Something's gotta give

15 - Moving in

Approaching the second tour bus they came across Brent who was just leaving. Sadly he kissed her cheek. "Head up, soldier! The battle's only just beginning", he said in an awkard attempt to cheer her up. She gave him a restrained smile. "Is he in there?" Brent nodded. "Yeah. And it seems as if he's in a quite docile mood. So don't be scared. At least... don't show it." She straightened herself. "That's better. Keep your head held high, honey. That'll provoke him - but he needs some resistance. See you later." "Yep... see you later." She sighed before she took the steps and entered the trailer.

She heard him playing some tune she couldn't recognize before she saw him sitting at the table in the living room, his legs outstrechted on the bench, barefoot. There was a sheet and a pen on the table, obviously he was working on a song. He barely looked up, kept on trying to find the right notes on his guitar.

"Well, that was pretty quick. Bet you could hardly await getting in here." He gave her a devilish grin. "Make yourself comfortable. The choice's yours. You can either take Brent's bed... or the other compartment." He winked at Eddie who pulled a face. "Don't start!" he mouthed.

Charlie wasn't that stupid, she could imagine where this was going. She knew perfectly well: The only other spare bed was the one opposite to Ryan's. "Brent's bed belongs to him. I'll take the other one... next to yours", she stated, much more confidently than she felt. She saw how hard he was trying to hide his astonishment. "Right", he answered, sounding all relaxed and cool. "Take it. Eddie's my witness. I didn't force you." "No", she replied in a cautious tone. "He's my witness. I didn't force you."

She sensed how Eddie's whole body was shaking, laughing without making a sound or distorting his mouth. "Anything funny?" Ryan barked at poor Eddie who shook his head. "Nothing. Come on, Charles. Let's occupy 'Wall Street'! Ryan will so regret this. You'll crash this place in an instant. And change it. For the better." "Don't overdo this, Ed", Ryan said warningly, still seemingly concentrated on composing. And into Charlie's direction, he added: "Unpack your bags. There's coffee, then. Guess, we need to sit down and talk." Charlie felt dismissed, somehow. If Eddie wouldn't have walked ahead with an inviting movement of his head she'd have started another fight with Ryan, right away. Instead, she followed him, wordless but boiling inside.

Out of Ryan's sight and earshot, she exploded. She whispered: "I will kill him. I will. I swear. Ready to lose your frontman, Fisher? Because... this is what's gonna happen! I'm gonna poison his coffee. Rat poison's easy to get. Funny, how satisfying I'll find it to watch him bleeding to death inside. And he'll never know what exactly was killing him. Or who." "I can hear you, by the way", Ryan's voice resounded in the background. Charlie winced.

"Sensitive hearing." Eddie explained, being all apologetic when she was looking guilty. "The curse of musicians." After he'd helped her to restore certain things he said: "I'd rather leave. He wants to talk to you, solely. Please... don't you think I'm a coward, too. I'll be here for you, whenever you need me. Within a second." He hesitated before he took her in his arms. She was a bit surprised. Eddie never did that before, a handshake was the most she'd ever gotten from him so far. She looked up to him and their eyes met. They gazed at each other, both somewhat confused. Then Eddie cleared his throat and stepped away from her. She stopped him by taking his hand. "Wait", she whispered almost soundless and he stood still, but was looking away from her. "Is there anything we should talk about?" "You tell me", he answered. "Well... there might. At least that's my impression. There are some things better left unsaid - and some things must be said. I don't want anything to come between us and we needn't lie to each other. Let's be honest to one another - please!" she said imploringly.

"Talk to Ryan at first", Eddie answered reluctant. "We can speak later. It's neither the time nor the place." And he walked away, suspiciously observed by Ryan, Charlie noticed as she followed. "What was this?" he asked curiously. "It's private", Charlie shortly replied, a sorrowful expression on her face. Thankfully, Ryan didn't insist to hear more.

"OK... if it's private, it's private. Come on, sit down." He put down the guitar and stood up. "Want some coffee?" "Yes, please." He poured her a mug and put it on the table in front of her, along with a coffee spoon and sweetener tablets. So he knew already how she liked her coffee, Charlie registered. And he seemed to be pretty much easy-going. That was strange. She prepared herself for an argument.

He took his place back on the bench, stretching out and crossing his legs again, facing her. She concentrated on sweetening her coffee, took four tablets and intensely stirred it. Not as if much concentration was required on those actions, but she needed to do something with her hands. He was watching her with amusement. "You like it sweet, huh?" "Just the coffee." He laughed. "So you can also talk in short sentences. I did not know that." "Now you do." "There! Another one. Unbelievable." The corners of her mouth twitched almost insensible. "So? Can we talk now about our contract?" "That's why we're here", he nodded. "I think we need to discuss the terms and conditions. Again." He sounded enervated, all of a sudden.

"At first, for once and always: I'm the boss and you are my employee. Can we agree on this?" "At least", she replied. He stared at her. "Whoa... that was easy. Almost too easy. Good. Second. This is my band, not yours. Meaning: I'm the... 'bloody bandleader'. I guess you said so yourself, some time ago. Correct?" "Correct." "Uhmmm... OK. I'm a bit startled now. 'Cause if we're agreeing on this term, too I think I've every right to make decisions for their or our greater good. Do you think otherwise?" "No." Ryan kept quiet for a while. "I liked you much more when you were speaking more than three syllables. And I cannot believe I'm saying this." "Bad luck." She could see him clenching his fists. "Why the hell are we arguing, then?!" "Dunno."

Ryan burst with anger. "Charles! Can you please stop this?!" "What?" "Rejecting me! Closing down! Talk to me, dammit!" "Will you stop swearing?" He gasped. "Why the fuck would I?!? You're all being irritating. You're kidding me. You're dismissive. It was all about you keeping everybody else from having sleep. I just cannot understand how this minor fact could've ended up here, us being fighting - again!" "Me neither." "You're talking to them, all the time. Why not talking to me?" He sounded desperate.

She raised her head. "You really wanna know?" Now he was short. "Yes." "You want me to be submissive. You want them to be submissive. That'll not work with me." She paused. "Never again", she added quietly. And there was a bitter tone beneath. For Ryan wasn't numb he sensed it.

"Talk to me", he repeated softly."Or... would you rather like to talk to Eddie?" She lowered her eyes, gazing at her mug. "No. But I must, I guess. Just... give me some time...moving in here... with you being around all the time... I can't explain. Not yet. I understand why it was inevitable. Why you've decided like you did. Still... I'm here now. You've got what you wanted. So... I'm gonna deal withit, somehow. And this damned coffee's got cold."