JC took his phone in his hands and stared at it and shook it with frustration.
"GOD! Alex better be at the airport or I'm gonna get pissed."
"I don't think he answers to random calls like that," Tyler said from next
to him in the car.
"Fuck off Tyler," JC spat at him, rolling down the window he held his phone
closer to the window. "It's your fault that I'm out here in the first place
so don't play with me."
"We'll aren't we glad to be here," Tyler said with a smartass tone. He paused
for a moment, "I don't think that's going to help your reception."
"Tyler I mean it," he said, "I'll freaking leave you here."
"Yeah right," he said.
"What the hell are you doing in LA in the first place?" he asked.
"Alex invited me out a day or so ago." He leaned back and moved his sunglasses
from his eyes then put them back on. "I thought you knew I was out here because
you talked to him the other day."
"You should have been in Maryland with Mom," JC said.
"What the hell did Bobbie tell you again?" Tyler asked, "She said I was in
a fight, but I wasn't, yet you're still yelling at me like grandma or something."
"I should be yelling at you. You can't afford to be flying around the country,"
JC said, "You don't make that much money."
Tyler snorted and rolled down his window and spit out it. "Maybe that's because
your merchandising company doesn't pay enough for me to be your lackey."
"You know what I mean Tyler," he said, "Mom wants you in school and working
on your degree. Working or NSYNC or whoever isn't supposed to take up school
time."
"Whatever JC," he said.
"GOD!" JC yelled again when the call wouldn't go through again.
"What are you so hyper about anyway?" Tyler asked, "Who are you trying to
call?"
"Farzana," JC revealed.
"Why are you calling her?" he asked, "You would think that you were sleeping
with her."
"Tyler shut up," JC frowned at his phone and shut his phone and put it in
his pocket.
"You did sleep with her didn't you? That was quick. Bobbie has barely been
out of the house for a week or whatever and you're moving on to someone new."
JC growled again and rolled up the window. "Tyler do you want me to put you
on a plane to Maryland?"
"You're in love with this girl," Tyler whispered. He took his glasses off
again and looked at his brother for a long time before continuing. "I can't
believe you. I knew this was going to happen one day, but I didn't know it
was going to be this bad."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"That look in your eyes," he said, "It's like mom looking at dad."
"What?" JC said, "I look like mom?"
"No," Tyler said, "You just look all freaking goofy over her."
"Shut up Tyler."
"Just admit it JC," Tyler said, "You're in love with this girl."
"I'm not," JC repeated and silently thought about the lyrics he'd written
for her. He knew that he was head over heels, but he wasn't about to admit
it to Tyler. He wasn't going to admit it to anyone. He had six hours on a
plane to figure out what he was going to do and so far he was sure he wanted
to never reveal his feelings to anyone ever again. It was just all too much
trouble.
Farzana ventured out of JC's house. After talking to Melinda she'd gotten
up enough courage to do a lot more writing and had borrowed his keyboard
a little and finally, with all that work behind her, she had three songs
that she wanted to work on. She'd talked to JC every night on the phone and
had finally been convinced to go to the studio to record. JC would be back
that night and she wanted to get something done by the time that he flew
in from LA.
"Where are you going?" a voice asked as she turned back to lock the door.
She whipped around and found him standing there on the doorstep, brother
in tow, backpack already off his back and at his feet. "What are you doing
here?" she asked and flung herself at him, almost dropping her guitar case
and music to hug him close while looking over his shoulder at his brother.
"I think I still live here," he said with a laugh then stepped back a little.
"You remember Tyler don't you?"
"Yeah," she said she put her guitar case down and shook his hand. "How was
your flight? I thought you weren't coming back until tonight."
"Let's not get into that!" Tyler said looking extremely tired. He moved to
take off his backpack and dropped it onto the ground next to their feet.
"Let's just praise the lord that he didn't strangle the pilot for flying
too slow."
JC pushed his brother out of the way. "We were going to come back then,"
JC said, "But I have something to show you..."
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah." He moved his sunglasses a little on his head then looked at her with
a smile. "We're you headed over to the compound?"
She looked at them some more, still shocked to see the two brothers on her
doorstep. "Uh...Yeah."
"Well then lets go," JC said.
She looked around for a moment and looked at Tyler's tired face. She could
see that something was wrong. Tyler looked upset and even though she'd been
told that the original reason for the trip had been a hoax, something had
happened to JC in LA. She could see it in his eyes. "You just flew in."
"It's important," Tyler said with a sigh, "Believe me. You guys should go
over there." He reached and grabbed the keys out of JC's hands. "Just leave
me the keys. I don't want to be near him for the rest of my life. Six hours
on a plane was enough."
Farzana smiled and nodded, "Let's go." She handed JC her set of keys, picked
up the guitar case and they started down towards the car.
*****
Ten minutes later they were in the compound studio they'd been in earlier
that week. Farzana was sitting at the boards, next to Isiah Torrance, the
sound engineer and the producer that Johnny had set her up with, and JC was
making his way into the studio.
"Hey guys," he said. There was a short pause while the men said their hellos
then JC pointed over to the piano. "I need to show Farzana something. Can
I use the piano?"
"Go ahead."
She watched JC walk into the piano and was shocked to find him look comfortable
as he dropped his backpack onto the floor and pulled out papers. He put them
in place then motioned at her to come inside.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I've got something for you to hear." He made her sit down then took a breath,
placed his fingers on the keys and began to play.
The initial shock of hearing his voice was something that she tried to ignore
it as she listened to his voice and tried not to stare too hard as his hands
glided over the piano keys.
And if I was wrong, I know I don't deserve this
Don't stay too long,
I need to hear those words you use to tell me
From way back when we were just friends
Before this love affair began
Tell me how I love you wins
Or how a broken heart can mend
Just tell me this is not the end
Please tell me now
How the fairy tale begins
Or how it was supposed to end
Please tell me that part again
Now tell me what's wrong
I never meant to hurt you, no baby, ooh
Was it the home, the car,
Or darling all those things we thought we needed
Tell me even if it ain't true
But baby please don't say we're through
Tell me how I love you wins
Or how a broken heart can mend
Just tell me this is not the end
Please tell me now
How the fairy tale begins
Or how it was supposed to end
Please tell me that part again
I wanna know that
Feelin' that's from way back
A time when it was true that
Love was sweet and innocent
When you and I could still be friends
Make all the wrong be right again
Where true love never has to end
Tell me how I love you wins
Or how a broken heart can mend
Just tell me this is not the end
Please tell me now
How the fairy tale begins
Or how it was supposed to end
Please tell me that part again
When the sound in the room ceased he opened his mouth talk to her. Farzana
was hit with another surprise. It wasn't the love struck look on his face
that surprised her though. It was the angry look that her father had on his
face from where he was standing in the doorway.
"Oh my god!" she breathed out.
"What's wrong Zana?" JC asked.
"Farzana," Melinda said pushing into the room, "I told him you and J were
busy recording, but he said he needed to see you."
"Daddy?" she asked moving away from JC a little. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm taking you home," he said in a serious tone. She knew that she was in
trouble. He wasn't mad or even upset. This was his upset voice. That disappointment
that he'd felt since the first time he'd seen her on stage. He'd given her
permission to go to New York and to tour, but putting aside her studies when
she didn't have a record deal was definitely something he wasn't going to
approve of. She didn't even have to hear what came next. "Your mother and
I have given you the time you need. We want you to come home to Toronto."
Her heart fell to the floor and she felt her chest constrict as she realized
that she couldn't tell her father that she belonged there with JC. He wouldn't
go for the idea that she'd miss out on school for a guy, even if the guy
was trying to help her career.
JC's hand slid into hers from where she sat hidden behind the piano and she
felt courage fill her. It might not have been enough to stay there, but at
least she had to explain to him what was going on. He needed to hear it from
her instead of her mother or someone else. "Daddy...I've got a job to do
here," she said, "I'm working on the album and I'm going to shop it around
in New York and LA..." She turned to JC and he gave her a strange look. "Right
JC?"
"Yeah," JC scooted over farther. "Besides...Farzana and I are--we're getting
this song onto a demo to send to a record company."
Farzana thought she was going to throw up...not because JC was saying what
he was saying, but because he'd chosen to say it in front of the wrong person.
She turned towards him. "What are you doing?"
"I was going to tell you," he said, "I talked with Jive and they are going
to offer you--I have all the details--" He looked at her father. "I was going
to tell you about it, but we got side tracked, sooo what do you think?"
Farzana leaned against him and put her head to his chest. "As much as I want
to get into a discussion with you about this...it's not the right time JC.
I know what you're trying to do, but I need to deal with my dad before I
deal with all the stuff with you."
"It's not about us," he said, "It's about the song and you recording it.
"It was about us. That song is us. It's you and me and it's--it's us."
"Farzana I can't let you do this."
"JC--"
"Young man I don't think that it's your place to tell my daughter what to
do. She's coming home with me today as I planned."
"I don't think that it's your place to tell her what to do," JC said angrily
getting up.
"JC don't," Farzana pleaded.
"Farzana stay out of this. I want to tell your father about your talent because
he seems to not believe that you're going to be a star. Your voice is something
different and instead of keeping that hidden you need to show everyone it.
Besides. I love you and I'm not going to stand here and let him take your
dream away from you."
"JC," Farzana said, "You don't understand. You never understood. I made a
deal and I keep my word. I told him I'd come home and I need to follow my
word."
Her father coughed and moved into the room. Farzana pulled her hand from
JC's and scooted away. "Farzana...your mother is expecting us to be on a
flight at three o'clock so we should get you packed up."
"I'll be there in a second," Farzana said. She knew that she couldn't talk
back to him. She had to obey him. He was her father, but at the same time
she didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay there with JC and do what she
felt she was destined to do.
Her eyes slid up JC's frame and met with his eyes. "I just need to say goodbye."
JC's eyes widened. "Good-bye?"
"Yeah," she said, "I'll be right back daddy."
"Hurry honey," he said.
Farzana took JC's hand and led him out of the room leaving Melinda, her father
and Isiah to themselves.
"What's going on?" JC asked.
"I have to go home," she said.
"No."
"Yes," she said, "I need to go home. You don't understand this. It's my father,
my family. My blood. I can't stay here knowing full well that I don't have
his approval. He was the one who got me into this, but he's also the one
to tell me when I need to buckle down. I made him a promise that I would
and I need to keep my word."
"No." JC protested.
"JC..." She winced. "You don't need me around here. All I do is cause drama.
You can sing now...you don't need me hanging around and taking up space."
She could tell that JC's eyes were tearing up. Moments later he shut them,
she knew so that he wouldn't start to cry. How could she be doing this to
him? He'd finally had a break through, finally realized that he needed her,
not just because she could make him smile, but for so much more. He loved
her. He needed her, but what he needed and what was meant to be wasn't going
to happen. She needed to go home and go back to life.
"Zana," he pleaded, opening his eyes to look at her. "Please Zana."
"I have to go JC," she said, "It's my father and I can't go against him.
I've already put so much in jepordy, but I realize now that I need to be
back in Toronto and I need to go back to the life that I live day to day,
not the one that I was living this summer and not the one that I want in
the future."
"Zana," he said, "NO. I can't let you do this. I can't let you throw away
your talent like that. You need to be here. You need to be writing and recording.
You need to stay here with me. You have so much more work to do on the album."
She leaned and kissed him on the lips lightly. "Thank you for sharing this
all with me. I love you too, and I won't forget you. Really JC. It's been
quite a wild ride. Let that be enough."