Chapter Seventeen

Charlie

It’s six o’clock and Ada hasn’t shown up to record yet. She should have been here right after work which means she’d have been here at five thirty. Thomas is getting nervous. I’ve called her a few times and I’m just not sure what’s changed. I don’t think I did or said anything that could have upset her, but I’m really not sure.

Did she get spooked because we slept together?

“You know how much this is costing me? This studio is not cheap and if we don’t start creating something to put out soon, we’re going into the red.” Thomas paces behind me as I sit in front of the glass case we should be in.

“You bill me for this don’t you,” I say.

“Yes, fine how much this is costing us. I don’t know what you did to that girl, but if you’ve messed this up Charlie,” he doesn’t finish his sentence. He just runs a hand down his face. “I just don’t know what we’ll do,” he says finally.

He continues to stomp around until finally, I can’t take it anymore.

“Just go, Thomas. We’ll let someone else have the space.”

“I booked it the whole day. You can’t just let someone else have it.”

“She’s clearly got a good reason for not being here. You know Addy. You know she wants to do this.”

“It doesn’t seem that way.” He leaves the room frustrated and I start to doubt that she wants to as well.

No time like the present to work on some lyrics. I go into the booth and start to play. There’s no way I can set up the recording and perform at the same time but if we have the space I might as well use it.

She takes her time making decisions

Not one to rush into the room

She finds a way to make you smile

When you’re looking through the gloom

The words just come to me as I play and I work out how they should sound. I don’t want to write anything overly sappy when it comes to my music. Part of the image I’m going for is keeping a hard edge. I have to throw myself under the bus some when it comes to my lyric. Somehow, I find the next part is about me and I can picture her singing it.

He tries his best to seem immobile

His touch ignites a flame

He can’t get out of his own way

And she I’m not the one to blame

“That was good, man,” I jump not realizing Thomas has come back into the room. You’re evolving as a writer and a singer. We’ve just got to figure out what’s wrong with your muse.

“She’s come unhinged,” I say and write that down.

“Something, figure it out. This day will be a freebie, but we’ve got it for the next three.”

I play for a little longer and then call her one more time. Since she once again doesn’t answer and it’s now eight o’clock, I give up. Heading to the house I pick up Chinese on the way. I feel like it’s a good night to drown myself in noodles. Surely, she’s going to have a good reason. I can’t believe she would just blow me off.

I pick up a six pack too because I figure it’s also a good night for a beer. I wish I had a decoder for what women were thinking. I thought I had her figured out and come to find out I didn’t. After the second beer someone is knocking on my door.

I’m thrilled convinced it’s Addy and she’s ready to tell me what’s going on. We’ll make up, make love and then sing. Everything will be okay.

I throw the door open to find George. He’s shivering wearing a button up white shirt over a tank top both of which are dirty. His jeans are ripped and there’s blood on the knee of on leg. His eyes are wild as he walks into the apartment pushing past me. I don’t think to push him back out because I’m so shocked to see him.

“George, what the hell?”

He walks over to my refrigerator and takes out a beer.

“George, put that back. We’re not friends right now. You shouldn’t be at my house right now.” I’m angry at the audacity he has to walk in and not say a word.

“Charlie, I need a fix. I know you’ve got that coke. You don’t do it.” He’s moving towards me and he kind of puts me in the mind of a zombie hunting for brains. I wonder how many days he’s been up.

It’s against my better judgment, but I have to tell him. I flushed the drugs when Ada came over. I didn’t want them to be in the house with her there. It wasn’t like she’d ever find them. It was just me feeling better not having it in the house.

I’ve truly never seen someone so jazzed over coke before. I start to wonder if he’s been shooting harder drugs and smoking crack.

“It’s gone, George. I did it. I was upset over Ada not showing up so I partied a little. I’m sorry.”

“You’re lying, he says taking another sip of beer and pointing at me. He’s nodding and moving back and forth from foot to foot. I take a step back away from him as he continues to point. “Where is it, Charlie? I’m going to tear this place up. Just give it to me, you know I can’t help it.”

Now the heat is rising in my body and my fists are clenching. How dare he come into my home and threaten me.

“You can help it, George. You can help it by not being a junkie. I don’t know what you’ve been shooting but you’ve never been like this over coke. I flushed it. Is that what you want to hear. I flushed it. It’s not here anymore.”

George starts to shake and grabs the front of my shirt. He shakes me and his mouth turns into a snarl.

“Why would you do that, you idiot. You could have given it to me.”

I take his hands off my shirt and shove him as hard as I can towards my door.

“Get the hell out of my apartment. Don’t you ever come back here George. Do you understand me.”

He stumbles back and looks dumbfounded. Realization seems to hit him as I walk him backward the rest of the way to the door.

“I’m sorry Charlie. That wasn’t a good thing. Let me start over.”

I slam the door in his face. I’m shaking with anger. What if he led Corky right to my house? I was safe here and now I could possibly be in danger.

I want to see Ada. I contemplate what might happen if I just go to her house. She won’t like that. She is a girl who likes to know what’s going on. I war with myself back and forth drinking my beer and pacing in my kitchen.

She may not like it and she may not want me to, but I’m going to her house. I want her to know I’m there for her even if she decides to push me away. I can’t fix whatever’s changed in such a short time if she won’t talk to me. I go get my personal car and start the drive to her house. It’s getting close to eleven and I know she’s probably already asleep since she has class tomorrow, but I can’t help myself.

I make my way up to her door and find my heart is beating really hard.

“Addy, let me in I want to see you.” I knock again and still get no answer. I knock louder. Her neighbors are going to start to get upset.

“Charlie, go away.” I finally got a response and it’s not a great one, but it’s a response.

“What do you mean? Talk to me, Ada. Tell me why you changed your mind.” Yelling through the door is drawing attention now. There is a door cracked down the hallway.

“I just did Charlie. Please leave.”

“Did you change your mind about me too?” My breath catches in my chest. I don’t want to know her answer.

“Yes,” I hear footsteps as she runs away and a door slam inside the apartment. I hit the door hard in frustration and then make my way out as more doors open.

I don’t understand what could have happened. There wasn’t any difference between yesterday and today. I didn’t call her until five but I’d kissed her goodbye this morning. The only thing I can think to do is go to the bar. So that’s what I do.

I avoid any bars I’ve been to before and I’m surprised when I walk in to find Paulie at this one. I didn’t know he drank. I slide into the barstool beside him and the two of us drink together for a while.

I tell him all about my issues with George and Ada. I feel like unloading on him is unfair, but I really look at him like a father figure. I certainly don’t have a real one in my life. He listens and drinks. It’s a nice night. After a while, he leaves to go home to his wife and I stay drinking and reflecting on everything I did and everything I said to Ada.

I’ve never let a girl get to me like she is. It’s unnerving and I don’t like it.

After a few drinks and more missed calls from George, I take a cab home, throw my phone in the toilet and fall face first into bed.

At three in the morning, I awake suddenly. I’ve been having a nightmare of Ada being at Corkys with me. I blame George and then I remember I threw my phone in the toilet.

I’m pleased to find I just threw it at the toilet and thankfully it went into the trash can. I check it for messages from Ada. The hangover is already starting. I will figure this out.