Chapter Seven
Elly
I was so mad when I left Tristan’s bus that I was shaking. I went back to my own bus and kicked and threw a few things…none of it made me feel any better. What the hell was I supposed to do? I was in love with the bastard. I guess I only just realized it when we were fighting. That was why it hurt so much that he didn’t come and explain this to me himself. I was pissed off more about the way I found out than I was about what he’d done. I had a job. I didn’t need his millions. Everything I’d done since the night we met in that bar had been about making his life better. He said I make it about me; so far, none of it had been about me. It was always about him. Now the stupid bastard was not just walking away from his career, he was walking away from a woman who would have done absolutely anything for him. I kicked the metal lockers we kept our stuff in, hard, right as the door to the bus opened and Hannah walked in.
“Hey, are you okay?”
I sucked back the tears that were threatening to fall. I wasn’t going to cry over him again. I turned around and looked at her and said, “I don’t know what he’s thinking.”
Hannah sat down on the little sofa and pat the seat next to her and said, “Have a seat.” I started to refuse, but then I decided there was no reason to be ugly to her. This wasn’t her fault. I sat down and she said, “I talked to Hugh after you left.” Hugh was one of Jake’s little assistants, the guys that Tristan referred to as Minions.
“What did Hugh have to say?” I asked, not really caring.
“He said that Jake told Tristan he needed to have a bunch of songs written and approved by the end of the tour or he wouldn’t get his money and his deal. Then, he told him they were due three at a time every month from now on and the deadline for the first three was today.”
“Shit, I didn’t know.”
“Hugh says that it’s in the contract, but the contestants usually miss that part. Do you ever wonder why after the tour, you never hear of the winners again? They do this to them and they get out of paying the final prize.”
“Oh my God! What a bunch of shit!”
“Yeah, I was really disappointed in the people I work for when I heard that.”
“But is it true? Why would Hugh tell you all of that?”
Hannah’s face turned red and I knew before she said, “He and I are kind of…seeing each other.”
“Oh, Hannah! That’s great!”
She smiled, still shyly and said, “Yeah, it is. He’s a good guy and he’s looking for another job, too. Once he found that out, he was really disillusioned.”
“I can see why. Even if I wasn’t…If I didn’t…well, you know, if I wasn’t involved with Tristan, I’d be upset to know that.”
“Is that all it is with you and Tristan?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you just ‘involved’?
I shrugged and said, “We haven’t really talked about anything more…”
“How do you feel, though, Elly?”
It sounded strange when I said it out loud, but if I trusted anyone here, it was Hannah… “I think I’m in love with him,” I told her.
Hannah reached over and squeezed my hand. “I can see that when I look at your face. You know what else? I can see it in his when he looks at you, too.”
“No, Tristan’s not the love type. He’s dependent on me.”
“Elly, stop it! You never give yourself enough credit. Tristan is gorgeous. He could get any woman. He could have a rich woman taking care of him and paying all of his bills if that’s what he wanted. He wants you…and you and I make the same thing, so I know it’s not for your money.”
I laughed and squeezed her hand back. “Thank you, Hannah.”
“Just remember, Elly, a temporary job does not even compare to a lifetime of love.”
I nodded. She was right about that; but did Tristan feel the same?
Hannah left me alone to think about it all while she went back to help break down the show. I had to decide what to do soon or Tristan would be gone and I’d be on this bus on my way to the next town. I knew one person that would always give it to me straight, so I called her.
“Hi, Mom. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No, of course not, honey. I was reading and your father is watching his program. Are you okay? You sound upset.”
“Tristan quit the tour tonight.”
“Oh my goodness! Why?”
“I guess there’s a clause in the contract that he didn’t know about; it more or less gives the producers the right to go back on giving him his money and his record deal when this is all over.”
“Are you kidding? That can’t be legal, can it?”
“I don’t know. Someone who does know says they build it into part of the contract that the contestants don’t really read…or maybe just not understand. So I guess when they sign it, it becomes legal.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry for him. But he quit? What’s he going to do?”
“I was so mad at him, Mom. I didn’t really give him a chance to explain. I didn’t know all of this and he wasn’t the one who told me he quit. That made me really angry and hurt. We just argued.”
Mom sighed. “That’s understandable. I’m sure he’s really upset, and I can see where it would hurt you for him to not discuss it with you. When you both cool down, you need to sit back down and talk about it rationally.”
“I think he’s leaving for L.A. This tour is another six months long. By the time I get back, I’m afraid there won’t be anything left to talk about.”
“Then go find him now.”
I hesitated. “Should I, mom?”
“Elly, how do you feel in your heart? Are you in love with him?”
“I think so.”
“Does he love you too?”
“I’m not sure…”
“Go find him and tell him how you feel. If he feels the same, he’ll tell you. If he doesn’t, then what have you lost—a modicum of pride? Big deal. If he feels the same, do you want to risk a future with the man you love for another six months on tour with people who would swindle young artists and use them for their talent?”
“No…I don’t want to lose him, Mom.”
“Then go tell him so.”
“Thanks. I love you.”
“I love you to the moon!”
I hung up, grabbed my purse and my backpack, and hoped he hadn’t left yet. If he was gone, I’d find him. Mom was right, I had to tell him, whether he felt the same way or not.