FOOL'S BANQUET
ISAAC
"So we've decided to hire a tutor for the boys," Isaac casually mentioned to his brothers over what was
supposed to be a business lunch. More lunch was getting done than business and Ike was starting to feel the pressure to release MOE dates for their fans. Taylor's little mid-month getaway hadn't helped their progress one bit. So he called a lunch meeting to discuss progress on the project and, instead, ended up talking about progress in their own personal lives.
"A tutor? For what? Nikki's smart," Zac said, shoving a forkful of rice and beans into his mouth.
"Whether she's smart or not isn't the issue," Ike said. "Sometimes I think the boys need a little...I don't know, extra help in focusing on their school work."
"So you're saying she can't handle the kids," Zac responded after swallowing.
"No, that's not what I'm saying. We just think a tutor would be more effective in teaching them. A professional. We're trying to keep them a little more structured in their routines. It has nothing to do with
either of our abilities as parents, especially Nikki because she's a superstar, but--yeah, so we're hiring a tutor and that's it."
"So why are you feeling the need to inform us?"
"I don't know...I thought maybe I'd see what you're thoughts are on it. I mean, how does Kate do on the homeschooling front?"
Ever quiet Tay finally glanced up from his phone long enough to say to them, "Uh, yeah, I'm out on this one."
"You're kinda out on everything lately," Zac murmured.
Tay scowled at his brother and went back to his phone.
Zac was right. Ever since Tay and Mel had come home from California, Tay had stars in his eyes. His sensitivity level was at an all-time high and he was constantly distracted by his phone or living in Mel's office.
When he was present in conversation, all he had to contribute was a story involving Mel. It was as if he had met her for the very first time and a brand new relationship was budding. It was no doubt that their trip to
Coronado had been exactly what the couple needed to rekindle the fire in their relationship, and Ike couldn't have been happier for them. But things were starting to pick up speed, businesswise, and he was afraid Tay wasn't able to focus and keep up like he should have been. Ike had to admit, he was concerned.
"Anyway, we need to get this nailed down," Ike said changing the subject. "We really need to have these dates out in a few days and we need something we can take to the others so we can get this done. And to be
honest, I'm growing kind of concerned about our decision to do the one in New York. I know it was my idea and all, but time is just going by way too fast..."
"Get Mel on the one for New York," Tay suggested.
Zac rolled his eyes.
"What the hell was that for?" Tay shot at Zac. "I'm serious. We already have a condo there, she knows everything there is to know about the city, she loves the place, and she's going to be heading up that office. It only makes sense."
"Mel's never been involved in a MOE before," Zac said. "And on this short of notice, I'm not sure it's a good idea to let her run our very first traveling one."
"Well we've never done a traveling MOE, either, and it'll be a first for us, too," Tay responded. "And besides, she never worked for a record label before ours, either, and she's handling that like a champ. There really
isn't much she can't do. What's more, she's a pretty successful event planner. You wouldn't believe the offers that are pouring in. I don't see how letting her handle the New York MOE doesn't make perfect sense."
"Do you think she'd be okay to handle it?" Ike asked. "I mean, it would definitely relieve some pressure off of us, but I know she's got a lot on her plate, too, with the wedding and--"
"Oh, that reminds me. She wants to have a religious wedding," Tay threw out there suddenly.
Zac burst out laughing. Loudly. Their table started to garner a number of looks from fellow diners.
Tay shot him another look. "I'm not joking. I'm serious. And you're being kinda rude right now."
Fighting for composure, Zac's laughing subsided. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just--I know Mel and--well, I just didn't take her for a pyro. That's usually my department."
"I wish someone would strike you down right now," Tay muttered. "And anyway, she's interested in exploring spirituality and I'm going to stand by her a hundred percent. I think it's great."
"So you go on a romantic little getaway and get saved out of it or something? What, did she see Jesus in the sand before the water washed his face away or something?"
"Well, see, the hotel is haunted--"
Zac burst out laughing again. "Holy shit! This just keeps getting better! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say 'holy shit.' Did that offend you?"
"Zac, what the fuck is your problem?" Tay asked, aggressively. "Out of every person at this table, I expected YOU to take this seriously the most. This not a joking matter. You are being so incredibly disrespectful right now. Mel wants to explore spirituality to help her get over the miscarriage, okay? The story about the alleged
haunting of the hotel we stayed in centers around a woman who was pregnant when she killed herself. THAT'S where I was going with it. And it really struck something with Mel and she's trying to deal with things the best way she can. So, yeah, you're being a complete insensitive dick right now and I honestly have no desire to sit at this table with you any longer."
Zac's entire mood change in the blink of an eye and he was instantly silent. "Look, I'm sorry. I am. You know you guys have my support. Honestly."
"Thank you," Tay said more calmly. "I know. Last week was just--the first time we took a trip like that of any kind and I wish we had done it years ago. We needed it. I think sometimes we let the world around us affect us and our relationship so much that we forget that it's just us, you know? And last week--well that was quiet literally the best week of my life. We found ourselves--we kinda found our way. You know? I think I need to write a song..."
"That kinda sounds like what your honeymoon's supposed to be about," Zac said.
"Wait, you didn't elope or anything, did you?" Ike asked, suspiciously.
Tay smiled and shook his head. "No, we didn't. Just between us, though, I kinda wish we had. It would have been perfect."
"Tay, I know you love her," Ike said gently. "And I'm happy for you guys that this trip worked out so well. But we gotta get on the ball here. Shit's gotta happen if we're gonna have not one, but two successful MOE's..."
Tay sucked in a deep breath. "You're right. You're absolutely right. Gotta get my head back in the game, I got it."
By the end of their lunch, they finally had some dates to take to the table. It didn't keep Ike from sweating bullets, though. May was only three months away and the New York office wasn't even operational. Sometimes they had ideas of grandeur, but this time he wondered if they had bitten off more than they could chew.
---------------------------------------------
TAYLOR
Fool's Banquet took place nearly a month later than it normally did this time around. Taylor knew that Isaac was secretly freaking out because he wondered if this was foreshadowing for the rest of the year to perpetually run late on everything. Tay always thought early February was too early anyway, so he had no problem with it, personally.
It was the first week in March and Tay and Mel's relationship was better than it ever was. It had always seemed so difficult for them, the two of them so alike, yet so different and so in love all at the same time, that it was
practically a constant recipe for disaster. And it was. But it took one week. One whole week, by themselves, with no outside influences to discover who they were as a couple. He loved her more now than he ever had.
It disappointed Tay how little he had seen Mel since they had come home from Coronado, but this time was just the beginning of how busy the band was about to stay. After Fool's Banquet, they had two MOE's to plan, a mini tour to go on, and Tay had a beautiful woman to marry and a honeymoon to take her on afterward. Then, after that, crunch time to get an album released early the next year. This year would be an excellent year for him. Oh. Yeah. And for the band.
Fool's Banquet was a songwriters' retreat the band hosted every year. They called up ten or so songwriters and musicians to hole up for a week to collaborate, write, and record songs together. They stayed in a ranch-style house out in the boonies of Tulsa that housed both living quarters and a couple of recording studios. Tay loved Fool's Banquet because it stimulated his creative mind. It pumped him up and got his juices flowing. He was ready.
One of the fun things about Fool's Banquet was that the guests you invited all had their own different schedules, so you never knew who would walk through the door next and when. It was a constant surprise. You very rarely made it to bed before two in the morning and people were coming and going at all hours.
This year was no different. They were day two into the retreat and Tay had made excellent progress with the musicians he'd been grouped with. They were just about to take their song into the studio when one of the guests, a prominent artist and former tour buddy, walked through the door of the house with not only his luggage and guitar, but an arm full of magazines.
He was tall and slim and he seemed to tower over the others who were seated in the living room. "So I was waiting on the driver to pick me up at the airport," he started as he dropped his luggage at his feet, "and I decided to browse the magazine rack. Imagine my surprise at what I saw. I would have blushed a little if I were a sensitive guy, but I'm not. So I bought every copy they had and decided to bring you guys a treat. That is, if you don't already have one of your own."
Blank looks from all around the room was the response he got and he scoffed a laugh. "Holy shit, you guys have no clue, do you? Read 'em and weep, boys." He then tossed the magazines around the room until he ran
out, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac all having their own copies of Maxim in their hands.
The room fell silent as the brothers all looked around at each other. Tay couldn't believe his eyes. The cover was--well it was the girls! Their girls. Their women. His and Ike's and Zac's. They wore black against an all-white backdrop. Nikki and Kate stood on either side of Mel with their backs turned, wearing only black bikini bottoms--Nikki's read "MMM" in white lettering and Kate's read "bop." As they both looked seductively over their shoulders, Mel stood between them and leaned forward, her hands placed strategically at the smalls of Nikki's and Kate's backs and one of her feet against the wall. She wore a cut-up version of a black I Heart
Hanson t-shirt and black bikini bottoms. Tay managed to tear his eyes away from his fiancée long enough to read the headline. "Meet Hanson's Best-Kept Secret: The Women Behind The Band."
"Damn, Taylor," one of the other musicians said as he leafed through his issue. "What the hell are you marrying?"
Tay looked up and looked at the guy blankly. "Huh?"
The guy laughed. "Look at Kate and Nikki. They used to be so sweet and innocent until your fiancée started influencing them..."
Tay didn't know how to take that. He had no idea how to feel. He looked over, once again, at his brothers, whose eyes met his. How did they feel about it? Tay already knew Mel was doing Maxim. He had no idea THIS would have come of it, but it was obvious that Ike and Zac were just as surprised at he was. Was that what they thought of Mel? Was that what everyone would think of her now? That she was a bad influence on his sisters-in-law? Was this a bad idea? Was what they had done so wrong? Was Mel going to be seen in a negative light now? Maybe he hadn't quite thought this through when he had given her his blessing to do the shoot.
Ike and Zac then started feverishly leafing through the magazine, no doubt searching for the feature. Tay had been so wrapped up in the cover, he had nearly forgotten there was more inside. The truth was, he had never been so turned on in his entire life. But instead of drawing attention to himself, he calmly checked the page number in the table of contents, then turned to the article quietly. It was short. A page and a half. Tay
couldn't help but be surprised at the article's treatment of the women. It gave a brief background on each of them, written tastefully and kept short and sweet. Men didn't look at their features for the articles anyway.
When he saw the picture inside, Tay's heart nearly beat out of his chest. It was a cabaret-type scene and the three women were located where their respective men would be located onstage. He had no idea of this was
intentional or not, but there was something about seeing Mel sitting in the same place that he normally would be that warmed his heart just a little. She sat backward in her chair in a pair of fishnet stockings and gothic-style boots, offering out her derby hat with bedroom eyes and a red necktie hanging loosely from her neck, practically beckoning to him from the page. He wanted her right then and there. He only glanced at Nikki and Kate, Nikki sitting sideways in her own chair across from Mel and Kate standing in the middle, her arms hanging from a bar above her head, showing the entire length of her body.
Tay took that moment to glance up at Zac, who seemingly couldn't take his eyes off the page. He wondered how Zac felt about it. Zac wasn't one to be terribly open about his marriage. Not like Ike and Tay were,
anyway. Zac had always been a little more private, even in his trysts with Drew. Which then made Tay think--since Zac messed around with Drew behind Kate's back, how could he possibly be upset with this Maxim
spread? The way Tay saw it, Zac messed around with Drew because she was fun and spontaneous. Maybe this Maxim thing could be good for Zac. Maybe he was actually a fan. The truth was, Tay couldn't tell.
Tay then looked over at Ike, who was, by now, talking with a couple of the other guys. Ike was proud of Nikki. She had been a small-time print model when they met, so it wasn't like Ike was totally new to this. Ike had been proud of Nikki since the moment he laid eyes on her. "So men look at her," he had said once. "They should. She's beautiful. But I'm the one she married and I'm the one she gets in bed with every night. So let them look." Tay couldn't argue with that logic, and the words had never rang more true to him until right now.
"At the risk of sounding disrespectful," one of the other guys said, "the way your wives have paid homage to you guys is one of the sexiest things I have ever seen."
Tay looked up at him and at the same time, Zac said, "You think so?"
"Hell yeah," the guy said. "I mean, to me this reads, 'I'm hot but I'm taken and proud of it.' I don't know how you guys feel about it, but you should be proud of them. They're obviously very proud of you. If it were me, I'd wear this shit like a badge of honor."
Tay glanced at his brothers once more before he found his laptop and pulled up Skype, dialing Mel immediately. "Tay, what are you doing?" Ike asked suddenly.
He turned around to face his brother. "I don't know how the two of you feel about any of this, but the honest to god truth is that I am proud as hell of my girl. She looks hot, it's relatively tasteful, and dammit she
told the entire world in a men's smut magazine that she's in love with ME, so yeah. I'm pretty high on this right now."
"Uh, I wouldn't go so far as to call it smut..." Zac interjected.
Tay narrowed his eyes at him. "You know what I mean."
"I gotta admit, I'm kinda surprised," Ike interjected. "I figured if anyone here would lose their shit over it, it would be you."
"No, Ike. You missed the part where she made it all about him," Zac informed him.
"Ah," Ike nodded in realization.
Tay glared at both of them.
"Tay?" Mel's voice suddenly rang out from his computer.
Tay spun around in his chair and looked at the screen, a grin spreading across his face when he saw Mel there. "Hey," he answered. "What are you up to?"
"Um...having a little release party...of sorts...the girls are here...say hi!"
Nikki and Kate popped on the screen briefly and then Mel was alone again. "Oh, so the girls are there, huh? Having a little girls' night?"
"Sure...they're keeping me company...witnessing and such..."
"Witnessing?" Tay chuckled. "Witnessing what? Why are you acting so weird?"
"Why are you calling me in the middle of Fool's Banquet?" Mel asked suspiciously.
"You see, that's what's so great about Fool's Banquet," Tay said, smiling. "You just--you never know what's going to happen. It's so full of surprises. Sometimes you take breaks...people bring gifts...it's great. I love it."
"Gifts..."
"Oh yeah!" Tay's face lit up. "Gifts. Ones like these." And then he held the Maxim issue up to his screen.
Then he waited.
He peeked around the magazine after a second to gather Mel's reaction. The blood had drained from her face and she stared back through the screen in shock. Not exactly what he expected and he instantly felt like an asshole. "Are you mad?" she asked suddenly.
Embarrassed, Tay glanced around the room. All eyes on him. Maybe Ike was right. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. "Of course I'm not mad," Tay said. "Why would I be mad? I knew you were doing Maxim--"
"You knew?!" Zac suddenly shot out at him.
"I knew about Maxim, I didn't know about THIS," Tay spat out to him.
"Tay--" Mel said timidly. "Who--who all is there?"
"Um..."
"Everyone?"
"Um..."
"Oh my god..."
"Mel, it's a magazine, everyone was gonna see it eventually..."
"Tay if you called to yell at me, why would you do it in front of everyone? What about Ike and Zac? How mad are they?"
"Mad? I already told you I wasn't mad. I love it. I called you to tell you how awesome I think it is."
"Is this what you guys do over there? Just sit around and pass this stuff around and talk about it like it's some kinda sport or something? Are men really that pig-headed? I didn't think you were like that, Tay. I thought you were different."
"What are you--what are you TALKING about? What part of 'I'm not mad' are you not getting? I'm proud of you. That's why I called. Because I love the issue. I think it's great. Wait, did you--you just assumed I would hate it?"
Mel shrugged. "Kate and Nikki thought so, too. Well, Kate did. While we were at my shoot, Kate and Nikki got approached and this project was born. We thought you guys might think we put the band in a negative light but it was just so fun we kinda couldn't turn it down...I'm sorry, Tay. I'm so sorry. We should have asked you guys first. Please don't be mad."
Tay furrowed his brow and cocked his head at her. He wasn't understanding her right now. He had told her several different ways already that he had no problem with it and yet she still assumed--was he that bad? Had he been that bad in the past to make her this way now? Had he really been that much of a monster?
With the conversation taking a tone he hadn't expected, and his ears hot with humiliation, he decided to end the Skype call after telling Mel he would call her on his personal cell later.
Turning around to face the rest of the silent room, he looked at all the eyes that fell on him. "You guys. I'm an asshole."
There was no reply for a moment. Suddenly, Ike stood up and tucked his magazine under his arm. "Well, guys. I'm out. See you in the morning."
"What? You're going home? Come on, man!" one of the guys said.
Ike grinned. "Were you guys looking at the same magazine I was? I'll be spending the night at home. Thank you and goodnight."
Laughter and cat calls followed Ike out the front door from everyone but Tay. What started out as a fun and surprising evening, turned into a bit of self-reflection he hadn't quite been ready for.
"So, uh, you ready to go record that song now?" one the guys in his group finally asked him.
Shaken out of his trance, he looked up at him. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, let's get on that."
Maybe a few hours in the studio was what he needed.
******************
Or maybe it wasn't. It was 2:30am and Taylor sat outside in the freezing temperature alone, a thick jacket with a faux fur collar wrapped around him as he hunkered himself into a white, plastic lawn chair, a glass of
bourbon keeping him company.
His cell phone rested on his thigh as he contemplated whether to call Mel or not. More frequently than not, it seemed that whenever they were apart, their favorite time of day to call each other was in the middle of the
night. He knew she would answer. He just didn't know what he would say to her.
He took a long drag of the cigarette he held between the fingers of the opposite hand that held his liquor. He inhaled slowly, savoring the flavor of the smoke as it entered his lungs. He hadn't had a cigarette in years
and, though this wasn't his usual brand, it tasted damn good anyway.
So there he sat. Hunkered in his chair, ankle resting on his knee, cigarette in one hand, bourbon in the other, cell phone on his thigh, not able to see the difference in his own breath and the smoke he blew out of his nose. He didn't need the magazine. He'd memorized the whole thing by now. Every curve on her body, every stitch of clothing she wore or didn't wear, the position of every hair on her head. He could practically smell
her perfume through the glossy paper. It was torture. Absolute torture being out there without her, especially now after getting his hands on that magazine. Hell, he could go home. Ike went home. But Tay thought maybe he was a little more dedicated to his craft than Ike was--but only just a little. Sometimes starved and tortured brought out your best work. Tay was willing to do that to himself for a good song. It wasn't the first time.
Tapping a foot to shake off the winter chill, he took another drag and scooped up his cell phone, taking the plunge and hitting the button on Mel's number. He wasn't surprised when she picked up. He knew she
would. "What's going on with you?" he asked her, his voice flat and exhausted from the day.
"Sleep," she breathed groggily. "Sleep is going on."
He loved her voice when she was waking up. It was sexy as hell. Maybe, in the back of his mind, this was part of why he subjected himself to the 35 degree climate outside to make this call. It made it more difficult for
him to get turned on.
He smirked in the dark at her coyness. "You know what I mean."
She sighed into the phone. Chills ran down his spine. "I tried to tell you about it. That day when--you know, the fight...and the hospital..."
"Ah," he said, taking another drag of his cigarette. He savored the flavor once more as he listened to her breathe. Then he swirled his bourbon around in the glass and treated himself to a chaser.
"Tay, where are you?" she asked suddenly.
"I'm at the house, where else would I be?"
"No, I mean WHERE?"
"Outside."
"Do you know what the temperature is outside right now?"
"I'm warm. It's okay."
"What the hell are you doing out--Tay, are you smoking?"
"You caught me," he said listlessly, the smirk returning to his face.
"When did you start smoking again?"
"I don't know if I'd necessarily say I've started, per se. But I pick one up every now and then. One of the guys offered and I took him up on it. No biggie. Why? Are YOU mad?"
"No," she said quietly.
He couldn't help but chuckle, his voice still exhausted. "No? You used to say cigarettes were poison. I was lucky to keep you around back then."
"Well...I can't say I'm exactly a stranger to smoking..."
"Oh really?" he inquired, taking another drag and flicking the ashes. "Naughty girl."
"I, uh, I never told you this," she said, her voice darkening all of a sudden. "But I always thought you looked kinda sexy with a cigarette in your hand."
"I know."
"You do?"
"Of course I do. I watched you watch me. I'm no dummy when it comes to you. I know you. I know every inch there is to know of you. I know you in ways you don't know yourself. Did you know that?"
"Are you drunk?" she whispered.
"I'm drinking. But I'm not drunk. Just tired."
"You should sleep."
"I can't."
"You need to."
"It's no use. I can't close my eyes without visualizing myself ripping your clothes off of you. My mouth in places that'll make you want to scream. Your body in positions porn writers can't even put into words. It's almost morbid, the shit that's been going through my mind tonight."
"Come home to me," she demanded. She wanted it. He could hear it in her voice how she wanted it. "Come home to me right now. Just get up and leave."
He took the last drag of his cigarette, a long one, and let his head fall back as he blew the smoke slowly toward the sky. "I can't."
"I want you. Now."
"Shit," he hissed. He found himself chuckling in maniacal despair. "I wish I could."
"You can. You can go back tomorrow. I promise I'll release you long enough to go out and play again."
His heel tapped in anxious nervousness. "Fuck, Mel. You know I can't. You know it."
"Your pour tortured soul," she hissed darkly into his ear. "The things you put yourself through for your music. It's one of the things about you that turns me on the most."
He dropped his finished cigarette onto the concrete and smashed it as hard as he could with the heel of his shoe and then took a swig of his drink. "You know what you do to me when you say those things."
"You started it. Calling me in the middle of the night and telling me all the things you wanted to do to me..."
"I haven't even told you half of it."
"I'm listening."
"I'm freezing."
"It's warm in our bed."
Tay was silent. He should have never called her.
"What are you gonna do, Tay-baby?" she mock pouted at him. This was new. This was a new voice. If it didn't feel like fucking 50 below zero right now, he would have been hard. "How do you expect to take care of yourself over there? You have no privacy. I can take care of you here. You know I can."
"Fuck," he said through gritted teeth. She drove him insane, but he loved it. This was what he needed. He didn't know what excited him more, her voice caressing his ear or the quality of the songs he expected to
produce from this. This week would be the most torturous and the most creatively amazing one he'd had in years.
"Look, I gotta go," he said. "I have to attempt to sleep." He drained the bourbon from his glass, leaving only the ice at the bottom. "You better be ready for me when I get home in a few days. 'Cause some shit's gonna go down in that house to the point where we're both gonna have to question our own integrity when I get finished with you."
"Is that a promise?"
"Count on it."
ISAAC
"So we've decided to hire a tutor for the boys," Isaac casually mentioned to his brothers over what was
supposed to be a business lunch. More lunch was getting done than business and Ike was starting to feel the pressure to release MOE dates for their fans. Taylor's little mid-month getaway hadn't helped their progress one bit. So he called a lunch meeting to discuss progress on the project and, instead, ended up talking about progress in their own personal lives.
"A tutor? For what? Nikki's smart," Zac said, shoving a forkful of rice and beans into his mouth.
"Whether she's smart or not isn't the issue," Ike said. "Sometimes I think the boys need a little...I don't know, extra help in focusing on their school work."
"So you're saying she can't handle the kids," Zac responded after swallowing.
"No, that's not what I'm saying. We just think a tutor would be more effective in teaching them. A professional. We're trying to keep them a little more structured in their routines. It has nothing to do with
either of our abilities as parents, especially Nikki because she's a superstar, but--yeah, so we're hiring a tutor and that's it."
"So why are you feeling the need to inform us?"
"I don't know...I thought maybe I'd see what you're thoughts are on it. I mean, how does Kate do on the homeschooling front?"
Ever quiet Tay finally glanced up from his phone long enough to say to them, "Uh, yeah, I'm out on this one."
"You're kinda out on everything lately," Zac murmured.
Tay scowled at his brother and went back to his phone.
Zac was right. Ever since Tay and Mel had come home from California, Tay had stars in his eyes. His sensitivity level was at an all-time high and he was constantly distracted by his phone or living in Mel's office.
When he was present in conversation, all he had to contribute was a story involving Mel. It was as if he had met her for the very first time and a brand new relationship was budding. It was no doubt that their trip to
Coronado had been exactly what the couple needed to rekindle the fire in their relationship, and Ike couldn't have been happier for them. But things were starting to pick up speed, businesswise, and he was afraid Tay wasn't able to focus and keep up like he should have been. Ike had to admit, he was concerned.
"Anyway, we need to get this nailed down," Ike said changing the subject. "We really need to have these dates out in a few days and we need something we can take to the others so we can get this done. And to be
honest, I'm growing kind of concerned about our decision to do the one in New York. I know it was my idea and all, but time is just going by way too fast..."
"Get Mel on the one for New York," Tay suggested.
Zac rolled his eyes.
"What the hell was that for?" Tay shot at Zac. "I'm serious. We already have a condo there, she knows everything there is to know about the city, she loves the place, and she's going to be heading up that office. It only makes sense."
"Mel's never been involved in a MOE before," Zac said. "And on this short of notice, I'm not sure it's a good idea to let her run our very first traveling one."
"Well we've never done a traveling MOE, either, and it'll be a first for us, too," Tay responded. "And besides, she never worked for a record label before ours, either, and she's handling that like a champ. There really
isn't much she can't do. What's more, she's a pretty successful event planner. You wouldn't believe the offers that are pouring in. I don't see how letting her handle the New York MOE doesn't make perfect sense."
"Do you think she'd be okay to handle it?" Ike asked. "I mean, it would definitely relieve some pressure off of us, but I know she's got a lot on her plate, too, with the wedding and--"
"Oh, that reminds me. She wants to have a religious wedding," Tay threw out there suddenly.
Zac burst out laughing. Loudly. Their table started to garner a number of looks from fellow diners.
Tay shot him another look. "I'm not joking. I'm serious. And you're being kinda rude right now."
Fighting for composure, Zac's laughing subsided. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just--I know Mel and--well, I just didn't take her for a pyro. That's usually my department."
"I wish someone would strike you down right now," Tay muttered. "And anyway, she's interested in exploring spirituality and I'm going to stand by her a hundred percent. I think it's great."
"So you go on a romantic little getaway and get saved out of it or something? What, did she see Jesus in the sand before the water washed his face away or something?"
"Well, see, the hotel is haunted--"
Zac burst out laughing again. "Holy shit! This just keeps getting better! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say 'holy shit.' Did that offend you?"
"Zac, what the fuck is your problem?" Tay asked, aggressively. "Out of every person at this table, I expected YOU to take this seriously the most. This not a joking matter. You are being so incredibly disrespectful right now. Mel wants to explore spirituality to help her get over the miscarriage, okay? The story about the alleged
haunting of the hotel we stayed in centers around a woman who was pregnant when she killed herself. THAT'S where I was going with it. And it really struck something with Mel and she's trying to deal with things the best way she can. So, yeah, you're being a complete insensitive dick right now and I honestly have no desire to sit at this table with you any longer."
Zac's entire mood change in the blink of an eye and he was instantly silent. "Look, I'm sorry. I am. You know you guys have my support. Honestly."
"Thank you," Tay said more calmly. "I know. Last week was just--the first time we took a trip like that of any kind and I wish we had done it years ago. We needed it. I think sometimes we let the world around us affect us and our relationship so much that we forget that it's just us, you know? And last week--well that was quiet literally the best week of my life. We found ourselves--we kinda found our way. You know? I think I need to write a song..."
"That kinda sounds like what your honeymoon's supposed to be about," Zac said.
"Wait, you didn't elope or anything, did you?" Ike asked, suspiciously.
Tay smiled and shook his head. "No, we didn't. Just between us, though, I kinda wish we had. It would have been perfect."
"Tay, I know you love her," Ike said gently. "And I'm happy for you guys that this trip worked out so well. But we gotta get on the ball here. Shit's gotta happen if we're gonna have not one, but two successful MOE's..."
Tay sucked in a deep breath. "You're right. You're absolutely right. Gotta get my head back in the game, I got it."
By the end of their lunch, they finally had some dates to take to the table. It didn't keep Ike from sweating bullets, though. May was only three months away and the New York office wasn't even operational. Sometimes they had ideas of grandeur, but this time he wondered if they had bitten off more than they could chew.
---------------------------------------------
TAYLOR
Fool's Banquet took place nearly a month later than it normally did this time around. Taylor knew that Isaac was secretly freaking out because he wondered if this was foreshadowing for the rest of the year to perpetually run late on everything. Tay always thought early February was too early anyway, so he had no problem with it, personally.
It was the first week in March and Tay and Mel's relationship was better than it ever was. It had always seemed so difficult for them, the two of them so alike, yet so different and so in love all at the same time, that it was
practically a constant recipe for disaster. And it was. But it took one week. One whole week, by themselves, with no outside influences to discover who they were as a couple. He loved her more now than he ever had.
It disappointed Tay how little he had seen Mel since they had come home from Coronado, but this time was just the beginning of how busy the band was about to stay. After Fool's Banquet, they had two MOE's to plan, a mini tour to go on, and Tay had a beautiful woman to marry and a honeymoon to take her on afterward. Then, after that, crunch time to get an album released early the next year. This year would be an excellent year for him. Oh. Yeah. And for the band.
Fool's Banquet was a songwriters' retreat the band hosted every year. They called up ten or so songwriters and musicians to hole up for a week to collaborate, write, and record songs together. They stayed in a ranch-style house out in the boonies of Tulsa that housed both living quarters and a couple of recording studios. Tay loved Fool's Banquet because it stimulated his creative mind. It pumped him up and got his juices flowing. He was ready.
One of the fun things about Fool's Banquet was that the guests you invited all had their own different schedules, so you never knew who would walk through the door next and when. It was a constant surprise. You very rarely made it to bed before two in the morning and people were coming and going at all hours.
This year was no different. They were day two into the retreat and Tay had made excellent progress with the musicians he'd been grouped with. They were just about to take their song into the studio when one of the guests, a prominent artist and former tour buddy, walked through the door of the house with not only his luggage and guitar, but an arm full of magazines.
He was tall and slim and he seemed to tower over the others who were seated in the living room. "So I was waiting on the driver to pick me up at the airport," he started as he dropped his luggage at his feet, "and I decided to browse the magazine rack. Imagine my surprise at what I saw. I would have blushed a little if I were a sensitive guy, but I'm not. So I bought every copy they had and decided to bring you guys a treat. That is, if you don't already have one of your own."
Blank looks from all around the room was the response he got and he scoffed a laugh. "Holy shit, you guys have no clue, do you? Read 'em and weep, boys." He then tossed the magazines around the room until he ran
out, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac all having their own copies of Maxim in their hands.
The room fell silent as the brothers all looked around at each other. Tay couldn't believe his eyes. The cover was--well it was the girls! Their girls. Their women. His and Ike's and Zac's. They wore black against an all-white backdrop. Nikki and Kate stood on either side of Mel with their backs turned, wearing only black bikini bottoms--Nikki's read "MMM" in white lettering and Kate's read "bop." As they both looked seductively over their shoulders, Mel stood between them and leaned forward, her hands placed strategically at the smalls of Nikki's and Kate's backs and one of her feet against the wall. She wore a cut-up version of a black I Heart
Hanson t-shirt and black bikini bottoms. Tay managed to tear his eyes away from his fiancée long enough to read the headline. "Meet Hanson's Best-Kept Secret: The Women Behind The Band."
"Damn, Taylor," one of the other musicians said as he leafed through his issue. "What the hell are you marrying?"
Tay looked up and looked at the guy blankly. "Huh?"
The guy laughed. "Look at Kate and Nikki. They used to be so sweet and innocent until your fiancée started influencing them..."
Tay didn't know how to take that. He had no idea how to feel. He looked over, once again, at his brothers, whose eyes met his. How did they feel about it? Tay already knew Mel was doing Maxim. He had no idea THIS would have come of it, but it was obvious that Ike and Zac were just as surprised at he was. Was that what they thought of Mel? Was that what everyone would think of her now? That she was a bad influence on his sisters-in-law? Was this a bad idea? Was what they had done so wrong? Was Mel going to be seen in a negative light now? Maybe he hadn't quite thought this through when he had given her his blessing to do the shoot.
Ike and Zac then started feverishly leafing through the magazine, no doubt searching for the feature. Tay had been so wrapped up in the cover, he had nearly forgotten there was more inside. The truth was, he had never been so turned on in his entire life. But instead of drawing attention to himself, he calmly checked the page number in the table of contents, then turned to the article quietly. It was short. A page and a half. Tay
couldn't help but be surprised at the article's treatment of the women. It gave a brief background on each of them, written tastefully and kept short and sweet. Men didn't look at their features for the articles anyway.
When he saw the picture inside, Tay's heart nearly beat out of his chest. It was a cabaret-type scene and the three women were located where their respective men would be located onstage. He had no idea of this was
intentional or not, but there was something about seeing Mel sitting in the same place that he normally would be that warmed his heart just a little. She sat backward in her chair in a pair of fishnet stockings and gothic-style boots, offering out her derby hat with bedroom eyes and a red necktie hanging loosely from her neck, practically beckoning to him from the page. He wanted her right then and there. He only glanced at Nikki and Kate, Nikki sitting sideways in her own chair across from Mel and Kate standing in the middle, her arms hanging from a bar above her head, showing the entire length of her body.
Tay took that moment to glance up at Zac, who seemingly couldn't take his eyes off the page. He wondered how Zac felt about it. Zac wasn't one to be terribly open about his marriage. Not like Ike and Tay were,
anyway. Zac had always been a little more private, even in his trysts with Drew. Which then made Tay think--since Zac messed around with Drew behind Kate's back, how could he possibly be upset with this Maxim
spread? The way Tay saw it, Zac messed around with Drew because she was fun and spontaneous. Maybe this Maxim thing could be good for Zac. Maybe he was actually a fan. The truth was, Tay couldn't tell.
Tay then looked over at Ike, who was, by now, talking with a couple of the other guys. Ike was proud of Nikki. She had been a small-time print model when they met, so it wasn't like Ike was totally new to this. Ike had been proud of Nikki since the moment he laid eyes on her. "So men look at her," he had said once. "They should. She's beautiful. But I'm the one she married and I'm the one she gets in bed with every night. So let them look." Tay couldn't argue with that logic, and the words had never rang more true to him until right now.
"At the risk of sounding disrespectful," one of the other guys said, "the way your wives have paid homage to you guys is one of the sexiest things I have ever seen."
Tay looked up at him and at the same time, Zac said, "You think so?"
"Hell yeah," the guy said. "I mean, to me this reads, 'I'm hot but I'm taken and proud of it.' I don't know how you guys feel about it, but you should be proud of them. They're obviously very proud of you. If it were me, I'd wear this shit like a badge of honor."
Tay glanced at his brothers once more before he found his laptop and pulled up Skype, dialing Mel immediately. "Tay, what are you doing?" Ike asked suddenly.
He turned around to face his brother. "I don't know how the two of you feel about any of this, but the honest to god truth is that I am proud as hell of my girl. She looks hot, it's relatively tasteful, and dammit she
told the entire world in a men's smut magazine that she's in love with ME, so yeah. I'm pretty high on this right now."
"Uh, I wouldn't go so far as to call it smut..." Zac interjected.
Tay narrowed his eyes at him. "You know what I mean."
"I gotta admit, I'm kinda surprised," Ike interjected. "I figured if anyone here would lose their shit over it, it would be you."
"No, Ike. You missed the part where she made it all about him," Zac informed him.
"Ah," Ike nodded in realization.
Tay glared at both of them.
"Tay?" Mel's voice suddenly rang out from his computer.
Tay spun around in his chair and looked at the screen, a grin spreading across his face when he saw Mel there. "Hey," he answered. "What are you up to?"
"Um...having a little release party...of sorts...the girls are here...say hi!"
Nikki and Kate popped on the screen briefly and then Mel was alone again. "Oh, so the girls are there, huh? Having a little girls' night?"
"Sure...they're keeping me company...witnessing and such..."
"Witnessing?" Tay chuckled. "Witnessing what? Why are you acting so weird?"
"Why are you calling me in the middle of Fool's Banquet?" Mel asked suspiciously.
"You see, that's what's so great about Fool's Banquet," Tay said, smiling. "You just--you never know what's going to happen. It's so full of surprises. Sometimes you take breaks...people bring gifts...it's great. I love it."
"Gifts..."
"Oh yeah!" Tay's face lit up. "Gifts. Ones like these." And then he held the Maxim issue up to his screen.
Then he waited.
He peeked around the magazine after a second to gather Mel's reaction. The blood had drained from her face and she stared back through the screen in shock. Not exactly what he expected and he instantly felt like an asshole. "Are you mad?" she asked suddenly.
Embarrassed, Tay glanced around the room. All eyes on him. Maybe Ike was right. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. "Of course I'm not mad," Tay said. "Why would I be mad? I knew you were doing Maxim--"
"You knew?!" Zac suddenly shot out at him.
"I knew about Maxim, I didn't know about THIS," Tay spat out to him.
"Tay--" Mel said timidly. "Who--who all is there?"
"Um..."
"Everyone?"
"Um..."
"Oh my god..."
"Mel, it's a magazine, everyone was gonna see it eventually..."
"Tay if you called to yell at me, why would you do it in front of everyone? What about Ike and Zac? How mad are they?"
"Mad? I already told you I wasn't mad. I love it. I called you to tell you how awesome I think it is."
"Is this what you guys do over there? Just sit around and pass this stuff around and talk about it like it's some kinda sport or something? Are men really that pig-headed? I didn't think you were like that, Tay. I thought you were different."
"What are you--what are you TALKING about? What part of 'I'm not mad' are you not getting? I'm proud of you. That's why I called. Because I love the issue. I think it's great. Wait, did you--you just assumed I would hate it?"
Mel shrugged. "Kate and Nikki thought so, too. Well, Kate did. While we were at my shoot, Kate and Nikki got approached and this project was born. We thought you guys might think we put the band in a negative light but it was just so fun we kinda couldn't turn it down...I'm sorry, Tay. I'm so sorry. We should have asked you guys first. Please don't be mad."
Tay furrowed his brow and cocked his head at her. He wasn't understanding her right now. He had told her several different ways already that he had no problem with it and yet she still assumed--was he that bad? Had he been that bad in the past to make her this way now? Had he really been that much of a monster?
With the conversation taking a tone he hadn't expected, and his ears hot with humiliation, he decided to end the Skype call after telling Mel he would call her on his personal cell later.
Turning around to face the rest of the silent room, he looked at all the eyes that fell on him. "You guys. I'm an asshole."
There was no reply for a moment. Suddenly, Ike stood up and tucked his magazine under his arm. "Well, guys. I'm out. See you in the morning."
"What? You're going home? Come on, man!" one of the guys said.
Ike grinned. "Were you guys looking at the same magazine I was? I'll be spending the night at home. Thank you and goodnight."
Laughter and cat calls followed Ike out the front door from everyone but Tay. What started out as a fun and surprising evening, turned into a bit of self-reflection he hadn't quite been ready for.
"So, uh, you ready to go record that song now?" one the guys in his group finally asked him.
Shaken out of his trance, he looked up at him. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, let's get on that."
Maybe a few hours in the studio was what he needed.
******************
Or maybe it wasn't. It was 2:30am and Taylor sat outside in the freezing temperature alone, a thick jacket with a faux fur collar wrapped around him as he hunkered himself into a white, plastic lawn chair, a glass of
bourbon keeping him company.
His cell phone rested on his thigh as he contemplated whether to call Mel or not. More frequently than not, it seemed that whenever they were apart, their favorite time of day to call each other was in the middle of the
night. He knew she would answer. He just didn't know what he would say to her.
He took a long drag of the cigarette he held between the fingers of the opposite hand that held his liquor. He inhaled slowly, savoring the flavor of the smoke as it entered his lungs. He hadn't had a cigarette in years
and, though this wasn't his usual brand, it tasted damn good anyway.
So there he sat. Hunkered in his chair, ankle resting on his knee, cigarette in one hand, bourbon in the other, cell phone on his thigh, not able to see the difference in his own breath and the smoke he blew out of his nose. He didn't need the magazine. He'd memorized the whole thing by now. Every curve on her body, every stitch of clothing she wore or didn't wear, the position of every hair on her head. He could practically smell
her perfume through the glossy paper. It was torture. Absolute torture being out there without her, especially now after getting his hands on that magazine. Hell, he could go home. Ike went home. But Tay thought maybe he was a little more dedicated to his craft than Ike was--but only just a little. Sometimes starved and tortured brought out your best work. Tay was willing to do that to himself for a good song. It wasn't the first time.
Tapping a foot to shake off the winter chill, he took another drag and scooped up his cell phone, taking the plunge and hitting the button on Mel's number. He wasn't surprised when she picked up. He knew she
would. "What's going on with you?" he asked her, his voice flat and exhausted from the day.
"Sleep," she breathed groggily. "Sleep is going on."
He loved her voice when she was waking up. It was sexy as hell. Maybe, in the back of his mind, this was part of why he subjected himself to the 35 degree climate outside to make this call. It made it more difficult for
him to get turned on.
He smirked in the dark at her coyness. "You know what I mean."
She sighed into the phone. Chills ran down his spine. "I tried to tell you about it. That day when--you know, the fight...and the hospital..."
"Ah," he said, taking another drag of his cigarette. He savored the flavor once more as he listened to her breathe. Then he swirled his bourbon around in the glass and treated himself to a chaser.
"Tay, where are you?" she asked suddenly.
"I'm at the house, where else would I be?"
"No, I mean WHERE?"
"Outside."
"Do you know what the temperature is outside right now?"
"I'm warm. It's okay."
"What the hell are you doing out--Tay, are you smoking?"
"You caught me," he said listlessly, the smirk returning to his face.
"When did you start smoking again?"
"I don't know if I'd necessarily say I've started, per se. But I pick one up every now and then. One of the guys offered and I took him up on it. No biggie. Why? Are YOU mad?"
"No," she said quietly.
He couldn't help but chuckle, his voice still exhausted. "No? You used to say cigarettes were poison. I was lucky to keep you around back then."
"Well...I can't say I'm exactly a stranger to smoking..."
"Oh really?" he inquired, taking another drag and flicking the ashes. "Naughty girl."
"I, uh, I never told you this," she said, her voice darkening all of a sudden. "But I always thought you looked kinda sexy with a cigarette in your hand."
"I know."
"You do?"
"Of course I do. I watched you watch me. I'm no dummy when it comes to you. I know you. I know every inch there is to know of you. I know you in ways you don't know yourself. Did you know that?"
"Are you drunk?" she whispered.
"I'm drinking. But I'm not drunk. Just tired."
"You should sleep."
"I can't."
"You need to."
"It's no use. I can't close my eyes without visualizing myself ripping your clothes off of you. My mouth in places that'll make you want to scream. Your body in positions porn writers can't even put into words. It's almost morbid, the shit that's been going through my mind tonight."
"Come home to me," she demanded. She wanted it. He could hear it in her voice how she wanted it. "Come home to me right now. Just get up and leave."
He took the last drag of his cigarette, a long one, and let his head fall back as he blew the smoke slowly toward the sky. "I can't."
"I want you. Now."
"Shit," he hissed. He found himself chuckling in maniacal despair. "I wish I could."
"You can. You can go back tomorrow. I promise I'll release you long enough to go out and play again."
His heel tapped in anxious nervousness. "Fuck, Mel. You know I can't. You know it."
"Your pour tortured soul," she hissed darkly into his ear. "The things you put yourself through for your music. It's one of the things about you that turns me on the most."
He dropped his finished cigarette onto the concrete and smashed it as hard as he could with the heel of his shoe and then took a swig of his drink. "You know what you do to me when you say those things."
"You started it. Calling me in the middle of the night and telling me all the things you wanted to do to me..."
"I haven't even told you half of it."
"I'm listening."
"I'm freezing."
"It's warm in our bed."
Tay was silent. He should have never called her.
"What are you gonna do, Tay-baby?" she mock pouted at him. This was new. This was a new voice. If it didn't feel like fucking 50 below zero right now, he would have been hard. "How do you expect to take care of yourself over there? You have no privacy. I can take care of you here. You know I can."
"Fuck," he said through gritted teeth. She drove him insane, but he loved it. This was what he needed. He didn't know what excited him more, her voice caressing his ear or the quality of the songs he expected to
produce from this. This week would be the most torturous and the most creatively amazing one he'd had in years.
"Look, I gotta go," he said. "I have to attempt to sleep." He drained the bourbon from his glass, leaving only the ice at the bottom. "You better be ready for me when I get home in a few days. 'Cause some shit's gonna go down in that house to the point where we're both gonna have to question our own integrity when I get finished with you."
"Is that a promise?"
"Count on it."