Harmony, p.2
Harmony, page 2
Brianna
Maddie and I are sitting with Rory, Brock, Donny, and Callie. Our server brought us each a breakfast of eggs, bacon, two types of sausage, potatoes, and roasted tomatoes, but not one of us has touched any of it.
The best I can do is sip the shitty cup of coffee I ordered. From now on I’ll be drinking tea, even at breakfast. Coffee is not an English thing. I’m a coffee snob. My mother raised us only on the best, strongest, most robust coffee. A morning without coffee is foreign to me, but the English do tea like no one else. Their tea is a hundred times better than their coffee.
Why I’m thinking about coffee, I have no idea. A man’s life—and the band’s future—is at stake.
“You really think I should?” Rory asks.
What are they talking about? I’ve only been listening with one ear, and all the noises sound like they’re coming through water, as if my ears are clogged. All I can think about is Jesse. Jesse, and how his big chance may have been ruined.
We had a big talk about distractions last night.
I was determined not to be one.
But in reality? It may be too late for that. Because if he hadn’t been with me last night…
No. That wouldn’t have mattered. He would’ve been in his own room. He had his own room.
But still…
I can’t help feeling a huge amount of guilt.
The conversation around me keeps going on. Should Rory do something? She doesn’t feel right. Right about what? Maddie and Callie keep asking her what they can do for her, and she keeps saying nothing, that it’s not their problem. It’s hers. Then they move on to something else, and I stop listening again.
Until—
“I’m not sure you have a choice, babe.” Brock’s voice.
Rory crosses her arms and looks around the table. “I suppose I don’t. We owe them an explanation. Excuse me for a minute.” She scoots her chair away from the table, rises, and pulls out her phone as she walks away.
“You okay, sis?”
I widen my eyes at my brother’s voice. “Yeah. I suppose.”
Donny cocks his head. “You look kind of…out of it.”
“What’s going on? Who is Rory calling?”
“She’s calling Heather Myles, Jett’s wife. They exchanged phone numbers after the concert in Snow Creek, and they’ve kept in touch. She has to let Jett know what’s going on with Dragon.”
“You think they’ll be angry?”
“I don’t know, sis. I don’t know these people very well.”
“They’re good people,” Brock says. “Rory and I spent quite a bit of time with them. They’ll be understanding, I’m sure, but they may decide that Dragonlock can’t go on tonight.”
I gasp. “Why would they decide that?”
“Because the contract is with Dragonlock, all five members of the band,” Donny, the lawyer, says. “If all five can’t go on, they’ll be considered in breach.”
My heart plummets to my stomach. This was their big chance. Jesse’s big chance.
My heart aches for him. “What if they get a substitute drummer?”
“Where would we get a substitute drummer?” Brock asks.
I stare at him, forcing him to meet my gaze. “You.”
Brock’s eyebrows nearly fly off his forehead. “Me?”
“Yeah, you. You and Dave and those guys had that garage band back in middle school.”
“Uh…in case you’ve forgotten, Bree, we were shitty.”
“Still, you were the drummer, Brock.”
“There’s a reason I haven’t played drums for ten years.” Brock shakes his head. “I’m not an option, Bree. Believe me, I wish I were.”
Rory returns to the table. “Heather and Jett are coming down. I need you to come with me, Brock. Since Jesse’s not here, I guess I’m speaking for the band.”
“Did you text Cage and Jake?” Brock asks.
“Yeah. They’re coming down as soon as they can. Jake’s looking over the percussion arrangements.”
Brock nods, and the two of them walk away from the table. I don’t know where they’re meeting Jett and Heather, but of course they need to speak alone.
“I wish there were something I could do,” Maddie says.
“We have to fix this,” I say. “We just have to.”
“I agree with you, Brianna,” Callie says. “This means everything to my brother and sister, but how do we fix it?”
“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “I just don’t know. I feel like there’s something we could be doing. Something we should be seeing that we’re not seeing.”
“Rory and the guys figured out a way to make it happen. Jesse’s going to have to go back on guitar, and Jake will take over on drums.” Donny takes a sip of his coffee and then nearly spits it out. “Man, this is terrible.”
“Tea from now on,” I say absently.
“As long as we’re in the UK, no more coffee,” my brother agrees.
“I suppose it’s good that they’re just the opening band,” Maddie says. “I mean, if they can’t play, they just won’t. There won’t be an opener.”
Did those words just come out of Maddie’s mouth? Maddie, who’s usually so empathetic? “Maddie, this means everything to your brother and sister.”
“I know that, Bree. I’m trying to look on the bright side.” She sighs. “Although, you’re right. That’s not any kind of bright side.”
“You mean your motivational guru hasn’t trained you to see the bright side in any situation?” I say sarcastically.
Maddie’s jaw drops, and the bottoms of her eyes fill with tears.
And I feel like the lowest scum on the bottom of a criminal’s shoe, throwing that in her face. “Maddie, I’m sorry.”
She sniffles back her tears. “I’m sure we’re all just stressed out.”
“You’re letting me off the hook way too easily,” I say.
“I’m just tired of feeling like shit,” she says. “I was so horrid to Jesse last night when he wouldn’t let us go off with Zane.”
Donny’s eyes shoot open. “Excuse me?”
Jeez. No one needs my big brother going all big brother right now.
“It’s a long story, Donny.”
“Do I need to kick that motherfucker’s ass?” Donny asks, not nicely.
“No,” I say. “Jesse took care of it. And I’m glad he did.”
Donny furrows his brow. “I am too. I guess I owe him one.”
“And he was right,” Maddie says. “I don’t know what I was thinking. But I was so mean to him last night. I feel like…”
“You didn’t do this, Maddie,” I say.
“I know that. Objectively, anyway. Just feel like I messed with his vibe, you know?”
I sigh. Maddie didn’t mess with Jesse’s vibe. I did. I kept him distracted. Distracted, when he should’ve had his mind focused on the band. Maybe specifically focused on Dragon. Maybe then…
Maybe then…none of this would be happening.
Donny is scowling at me, and I wish I could go back in time.
Back in time…
Maybe if I had gone back to bed with Jesse. Maybe if…
Donny eyes Maddie and me. “I don’t have to lecture you two about indiscriminate sex, do I?”
I resist an eye roll. Right. My brother, the quintessential womanizer, wants to lecture me about indiscriminate sex. It might interest him to know I was a virgin until a few days ago, but I’m not about to spill that little secret.
“Maybe I need to talk to you,” Callie says straight to her little sister.
“My God, I feel bad enough as it is,” Maddie says. “I was so angry with Jesse last night. How long were you down here with him after I left, Bree?”
All gazes fall on me then. Right. I was down here with him. I was the last person who saw him before he went to bed.
“Not for long,” I say, trying to sound innocent.
“You were gone for a few hours,” Maddie says, “before you came up to the room.”
Donny and Callie both shoot daggers at me.
“What’s she saying, sis?” Donny asks.
I blink. “We were down here talking. Jesse ordered a pizza, remember?”
Maddie nods. “That’s right. He did order a pizza.”
Nice. Saved by the pie we didn’t stay to eat. I breathe in and force out the lie. “Right. So we ate pizza. Talked. Then we went our separate ways.”
“Did he say anything about the two girls who went with Dragon to his room?”
“No, not really. Just that he wasn’t into it, so he left Dragon to do his thing.” I shake my head. “He must feel so terrible about that.”
“I think we all feel pretty terrible,” Callie says. “But Dragon is an adult. No one should have to babysit him.”
I nod.
An adult.
That was the argument I gave my parents when I told them I was going on this trip. The argument I gave to Callie and Donny as well.
And how many times have I told Jesse I’m an adult? A grown-up?
Funny…
Being a grown-up doesn’t really mean anything at all. You can still end up getting into lots of trouble.
I hope to God that Dragon is okay.
And even more than that? I hope Jesse isn’t killing himself with guilt right now.
I really want to be the one to fix this for him.
Chapter Three
Jesse
I stare into space.
People stroll by me—people of all looks and walks of life.
Two parents, worried about their screaming toddler, take a seat. They have to wait because my friend is unconscious.
They must wait and worry about their child—who may have a fever, may be sick. But the rules are ironclad. The child is conscious, so they have to wait.
I try to block out the sick child’s screams. He can’t be more than two or three, and his blond hair is slicked to his forehead with sweat. Most of the seats are filled in the waiting area, but except for the toddler, I can’t tell who the patients are and who the family members and friends are. It’s like they’re stick people and they all look alike. They don’t exist in my world because I don’t know them. I don’t care for them the way I care for Dragon. I don’t appreciate their stories. All I know is that these plastic seats are damned uncomfortable on my ass.
The clerk who took Dragon’s paperwork is busy, along with a nurse who seems to be assessing patients. The ER—or whatever the hell it’s called here—is busy this morning, which is why the poor child can’t be seen yet. He sits on his mother’s lap, and she kisses his forehead, trying to soothe him. The father sits next to her, his face pale and lips twisted into a frown.
In the corner is a dedicated space for kids with toys and books, but no one plays there. The toddler is the only child here, and he’s too sick to care. A vending machine sits next to the children’s area. Again I think I should eat something, but I don’t have any British change. It probably takes a credit card. Still, I don’t move. I feel glued to this hard plastic chair.
Glued to this place.
Glued to misfortune. Glued to pennilessness. Glued to a fucked-up life.
Glued to—
“Stop it!” I say out loud.
Eyes dart toward me, but I don’t care. I have to stop this train of thought because it’s going to send me down a path I can’t go. Not with Dragon’s life and my career hanging in the balance.
Gratitude.
That’s where I need to focus.
I’m here. I’m alive. I’m so damned grateful for everything I’ve received. To be on this tour.
It can’t be over.
It can’t be over this soon.
And it can’t be over because of me.
“Mr. Locke?”
I jerk toward a voice. A woman wearing green scrubs, her blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, stands near the entrance to the waiting area.
“Who’s here for Mr. Locke?”
I rise and walk toward her. “I am.” My heart is stampeding against my chest. I can even see the movement if I look closely enough.
“And you are?” she asks.
“His friend. Roommate. My name is Jesse Pike.”
“All right. I’m Dr. Nelson. Mr. Locke’s toxicology screen came back positive.”
My heart sinks to my stomach, though I’m not sure why. Of course it came back positive. “What drugs did it show?”
“We have to run more tests to identify the specific drugs. In the meantime, we’ve pumped his stomach, but unfortunately, depending on when he ingested the drugs, it may not be helpful.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s alive. Still unresponsive. But his organs are working, and once we find out what specific drugs are in his system, we’ll be able to treat him better.”
“Why didn’t you test for specific drugs?”
“Standard procedures are to do general toxicology first. Do you have any idea what he may have ingested?”
“No, I wasn’t with him. I found him this morning.”
“Was anyone else with him?”
“Yes. Two women were with him last night, but they left before I called the ambulance.”
“Do you have any way of getting in touch with those women?”
If only… “I’m afraid I don’t. I only know their first names.”
“I see.” She frowns. “But it’s your opinion that Mr. Locke would not have ingested anything of his own accord?”
“I’ve known him a long time, Doctor. He’s been sober for the last several years. He uses marijuana sometimes, takes a drink sometimes, but he stays away from the hard stuff.”
“I see,” she says again. “So he wouldn’t have had anything illegal in his possession?”
“No. We’re from the United States. I doubt it would’ve gotten past customs without a physician’s note.”
“That’s true. All right, thank you.”
“Wait. May I see him?”
Dr. Nelson pauses and presses her lips together. “He’s not awake, but I suppose you can see him.”
“Thank you.”
“Follow me.”
She leads me through the double doors into the emergency area. It’s divided into separate bays, all equipped with curtains for privacy. The doctor pulls back the green curtain to the third bay, and I follow her in.
Dragon is lying on the bed, dressed in a blue hospital gown and covered with a thin white blanket. An oxygen mask sits on his nose, and an IV is inserted in his left hand. He’s hooked up to various monitors that beep consistently. His face is pale, and his eyes are closed.
Looking at him is difficult, so I shift my gaze around. The treatment area is stocked with medical supplies, of course, including dressings, bandages, and syringes. A gallon-sized bottle of hand sanitizer sits on the counter. Absently, I squeeze some into my palms and slather it over my hands and arms.
Finally, I force myself to look back at Dragon. His skin may be pale, but at least it’s not blue.
His heart monitor beeps, and his pulse ox is reading at about ninety-two. That’s a little low, but the nurse assures me he’s doing fine. Once she leaves, I sit in the chair next to Dragon’s bed. Should I take his hand? The idea seems weird, so I don’t.
I lean down close to his ear. “I need you to wake up, Dragon. We need you. The band needs you.”
No response, of course. Not that I was expecting one.
A nurse comes in. “I can give you a call if anything changes. Are there any family members we should contact in the States?”
“He doesn’t have any family,” I say, still looking at Dragon’s pale face. “I’m his family.”
That’s not true. Dragon does have family, but he doesn’t have any relationship with them, and I wouldn’t know how to contact them anyway.
“Good enough.” The nurse touches my shoulder lightly. “He’s going to be fine.”
“When will he be released?”
“Not until he wakes up, and we don’t expect that until later this afternoon. Then the doctors will probably want to keep him overnight for observation.”
“Damn,” I can’t help saying.
“What’s wrong?”
“He’s a member of a rock band. We have a concert tonight. We’re opening for Emerald Phoenix.”
The nurse’s jaw drops. “I’m going to that concert tonight. My friend went last night. She said the opening band was fantastic.”
I look down at the tile floor. Normally a compliment like that would have me head over heels with excitement, but right now, all I can think about is Dragon. Dragon…and the fact that we may have just blown a big chance because of Jenny and Andrea.
“Thank you. I’m glad your friend enjoyed our music.” I reach out and touch Dragon’s shoulder lightly. “We had a wonderful time. But without Dragon, I don’t see how we can go on tonight.”
“I’ll do everything I can, but I doubt the doctor will allow him to go until tomorrow.”
“Yeah. I understand. I want what’s best for him. That’s the most important thing.”
“I’m glad you see it that way. You’re a good friend.”
Am I, though?
If I were a good friend, I would’ve stayed with Dragon last night instead of becoming distracted by Brianna. I should have taken Dragon aside and tried to talk him out of the four-way he planned for us.
I look around the bay once more, taking in all the equipment, the supplies, the machines with their constant rhythmic beeping.
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
The sound propels my anxiety, and I find myself holding my breath between beeps, as if that will somehow help Dragon. But it won’t. I’m completely helpless in this situation.
I jerk when my phone dings with a text, and I welcome the respite from the monotony of the beeping.
It’s Rory.
Jesse, can you come back to the hotel? Jett says he needs to talk to you and me together.
My heart sinks.
Sure enough, we’ve blown it.
Chapter Four
Brianna
If only…
