Wildcat Fall [NEW] Chapter 6

Dear Readers, This is an apology and an explanation. I started Wildcat Fall earlier this year and realized it wasn't the story I wanted to tell. I have started from scratch, and here is a newly written chapter that integrates with the core of the original one. This is the continuing saga. I would appreciate any feedback. Constructive criticism is important to me as I am rewriting this story. Thanks.
.
Chapter Six
.
As everyone munched on hoagies and Herr’s barbecue potato chips, a new voice could be heard. “Hey, gang! Did you save anything for me?” 
 
Everyone stood up, exchanging hugs and kisses with Gina. As they got her a soda and a sub, she filled them in on her time away. “We go out nights to listen to music in Soho and the Village. It makes me itchy, and I miss drumming.”

A nurse stuck her head in the lounge, inviting everyone back into Teri’s room. As they were settling in, Gina greeted Teri and caught everyone up. “We’re each twenty thousand dollars richer. Online services pay royalties every time our music is played. My money is set aside for a Grace gift.”
 
Teri whispered, “What are you buying the most beautiful woman in the world?”

“One of her favorite artists is creating a painting of the view from Grace’s apartment to hang in her office.”

Teri was nodding. “Oh, yeah! That’s great. I’ve spent a lot of my sessions admiring her walls of paintings and photographs.”
 
Tiffany was nodding her head. “Back to the online services, I’m curious to see which songs were the most popular and get demographic info, too.”
 
Gina looked at her. “What’s that going to tell us?”
 
Tiff smiled. “A lot. It’ll help us plan what kind of songs to include on the next record. Like, more live cuts or the studio side? And what age groups liked which songs?”
 
Gina laughed. “You know, Tiff, that makes sense. You’ve gotten a lot smarter. Maybe living with Mike has boosted your thinking skills.”

Tiffany grinned. “I do love the guy. But I think quitting drinking has made me smarter.”

Gina held up a wrapped package and approached Teri. “This is from Richard and Phil.”

They all watched Teri unwrap her gift. “Oh, wow! Look!” She held up the three albums by their jackets. “They found mint-condition vinyl recordings of my rock gods playing live! Cool, huh?”
 
Jenn was shaking her head. “Uh-oh. You’re not going to be able to rest until you’re at the band house playing those at full volume.”

Gina smiled. “Well, we can set up a turntable, amp, and a pair of headphones for you to enjoy while hanging out here.”

Teri was bouncing up and down on her bed. “Could you do that?” she pivoted toward Jenn. “How great would that be?”

Gina laughed. “I’ll call Sid Mack at Allentown Music to put something together. We’ll see if Tiffany can bring it to you tomorrow.”

Jenn turned to the nurses and playfully wagged her finger. “Keep an eye on her. Once she loses herself in the music, she’s going to be climbing out of bed and dancing around. Since hanging with Questlove from The Tonight Show, she’s been looking everywhere for vinyl. I stopped asking her how much she spends.”
 
Gina smiled. “Shopping for vinyl? I thought she was getting all her stuff from Questlove.”
 
Jenn shook her head. “Not anymore. Questlove has been looking for albums. Even DJ Blank has been helping her find vinyl.”
 
Tiffany smiled. “Blank! How’s he doing? Is he still hosting the dance parties at the Rendezvous?”
 
Jenn was nodding. “Yep, Mondays and Tuesdays. But he’s branching out. He’s pretty popular in the recording studio in Philly and now works at big dance clubs. He’s up and down the East Coast, working everywhere.”
 
Tiffany gave a thumbs-up. “That’s good to hear. Remember when Teri sent him that club song?”

Gina smiled. “Sure. It was our second night with her and we learned the song on the fly.” She pointed at Tiffany. “And you threw a fit, saying you didn’t want to play club music.”
 
Tiffany was laughing. “Oh yeah, when I heard Show Me Some Love and what she wanted to do, I was worried about our street credibility. Here’s this eighteen-year-old, who’s never played in a band, and she wants us to break out with some disco stuff. I wanted nothing to do with that.”

Gina was grinning. “She sends it to Blank, he reworked the whole song into the stratosphere, plays it all weekend, and everybody’s wondering who the Wildcats are.“
 
Tiffany kissed Teri. “Back then, you really were our Little Shit, and that club song made us famous.”
 
Gina laughed. “Yeah. I remember you holding a band meeting right in front of poor Teri. You wanted to kick that girl to the curb.”

Tiffany approached and hugged Teri. “Yeah, I said we didn’t need a fifth member and it would slow us down.”

Teri was smiling. She remembered that moment. Her heart had stopped in her chest, thinking her Wildcat career was ending before it even started.
 
Tiffany was laughing at herself. “I was so wrong and truly blind in seeing our future. Yeah, I figured that Teri kid would be nothing but trouble.” She hugged her again.

Gina added, “And then Blank introduced us to Ellen.”

Tiffany kissed Teri. “And our lives changed.”

As everyone was laughing and shouting, Robyn told them to leave her room. “I need to work with Teri for a few minutes.”

The entire crowd moved to the lounge to wait.

Ten minutes later, Teri appeared through the lounge doors with a walker. She was smiling at everyone. They watched as Teri’s mom came over and embraced her.
 
Teri felt the tears through her hospital gown and realized that she and her mom were coming undone. “Mom, mom. I’m here and everything is fine.”
 
“Oh, I know,” she whispered. “It’s just that I love you so much. My baby is amazing.”
 
Robyn cleared her throat to grab everyone’s attention. “We’re going to get some exercise. Teri and I need to walk more steps. When we’re finished, I'll get all of you from the lounge.”
 

As everyone settled in, Gina’s phone buzzed in her back pocket. She looked at the screen and examined it for a few moments. Then she moved closer to Jenn. “Hey.”
 
Jenn looked up from putting the water bottles back into the cooler. “Uh-huh?”
 
“How many people did you text about Teri’s surgery?”
 
Jenn nodded and shrugged. “Teri and I made a list. You know Teri. She just wanted everyone to know that she was okay. Why?”

Gina held up her phone. “Well, I’m seeing texts about Teri’s surgery from people I don’t know. They’re posting on the YouTube site. There are chat conversations starting, too. They saw your message and are happy for Teri. Many of them are asking for details.”

Jenn shook her head as Gina handed her the phone. She scrolled and then turned to Gina. “None of those names were on the list or even familiar. These are all random people I don’t know.”

“They all have to be Wildcats fans.”

Jenn pulled out her phone. “Here. You can see my original text and where it went.”

Gina shook her head. “Yep. I can see this was a private text, but someone must have forwarded the info. And now everyone is asking what’s going on.”

Jenn looked at Gina. “I feel stupid. Did I do something wrong?”

Gina hugged her. “No. It’s done. Obviously, someone copied and sent this text out to their friends. It’s just a small thing. Seriously, what could happen?”

Robyn watched Teri as they slowly walked together. She was impressed by how hard her patient was trying. “Hey. You’re doing great, and I know you’re all about recovery, but we’re not here to overstrain.”
 
Teri nodded her head. “Gotcha. How many painkillers do they have me on?”
 
Robyn still held her arm. “Tylenol and something to help you sleep. Not as much as you’d think.”

“I’m still numb. Is that normal?”

Robyn smiled. “All those nerve endings need to reconnect. By the time you head home, you’ll be better.”
 
 
Smith closed his laptop, looked over, and saw Lisa sleeping. He was content just to gaze at her. This woman was the most exciting person he’d ever known. He smiled to himself, knowing that years ago he’d given up on finding true love. And there she was singing lead in an up-and-coming band. He’d seen photos, downloaded songs, and fantasized. When he heard the Cats were coming on location in the movie he was working on, he promised himself to be Joe Cool. But after meeting Lisa, all that was forgotten. And their first time alone together sealed the deal. Smith’s idea of true love was based on his favorite movie, The Princess Bride. Smith saw himself as Wesley, ready to do anything for his princess. He was daydreaming when he heard her whisper.
 
“Why are you staring at me, cowboy?”
 
He looked her in the eyes, smiled, then kissed her softly. “Cause I like to.”
 
Lisa leaned over and kissed him back with a bit more ferocity. “Thank you, even if it’s a little creepy to wake up feeling all that electricity coming off you.” She snaked her arm around his neck, pulled him closer, and gave him another kiss. “Mmm. How horny are you?”
 
Smith’s mouth opened, and he perked up. “Uh, sure.” As he stood up, he grinned. “First class has its own bathroom. You set?”

Lisa took his hand as she stood up. She could feel the heat coming off his body as they walked together.
 
 
After they settled back into their seats, their flight attendant appeared carrying two flutes of champagne and warm towels on a tray. When they looked up, they saw she was grinning.
 
After they took the glasses and thanked her, Lisa leaned over. “She knows, doesn’t she?”
 
Smith turned bright red. “Hey, I’m going to plead innocence here. In all my travels, you’re my first Mile High Club lover.”
 
Lisa shook her head. “No. I can’t believe that in all those years you never got your trophy! You mean Eaten by Raptors never had a private plane and groupies begging the lead singer to show them fireworks.”
 
Smith shook his head. “Nope. You’ve watched way too many rock and roll movies, although Streets Of Fire is my favorite. During the three years we toured, there were no private jets or custom tour buses filled with groupies. Sure, I partied like crazy, but we were country boys full of those Texas manners.”
 
Lisa nipped his neck. “I don’t buy it, but okay. If that’s what you’re selling.”
 
“C’mon. Seriously. The guys will back me up. No mile highs.”
 
“Oh, baby. I love you. I really do. But you’re an old guy who probably has a ton of notches on his belt.”
 
Smith sighed and shook his head. “Okay, I’ll admit to some of what you’re saying. We’d been on the road before I was eighteen. And I secretly have three families: one in New York, one in Florida, and one on the West Coast. I’ve got three beautiful children, and love them all. Do you want to see some photos?”
 
When Lisa smacked him, she remembered to tuck her thumb so the impact left a bigger impression on his arm and didn’t hurt her hand as much.
 
He rubbed his arm. Her hits were real. Smith knew not to tense up when she swung at him, knowing it would bruise less. He kissed her. “Ouch. Lisa, that really hurt. Stop picking on an old man.”

She laughed and prepared another punch. “Before I hit you harder, I want to see the photos of your kids.”

Teri looked around. Jenn sat on the edge of her hospital bed. She reached over, took Jenn's hand, pulled her in, and kissed her. Jenn kissed back.

Jenn frowned. “Uh, I think I created a problem. Remember that text I was supposed to send out when your surgery was over?”

Teri nodded. “Sure. We made the list together.”

Jenn looked frustrated. “Well, somehow, that text is circulating online.”

Teri shrugged. “Is that a problem? All that stuff about me is public knowledge. Honestly, I’m not stressed.” She kissed her and smiled.

After a few minutes, Jenn pointed so that Teri’s attention was directed toward the picture window. That way, she could listen in on Tiffany and Conor’s conversation. They were discussing the Wildcats' website and the number of hits on their YouTube channel.

Conor was excited. “This video blog continues to blow up. With Mike uploading weekly posts from the tour, the viewing audience keeps growing. Since the tour ended, fans continue to hunger for more clips. The viewership is soaring, and the fans can’t get enough Wildcats. Mike told me he hasn’t even started posting concert footage. There’s so much to upload, and that doesn’t include the Labor Day concert. However, they need to talk to Warners about what music we can and shouldn’t post.”

Tiffany smiled. “It’s wild and keeps getting wilder! I never saw it happening like this.” She looked out the window instead of at Conor. “Less than a year ago, I was at my lowest. This guy I thought I loved was cheating on his family with me. When I found out the truth, I dumped him. The Cats were struggling through our fourth miserable winter, playing bars just to cover our expenses. Then, another cover band offered me a nine-month contract to sing lead and play bass. It paid more than I was making with the Cats. I was almost ready to jump. My love life was in the dumps, and I felt I needed a change.”

Conor nodded and listened. He didn’t say that he’d already heard the story from his daughter. “Yeah, well, how about now? Would you ever have thought things would be so different?”

Tiffany laughed and shook her head in merriment. “Nope. All joking aside. Teri was our spark. But whoever thought an eighteen-year-old could be a brilliant writer, producer, singer, and musician? She’s changed us around, tightened us up, and really made us a hit maker. I never dreamed about flying on private jets, riding in limos, having big money in the bank, or finding an amazing man to love me.”

Conor was nodding. “And now there’s more. Warner’s gave the go-ahead to post live music segments from the tour.”

Awesome! Mike and Final Cut are ready to go! I worried it would hurt sales when people can hear and watch us for free.

Conor agreed. “I would have thought so. But Wiggins and Warner believe showing snippets of songs on your video blog would boost interest in the album. They think more people will want to download complete songs to add to their playlists.”

Tiff shook her head. “If Wiggins is behind it, we move forward. But the band still has to approve anything that Warner does with our music.”

“I know Richard plans to meet with everyone when Teri’s home. He knows and wants feedback from everyone. And of course, now he’s talking tour.”

Tiffany leaned in. “Tour? As in more traveling around the US?”

“No. Richard is talking Europe and Asia. He has visions of the band doing a year to cover the globe.”

Teri still didn’t have much of a voice but waved to get their attention. She motioned for them to come closer. “Did Wiggins indicate which live songs they wanted to add?”

Conor shrugged. “I don’t know. This was just mentioned in a Zoom.”

Teri appeared puzzled. “Who was on that conversation?”

Conor smiled. “Well, the backers, Warners, and the bookers - Me, Wiggins, Gina’s dad, Phil & Richard, and Gimli.”

Teri sat up. “Do you have these meetings a lot?”

Conor shook his head. “Only when there’s something to say.”

Teri smiled. “Well, I see myself getting out to the band house in a few weeks. I’ve heard I won’t be able to sit comfortably, but I play standing up. And we’ve got lawn chairs out on the deck.”

Jenn was listening. She laughed and hugged Teri. “Oh, I hope so. You have way too much energy to just sit still. You’ll be bouncing off the walls in our place.”

Gina overheard the talk. “Tell me about it. Keeping Teri busy for hours while we traveled was challenging for everyone. Well, except for Tiffany. She’s almost as hyperactive.”

Teri could happily ignore the remarks. “I think that’s what I liked best about the band house. I could go downstairs, play, and get it all out. It was a dream to lose myself in the music.”

Gina smiled. “Well, let me throw everybody a curve. Richard told me that Beyoncé and Taylor Swift had so much fun on Labor Day that they want to keep the party going. Lorne Michaels said they could have the Christmas show on Saturday Night Live. They were excited, and want to release a Christmas Album on December 1st. They want Teri to have a hand in arranging and producing for them. And of course, they wanted the Wildcats to be the backup band.”

Teri groaned. “We’ll need new music and arrangements, and well, a lot more songs. That’s a huge amount of work.”

Gina smiled. “I’ve got a suggestion. Let’s postpone the Wildcat’s SNL appearance until spring. It would give us a chance to create some new music before we head to Europe.”

Tiffany looked at Teri. “And how do we handle getting an album produced for the goddesses for a Christmas release?”

Gina smiled. “Well, I’ve heard they both have songs ready. Teri will need to rearrange the music so they can sing together. If they want to do it, we should just help out. But let’s face it, Teri. Both of them see you as a genius, so whatever you say goes.”

Tiffany learned it. “Both these women are famous for dropping albums whenever they want. They can drop this one a couple of weeks before their Christmas appearance. I’m sure that Lorne Michaels will let them do as many songs as they want.”

Gina was nodding. “That’s pure genius. It’ll give Zoe and Teri a quieter holiday. We should talk with everyone this week.”

After that, Gina sat down with Amy. She wanted to tell her about the painting she’d ordered for Grace. “I’m meeting with her favorite artist. Hopefully, it’s going to remain a surprise.”

Amy smiled. “What a great idea! Grace will love anything you do! I’ve always wondered about you and Grace. Have you two ever thought about getting married?”

Gina hugged Amy. “I think about it more than Grace. After seeing Bruno’s brother, Amos, heading toward us with a loaded gun, I had an epiphany. Life’s too short, and Grace is way too important to me. I told her, but she turned me down. She loves me and said we’d be together forever. But no legal document.” Gina leaned over and whispered, “Between you and me, I think she’s afraid.”

Amy was surprised. She thought that Grace would have wanted to marry Gina. “Afraid of what?”

I believe Grace thinks that giving me free will is reverse psychology. I think she’s saying no hoping I’ll keep asking. You know, we have a perfect relationship.

Amy whispered, “I’ve heard you have an open relationship. I don’t know much about that, having never been married. My whole life has been an open relationship.”

Gina hugged her and giggled. “Yeah, I keep forgetting about you and the sperm bank. I think what you did is the gutsiest thing I’ve ever heard. But I believe love is much more important than random sex. The couple of times that we’ve fought and Grace has kicked me to the curb, well, it kills me. And it’s never over someone else. It’s just that Grace sometimes gets freaked out that I’m only twenty-two.”

Amy shook her head. “Grace looks a lot younger than thirty-five. I feel pretty inadequate when I look in the mirror and think that I’m eight years older than her.”

Gina smiled. “It’s all genetics. But she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever been around.”

Amy hugged her back. “Well, if you don’t mind me sharing personal stuff, I’m curious about Lisa on the road. Smith is the first guy I’ve ever seen my daughter get excited about. I thought she was a lot like you with the casual sex thing. But I’ve never asked.”

Gina laughed, thinking about the offer from her driver today. “Yeah, funny you should mention that. When I’m on the road and Grace is in New York, casual sex seems fine for both of us. But I don’t go looking for anyone. That’s not my style. And I never ask her either.”

Well, what about my daughter? And please never tell her that we had this talk.

Gina winked. “No problem, Amy. This discussion never happened. But Lisa’s different. She’s kind of like a camel that can go a long time in the desert without water. On the road, every now and then, you know there’s going to be some lucky guy popping up, and then that’s it for a while. She’s never seemed to be into sex. But that has changed.”

Gina shook her head. “Smith! That’s a completely different story. I’d never seen Lisa act like she does with Smith. Seriously, when they met in the Carolinas on the movie set, we all watched in amazement as they fell for each other so quickly. It’s frightening how well they match.”

Amy smiled. “Uh-huh. I’ve noticed that too. But she’s not like some lovesick teen mooning all over him. It’s like they’re kindred spirits and have known each other for many lifetimes. And he’s such a good guy. I think he loves her."

Gina laughed. “Oh, he definitely loves her. Did you see the ring?”

It was Amy’s turn to laugh. “Ring? It’s more like a boulder! That’s the first three-carat diamond I’ve seen.”

Gina laughed. “She keeps it on a chain around her neck. I see her stare at it for a while and gaze off. I’ve never seen her like this before. The whole band loves him, and the two of them are something special.”

When Conor saw that ring, he asked me if I wanted one. I know he’d buy me something in a heartbeat, but I’m happy. I don’t want to replace Zoe’s mom.

Gina smiled. “Mrs. Nelson, you are so smart. I guess that’s where Lisa gets her Zen from. She is special.”

Amy whispered, “Well, I’m betting that after Zoe’s baby is born, Lisa and Tiff will join in too. I see a completely different tour with the Wildcats. I think the band will need a nursery when you head out again."

Gina laughed. “Well, you’re looking at one girl that won’t be delivering….”

Teri was watching and trying to read lips. She felt happy just being there, taking it all in.

Thirty minutes later, the nurse got Teri up and on her feet again. As they walked through the Recovery section, feeling began returning to her legs.

After her walk, Teri was settling in when she started to feel her eyes growing heavy. All the voices blended together and faded away. As she closed her eyes, everything grew quieter. Teri smiled, feeling it was right to take a nap. She sensed a kiss and heard Jenn’s voice whispering in her ear, “Close your eyes and rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Bruno smiled as he grabbed each piece of their luggage and loaded it onto a cart. Zoe waved and gave him a thumbs-up to confirm that he had everything off the carousel. As they moved to a different part of the airport, a white SUV started up when the driver saw the couple. As they got in, Zoe gave the man directions to the hospital.

She turned to Bruno. “After I get there and figure out what’s going on, I’ll give you a call.”

Bruno kissed her forehead. “Tell everyone I said hi. I need to check on the business because somebody has to pay for our vacation. Plus, the contractor’s coming out to measure for our new waterfall shower.”

Zoe leaned over and kissed him. She knew she could have easily used her Wildcat money to pay for their vacation, but Bruno was old school. She squeezed his arm and slipped out at the hospital entrance.

As Bruno unpacked, he looked up at their townhouse, which was his home and office. He grinned as he thought about Zoe. After meeting her, he was hooked. He enjoyed Zoe’s bond with the band and recognized the essential role they played in her life. He never felt threatened watching the women interact with each other. Bruno knew that he married into a family of Wildcats, content to share Zoe with the other young women.

Bruno understood the magic Zoe felt from playing. He compared it to his painting. He remembered a time when Zoe watched him work and asked, “What are you thinking about when you’re painting?”

He stopped and thought. “I don’t know. I guess I’m focusing on the task. It’s all about the brushstrokes, the color, and blending. Funny how I never gave it much thought.”

Zoe leaned in closer to his face. “When you’re done, how do you feel inside?”

He blinked and laughed. “I feel content, very happy.”

She kissed him. “Now you understand what music does for me.”

Bruno loved listening to her hum and sing to herself while she played. Occasionally, he would watch her repeat the same riff until she was satisfied it sounded smoother as her fingers moved across the fretboard. Everything she did was perfect.

When Zoe entered the Recovery Lounge, she was greeted by a crowd of Teri supporters who welcomed her with hugs and kisses. She cheerfully called out, “Hey, gang!”

Everyone touched her belly and commented on how she looked. Zoe grinned. Even though it had only been a couple of weeks since they’d left for Hawaii, she’d started to drop and gain more bulk. She peeked in on Teri, who was just opening her eyes from a nap. She smiled and blew her a kiss. “How’s my girl doing?”

Teri blew her a kiss back and gave her a thumbs up. “Doing great,” she croaked out.

Jenn had been keeping Teri company while she napped and gave Zoe a big okay sign. “She’s really is great. She hasn’t been out of surgery for twenty-four hours, but we’re rooting for a speedy recovery.”

Zoe winked. “Are you planning to sneak her away to your apartment and keep her all to yourself?”

Jenn laughed and shook her head. “No! I’m scared to death I won’t be able to handle everything. I’m hoping everyone will drop by and keep Teri company. I’m afraid that she’s going to get bored just being restricted to lying down. And I’m starting classes on Monday, and it might all be shaky at the beginning.”

Tiffany looked at Jenn. “What’s this about lying down?”

Amy explained, “Her entire surgical area will be healing for a couple of weeks. She’ll be able to lie down or recline, but no hard surfaces on her butt for a while. I’ve already bought her an inflatable donut to sit on. She’ll grow uncomfortable quickly.”

Jenn nodded. “That’s my fear. Teri’s not a sit-still kind of girl. She likes to move around, and I don’t want her popping any stitches.”

Tiffany was hugging Jenn. "Well, I’m coming by to entertain her. We can create a chart and take turns while you’re at class. I’m signing up for the first couple of days."

Gina was laughing. “Good idea. We can tag-team this, and I’ll help Tiff for a couple of days. We can entertain the Little Shit, and Jenn can focus on getting straight A’s.”

Amy listened. “Good plan, ladies. But Momma Bear is going to be hovering all over the whole thing. She’s my baby even though she’s eighteen.”

Zoe laughed. “I hope your apartment is big enough, Jenn. It’s going to get pretty crowded.”

Amy laughed. “It’ll all work out. Honestly, she’ll be doing a lot of napping for the next couple of weeks. She’s not going to be a lot of laughs for a while.”

“Hey,” a voice croaked. “Don’t underestimate your Little Shit. I’m not down for the count.”

While Zoe hugged her and they laughed, Robyn interrupted. “I’ve got to take our patient out for a walk for about ten minutes. You can all wait here in Teri’s room. We’ll be back soon, and the doctor is coming up at two o’clock to talk to you. Hopefully, she’ll tell you about Teri’s surgery and discharge.