CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Sky arrived at the meeting with seconds to spare, and slid into the empty seat next to Jack. He nodded off a few times while they were discussing the band’s upcoming tour, and only snapped to attention when Jack poked him in the side. “I’m sorry. What was that?”
“We want you to take Larissa Townsend out on tour. She’s been added as the opening act,” the record company executive repeated.
Sky was infuriated. “What the hell?”
“Her sales are flat, and radio has been slow for her. But since she sang on ‘Heat’, and that’s the next single you’re releasing, we thought it would be good for her to get exposure to your fans.”
“No. No, my wife will never go for that.” Sky jumped up and began pacing the room.
“Your wife? Since when does she call the shots? She doesn’t get a vote.” The record company executive folded his arms against his chest. “It’s already decided.”
“You don’t understand. I’ve been trying to avoid Larissa since that incident at Whiskey Kitchen last year. I can’t…”
“You can, and you will. Like I said, it’s already decided. So you’d better figure out how to tell your wife, because you’re announcing that Larissa is joining your tour tomorrow morning. We’ve booked you a bunch of radio calls.” The executive and his staff stood. “You boys want to get lunch?”
Jack spoke up. “No, thanks. We’re good.” He waited until just he and Sky were left in the conference room before speaking again. “What the hell happened to you? You look like you haven’t slept in weeks. How are Meg and Quint?”
Sky couldn’t look Jack in the eyes. “Good. How are Becky and Ryan?”
“Great. Who’d have thought we’d have two sons born within a week of each other?”
“Yeah.” Sky walked ahead of Jack, and pulled open the conference room door.
Jack caught up with him and grabbed his arm. “What’s wrong?”
Sky shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Hey, man, you know you can always talk to me.”
Sky wasn’t able to meet Jack’s eyes as they walked towards the building exit. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“Let’s get some lunch,” Jack said, as they reached the parking lot.
“I don’t feel like being out in public right now. I know I look like hell.”
“Then come over to my place, and I’ll fix us some sandwiches. Becky should be home, but I’ll just tell her we’re going to work on some new music in the basement.”
Sky closed his eyes, and let out a deep sigh. “Okay.”
When Sky walked into Jack and Becky’s house, he was startled by the sharp contrast between their home and his. It’s clean. Organized. And so quiet. You’d never know there is a baby here. He looked around, and asked Jack, “Where is everyone?”
“The baby’s probably napping.”
“He is,” Becky said, as she entered the room and greeted Sky with a kiss on the cheek.
Sky’s eyes grew wide as he looked Becky up and down. “Wow. You look great. You’d never know you had a baby two months ago.”
“Thanks.” She took a close look at him, and asked, “Are you okay? You look exhausted.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Yeah, well. I didn’t realize how tough it would be to have a newborn not sleep through the night.”
“I told Meg she needed to hire an au pair, or even just a part-time nanny. She needs help. That’s how I’ve managed to pull myself back together. I get my sleep, and am back to my pre-pregnancy weight.”
“But she refuses. Says she wants to do it all on her own. She doesn’t want someone else raising our son,” Sky said. “She didn’t have a mother, and doesn’t want that for Quint.”
Becky and Jack exchanged worried glances. “But she needs to take care of herself. If she collapses from exhaustion, or has a nervous breakdown, that won’t be good for the baby,” Becky said. She guided Sky into the white marble kitchen and sat him down at the large farmhouse-style table. “Have some sweet tea,” she said, handing him a large glass.
“Thanks.” He took a sip, and added, “Jack and I were going to write, but I’d rather talk, if it’s okay. I just don’t have it in me today.”
Over the next two hours, Sky poured his heart out to Jack and Becky. “The baby never sleeps. Like never, ever. He just screams all night long. I think it’s because he’s too attached to her. She hardly ever puts him down during the day.” He went on to explain Meg’s obsession with Quint. “It’s so bad, that I can’t remember the last time I actually kissed her.” He sat back and ran his hands through his hair. “Not that I even want to. I don’t think she’s showered in a week. She went to bed last night with some of Quint’s dried spit up in her hair. It’s like she’s another person since the baby was born. And now this thing with Larissa…”
Becky swung her head towards her husband. “What thing?”
Jack held his hands up. “Larissa Townsend is being sent out on tour with us. That’s what the meeting was about this morning.”
“Meg’s gonna flip out,” Sky said. “It’s a sore spot with us.”
“Yeah, not to mention the gossip it’s going to stir up,” Becky agreed. “Meg’s going to have to travel with you. It’s the only way to keep it all under control.”
Sky buried his face in his hands. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell her.”