Monday, May 18, 2015

Superstar-Chapter 57

Thanks for reading... Follow me on Twitter and Like me on Facebook! Check out previous chapters of Superstar and samples of my first novel, Facets: Stories of the Mundane and the Weird, here on the blog.                                                    Facets is available on the Kindle Market!



Chapter 57: Bulletproof (I Wish I Was)

The next morning at rehearsal, Russell made an announcement that really didn’t surprise anyone: “Mr. Parker decided not to sign us.”
“Why not?” Eric asked.
“He wanted Quiet Storm to own your masters and your publishing.”
“Oh, hell naw.” Rob said.
“Highway robbery.” Eric added.
“Indentured servitude, more like,” Terry said.
“That’s why I didn’t take the deal.”
“Then I guess he’s leaving empty handed,” Lisa quipped.
“Not exactly,” Russell said.
Everyone wondered aloud why that was. Terry had a notion about it as he glanced sidelong at Dom, who pretended not to notice.
“Well, “ Russell began. “It turns out that Mr. Parker wanted the group, but if he couldn’t get all of you…”
“He wanted our lead singer,” Terry finished. He looked at Dom and she looked away.
“Yes.” Russell said.
“And what did our lead singer say?”
“Yes.” Dom answered.
“I knew it.” Terry got up and started pacing angrily.
“So, when were you gonna let us know?” Lisa asked.
“Actually, she let me know after she spoke to Parker.” Russell explained. “We had a good talk and she feels bad for getting signed and not the whole group.”
“Then she shouldna did that shit.” Terry spat.
“Seriously, Terry?” Russell said. “You’d turn down a deal, a guaranteed deal to stay?”
“In a New York Minute.” He stated. “If my band can’t go with me, I’m not goin.”
“Hear-fucking-hear.” Rob said.
“But it’s my life,” Dom said. “I’m sorry; I love you guys, but I want to be a star. I don’t want to be just locally known.” She shrugged and said, “I want more.”
There was a lot of determination on her face, Eric thought. And courage. She wasn’t backing down in spite of all the frustration and outright anger directed towards her.
Eric looked at Terry. He saw so much anger on his little brother’s face and felt very bad for him. He understood how Dom felt, knew that was where her head was at, but it still hurt and felt betrayed a little.
Eric got up and stood next to Dom, put a hand on her shoulder and said, “I hear you, Dom. Honestly, you should’ve shared that with us a long time ago. I can’t speak for everyone, but I would’ve understood and not felt so betrayed right now.
“You’re right, though. It is your life and if this is what you want, I say go for it and you have my blessings.” He grinned sadly. “Just don’t forget about us.” Dom grabbed him in a hug and promised she wouldn’t.
“I’ll believe that when I see it.” Rob said. “I’m up. I ain’t feelin’ no rehearsal.”
“Safe to say,” Russell added. “Y’all don’t have a show until Friday, anyway. Let’s take a day.”
“Gladly.” Lisa said. She did hug Dom and wish her the best. Everybody except Rob and Terry congratulated her as they left. He sat on the couch, only a few feet away from Dom, but it may as well have been halfway across the world. He didn’t say anything, just stared at her. A wealth of hurt and betrayal was scrawled on his face and judgment pulsed in his eyes. Dom had to look away. She wanted to explain, make him understand why she felt the way she did. He probably wouldn’t be open to it, but she had to try.
“Terry…” she began and looked up.  He stood by the door, arms crossed and anger vibrating off of him. Dom sighed.
“Give him a minute,” Russell said as he put a hand on her shoulder. “You did drop a bomb on him.”
“I know,” Dom sighed again. “I’m not looking forward to the ride home.”
“You’ll be alright and so will he. You’ll see.” Russell assured her. Dom happened to look and saw Terry drilling a hard look at her.
“If you’re ridin’, let’s go.” He said as he walked out of the door.

Dom sighed and took one last look at the Warehouse. There were so many memories, good and bad, and she knew she’d miss the place, but she was ready to move on. The sound of a car revving reminded her that she had one more thing to deal with before she was able to start her new life. She wasn’t looking forward to it.

(c)2015 Courtney & W.L. Sherrod

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Superstar-Chapter 56

Thanks for reading... Follow me on Twitter and Like me on Facebook! Check out previous chapters of Superstar and samples of my first novel, Facets: Stories of the Mundane and the Weird, here on the blog. Facets is available on the Kindle Market!

Chapter 56: When Heaven Calls

    Terry got called into work, which effectively squashed the plans to go to the movies. Dom was a little bummed, but truthfully, she was glad of the alone time. Even though, Terry apologized profusely about pushing her and she’d forgiven him, Dom hadn’t been able to totally forget it. It was the first time Terry had ever done anything like that and she wanted to believe that nothing like that would happen again, but…
    Dom sighed, wishing once again that Terry actually owned a TV so she could sit down and veg out and not have to deal with all the thoughts and doubts swirling in her head.
    “Joe Sample it is, then.” Dom said to herself. She put his album Spellbound into the CD player and ‘Seven Years of Good Luck’ flowed out of the speakers. Dom sat back and let Mr. Sample’s fancy finger work take her away.
    The phone rang and Dom swore softly to herself. “Everytime I start relaxin’…”, she muttered as she answered the phone.
    “Hello?”
    “Hello. May I speak to Dominique LaSalle, please?” A vaguely familiar voice asked.
    "This is she.”
    “Hi, Dom. This is James Parker. I came to see Avant Groove the other night?”
    “Oh, Hi,” Dom said, her voice brightening up. “What can I do for you?”
    “Actually, it’s more about what I can do for you,” he stated. “I was impressed with the group as a whole, but I was more impressed with your performance, Dom.”
    “Seriously?”
    “Yes,” Parker said. “I’d like to offer you a contract to record with Quiet Storm Records.”
Dom, of course, was completely speechless.
    Once the initial shock and excitement died down, and Dom could finally speak, she said, “What did you say?”
    “I want to sign you to Quiet Storm Records.”
    Dom closed her eyes, took a deep breath and asked if she could have a little time to think about it.
    “You’ll have exactly one day,” Parker said. “I have to leave tomorrow evening to go back to L.A. Here’s my cellular number when you make up your mind.” He gave it and Dom thanked him a hung up.
    Dom jumped up and shouted and screamed with glee. A recording contract, the dream of her life staring her right in the face. She wanted to get back on the phone and tell Mr. Parker yes right then, but she knew she was gonna have to tell Terry as well as the rest of the band. As the reality of the situation set in, Dom felt a cold weight settle onto her stomach. She wasn’t sure how to go about telling Terry, let alone the rest of the band that Parker wanted to sign her and not the rest of the group.
    First things first, she had to make some calls. The most important one being to James Parker, who she told she would sign with him.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Superstar- Chapter 55

Thanks for reading... Follow me on Twitter and Like me on Facebook! Check out previous chapters of Superstar and samples of my first novel, Facets: Stories of the Mundane and the Weird, here on the blog. Facets is available on the Kindle Market!


Chapter 55: Questions


“D’you think Parker’s serious about signing us?” Terry finally asked the question he’d been terrified to ask. Dom, who was in mid-swallow from a glass of water, looked a little startled by the question.
    “I dunno. He seems serious.” She answered.
    Terry nodded. “What about what Eric was talking about? Are you down with that?”
    “No, I’m not.”
    Terry felt an icy chill run down his back and his legs felt weak, like he couldn’t stand on his own. “What? Why?”
    Dom put her water down and said, “This shouldn’t be a surprise to you, Terry. I’ve told you this before.”
    “Yeah, but I thought you’d change your mind about it.”
    “Sweetheart, outside of the band, my life is shit. My mom threw me out, I’m working a dead-end job and I really, really feel like I’m completely on my own.”
    “That’s not true.” Terry protested. “You have the band. You have me. You’re not on your own.”
    “That may be true, but I…I guess I don’t want to just get by, Terry. I want more than this.”
    Terry was speechless. He remembered what Groove said about his gutbuzz about Dom. Terry knew they came true more often than not, but he thought Dom wouldn’t be that way. His face and eyes burned as he realized just how wrong he was.
    “So, you’re just using us until you get a deal of your own?”, Terry snapped. “Is that it?”
    “No,” Dom answered. “I’m not. But, is it wrong that I want to be bigger than a regional band?” Terry’s stomach did flip-flops and a spark of anger lit up inside him.
    “It is if that’s all you wanted from get-go and didn’t let me know. I’m walkin’ around with my head in the clouds, thinking you care and you’re just out for self.”
    “You know that’s not true, Terry,” Dom sighed.
    “It has to be!” He exploded. “You didn’t say anything when Groove brought up just concentrating on performing and you were all up in Parker’s face when he was talkin’…”
    “No, I wasn’t!” Dom shouted. “All he was doin’ was talking to me and I answered back. I’m supposed to not talk to people when they talk to me? Is that how this works now?”
    “No, but you don’t hang all over him and shit…”
    Dom didn’t even answer him. She just walked away towards the bedroom. Terry caught her by the arm.       “Don’t walk away when I’m talkin’ to you…”
    “Let me GO!” Dom struggled, trying to pull away from him.
    “You wanna go? Fine!” Terry said and he pushed her into the wall.
    Dom crumpled to the floor, momentarily dazed. Terry grabbed her shoulders, ready to shake some sense into her. Dom flinched as he came close, her face a scrawl of fear, confusion and pain. It was the fear that cut through the red haze of Terry’s anger and broke his heart.
     “Oh my God, Dom!” Terry exclaimed. “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m sorry.” He tried to comfort her, but it was awkward and uncomfortable, with Dom moving as far away from him as she could. Eventually, he managed to wrap his arms around her and hold her still, but Terry couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d just crossed a line and Eric’s gutbuzz was one step closer to coming true.


(c)2015 Courtney & W.L. Sherrod