AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Defiled,” I say at the same time Fritz descends the steps with a groggy Karl slouching behind him.
Bren’s eyes darken when he takes him in, and I act quickly. “Here,” I say and hand him Addy before he can decline the baby handoff.I’m getting really good at this, I think to myself.
But Addy serves her purpose, and Bren, I can tell, forces himself not to curse or scream.
“What are you doing, Karl?”
“I was sleeping,” he says, mocking Bren, whose nostrils flare to the point where I can almost see the steam coming out of them. It’s quite a funny visual with him holding a baby, but I don’t laugh.
“You need to clean up your act. Or do we have to find yet another guitarist?” Bren asks.
Before Karl can answer, Fritz speaks up with a more tactful approach. “You’re talented, Karl. We don’t want to lose you. We gave you the first year of touring to party and let loose because we know what it’s like. We’ve been there. But when it came down to it, we all got down to business. And you’re not, man. You’re fucking up.”
“Language in front of Addy,” Bren hisses.
As if seeing her for the first time, Karl smiles wide. “This must be the firstIndustrial Novemberbaby,” he says, stepping toward Bren, his arms outstretched. But Bren tucks Addy closer to his body with one arm and stretches out the other to stop Karl midstride.
“Have you even showered?” Bren asks, and Karl hangs his head.
Fritz places a hand on Karl’s shoulder. “Go get cleaned up. We’ll work on hiring a service to clean up the place, and we’ll head back to my place. Roger and Adrian are waiting.” Karl winces, and Fritz goes on. “And Roger ain’t too happy. You’d better hurry.”
“We’re going to have to vet a service that’ll sign an NDA,” Bren says, and Fritz nods darkly.
I forget their lives are up for public consumption almost as much as their music.
“In the meantime,” Bren says, “what about Lola?”
“What about her?” I ask.
“You think she can clean up around here?”
I take the place in. A job of this magnitude would take one person days. “She’s just one person. Karl needs a crew,” I say.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just have her sort the basics, get all the trash out. Get it going while we vet and process a service to sterilize the damned place.”
“I don’t know.”
“You trust her, don’t you?” Fritz asks.
“I wouldn’t let her babysit my daughter if I didn’t,” I say sharply. “I’m hesitant because she’s a great person, but only human. This job, it’s too big.”
“Just the basics to start. I’ll make sure Karl pays out the ass for her trouble.”
I sigh and take my phone from my back pocket. “Let me give her a call,” I say and step outside.
When I wrap up my call, Bren, Fritz, and Karl walk out of the house, all their jaws set.
Fritz stops Karl in his tracks by the shoulder. “What about Pix, man?” he asks.
“Dog walker has her. I’m not a total idiot,” Karl says with an eye roll. Fritz only shakes his head.
I’m horrified Karl has a dog in this house that looks more like an environmental hazard than anything else.
“What did Lola say?” Bren asks, ignoring Fritz and Karl.
I nod. “She’ll do it, but Karl’s paying premium.”
“What are you talking about?” Karl asks, looking between us.
