REPRESENTED (30 page)

             
Cassie realized that Karin kept up Cassie’s spirits when they reached a low by encouraging her, getting her involved in her own career in ways she hadn’t thought about before, giving her the accolades she had been deprived of before.  All the positive energy and the ‘atta girls’ that had been lacking were there now and not just from Karin.  Those around her were a positive influence.  Just reading her webpages and the wonderful feedback from her fans gave her a boost like no other.  She felt so blessed she had to create and she started writing like mad but she also started listening.  They had found like Karin had said they would wonderful writers and artists basically begging for crumbs.  Her office set up a division just to handle their discoveries, sign them and get copyrights for their work.  Residual income couldn’t be discounted and now Cassie Summers Enterprises got a share of not only her own songs but others.  She found several Southern Rock songs that Karin approved and arranged to be recorded.  They made plans on a release of a new album later that year as well as sexy new videos.  Karin arranged for some of the best in the business to direct these new videos.  Some of the other singers and actors that Karin brought on board to show ‘support’ to Cassie amazed her that they would agree but Karin pointed out some of it was to their benefit as well.  She used the newspapers and tabloids shamelessly to their advantage and Cassie found herself giving ‘exclusive’ interviews all the time with each new video, each new song, concert, or promo.

             
Cassie found herself in a new bus with better accommodations as Karin sent her on the road with her band.  As singles and their videos were released, her name appeared in tabloids, newspapers, and magazines her name became more well-known than it had before.  She became busier and busier and saw Karin less and less and yet she was always there at the important events.  Cassie received awards from the gay and lesbian community applauding her coming out and her efforts to get people to understand it wasn’t a choice, it was who she was.  For the first time her ‘coming out’ was no longer a burden but a blessing.  She was up for other awards too and the shelves in her home were filling slowly.  Her shows began to take on a new personality of their own.  Karin had her take dance lessons and they hired a choreographer to help her learn to overcome her innate shyness over her own body and its movements.

             
They had to lease a few larger trucks as her shows began to have pyrotechnics and big screens.  It took days to set up instead hours but they had a top notch crew and they were devoted to Cassie.  She hadn’t lost her personal touch as Karin moved her into circles she had only dreamed of before.  As Karin had stated, they were putting on a show and at the average $65 a seat and more depending on the venue these people deserved a complete package!

             
Karin had her take elocution classes and the guys had a good time teasing her about that until Karin turned on them and insisted they learn a few things too.  Their whole band had to take dance lessons too and they no longer teased her exclusively as they all had something to laugh about together.  Dancing with a bass guitar was not easy and the audience loved their new ‘moves’.  They were entertainers now and not just singers and musicians.  Karin had explained this in the various ‘boardroom’ meetings they had whether they were in Nashville around Cassie’s living room or in the office or on the bus.  Karin didn’t travel with them often but when she did they got overloaded with ideas and excitement.  They were all having a wonderful time and she made sure of it.  She even made sure their families were a part of it finding out who lived where, who was married, who involved, children, birthdays, the smallest details did not escape her notice, her phone kept details that they were hoping would never come to light.  She brought cakes, had family members brought on stage, made it a family affair for all of them.  One or two band members had to leave for various reasons and they never left bitter, they were family and Karin kept them in her little black book as it were.

             
“How are you?” Karin called Cassie.

             
“Gawd it was exciting” Cassie told her.  She had just sung in front of Country Music Association her new hit Network.  It had been inspired from watching Karin work.  It was a Southern Rock with a Pop flavor that had people out on the floor dancing and tapping their toes whenever they heard it.  It was about staying in contact, hooking up, connecting.  It appealed to a lot of people whether they liked Country or Pop and she was officially a cross over star.  She had gotten a standing ovation from her peers at the show.

             
“Next year you will be the one getting all those awards” Karin said with absolute conviction.

             
Cassie didn’t doubt it.  Everything Karin had said she would do was coming to fruition.  It wasn’t all fun and games.  She had seen some of the ugly things Karin spoke of and had seen her actually go nose to nose shouting at some people.  To see someone who looked like Karin shouting was something to see, it was impressive, it was scary.  It wasn’t actually a shout so much as an intimidation, more of a ‘you will’ do what I am telling you or face the consequences of your actions moment. 

             
“Where are you?” Cassie asked.  They didn’t see as much of each other as they would like but it wasn’t much different than before she had signed her contract with Kreske.  In fact, now that Karin was handling her career they saw each other more but it was a lot more business.  Karin made their time together precious though and Cassie appreciated the romantic side of her, it made her feel loved, it made her feel precious, it made her feel strong knowing someone like Karin was taking care of her.  Karin showed her in countless ways that she did love her.  She only could hope she felt the same.

             
“I’m sitting in my office looking at a funny picture you framed” she smiled as she looked at a beautiful Cassie Summers who was reclined on her tricked out bus playing a plastic blow up guitar.  It really looked like she was playing it too.

             
Cassie smiled glad that she had sent that picture.  Karin’s office and home were just too plain.  She needed silliness and pictures in it.  “Can you meet me somewhere this week?”

             
“No, I’m going to Milwaukee to see my sons” she said disappointing Cassie.

             
“I’ve known you over a year and not once in all that time have you suggested I meet them or go to Milwaukee.  Are you ashamed of me or is there something you are hiding there?”

             
Karin blinked at the question “I am not ashamed of you.  The house there is my past.  I rarely go there as you well know.”

             
“Then why haven’t I met your sons?” she was pushing and she knew it.

             
“Just the way it’s worked out, lack of time, or opportunity” she answered puzzled as to why Cassie would push it.

             
“Do they even know about me?” she asked disappointed.

             
“Of course they do, I talk to them all the time, they couldn’t help but know about you!” she insisted.

             
Cassie cocked her head at that and thought before asking “but do they know
what
I am to you?”

             
“Jeez Cassie, what is this?  Did someone piss you off out there?  Of course they know what you are to me!  I’m not hiding you; I’m not hiding my sons.  You’ve just never met because it hasn’t come up, how often do you play Milwaukee?”

             
“I noticed it’s never on the tour schedule” she replied.

             
Karin sighed; she didn’t need a headache like this.  “What do you want me to do?  Set up a play date so you can meet my boys?”

             
“Yes actually I would like that...”

             
“Fine, I’ll try to get a bunch of dates in the Midwest belt, it’s actually a good idea.  You can play Milwaukee, Madison, the Dells, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Wausau and then I’ll send you over to Minneapolis and you can hit up a bunch of the cities in Minnesota.  We will start you on the college circuit.  There, satisfied?”

             
“No, not yet, but I will be, if you can manage to be there with me.”

             
“You wouldn’t want me with you right now; I want to wring your neck!”

              Cassie did play the Midwest belt and not just Wisconsin and Minnesota, Karin had her teams set up dates throughout Illinois and Iowa.  The band had done all of these places before at one time or another but now they were going first class and drawing record crowds.  No more was there any empty seats in the house.  After Cassie and her band released their next album they were even more popular if that were possible.  Karin had them appearing on the talk show circuit to get them TV coverage.  She had film crews following them at various venues and posting the live performances on U-Tube and their webpages.  Sales went through the roof for the album. People loved her ballads but they also loved the crossover Southern Rock with a Pop flavor.  Karin set up a series of Country Music venues that had sprouted in recent years so that she had shows throughout the backwoods of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota where people would camp for weeks in R.V.’s and various artists showed up for one night only.  It was really an education for them all as they built up their fan base beyond anything it had been before. 

              Karin was lying out on her patio, home for the first time in six weeks except for one or two overnighters.  She had missed her pets and had C.A.T. in her arms and D.O.G. vying for petting. 

             
“Watching you I would guess they had missed you.” Cassie said where she sat in the other chair amused.

             
Karin smiled where she sat in her chair, she looked utterly content.  “Are you ready for tomorrow?”

             
“Oh yeah, I’m very excited too.  It should be pretty spectacular.”  Her gray blue eyes sparkled in the light from inside reflecting in them.

             
“Well, Madison Square Garden isn’t anything to sneeze at” Karin grinned.  They had managed to get a venue that normally wouldn’t be available for years on end but another group had pulled out due to the flu at the last minute and Karin had snapped it up.  A little bug had whispered in her ear about the opening.

             
“You didn’t have anything to do with the flu virus did you?” Cassie teased as she watched Karin rub C.A.T.’s neck as he purred loudly and appreciatively as his head arched up showing her places she could rub under his chin.

             
Karin looked at her with a sardonic look in her eye “wow, you’ve gone over to the dark side haven’t you?”

             
Cassie laughed.  She knew Karin might bend rules, she didn’t break them and she was honorable and trustworthy.  The money she had been making was now invested properly and she and her band members were solvent.  The accounting firm was full of honest hard working people and her reports reflected an income that thrilled and amazed her.  The District Attorney’s office had handled the embezzlement for her and while she hadn’t recovered much, it was at least something.

             
“After this though I’m going to be making a strategic withdrawal” Karin told her conversationally.

             
“What do you mean?”

             
“I won’t be visible as you’re ‘manager’ or ‘agent’ or whatever people want to label me as.  My teams will all be in place for you of course but you won’t be seeing me standing there waiting to hold your hand.  I have to step back” she said knowing this would upset Cassie.

             
“Why?  It’s going great.  The album is selling well, the concerts are sold out, and I already have people whispering about Grammy’s and other awards...” she sat up concerned and leaned towards Karin.

             
“Yes and if it looks like I handled every inch of your fame don’t you think someone might come calling?  This way at least it looks like a group effort.  I won’t be just the spider with its web woven.  I will just be one of the mechanisms in the machinery.”

             
“But if you’re known as the power they won’t mess with you.”

             
Karin shook her head and sighed again.  She peeled the cat off her lap.  “I want to take a step back.  I want you to succeed despite me.  I won’t ever let anyone hold something over me or you.”

             
“Does this mean you’re breaking up with me too?” Cassie asked with her heart in her throat.  She
needed
Karin...

             
Karin shook her head “no, absolutely not.  I don’t want to give you up.  I want to make it appear that my team is a well-oiled machine but that I don’t personally handle clients.  This will make people doubt.  It will give me an edge so that I can eventually, when your contract expires, step away.  No one will have a reason to come after me, try to manipulate things for more money, or anything like it.”