Page 80 of Vespertine

“Cross my heart. Needle in eye. All the rest.”

“We were best friends as kids, but I think I loved him fromthe moment we met.” They’d been so young together, but his heart had recognizedJazz from the beginning. “Then as teenagers, we fell in love. We were eachother’s firsts. First kiss, first…loves.”

“First loves don’t last.”

“I guess not. Because he threw me over for Jesus.”

“He dumped you to become a priest?”

“Yeah. And stupid me, I’d been so blind that I never saw itcoming.”

Ramona listened attentively and when the story was over sheasked, “So what’s the plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to try to break him and Jesus up, or are yougoing the ‘let’s be tortured friends’ route?”

“I don’t have a plan.”

“Well, this will be a mess.” Ramona smiled, not unkindly. “Butlet me warn you. I’ve got offers from Liver Pills and Burning Machine to playon their next tours. If you go off the deep end with this thing and get backinto drugs, I’m going to take one of them up on it.”

Nicky stared at her through the screen of his phone.

“This isn’t a threat, Nico, er, Nicky. It’s a life lesson. Alwayshave a plan.”

“Sounded like a threat.”

Ramona shrugged. “If it helps keep you sober, I’m okay withyou interpreting it that way. For a few reasons. One, I need a functioningleader of this band if we’re going to make music that doesn’t suck and survivethis industry. Two, I like sober Nicky. He’s like a real human being with asense of humor and emotions and a history. It’s cool.”

“Thanks?”

“You bet. And now for the fun part of this phone call. What’sourplan? Vespertine’s plan. You know as well as I dothat one of you three chuckleheads will go off the deep end again if we go onanother extended tour like that. We’ve got to get better contracts. I think weshould have attorneys look at the ones we signed and see if there’s a loopholewe overlooked. Something we can hold over their heads to get better terms fortours at least, if nothing else.”

Nicky’s dad had looked at his contract ages ago, but he wasn’tan entertainment lawyer and he didn’t know half of what Nicky had faced on theroad. If they could prove the big guys had violated their side of the deal,maybe they could find a way free.

“How much will it cost?”

“Does it matter?”

Nicky laughed. “Fuck no. Let’s do it.”

That evening, Nicky loaded the last of the dinnerdishes into the dishwasher, dumped more soap than necessary into the littledivot, and closed the lid. “Fuck that, Danvers.”

Jasper had turned up on his doorstep with an overnight bag,takeout Chinese, and a shy expression a few minutes before six. Now he sat atthe kitchen table, fidgeting with his phone and pretending not to listen, butNicky saw him flinch at the curse words.

“Listen, I don’t give a fuck what you tell me about Mick’ssituation, or Sez’s, because what I’m telling you isIwritethe songs for Vespertine and nothing, abso-fucking-lutely nothing, will berecorded until I’m on board.”

“There are other songwriters, Nico,” Danvers said. “If youdon’t show up to record by the first of the month, we’ll get someone to takeyour place. Vespertine is more than Nico Blue.”

“Then you’ll need a new drummer too, because Ramona won’twork for a shit songwriter.”

“She’s worked for you the last few albums.”

Nicky laughed at the direct hit Danvers had dared. “Touché.”

“I’m just delivering the news, Nico. You’ll have to go overmy head to get a different answer. And you go ahead and try.”

Nicky snorted. “Big talk.”