Gage

Clover’s family is enthralled with Adley and vice versa. They’re all sitting around the table listening to her tell stories about growing up on the mountain when I slip into the living room to have a look at the television crews outside. I call an old friend from my band days who used to guide me in situations like this.

“Jerry? Hey, how’s life on the mountain?”

“Great, sounds like you made a splash out there in the Golden State.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m calling. They’re all camped out in front of Clover’s house, and I’m inside. What do you think I should do?”

Jerry is more than a supply shop owner at the base of Blue Mountain. He’s also my friend and former personal assistant when I was with the band. He is the only person who has been with me through everything other than Adley.

When I bought the house on Blue Mountain, he bought the supply shop and watched out for reporters and people who might be sniffing around looking for me. I had no reason to think anyone would, and I never asked him to do it, but he insisted he wasn’t leaving me. He’s the loyalist friend I’ve ever had.

“That depends. You finally want to give up the hiding game?”

“Yes. I’m done, I want to live a normal life with Clover and Adley.”

He scoffs. “That room full of trophy’s is why you’re never gonna live a normal life. But, if I were you, I would go out there and tell ‘em the truth. Your wife died in childbirth six years ago, and you been mourning on a mountain ever since.”

“Thanks, man.”

“Yep. Gotta go, customers just walked in. Keep me posted.”

“Will do, bye.”

“Bye.”

I take a deep breath and walk out onto Clover’s porch to face the mob. A cameraman sees me open the door and yells out, “It’s him!” right before they converge on me.

“Is it really you back from the dead?”

“Apollo, where have you been?”

“Apollo, is it true Lenny is dead?”

“What are you doing here in California?”

They fire question after question until they realize I’m not going to answer until they simmer down and let me talk. “I wanted to come out here and let you know that yeah, it’s me, Apollo. I’ve been living in Colorado for the past six years with my daughter. My wife Constance died six years ago in childbirth, and my life fell apart. I didn’t know what to do or where to turn. I needed time alone to grieve and learn to raise my daughter alone. Anonymity is addictive, I guess. I liked the seclusion and being able to do my own thing for once in my life. It felt pretty good. Anyway, I know it was wrong of me to leave my fans hanging, and for that, I wanted to publically apologize.”

“Apollo! Why are you here at this house?” a reporter yells from the back of the crowd.

“My girlfriend lives here. My daughter and I came to visit.” They go on to ask more and more intimate and personal questions and questions about Lenny’s death before I politely tell them goodnight and retreat into the house.

“Mom! Jason says our house is in the news!” Wes yells from upstairs.

Heather enters the room drying her hands on a dish towel.

“Sorry, I figured I’d give them what they wanted to see if they would go away. Doesn’t usually work, but it was worth a shot.” I shrug.

“No, I expect not. Give a kid the candy bar they’ve been begging for, and they’ll ask for more,” she says with all of the authority of a mother.

“What’s going on out here?” Clover says joining us in the living room.

“Gage just talked to the reporters.”

“You what?”

“I told them why I’ve been gone and why I’m back. It had to be done eventually, I figured I would take care of it. The sooner people start talking, the sooner they’ll stop.”

“That’s one way to look at it,” Heather says.

Clover turns to her aunt. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, honey, I think your life isn’t anybody’s business. It’s such an invasion of privacy to set up shop outside someone’s home and wait for something to happen. The world surely has other things to worry about, don’t they?”

“Heather, do you remember Apollo Mercury? He was a very successful musician, he won just about every award you can win and played all over the world to sold-out stadiums. His disappearance was pretty big news and so will be his reappearance.” I had assumed she knew who he was when we talked, but now I’m wondering.

“Well, no, not really. I was having babies, and that would have been around the time when your mother died. Anything going on back then was lost on me. I don’t mean to make light of your band, Gage. I think it’s nobody’s business what you do with your life, that’s all.”

“I wish the rest of the world felt like you. Win a bunch of Grammies, and your life is a free game, I guess. Anyway, I think we should be going. We have to check into our hotel before it gets too late, and now that I’ve given them something to chew on, I’m sure the hotel will be a madhouse.”

“Maybe you should stay here? We can make room, and it’s better than fighting the paparazzi. Right?” I say turning to my aunt. I hope I haven’t overstepped my bounds, but it’s silly for them to waste money on a hotel.

Heather has a dazed look on her face, and it’s aimed at Gage. “Yo, you won a Grammy?” she stutters.

Gage is peeking through the curtains and turns his head. “Yeah, five.”

She looks at me and points at Gage. “Five?” she whispers, and I giggle at her astonishment.

“Yeah, five, and a bunch of other awards, too. He had a record go platinum.”

“I had no idea.” She shakes her head. “I’ll go make up the guest room and have Mandy sleep with me so Adley can have her bed.” Her words trail off as she walks away stunned and mumbling under her breath.

Gage straightens from where he has been looking out the window. “They’re almost all gone, just one van left.”

“Oh good, maybe they’re all going to the hotel to head you off. Even more reason not to leave.”

“Thank you for that. I don’t know how much your aunt likes me.”

“Oh, I think she likes you a lot more now that she knows you’re not just some random musician taking advantage of her niece.”

“I would never take advantage of you.”

Her eyebrows pop up flirtatiously. “No?”

“Not the way she thinks, but the way you’re thinking, yes.” I lift one side of my mouth with a sexy smirk. I miss this. I miss the banter, the sense of being part of something bigger than just Adley and me. I don’t ever want to lose this beauty standing in front of me, and I know exactly how I’m going to keep her.