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“Thank you.” I look up at him and find his face genuinely relieved. He was probably expecting me to reject his attempt at meddling. And maybe up until less than a year ago, I would have refused it, too proud to receive help. But the truth is that his intervention solves all my problems, and if I have to share my stocks with him, that’s a sacrifice I can accept.
“I’ll talk it over with the Jailbirds and have the contracts prepared for you to join the company.”
Aaron rolls his eyes. “Always thinking about the details. Can’t we just celebrate tonight?”
I can’t hide a half-laugh just as the Jailbirds come out of the recording studio and Emma takes the elevator up to her apartment.
“To what do we owe this visit?” Damian raises an eyebrow.
Their eyes are focused on us, perhaps assessing the mood, since it’s never good when my family is involved. This time, however, I’m smiling as I make them sit down and tell them the news.
Their looks pass incredulously from my brother to me, then back to my brother. Damian, shocked, speaks first. “So they’re free? No record company, intellectual property is theirs, and no legal backfire?”
“And they have the master rights if they want to use them,” Aaron confirms with a nod. “No strings attached. They can start fresh.”
The sound of their collective sighs of relief makes me smile.
“It’s over. This time it’s really over,” Damian murmurs, and I can see the happiness making its way into his chest with every breath. It must have been hard watching Lilly fight for something he had no power to change.
“What do you want in return?” Michael asks my brother.
“I’ll share my stocks with him,” I explain.
“Consider it an investment in the family business,” Aaron adds. “I won’t say a word to interfere in the business unless you need an outside opinion. In return, I’d simply like my share of profits.”
Thomas and Simon exchange a glance then look at Michael and Damian, who seem to read their intentions in the moment.
Simon gives voice to their silent conversation. “We’re fine with this agreement with one change. If everyone agrees, we’d like to share our stocks too. Six equal parts. We’ve always been a family so everyone contributes,” he says.
I register the surprise in my brother’s eyes, a fraction of a second that only I see. He’s not used to this kind of loyalty in our family, and I feel sorry for him for the first time in my life. It must be hard to go it alone, never being able to count on anyone’s unconditional support.
“Thank you,” I whisper as the others seem enveloped by a calm resolve that’s hard to dispel.
The idea that all my worries have been resolved in this moment makes me light-headed, free of the despair that’s plagued me for months. It’s so liberating I want to scream.
“Now, can we celebrate? I can’t stay too long in New York. I have things to do in Los Angeles.” Aaron gets up and starts texting on his phone.
I look at Damian, and the happiness and relief I read on his face make me smile. I get up and give him a hug that tastes of newfound freedom.
***
The private room of the restaurant my brother booked is large enough to accommodate the Jailbirds and their partners, the Red Velvet Curtains, my brother, Emily and me, and even Emma. She’s caught up in everyone’s enthusiasm and is about to experience a bit of social life.
We’re still standing around, cocktails in hand, and I take the opportunity to enjoy seeing Luke, Lilly, Martin, and Taylor joking with each other. They couldn’t believe it when we gave them the news. They wanted to sign immediately with Jail Records, but the contract isn’t ready. So they grabbed a paper towel and signed that. It’s in my jacket pocket, waiting for the actual document to become legal.
They head my way, looking at Aaron, Emily beside me, and finally me. Luke pushes Martin and Taylor forward, who both look like they have a lot to say but are too ashamed to open their mouths.
“You fired him. You apologize,” Lilly hisses behind their backs.
The two guys look up at me, and I can’t help but smile at their embarrassment. Luke and Lilly can be assholes sometimes. They have innocent faces, but when they want something from you, they’ll stop at nothing to get it.
“Sorry we fired you,” Martin mumbles.
“But we got rid of the other manager today if it makes you feel any better,” Taylor adds in a hurry.
It’s hard not to laugh at their confession.
“And we wanted to ask if you’d be our manager again.” The hope in Martin’s voice mirrors the faces of the whole band.
