She-Rox: A Rock & Roll Novel (27 page)

Curious, she asked, “Your sister’s best friend is on the cover of Exposure?”

“Could we please not talk about it . . . forget it, it’s over,” he groaned. Grabbing Nadia’s shoulders, he attempted to get back into rhythm.

“What’s over?” she asked, scenting a melancholy tone.

“She’s nobody, okay?” Kai got sloppy.

“Then why is nobody pinned to your refrigerator door? I just figured you liked the babes on the cover. It never crossed my mind you might actually know one of them.”

Agitated, Kai explained, “I didn’t put that up there. My sister did. I know one of the girls, but it didn’t work out. Now, can we please drop it?” The storm that swirled in his eyes told a deeper story.

“Whoever it is you got pinned up over there, it’s anything but over.”

“Yes it is. Eddie means nothing to me,” Kai countered.

“Then what’s with the twitch in your cheek?”

It was a trait Kai had no control over. Nadia not only saw the hurt on his face, she felt it.

“Eddie? That’s her name?”

“Esther—” The name fell off Kai’s lips with his head hung. There was the smallest hint of longing, but Nadia heard it.

Getting off the couch, Nadia went to retrieve her purse. She didn’t want to leave, but she had to. Kai Hildebrandt was the type she wanted in her bed, her life, becoming the other half of everything she did and everywhere she went. “Kai, you can lie to me all you want, but women, we have sonar for this kind of stuff. It’s hard wired into our DNA. So, call me when it really is over. Until then, I’ll see you later.”

After hearing the door click shut, Kai stormed to the refrigerator, tearing the picture into pieces, and hollered, “STAY OUT OF MY LIFE, YOU LYING LITTLE SLUT!!”

Heading to the bedroom, he picked up his cell to bawl out T.J., but instead he sat down at his computer and grabbed the mouse, he checked his e-mails. Looking down the list, he saw the links daring him to enter the world of the Katz.

“What the hell.”

Clicking, he watched as the computer linked onto YouTube and four girls with guitars, dressed in pink lingerie popped up. Gretchen’s voice came out the small speaker as Kai noticed the number of hits: 1,356,223. Surprised, he continued to watch Eddie with her Stratocaster as the glint of her dog tags winked at him and when the song came to its end and the guitars sustained their last chord, he watched as the camera went into slow motion bringing Eddie close into view. Transfixed, he observed as her pink lips communicated the desperate swan song, making his own world come to a crashing halt.

“
This isn’t happening,
” he said, aghast.

Not able to look away, Kai sat dumbfounded. He suddenly missed her terribly, wishing he could call and hear her voice pierce his soul. But the hour was late.

He texted a quick message to T.J.:
Call me.

Slade’s Guest Room, 1:04 a.m.

The phone chimed in T.J.’s purse. Digging it out, she saw Kai’s text. Wondering what he wanted, she lied to Eddie and said, “It’s my parents. I’ve got to make sure it’s not some kind of family emergency. Go downstairs, you’re piano cake needs its owner. I’ll be down after I talk to my mom.”

Watching Eddie leave the room, she dialed. “Is everything’s okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine,” Kai answered, sounding despondent, still seated at his desk with the YouTube video waiting for him to hit “play” again.

T.J. knew this voice. “Is this about your MCAT exam?”

“No, I’m pretty sure I killed that.”

“Is it Mom and Dad?”

“No
.”

“One of your professors from school?”

“No, it’s not school,
okay?”

“Look, Kai, we’ve got to stop this dance, already.”

“I watched the video.”

A huge grin spread across T.J.’s face. “
And?”

“And the last time I talked to Eddie, I sort of broke it off with her, so now what do I do?” He was open to any suggestions. “Is she there?”

“Oh, she’s here all right, but she’s not
here
with me. She’s downstairs enjoying a huge birthday bash that Slade is throwing for her and there’s rock stars and movie stars and everything—all here, wishing her a happy birthday.”

“Her
birthday is today?
You never said a thing to me?”

“Why should I? You broke it off with her, remember?”

“I’ve been a little busy with quantum field theory while you’re squandering your life, cutting out patterns and sewing completely unnecessary stuff like golf culottes!”

“I hate to break this to you, but here’s a news flash—I’m not the one who created your presently toxic environment. You managed this all on your own with your petty jealousy over the Exposure cover.”

“Don’t lecture me. I need your help.”

“Help with what—coordinating a witch burning?”

“Enough already, Tara June, I’m trying to—”

“You don’t have the slightest clue what you’re up against,” she warned. “You think being top dog on a prestigious campus going to a prestigious school that Eddie will just fall right back into your lap? The stakes are raised around here. It’s a whole new ball game.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Kai, in all seriousness,” she warned, “I don’t think Eddie is going to be happy hanging around waiting for you to finish medical school.”

“So it’s better I should just let her get passed around by all these so-call music moguls down in Hollywood—seeing her plastered on these dumb magazines while she becomes some tragic broken down wannabe circling the drain? Is that what you think I ought to do, Tara June? Would that be better for your
best friend?
”

“I don’t think you’re going to have to worry about that,” T.J. confided. “Eddie’s probably not going to be landing in any pit fires of hell.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because she’s probably landing a deal with Moonshine Records and touring North America with Slade McAllister, that’s why?”

“Probably doesn’t mean she has the deal, and how do you know that anyway, did Eddie tell you?”

“No, Slade.”

“Slade?” he mimicked. “What? Now, you’re B-F-F’s with this guy, too?”

“Well, we
are
staying at his house.” Trying to be positive, T.J. said, “He’s really nice. Not like a rock star at all—more British butler than anything—really hospitable.”

“I feel like I entered a fourth dimension.”

“Kai, I’ve been trying to get you to understand Eddie for years, but you only consider what you want. It’s all about your school, your career, your dreams—wake up.”

“Is she there?” he pressed.

“Yes, but she’s downstairs, blowing out her birthday candles and I’m up here explaining her, yet again, to you.”

“OK. I get it. She’s too big for me now. I should have scooped her up when I had the chance, whatever. Woe is me.” Clearing his throat, he said, squarely “Would you at least give her a message, if it’s not too much trouble? I really miss her . . . she needs to know that. When I got done with the MCAT, she was the one I wanted to tell. I would have liked very much to share that with her.” T.J. suddenly felt guilty taking the call. It should be Eddie hearing this. “Tell her,” he asserted, “that I’m done and if there is
any
way I can see her, I’ll fly there, I’ll pay to have her fly here,
first class –
whatever it takes.”

“I’ll tell her.”

The guests and party crashers made their staggering retreats. The once immaculate living room smelled of cigarette smoke, stale beer, and reefer. As T.J. surveyed the damage before heading to bed, she couldn’t imagine where to begin cleaning it up.

“Don’t worry,” said Slade, reading her thoughts. “A service comes to do it.” The caterers had cleaned up the food and kitchen, but the main floor of the house and the backyard were proof that the party got twisted.

“Good night, Slade,” T.J. said. Walking up the stairs, she joined Eddie, and, taking her party clothes off in the dark, saw the birthday girl already in bed asleep.

It was past 1:00 in the afternoon by the time T.J. opened her eyes. She could hear the cleaning crew vacuuming downstairs. Eddie was in the bathroom with the flat screen on. T.J. threw the covers off and joined her at the vanity. Sitting in the zebra striped chair, she said, “I have some late breaking news.”

Eddie’s amber eyes met hers in the mirror. “What? Did grunge come back into fashion?”

“That call last night—it was from Kai, not my parents.” T.J. paused. “He wants to fly you home to visit.”

Eddie’s eyes shifted away, her fingers toyed the black eye pencil.

“Didn’t you hear me, I said, he wants to see you.”

“Oh, I heard you all right,” Eddie said.

“Eddie, he finally watched the YouTube video.” There was still no sign of appeasement. “He’s really
sorry and he misses you. He
really
misses you and he feels terrible—all his words, not mine.”

“He’s sorry? He calls to tell you he’s sorry.”

“Okay, that was my fault. He asked to speak with you, but you were downstairs at the party, and the last thing I wanted was to have you upset at your own birthday.” Adding, “
Eddie, you cried for weeks.
”

“Answer me this then,” Eddie said. “Did he call to wish me a happy birthday?”

“No. He’s done with the MCAT—he has vacation time—he wants to spend it with you—he’ll fly you home—first class.”

“I can’t go anywhere, T.J. It’s crunch time for my band, and I’ve got to make some really important people really happy. My songs are totally on the line, and I’ve got to deliver this stuff on a silver platter, or I can kiss off a label deal.”

“I was afraid you’d say that,” T.J. said. “I told him as much. But he also offered to come to L.A. if you can’t leave.”

“This won’t do at all.”

“I know, but you still need to call. I promised him.”

As they threw their bags into the back of Eddie’s van, a wild-haired Slade came walking out the front door, wearing one of his white terry robes tied around his waist. “You’re leaving me with the maids?”

“’Mornin’, Slade,” T.J. smiled. Slade in his robe with long dreads looked like a gorgon spending a day at the spa.

“Don’t tell me you were going to leave without a proper good bye? Are you always so disagreeable in the morning?”