On Tour

Chapter 4 - Never A Good Time

GABRIELLA

If Joel thinks I'll run after him, he's in for a long wait. Ozzie, Alec and Lexy watch me with a mix of embarrassment and guilt.

"What started the argument?" I ask in the calmest tone I can muster.

"He changed the beat and I'm sure he did it on purpose to mess things," Alec says. "We've been playing these songs forever and I'm sure he can even do them in his sleep. I couldn't keep up with him, and then he says I'm a mediocre player."

"I have the idea his head isn't on anything of this," Lexy says. "He's been acting odd."

"Is he still pissed about what I said during the meeting?"

Ozzie shuffles his feet in place and looks towards the door. "He's been off since he got caught with... You know. I also think he's not in good terms with the girlfriend. What happened at the meeting probably embarrassed him, but he deserved a kick in the ass after that dick reaction. He hasn't been particularly talkative at home and if he does talk is to snap at me. I've been going out most nights to avoid him. He's assumed that the label hired you to keep tabs on us."

"Nothing like that was ever conveyed to me. I do know about the drugs situation and his stint in rehab, because it was all over the news, but I've been hired to make sure you guys keep to your contractual obligations while on the road. What you do in your personal time is none of my business. This isn't the first time that I've dealt with substance abuse problems, but I can only do my best work when people don't storm out of places. If you ever disagree with me, I trust you will come to me and we'll solve it together. Take a break to cool off, and hopefully, he will want to cooperate after I'm done talking to him."

As I jump off from the stage I hear Lexy say, "I hope he listens."

I'm no stranger to volatile characters but usually people's true personalities come out after a while, not within a week. I was almost always able to reason with people when they were pissed and can only hope Joel will be open to talk about how he feels about me.

He's not in the entrance hallway so he must be outside. That is if he didn't get in his car and left. I hear voices when I open the door and follow them to the back of the warehouse. Joel holds his phone in one hand and has a cigarette on the other.

JOEL

"What's up?" I ask when Anna answers her phone.

"Ehm, Joel... Now is not a good time to talk. It's madness in here! I went home yesterday at ten in the evening and was here again at six in the morning."

Her voice sounds rushed as usual. It never seems to be a good time when I call.

"I'm sorry to hear that it's been so busy for you. I only needed to hear your voice. I miss you."

"Aren't you in rehearsal for the tour? Patterson? Yeah, I think this is the file you were looking for. I'll be done with this call in a minute and we can go through it. Joel? You were saying?"

"I said nothing. I'm at rehearsal, but the new tour manager is being a royal bitch. I hate her know-it-all expression. Look at me! I've toured with heavy metal bands."

"Don't be childish, Joel. You've known her for what? A week? Less than that I think. What's your real problem with her?"

"I just don't know why the hell she got hired. Do we even need a tour manager? We are adults, we can handle ourselves."

"Because you don't have oversight of it all. Have you ever tried to go out of a hotel without someone following you, screaming your name or trying to take a photo? Have you tried to even have a meal without someone asking for your autograph or tried to shop without someone trying to rip the clothes off you? Have you ever been to a party where you were not offered drugs or came back from dangerously intoxicated? I hope she does a better job than your previous manager, because if he had protected you the way he should have you wouldn't have gotten into trouble."