri took one look at Emily and
she tossed the folders to the floor. She dropped down and scooted next to Emily.

“
What
are we thinking about?
”
Terri asked.

“
What
’
s in the folders?
”

“
Stuff
for the accountant. I
’
m not
worried about it right now.
”

“
It
’
s important,
”
Emily said.
“
Let
’
s talk about that first.
”

“
Or
not,
”
Terri said.
“
What
’
s bothering you.
”

“
The
same old stuff. You know that. My life is pretty cut and dry.
”

“
No
chance that you have some man drama?
”

“
Man
drama?
”
Emily asked and
laughed.
“
I haven
’
t been on a date in a long time.
Not with my circumstances.
”

“
You
know, there
’
s plenty of men
who look at you, right here.
”

“
Stop
that. I would never get involved with someone who comes here. And they
’
re probably all looking at you,
not me. You have the beauty and the body.
”

“
Now
that
’
s crap,
”
Terri said and laughed.
“
You have that girl next door
innocence.
”
Terri crept
closer to Emily.
“
And a
perfect ass.
”

Emily shook her head.
“
Stop trying to make me feel
good.
”

“
I
’
m not. I just don
’
t understand why you don
’
t have something to take your
mind off life.
”

“
I
do. Right here.
”

“
This?
This is our business. Speaking of which
…
the accountant is going to review those files and give them to the bank. If all
goes well, we should be able to expand by next spring.
”

Emily put her hand out and Terri
slapped it and then held it.

“
I
can
’
t believe our little
dream took off like this,
”
Emily said.

“
It
was either this or a diner and bakery.
”

“
I
think the diner and bakery would come in handy more right now,
”
Emily said.
“
But we look better doing this.
”

“
That
we do.
”
Terri pushed from
the floor and offered a hand to help Emily up. Emily popped up and started to
fix her hair. Terri wasn
’
t
done asking questions though.
“
What
’
s happening with Nick?
”

“
Nicholas,
”
Emily said.

“
Sorry.
Last time he was here, he told me he wouldn
’
t
talk to me if I called him Nicholas.
”

Emily shook her head.
“
It hasn
’
t been easy, at all. For either of us. I feel like
I
’
m supposed to give him
some extra rope because of all that
’
s
happened, but I
’
m at the
point where I don't have the strength to pull it all back in. I
’
m afraid I
’
m going to lose him.
”

“
Seriously?
”

“
Terri,
he set Hacher
’
s barn on
fire,
”
Emily said.
“
Just for the hell of it. That
’
s what he told the police. And
me.
”

Emily hung her head. That night ran
through her mind again. The smell of something burning. The firetrucks. Rushing
to her bedroom window. Seeing the billowing smoke and the dancing flames. And
then seeing Nicholas standing in the yard with his arms crossed, proud of
himself for creating such destruction.

“
I
know,
”
Terri said. She
touched Emily
’
s shoulders.
“
I know. He
’
ll get help.
”

“
Just
listen to what you said,
”
Emily said.
“
He
’
ll get help
…
what does that say about
me? I can
’
t take care of
him?
”

“
No.
It means you are doing the best you can. You love him. You
’
re family. He
’
s just expressing himself. He is
angry. And hurt.
”

“
I
don
’
t want him to be sent
to jail.
”

“
They
won
’
t send a kid to jail.
”

“
Well,
wherever they send kids that burn down barns. I don
’
t want him to go there.
”

“
Have
faith,
”
Terri said.
“
He won
’
t.
”

“
It
’
s hard because he does need
someone,
”
Emily said.
“
I can only talk to him so much,
you know? I try to talk about my parents, our families, and he just wants
nothing to do with it. I think it
’
s
because I
’
m a woman.
”

“
Oh,
come on
…”

“
I
’
m serious. I think it would work
better if a man sat down with him and talked to him. If this is his way of
being mad at the world, that means he has a lot built up inside him. Maybe he
’
s afraid to show those cracks to
me. And can I blame him? His mother died and his father left him.
”

“
Poor
kid,
”
Terri said.

“
I
hate what Nicholas did,
”
Emily said.
“
I hate that I
have to talk to police, lawyers, social workers, and now have to deal with Mr.
Hacher. I
’
m not sure what
to do.
”

“
You
take it one day at a time,
”
Terri said.
“
Just like we
do with our little business here.
”

“
The
business isn
’
t so little
anymore.
”

“
I
still think of it that way. Easier to manage.
”

Emily picked up the folders Terri
had tossed to the floor.
“
Get
these to the accountant. Your day shouldn
’
t
slow because of my personal problems.
”

“
Are
you done today?
”

“
That
was my last class, but I was going to stay for a little while.
”

“
Go
home,
”
Terri said.
“
Go home to Nicholas and give him
a big hug. You can
’
t give
up, now or ever.
”

“
I
’
m not giving up,
”
Emily said.
“
You know me. I just want what
’
s best for Nicholas.
”

“
And
yourself.
”

“
In
time, yes. But first, I have to focus on him.
”

“
You
’
re a good person. If you need
anything, don
’
t hesitate to
ask for help.
”

Terri left the room and as much as
Emily really did enjoy being there alone, she needed to get to Nicholas. Right
now they were waiting - Emily, impatiently, and Nicholas not giving a damn - to
see what Mr. Hacher wanted to do. He could come after Emily with guns blazing
and have Nicholas put away. Or they could work out a deal with the lawyers and
the judge. In all her life, Emily had never needed to know what certain legal
terms meant, but Nicholas had gotten into so much trouble that she was now
using slang and abbreviations like they were her normal language.

On the ride home, Emily received a
call from her lawyer. The legal fees were piling up almost daily and there was
no end in sight. Thankfully, Emily
’
s
lawyer was willing to keep working as long as she kept sending something. Her
biggest fear was that once it was all said and done, she would end up in
massive debt, lose everything she had, and worst of all, lose Nicholas.

“
Hey
Tim,
”
Emily said.
“
Is this call costing me money?
”

“
A
small fortune, yes,
”
Tim
said and laughed.

“
I
’
m not laughing.
”

“
I
know. Don
’
t worry about
money right now. I
’
ve been
working on your boy
’
s case.
”

Her boy.

Tim always referred to Nicholas as
her boy. There was a time in the beginning when that made Emily gush and smile.
Now, it embarrassed her. And that made Emily feel like a bad person.

“
I
think your neighbor is going to calm down some more,
”
Tim said.
“
He
’
s pissed about the fire, but the
barn was old and he mentioned he was going to tear it down anyway.
”

“
Well,
that
’
s good.
”

“
Don
’
t go ordering the ice cream cake
just yet.
”

“
No?
”

“
He
’
s more pissed that Nicholas has
been causing problems for months. Beyond the fire. Looking at his record
…
I mean, Emily
…”

“
It
’
s bad,
”
Emily said.
“
I
know.
”

“
What
’
s your end in all this?
”

“
I
don
’
t want him taken from
me. I
’
m not perfect, Tim,
but if he goes into the system, he
’
ll
never have a chance.
”

“
I
know that,
”
Tim said.
“
I
’
m
trying hard. We have a judge who has an open mind and a heart. There
’
s a program he can get into. He
will be partnered up with a mentor who will help him, you know? There will be a
probationary period, which means no trouble, but he
’
ll have some else to lean on.
”