to receive the prodigal.
Gia wouldn’t drop the subject of Eddie’s ill-chosen career path. “What’s the big deal? I’m doing a good job and I’ve accomplished a lot,” Eddie defended.
“Yes, you have, and that is what I’m concerned about,” Gia said. “All those hours spent working at some filthy kitchen could be spent practicing.”
“I’m nobody, Gia—just paying my dues like everybody else.”
“Nonsense, we can do better than that.” Gia dialed her cell and waited. “Charles, darling, it’s Gia. I have a niece who is attending school in Los Angeles and is in need of a paid internship with one of the labels down there. Could you be a dear and see what you can do? Cheers.”
“Is that it? You just snap your fingers and mountains move?” Eddie asked.
“When you’ve been in the industry as long as I have, it’s okay to phone in a favor.”
“That was no favor. That was an order.”
“Psssht,” the Prima shrugged.
Eddie made an exit and opening her suitcase she pulled out a pair of black low-slung skinny jeans, gold high heeled sandals and a black t-shirt that hung off the shoulders she had borrowed from Raven.
It was the dinner hour and all lights were on when Ben dropped Eddie off at the Hildebrandt’s. The front door opened and there was T.J. Crossing the threshold, she hugged her friend and pulling away, T.J. cried, “ Look at you!” Their old habits came back as the two stomped up the stairs in tandem to T.J.’s room.
“Where is he?” Eddie whispered.
“He’s here, but we gotta talk first,” T.J. said, closing her bedroom door.
“What now?”
“Studying for the MCAT has turned him into a wicked version of Jekyl and Hyde. So, he’s here, but he’s in a foul mood. You may not want to see him.”
“Oh . ”
“Give him some space.”
“Give him some space?” Eddie uttered, “I’ve been doing that for seven months.”
“He finally got his own apartment, he’s never here anymore . . . I haven’t even seen Leah Campbell, but that doesn’t mean anything. Man, that girl is wack.”
“That girl is gorgeous. I look positively plain standing next to her.”
“Who knows what Kai’s up to. The guy can be a knuckle-dragging bro-magnon who thinks everybody wants a piece.”
“They do,” Eddie pressed.
“Yeah, well, Mr. Bed-Room-Eyes is nothing more than a dressed up pair of Santa Claus batteries right now. He should be fun, but—”
“And one day he’ll be Dr. Bro-Magnon and the women will stack up faster than the Wall Street Journal.”
“Until there’s a female specimen out there who looks like a Victoria’s Secret model, can hold a deep conversation regarding linear algebra, vectors, or particle/wave duality and fill out a teddy, Kai ain’t interested. So, you’re safe.”
“Leah comes awfully close.”
There was a quiet knock on the door. Kai stuck his head in. “I thought I heard you two.”
He looked wiped out, but his wavy dark locks and green eyes were just as Eddie remembered. Standing in bare feet, jeans and a maroon t-shirt that had “Stanford” stamped on the front, he asked, “Can we talk?” Not waiting for an answer, he left, expecting Eddie to follow. She did.
Books littered the floor of Kai’s bedroom.
Seeing them, Eddie asked, “How’s school?”
“It’s grueling and I’d rather not discuss it if you don’t mind,” he stated. “I would rather hear how you’re getting on in Los Angeles. All I know is what T.J. tells me and that is that you’re playing in some girl band and you got a job at a diner or something.”
Eddie filled him in.
“And that’s everything then?” Kai questioned.
“Pretty much,” she returned.
“That’s not everything , though.”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“What’s all this about some rock star?”
“I should’ve known T.J. would tell you about Slade.”
“Slade . . . you’re on a first name basis with this guy? So now, besides trying to get into med school I have to
Gia wouldn’t drop the subject of Eddie’s ill-chosen career path. “What’s the big deal? I’m doing a good job and I’ve accomplished a lot,” Eddie defended.
“Yes, you have, and that is what I’m concerned about,” Gia said. “All those hours spent working at some filthy kitchen could be spent practicing.”
“I’m nobody, Gia—just paying my dues like everybody else.”
“Nonsense, we can do better than that.” Gia dialed her cell and waited. “Charles, darling, it’s Gia. I have a niece who is attending school in Los Angeles and is in need of a paid internship with one of the labels down there. Could you be a dear and see what you can do? Cheers.”
“Is that it? You just snap your fingers and mountains move?” Eddie asked.
“When you’ve been in the industry as long as I have, it’s okay to phone in a favor.”
“That was no favor. That was an order.”
“Psssht,” the Prima shrugged.
Eddie made an exit and opening her suitcase she pulled out a pair of black low-slung skinny jeans, gold high heeled sandals and a black t-shirt that hung off the shoulders she had borrowed from Raven.
It was the dinner hour and all lights were on when Ben dropped Eddie off at the Hildebrandt’s. The front door opened and there was T.J. Crossing the threshold, she hugged her friend and pulling away, T.J. cried, “ Look at you!” Their old habits came back as the two stomped up the stairs in tandem to T.J.’s room.
“Where is he?” Eddie whispered.
“He’s here, but we gotta talk first,” T.J. said, closing her bedroom door.
“What now?”
“Studying for the MCAT has turned him into a wicked version of Jekyl and Hyde. So, he’s here, but he’s in a foul mood. You may not want to see him.”
“Oh . ”
“Give him some space.”
“Give him some space?” Eddie uttered, “I’ve been doing that for seven months.”
“He finally got his own apartment, he’s never here anymore . . . I haven’t even seen Leah Campbell, but that doesn’t mean anything. Man, that girl is wack.”
“That girl is gorgeous. I look positively plain standing next to her.”
“Who knows what Kai’s up to. The guy can be a knuckle-dragging bro-magnon who thinks everybody wants a piece.”
“They do,” Eddie pressed.
“Yeah, well, Mr. Bed-Room-Eyes is nothing more than a dressed up pair of Santa Claus batteries right now. He should be fun, but—”
“And one day he’ll be Dr. Bro-Magnon and the women will stack up faster than the Wall Street Journal.”
“Until there’s a female specimen out there who looks like a Victoria’s Secret model, can hold a deep conversation regarding linear algebra, vectors, or particle/wave duality and fill out a teddy, Kai ain’t interested. So, you’re safe.”
“Leah comes awfully close.”
There was a quiet knock on the door. Kai stuck his head in. “I thought I heard you two.”
He looked wiped out, but his wavy dark locks and green eyes were just as Eddie remembered. Standing in bare feet, jeans and a maroon t-shirt that had “Stanford” stamped on the front, he asked, “Can we talk?” Not waiting for an answer, he left, expecting Eddie to follow. She did.
Books littered the floor of Kai’s bedroom.
Seeing them, Eddie asked, “How’s school?”
“It’s grueling and I’d rather not discuss it if you don’t mind,” he stated. “I would rather hear how you’re getting on in Los Angeles. All I know is what T.J. tells me and that is that you’re playing in some girl band and you got a job at a diner or something.”
Eddie filled him in.
“And that’s everything then?” Kai questioned.
“Pretty much,” she returned.
“That’s not everything , though.”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“What’s all this about some rock star?”
“I should’ve known T.J. would tell you about Slade.”
“Slade . . . you’re on a first name basis with this guy? So now, besides trying to get into med school I have to
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