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18
Cliff
“Bobby, you and I need to give her a little slack. I know she’s taken off, but if we don’t let her go tonight, it’s going to be her running out again.”
He shakes his head. “She’s run out before, but there’s something about Kris making her worse. He’s a bad influence.”
“For fuck’s sake, Pop. Kris is helping me finally do what I want to do. Not what I’m told to do. He’s right in that aspect. I need to be me and free.” Nikki looks from Bobby to me. “I think maybe I need to look for another manager. Pierce still handles everything he does, but I think you need to take a step back and get a life that isn’t mine.”
“What the fuck is that boy telling you?” Bobby shouts.
“Nothing—”
“Everyone needs to take a beat.” I interrupt, and she glares at me. “Sorry, Nikki, but your Pop is gonna blow a gasket, and I can’t have that.” I look back to Bobby. “You go for a walk.”
Bobby points at me. “He’s a bad fucking influence. When this goes south, it’s on you.” he finishes slamming a door.
I take a long, held breath and look at Nikki. “He’ll get over it, but he’s right too, not about Kris. If I thought Kris wasn’t good people, I wouldn’t have made the introduction. He’s right about you looking like you’re getting sick.” I reach into my pocket and pull out my wallet. “I’ll call Doc Zeeker and get that heart—safe decongestant called over to the pharmacy. This should cover it.” I hand her a hundred and fifty bucks. Whatever you do, don’t tell Kris you're sick. He won’t let you work.”
“I’ll grab the meds, but I’m fine. I’m handling my shit. You make Pop understand why he can’t do this.”
I nod. “Yeah, just try not to push too hard. The last thing anyone wants is you getting sick. With Kris heading out on Memorial Day, it’s a time crunch. If I had realized he still went down to the lake, I’d have had a backup plan.” I wipe my brow. “Fuck, it’s hot today. I'm glad you and Kris are starting to at least get along. I was worried his boozing was going to be a thing.”
"He's not really drinking. Last night he snapped a bit about me not having any feelings. So he showed me some. Had me in tears, but his voice is great."
My brow drops. “Wait—he sang?” I ask, confused. “Like in public?” Kris hasn’t so much as hummed in front of anyone since his last performance in London when they had to pull him off the stage because he was plastered and telling the audience that they were all a bunch of stuck—up repressed assholes.
"Yeah, he was—" she pauses, closing her eyes. “—amazing. He should have been one of the greats with the voice he has." She opens her eyes with a smile.
“He was on his way,” I say softly. “Losing his family almost killed him too. Especially Lette. That little girl was his reason to smile.”
"Maybe he will start singing full time again. He's so good. Kris—he tells a story. He's not just singing."
“Yeah, maybe—” I stop as my phone rings. “Speaking of.” I put up my hand to excuse myself. “Kris buddy—”
“You lousy son of a bitch.” He cuts me off. “How the fuck could you? She was just a little girl.”
“Whoa! Easy, what are you screaming at me for?” I whisper, not wanting Nikki to hear.
“A fucking IUD—at sixteen years old?” He snarls. “Did she even know what the fuck you two were doing to her?”
“Alright, take it easy. I’m not having this conversation over the phone. I’m on my way.” I head out and hightail it to Kris’ place. The fifteen—minute drive takes only about ten this early in the day. Walking into the basement he usually frequents, I find him pacing, a bottle of bourbon in his hand.
“Nikki said you weren’t drinking.”
He scoffs, “Don’t change the fuckin’ subject, Cliff. Who’s idea was getting her that thing?”
“Starling was on board, but it was really Bobby’s idea. Jenette, her mom, died having her from the same condition that almost took her life. There wasn’t anything malicious about it.”
“You don’t think making her keep it as part of her contract wasn’t malicious? That it wasn’t a control tactic? You allowed them to take away her choice! Convinced her to lay back, shut up and spread her legs! It said she was seeing an OBGYN every six months to rule out infections, and she’s on her third one because you all won’t let her have a long-term! If it's that dangerous—For fuck’s sake, you may as well have raped her!” He growls, hauls back, and decks me.
I hit the rug, rubbing my jaw in disbelief. “Kris—”
“Nu-uh. I’ve had it. You need to go—” He looks around. “You know what, fuck it. You stay. I’m going.” Grabbing a set of keys, he smashes the bottle against the wall leaving its shards and me scattered across the ground.
