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We’d be away from Hollywood and the paparazzi. Connor and I could focus on being parents away from the spotlight. We could work on our relationship. He’d be closer to his family. His dad. Most of all, we wouldn’t risk the boys growing up to be spoiled Hollywood brats.
They’d have real friends. Real family.
I’d have this amazing support system of mothers who are also becoming my best friends.
In my heart of hearts, being in Seattle is starting to feel like home.
This time—because I’ve learned my lesson—I’ll discuss it with my husband before making the final call.
Jace,Zane, and I stand on the stage at the new Mission as our roadies load in our gear. We’ve rehearsed some over the past couple weeks, and I’m so ready to play. It will be a welcome distraction from the storms blowing through my family.
Da’s returning home after the long stint in the rehab facility. It’s been months of recovery, but he’s resilient. He uses a walker now. Talks up a storm. Gives my brothers and me hell. I’m glad that chapter is behind us.
Unfortunately, we have bigger issues in my household. Last week, despite Ronni’s PR efforts, including aPeoplemagazine feature on me, her, and the kids, she’s been asked to step down from the movie project. Even though they’re giving her the opportunity to control the narrative, to say Ronni is devastated is an understatement. She’s hurt. Betrayed. Kris flew up to tell her in person. She promised both of us that she’s in Ronni’s corner but explained that the legal situation had to play itself out.
Which is true.
I have a bit of perspective, and honestly, the situation is feckin’ impossible. If Kris keeps Ronni on board, the financiers will back out. By allowing Ronni to withdraw from the film, the film can go forward. She wasn’t “fired,” so when we’ve got everything cleared up, she should be able to pick up the pieces. She retains her behind-the-scenes credit and profit participation for originating the project. If the film’s successful, Ronni will make crazy money.
It’s not any consolation to her, though. Not yet. The movie was her dream.
Hopefully tonight will be a fun distraction. Gus is opening. LTZ is playing. Our first show in well over a year. The entire inner circle will be together for a night of celebration. New babies. New businesses. New era for my band. Even if Ronni can’t see the forest through the trees, she’s excited for Fiona. And for me and the guys.
I gaze down into the smattering of folks wandering around. Bar staff. Ty’s foundation artists. Roadies. This place is so much nicer than the original Mission but has managed to keep all of the charm. An entire wall adjacent to the bar features the show posters for the past thirty years. The LTZ show that changed everything for us is smack in the middle. Fiona and Zane have done her father proud.
Glancing around, my heart swells with another kind of pride. We were four lads with a pipe dream. Now our songs are embedded in music history. I can’t wait to feckin’ play tonight. It’s been too long. “This is fantastic, Zane, so it is. But where the fuck is Ty?”
“He’s still in the car talking to Zoey on the phone. She’s not been feeling well. He’ll be here soon.” Zane caresses his Gibson, the pride and joy of his collection of guitars. Jace, Zane, and I sit on the edge of the stage chatting about gear when our elusive lead singer graces us with his presence.
“My brothers. I’m so fucking excited. I’m ready to go.” Ty swaggers in with more spring in his step than I’ve seen the past couple of weeks.
Jace shoves his drumsticks in his back pocket. “While the gear’s getting set up, let’s have a quick meeting. It’s time we finalize some stuff with the band.”
I’m surprised that it’s Jace who instigates the conversation we all want to have but have been putting off for various reasons. We pull some chairs into a circle in the green room to make the final decision on who’s going to manage us.
“Isis Management. Discuss.” Jace leans way back in his chair. His legs spread wide.
“I’m on board, they’ve been feckin’ great for my wee brothers’ band.” I’m fidgeting for some reason. Essentially, I’m willing the guys to get on board with making some significant changes to how we do things. There’s no way I can keep up the pace our current manager, Katherine, had us on for years. She’s put so much pressure on all of us this entire year to record an album. Start touring. Get LTZ back up and running. It’s been a lot when none of us have been ready.
Zane pulls no punches. He stares us down and states, rather than asks, “So, Katherine is out, correct?”
“She’s pressuring us to do all the things that burned us out over the years. We’re not kids starting out anymore. It feels like the time to make a change.” Ty juts his chin out defiantly. “After all, we’re all family men, or soon-to-be family men now.”
Jace surprises me when he says, “Yeah, but I still want to play. And tour. Are we all up for that?”
I know this is my opportunity to take control of the situation. “Yes, I’m on board on one condition. We each need our own bus. If we can agree on that, I’m cool because I plan on having my family with me if we’re gone for longer than a couple of days. That’s my non-negotiable.” I slump down in my seat and cross my arms across my chest. Decide I’ve come across too demanding, so I try to lighten the message. “You don’t want to be woken up by my evil twins. Trust me.”
The rest of the guys toss in their own non-negotiables. All in all, what we want is reasonable. With our future decided, we pick a date to fly down to LA to meet with Isis.
After the meeting and sound check, Ty summons Carter and Zane to the dressing room to chat about something. Jace and I are, once again, sitting on the stage talking shop with the musicians from the Rainier Foundation. Not ten minutes later, everyone’s startled by a thunderous crash from the dressing room. Zane and Ty are screaming at the top of their lungs. Loud crashes. Angry yelling.
Jace and I jump off the stage and tear across the floor to the dressing room. Before we go inside, Jace threatens everyone with murder if they film or post anything. I throw the door open to find Ty categorically hammering the clean shite out of Carter, who appears to be unconscious. Zane, in turn, is trying to knock the bollocks out of Ty.
I run to pull Zane off Ty, but not before he smashes Ty’s face in and breaks his nose with his knee. With the upper hand, Zane pins Ty to the ground. Jace and I manage to hold him back before he does any more damage. He’s like a wildcat, it takes effort to avoid taking our own licks.
Until he spots his unconscious father. Every ounce of fight drains through the bottom of his soles. Zane drops to Carter’s side and starts CPR. Kneeling next to him, I growl into his ear, “What the actual feck? What happened?”
Zane points at Ty. “He fucking killed Carter.”
