The Gemini: Emancipation

21 - Ascent & Anxiety

April 29, 1997

Brown curls spring wildly. Shoe soles stumping. The public cheers her along. Princess Brie reigns over her daddy's stage. And daddy? He's been demoted to second fiddle, a single notch above the commoners that play her music. She's got a tambourine in her hands, clanging and janging with every rhythmless gyration she makes.

This is soundcheck. For the past three days it's been in Brie's daily routine to gank the spotlight from Roger. And it's cute. He loves it. Champions it, even.

Sometimes.

Right in this time, however, serious needs to meet business. He's allowed his daughter to shake her groove thang long enough. Backing out of play and up to the mic, he clears his throat.

"Angel darling," his cool call feeds around the main arena. Eyes scanning about, he sees his wife's baby blue attire nowhere. "Come in, Mother Bird."

Still searching, Roger spots a gofer, some round eyed gangly dude. A double brow hunch from his superior sends the man zipping off. Disappearing and reappearing a few minutes later with the woman paged.

Gracing in, Jody's got a cellphone glued to her ear like some Wall Street native. A Snickers bar and a pack of banana cookies are in the other hand.

Downstage, Roger crouches at the edge. "Hey-"

Index finger up, Jody stops him short as she wraps up her conversation. He attempts to snatch the digit but ends up getting thumped.

"Give me some time. Say an hour or two? I'll have my assistant call and set up a meet for tomorrow. How's that? Great, see you then. Take care." Cell closed, attention's given to the man in shimmery azul.

"May I speak with Mrs. Nelson?"

"This is she."

"9 o'clock, mama. It is now approximately," pausing to lift his flowy sleeve, he checks a watch that isn't there, "a quarter past pick up your child."

Jody's view switches to Brie. The little wiggle orbits around Rhonda, enamored by the long fringe hanging from her sleeves.

"Looks like she's enjoying daddy time just fine."

"Well daddy's gotta get tight for 5,000 people tonight. It's mommy's turn. So put your little phone away."

Brushing off his smartness, Jody tosses the candy bar at him. It thunks against his chest before falling into his hand.

"What's this for?"

"Don't you think you need to eat?"

Ever Mr. Charm, "I ate you this morning," he flirts, tacking on a Marxian brow wiggle.

He's a damn teenager, she's sure of it. She also isn't swayed by it. This moment is serious.

"When's the last time you ingested something that wasn't water or tea?"

"I had that smoothie and those grapes."

Barely a handful it was. Jody's disappointed aura shakes its head.

"At noon, right?" She remembers exactly what time it was, but sets out to make a point.

"Yeah."

"It's 6."

Roger's not fond of the trap he just stepped into. His defiance ruffles at being parented. Like a kid he rolls his eyes. Jody doesn't care.

Making sure he eats regularly has once again become a part of her job. He had been doing well on his own, but that's when his schedule was idle enough to do so. Now that he's back on tour such vital necessity is often placed on the sideline when she isn't around.