Chapter Eight:
Shelly hugged him and said, “Thanks, you're welcome here any time.”
I said, “How about we get some cardboard and fly down to get them tomorrow. They, Monty, and us could all ride out together. It'd save a plane coming this way.”
En nodded, “That'd be cool.”
I pulled out my phone and dialed Dave, “Yeah Rhette.”
“You can cancel the jet going to St. Louis. I'm going to come down and pick them up to bring them out.”
“Ok. Do you have a moment?”
“Yeah, one moment.”
I stood up and said, “Excuse me, I need to take it for business.”
I walked out the front door and said, “I'm able to talk now.”
“I've got information about Enriches.”
“Ok, tell me what I've not figured out already.”
“What's that mean?”
“How many suicide attempts?”
“I'm not seeing any.”
“Look harder, there are scars on both arms.”
“He fell through a window.”
“Fell or pushed?”
“Huh?”
“Dad's abusive, he could've been pushed.”
“You're correct on the abuse.”
“What am I not hearing? Why aren't there any calls to his cell phone?”
“I don't know there.”
“Dave, if I were singing and disappeared, wouldn't my manager at least call me? How about family? Where are the friends?”
“Family doesn't call. He calls them. The house phone's records are scrutinized and they can accept incoming calls. The man won't even let the help call out for necessary calls.”
“That's changing tomorrow.”
“We might have a problem there.”
“How?”
“The hotel where he's singing isn't letting him out of their contract.”
“Wanna make a bet? I own forty percent of their stock. I bet you I can get them into bankruptcy damned fast.”
“And he'll be made to stay and get them out of it if he can sell a seat.”
“Ok, burn the son of a bitch. With no seats, he can't sell them.”
“Rhette.”
“Dave, figure out a way this works.”
“My suggestion is to buy it outright and move his contract yourself.”
“Fuck, that's more for the man than he's worth already. What is the rest of his contract worth if he breaches the son of a bitch?”
“There's four more years at five million a year.”
“Ok, I'll pull my stock out in the morning and offer them the twenty million. If they look at the bright side, they could get someone else in there sooner.”
“Can I buy it?”
“My stock, or the hotel?”
“Both.”
“Sure, you're over paying huge, but unless you've not told me he's into fucking golden geese, I'd say none of them are laying anything there. If there are, I'm certainly not seeing it on returns.”
“You're not in on the skim there.”
“Who's skimming and why the hell aren't I? That means they're stealing forty percent of that which is mine.”
“I can't prove it. I just feel it.”
“Buy the son of a bitch if you think it'll pay us. If not, we need that man tomorrow.”
“Let me make a call.”
“Give me a call back. I'm going to see if I can advance things here and get out there sooner.”
“Why?”
“Because it's our reputation which gets defaced tomorrow if we don't make this fly. You're failing to realize without the man in my pocket, I'm not likely to get En out of his contract.”
“I'll release him.”
“With his Dad stealing all the money out of his account when I've got a billion dollar bet going? How are you getting that stopped?”
“Let me make a call.”
“Ok, don't be surprised if I'm flying that way when you call me.”
I hung up and went inside, “Guys, there's a change in plans. It'd do me a great favor if we could go out to Vegas tonight.”
En leaned forward, “What's going on?”
“The hotel where your Dad is performing isn't allowing him out of his contract. Dave is making the call right now to see how much it will cost to buy it. I'm trying to think of all the roads I've got here and all I can figure is we either buy it, or we burn it, or we sell all the stock and have him breach his contract and I pay twenty million for the breach.”
Sherry said, “Or you could play hard ball and release information to devalue their interest in him and pick him up cheaper than what you're getting him for.”
I smiled, “Let me make a call.”
I dialed Dave and it rang through to voicemail. “Call me damned fast.”
I hung up and dialed the hotel's number. When it was answered, I said, “David's room. Ring all the extensions at once.”
“One moment Mr Michaels.”
Real fast, the phone was answered, “This better be good.”
“It's me.”
“What!”
“First of all, go to a mirror and slap the fuck out of yourself for that. Then, take the information you've got there on him and release it to the press.”
“Why?”
“It devalues him. If they've got a star who is suddenly in controversy, he's got no value. If we're trying to buy a star with that, we've got a star for lot less.”
“My God that's brilliant! It's heartless, but sometimes you scare the hell out of me. How in the hell did you know they could ring all the phones at once?”
“It happens on your home phone if the President calls and you've got multiple lines. I figure if they can do it for him, we can do it with the system we've got.”
“They do that for the President?”
“Yeah”
“Damn, that man has power.”
“We've got it too...it just happened.”
He chuckled, “Ok, your ego ain't broke!”
“The mirror will be if you go step in front of it. There'd be no way I'd do it and slap six million bucks around. As far as I'm concerned a mirror could break.”
He laughed, “I'm sorry for the attitude. You scared me.”
“If you were anyone else right now, I'd be calling you. You know that, right?”
“Yeah.”
“They want a hundred and sixty million for the rest of it.”
“The hotel?”
“Yeah.”
“Buy it and save ourselves the problem. They're value pricing the son of a bitch.”
“Be out here, we've got to sign papers in the morning.”
“Tell them I'll be there in three hours. We'll sign papers then. I need to know I can sleep.”
“Where am I going to get that kind of money at this hour?”
“Raid the vault. You know as well as I do if we do that, they'll shut down gaming to get the money back up in there. For the few hours it'll take us to get to the bank, it'll be worth it.”
“Let me call the bank and see if we can get them to open.”
“If they can't, go the other direction. Make an announcement before you do it so no one thinks we're going under. Tell them 'Due to security concerns with the marriage of Enriches tomorrow, the staff and management deems it necessary and regrets any inconvenience.' They'll think they're getting a scoop and will all be running to put it out he's getting married.”
“You're a showman.”
“Your Daddy showed me a thing or two.”
“He said he taught you how to be ornery...you're demonstrating it.”
“When you think of his pet name for me, you understand the sarcasm.”
“What was that?”
“Mine was 'Patience' and his was 'asshole' because every time he dropped that name on me, he got called mine.”
He laughed, “I can hear both of you saying that.”
“I'll get off here.”
“Give me a yell.”
“I will.”
I hung up and said, “Ok, we're going back to plan A. We're buying that hotel. They've slapped a price on it I'll pay by raiding our vault.”
En asked, “How much?”
“A hundred and sixty million. Does that tell you what the economy of Vegas is like? That's making my share worth nothing because we just bought a three billion dollar hotel for two hundred and eighty million.”
“Man!”
“Yeah, it makes me sick.” I turned to Sherry, “Your plan garnered respect from Dave. He said I'm heartless for thinking it. I didn't have the heart to say it wasn't my idea...I hope you don't mind.”
She chuckled, “Let's go get the pieces in the truck and get our bags packed.” She turned to me, “Call Monty and tell him what we're doing.”
“Ok”
I dialed and he answered, “Hello?”
“Hi, it's me.”
“Well hello!”
“I need to tell you there's a change of plans. We need to go out there now. I'm buying the El Conquistador for a hundred and sixty million on top of my hundred and twenty I've got in it.”
“Huh?”
“The economy sucks out there now. You heard correctly.”
“Damn! That's like ten percent of what it cost to build it!”
“Yeah, I'll tell you now they've been stealing from me and when this deal is finished, I'll probably slap someone.”
“How are they stealing?”
“Skimming...it's as old as Vegas.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I could show you ways to do it you'd wonder how I'm making any money out there at all.”
“Why?”
“Less taxes for Uncle Sam and more unanswered profits for the owners.”
“Man, don't you guys get enough?!”
“Define enough...you know my wallet has a hole in it!” I said chuckling
“Ok, I'll be ready.”
“Thanks Dave. Park at private parking and you'll be fine.”
I hung up and went downstairs to help carry.
En said, “We've got to go back up home.”
“Why?”
“Unless you're wanting to get married naked, we've got clothes at the house.”
“Oh. Ok, they can go see the house while we're getting them. Remind me we've got to put the dogs out.”
“I will.”
We carried and on the way back in, I hugged Shelly. She smiled, “Thank you.”
“Honey, when you see these things flying out the door in the arms of most of the biggest stars in this world, you'll think we under priced them. Did you know that man right there has a fifteen thousand dollar pair of jeans?”
“What?!”
“Yup, now I'll tell you it's a pretty ass, but fifteen grand to cover it for what eight dollars would do is ridiculous.”
She laughed. “We could put two pair of jeans next to one and say, “Which makes sense for thirty grand!”
“That's an idea! I'm sure he's got another pair somewhere.”
I took another and carried it up and out. It took a while, but we finally got them. By the time all were carried, Sherry had their things packed, so we got in the truck and got to the airport.
When we got to the airport, I got a luggage cart and we loaded it. It certainly made easy work loading the pictures on. Monty was there, so we had extra arms.
Up at Hannibal, we kept the pictures in the plane except for those En wanted. Monty, Sherry, and Shelly got in the truck and we went to the house. At the house, I gave the tour and in the closet, I got our clothes and put more sets in a valise.
The girls fell in love with the house. Sherry raved on and on about everything and Monty saw a piece I'd gotten from him in it's spot and said, “My mother would be honored to know her sewing box is in that spot like you've got it.”
“This is why I drove to work rather than choose to remain down in St. Louis.. It's strange, but with traffic delays, it's only twenty minutes longer to get up here than it is thirty miles into the city.”
Monty said, “I'm thinking about moving. It's sad because I've lived in my home for twenty eight years and not felt a problem with crime. I've heard everyone else say how crime's made them move, but not until recently have I realized how it feels.”
“If you'd like, I'll get you a security system like mine installed. My Dakota had it's stereo stolen out of it and the guy tried getting into this house, but with all I've got here, he was caught. I'll tell you it pays for itself and with me doing that for your house, you can feel secure.”
He got interested when I showed them where all the video cams were in the house and out. He laughed, “This is like Fort Knox!”
“It has to be. I was robbed five times in five years and my comments about it got my face remodeled.”
We went back out to the airport and as we went, I drove by Jeff's house to see the Rolls parked there. Soon we were in the air and all too soon, we were landing in Vegas.
Fortunately, I'd called ahead and gotten a truck to get the pictures. They sent three men and they got them loaded.
Dave called and said, “Meet me at El Conquistador. We need to sign paperwork.”
“Can't I go to the hotel and we go there together?”
“It's on your way. You'll drive by it.”
“Ok, I'll beg forgiveness.”
“Have the limo drop you and them go on.”
“Get them into Crown Suites near En's. I'll stay with him.”
“Ok”
I hung up and said, “Guys, we're going to drop me at El Conquistador. We're driving by and I can be dropped. If you'd like, you may see it since it'll be mine by the time I leave there.”
Monty smiled, “It sounds strange hearing you buying up the place.”
I laughed, “I'm not rich enough!”
En said, “I'll get us treated well at the Ginos.”
“Dave's getting everyone rooms near your suite. Put my clothes there because I'll be staying there. Until I get my own suite, I'll shack with you.”
I turned to everyone else and said, “Don't be alarmed by the gaming floors being shut. And don't be alarmed if En's not mobbed by press. It's not often a gaming floor shuts here, but we raided the vault in order to get the Conq bought. I'll tell you now we've lied through our teeth saying we want security checked for the wedding, but I knew we'd have press over the closure, so we made that the reason.
The floor will be opened when the bank opens, but I'll tell you now the bank won't be the same by end of business today. We should've been able to reach the manager to get it opened.”
We pulled up to the Conq and I got out. Instantly, men were out there to greet me and usher me to the offices. It felt strange having them fawn over me more than the Ginos, but it felt better.
When I got to the offices, a man greeted me with outstretched hand, “Mr Michaels! It's a pleasure!”
“Likewise, it's very beautiful here!”
“Thank you. You'll find it's top notch.”
“It will be when I leave here.”
He gave me a strange look and I said, “If I know you've got skimming, the feds know. You don't know it, but our economy is going to make high profile busts like this necessary because greed and excess wealth are going to be enemies of people who are starving.”
“I'm not aware of skimming.”
“Then you're getting robbed and when I find it, you'll be damned amazed at who's doing it. I'll tell you now if I find it's you, you'll never work in gaming again.”
“If you find it, let me alone in a room with who's doing it and you won't have to worry about a trial.”
“I'll find it. One of the first things you'll notice is your security here is going to be gone over by my men. Somewhere, someone's found a loophole and they're shoveling money out it.”
“I think our decreased profits are due to the economy.”
“I don't know. We run an operation where the rooms are low priced and our occupancy stays up. It keeps our floors full and money flowing.”
“But in all fairness, your place up there is a slum!”
“Sir, tell me that in a year when we're completely remodeled and I'm opening three more hotels and a four mile long unit!”
Dave came in and we gave hugs as greetings. He came over and said, “The money is here.”
“I'll have my counters count it.”
I said, “Disconnect the fucking phone lines from them when they're counting it. I'll be damned if I'm paying taxes on that money twice!”
He gave me a strange look and I said, “IF you're not connected to the IRS with those counters, they're your source of skimming. Let's go watch and see how much is counted and we'll see how bad it is.”
Dave asked, “Do you think that's what it is?”
“They had something similar back in the forties or fifties. The counters would count a hundred dollars and it would read as eighty. They also had the weights on the coin counters in favor of the skim.”
“We don't have coins here.”
“No, you've got a computer system which could be skimming. As I said, I'll find it and you'll be amazed at how easily I'll find it.”
We went down and I saw the counters going through bundles of bills and rewrapping them. I walked over and put my hand on a girl's arm.
“Get off your counter. This one isn't working right.”
I turned and said, “Get this counter out and have it taken to the Gino. Have our security go over it and find out whose account it's dialing and sending the money to.”
Dave nodded and as quick as a flash that counter was out of the room.
I said, “That probably is enough to shut this place, but if they are that brazen, they'll think it's not going to be caught. I'll tell you I know enough about programming, I'll find that back door. When I find it, I'll have that group in front of me later today.”
We recounted the money and I handed the man the slip. “Fifteen percent. If they were using it as the primary counter, you can see how fast it would've gotten you into trouble.”
State gaming came in and I said, “We're disconnected because we're counting the money I'm buying the business. I'll not pay taxes on it twice.”
“You can't do that. There's forms you need to fill out and a refund will be given.”
“Sir, if you think I'll wait for the six months to lapse with no interest, think again. By then, I'll have my investment pulled from this son of a bitch and this place will be abandoned after it's bankruptcy and I'll have it bought and reopened.”
“Our offices called with the alert.”
“Call and tell your director I want him on the phone. He's about to bankrupt a casino and you sure should know I'll point that direction with my press release to see he's removed from his office.”
“I'll call.”
He walked out and was on his cell.
Dave smiled and the owner said, “He's highway patrol!”
“He's a man and he knows if I'm abandoning a deal and going to the lengths I am to make it, people's jobs at the top are the least of my concern.”
The counters did their brrrr one after another until the sound was monotonous. Finally, the last one rang up the number and it was deemed all there.
The phone lines were reconnected and the man came in. “They've been made aware and just saw them go online.”
“They'll see the press release stating we're the new owners. They can put it with the incident report.”
He nodded, “Thanks.”
“You've got a job to do like us. Right now, I'm trying to keep this place in business.”
“It's that bad?”
“The economy is down, but I can afford to buy it and make money at the price I paid. That should tell you what all the other billion dollar casinos are looking like down the strip.”
“We're in a world of hurt then.”
“Yeah, and if you were around when a lot of them had plywood over the windows, I'm afraid you'll see it happen again before we're through the other end.”
We went up and I read the sales disclosure. It was straight forward. Dave signed it and the owner's eyebrows raised.
“I can't sign a thing out here. I've got a felony and they'd snap locks on it before they allowed me to operate it.”
He shook his head, “I certainly understand.”
With the ink on the papers, I said, “Dave, get our people in here and get them looking over it with a fine toothed comb.”
“They're waiting outside.”
I shook the man's hand and said, “I hope you saw something out of it.”
“Not a dime.”
“Think about your comment about the Ginos being a slum because I'm not going to keep you on. Yeah, we've let things slide, but you would've let them happen with the losses you've been incurring. We don't have losses, but we've certainly been letting things slide. I'm here now and that's why we're putting ten billion into it. Now, we've got a high end casino we can send people to and get press for it.”
Dave smiled, “Are you ready?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Good.”
Dave said, “Have Eric come to the office. I'll need his contract. It's about to be moved to the Ginos.”
“What?!”
I smiled, “I was about to damage this place to get him. Be thankful the selling price was low enough we went this direction.”
He looked shell shocked. “That's why you bought it?!”
“We bought it because I got a hotel at ten percent it's building price, that's what we would've gotten it if we'd bankrupted you in order to get him. The side effect is we've got him where we want him and he's locked into a contract with me...which he sure as hell doesn't want.”
“You make it sound like you don't like him.”
“Sit in on the meeting and you'll see how vicious I'll be with the bastard.”
In about ten minutes, the contract was in front of me. All I needed to see were the wording in it the contract was transferable.
“I need a limo brought around going to the Gino. We'll do this up there.”
Soon, Eric came in. I shook his hand and said, “My name is Rhette Michaels. We just bought the Conq and now, I'd like a word with you, but first, we'll need to go up to the Ginos.”
“The Gino?”
“I own it.”
He looked at Dave and then at the former owner.
“What's this about?”
“When we get to the Gino. It's show and tell time. I'm ASKING you to take that trip. If you CHOOSE not to go, you'll be a ruined man by the time the morning papers hit.”
“What!?”
“Let's go.”
I walked out and the former owner was in step beside me. He asked, “Is he coming?”
“If he doesn't, he's a dumb son of a bitch. I'll ruin him as I said and he definitely knows there's enough in his past for me to do it.”
At the limo, we got in and sure enough, Eric got in with Dave.
Dave nodded and said, “I've got all you need in the suite.”
“Good.”
I dialed my phone and En answered, “Would you meet us at Dave's suite?”
“Yeah. What's going on?”
“We bought the Conq and now, we're going to have your Dad with us for contract renegotiations.”
“Ok”
Eric said, “I'm not going to renegotiate. I've got four more years at the Conq and once that's complete, I'll be going elsewhere.”
I pulled out my phone and dialed the Gino. “Please have a power drill, a sawzall, and a hammer brought to the owner's suite.”
I hung up and said, “By morning, my remodeling project will be complete.”
Dave smiled and the former owner looked shocked.
Eric said, “You can't intimidate me!”
“Shut up. Don't tell me what I can and can't do. What I CAN do with a hammer is make it so your hands don't touch your family again. What I CAN do with a sawzall is insure the same thing. WHAT I CAN DO with a drill is more painful than that. Think about how small of a hole it'll make in your stomach wall and how much damage it can do if all that's inside gets wrapped around a bit at 3000rpm. So don't tell me what I can and can't do because ruining your reputation for all you're fucking and all you've fucked up is the least of what I've got in mind. I've got enough evidence and I've got enough information, I'll tell you where you'll work or won't work the rest of your God Damned life. If you think I'm intimidated by your connection with Miami, be advised I bought out that ninety three million of debt you owe them and now hold it.”
He looked shocked.
We pulled up and I said, “Get out of the car and don't make me take you out in pieces.”
We got out and went up to the suite. I said, “Disable the elevator. No one's getting out of here until I've got what I want. Open that slider over there because that's the only way he's getting out of here tonight...voluntarily.”
En went over and opened the slider, “Father.”
“What are YOU doing here!”
“Don't answer that En. He knows why you're here. He's just not aware I know.”
En came over and stood by me.
“Eric. Before you is a thirty year contract to work here at the Gino. I'll present it to you and then, you can decide if you want it, or not.
For the thirty years, you'll headline a new theater here. The Immanuel name will be on the theater. You'll be given carte blanche with your gifts and who you're allowed to entertain privately, but what it also contains is a recording contract where you release an album on the label and split in the proceeds.
Here at the Gino, you'll be treated as you would be anywhere where a major performers. I'll tell you now I've got names lined up to come in to the likes those down the strip will feel the pinch. They're NOT under duress when they sign the agreement.
In front of you is a slide show. I'm going to begin it and read the abbreviated version to you. Consider it a demented version of 'This Is Your Life' and know if I don't get the contract signed, it will be released to the press and by the end of the day, you'll be ruined.”
I walked over and began the slide show. “These are reports of domestic violence at your home. Your wife and kids were crying, they were bruised, your knuckles were red, but it was found unfounded. Time and time again, police were called there and time and time again, they lied to protect you. That stops now.”
“You can't prove it.”
“Perhaps you're not listening. I don't have to prove it. All I have to do is imply and infer and the press reports it as fact. The documents are there. They are all they need to report it happened
Next, is a house in California. Does it look familiar? It should, that's where your wife lives...not your wife in Florida, but your second wife. The problem there is you didn't get divorced and in the U.S., that's against the law.
These are pictures. That's your wife, Brook, and those are your children with her. She gets beat and they get beat also. These are the police reports there and those are the hospital records which documents you put your son in the hospital.
You've got an anger and control issue and again, that stops now.
Today, you're signing that contract. You're signing divorce papers and you're giving up both homes and both families. Your wives will receive ten million in non-disclosure, but that life for you is over. You won't use a punching bag called a wife or kid any longer, you'll use the one in the gym or you'll spar with me and realize I'll kick your ass the moment you connect with my face.”
En chuckled.
“In regards to En. His days of being used by you as your way of paying Miami are over. I'll take the money you owe me from your pay and we'll be even some day.
En begin recording on the label as his own person. He'll be more than you allowed him to be, and yes, I will expose it if necessary.
If you do not think all the fans you've got won't turn on you over what I show them, think again.
In regards to your daughter or any other children. They are not your source of income. Each will have a career in music if they so deem it, but it won't be at the urging of you and if you violate that pact, I'll use the evidence and we'll handle it accordingly.
In front of you now are pictures and records of where you grew up and all the shame you brought to them. You went on and you gathered a career and your parents received no assistance.”
I went over and opened a suit case. “These are your sex toys. Here are the records to prove your card bought them, and here's your name on the mailing records.
I'm bringing it up now because here are the photos of you and here are the photos of your partner with your fingerprints upon them.
Yes, I will use it if I need to. The world outside will deem you a pervert, but I'll tell you it's about the domination and control and the sense of pleasure you get from hurting someone.”
I stood up and walked around. “You need to understand something. I learned mind games and I learned all I needed about control and it's cycle in prison. I'll tell you there's enough evidence you can learn about them there too...if needed. And no, a lawyer won't be provided and no, no lawyer will assist you in getting you out of it because if I need to, I'll blow that motherfucker to kingdom come the morning you're slated to make a plea agreement.
On the screen there is a video. Let's watch.”
We watched and I said, “That's you making the agreement with Miami to pay your IRS debt. There's the paperwork they got when it was paid and yes, I'll use it if I need to.”
I walked over behind him and I said, “In front of you is your son. You manipulated him in regards to his homosexuality to get him subservient to you and I'll use yours against you to get all I need to ruin you with your wives and children to demonstrate they weren't anything more than pawns in your own power games. What's it feel like to lose that control?”
“What do you want?”
“Sign the fucking contract.”
“My manager is not here.”
“Yes he is, your manager is in the other room. He's waiting until you've been convinced it's in your best interest to sign on and sign off on what I need to get Enriches away from you.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm about to become your daughter in law and you're going to play it like you love the thought and you're going to pretend you're the loving and devoted father you should be.”
“What?!”
“En and I are going into marital contract. It's voluntary and it's because we genuinely love each other. I'll face you down to get things made right, or I'll see you out and off that fucking balcony before I give one inch.”
“No.”
“Ok, that's all I needed to hear. We do this the hard way.”
I went over and deliberately chose a power outlet within his eyesight. I plugged in the extension cord and came over to plug in the sawzall.
“Put your hand upon the table.”
“No.”
I walked over and stood in front of him. “Shut your mouth, or this will break your jaw.”
The upper cut connected with his chin and his eyes rolled back. He slumped and I said, “Smelling salts Dave.”
I pulled Eric's body over on the table and said, “En, go to the other room. IT's about to go into a different game.”
“I want to stay.”
“Ok, whatever.”
In no time at all, we had Eric stripped and tied spread eagle. I looked over at the former owner of the Conq and said, “Not one word.”
“I'm not talking. This is too interesting to talk about.”
I cracked open the vial and soon Eric was back.
“What!”
“It seems you can dish it out, but you can't take it. The pain in your ears is from where your jaw popped them. You'll need a new veneer as you've seemed to have lost one. It's on the floor.”
“What are you going to do to me?!”
“Hurt you and not stop until you submit.”
“You can't have him.”
“I've already got him. All it took was love, but you've no clue about that.”
I lit a lighter near his face. “Do you realize how painful it is when your chest and pubic hair go up?”
“DON'T!”
“I've got ways to make you hurt you've not thought about.”
I took his belt and slapped the top of his foot. He yelped. I slapped the other and said, “That wasn't hard. It feels hard because it's an area you're not expecting pain...just as if I slapped your nuts with them...but you'd like that.”
I walked over and got the icy hot. I came over and said, “Icy hot. In the right areas, you'll swear I invented the shit just to make you scream.”
I took some and put it on my finger and wiped it across his cheek bones. “You're going to sweat you son of a bitch and that's going into your eyes. When it begins burning, you're going to swear the poker would've been better, but this is designed to prolong the pain.”
I went down and put it between his toes. Then I went over and took a water mist bottle. “Water mist. It seems to activate it like sweat. We'll save your face for later. I'll show you what it'll feel like.”
I sprayed his feet and put the bottle between his legs next to his balls. In no time, he was moaning. “Make it stop!”
“Sign the paper.”
“What do you want with him?”
“To love him. To have kids with him and to give him all my heart is capable with love.”
“Do you love him?”
“Is it not obvious? I'm doing this to get him away from you!”
He yelled, “Enriches! Make him stop!”
“No father. I love him.”
Eric's head fell back. I went over and got the fish weights. They weigh but a few ounces, but added together, and hooked to one's hair on their head in a gradual group, it feels like the perm from hell.
I hooked one on and said, “It's weight. As I put them on, it'll be one long hair pull which doesn't stop due to the gravity. Your scalp is not accustomed to the long continuous pull. I'll apply these and then, I'll give you a scalp massage with the icy hot. You'll be amazed at how you'll scream.”
I began applying them and said calmly. “If you're noticing, all of these techniques I'm using leave no marks. You really should've thought about that before beating anyone where bruises show.
While we're on the subject, explain to me how En's arms got to be as they are?”
En started to speak and I said, “En, you asked to be out here. It's his time and he needs to consciously give over that power to me completely. He does NOT need you to run interference!”
“Ok”
“I love you, but this is a mind game. It's not about whether you love him. It's about me taking the power everyone else has given him and him being subservient. When this is done, I'll tell you now he'll be the father everyone wanted. He won't be the husband for your Mom or his other wife because that option is now closed.”
“Ok”
As I added the weight, I pulled roughly on his scalp to get the hair in my grasp. I was about halfway finished when he said, “I'll sign!”
“If you've wasted my time, I'll up it to the notch of extreme pain and you won't know what hit you. This is considered light torture and nothing more. I've not brought out the shocking devices.”
He moaned.
“If you notice, I didn't run when you said you'd sign. Do you know why?”
“No.”
“Because that'd have you gaining power and me being manipulated. You need to know I'll do as I damned well please when I want and you'll be at that mercy until I choose. I'll treat you as a human being as I choose and I'll grant you respect as I choose.
Let's switch gears for a moment. In regards to your children. All of your visits with them will be here and will be under the ever watchful eyes of my cameras. If you go with them anywhere when that right is granted, you'll do so in specially equipped limos with surveillance and you'll NOT go anywhere where no surveillance is placed. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“In regards to your wives, you're now divorced. You just paid ten million to each and yes, that is on the debt you owe me. Absolutely no contact is to be made and if you dare call, the call will be intercepted and I'll answer that phone. I'll tell you now, you don't want me answering that call asshole!
If your wives should remarry, you're going to be gracious enough to realize they're now getting what you didn't give them. You'll not possess any power over them in any way and if I discover you are, you and I've got a date with pain and you haven't begun to feel what I'm capable because I'll tell you there are ways for me to do things even after you've had your hair burned from your body in patches. And yes, burning all that hair at one time would feel like release instead of me burning it off bit by bit. And did I mention what rubbing alcohol feels like on those burns afterwards? It's just beyond the pain you could imagine and no, it's not done at one time either.”
“Oh God!”
“You're breaking. I can feel it. What's it feel like to give up the power and control to someone else? They say the best submissives were doms who know then what it feels like to experience both. Isn't that the shit?! And no, I'm not planning on going back to being a submissive, I find it more gratifying delivering what you're experiencing because I know in between is my love with your son which has neither.”
I continued to apply the weights and said, “I'm going to sing with him. When I sing, I'll be performing in drag. You're going to accept it and embrace me as your daughter in law in front of the world. You're going to tell everyone you've known me for years and how wonderful you think I am to finally have as En's wife.
When it comes to our kids, you're going to go into the role of grandfather with relish. You'll be amazed at feelings you feel because it's another opportunity to finally get things right.
I'll tell you now, my kids will be wearing wired mics which broadcast to their guards exactly what you've said to them. If you lose your cool, or so much as threaten them, you'll be taken by force from them and you'll be brought to me. You don't want that.
Your opportunity with them is to correct mistakes and to get things made right before you meet your maker. I'll tell you now, you don't want to meet your maker before things are made right because I'll certainly see you're taken to your grave in a trash can and dumped summarily in a heap by your fans...and yes, I'll smile while I do it.”
He moaned, “Please let me sign. It's burning!”
“Not yet.”
“But I promise. I'll do all you say and more!”
“Wait. Be patient. I've got more you need to hear.”
He moaned a sigh in resignation.
“About Don. Do you realize he is with you because underneath there's love? It's not about the pain. It's not about all the different kinky ways you can make things different because I'll tell you, of all the different ways I've seen recorded, you've not once held each other and caressed and nurtured each other.
There's always something painful happening and if you call straight sex where you grudge fuck him nurturing, you need to readjust and realize I've got grudge fuck devices which will feel like you're being killed. Do you realize fire ants being released inside your body will do a lot of damage before your secretions will kill them?”
“Oh no!”
“As I said, what I'm capable of isn't what you're receiving. I need you presentable for our wedding tomorrow.”
“Ok”
“When I release you, I want you to go to the bathroom and look in the mirror. I want you to realize how easily and fast you broke compared to the hours you did it to your family and I want you to realize underneath, they're tougher than you.
Then, you take a shower and you use the aloe and your burning will be soothed. Take your time and love yourself with it. Rub it in and realize it's what you need that I'm giving you. I could make you sign the fuckin' papers and stay out here in pain until En's contract has been read fully.
I want you out of the pain and I want you to read your contract and his and know I'm giving you what both of you need because I love him. Ok?”
“Yes, please.”
I undid the restraints and said, “Go on. It's up in the bedroom. Use the second one on the left.”
He went and I went over and hugged En. “Baby, I'm sorry.”
He started crying and I hugged him. He said, “It was painful for you too, wasn't it?!”
“Yeah. I hate getting like that. I'm sorry for pushing you back, but it had to be as it was.”
“My arms. They were done by me. When I felt like no one loved me, I'd punch a window.”
“I love you. Please don't do that anymore.”
“Oh God I want to make love with you!”
“I know. I do you too.”
When we broke apart, I went over and sat down. Dave said, “That was easy.”
“Yeah.”
The former Conq owner asked, “DO you do that a lot?”
“No.”
“The methods you used, I've read all sorts of novels and not once heard about them. When you did it, I was blown away!”
“The largest part of torture is always have them believing it's going to be a lot worse. The largest part of enduring torture is thinking of the absolute worst that can happen and tell yourself you survived that but it could be worse.
I'll tell you I get results damned fast because I never let my voice rise or fall. To that person, if they hear me grunting, or exerting myself, they subconsciously think I'm straining and will get tired before they will. I'll tell you disassociating myself is because I'm trained in Mortuary Science and I've seen a lot of gruesome shit in my time. In order to make it through, I disassociate myself by thinking about walking across a field and seeing a mountain beyond. I'm not here mentally thinking about the things in front of me.”
When Eric came back in, he asked, “May I get dressed?”
“Yes.”
He got dressed and said, “What you said about taking my time and rubbing it in was right.”
He sat down and I said, “Eric, I want to show you some videos and I want you to know what we're getting into here.”
“Ok”
I turned to the former owner and said, “What you see here and what you hear here has to stay here for now. Soon enough, I'm going to expose myself as being a female impersonator, but now isn't the time.”
“Ok”
I put on the videos and let them play of all the times I'd done drag.
“All of those are me. You see the many looks I'm capable and you see it's convincing. Now, I'll show you vids of me performing with friends and let you see I've got a voice.”
I put on the video of me performing in Kansas City with Lo', Martha, Melissa, and Pink. Then, I went to me performing with Anna and Elton at Anna's. And then, I went into our video from here.
When it was done, I said, “That's my voice. Now, I want to show you what I've written and let them play out. It's going to take a while because all of them have been written and somewhat been given a way it will be, but I want you to realize there's a lot of material and it comes when I least expect it.”
I put them on and said, “En, come in here.”
We went in and I got undressed. “Help me.”
“What's this?”
“It's a gown I bought a while back for Miss Gay Missouri. I didn't get into it, but now, I want to wear it so he sees I can dress up and be glamorous or I can dress down and be sexy.”
“Oh!”
“When 'Fallen' comes on, I'm going to perform it. I want the impact to be as if he were seeing it done on stage.”
“Ok”
I got dressed and the pale gray shimmer of the dress was what it needed to be to be subdued. I shook my hair and said, “Ok, we're ready. I'm not wearing shoes because it's not required.”
“You look amazing?”
“Thank you.”
We kissed and soon, it was a heavy make out session. I heard the song before 'Fallen' happen and said, “Ok, we need to get ready.”
We went out into the hall and I saw Dave glance and stare. His eyes got a bit wide, so I know he found me attractive.
The song ended and 'Fallen' began. I walked out and began singing. Eric turned and the shock registered, but his eyes told me what I needed to see. I walked over and performed it and then, it went into 'Woman' and by the time 'Cherry' was finished, they were all losing it.
I walked over and said, “That's me. I'll make you cry and I'll bring you down with humor.”
Dave was still chuckling and the former owner was red faced still smiling. Eric said, “You're damned attractive.”
“It's got to carry or I can't sell it. What you don't know is I'm about the best and being the best or I won't get involved. That's why I want you here, not because you're going to be my father in law, but because I know women see you as sexy and suave and I'll tell you there could be a time I would've also...but, that man right there came on the scene and he's my embodiment of love.
I want you to see us with pride and know we're going to be selling love on that stage. I'm not saying I love him, I'm showing everyone I love him. I need you to know there's a difference for me and that I've got you supporting us fully.”
“How are you going to expose yourself?”
“What we're going to do is we're going to drop my video for 'You Can't Do That' after the wedding. Not only will they see me as sexy, and beautiful, they'll see me as talented. It's got to be so all the guys are thinking I'm hot and all the girls are seeing me as worthy to be his wife and talented.
You may not realize it, but it's not the male reaction which concerns me but the female because you don't realize they've all seen themselves with him and for them to see me with him, they've got to realize I look damned good in that spot.
By this afternoon, I'll be blond and I'll have extensions so what they see is just damned attractive. You've not seen the wedding outfits, but both are very appealing for us so when America and the world see us, their breath catches and they think, 'Oh man, I bet that was a beautiful wedding!', but as you know there won't be any photos because there won't be one.'
For now, we're going to Brazil next week and hopefully, we'll adopt. I want us to be seen as a family and I want that to sink in as the songs and vids drop building that base.
When I go on concert, we're going out as a unit. Gladys will open and then, it'll be me, and then, En will come out and we'll perform together where I step aside and gaze on adoringly.
Before the concert is televised, I'm doing a short documentary on drag. Those vids of me in drag will show and then, you'll see me sitting in front of a mirror applying my make up.
I'll be talking matter of factly and everyone will be shocked to see me with the man's body and getting into dress so that by the time the concert begins, the audience has all called everyone else and word is spreading like wildfire that they can't believe what they saw and was what they saw real? Or, was it not?
Beginning the next morning, I'll do a round of shows not about me being an impersonator, but about our marital contract and our relationship and the ways we had to do it in order to have a family.
What you don't know there, is I'm not asking America's opinion because I don't need it. They'll see I'm in love and I do what I can to be the best me period.
What's going to be great there is I've got friends who will all be dropping statements of support and I expect you to make a statement which states, it's not about who they are, it's about the love they feel towards each other and in all your years of hoping your son would find happiness, you never thought he'd find it in the abundance he has.'
Once again, it's not about whether they like it, or not, it's about them being told to accept it because it's real.
What you fail to see there is there are times when things happen you as a person, you have to deal with it and go on. Did you have the option when your wife told you she was pregnant to say, 'Hold up, I didn't agree to this!', or did you accept it and go on? Did you have the option of telling the IRS your manager stole the money and ran? Or did you have to recover and find the way to pay them?
I'll tell you there are times people might not like things, but because they weren't asked their opinion, they had to deal with it. This is the time when I'm not going to ask them because I'm not planning on going away and I'm not planning on stopping things with him because it's not about that.
Where we've got the option to do that is because I've got the power of the media behind me. What I do not control directly, I've got friends who own and control those and our spin on it is going to be positive and as powerful as a battleship sailing forward deeming them only to be waves.”
He nodded and stated matter of factly, “You're not going to allow for embarrassment.”
“No. There's nothing to be embarrassed about! I love him. He loves me. Those who are around us all love us and accept, so who are they out there who want to judge?
I'll tell you now, it'll sink in and in the back of their minds, it'll be. I'll also tell you when I continue to drop hit after hit and when I continue to have him with hit after hit, we'll gain more than what we've lost, but I'll tell you we won't lose because those guys who found me hot are going to look again and they're going to be, “Man, I find a guy hot and the more I look, I'm still seeing a babe.”
The girls are going to smile and they're going to see me as that babe and realize they couldn't've had him anyways because they don't have the equipment to satisfy. They'll still think he's hot and they'll still find me attractive and talented and they'll ease back into thinking they'd look good there too.
It's psychology. It takes me winning them to demonstrate I'll lose them and don't rightly care. Sometimes, the best way of gaining is to show you have the balls to gamble and lose.
That's what Dave and I know and that's why we're spending the money here and now willing to ride out the Conq's problems because we know if we stand, we'll gain. It might hurt financially now, but it'll be better soon.”
Dave leaned forward and said, “When Rhette and my father were together, I didn't like Rhette for what he did to my Dad. They were together and all the while, people were telling me how good they were together.
Then, Rhette went to prison and my Dad called me to him and told me he was dying.
At that moment, I didn't have options to not like Rhette. Suddenly, I saw losing my Dad as the threat and it wasn't going away. So, I decided to make every day count with him.
While we were together, he taught me and he kept making comments about me asking Rhette if I wasn't sure about something and I'll tell you I resented it a lot at first. Then, it began to sink in how much my Dad loved him and how much he relied on him and how alone and vulnerable he had to feel with him facing death without the person he knew would love him unconditionally all the way to death's embrace.
I'll tell you it changed and as my Dad got sicker and bedridden, I'd go to him and he began to share moments which would have him chuckling about what Rhette had done. I'd find myself laughing and I began to see all the ways the love they had, I wish I had myself.
Towards the end, my Dad began telling me what the Will contained. He told me why he was giving Rhette the power and not me. He knew Rhette had the strength to not flinch and sway according to what everyone expected.
Right now, he's showing the strength. What's amazing is I didn't understand it quite then, but now I understand it with clarity and it humbles me...it humbles me because if his inner strength and determination focuses upon a goal none of us sees, but he knows is there and will show itself when it's time. And, it humbles me my father had the confidence in him to know it would be and wisdom to do it as he did. Now I'm seeing the goal for my Dad was to realize I'd see this day happen for Rhette and myself in our relationship and a person I love AS a step mother is now found love again as he had with my Dad.”
I put my hand on Dave's and he held it. “I love you.”
“I know and I love you too.”
En smiled and Eric stared at my ring. “You're the head of a family?”
“Kansas City. We're the most powerful financially anywhere. We don't need the strength others have because we gain their respect by winning in financials.
Believe me, we've got clout. It's not clout because we do things the old way, but because we gain respect in little triumphs over and over.
What I find great is on a day where my marriage fills the entertainment pages, our organization is filling the financials. That to me is gratification because I know in the background, the families are seeing me buy your debt and they're wondering if I'm being an idiot or not.
I'll tell you I very easily could've paid for your debt with my personal fortune. I didn't do that because I could NOT have done all this on a personal level and you'd not know how it had to be wrangled in order to get what I need on a personal level.
You're probably hearing Kansas City this and Kansas City that, and you're thinking to yourself you and En are but mere pawns for something else. You're not.
My heart is in your son's hands and he knows it. He also knows it didn't take anything false to get my heart and I know no amount of money would've gotten his. It took us being two people who need and us showing our need to put it together.”
Eric nodded, “I see he's happy. I also see you two interact together and you don't talk demeaning to him. You explain to him why things are and he gets confidence. I appreciate that.
I appreciate you telling me why you're doing things in regards to everything. It makes sense and I know it's going to be wonderful.”
“Thank you. Now, let's read the contracts. What I'll tell you up front is my directive here was to have your contract viewed over there and us to add in what we see others are getting elsewhere.
What I will tell you, if you'll allow, is I'll bring you in on songs I'm writing. I can't promise I'll deliver because the way I do that isn't like anything anyone has ever seen before. I'll explain it and you'll see.
What happens is I'll be talking or doing something and a word or idea will happen and suddenly, the words begin forming into a poem, the melody happens and by the time I'm recording them, I'm hearing the music. When you heard those recordings, you were getting it actually happening and you'll see me suddenly stop and grab my phone and get it recorded.”
“How interesting!”
“People are amazed. Tonight, when I wrote 'Fallen', I was speaking with my family about them not being able to come because their son is coming home from Iraq and as fast as that happened, I saw a flag draped coffin and boom, in front of them, I'm grabbing my phone and those words are coming out and by the end, they're crying.
What's interesting is in that situation, not only are the words and the music coming out, I'm seeing the video and it was moving me because it's patriotic and at the end, I'm seeing an Eagle soaring and it's showing us it's babies and we're seeing that symbol meaning we might fall, but life still will go forward.
I'll tell you now when that video goes up, it's going to drown us with awards. It's beautiful and I'm not going to accept them showing me in that one bit. It's not about me, it's about us as a nation and what we need to get over this fuckin' war.”
I paused and said, “En's contract is different. It's a pledge between us because of what's happened with his career thus far. I know he's hurt and I know he feels cheated, and I don't blame him.
I'll ride with it and I'll do what I need to push him forward so at the end of ten years, he knows bigger success than these pitfalls he's suffered. If not, I'll put a billion dollars in his account and my pledge to him is finished and I can only hope our love carries us through.”
He looked down and said, “I couldn't help it. I was trapped.”
“You didn't know me then. Now you're probably seeing yourself as trapped, but I'm telling you it's a silk lined box trap where you're released from all the other bindings and you're not being told you can't have what you want. I'm just telling you it'll be without manipulation, coercion, or forcing others to do your will.
What we're doing in this is you're basicly working for what you're working at the Conq. I'm doubling that and the other half is going towards that debt without any interest. In twenty years, we'll be clear, or it could be sooner if we can drop you some records where we have success.”
I paused and said, “What I want you to know is your career isn't being managed in the way it should. I hate it and that man in the other room needs fired.
What I'll tell you I envision is you being an elder sex symbol where you come back out dropping hits and you are there presenting and collecting awards. Oh man, I need my phone....”
En got it and handed it to me and suddenly I started in with 'My Cherished Memory' in Eric's voice.
At the end, I smiled, “See, you got one. It comes like that and nothing stops it from coming out complete.”
He smiled and said, “You described it, but it was surprising to see happen. That song is beautiful!”
“It's yours.”
He smiled and said, “Thank you.”
I paused and said, “What I'm doing here is you know as well as I everyone hacks the pie all to hell before you get served a slice. I'm stopping that.
In this contract is a recording contract and in our theaters is the capability to record. You perform and whether it's in a live environment, which I suggest you record and release, or in a boothed environment, you've got all the help you need here without money coming out.
When you meet my Mother today, you thank her for that orchestra. She gave me the look when I was trying to decide if you were worth a million a year, or not, and I knew I better drop the money and run or the look happened worse.” I said chuckling.
Dave chuckled, “I love your Mom. She's funny.”
“She's serious in so many ways it's scary, but she's a fan of yours and I'll tell you now, I feel a kinship with her when I look at En.
What you don't know is she gave up Engelbert in favor of you with all the swoons and sighs, so you better know you're hot.
You'll meet my Dad today also. I'll tell you now, he's the tough sell. If you attempt to charm him, you're gone. If you're for real with him, he'll see it and he'll invite you to the farm.”
En said, “I want you to come to the farm Dad. You'll love it there. It's the most beautiful...”
“and boring”
“place on earth!”
Dave started chuckling and Eric smiled, “I liked that!”
I said, “It's beautiful, but my God it's boring. En wants to be a farmer and I'm getting scabs on my forehead from banging it against a wall because as much as I love him, I sure don't want to be a farmer's wife.”
He laughed, “He loves animals.”
En said, “I love it there. It's just beautiful. I've never been someplace where I've been able to sing 'America the Beautiful' and feel like it was written right where I'm standing.”
Eric smiled, “What's it like?”
“If you're not familiar with Missouri, it's like our entire country in one state. In the Northeast, where we live, it's like the Northeastern part of the country. The boot hill is like Florida with swamps and low ground. Up in the Northwest, it's like Seattle where there's tons of rain and down in the Southwest, there's an arid portion which reminds me of Southern California. Out in Kansas City, the weather screams through there and it seems like the days are best remembered for when there ISN'T a tornado or threat of tornado like California has with the earthquakes. St. Louis...well, St. Louis has it's place in my heart too because it's trying to be like eastern cities and being the Washington D.C. of the west, but it's got a political climate there which just smells of corruption. Cape, well, if you've been to Savannah, Cape is another Savannah in gentle beauty.”
He smiled, “And you love it.”
“I love it because it's home and as many times as I've tried to get away from it, it keeps drawing me back and telling me my roots are there.”
En said, “Hon, can I go get something so he can see why I love it?”
“The pictures?”
“No, it's in my suitcase.”
“If you brought a cow pie, I'll shoot you!”
He laughed, “No, I didn't think of it. I'll be back.”
He ran out the door and I said, “I love him.”
What's great is both Dave and Eric at the same time put their hands on mine.
I said, “Ok, in regards to Don. Are you in love with him, or what?”
“I love him as much as he'll allow anyone to love him.”
“May I make a suggestion?”
“Sure.”
“Get out of it. I was with a man for fourteen years I said the same thing about. I'll tell you it was like making love with a refrigerator. He only let me close enough to feel me and whenever I attempted to get inside, he froze me out.
I understand the love you feel because I loved him like I've loved no one else, but I always felt like there were pieces missing to the puzzle and I deluded myself into thinking if I'd just find the magic piece, it'd fit and would make everything seem clear and great. There wasn't. Now I realize we were parts of a puzzle where he didn't know me like he needed to and I didn't know him.”
He nodded.
I continued, “But then again, I've learned some guys enjoy the sex more than they do wanting to be loved, so they reach out and only go for that.”
I paused and said, “Eric, please don't think I'm prying. I'll tell you that's not my intention at all. I'll also tell you I wanted a relationship with Gino like I've got now and he wasn't willing to give me a hundred percent. Instead, I had to learn to share with an entire city and have that relationship in front of the entire city.
If you've ever known someone you'd love to perform with and get to know as a person, and then got to perform with them and they told you the only room they had for you in their life was the stage, then you know how I felt with him.
I loved him but it was painful to me. That's why I continued searching and put myself in a position where I wound up in prison.
With En, I feel like I've got that and I'M the one, who at times doesn't want to go home. It doesn't mean I won't go home, it means I've farmed and I never found it so enjoyable I thought that my life's work.”
HE smiled, “Me neither. He loves it at Salinas.”
“It my hope we can raise beef cattle. With those, there's not much work. You go out and check on them and you leave them be. They graze and they get bigger.
With Dairy cattle, it's a whole other ball of wax. You protect them more because there's more problems. They're lower to the ground, so they have more which can get scratched, infected, or bit. You've got to milk them in the morning and at night and they are labor intensive about it.
I'll tell you I love working with the milk and if he brought all that cheese out here, he'll be constipated for a year!”
He laughed, “He might've.”
Dave laughed and said, “Let's make a bet. Ten to one he brought cheese.”
“No, because I'd lose. We got cheese and sausages.”
Dave made a face, “Oh man, I'm going to go ahead and make the call to get crackers and wine sent up in hopes.” He looked at everyone and said, “His Mother makes the best sausages on the planet. I'll tell you he brought sausages for sure if he tasted some.”
“He did. He nearly knocked off a whole link of one.”
“A foot long section?”
“Yeah.”
“The boy is after my own heart. He knows what tastes good!”
Speaking of the Devil, En came in wheeling a suitcase.
I said, “Hon, we've got bets. Open it up.”
He smiled, “I had to bring some.”
He put it on the coffee table and opened it. Everyone started laughing and I said, “Ok, we know you.”
He stood back, “What?”
“I got to talking about raising dairy cattle and it hit me you'd brought cheese.”
Dave called and said, “We need a knife also.”
He got off laughing, “We've got crackers and wine on the way.”
“I brought wine. It's over there!”
Dave looked wide eyed, “You brought Rhette's wine?”
“Yeah”
Dave went over to the bar and pulled out goblets, “Everyone, I want you to taste the wine he makes. He makes it in his basement and I'll tell you now he's always got some going. His grandpa was a wine maker and the wine he makes is absolutely amazing.”
En poured us some from a quart jar and brought them over. I sniffed and sipped. It was good.
The guys sipped and I said, “To a wonderful future together.”
I looked over at the former owner and asked, “What are your plans now you're through with the Conq?”
“I've not decided.”
Dave asked, “How about keeping him on there?”
“He considers the Gino a slum. I don't want him thinking we're running a slum tenement.”
Dave asked, “Why is it you feel we're a slum here?”
“Perhaps that's a poor word used. I'm aware you've got a parking lot which has seen better days and you've not remodeled since it's been open.”
Dave said, “Perhaps you've judged us inappropriately. Rhette's not been over management out here and now, he's given me orders to not only have the four mile project resurrected, but we're going to build three more towers.
The towers we're operating now are to be remodeled after Christmas, but he insists we have all new slots to increase revenue.”
He paused and said, “I'll admit we've let it come down from where it was but he's back now and he'll tell you I got chewed for letting it get like this.
What I'll tell you is he's got connections that Kansas City couldn't touch. I called our concrete people and got told a figure which was astronomical. He called someone and got half that and when they showed up, he found out they were his cousins, so he got it for cost.”
“Man!”
“With Rhette, he took the initial figure we had planned to spend and found out it was going to be at cost, so he told me to go twice the stories on the four mile project. Now we'll be at twenty thousand rooms instead of twelve.”
I leaned forward and said, “If you wish, you can stay at the Conq. I'll pay you what I pay my General Manager here and you run it as you would if you had it in good times. I will tell you I'm moving Eric over here as soon as I can. I want him having a twenty thousand seat theater, but I'd really like it if we can sell tickets here for his show down there and he be allowed to promote us.
What I will say is his shows for tonight are cancelled. We're having our marital contract and a full fledged concert tonight with all the stars so I can play for them with En.”
I turned to Eric, “It'd be nice if you'd perform a song or two tonight so we can show familial harmony.”
He smiled, “I'll perform and make it good for you guys.”
“Thank you.”
I stood up and went out on the balcony. It was a beautiful night. I felt someone there and Eric put his hand upon my lower back.
“May we get to know each other better?”
“Sure.”
“I don't want you feeling bad thoughts about me.”
The tone of his voice told me he was more sincere than the words told me.
“I want to get to know you and love you as my father in law...not as someone whom I have to spar with on a business arena.”
“That would be good.”
“I love him and want so much with him. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.”
“He's the only person my Daddy really has connected with. It might not make sense, but as much as I loved Kevin, the first words my Daddy said to him kept ringing in my ears. He said, “Son, I'm not the one you need to impress.” He pointed at my Mama and said, “You keep that woman happy and you've got the world around here. I'll be happy if she's happy.”
With En, I think he could ask for my Daddy's farm and get it. You don't know what that means.”
“Really?”
“My Daddy said he never saw anyone fall in love before but he saw it with us. I'll tell you it's true. Until he started singing 'America, the Beautiful' standing there, I knew it was special, but it was at that moment I knew I loved him. And it was right after that he said the words which told me he was kindred with the land there.
Until that moment, I was set in my mind to do a ten year contract, but he begged me to never make him leave.”
The tears stung my eye and I said, “It told me I couldn't ever make him leave.”
He hugged me and I put my head upon his shoulder.
“My God he's lucky.” he said breathlessly
“Yeah, but I'm the luckiest one. I searched long and hard for it and when he came, I just knew.”
“What do you advise about me and Don.”
“Split up. Get to know yourself and love yourself. Be alone and secure in being alone. For me, it took leaving all I knew and was secure with in order to begin finding myself and loving me. When I struck out, I forged ahead. When I struck out again, I forged further. Then, I decided maybe it wasn't for me and figured maybe my calling was helping others...so, I began helping someone and it led me out here where En came in...then the world changed.”
“How much of this land do you own?”
“Oh man, do you see that tree out there next to that road?”
“Yeah.”
“I planted it as a marker. Over on that hill is one tree. You probably can't see it, but I see the speck. I guess I should get a light put out there so I can see it...but that's the other boundary. All along the front is the highway. Where the property line ends up there is exactly where the divided highway ends.”
“That's quite a bit away.”
“Back when we bought, this was twenty two dollars and acre. It's exactly two miles deep and five miles wide.”
“My God.”
“Gino thought I was insane for wanting that much, but I told him we better get it all because the city was coming this way. He wanted to know how come I thought so, and I laid it all out to him. He said everyone said going South would make more sense and I told him they could only go so far before they'd have to come this direction. What you may not realize is speculators go where the land is cheapest, not where they're told to go. If I'm going to plant houses, I'm not going to pay eight thousand an acre, I'm going to pay twenty bucks. The highway was already here, so we came out here. When he saw me kicking ruts in the sand, saying, this is where the parking lot will be and this is where the corner of the hotel will be and started laying it all out, he knew he better buy it or I'd have it up not owning the land.
What's great about it is we found near perfect building here. It's mostly flat and it's mostly easy digging, so they said it didn't need all we said it'd need. I threw a fit and told them to build it, or else. They built it, but that fuckin' architect changed the plans on me. Since then, I don't trust him and he knows it.”
“Why keep him?”
“Dave went to college with him so the guy's like a fraternity brother or something. Needless to say, Dave gets to keep him and I get what I want because I tell the bastard I'll put him under the next hotel when I have to implode it and start over.”
He chuckled. “So I'm not the only one to get your wrath!”
“Hardly!” I paused and said, “Eric, believe it or not, I understand you. My real father was abusive to us and when he and my Mom finally called it quits, that was the day he lost the power and he actually became a decent person. It was like all the stress caused him to be so uptight.”
“I wasn't happy. I know I took it out on them a lot, but I knew if I went home, there'd be expectations and if I didn't, I was a rotten bastard.”
“I'd rather be a rotten bastard and be away. They can get to know me on those terms better than on the terms which caused incidents.”
“Are you like the way you were in there underneath, or was that just for me?”
“It's me with the mafia. If I'm a wuss that man in there walks out and tells everyone else I'm one. If I'm a wuss to you, you don't take me seriously. I'll tell you I'll love you as my father in law, but I'll be a rotten motherfucker if I've got to go there with you again.
In regards to the mafia, it's what I hate about all this. It's a business I love the benefits about, but it's a business where I'm the one in charge and if I've got to make a demonstration, it's me who's got to make it and make it unforgettable enough no one questions my authority.
What I'll tell you is you got off light. I'll tell you when I get it in my mind I've got to break someone, I'll kill them before I give up. There are notches like one of those electrical things with me where you turn up the voltage until they're burnt to a crisp. I learned a long time ago how to torture and what you don't know is each time, I do it different so even Dave doesn't know what to expect.
In regards to the fish weights on your head. Let me tell you something, I thought that up laying in the hospital going through the same thing. They put this fuckin' skull cap on and it felt like they were ripping the top of my head off with it. I'll tell you I begged for the morphine and they'd give it and it'd wear off and I had to zone out the pain and wait for another hour before I could get it again.
In order to endure it, I kept telling myself I was getting the face lift from hell and devised that way to torture someone.”
“Why were you in the hospital?”
“I got beat. Let's go in and I'll show you the photos. People can't believe someone would live through that, but I did.”
I went in and said, “Dave, I'm showing him the beating photos, You might want to take that cheese away.”
He smiled, “You'd probably stand there using some string cheese at a pointer.”
“Yeah.”
En came over and asked, “My I see?”
“You stand close because you'll be a basket case.”
I turned to Eric and said, “No, I've not let him see and it's because I'm trying to let go of it. It's holding me back, but it's best you see so you know I didn't always look like this.”
The man from the Conq came over and I said, “Ok, here's the story.”
I proceeded to tell them the story and showed how I looked prior to the beating. Then, I told them about why it happened and led them up to the incident.
When we went into the pictures. My voice went cold and I showed the crime scene photos. En started sobbing hard and he covered his head. Soon, he was vomiting. Eric went over and held him and I saw the Conq guy looking away.
I fast forwarded it to the first surgery and said, “Ok, I'm through crime scene photos, here's after the first surgery.”
En came over and hugged me and he stared. Then, he started crying harder and I kissed his forehead and ran my fingers through his hair, “It's ok Babe, I lived!”
“I can't believe he abandoned you in there!”
“It was tough for him.”
I hugged him to me like a baby and began narrating again. Eric said, “It had to be horrific with the pain.”
“It was. What was tougher was not having my lover there and when he did come in, he didn't stay. Then, he began an affair with the nurse and I could hear them making their plans and see them kissing in the hallway.”
As the pictures progressed, I told what each surgery did and why it had to be. I said, “I need three more surgeries, but it's not bad as it is. My eye needs a lift because it droops sometimes, but what you don't know if I can only cry out of one eye. The other, the tear duct is gone.”
I continued to tell and when it was over, I said, “That's the story of the face.”
I hugged En closer and said, “Honey, we need to get some rest. Let's get these contracts signed and get to bed.”
I turned, “Eric, for now, I'd say let's keep it the same. You live over there and perform and we'll get this built here. What I'm going to do is I'm going to let En out of this contract. We'll be on tour next Summer and I want time for us to go to Brazil next week and have a brief honeymoon before we come back here and get the contract ended.”
We signed the contracts and then, Eric asked, “Where's my manager, I'll let him know he's fired.”
I turned, “Dave, do you want to let that man out and let him know he's now out of a job with him?”
He went and came back with the man. “They tied me up!”
I turned and said, “Sir, you're now out of a job with these two. I've go someone who will be managing them the way they should've been managed. If you desire to sue him for anything, I'll assure you the counter suit will be swift and MY lawyers will grind you into dog food before I make them stop.”
“Who are you!”
“I own this place.”
“Fucking faggots!”
He started to walk off when I took him by the collar and put him face first into the wall. I put an arm bar on him and said, “Kansas City mafia will be on you if you fail to apologize.”
“Fuck you.”
I let him go and said, “Dave, take him to Kansas City. Let him see I don't threaten, intimidate, or put up with ingrates. While he's gone, put a suicide note in his car and burn his house down after cancelling the insurance.”
“Ok”
I went over and said, “Sir, when you're found, it's going to be a wonder they can identify your body...and they'll wonder how in the hell you committed suicide in that manner.”
In no time at all, there were three guys at the door. Dave handed him off and I walked over to Eric, “That man had an agreement with me. He broke it.”
“What was his agreement?”
“He was told he was going to be allowed to live as long as he was nice to everyone in the room. He wasn't.”
“Who will be my management?”
“You. I'll teach you how to do it and who to call. You'll be amazed at all you can get accomplished with a phone call.”
“What about my contract?”
“You managed it yourself and if you need a contract in thirty years, give me a call and I'll certainly negotiate for you.”
He smiled, “I've got some questions.”
“Ok, let's go get En put to bed. I'll talk with you there.”
I went over and took some of the cheese, sausage, wine, and crackers and got them put into a basket. I hugged Dave and said, “We're going.”
I went over and shook the Conq man's hand and said, “Do me right over there. I expect people to know my name and treat me with respect.”
He nodded. “Ok”
Eric, Enriches, and myself went down and walked through to our tower and road up. On the way up, I said, “Man it was quiet without gaming open!”
“Why's it shut?” Eric asked.
“The Conq man only wanted a hundred and sixty million for the hotel casino and I had to get it bought before I could deal with you. Dave tried calling our bank, but he couldn't get the man to open it...needless to say, he'll be replaced tomorrow. Rather than waiting, we raided the vault and when there's not enough money to cover what's out in gaming, the requirement is we have to shut down.”
“Why?” En asked.
“Because operating with money backing what we've got out there is legal and operating without is illegal. What you don't know is if we put in one slot machine and it has a maximum jackpot of twenty five thousand dollars, we've got to put that twenty five thousand in escrow to operate that slot. The way it goes, that's called the operating fund. You operate within it and all the rest is considered profit each day.”
Eric said, “All these years I've been in Vegas I didn't know that!”
“It gets to be quite a bit of money when you've got the number of slots we've got. I'm about to put in penny slots and take out a lot of the more expensive ones. The reason is we're basicly raiding the op fund to pay for the expansions, but we're going to build them back up.”
Eric looked perplexed, “How are you raiding them?”
“Ok, let's say a penny slot machine costs us five grand and it's max pay out is forty five hundred dollars. If we replace a dollar slot which has a pay out of twenty five thousand, then we are out ninety five hundred, but when you subtract that from the twenty five thousand, you've got fifteen five from replacing that one machine.
What you don't know is on the accounting side of things, that old slot has depreciated off and only that escrow stays in the black. When you replace new, you have the old, you've got the new, and you've got the old escrow and the left over on the books.
It gets confusing, but I can borrow against that leftover escrow or raid it and I'm not penalized as long as I don't play that old slot. However, when you do that with all the machines, you've basicly got an old casino in the basement and a new one where you're playing. Because I could technically play those old slots, I can borrow against their potential earnings and suddenly I'm essentially borrowing against a ghost casino and operating the real. It's tricky on the books, but it's a great write off because that old casino isn't making money, so it's loser while the other is winner so I can write off the losses from the pluses and pay less taxes.”
En looked at Eric and asked, “Did you understand any of that?”
“No.”
“Ok, let's say you've got a race car. It's worn out and you've gone out and bought another. It's new, advanced and will make you win, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok, you could technically run them side by side on the track and make money with both, right?”
“Yeah.”
“But, let's say the new one has a tank full of gas, but the old one is empty.”
“Ok”
“So you go to the bank and you say, “Fill me up dude” and he lends you money on the old one except rather than racing them, you take the money he lent you on the old one and you build a race track. Are you following me?”
“Yeah, somewhat.”
“Tax wise, you're winning with the new one, but not with the old one, but you've got that loan over there and the payments and interest, so you've got losses. You've got winnings on the new one, but because you own both, you've got a plus and a minus, so you're not going to have to pay taxes on the minus because you didn't make it. All you're paying taxes on is the profit”
“Ok!”
“What I'm doing is I'm saving all the old machines back. The reason is under that Ginosaur, I'm going to open the longest casino floor in the world and suddenly have it all as a write off.”
“Why?”
“I can advertise the largest everything here. The Gino is to Las Vegas as Texas is to the United States. Everything bigger at the Gino...our stars, our gaming, our rooms, our food, and all that.
You'll be on the ads Eric, and you'll be in the largest theater in Vegas.”
“That'll be great!”
“What I'm going to do so you know up front is I'm lowering the cost of the tickets.”
“Why?”
“First of all, you don't make money on the tickets. Right?”
“Right.”
“What you make money on is your pay per week. So, what I've got is I've got a theater four hundred percent bigger than the other guys, so I could technically lower the prices to twenty five percent of what everyone else charges and fill it to overflowing non-stop.”
“Yeah.”
“But I'm not. What I'm going to be charging half. They think they've got a deal, but that's going to fill it the same and all that I made is probably going to pay for the Conq now...or any others Dave gets me roped into buying.”
Eric asked, “Will you make money with the Conq?”
“Yeah. It's a class act, but what you see is I'm going in there debt free and he went in owing everyone three billion. If he's even, he's paid all the bills but that two hundred and eighty million. It's stupid because he had it ninety percent paid for and let it go. He could've caught the theft and had it paid for, but he didn't.”
“Where were they stealing?”
“They had a counting machine which was short stacking. What I mean is lets say you put in a stack of twenties. It's two thousand dollars for a short stack and five thousand for a tall stack. A brick is a hundred of the shorts or two hundred thousand.”
Eric chuckled, “I've heard all these terms but I've never known what they were!”
“What happened there is we count over here and wrap our money. I'll tell you when we make bricks that's for an open stack in the cage. What that does is it's a constant til for them to cash out. For instance if I've got too many hundreds, I got to my back cage and that teller gives me a short stack for two thousand in hundreds.”
“Ok!”
“When you see us seal the money in cellophane, that's a block. You've got bricks and you've got blocks. A block is ten bricks or two million. It's always the same so if you see hundreds it's ten million or fives it's half a million or tens which is a million. It's easy to count that way and it's easy to stack and all you've got to do is count the blocks and you've got a quick inventory.”
Eric nodded and I said, “SO, when we need a hundred and sixty million we pull in a cash cart and we load it. I'll tell you that load got counted ten times at the Gino, so we know it came out at a hundred and sixty million exactly.
When we get over there, they're counting and remaking the stacks, bricks, blocks, and counting it. I'm watching because this one machine routinely came out with money left over.”
“Huh?”
“If I hand you two thousand and you count it and it stops and tells me there's two thousand in it, I think, “Ok, he gave me too much!” If I do that over and over and over and it's constantly doing that, then at the end of a night, I've put two million through it, I'm going to have a huge stack over there. That's skim.”
“What do they do with it?”
“That's money which goes to your backers every day. It's tax free and the hotel writes off the money it had to pay in difference because it's called evaporative costs.”
“Oh! I've heard the 'evap' was high there, but I didn't know what it meant.'
“Now you know and someone had that counting machine set up that way. I'll tell you it didn't come from the factory that way because it'd be dumb.”
“But he didn't know?”
“I'll tell you he was blind. I'll tell you whoever his backer was had someone in there sending him the skim and I'll tell you I'll have a long talk with that person.”
“In a bad way?”
“Nope. I'll tell him no one else gets the skim except me and it's going to my own account someplace in this world.”
“Why skim from yourself?”
“That money is tax free coming to me. I don't pay taxes on it and the hotel writes it off. If I pay myself dividends from the place, I pay taxes.”
“What do you do with it?”
“Invest it elsewhere. Because I'm investing above board, I can take my dividends paid and suddenly, I can buy stock with it or another casino with it, or whatever and it's laundered.”
“Man that's complex.”
“The way Dave had that set up at the Gino was he had a General Manager who basicly told him how HE was going to do things instead of how we wanted things. That man was opening a new bank account a day and shooting Dave the account number in a text message and then, Dave was having to clean it out and close the account and move it something like thirteen times around the world before it was lost enough it couldn't be found the the feds.
I didn't know all this. Dave had me call the man and he got hateful with me and treated me like I was dumb. Needless to say, I climbed into his ass and didn't come out. Dave panicked because he's seeing the man go to the feds and I'm like, he'll be too busy being dead to get there.
So what happened there was I came out and the guy treated me like shit. I fired him and then called Dave. Dave was worried because he hadn't gotten the text that day and that's when the man and me went to the desert and he got made to give me the account number. He did and I texted it to Dave.
What ended up happening after that was I got a General Manager in here who told me he'd do the money chase all over ther world instead of Dave having to do it and it could all go into one account. He did and suddenly, it's all better.
What we've got now is that bank we do business with here who wasn't there when we needed them to be. I'll tell you I do that man a lot of favors, but that stops.”
“What do you do for them?”
“By law, the ATMs in the casino have to be operated by a bank off site. Now, I could open my own bank and operate the ATM in the casino, but the way I see it is they scratch our back, we scratch theirs. Last night, I got a knife in mine and first thing in the morning, you'll see my maintenance men putting out of order signs on them and us going to that bank and closing our account. They'll be told to get them out and I'll find someone I can do business with who will be available.”
“All over this one deal?”
“No, it's a lot of little things stacking. This one is just the final one. What you don't know is we've done our business at the casino different based upon the requirements of the bank.
What that means is I mentioned short stack and tall stack.”
“Right”
“The bank requires tall stack, not short.”
“Oh!”
“Now I'll tell you up and down this strip, everyone else does it short. It's just a given when you say you want a stack of twenties, you get two grand...five stacks is a ten stack and that's how we block them in our treasury.”
“What's the difference between a treasury and a vault?”
“Ok, here's the difference. In the treasury is all your active currency. What I mean is this. Money in play is active. Money in the vault is what we use as our escrow. It's totally separate in an undisclosed room so even if we're robbed, they're not shutting us down, they're only getting what is active.”
“Ok, so money in play is what now?”
“Ok, you come in and you put twenty in a slot machine, that's money in play. Let's say you play it down until one penny and then, instead of walking to the cage, you walk out the door with the slip and that penny is kept in our active until you come get it. Most of the time, people won't, but I saw one time when some lady walked up and she had a purse of the things and each one was a thousand dollar slip. All in all, she had over half a million in slips. We cashed them, but when I saw her walk away, I thought, “It takes all kinds” because she didn't get one speck of interest on the money and neither did we.”
“You don't?”
“No, whatever's in the vault doesn't get taken out. I'll tell you why.
If we take it out, we're paying taxes on it. As long as it stays in, we're not.”
“Oh!”
“That's why you pay skim. Your backers are going to scream if they're not paid something. You want them happy and you'd rather do an inventory and have evap than an unhappy backer.”
“Ok, so you don't pay taxes on it.”
“Now, let me tell you something. That's not entirely correct. What I mean is you've got to do quarterly asset compilations. If you hear it's a qac time, you know people are pulling out their hair.”
“Why?”
“Every damned doller in that vault has to be recounted by hand and counting thrice. If it comes up off, they do it until it comes up even. I'll tell you it's a bitch.”
“And that happens every quarter?”
“Yeah. And there's no cheating.”
“What's that mean?”
“For weekly and monthly reports, I can cheat. I can stack in pills a million dollars and it stays in the pill. The pill is the blue plastic things you see when they come out at the end of a shift. They put the money in there and it goes to the vault and gets counted.”
“So they bring out a million on the floor?”
“No, what I mean is you always have those plastic boxes around, so why not use them back there and stack a million in it and save yourself time? So we do that and then, we have a money cart we stack them on in the back and I'll tell you what we do is we will put twenty million on a cart and then seal it. That way, no one gets sticky fingers and it's easy to count.”
“It's a lot more complex than I thought.”
“Not really. IF you went back in there for a day, you'd sound like an old pro doing it. You'd be slow, but you'd be experienced. I'll tell you I've been back there enough, I can about take a stack of money and tell you how much is in the stack just by it's weight in my hand.”
“How?”
“Ok, a machine counts out two or five thousand. You pick it up, put a sticker on it, and it weighs the same time after time. It weighs the same for equal numbers of ones, fives, tens, twenties, or whatever.”
“Ok”
“So I'm used to feeling the weight of a two and a five stack and if it's in between, I base it if it's closer to the two or the five. I used to do that in there so I wasn't bored.”
“How could you get bored?”
“It's monotonous. It's the same thing over and over. It's the same smell over and over. It's the same color in there over and over. So, when I go back there, I really have to be wanting to get away from a lot of bullshit.”
We went into the bedroom and I said, “Ok, sit over there and I'll get him to sleep.”
“What are you doing?”
“When he was a baby, your wife slept with him right here. She ran her fingers through his hair and her nose always was here. When he lays down, he's out like a light if I do it.”
I lay there and he kissed me, “We make love tomorrow night?”
“Yup, we'll be married.”
“I love you.”
“As I do you.”
In no time, his breathing was rhythmic. I got up and said, “He's out.”
“That fast!”
“Yeah. Did you see when he was hugging me? It calms him down too. You don't know how fast I've caught on to what it takes to be his lover.”
“I didn't know that about him.”
“I'll tell you your wife made it easy. With me running my fingers through his hair, he's completely at ease with me. And if we're riding together in the truck, all I have to do is caress his arm and he's relaxed.”
He smiled, “I'm glad you are with him.”
“I'm glad he's with me! Come over here.”
“Why?”
“I want to show you something.”
We went over and I took one of the pictures and took it over to the mantel. “What do you think?”
“It's beautiful, did you do that?”
“No. A friend of ours.”
“Are they for sale?”
“Not these as he picked them and she wouldn't take anything for them, but the others are for sale.”
“How much?”
“I need to ask you. What would you pay for it?”
“Oh, that's not my forte'.”
“We're asking thirty grand.”
“That's not bad at all!”
“Are you aware he has a pair of jeans which cost him fifteen thousand?”
“What?”
“I nearly fell over. I'll tell you, we're going to have those jeans when we're old and I'm going to rib him about them.”
“That's ridiculous!”
“I say the same thing...well, I tell him I could get an eight dollar pair to cover that pretty ass a lot better!”
He laughed,
“The girls who make these are friends of ours. One makes the picture and the other makes the frame. They're having a hard time financially, so I offered to set these up when all the stars were here to get some sold.
Thirty grand to some stars is nothing, but to those girls, it's their house payment for the next three years. If we sell ten, that's their house paid off and then, they can go to Brazil with us to adopt children with us.”
“How many children?”
“En wants a dozen. I want one. My Dad said to have four. That way, we're good.”
“Why not space them out?”
“Because the orphanage is open now and adopting out now. There are no guarantees.”
“You can't go to another?”
“No, first of all, many won't adopt to gays. Others require inspections and paperwork from agencies up here and either they don't adopt to gays, or the state won't allow us to adopt them. That's why we've got to go and get them adopted soon.”
“Don't get them at the same age. Different age levels are better for the children. It makes them more like other children around them.”
“I can see myself having three kids. I can see two boys and a girl...a beautiful dark eyed girl.”
“Who looks like you?”
“Ok, she can look like me, but our oldest boy has to look like him and the youngest will be Roberto.”
“Why that name?”
“After my Dad. The oldest will be Enriches Eric...or Easy for short.”
“And the girl's name?”
“Venus.”
“Why?”
“She's a Goddess of Love.”
“A Goddess of Love, I thought she was THE Goddess.”
“Within us are Gods of Love, besides, Cupid, Eros, and others were in the love department also. It wasn't a one woman show.”
He chuckled, “Venus Rhette, or Rhette Venus?”
“RV for initials? My God, take her out to the country!”
He chuckled, “I'd say that wasn't a good idea.”
“Let's leave Rhette off of her. One is enough.”
“What would you name her besides Venus?”
“Venus Immanuel Michaels. Then, her initials would be Vim...or vitality or energy. That'd be cool.”
“The boys going to be Michaels?”
“Nope. I want the family name carried on.”
“Thank you.”
“Family means everything to me.”
“And Roberto's middle name?”
“Gino.”
“You loved him.”
“I loved him in all ways, but it wasn't returned or appreciated until he lost me.”
“How does that make you feel?”
“Sad, but I really believe I've been given another chance, so I'm not going to stay melancholy.”
I grabbed my cell phone and began to sing, 'Morose'.
“Where'd that come from?”
“I dont know and don't ask. All I know is it comes and I keep it rolling.”
“May I stay here tonight?”
“In the hotel? Or the suite?”
“Either.”
“Do you want to move in over here at the hotel? If so, I'll let him know he's not allowed to stay there.”
“Give him a month. He doesn't have a place.”
“Ok, when would you like to get your things from there?”
“I'll make an arrangement.”
“I was willing to offer you some protections.”
“He won't be nasty.”
“Does he have any options on any series?”
“No.”
“I imagined he didn't. It seems to go in cycles. It's either him in a series or the Baldwin brothers. They won't let them go up against each other with their jaw lines looking the same.”
“Is that what you think?”
“I'm trying to ignore the fact he put himself in that porn shop buying dildos.”
“It was a bad move on his part, but I understand why.”
“Why?”
“He'd bought a lot of things there already. He thought he was safe.”
“I'll tell you I have the name of the person who reported him and I've got the name of the person who put that out in the media.”
“Larry Flynt put it out in the media.”
“Yeah.”
“Who sold the information?”
“Someone who shopped it around until Flynt bought it. Let's just say he's since not done well and if I fucked his world as far as credit goes, he'd not be hurt.”
“He deserves it in a lot of ways.”
“Ok, if you say so.”
I pulled out my phone and called a concierge. “Yes Mr Michaels.”
“Eric will be staying with us. Is there a suite available on this floor?”
“Not tonight.”
“Ok, tomorrow night?”
“Yes.”
“We'll look for him one he'll be comfortable in and get it handled. When his name gets put on it, consider that room lost forever.”
“Will do.”
“I need someone up here to get the pictures and will need about thirty easels for a makeshift gallery.”
“Let me call around and see who has the easels.”
“Ok. Give me a call back.”
I hung up and said, “I'm going to be going down and setting up a gallery for their photos. They don't have any star suites tonight or tomorrow night due to my family coming in. You're welcome to stay here as there's an extra bedroom.”
“You'll be making love tomorrow night.”
“Oh yeah.”
HE smiled, “You're putting him off until after the wedding?”
“It didn't mean to be so long. It ended up happening, but tomorrow night will be our night.”
“Are these your wedding clothes?”
“Yes. This is my skirt suit and that's his tux.”
“You've got fine taste in clothes.”
“It was my sister's prom dress. Mom cut it off for me.”
“Really? You have a sister?”
“Yeah, her names Jillian. She's a celebrity.”
“Really?”
“Do you watch television?”
“No, I'm afraid not.”
“It's a shame. You'd cry a lot.”
“Why?”
“I don't watch much television, but in the recent months Sunday is my day to watch due to football. I record my sister's show and watch it on Sundays.”
“What's her show?”
“It's a weight loss show. They take contestants and for twelve weeks, they put them on diets and work their asses off. Jilli is a trainer and she has a team and another guy has a team. Because she's on the show now and has been on seven seasons, it seems everyone knows her.”
“What's she like?”
“I love her, but she's not easy to love. We've spent most of our lives not speaking, but now, we're growing up and realizing we need each other.”
“Is she going to be here?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Is my family?”
“Yes.”
“I didn't know.”
“I didn't give you that option. It's for him, not you.”
“I know.”
I turned, “Eric, what do you enjoy doing?”
“Not much really.”
“Do you enjoy hockey?”
“Yes.”
“Please don't say the Ducks.”
A smiled broke out on his face, “No, Toronto.”
“Man! Why can't I get someone who likes the Blues!”
He chuckled, “You like the Blues?”
“Yeah.”
“I pity you.”
“Fuck you!”
He laughed, “He's loved the Ducks since they started.”
“I have a friend who is a Blackhawks fan.”
“Oh”
“We spur each other a lot over it...because of the rivalry.”
“Why did you ask what I enjoy doing?”
“I have someone who is a friend of mine who is also a singer. He's got problems and needs someone.”
“Really?”
“He'll probably be here tomorrow. If he's not, I'm going to be pissed.”
“Why?”
“Because it means he didn't get told and that's just wrong.”
“Can you call him?”
“One moment.”
I pulled out my cell and tried. “It may not work, I've not spoken with him for a long time.”
“Hullooh”
“Geo?”
“Where are you at?”
“Las Vegas.”
“I know, I'm going to be there.”
“Where are you now?”
“You sent a plane. I'm on my way.”
“Get sleep because I'm going to see about introducing you to someone.”
“Why?”
“For a relationship.”
“Uh...”
“Geo, we'll talk when you get here. Let me know when you're here.”
“Ok, we're over New York now.”
“Good, that means four to four and a half hours.”
“Who is it?”
“Someone who needs someone who will be good for him...the same as you.”
“You're not going to tell me?”
“I can't get you to say you'll try a relationship. Why would I give out his information and give him yours?”
“Rhette, it's been hard.”
“I love ya dude. I'll speak with you when you get here.”
“Ok”
I hung up and said, “He'll be here in four to four and a half hours.”
“You're not happy with him.”
“Nope. I love him as a friend, but he keeps jacking himself and it totally pisses me.”
“What's jacking?”
“Well, he probably does that too, but what I mean is he's his own worst enemy. He's had a career and then fucked it up. And then, he had a career starting again, and fucked it up. In rock music, he's Brittany Spears.”
The Concierge came. “Mr Michaels, I am here. Where would you like the easels?”
“Down by En's theater.”
“Oh, I brought them up here.”
“We'll need to take them down. Here are the pictures. These over here do not go. I would like some easels for these while they're here.”
“There's six?”
“Yes.”
He brought in six and I put the pictures on them. I turned the light behind them and turned it on. It lit them up somewhat, but not real good like I hoped.
“Let's load these on the cart and set them up. I will need security putting a man on them, but I want them out where people will see them and consider buying them.”
We went down and got near En's theater. The wedding decorations were going up...white with pink. I was a little irked, but I wasn't going to bitch about the pink when I didn't state a color.
“Let's put them in here.”
A very flamboyant man came running up, “Excuse me but you CAN'T put those here!”
He came running up with his hand on his hip and then did the head bob and turned to stare at Eric.
“Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm honey.”
Eric chuckled and I said coolly, “Sugar gum drop, I'm about to put you on your katookus. First of all, I own this motherfucker and I'll tell you where and when I'll put something around here. Furthermore, you're staring at person who is the groom's father like he's what's for supper.”
“And WHOOO are you?”
The concierge said rather loudly, “Mr Michaels, would you like me to set up easels?”
“Yes. The gold might clash with the pink I didn't order, but rightly, I don't give a damn!”
Eric chuckled, “ Let's let him do his work and we'll do ours.”
I asked, “Belle, would it be alright if we put these over here?”
“No, I've got plans for all this space.”
I whipped out my phone and called Dave. “Yeah Rhette”
“I'll give you a guess where I am of how big of a showdown it'll be between me and a rather flamboyant homosexual if you don't get your ass down here.”
“Oh Lord! I'm on my way.”
I hung up and said, “Dave is on his way down.”
“Well it's about time someone put you in your place fuckERRR!”
“It's decided yet whether I'll be the fucker or fucked. What I will tell you every so politely is the color theme for this is white with cherry. You've got pink instead of red or the burgundy I expected. I was willing to forgive your fuck up, but you sashed when you should've shayed up to me and pissed off the wrong person. Then, you stared at the groom's father like a piece of meat and then shove it back at me once more. Now, all I can hardly do is wait to see how fast Dave can get here.”
“He's assured me the bitch who's marrying MY Enriches is going to love it...I'll have you know!”
With that, he leaned forward and snapped his fingers in my face. I snatched his wrist and said, “Put it in my face again, you'll have nothing to retract the next time.”
“RHETTE!”
Dave came running full bore and slid. “Let him go!”
“Dave, get the little fairy princess away from me. He's unable or unwilling to realize I outrank him on that scale.”
Dave asked, “What's going on?”
The little vixen turned, “This punk thinks he can manhandle me! I can't work like this!”
With that, I snatched him by his throat. “SO far I've been a bitch and now I'm a punk. You're fired!”
Dave turned, “He's all I could get!”
“With good reason!”
Dave pried my fingers from the kid's throat and said, “Less violence.”
“Do you have the keys for the theater?”
“Yes.”
“My advice is take the she-hee-hee devil in there and let it know exactly who I am and why I refuse to step back.”
Dave said, “Come with me before he kills you!”
Eric started laughing and said, “How much crow can one eat?!”
“I don't know, but I've got to figure how my wedding got so fucked up!”
Dave came back out with the guy by one hand. The guy was wide eyed with his hand over his mouth.
“Oh, I'm so sorry Mr Michaels!”
“You were warned when he called me Mr Michaels, but you were so intent on calling me a bitch and a punk, you just buried yourself in crepe paper and streamers! I'll forgive you this time, but I will have my art down here. You figure where and let me know.”
“There is fine.”
“No, I insist. You had something going there, so I insist you put it there so it's beautiful...just let me know where you want it to go.”
Words started forming and I pulled my phone and pressed record. The words flowed and as they did, 'My Wedding Day' came out.
“Oh, that's beautiful!”
“As you see, I write music.”
Dave asked, “Is it suitable for you Rhette?”
“Did you tell him pink?”
“Yes.”
“It's what I get when I ask a straight man to define what in the hell his cherry looks like!”
Eric busted out laughing and the decorator did a raspberry he was trying to not laugh so hard.
Dave asked, “What's wrong with it!”
I hugged him and said, “Hon, I'll deal with it. It's not burgundy or red, but I'll be happy.”
“You wanted burgundy?”
“The ice cream is pink, we'll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hey, it's probably going to be the biggest wedding occasion this year on Entertainment This Evening, so I'll have to realize most of America won't mind if it's pink.”
The decorator said, “I'll get burgundy foil hearts and get those taken down.”
I put my hand on his shoulder, “No, let it be. When he gets married, I get to pick the colors...I nodded. It will be JUST fine!”
Dave said, “The burgundy has to go up now! He'll have my wedding so messed up people will talk about the revenge he got for decades.”
I shook my head, “No, seriously. I think Dark Chocolate Brown and Gray-orange are beautiful colors for a wedding. It puts me in a Fall kind of mind...kind of like puking in a park on Autumn leaves.”
Dave said, “Vicious...that's what you are!”
I said, “Let's get this done down here. We can put up the art pieces later when we know where they'll fit better. Now, I want to go into the theater and do a sound check.”
“Why?”
“Because as busy as it is and will be, this is about the only time I've got for it between now and tonight.”
“I'll get someone here.”
I turned to the concierge. “Put the art pieces in here. We'll set them up later. I appreciate what you're doing.”
Eric walked into the theater and asked, “What was the sudden change of mind you had there?”
“Somehow, I heard my mother screaming to me not to piss off the decorator. Call it an omen, but I decided I had to kiss the little queen's ass.”
Dave said, “Someone's on the way.”
“Ok”
I went up on the stage and Eric stood there.
“His stage is different than mine.”
Eric asked, “You have your own?”
“I used one in Americana last time. Would you stand back by the door and see if you can hear me?”
“Yeah.”
He went back and I asked, “Can you hear me now?”
“Yes.”
I lowered my voice, “Now?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok, I'm going to sing. Let me know why he has a sound system in here if the acoustics are that good.”
I decided to sing some Martha. 'I don't know anybody else'. Dave came in and about three seconds later, the decorator was in through the door jumping up and down.
I didn't stop when the sound system went live and when the song ended, I segged over into Chaka Khan's 'Clouds' and then over to Kina's 'Girl From The Gutter'.
Suddenly, from behind me I heard the intro piano for 'If I Can't Have You'. I turned and saw Eric playing. I turned around and began the beat box for the rest. As the vocals came out, I was hitting highs which were incredible and then, more pieces of the band came in.
When it was over, I turned, “I really want to do 'Whatever Whenever' It's saying what I want to to him.”
The drummer began on the bongos and I did the intro breathlessly. As it caught on, Eric interrupted me, “Rhette!”
“Yeah!”
“We need my orchestra.”
“Can we fit them in here?”
The bass player said, 'We can fit them. There's a lot of back stage we can use.”
“Dave!”
“I'm on it Rhette!”
“Ok, dress rehearsal at ten am. While you're on that phone, I need a stylist to get my hair done.”
“When?”
“As soon as possible. Tell them I need blonde white extra long extensions.”
“Ok I'll get someone.”
I went into an accapella version of 'Orinoco Flow'. The bass player obviously knew it because he began pumping out the harp sounds. What's cool is the guitarist began doing a Santana version of it on his guitar.
When it faded, I went into 'Miss Independent' with a lot more growl and soul sound. The band was good, they went right into it. On the chorus the highs I went into had the decorator squealing back there. I chuckled and growled it out because I knew at some point tonight, I was getting out of that wedding dress and getting into my leathers.
At the end, I asked, “Guys, Do you know 'Send Me A Lover' by Taylor Dayne?”
The pianist began and I said, “Thank you”
I rolled into it and by the highs, I was into it and knew it'd need to be followed up with something kickin' if I was wearing my white leather so when it ended, I said, “Give me some Slash on that guitar with Mony Mony”. He went into and I went into it with the wake up and the drummer began pounding the hell out of them and that's when the growl hit and I took it in. By the first chorus, I knew we'd have them standing on their feet the whole night long.
What's amazing is the guitarist did one sound and suddenly, I followed in with the first line of 'Cum On Feel The Noise'. He and the bass player hit it and the drum player was suddenly in.
At the end, I said, “Guys, My God! I don't know where the metal came from, but that was hot!”
Eric came over smiling, “You do realize you could carry the tour on your own.”
“Yes and I'd be a lonely motherfucker out there without him.”
“I suggest putting out a show which has sections to it and go for a Celine Dion act.”
“I'd like more of a Cher stage act with the looks and costume changes. I do know I'll be in my leather outfit at some point tonight. I'm also thinking about performing 'Fallen'.”
“Do it. That song is wonderful.”
I went to the drummer and said, “Ok, here's a song I wrote which is going to have you and little else. I'll have the pianist on a synth but let let me give it to you so you know. I need a snare. That's it. It's a death cadence.”
He looked at me blankly and I said, “Hang on, let me play it for you from my phone. I wrote it earlier tonight and you're going to love it.”
I pulled it up and began to play it. The other guys came over and listened. The pianist said, “Ok, 'Taps' at the end. Wow!”
The drummer said, “I'll play the beat, but you need to let me know through some signals how you're wanting it. Put your hand in a fist if you want it faded or open if you want it louder.”
“Ok”
I went up and he began to do it and I said, “Ok, hold up, I've got a different idea. I went over to the pianist. “Is there anywhere in this thing you've got a tommy gun?”
“Why?”
“I need boomboomboomboom loud full sounding like a machine gun but big bore. That'll be the four count starting it.”
He smiled, “Hang on.”
He tried and I said, “Deeper.”
We tried several times with it going down and finally, I said, “You're at a thirty eight, I need fifty caliber rounds.”
He went down and I said “Up one and you're there.”
He hit it and I said, “That!”
I went over to the drummer and said, “He's giving you a four count with a machine gun. Then, I want a one count with you fading in and getting louder until my words start. Then, when they start I want you lowly doing a brr roll into a side snap then a two count of silence with it again. I'll do the beat box and we'll get it because I can hear it up here, but I can't get it out.”
He nodded, “I understand.”
I went up and nodded, the gunshots and the intro were great. I began doing the rap and all the way through it was on, but I was missing the gun salute with the voices of the count offs for it.”
I stopped and said, “Guys, it's great, but I'm missing the count off and voices of the guys doing that twenty one gun salute. “Prepare Arms! Huh! With the gun following.”
“Where do you want them.”
“As soon as I say Fallen”
“Ok”
I went back over and nodded, the gunshots and on Fallen, the prepare arms huh bang was too long. I stopped and said, “Ok, that's too long, how about 'Salute! Huh! Bang!' and then I'll have that bang to get right back into it.”
We did it again and when it happened, I liked it better and at the end, I opened my hand and got the drum beats and started to close my hand when I nodded and 'Taps' got played.
“Guys, it can't get much better than that.”
The guitarist said, “We've not done much rap, but that is powerful. You in a woman's voice from that perspective is just raw. When you said, 'My Baby got laid to rest today' with that sob in your throat, I nearly lost it.”
I smiled, “Do you wanna lose it? Let me do this one for you. I wrote it the other day and not one single person hasn't cried.”
I went up and turned to the band and began to sing 'Baby, I'm Sorry' when it got finished, they were crying. “Now, let me get you out of it with a raunchy little melody”
I began to sing 'Cherry' and they were sort of sitting there with their mouths hanging open. The smiles hit and as I continued, they were liking it more and more. At the end, I said, “Ok, that wakes everyone up because a girl just doesn't talk like that.”
The guitarist said, “Man! It's clean, but man!”
I walked away and said, “Guys, here's what it's like when I write a song.” I held out my phone and got in front of the mic and began singing the words to 'Mr Clean'. At the end, I did the whistle and said, “Ok, that's how I write. It jumbles around like a volcano and I get about that much notice from him saying 'it's clean' to me having reels in my head hitting like a slot machine on that combination. Then, it's forming and I've got that much notice to get taping because it's coming out.”
“Just from what little I said?”
“Yeah, 'It's clean' went to “Mr Clean in tight blue jeans, he's clean shinin' like Vaseline. I don't know where he gets his clothes, but that bling if you know what I mean...his thing, my Mr Clean” I know it sounds like Rhianna, but that's how it came through in my head.”
I walked over and asked, “Do you know the 'Naughty Song'?”
They went into it and I did the rap back up on it for the mix. They didn't get it, but my band from the other night would've.
In the back of my mind, I thought of 'Please Don't Stop The Music' and suddenly, I had another song coming through. The phone came up and suddenly, 'Spin It' started coming out with the dance beat of 'Hey Mr DJ' in the background.
What's cool is as soon as 'Spin It' was out, the words for '3Meat Pizza' came out raunchier than hell with me making it sound enticing and breathless.”
When I was finished, the drummer asked, “Are you sure you don't already know these songs?”
“No, they come out like this. I get the roll and suddenly, it's coming out.”
I turned and said, “Dave, I need a cheerleader's costume with red and white and red and white Nikes and socks with balls at the back.
“Why?”
“I gotta another song coming through.”
The words came through for 'I stuff it' about a girl who stuffs her bra.
“What's funny is I see the video of this girl walking down the halls at school. Guys are taking their shirts off and she's stuffing it and a boy takes the sock out of his pants and she stuffs it and all the while, the things are getting bigger and bigger until the Gold City Boomers reads so messed up all you see is the OO.”
Dave's chuckling. “That's funny. I like the tune. I think it'd be funny.”
“I need some of those inflatables in there to pump it up.”
I turned and said, “Guys, that's it for me tonight. I appreciate you coming in.”
I went off the stage to Dave and asked, “Are they his band?”
“Yeah”
“Where's mine from the other night?”
“I don't know.”
“I want them. We jived together better than these guys. I like the guitarist, but all the others are mediocre. The ones from the other night caught onto me better.”
“I'll get them.”
“Where's Eric?”
“Out sniffin' the decorator's panties.”
“Huh?”
“He's ASSisting the decorator on the ladder with the burgundy HARDS”
“Ooh”
“You don't like the decorator?”
“I'm sorry, but if I ever acted like that, you should've used me for target practice and not missed.”
He chuckled, “You weren't ever that bad.”
“Thank God!”
We went out and I asked, “Are they his band for real?”
“Yeah.”
“Man, no wonder he's not going anywhere. We've got to get mine up there. I really liked those guys.”
“I'll get them.”
“I'm going up to bed. Put a guard on those pictures.”
“I'll get it done.”
On the way up, I had another song 'While My Baby Sleeps'. When I got to the room, I went in and got undressed. As I slid into bed next to him, he pulled me in, “Where have you been?”
“I took the pictures down and then, did a sound check with your band.”
“Everything go ok?”
“No.”
“I heard it in the sound of your voice. Wanna talk about it?”
“The decorator nearly got throttled. When I performed with your band, it was ok...as long as I was performing everyone else's music. When it came to us doing 'Fallen', it sounded mechanical because they say they don't do rap!”
“What's that mean?”
“It means we've got a dress rehearsal at ten. My band, yours, and your dad's orchestra will be there.
I felt naked without my band because they improvise so good. Your band sits there and stares as I'm writing a song and just doesn't get it. They're thinking I know the songs already...or something.”
“You don't sound happy.”
I rolled over and hugged him to me. “En, don't get me wrong. You've got an amazing voice. I know you've got talent and charisma, but when I look at all the shackles which have been placed on you, it's amazing me how you managed to get anywhere in the industry and have any hits at all.”
“I had a different band. The music company placed this one.”
“Is it ok if we let them go?”
“Yeah. I'll need one.”
“Can we see if mine will work with you? I feel like a heel saying anything, but on a scale of one to ten, I'd say yours is a two...I think our junior high's seventh grade band sounded worse. With the one I'm working with, I'd say it's a high eight or a low nine.”
“Ok, we'll need to work with them. Will they work with me on the new songs?”
“Yes, but we might want to integrate them into an orchestra at some time.”
“Why?”
“If we're going to go out on tour, I'm thinking about making it a variety show format more than a concert tour.”
“Why?”
“Gladys is on the tour. She needs orchestra to help. I don't know what she's working with, but I want her to have a classy accompaniment.
You are great so far. I am also, but we need to look into the next twenty years if we're going to look at this realistically.”
“What's that mean?”
“It means we've got careers ahead of us and if we're going to progress, it's going to have to be into things which sell out here between the runs out on the road.
People pay a lot of money to come out here and they expect a show which isn't something they can get while we're out on the road. We can dress it up out here and that's what we'll need to be viable.”
“Are we going to play out here?”
“I want our kids to have parents who show them a work ethic. They might not see us working in a factory, but they sure need to see us working.”
“I want to farm.”
“Yeah, and I need to do something also which isn't showing a three year old how to be mean.”
He kissed me, “I need to get up and go to the bathroom.”
“Are you ready to get up?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok, sometime, I need to get beautification done.”
We went into the bathroom and I hopped in the shower. He shaved and came into the shower with me. Soon, we were making out.
“Can we make love tonight?”
“Yes.”
He smiled, “You don't know how much I want that!”
“Oh...I do!”
He chuckled, “What's first on the 'to do' list?”
“Get breakfast and then, we've got to get our hair done.”
“Both of us?”
“You've got to have a freshen up. I want you to have some shine to your hair. I liked it tonight with the shine to it.”
He smiled, “Thank you.”
“Babe, I want to ask you a question. It's going to be out there for us.”
“What's that?”
“Do you know the song, 'Young Love'?”
“By Air Supply?”
“Yeah.”
“Can we do it? I know we'll have to pay royalties?”
“I think it'd be a beautiful duet for us. I know it's a remake, but it's something we could do which would give us time out on the stage together.”
He began singing it. I did the back up as he sang the first verse. When he went into the second, a tear trickled down his cheek. I wiped it with my finger.
As we sang, we looked into each other's eyes. The tears trickled.
“That song is beautiful. Your voice singing that higher part is amazing.”
“I was thinking about yours just now...how amazing it sounds compared to the original.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I like it better.”
“Really?!”
“Oh yeah. But, I'll tell you I love that song. It's easy to hit on key perfectly every time when I go into it. Usually, when I go into something like that, I've got to build up to it.
However, what's interesting is when you compare that tone to Bonnie Tyler's tone without the raspiness, it's uncanny.”
“Really?”
I went into 'Holding Out For A Hero'.
“How do you put that raspiness in?”
“Put your hand right here. When you sing it with a bit of a growl right here, that's how it comes out. It's the same way I get the Stevie Nicks sound except more of a flutter with my abs.”
I went into 'Edge of Seventeen' with his hands on my stomach and trachea.
“Wow!”
“Do you want to know a secret?”
“What's that?”
“You see me swinging my arms around while I sing. That's how I get the highs in a lot of them. When my arms are higher it's easier to hit the highs.
What's interesting is I've watched operatic sopranos from Beverly Sills to Sarah Brightman and Mariah and even Whitney and all of them raise their arms.”
Instantly, I heard 'In Your Arms' done way different. I said, “Babe, do you want to hear 'In Your Arms' done in the club version?”
“Huh?”
“I can hear us singing it. Let me do it in both our voices.”
I went into it and began singing the uptempo and began dancing up next. He smiled and nodded.
When he began singing, I threw in my background vocals. That's when he began smiling really big.
“I like it!”
I hear the horns and they're carrying what would normally be violins at they've got a really jazzy tune going on there.”
“Throw it in...let me hear.”
I went into the high metalic highs and his eyes lit up. “Oh man! That's awesome!”
“We need that orchestra babe.”
He chuckled, “Ok, that's convinced me.”
We went in and got dressed. He put on a pair of jeans which were cut under both cheeks of his ass.
“You bought them that way?”
“Yeah.”
“Hon, I'm not saying anything further.”
He giggled, “What?!”
“I have a friend who is a roofer. That's the way his look after about a month of sliding down roofing shingles on his ass. The only difference is his have the same things on his knees and he's usually dressed in a sleeveless tee.”
I went over and put on my black velvet pants and white button down. Then, I put on my black velvet jacket and threw my hair over.
“Do you realize how beautiful you look?”
I looked in the mirror, “Babe, I've got a request.”
“What's that?”
“Let's go on my laptop. I want to show you how I want my hair to look today.”
“You don't want it the Farrah look?”
“I want that, but I want it in a wig. I've got to put extensions in to have it and you just can't take it off like a wig.”
“What is it you want?”
“There's a memorial song on there which is 'Til I Can Make It On My Own' by Tammy Wynette. About three quarters of the way, there's two styles she had. One is in a pink 80's Dynasty looking dress and the other is an off the shoulder white one. I want my hair to look that way today.”
“Why?”
“Because thirty years from now when we're looking at our wedding photos, I'm going to look at you and think, 'Oh man what a dashing figure I married' and look over to see you're still the babe. Then, I'm going to look at my part of them and ask myself, 'What in the hell was I thinking with that!'
I want to look classy in the photos when people judge me on first impressions. It doesn't mean I don't want to wear my hair long for you, but I don't want my head filled full of extensions I can't get rid of.”
He put the song on and as he watched, I began singing.
“Oh man, I never realized how beautiful she was and how close you look like her in some of these pictures.”
I went over, “Which ones?”
“That white dress there in full view looks like your gray one. And that one where she's smiling looks like you.”
“I love that white dress at the near end. The one with her leaning on her right arm which has the fringe.”
“I love it too. It's showing a lot of cleavage. Would you be able to show that much?”
“Hardly! You gotta have something in order to get that much! Maybe by the time I've fifty I'll have that much loose skin!”
He smiled, “You're hot as you are.”
“Thank you, and you're quite the stud.”
“Ready to go get breakfast?”
“You never gave your opinion.”
He stood up and hugged me to him. “Babe, all of those are great.”
“I'm thinking about it because of the pill box and the veil.” I paused and asked, “When I go get the gray dress on, would you change into your black tux for me so we can stand there together?”
He smiled, “Sure.”
“I want us to be there standing together looking great.”
“What are the songs going to be tonight?”
“I don't know because I've written a bunch more.”
He looked interested, “What are they like?”
“Mr Clean is nice. I like it.” I started singing it and he smiled.
“How'd you come up with that?”
“Someone said one of the songs I sang earlier was clean but nasty.”
“Cherry?”
I smiled, “Yeah, but there's another now which is naughty. It's called '3 Meat Pizza'.”
“How's it go?”
I started singing and his eyes lit up with surprise.
When I finished, I went over to 'Stuff It' and that's when he started laughing because I was pantomiming the actions of stuffing a bra.
After that, I went into 'Spin It' and he nodded his head along with the rhythm.
“I like them all! But that 'Spin It' is going to be a hit!”
“There's another. I wrote it on the elevator coming back up here to slip into bed with you.”
I started singing, 'While My Baby Sleeps'.
“Oh man! That one there is beautiful!”
“That's how I feel when I come back to you.”
“Really?!”
“Of course.”
I winked, “Are you familiar with Taylor Dayne?”
“Not really.”
“Here's one which has me putting it into your voice and mine as a duet.”
I started singing 'Unstoppable' with a bit of Lou Rawls and then Anastacia in it.
He smiled, “I like that!”
“She's in a lot of red in that. You don't know how many times I watched that video to see if the outfit she wore had changed.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ok, as I said, there's a lot of red in it. She's in a bathtub with a red shirt in a tub. Then, she's in a red shimmer shirt which at first glance looks like a split suede with outer stitching...I thought. But, it's that shimmer shirt shining in the light.
What's hard is there's a lot of red on red on red there. There's a pair of red latex pants on a red leather sofa, so it's confusing.”
“Do you have it on here?”
“Yeah.”
I put it on for him and as he watched. Suddenly, he put it over on Anastacia's 'I'm Outta Love'.
I started singing and doing the choreography to it.
“Baby you're hotter than her!”
“I'm a copycat. I love that video because of that choreography. There's a live version in there also with a symphonic orchestra.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah.”
He watched and then asked, “Which one was it you said you were in with Anna?”
I went over and put it on. “See how many times I'm in it.”
“What's that mean?”
“Take a look because there's a lot of shots which are me which's not direct.”
“Really?”
“It's funny because if you went into it more than 8 seconds and didn't see me, you've went too far already for the first one.”
“Hang on. Is this like a hide and seek thing?”
“Yeah. It's damned near like I'm on the 8's in that thing.”
“Wow! It's really you up there!”
“And on the light stand. And holding the camera. And on the fan. And in the rain coat.”
“That's interesting!”
“What happened there was they had twenty people there. One of them was a walk on, but his group isn't any longer.”
“Who's that?”
“Go up to the Charles and Eddie folder. Then go back and you'll see him. The other guy died of A.I.D.S..”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and on the fucker's website, the one distances himself with his partner's death.”
“Ooh, I heard anger there.”
“Honey, there's people out there who stand on the fringes which put in cameos like that which which make you regret it later.”
I went over and went into my Madge file. “Watch that one.”
“Why?”
“The guy in it is from my home town.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Both he and his brother were awesome looking. The brother got with one of the most hideous looking scarecrow girls on face of the planet and everyone wondered 'what the fuck!', but they've been married forever, so it must work for them.”
“He's built!”
“He wasn't in high school. That's what the Marines will do to you.”
“He went to the Marines?”
“When we were graduating high school, jobs weren't found back home. It'll be like that again real soon and the military will be the only way out for a lot of guys and gals in small towns.”
We left it playing and got on the elevator. Soon we were down and going into eat breakfast.
The advantage of eating off a buffet is it's already cooked and there's plenty of variety.”
“Man mama! You're eating a lot!”
I chuckled, “It's going to be a long day. Besides, I ate this the day before yesterday and met you!”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so maybe it's my good luck breakfast!”
I pulled out my phone and dialed Jaymes. “Hello!”
“Hey, how are you?”
“Great.”
“What's on your agenda today?”
“Juarren and I are going to work out and then, we're going out tonight.”
“Cool!”
“What's going on with you today?”
“We're going to have breakfast here and then, we've got dress rehearsal, a beauty shop appointment, and then, I'm cooking lunch for fifty and signing the marital contract. Then, there's photos and the concert tonight. Someplace in there, we've got the meet and greet for the press with lots of stars.
The reason I called was I wanted you to know we're going to debut the video tonight behind me while I'm singing.”
“It's already done!”
“It's good enough we can show it.”
“Ok. I hope everyone likes it.”
“They should. How are YOU doing?”
“I've not felt the need to use at all.”
“Ok, I want to be called if you do.”
“I will.”
“And Jaymes?”
“Yeah.”
“Where are you now?”
“Out by the soccer field.”
“Go to the car for a moment and open the passenger door.”
“Ok”
I could hear him walking. And then, I could hear him getting the door open.
“Ok, I'm here.”
“Pull out that umbrella.”
“Where?”
“One the end of the door.”
“This is an umbrella?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok, I've got it pulled out.”
“Open it, but open it carefully...and make sure it's not windy there.”
“It's not.”
“Make sure the ground is dry.”
“It is.”
I heard him say, “What in the world?!”
“Hon, take that and get yourself a nice outfit for tonight and go by yourself an iPhone.”
“Man, it's twelve hundred dollars!”
“Yeah, it's my rainy day money.”
“Man!”
“Honey, you're doing good. I'm proud of you.”
“Thank you!”
“No problem. I'm just glad you're doing as well as you are.”
“Can I use some of it to take him to a nice dinner?”
“Yeah. That's no problem.”
“Where would you suggest?”
“How far away do you want to go?”
“I don't know. Quincy?”
“How about going out to Rustic Oak. You can have a real nice date there for fifty bucks.”
“Where's that?”
“Ok, there's two ways to get to it. You can go out Hwy 36 until you get to Route J and then turn there. And then, what you'll do is you'll drive for about ten miles and go over the dam and then, you'll keep going on Route J until you get to the long bridge going over the lake again and then, it's about a mile on the left. It's a log cabin.”
“Ok, what's the other way?”
“If you go out to New London to Hwy 19, you can drive to Center and keep going. When you see the used car cabin on the left and the opry on the right, that's County Road EE. Take County Road EE until you can't go no more and then take a left on J Then, it's about three miles. If you went to the dam, you went the wrong direction, but if you go across the lake on a long bridge, you'll be there in a mile.”
“Ok, I might go out that way and come in Hwy 36.”
“Be very careful at that Route J and 36 interchange. It should be four lane now, but that things killed enough people to fill several grave yards.”
“Ok, I will.”
“When you get there, their prime rib is amazing.”
“What's that?”
“It's one of the best cuts of meat you can get, I think. It's going to be a pound of meat, but it's really excellent. You and he will probably want to get the baked sweet potato. It's a lot better than the baked potato.”
“Ok. Are you going to go there?”
“Yeah.”
“Let me call and get you reservations. Mike out there is a real sweetheart and you can't find any better of a person. He's damned good looking also and doesn't judge gays at all.”
“Ok, we'll be there about six thirty.”
“I'll call.”
“Thanks Rhette!”
“No problem.”
I hung up and called Jeff.
“Hello?”
“Hey, I just gave your kid some money.”
“He's up by the car.”
“I had money hidden in the car. He's taking Juarren out for dinner. At Rustic Oak tonight.”
“Ok”
“Keep an eye on him. It's another test.”
“Oh! Ok!”
“If he passes it, we're out of trouble...I think.”
“If not, he's got a lot of money to get himself into trouble.”
“Ok, I'll keep an eye on him.”
“Thanks Jeff.”
“You have a good day out there.”
“I will.”
I hung up and called Rustic Oak. Mike answered, “Mike?”
“Yeah, who's this?”
“Rhette Michaels.”
“Oh Rhette! Hi!”
“I need a reservation for six thirty for two people tonight.”
“Ok. You and guest?”
“No Jaymes Darringer and guest.”
“Darringer? Jeff's relation?”
“Yeah, you'll recognize him as soon as you see him. He looks just like Jeff as a teenager.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Now, what I expect there Mike is if they don't show, you get on the phone with me because he's driving my Rolls and both of the ways up there are dangerous if you ask me.”
“I'll do that. Is this your number here on caller I.d.?”
“Yeah, but write that number down and delete it off. I don't want everyone to have it.”
“Will do.”
“You'll see why later today, but I'm getting married in the most public of ways and it'll probably be the talk of that area when it hits the news.”
“Really?! To a girl?”
“No, to a guy. Enriches.”
“Really!”
“Yeah.”
“How'd you guys hook up?”
“I was singing and he came up on stage. After that moment, it was love at first sight.”
“Man! You're really getting married to him?!”
“Yeah, I'm dressing in drag, so keep that under your hat.”
“Oh man! I will, but man!”
“Mike, Jaymes there is just like a son to me. He's got a wonderful lover and is starting a new relationship. He might need to be reminded about the baked sweet potatoes, but also tell him I suggest the sampler platter. I forgot to tell him.”
“Ok, I appreciate you telling people about us Rhette.”
“No problem at all. You're good people.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, I'll get off here. Oh, by the way, I did tell him the prime rib was the best thing to get, so I hope you've got it.”
“We do.”
“Excellent.”
“And Rhette, congratulations.”
“Thank you from both of us. We'll be in there some time next week.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, our schedule is rather full on Monday as we're going to Brazil, but the rest of the week is open.”
“Ok, I can hardly wait. Are you guys settling back in this neck of the woods?”
“I'm building a mansion next to Mom and Dad's place.”
“Up there in that pasture?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh man! That brings back memories.”
I chuckled, “All too many.”
“Do you still go out to the camp?”
“The flood of '93 took it.”
“Really? Where does time fly?”
“I know, it doesn't seem like we should be that old! Well, I'll get off here. Thanks Mike.”
“No problem.”
I hung up and En smiled, “Thank you.”
“Why?”
“It's amazing how you look out for everyone.”
“He needs rewards when he's doing the right thing and needs to have people looking out for him from afar.”
“You're going to make a great parent.”
“Thank you. I need to dial Dave because we've got to get beautified!”
He chuckled, “Ok”
I dialed Dave, “Yeah Rhette.”
“Do I have a beautician?”
“She's in the dressing room.”
“I need Cher's wig person called also.”
“How do I find out that?”
“I don't know. I'll call Clive. He should know.”
“Ok, where are you at?”
“Farmer John's buffet.”
“Ok, I wanted you to know we've got the press scheduled at noon.”
“Our our parents going to be here by then?”
“They should be.”
“Let me call and make sure. You've got all the extra jets heading that direction, right?”
“Yes.”
“Did you arrange one to go pick up his Mom?”
“Yes. I guess he's got his jet here.”
“Probably. Are they going to be here in time?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, I'm done worrying about it.”
He chuckled, “You're in good hands.”
“All the extra staff here?”
“Yeah.”
“When does that bank open?”
“I'm on my way out the door to there right now.”
“Ok. Whoever you get as a replacement bank, tell them we're going to need a goodly number of debit cards on our accounts.”
“I've got that on there.”
“Make mine unlimited.”
“Will do.”
“Ok, the only other thing I think you should do is have them make sure the ATM's which are here are made to match the marble we're going to have in the casinos.”
“I'm getting in the limo now.”
“Love ya dude.”
“Loves back.”
I hung up and said, “Ok, we're ready to go get beautified.”
“I never realized how busy you are.”
“It's not normally like this.”
We went to the theater and went into the entrance getting us to the hallway which took us to the dressing room. As soon as we got into the hallway, I saw loads of flowers already arriving.
En looked at me, “Man! That one said it was from Dustin Hoffman!”
“We need to have someone take the cards and keep them so we can send Thank you cards to everyone.”
When we went into the dressing room, I dialed the General Manager.
“Yeah Rhette.”
“En and I are in his dressing room. Would you make some calls and get me a tanning booth sent here and a water massage table and a roller massage table?”
“I'll get right on that.”
“Thank you. We'll also need a security cart here with a few security men. Also, I need a concierge.”
“They'll be right there.”
“Thanks.”
I hung up and spoke with the beautician. “Hi, I'm Rhette and this is En. Are you with confidentiality papers signed?”
She smiled, “I sure am!”
“Excellent.”
I put up my laptop and said, “I know I requested long extensions, but I've changed my mind. I hope that's not a problem.”
“It's no problem. How do you want yours?”
“What I'll do is I'll show you here.”
I opened up the laptop and then, got the 'Til I Can Make It On My Own' memorial slideshow pulled up.
She saw and I said, “That one or that one. I like the one there better, but it's about the same thing.”
“That' will be nice”
She went about her work and En said, “I'm going to go do a few things. I'll be back.”
“Ok.”
He left and soon, I had a knock on the door.
“Hon, you might answer that. I've requested security and a concierge.”
“Ok”
She went and answered the door. The concierge came in. “Yes Mr Michaels.”
“First of all, what I need to tell you is we're on a first name basis around here. My name is Rhette. What's your?”
“Phillip.”
“Ok, is that Phillip, Phil, or something else? I sure don't want to be calling you something your Mom calls you when she's upset with you.”
He smiled, “Phil will be fine.”
“Ok. “Here's what I need. Out there in the hallway is a bus load of flowers. Those which have cards upon them, all need to be removed. Save those and put those someplace where we can send Thank You cards.
As you do that, take them all to the entry way to the theater and block that off. Tell the security people we need a man put on that door down there and one on each entry.
Put one of the security men on taking in arrangements because this is going to look like a friggin' funeral if we're not careful.”
“Ok”
“Then, you have the security man which is at that door with a cart. When I'm done here, I've got to go shopping. We're going to need to haul quite a few boxes up to the suite and a goodly number this direction, so that's your job when I'm done.”
“Ok”
“Do you have a pager?”
“Yes.”
“I need that number. I'll let you know when I've got my hair done.”
He nodded, “Here, It's 147.”
I dialed the number and then saved it. “Ok, I've got you down. Did it ring?”
He looked and said, “Yeah, I don't have it on vibrate. It's now on vibrate.”
“Good, when you're feeling good all under, it's me.”
He smiled and went out.
She said, “My name's Lena by the way.”
“I'm sorry. I'm Rhette. I've been busy.”
“It's perfectly understandable.”
“When we get finished here, En will need his hair freshened. What I want with him is some shine stuff put in his hair so he's looking good.”
My cell rang, “Yeah”
“Van Cleif is here.”
“Ok, let him through and protect that man.”
“He's got his own guards.”
“Keep the guards out and make sure he's got a confidentiality
form signed before he's allowed in. If he's not going to sign, be sure to let him wait until Dave's back.”
“I'll tell him and get that done.”
I hung up and said, “The jeweler will be coming.”
“You are getting dressed as a woman?”
“Yes. And, I'm not sure if you've been requested, or not, but if you do a satisfactory job, you'll probably be my permanent beautician if you want the job.”
“What's that going to entail?”
“What we're doing is I'm going to have a lot of wigs. Damn, I was supposed to call Clive to get that wigmaker called. I'm sorry. I need to make another call.”
“That's ok.”
“Just do whatever you need to do dear. My hair handles dye well. I'm supposed to tell you low peroxide.”
“Oh! Ok! That's real good.”
“Just make sure you get the style down so this one is my usual. All the wigs will be over it.”
“Ok, there might be some pulling to put in the extensions.”
“No problem at all. I'm used to it.”
I dialed Clive. “Hello?”
“Clive?'
“Yeah Rhette. How are you?!”
“Nervous, but still moving forward.”
He chuckled, “That can be expected.”
“Where abouts are you?”
“About to head out there.”
“I need you to find out who Cher's wigmaker is and schedule me an appointment.”
“Ok, what's your look going to be today?”
“Tammy Wynette on the style. I need something because this dress has a pill box hat with a veil.”
“How do you want me to bill you?”
“Oh hell. Rhette Michaels 'The First Lady of Rock'.”
He chuckled, “Ok, I was meaning for the wigmaker.”
I laughed, “Oh fuck, tell the man I've got Visa and cash.”
He laughed, “I can tell you're nervous, but that's excellent. We'll go with that.”
“It indirectly will be implying En's the President of Rock. I'll stand by him on that.”
“Ok, I'll make that call and get the appointment made. What does your schedule look like for this next week?”
“En and I are off. Monday will be at that orphanage if you've got that appointment able to be made. Other than that, I don't think anything.”
“I've got a request there.”
“What's that?”
“I can get it done so you're being interviewed on the way down.”
“By whom?”
“Well, I've got three who are wanting to do it. Katie from CBS News. Barbara Walters, and Anderson Cooper.”
“Anderson. Let him know we're flying back to Missouri and then, we're going to fly down from there. Tell him to go light on the people because I'm going to have someone with me besides En and I'm not flying a huge jet down there for that.”
“You might need to if you're intending on bringing them home with you.”
“They'll do it THAT fast?”
“Yeah.”
“Will they have the paperwork ready?'
“Yes. Everything will be handled then.”
“Man!”
“What ages?”
“Will they know English?”
“I'm not sure.”
“We better say all ages because I've not discussed it with En yet. If he knows the language, that'll be way better than if not. If he doesn't, we're going to have to have them young so we can get them taught English rather easily.”
“Where will you be taking them?”
“Probably South Carolina. That's where we've got the bedrooms.”
“Do you want Anderson to come out there today?”
“If he's available yeah, but I'll tell you after this concert, I'm doing a meet and greet and then getting upstairs and getting laid. I've put him off until tonight long enough that man's whole nether regions are probably blue.”
He laughed, “Poor guy!”
I heard Lena chuckling.
“Well, I'll see you when you get out here. You might want to put out a press release the Ginorocity even shut down gaming for security purposes for the wedding.”
“Really?”
“No, we bought the El Conquistador and had to raid the vault to do it because our fucking banker couldn't drag his ass out of bed.”
“Oh MAN! You bought the Conq?!”
“Yeah, they wanted a hundred and sixty million. All in all, I'm out two eighty to buy it. Does that tell you what this fucking economy is like? I bought a three billion dollar casino and hotel for two eighty.”
“Son of a Bitch!”
“Yeah, fuckin' insane. So rather than miss the deal, I had 'em shut down gaming to raid the vault. Dave's getting rid of the banker as we speak.”
“I don't blame you. How many more are like that?”
“I'm invested in another three besides that and I'd say they're probably all that bad. I'm not seeing anything from them and today changes all that. If I gotta, I'll borrow a billion and own them all.”
“Damn!”
“It's hard ball economics and today stops a lot of things and puts all that in my favor.”
“Well, you'll be on the financial pages as well as entertainment.”
“Tell them to save their bottom portion for Eric's deal. I'm sure Dave will have a press release on that.”
“I forgot about that. That tells you where I'm at in my mind.”
“I understand and Clive? I've written a lot more songs.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, if El and Anna coming?”
“Of course, you know they wouldn't miss it. But then again, I've sent everyone I've got out there. I know a lot of others have all been told to get out there, or die in this business.”
“Damn! Really?”
“It's a command performance and there's not many of those.”
“Have you seen the press release yet?”
“Not yet, but that's one of the first things we're doing when we get out there.”
“Ok, if you need any input, let me know.”
“Will do. I'll get off here”
“I'll see you when you get here. We're having a dress rehearsal at ten this time.”
“I probably won't be able to make that, but I'll be out there in time for the press shoot.”
“Thanks Clive.”
I hung up asked, “Hon, have you been told what you're going to be paid?”
“No.”
“Ok, let's talk about that. I'll lay out what I think the job will entail and let you know what I'm planning on having for a tour schedule.
First of all, it's not a question of if the songs I write are good, but how good? I know I can make people cry with them, and have them moving on a dance floor, but whether they will buy a concert ticket or buy an album. In regards to En, I know he will sell a ticket and an album, so that's not an issue.
Because you're one of the keepers of the secret and have to be bound by the confidentiality agreement, that's going to rip me a new one. I'd do it to you if I had to be bound, so I expect likewise.
“That's no problem. What's your music like?”
“When we get me with the dye on, I'll let you listen to them. I'm not putting you off, hon, I'm keeping you from crying while you're messing with my hair.
What I will tell you is there are some damned sad songs. There's also some songs which will make you belly roll with laughter.
In regards to your pay...
What I'm going to do is I need to ask you if you can be gone four days a week. What we're going to do with our tour schedule is we're going to leave out on Wednesday morning and fly to wherever we've got a stop. We'll perform there and it'll probably be a smaller venue because I'm not all hepped up on pulling a full orchestra to the smaller ones.
After we perform, you'll go home and we'll go home Wednesday night and stay until Friday morning. Technically, because it's not considered a play date, it'll be an off day, but because you're recovering from the day before like us, it's an on day. AND, with some luck, it might BE an on date if we sell out on Friday and Saturday nights.
On Friday, we'll leave out in the morning and go to the weekend venue. We'll perform and if it's not a sell out on Friday, we'll go to a venue close by which didn't sell out either.
Now, we'll have a full orchestra those nights, so it's a larger event.”
“You're really planning on doing some things.”
“Let me tell you how I know I'm good. What I've got is I've got a voice which can mimic the greats. I could pull a variety act doing those acts alone, but I'm choosing to have my own works out there.
I'll tell you the stars I mimic and a lot of other great stars all are fascinated at how I do voices as well as their own.”
“Really?”
I went into 'Private Dancer' and said, “She wants me to do her tour with her and perform with her...doing her. I've got her strut down to the point she said it's now mine.”
“Wow!”
“Here's another one.” I went into El's 'Tiny Dancer' and said, “He told me if Clive didn't book me, he'd do it and would have me out on the road with him. Both of them are personal friends.”
“Oh man!”
“I've written a song for Anna who is Tina. She's going to close out her concerts with is because it's that good. El helped me after I got the words to it. I had the melody and the words, but he polished it so I'm gladly giving co-writing credit on the album with her because that's what friends do.
What you don't know is there's an aching void which is going to happen here real fast. Anna's out for her last tour for sure and Cher says she won't go back out.
Clive's trying to get me in front of her and Mariah. SO, I imagine they'll be in the audience tonight. He thinks if he can do that, he'll make them WANT to go out with me.
What that is, is it's a symbolic passing of the torch for Cher. She didn't do it, so it tells me she's still intending on going back out.
Right now, in the industry, you've got a lot of boy bands going out like El, U2, Sting, Springstein, and then, next year, I'm sure Rod Stewart, and a lot of the other big names like the Stones will be out.
What's not going to be out there are the big girls. Why? They've all basicly self destructed. Whitney tends to head for the Alps and put a lot of snow up her nose. Mariah tends to bitch too much in the press. Gladys doesn't want to pull hard, but she has said she'll go out with us, so that's a feather in our cap. Deb just self destructed again, so I imagine no one will touch her.”
“Gladys will go out with you?”
“Yeah, I'll play 'Midnight Train' and she's willing to let us re-release it so we can get some milage from it putting it out there for us.”
I put 'Train' on and she said, “That's you!”
“Yeah.”
“My goodness! That's awesome!”
She mixed up the color and applied it.
She smiled in the mirror, “You've got me excited to hear your work now. I'm not sure what I was intending to hear, but I just didn't know what to expect.”
“I say inside me is a black woman wanting to get out. When I open my mouth, she's happy, so we live peacefully.”
Suddenly, I heard a religious song coming through with a full choir on the Boyd Brothers. I started singing it into the phone and then, when it got to the guy's voice, I went into En's voice.
Right after that, another song came through. “Oh man, fuck...I've got a sad song coming through. Ooh, I'm hearing a car wreck. The car's tires are squealing and then the crash. There's a radiator hissing.
I hear a boy...it's their first date...'Baby. Are you ok? Baby?! Hey?! Stay with me now. Oh God! Please don't be dead. I can't live without you...”
Then, my voice is angelic.”
The words for 'Can You Live Without Me'. At the end, I said, “I see a little dog and then, I hear, her voice saying, “Baby, I've got to go now. Can you see the light? It's beautiful. They're coming down now. I just want to know, 'Can You Live Without Me'.
It's about seat belt use.”
Lena looked up at me from having her hands over her face. “That's sad.”
“I don't know why, but they come through and it's just sad sad. I've got two more, so if they hit, I won't be a one hit wonder.”
“And if that song's on the radio, they're going to be grabbing for the seat belts.” She said sniffling.
“That's why I didn't want you to hear the others while you were cutting my hair.” I said chuckling.
She smiled, “I'm a big old softy.”
“No. You're human. Now, would you like to hear the others?”
“Ok, my makeup is ruined anyway.” she said with a smirk.
“You're going to hear me in concert and it's going to sound like a funeral out there.”
I put the playlist on of my songs and when 'You Can't' came on, she said, “I like it!”
“This isn't a sad one.”
“It's going to be a hit.”
“The next one everyone takes different. Let me put the video on of me explaining it because it's just that sad.”
“Ok”
I put it on and afterwards, she looked at me and ran off to the bathroom crying.
When she came out she was wiping her, “I'm in a bad relationship. At first, I was apprehensive about going out on the road with you guys because I knew it'd be the end of it.
I love him, but he loves his friends. And yet, if I go out and do something, I hear about it weeks and months afterwards. He can go out umpteen times a month and spend all his money in bars and yet, if I have one little bit of fun...”
“Has he hit you?”
“No, he's never went that far. He get really in my face when he's mad, but he's never hit me and he better never!”
“Well, if he's going for fear, he's gotten it. Sometimes you don't have to be hit to be afraid and cower down.
What I will say is with the money you'll be making working for me, he'll be gone all the time...if he's using your money to do it.”
“He uses his money, but he doesn't think I should voice complaint if he doesn't have enough to help pay the bills.”
“Can I give you a bit of advice?”
“Yeah.”
“When we're done here today, go home with a few of my guys and pack things. Put the money for this week out by check and if you've got bills which are in your and his names, put the check out for that and come back here.”
“He won't let me do that.”
“Did he kidnap you?”
“No!”
“Then, you're quite capable of doing what you please when you please. My guys aren't going to let you be hurt there and he's not capable of doing anything here.
What's his name?”
“Lon Dickjerson”
I pulled out my phone and dialed Las Vegas' boss.
“Yeah.”
“Rhette Michaels from Kansas City.”
“Hey Rhette! I hear you're getting married!”
“Yeah. You're invited. I hope you know that.”
“Dave called me. What can I do for you?”
“I need everything you've got on Lon Dickjerson here in Vegas. I also need that and him brought to stand in front of me.”
“Oh....kay, what's going on?”
“His girlfriend is my beautician. He's a regular clown and has her afraid to move out. Well, that's happening today and I want him to know he's got more problems than being a clown when I'm looking over her shoulder.
Find out what their bills are and send some people over to load up their house. When I'm paying their bills, he's lost everything and if he wants to piss and moan about it, I'll see he's unable to get so much as someone to piss on him in this town to give him a drink.”
“I'm pulling up that information now.”
“I sure appreciate it.”
“Listen, Rhette, I've got a few questions.”
“If it's in regards to me giving you any more space up here, it's not happening.”
“No, it's not that. I'm hearing reports you're about to grow and expand majorly.”
“Yeah, we're adding on about fifteen thousand rooms.”
“I'm hearing you need construction guys.”
“Yeah.”
“Is it ok if I send you a bunch of my people?”
“Yeah, but my rules apply here. If they think they can come in and fleece the joint, they'll find themselves under a footing. I've got Sal's approval and he's even sending people.”
“I'm not intending to fleece you. We've got a lot of our guys hurting.”
“I sure hear you. In fact, what are you doing for lunch?”
“Why?”
“Sal and Miami are going to be here. During that conversation, I'm going to make an announcement I'm about to pull my personal money out of a few of these casinos I'm supporting.”
“Why?”
“First of all, I bought El Conq. I don't know who was skimming it, but they owe me forty percent of that take. If it was you, bring that and there won't be hard feelings. If it wasn't, know I'm going to take them to trial right here as soon as I get the evidence in front of me.”
“What were they doing?”
“Had one of the counters rigged to wire fifteen percent of the green to them. We're going to find out who it was because I confiscated the counter and brought it back here.
You know as well as I do, I can trace where that went and what account. As soon as I find out who's account it was, they'll be brought in.”
“Off the record, it's Billings. They called me screaming about the guy selling the place without authorization. I told them I'd look into it.”
“Well, I'll deal with them. I'm not paying them a fucking thing when they've been stealing from me on my turf.”
“Technically, it's not your turf.”
“Bullshit, we paid for the city limits North. If you want to get into boundary disputes, we'll certainly bring it up at lunch. Your city moved the city limits, not us. We still own that ground as far as I'm concerned.”
“I'm not going to argue it. You've been more than generous with us.”
“I don't want to argue about it either. All I'm saying is you now have land and we're not giving anymore out. The city's grown this direction like we said it would and we bought it.
In regards to Billings, and whoever else is involved in all the other casino/hotels I'm forty percent owner in, I'm giving fair notice I'm about to put all of them into bankruptcy by pulling my investments.
IF they file for bankruptcy between now and lunch, I'm coming gunning for you. Sal knows what we're about to do and we're going to pull out as a unit so no one is hurt, but they're allowed to collapse.”
“Why?”
“I'm not seeing a damned dime of it and I'm propping them up with my personal money. If I'm propping them up without any considerations in bad times so they can silently make it through the bad times, so I'm owning forty percent of what's good, I'll take what losses I have now and let them slide under.”
“That's understandable. What are your intentions then?”
“When they go under, I'm going to go in and buy their assets. If I'm told I'm unable, then I'll retract their ability to operate in my section without considerations being paid. You should know that rent just got damned expensive.”
“I'm not blaming you one bit. This is your personal money?”
“Yes, not one damned dime is Kansas City's.”
“Why?”
“The reasons are personal, but rather than pulling my family who works there out, I chose to invest in the place. It was dumb, but hey, I'm taking a loss and IF I find out I was fucked out of a skim at those places, you know what's going to happen.”
“I'm not hearing anything. I know our receipts are way down.”
“Well, you're in a business where you can't get much more. I mean, the girls are already taking off all they're allowed to take off and it's sort of gross if they start taking off skin!”
He chuckled, “No, it's just bad economics, but I'm not complaining. We have to roll with the tide and wait for it to come back in.”
“That's the way it is up here, but we're choosing to invest while everyone else isn't building so we can take advantage of the economy.”
“That's pretty smart!”
“That's why we make the money. We don't think like everyone else.”
“Can I use that?”
“Sure, but ship us all your extras and we'll work hand in hand with those.”
“Sure. I appreciate it.”
“I'll get off here. I hope to see you at lunch.”
“I'll be there. Where's it going to be?”
“Italiano. I'm cooking.”
“Ooh, ok!”
I hung up and said, “That's how we take care of that hon.”
“You own this place?”
“See that ring there? That's putting me in the head of Kansas City's underworld. That's why I can make calls and get results. When you take a look at all the hotel/casinos which are North of where the city limits used to be and where North Las Vegas and Henderson is now, you see land I control.
He has the strip clubs, but all those other places owe me rent or we get a percentage of something from them.
That man and I work by arrangement. He has his clubs up here and I get to use his guys like my own when I call them.”
“What are you going to do to him?”
“I'm going to tell him what he thought he ran with you is now over. I'm going to tell him I've paid your bills and what you want in that house is allowed and the moment I hear any sniveling about it, he's got himself to blame for him and all his pals having lots of problems at the places they go.”
“They didn't do anything!”
“Honey, let me tell you something. I've got a kid back in Missouri who wanted to be my lover so bad it's pitiful. We went out and without saying anything, he kept us out of the bar area because he knew I'm an alcoholic.
When you love your friends, they police things for you. If the guys he runs with didn't care to protect you, they're sure going to protect him because they're now in the same stew kettle as him.
It was their job as his friends to protect you. So, as I see it, what they'll get told is... since they didn't protect your interests, one of them can be his bed buddy since he now has none.
If they don't like that, then, well, let's just say they'll decide it's in their best interests.”
“We need to get that dye out of your hair.”
“Ok, but you be thinking about what you want out of that house because you're going to be amazed at how fast you'll get moved with the people I'll put in there with you.”
She smiled, “Ok, most of it's mine anyways.”
“When you see the fucker in front of me, you just let me do the talking at first. You're going to be surprised what you hear.”
“Why?”
“Hon, if I tell you, it's not a surprise.”
She washed the dye out and put a conditioner through. When we went back over and she blew my hair, she asked, “Is that the color you wanted?”
“Yeah, it'll work. We'll need to get some highlights in, but that's a good color.”
“What I'll do is I'll get it curled for you here and then, we'll see what we can do about your makeup.”
“It's got to be blended really good. Sometime this week, I'll get a laser treatment on my face and get rid of the beard. We'll wax my mustache and goatee area. I'm keeping it.”
“What are your scars from?”
“I got beaten. It nearly killed me. There's enough plastic and stainless in my face to build a Bow Wing Aircraft. I'd show you those pictures, but we don't need you sad right now.”
“We didn't listen to the rest of your songs!”
“Hon, the next one is sadder than that one. It's not sad in the same way, but it'll make you cry.”
“I'm learning to believe you when you tell me I'll cry.”
A knock sounded at the door.
“You might get that, it's probably the man from Van Cleif.”
She went over and answered the door, the general manager and a man entered. “I had to come with him to assure his safety.”
“I appreciate it. I'm about to play a new one of mine. Here's 'Fallen'.”
It began to play and when my first words were spoken, I heard Lena suddenly go stiff. She put her hands upon my shoulders and when the Fallen was said, I felt her flinch when the gunshot sounded.
She took off for the bathroom, and I heard her crying. I began singing the second verse and looked at the guys, both of them were crying. By the second gunshot, the silent tears went to the G.M. sitting down crying harder and the Van Cleif guy just began openly sobbing hard. Chills went through me and by the end, I said, “Lena, come on out, I'll get all of you laughing.”
She came out and handed the guys tissues. I put on 'Road' and suddenly, they started snickering and laughing. By the end, they were laughing hard.
Before I put 'Cherry' on, I said, “Now, I need to tell you the video of this song so you understand. It's about a girl whose dog disappeared. She's out looking for it.
Now, she's dressed in Daisy Dukes and a little halter. She's got on lace stockings and has pig tails in her hair. She's like a grown up slutty version of Cindy Brady, so you get the idea her dog means as much to her as Mrs Beasley.”
The guys were already sort of chuckling. I put on the song and by the end of the first verse, they all were in full belly rolling laughter. When it went into the second, Lena did a snort and by the end of it, they were all laughing so hard the Van Cleif guy was bent over grabbing his sides.
By the end, I said, “It's situational comedy. If you don't see her showing that picture of that damned ugly dog, you just know it's terrible.”
Lena was still laughing, “Of course you're going to do that video!”
“I'm not sure. I'm about to adopt children and I SURE don't want my daughter coming in singing that song!”
Everyone laughed real huge. I said, “Madonna has 'Like A Virgin' to live down. I sure don't want to have to tell my boys what a 'cherry' is and how come that girl is looking for hers!”
Everyone laughed again and then, the Van Cleif guy said, “Here's the stones as you requested.”
“Let's put on the Sultan's Princess jewels and see if they're satisfactory with this hair style.”
I took out the lace work and examined the stones. We lay them over my head and Lena's intake of breath told me she considered them beautiful.
The Van Cleif man came over and hooked on the veil. They were amazing.
Lena said, “It makes your eyes look so beautiful!”
“How hard will it be to take this off?”
“It's rather easy. There's the two clasps which hook to the head piece.”
“You'll be out there to taken them once the photos are taken?”
“Certainly.”
“How much does that set cost?”
“Almost thirty.”
“Ok, now, what do we have for me for ear rings and let me see the doves.”
“I've got several to choose from for ear rings. This is what she wore with the set.”
I looked at them and put them on.
“I need something smaller. I'm beginning to look like a show girl. That's not what I want the world to think when they first see me.”
Lena said, “Hon, you look very beautiful. In a lot of ways, you look like Vanna White.”
“Really? You think?”
My cell phone rang, “Hello?”
“I've got that guy here. You've got more hotel security there than I can handle.”
“One moment, let me go get them off the door.”
I hung up and turned to the GM. “I need you to go get the men away from the door for a moment. The man from Las Vegas is out there with Lena's soon to be ex. I need to get the man taken to rights real fast.”
“Ok”
I turned to the Van Cleif guy, “You're fine where you are. You're in confidentiality, so you're fine.”
The GM went out and I said, “Thank God, I chose to keep this veil on. He can't tell who I am if it comes to pointing me out at a police line up.”
I looked at another pair of ear rings and put them on. “These are nice. They're what I would wear if I take the others off. I want these.”
He nodded.
The GM came in and I stood up and went to hug the man from Las Vegas.
Lena's boyfriend yelled, “What the hell!”
I turned around and said, “You're going to have a warning to shut up. And then, I'll shut you up.”
“Who the fuck are you?!”
I walked over and popped him in the mouth. “My advice is to shut the hell up when you're told to shut up. Do you see that ring? It tells me I'm the head of Kansas City's family and it should tell you that the games you're playing just ended.
First of all, you two are broken up. You weren't man enough to keep her and certainly don't want to piss me off more than I heard.”
I turned to Lena. “She's now my beautician. She makes a million and a half a year and she's not going to worry that while she's out on the road with me, she's having the likes of you out spending all her money on buying your fellas drinks and blowing it on you while you're treating her like shit.”
“I don't know what she's told you, but that's not the way it is!”
“Ok, let me tell you how it is. You're fair to run the streets with your brutha's while she stays at home and pays your bills. If you spend it all with the fellas, she is to say nothing and she's to pay your share. When she does think enough of herself to go out and have some fun, you get all insecure like the short dick motherfucker you are and get up in her face over it because we ALL know you can't have that.
Well, let me tell you something. She damned near turned down the job offer over you until I played her a song and then, it all came pouring out as to what kind of jerk you really are.
So, with that said, I'm authorizing this man over here to pay every single bill you two have. She's out of the relationship debt free and what is in the place you live is now hers.
If you want to piss and moan about it, I'll turn to this man and tell him you and your fellas do NOT go in any drinking establishment, any casino, any place of amusement for the period of one year.
As it stands, you're now grounded from there for the period of a month. IF you attempt to go near her, I'll have you killed and you'll be buried with a twelve pack between your legs for what those fellas will have to decide if they're going to drink one up, or they're going to lay beside you.
As it now stands, those fellas are all being collected and they're all going to share your bed for that month. IF they don't like it, you'll be attending a lot of funerals.
Your buddies were to have been buddies. They were to have known their place and they were to respect your relationship as much as you SHOULD have. They didn't, so you can all sleep together.
IF you don't like that, I'll fuck you and your buddies so much financially, you'll have them all ordered by their credit card companies to return the cards. Their banks and yours will call in all loans and you'll be ordered to pay everything back immediately. If not, the apartments or houses they live in will be taken back, the cars will be taken back, and everything they've got will be taken from them.
You can all wander the streets together and keep each other warm. You can all wander the streets and find out who's going to play the bitch and take one for the team. You can find out who that bitch is amongst you and you can pimp him out to get some food.
When you're doing that, I'm going to have a crew of guys will the longest dicks in this country all lined up to fuck you guys raw. You got me?”
He glared at me and I said, “I'm expecting an answer!”
I held up three fingers, “When I get to the count down, you're going to have funerals. When none are there, you're all dead. Speak!”
“I guess I've got no choice!”
“You had a choice. You went into a relationship with her and being a man of your word, you were to think of her needs as well as your own. You didn't.”
I turned to Lena. “Hon, there's a better man out there. This one's lease just ran out. With your new house and your new job, you've got nothing to worry about. I take care of my own and you're now in that circle.
This clown should've taken care of his own, but he didn't.”
“Fuckin' lesbian.”
I smiled, “Fella, if I were in the right mood today, I'd show you how much of a lesbian I am. Instead, I'm going to do you a favor.”
I turned Las Vegas. “Go get his buddies in here. Let's see how much they want anything to do with him when they find out he's to be their bitch for the next year. AND, if they want to do that, we'll certainly make all I've said come true.”
He smiled, “I'll have them right in here.”
He pulled out his phone and said, “Yeah, where are those guys? Ok, bring them on in here.”
I asked, “Have the tazers ready to deploy. You know as well as I when they think their manhood is in jeopardy, they're going to get mouthy and stupid.”
“I'm counting on it.”
I turned to Lena. “Hon, sit right there. We're about to play that song again.”
She nodded.
The guys came in and I said, “Fellas! Before you say anything, I want to let you know who I am. I'm head of Kansas City underworld. That man right there is head of Las Vegas. What he doesn't own or control in this city, is indirectly controlled through us.
Your buddy there has himself in a jam. He's in a jamb because you as his friends didn't help police him and protect his interests.”
I went over to Las Vegas. “Tell me these guys information so we can decide punishments.”
He gave me the guy's information and when we were through, I said, “Unemployed and running with the fellas. Someone's footing the bills and I'd say it's probably her indirectly...or if any of you other guys are like him, you've got girls out there who are paying your bills so you guys can be men for each other.
What I'm doing right now is all of you are unemployed. All of you have one year to get yourselves AS A GROUP straightened out and more considerate of your girlfriend's needs.
Your girls aren't getting penalized for your stupidity. That's why I'm cutting them loose for you. You see, I'm not fucking their financial futures up. I am yours.
You there, your girl works at El Conq. She just got promoted because I own that place. You'll find her unable to have you there because any ground I control is now off limits to you.”
Las Vegas said, “I control Las Vegas and it's now off limits to you as well.”
“That means, guys, bars no longer serve to you. You'll find you can't get a drink from anything in this city from even a McDonald's. Get to know what it's like to drink from vending machines because that's your bartender for the next year.”
“Your girls aren't being penalized for them being with you. If you're in a jointly held debt, it's going to be paid.
Your girls will be promoted at their place of employment. They now realize they can do without you and what fellas they will find won't be slugs like you.”
I turned to Vegas, “Put tracking chips in them. I want us knowing where they go. I want to do a study on them to see how they fare for this year.
Order all their bank cards, cars, and possessions taken from them. What they own outright take from them. Put them up in a one bed unit and if they choose to attempt to violate going there and if they attempt to not sleep together or have sex outside of that unit there collectively, bury them all.”
He nodded, “I'm liking how this is going.”
I turned to the guys, “As you can see, we take family very seriously. When you say someone is your loved one, they are in fact supposed to be your loved one and most endeared.
This dumb ass over here didn't respect what he had at home, therefore you should have did right by her by putting him in his place.
This isn't high school fellas. This is life. You don't get by with dogging someone for the sport of it without repercussions. I'm now standing by her and all your exes and I'm putting my power into action.
Inside of you will be placed kill transmitters. Dare step out of line and the transmitter will be activated.
In your ears will be placed a send/receive device which you'll wonder how in the hell we managed to hear every word you've said.”
I turned and said, “You'll wonder how I can order such things, but when this is over, you'll wonder how connected I am to manufacturers of all these devices.
For every one of you, there now has to be four or five different people hired. I foot that bill because I want to know how this little experiment evolves. You'll be monitored 24/7 and you'll have someone ready to step in and drag you away when you fall.
I hope you find it was worth it because she's well worth it to me. I was accused of being a lesbian. I find it amusing as I'm sure she does. Your buddy over there's word choice is what cost you all you've got. You see, he was spoken with and he knew my power. Instead of minding his tongue, he chose to play you all into the position you're now in...he didn't police your interests as you didn't police his. Paybacks are indeed, a bitch.”
I turned to Las Vegas, “How fast can this all be implemented?”
“Within twenty four hours.”
“Ok, taze them and get them out of here. Put them in our holding room and let's get this on the road.”
Vegas asked, “Can I do a little bit of tweaking on this?”
“Sure.”
“It might take them going through your programming room.”
“Do what you will. I'm imposing upon you with this, so you certainly can have what you want.”
He smiled and nodded, “Taze them guys.”
They were all tazed, bound, and taken away.
I hugged Vegas and said, “Thanks.”
“No problem, this is amusing.”
He left and I turned to Lena. “Hon, don't be surprised about who I get you and those girls set up with. The one I have in mind is but a phone call away and he's a babe.”
“Really?”
“There are ghosts in his closet, but he'll love you. I know that.”
I pulled out my phone, “Hello?”
“Robbie?”
“Yeah.”
“I need you. I've got someone I need you to meet and see if you can hit it off with her.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah, she's a sweetheart and needs a good man in her life.”
“I'll be right there. Where are you?”
“Go to the front desk of tower four and ask for me. They'll have someone who will get you right to us.”
“I'm on my way.”
When I hung up, I turned to the GM. “Robbie Polk will be here at the desk. Would you have someone bring him over to us?”
He smiled, “Sure. I know him. I didn't know you were related.”
“He's my cousin.”
He turned to Lena, “He's one of my best friends. He needs someone who will love him.”
I saw a glint of a tear and hugged him.
“Thanks for caring for him. He thought he lost all that mattered in his life. Now it's time for a restart.”
“I'll go get him myself.”
“Thanks.”
He went out and I said, “Lena, my cousin lost his kids in a car wreck. The circumstances were he saw something hanging off one of them's cars before they left and didn't think it was something bad. It might've not been, but within fifteen minutes, they were dead in a car wreck.
Because of self abuse and guilt, and because his marriage wasn't strong, he lost everything.”
“Awe”
“He's owner of a concrete company. He's a millionaire in his own right and he's hot. If the guy ever thought to strip, I've be there laying out cash...that's how damned hot he is.
I would've introduced you to his brother, but he needs you worse.”
“That's quite alright.”
“I'm not telling you to go out with him. Just be friends if you don't think anything else and I'm sure he'll be happy.”
She put her hand on my shoulder and said, “The looks aren't important. If you say his heart is good, I'm sure everything else is also.”
“I think it is.”
“Did you really mean it about what I'm making?”
“Yeah. That's why I wanted to spring it upon you. You need to understand that confidentiality agreement cost me half a million a year. The tour schedule we've got cost me another half a million. You doing this and caring for the wigs for two hundred and eight days a year get you the rest.”
“That's too much!”
“Hon, it's not enough for you to be the keeper of the secret. You don't know how tempted I was to do more to your fella when he said I was a lesbian.”
“I know! When I heard that, I was like, “Oh no you didn't!”
“Some men are just plain dumb. It took all I had to keep my voice on the feminine side to deal with him. I hope the others know what he cost them.”
“One of them isn't as close to him as all the rest.”
“Honey, let me make a call. We'll see about the one.”
I dialed Vegas, “Yeah Rhette.”
“One of those guys isn't as close to her fella as all the rest.”
“He's compromised now. Unless he swears loyalty, he's got to die.”
“Go give the guy the choice.”
“Ok, but it can't be to watch these guys.”
“No, I wouldn't expect him to ever be in that position.”
“Thanks for calling.”
“No problem at all.”
I hung up and said, “We're allowing to be saved upon his choice. With what he was told in here, and what he heard, he's got to swear loyalty to the family.”
“What's that mean?”
“It means if he chooses not to become a member of the family, he can't be allowed to resume his life as normal. He's heard too much in here.”
“What about me?”
“You've got the confidentiality agreement.”
The door opened and in walked En. “Hey babe!”
“Hey, do you like?”
“How do I kiss you?”
“It's a wedding veil, you don't until it's removed. We need to take it off so I can go shopping, but there's a hitch in the plans.”
“Why?”
“She had to break up with her boyfriend.”
Lena took off the veil and then, the head piece.
En's exclamation of surprise, “Wow!”
“Do you like?”
“Man!”
“Lena, that's why I love him. He gives to me in the little ways I never got it before. Now I'm not going to do without it.”
I kissed En and said, “Babe, sit there and let her do her work. She's a great gal and will be our beautician while we're out on the road.”
“Ok, I'm guessing she's worth the money on our budget?”
“There are two people you don't piss off in this life besides your Mama. Your beautician and your undertaker. One will fuck you up in this life and the other will fuck you up in the hereafter.”
Everyone giggled and I went over to the Van Cleif guy, “Let me see the stones you brought for him.”
“They're in this box.”
“All the rest you brought for me?”
“I was told you wanted a number of these stones unconditionally.”
“Let me look at them.”
As soon as I saw the Lizard, the world went black. I was brought to with a room full of people...my guards.
I pulled out my phone. Dave's voice came on, “I want Myra Mettencort brought in front of me and I want a death squad cleaning out the bitch's house.”
“Wow!”
“I've got Mona's stones in front of me she was supposed to have been buried with. That means she wasn't and because they're in the hands of the Van Cleif man, it means they were sold. I want the bitch NOW David.”
“Ooh, ok, I'll call. Man you don't know how much you just sounded like my Dad.”
“He would probably be flying personally with the death squad to have the bitch looking into his eyes as he slit her throat. Now, I can't do that, but I certainly want to kill the bitch. Get the bitch brought to me and know I want hydrochloric acid in a beaker with a dropper, a belt sander, and a disc sander.”
“Ok, so this one will be messy.”
“Messy? It's fitting to how the bitch thought of her twin! She needs to go in the most permanent of ways.”
“I knew you'd be pissed when I heard there were Mettencort stones.”
“Do you have the squad on standby up there?”
“Yes.”
“Wonderful, you know there's some of your Dad in you also then.”
He chuckled, “Oh yeah.”
“Thank you David.”
I hung up and said, “When Dave's name gets used in full, you know I'm pissed. When I see those stones, you know the reason.
I turned to Lena and En.
“Mona Mettencort was one of the closest friends I had for a long time. Gino knew it, as did everyone. Mona was the Debbie Harry impersonator to my Stevie Nicks. Myra was more of a lower rate of a Anastacia impersonator...I'm sure Anastacia couldn't ever be that much of a gutter trash bitch.
Mona had a heart of spun gold and Myra had a heart of used Tampax. Mona would give you the shirt off her back if she knew you were in trouble and Myra...well, she'd dump you.
When I was going under with all the alcohol, Mona kept trying to pull me out of it. Myra would bring me a Manhatten Iced Tea.”
En said, “You told me when you asked for lemonade she brought you pickle juice.”
“Yes.”
Lena said, “Oh man!”
“I put the bitch in the swimming pool with the shove she got.”
I picked the Lizard back up and said, “My God she loved this lizard.”
I put it upon my bicep and said, “Charley, you've got a home now. The bitch thought she sold you away, you're back where you're loved.”
I took a deep breath and looked amongst the stones. As soon as I saw the ring, I said, “She better have had her cremated. Otherwise, we're going to go dig her up and put these back on her. This ring definitely should've been buried with her.”
I put it upon my index finger. “I used to wonder how she could wear this ring like this and not have it caught in everything. The way that diamond caught the light was incredible.”
“It's a D in clarity.”
“I know it had to be good. What's this going to run me on all this?”
“As soon as you showed your ring to those guys, everything went to our cost.”
“You've got to make some money.”
“No, we've got a friend in common and he backs us.”
“Do you get chicken without having to harp on him about it?!”
He laughed, “We don't get chicken.”
“It takes me three days to get a box of chicken. My Mama gets them without having to ask. He said she's the boss behind the boss so he keeps her happy.”
He smiled, “I imagine!”
“I'm wearing these, but yes, I do want all of those as well as all the others.”
“There's more.”
“Huh?”
“I've got another group of rings and necklaces I'm told you're to have.”
“From whom?”
“They're Haxxxll stones.”
“Oh jeez, who in the hell?”
“You'll know as soon as you see them.”
He handed me the box and I slid open the drawer. “That motherfucker!”
I shut the box and said, “They weren't his to sell! How in the hell did he get them?!”
“You instantly knew who sold them?” En asked
“Oh yeah. Now, I've got a call to make.”
I dialed Doug. “Hello?”
“Were you invited to my wedding?”
“Yes.”
“On your way?”
“I'm already out here checking on our properties.”
“Where's your fucking step-brother?”
“I hear he's in town.”
“Ok, that's all I needed to know. I'll find him, but were you aware Tony's mother's stones were sold to Van Cleif?”
“What!”
“Yeah, I'm staring at a box full of stones I just bought back.”
“How in the fuck!”
“I'd say on a trip to your house, he robbed it. He's not allowed in mine.”
“Rhette, I didn't know!”
“I know, but don't hold me accountable for what's about to happen there.”
“What's there?”
“The Brach pin is here. Her yellow diamond with all those radiating diamonds is here.”
“Oh man.”
“There's a lot of others, but you know those are the ones I can tell you instantly you'd recognize.”
“May I have permission to fly back to see what's in the safe?”
“No, the damage is done. One of these stones sold to Van Cleif signed his death warrant. They are mine held in that safe...no one else's.”
“I know Rhette.”
“That's why I'm handling this one. I promise you enough left to hold a funeral. I'm NOT promising you it will be an open casket.”
“I understand.”
“Tell Carol we're having a press shoot at noon. I'm sure there will be a lot of stars present.”
“Can we get in?”
“You damned well better!”
He laughed, “Ok, we'll be there.”
“Thanks Dougie.”
“Love you Babe.”
“I know you do. I love you too.”
I hung up and said, “Ok, it's official, they were stolen.”
I dialed Vegas. “Yeah Rhette.”
“I've got another I need brought in.”
“Ok”
“Peron Danis.”
“Son of a bitch, he's in town!”
“Yeah, but what I'm staring at are stones he sold to Van Cleif which were stolen out of the Haxxxll Mansion safe.”
“Oh man. I'll get him.”
“Before you do anything with him, I want to make a call.”
“Ok”
I hung up and dialed Louis. “Hello?”
“Louis?”
“Yeah Rhette.”
“Where are you and please don't tell me in Vegas.”
“I'm out here.”
“Damn! I need a gator.”
“Why?”
“Can I feed the gators tonight?”
“Why?”
“Because I need someone gone.”
“Oh man, what did they do?”
“There's a mansion in Kansas City not even I'm allowed to live in...which I own. I've got Doug Haxxxll living there and his fucking step brother went there and robbed the safe.
I'm staring at stones and pieces which were stolen and sold to Van Cleif. They weren't his to take and they weren't even Doug's. They were my first lover's real mother's stones. She was a Brach as in candy. They were in that safe because they are a part of the Haxxxll estate...not the Danis estate.”
“Oh man. I'm not sure what they'll do with an entire human.”
“My options are that or piranha and I'd much rather have him knowing he's fucked while I'm sawing off chunks of him and feeding them to the gators.”
“Damn!”
“I'm pissed Louis. No one comes in and robs me without paying entrance fees. That fucker is out here racking up debts on his portion of an estate which ran out a long time ago.”
“Let me speak with you in private about this.”
“Ok, I've got another idea if you don't.”
“Really?”
“It's a test of endurance. Him and an anaconda alone in a room. I'm wondering who is going to get tired first?”
“Ooh, that's interesting!”
“I don't know anyone who has one...and I believe they regurgitate the leftovers. That's sort of incriminating.”
“I know one of those damned snakes does that.”
“Ok, I'll speak with you later. I just needed an option.”
“I'll be there.”
I hung up and said, “As you can see, it's not faring well to be an enemy of mine.”
Lena said, “I understand though.”
I turned to the Van Cleif guy and asked, “Anymore bad news in your box?”
He smiled, “No, all the rest is good news.”
“Good, at least the day is kept short.”
He held out a larger box and said, “These are the pieces we have for him.”
I opened it and picked up a tie bar. The stones were smaller than I wanted, but I loved the twist to the piece with the diamond cut. It'd pick up the light wonderfully.
“I don't see one of these with larger stones. Could I get one made with larger?”
“How big of stones?”
“About the size which are in these cuff links.”
“Those are sevens.”
“Ok, then sevens is what I want in the tie bar. I love this twist with the diamond cut.”
“That's getting to be popular.”
“What I'm going to ask you is something which isn't in here and I'm not sure you make them, but we're going to try anyway. What I want is a button cover for his collar buttons. I'd love to have them with smaller ones...probably a carat each with smaller ones circling it.”
He nodded, “I don't think anyone has thought of something like that. I'll get it made up for you.”
“Make it in the fashion of this tie tack. I know he will have a tie on at some awards presentation, so we need that.”
I paused and asked, “My next request is to have a set of pieces which are similar to Liz Taylor's signature pieces. Hers has white diamonds and blues, but I want mine to have the reds.
I want it to be hearts with each having the larger stones in them. I'll need ear rings, and a simple hair piece with that on it.”
“Like a tiara?”
“Yes, but I want a choker necklace to match in case I don't want to wear the larger pieces.
Now, the next item I want is going to need to be something which is different, but telling you how I pay attention to details.
When people go to funerals, they take off the diamonds and they wear pearls. Why they go with white is beyond me, but this little drag queen wants black pearls and since I'm going to be required in the Summer to wear a dress, I want an ankle bracelet in the same black pearls.
Speaking of which, I'll need an ankle bracelet in that same connecting heart pattern.”
He smiled, “Ok, I've got that down. What diameter of pearls?”
“I'm wanting to say 3mm.”
He nodded, “Ok, small.”
“Yeah, I don't want anything gaudy at a funeral. I want the mood to be appropriate.”
“Most definitely.”
I picked up my cell phone and dialed Clive. “Hello?”
“I want to make a change to something.”
“Ok, what?”
“Rather than rock, put 'music' instead. If I'm going to crown myself something, I sure want it to be over everything!”
He laughed, “Ok, so you want to be the 'First Lady of Music'.”
“Yeah, that sounds cool. That doesn't lock me into Soul, Rock, or anything. I'm a songstress instead of a performer.”
“Ok”
“You'll see I get into the details Clive. It's about getting respect to give it. The moment someone doesn't want to give it, they'll find themselves in the deep sump pit and I'm not about to let them crawl out too easily. If that's a diva, then I'm going to be the First Lady of those also.”
He laughed, “Ok, I understand.”
“Where are you now?”
“On the plane headed that way.”
“Cool. I'm happy you're coming.”
“I wouldn't miss it.”
I hung up and dialed the GM. “Yeah Rhette.”
“I need one of the showgirl's outfits in a size four.”
“The one piece?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok. Do you want a head dress.”
“It's that pink thing here, right?”
“Yeah.”
“What sort of head piece do they have at the Conq's show?”
“It's like a Conquistador helmet in Gold.”
“Our suits are Gold, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok, I'd like a suit with a helmet.”
“I'll get them to you.”
I hung up and En asked, “What are you doing?”
“I thought about going shopping for our honeymoon clothing, but I've decided to put on a little show of my own.”
He smiled, “All I want is you in the bed.”
“Now, what fun is that?! I want you to have a memory or few while I'm still out of the flannel nightgown stage!”
Lena laughed, “You're a nut!”
I went over and said, “En?”
“Yeah hon.”
“I need to go buy shoes. Other than that, I think I'm going to wear the wedding dress and the gray and that's it. If I see something which catches my eye which is classy in a window, I might pick it up, but other than that, I'm not going to dress in the tramp attire.”
“Ok, what do you want me to dress in?”
“Clothes, but if you choose to dress out of them, I'll divert them and tell them the honeymoon is happening sooner. Ok?”
He laughed, “Ok”
I turned and said to the Van Cleif man. “Let's see the wedding rings. I forgot about those.”
He pulled out the ring sets and I took a look at En's. “Man, that's sharp. I bet that thing could cut glass!”
The guy chuckled.
I went over and put it on his finger, “How's it feel?”
“It feels wonderful. Let me put yours on your finger.”
“Nope, when mine goes on, it's never coming off. If I've gotta go shopping, I don't want to run around with a rock the size of Delaware on my hand.”
“Let me see it then.”
I showed him, “Man, how big is that stone?!”
“I don't know but on my hand, it's going to look amazing.”
I put it up next to my finger and he got misty eyed. “Man, you don't know how happy you make me.”
“Babe, when I get back, I'll make it special. Ok?”
“Yeah.”
I went out and got on the security cart. “Where would you like to go Mr Michaels?”
“One moment, I need to make a call and jump into Dave and that General Manager's ass. If you call me Mr Michaels while I'm in a dress cutting wedding cake in front of about fifty fuckin' reporters, I will find a way to slit your God damned throat and let you bleed out in front of that cake. Got me?”
“I'm sorry.”
“No, unless you've been told different, it's your superior's faults for not stressing shit around here.”
I dialed the GM. “Yeah Rhette.”
“Right now, I'm wanting you to get on the fucking p.a. And tell every fucking employee from this moment on, Rhette's name is Rhette and it is a source for immediate termination if I'm called anything else. I will NOT have anyone fuck this up for your or David's mishandling of a fucking memo. Got me?”
“I wasn't told to put that in the memo. I apologize.”
“Yeah, think about that when I commence to killing someone who calls me that in front of the press. I should've taken this fuckin' thing someplace else and put the ultimate insult on my own hotel! Now, I'm going to get off this phone and I'm calling Dave to chew him a new one while I'm at it.”
“I'll get people told.”
“Unless I hear it over the p.a., I'm knowing someone is going to fuck up.”
“I'll get them told.”
I hung up and dialed Dave. “Yeah.”
“Let me chew into your ass for a moment. The GM didn't put into the memo I'm supposed to be called Rhette around here. I get on the security buggy looking like a woman and got called MR MICHAELS! Now, I'm going shopping to buy shoes for a fuckin' wedding dress and fully expect to be called Mr Michaels. How many Moms and Dads there are going to run home and tell their little brat not to buy a God Damned record one from the fag?! And how many blogs is that going to be on once that heathen gets to a computer? It should be covered, but NO, we've got to sail into this not knowing what cannons lay ahead.”
“I'll get people told.”
“Listen, I've already got a GM about ready to get fired because I'm not hearing it go out over the public address system. I'm driving to the nearest one and I'm going to announce it myself. As pissed as I am, you'll be lucky if it's not laced with four letter words like INEPT MANAGEMENT WHO DON'T KNOW THEIR ASS FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND!”
“Let me get on it.”
“David, when you do, you tell them I run this motherfucker and you use that word...because when I get on that p.a. system, you best know I will! You're seriously about to lose this wedding to the El Conq because they apparently know how in the hell to do things down there. AND when that slap to your face happens for being that God damned lax, it's coming from the grave. He would've never ran this shit this way!”
“I'll get on it. Now simmer down!”
“I'm headed to a p.a. system. You best count on that!”
I hung up and said, “Get me to the front desk.”
“Yes...”
“If you say sir, you're fired!”
“Rhette.”
“Good, one down...a whole fucking place to train before the press get here.”
We rolled to the front desk and I got off. I went in and said, “I need that public address with all those levers flipped so I can speak on this damned thing.”
The girl said, “Ok”
She went over and began flipping switches. When the last one was flipped, I spoke, “From this moment on, Rhette Michaels will be called Rhette, Ma'am, or suitable terms in that manner. IF it does not happen in this mother FUCKER, you will be fired immediately and sued for the possible amount it would take you to earn in a thousand lifetimes.
Since the General Manager is now on my shit list as well as David Camiletti, don't think you're less! Now, if you are the General Manager of this place, get your ass up here so it can be fired.”
I dropped the mic and said, “Shut the God damned thing off.” I heard it go out with a squeal of feedback.
The girl smiled, “Sure.”
Dave came running in and said, “Jeez Rhette!”
“Fire the fucker. Get someone in here who will do what I ask immediately rather than getting it put out in memo. I pay fifteen million dollars a year for appreciation because everyone knows he doesn't do much else. When I can't get it, I'll certainly find myself standing ass deep in lips until then.”
Dave smiled, “You are too much like my dad.”
“I told you if I got to it first I'd make an announcement in my words and on my terms. I bet you they understand I'm pissed.”
“As do all of our paying public.”
“Right now David, I could give a fuck less about them. They're not running out here calling me Mister! Leona Helmsley, maybe, but it won't be attached with Mister.”
I went out and got on the cart. “Take me to the shoe store and let's see how many people smile.”
He cracked up, “Ok”
We rolled off and drove to the shoppes. When we got there, I hopped off and went into the shoe store.
“Oohwee sister, you sounded pissed!”
I turned around and saw Shirley. “Hey Babe!”
I went over and hugged her, “Hey hon, I'm facing a thousand people from the press in a couple of hours and getting called Mr Michaels. I called the General Manager and David and told them to get to the p.a. Neither beat me there, so I put the announcement out on my terms.”
She laughed, “My goodness you used the words!”
“Shirl, my advice is to go stay at the El Conq. This place here can't manage to treat me like I own the place. Down there, they treat me like I do and it pisses me something fierce.”
“We're treated well.”
“Yeah, I'm not! Go figure!”
I heard Dave's voice go out over the public address system. “This is David Camiletti and I fully understand Rhette's anger. Rhette Michaels is the owner of the Ginorocity. IF you are employed by the Ginorocity, from this moment further, you will treat Rhette with the due respect the signature on your pay check deserves. IF it isn't possible, do not expect to get another check working here.”
“It's about fucking time.”
Shirley laughed, “What's new?”
“Not much, I'm getting married, and I'm in here buying shoes to go with the dress.”
My cell rang. “Yes David, I heard it. Call that man from the El Conq and get him up here as the General Manager. You tell the man I've got one requirement and that's to see my employees here are bowing and scraping to me like those down there. They apparently hold themselves to a different standard than up here.”
“So you meant that!”
“I mean it. Now, I'm shopping. I'm challenged to see how many people I get to fire before I get back to the dressing room.”
“Try not making too big of a scene.”
“I wouldn't be making scenes if the law had been put down last night when I was ASSURED I'd be happy.”
“Ok”
I hung up. “David is learning when I'm nervous, it's not time to piss me off.”
“What sort of shoes are you looking for?”
“I'm not sure. Part of me says to buy a mule and the other part says to buy a pair of espadrilles. What I need is opalescent.”
“Ooh. How about off white?”
“My hose are opalescent.”
The sales girl came over, “What can I help you with?”
“I need opalescent shoes like this. My hose are opalescent.”
“We don't have them. Go to Seventh Avenue. They've got what you'll want.”
“Thanks.”
I asked Shirl. “You wanna go with?”
“Yeah, what the hell?”
She hopped on the back and I sat next to her. I told the security man, “We're going to Seventh Avenue.”
“Ok”
I turned to Shirl, “Hon, talk with your hands. Otherwise, we're a couple of shop lifters.”
She laughed, “Damn, I feel like a showgirl with my hands in the air!”
“I'll sing, you clap.”
“Ok”
I went into 'Forget Me Nots'. She stopped and turned to look at me, “Did that come out of you?!”
“Yeah hon, keep clapping.”
As I sang, the guard drove and Shirl clapped. When we got to Seventh Avenue, the guard stopped and I said, “You'd think I was happy to go to jail!”
He laughed
We went in and the sales girl was right on us. “How may I help you?!”
“I need opalescent shoes. I was told you had them here.”
“One moment, the shoe section is over here.”
We went over and instantly, I saw the shoes. “Those in a size 11.”
I saw a dress and said, “I'd like to try that dress on.”
Another sales lady came over, “Hon, we don't have anything as small as you. Our size only go down to a size six.”
“Man, it'd hang on me like a loose sack.”
The girl brought back the shoes and I tried them on. They would do, but they fit like a new pair of shoes.
“Does anyone know where a shoe stretcher would be bought?”
“Let me see if we can get you a size 12.”
“They'll hang off me. I'll make do with these.”
We bought them and then went out. I turned to Shirl, I need to go get a pale blue bustier/girdle one piece.”
“Ooh, where?”
I turned to the guy and asked, “Would you take us to Frederick's?”
“Sure.”
We drove and over and when we got there, I saw a black lace floor length dress. “Oh man, look at that dress Shirl.”
“That's hot!”
We went in and the sales girl came over. “Hon, I want to try that dress in a size four. I need a pale blue satin one piece bustier/girdle.”
“With or without bones?”
“Preferably with.”
She nodded, “Ok, this way.”
We went over to the dresses and she took the one off the rack. I asked, “What do you have I can wear under this?”
“One moment, over here.”
We followed and she got a satin black one piece without bones and then showed me the one piece in pale blue satin with bones.”
“I'm going to go try them on. You wanna come with Shirl?”
“Yeah.”
We went into the dressing rooms and I got out of the pants and shirt. I put the blue girdle on and Shirl zipped me. “Damn I wish I were your size!”
“Hon, I wish I were your size.”
“No you don't! They're saying Jessica Simson is a full figured girl being my size!”
“Let me give you a bit of a clue. Jessica 'Miss Mouth' Simson is getting her due. She apparently spoke bad of an executive's wife being the size she is now by saying she was a 'fat bitch'. She apparently forgot what comes around goes around and now it's slinging her direction.
The lesson there is to never piss into the fan. Those who get splattered might wait until you're in front of it.”
Shirl laughed, “You're going to be fun with your stardom.”
“Hon, I've gotta become a star to have it.”
“A certain birdy I'm supposed to hate told me you're going to be huge.”
“You two spoke!”
“Oh yeah!”
“AND???”
“She called having no idea I was out here. She told me they were on the skids and apologized.”
“AND???”
“I told her I forgave her.”
“Oh Shirl. Do you think there could be more?”
“Hon, I'm not saying there won't be. I'm not saying there will be. I'm not sure how I will handle seeing her.”
“She's going to Brazil with us to adopt.”
“Really?”
“She wants a baby girl. Since I'm not planning on spawning...”
She laughed, “...You don't do fish.”
“Restaurant fish is the only I do. Other than that, I do it on a boat with my uncle present and he certainly keeps all the 2 legged variety on his end so I can get my own.”
She laughed, “You're a nut.”
I got out of the blue and into the black and said, “Zip me up hon. Let's see what this looks like with that dress on.”
She zipped me and I put on the dress. We got it down and she whistled. “Man, it looks like it was made for you!”
“Let's go look.”
We went out and a guy in his teens came over and stared. “Man, you're hot!”
“Thanks.”
“I'll be your fan if you want cooled off.”
“Come to the concert tonight at the Immanuel theater. You'll see who I am hon. All I can say is you're a little too late.”
He smiled, “Dang, all the good ones are taken!”
“Or gay!”
“You a dyke?”
“If I were, she'd be satisfied. And, I'd have them standing in line too!”
Shirl laughed, “Yeah!”
I said, “Shirl, quick, hand hold my phone, I've got a song coming on.”
“Huh?”
The kid looked perplexed also.
I went and got my phone and hit record. I began singing, “When all the good ones are taken, don't be shaken. Make that man yearn before you get burned. Pick up your phone to see you're not getting boned. Relationships hurt, don't throw the first dirt, put it to rest unless it stands the test. All roses don't have thorns.”
I went into the next two verses and when I was finished, Shirl was standing with her mouth hanging open and the kid said, “That sounds like Britney singing an answer to Justin's 'Cry Me A River' song.
“Maybe, but I've got dress rehearsal in a about half an hour. He'll probably be there tonight.”
The kid asked, “Who?”
Justin. Britney will probably be there also. I know a lot of them will be there, so get your ticket bought first because what room isn't taken by stars will be sold to the public.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, how about I do this. You give them this note and they'll let you in. That way, you're sat where the stars and family are sat.”
“What's going on?”
“Enriches and I are getting married hon.”
“You are! Wow!”
I smiled, “That's why I'm not nibbling at your hook hon. You save the bait as cute as it is for some other girl.”
He blushed, “Ok!”
“Can I give you a hint?”
“Yeah.”
“Most of us in here are taken. You might get to see girls in undergear, but the ones you want are going to be at the cart track. They're single if they're not there with a guy and they know the cute guys all go there.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so if you happen to go there and find a girl, bring her along with that note and you'll get to see me sing up on stage.”
“Ok!”
He took out and she said, “You're too sweet.”
“If you go to the concert, you might find yourself with someone who never stopped loving you.”
“I know she didn't.”
“And neither did you. Forgive her the transgression and I bet you she doesn't make the mistake again. She's learned.”
She hugged me, “Thank you.”
“Can I give you a bit of what everyone thinks?”
“Yeah.”
“When people see her, and they see you, they all think you two belong together no matter what. Some of those who worked with us all thought that and they'd love to see you two back together.”
“Who?”
“Some who were related to me, but didn't let it on down there.”
“Huh?”
“Yeah hon, I had family working there, but I didn't let it on because they didn't want everyone thinking I was giving favors when I wasn't.”
“You HAD family working there?!”
“And as close as we were, how many times did I ever ask you for a favor for anyone which wasn't warranted?”
“None, that's why I'm shocked right now!”
“Jim and Donny.”
“Really?!”
“Donny is my first cousin. Jim's her husband.”
“I knew they met and got married there, but I sure didn't know you were related!”
“Now you do.”
“My God! You never cease to surprise me!”
“Honey, it wasn't about that. I treated everyone the same if they were likable. If they weren't, I hated them the same.”
She laughed, “And I sure know who he was!”
“There was a she too.”
“Who?”
“'Cousin It', but let me tell you something. Did you know the reason she acts the way she does is because she's from another country?”
“Who in the hell is 'Cousin It'?”
“Shelly.”
“Oh God! You called her that?!” She said busting out laughing.
“Hon, now that I understand her better, I don't.”
“How did you find that out?”
“En. We went down there and he started speaking to her in Portugese or some language which wasn't Spanish and they really got close. Now we're helping sell her art glass pictures and she's going to do that out here.”
“Really?”
“It was the carrot which got them to split. She wants to do this and Sherry is going to work on my farm as caretaker.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I'm building a mansion and the coach house will be a three bedroom ranch above the garages. The end of it will be the swimming pool all under arborarium.”
“What's an arborarium?”
“It's like a conservatory except it's going to be made of structural wrought iron. We're hanging vines so it's natural inside there.”
“Oh, that sounds nice.”
“Let's get me out of this so I can go get to dress rehearsal. Would you do me a huge favor?”
“What's that?”
“Go back to that shoe store and get those black satin shoes for me. You can come to dress rehearsal. I'm understanding she's going to be there.”
“What's dress rehearsal?”
“It's where we go through the concert and do sound check. Then, we do our costume changes to see how the lighting needs to be done and all that.
I'll forewarn you that you'll need Kleenex.”
“Why?”
“My songs which really kick ass are sad.”
“Sad sad or just sad.”
“Sad sad. You'll bawl your eyes out sad.”
“Oh man!”
“Honey, that's why I want you there. She's going to hear them too, but I imagine if she's there seeing Celine bawling, she'll not want to have too many tears herself so she can see that happen.”
She laughed, “You're cruel!”
“Hey, I'm trying to make an inroad for you! You being there to hold her would be a real good touch.”
“Oh man, you're a romantic!”
“I happen to know Shelly is out looking at houses. Now, how does it grab you thinking you might stand a chance of having a life with her having her do something where she'll be happy working and having a little girl?”
“I know she always wanted a baby. I'm not sure about wanting to raise another, but ...”
“Hon, they're going to be raised with mine. I'm going to Brazil to adopt also and as big of a softy as I am, I'll probably end up having En super happy because I'll have umpteen kids.”
“How many does he want?”
“I'm still trying to decide if he's trying to field a football team or get us a backup choir cheap!”
She laughed, “You're awful!”
“I'll love 'em, it's just my idea of having kids is making them and having them via the 'honey, I think I'm pregnant' routine. With me getting the 'honey, I think we filled the plane and it's called child abuse if we strap them on', it's kind of absurd.”
She laughed, “Get out of that dress.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls!”
She laughed, “Only the gorgeous ones and I did to her also even though she never wore one in her life...I don't think.”
“You know they make men's pajamas in flannel, don't you?”
She laughed, “You're a regular horse's ass!”
“I wonder if you're in satin and she's in flannel if you have static cling?”
She smiled, “With her, I never found out. I always had my clothes off.”
I put my hands over my ears, “Lalalalala...I don't want to hear a fishing story!”
“Shush you!”
I took off the dress and got the girdle off. I handed them to her and said, “Go tell the girl to ring these up and I'll be right out.”
“Ok, did anyone tell you you've got the tiniest ass!”
“Yup, all my fellas.”
“I'm getting out of here. I think it's another day at the Ballpark frank company.”
“Can you imagine what the company softball team would be called? I imagine 'The Swallows' would be appropriate.”
She busted out laughing, “I gotta get out of here.”
She took the garments and I got dressed. In no time, we were on the security cart heading to the theater.
I told the guy to give her a lift back to the shoe store and went in.
Dave was standing there. “Your GM there wasn't happy, but he's now understanding you need him up here.”
“He ought to be excited at all the opportunities to take us from a ghetto to a show place.”
“Don't say that.”
“Honey, I love this place, but everywhere I look, there's things which irk the shit out of me. That mall irks the shit out of me.”
“What do you want different?”
“Stronger dynamite. If I had my rather, I'd start with stronger dynamite and work from there.”
“Ok, saying we don't use that, what would you do differently?”
“I'd go with brick and have gas lanterns. You'd see it appearing to be timeless London.”
“Oh man, that'd be cool.”
“Somewhere in the archives are my sketches for the shoppes in that manner. Instead, we got urban appeal and exactly what all the rest of the malls look like across this country.”
“What would you have the ceilings looking like?”
“Beam and plank for the rustic appeal of walking under an old bridge. I'd like to have the bricks be structural arches, but that would cost a fortune.”
“But it's timeless.”
“Yeah, and with all the wrought iron of the lanterns and the down spots shining on store fronts with their heavy wood windows stained gray so they look old.”
“Do you think we could get that accomplished?”
“You might speak to Jerry. I think it might be accomplished if we stripped off the store fronts. What I do think is it's going to take a lot of custom work for doors. I'm thinking if we went to a door manufacturer, we could get them to slide like we've got the glass ones now, but instead, we'd have them in heavy wood with smaller panes so they're like French sliders.”
“Oh!”
“I do know they make them like what I'm talking about and they lock in place like the others. I know because you don't know how badly I wanted to order them and have your dad end up with six hundred sets of doors telling him I wanted the other.”
“He'd been pissed.”
“Yeah, but we've had it this way for twenty years, I can have it my way for the next twenty and then, we could both be happy.”
“Why didn't he want it that way?”
I said in Gino's brogue, “All the others have them that way David. If they're doing them that way, there must be something to it otherwise they'd all look like what I wanted.”
He smiled, “I bet you were pissed.”
“Let's just say I told him to build it that way and went to look at college handbooks to get me the fuck away from him.”
He hugged me, “That hurt sound just came out.”
“Honey, I loved him, but he was a man who cared more about what everyone else thought and was doing than what the one who mattered to him was wanting.
I'll tell you something else. When he said that, you don't know how fucking tempted I was to tell him your sister would want it that way and maybe he should give her a call for the approval.”
“Ooh!”
“But I love him and kept my mouth shut. Now you know there were hurts which stacked to drive the wedge between us.”
“He knew he hurt you.”
“I know. When he got the letter from me telling him what I was doing, and why I was splitting up, it was nearly twenty pages of those hurts.
I typed that son of a bitch single space so when it needed put into triplicate, all he had to do was photocopy it and put it into files.”
“He didn't put them in there.”
“Nope. It probably hit the fireplace in his office and he probably thought better of it because your grandmother would've roasted his ass but good over that.”
“She certainly never let him go a day without asking if he'd contacted you or how you were doing.”
“I'll tell you leaving him ripped my heart out in regards to her. I knew if I went back and saw her, it'd stir things up and she'd manipulate to put us back together...not that I would've minded, but you know if it was a priority of his, it would've been different.”
“By the time he realized what he'd lost, I think it was too late.”
“What you need to know was I never started drinking heavy until I knew it was over. When I wrote that letter, it took a bottle of Southern Comfort straight to get me to go mail the son of a bitch. To this day, I hate that shit.”
“Tastes like cough syrup.”
“Yeah, but it got the job done.”
“How'd you and Danny get together?”
“That's a story which is just insane. What happened was I went to the pool there to swim. The swimming coach there was gay and liked to watch twinks swim. I think he got plenty of jack off material watching us.
Well, I had a key and it was the weekend, so I went. Danny's job was to go around and make sure places were secure. He found me in there and of course, we knew each other from high school, so he came in.
I was already about half past blitzed when he got there and probably had no good need to be swimming while I was drunk, but hey, I didn't care.
So, he stood there and watched me swim naked and when I got out, he said, “I think there's a rule against that.” and I told him, “There's probably a lot of rules against things. The only thing I think right now should be against anything is your front to my back.” Then, I went in and took a shower.
Well, he came in and watched me shower and asked if I was going to get dressed or walk back to my apartment nude.
As you know, somewhere in that, I decided to see if it could be done. Needless to say, getting to the Allante was easy, but when I got to the apartment, it was damned hard going to the door of the busiest restarurant in town buck assed naked. I did it, so you know how badly I needed to put my toys away and go home.”
“What happened with him?”
“Later that night, he came up to the apartment and we ended up going for a midnight walk...clothed. We went and by the time we got back to the apartment, he got brought in and we fucked. He stayed and for the next nine months, it was good until he got the letter telling him he'd passed the bar. Then, it was over and he hauled ass out to L.A..”
“You don't hold a grudge with him. Why not?”
“Hon, the entire time we were together, he never once lied to me. He told me he was going to go and I dismissed it as it happening some day far in the distance.
When it happened, it was so sudden I just went into shock and of course, I sat there and drank myself into a stupor so it'd not seem like he was leaving in the morning. Then, I passed out and slept through him leaving.
What happened then was I decided to gather the liquid courage needed to go kill myself and ended up shooting Michele instead. I got out of it, and the people at the shrink's office couldn't keep me, so I got handed some pills which got put in a drawer and I drank one up which led to more.
Where that went was on into my relationship with Mike and then, into Steve and into Chad which put me in prison.”
“Always trying to find the one who would love you as you wanted.”
“Hon, En is probably the most perfect for me I could find. You know, I'd just about given up on thinking there was a meaning to my life except to be a counselor to addicts. I was settled with it and of course, when you're settled, something comes along to tell you what you wanted and hoped for is possible...but, when there's a decision to be made, there's always going to be the temptation which is wrong and the decision which is right. My temptation is Patrik and your temptation is me. Get over me and get with her.”
“Whoa!”
“You're staring at me like your dad used to. I know you could go for me and although I'm tempted, you know the moment we ended up in bed together, it'd be too fucking strange for the city to figure out. You're straight. I'm gay. You've openly hated me for being gay and making your Dad gay, and the moment you and I were seen in that manner, they'd look at me as persuading another Camiletti man into my bed and they'd look at you as not being strong. They'd end up hating us both and sure enough, some dumb fuck would end up getting killed for wanting to war against us.”
“I do love you.”
“I know and right now, it's good, but it's for the wrong reasons.”
“What are my reasons?”
“First of all, I remind you of your Dad. I make decisions like your Dad and although that's therapeutic for you, it's damned wrong of me to do.”
“I'm not...”
“Dave, let's love each other as it can be and not what it can't be. Maybe it's me finally putting Gino to peace, but it's not me telling you it wouldn't be good. It's me telling you it's not good for the city. Maybe that's what he was telling me when he broke my heart, but now I've got to think of a city.”
“Come here.”
We went out onto the stage and he said, “You know why I want you?”
“Why?”
“Because this out there is the unknown. You'll be out there where I can't protect you and it scares me.”
“Ok, now remember a few things in this equation you're setting up in your mind to be failure where I get hurt. That man over there loves me. He's going to be there loving me and protecting me.
You've also got me who can pick up a phone and call for you when I can't use my own brain to manipulate and get myself out of a situation.
Also in the situation is others who are going to be there protecting me like their financial future depends upon it because it does.
Where we have an advantage of you protecting me from afar is I've got this card in my possession and I've got this ring. I own everything which gets me away from people and I own the ability to get myself out of situations however they need to be gotten out of.
Where you see me failing, I see myself succeeding but you've shown me your loyalty and your love. Let others be loyal and love me also. They will.”
He turned and hugged me, “Rhette's finally grown up.”
“Yeah. I'm able to say what makes me feel like I need to and now what I want for you is to feel is like you need to.”
“What if I mess up?”
“Do you see that man over there? I ask myself that all the time. About the time I'm thinking I'm not good enough for him, he does something which tells me I'm more than good enough and I'm wanted.
I bet you if you give her the chance, she'll do that for you.”
“I feel like it's my position she's more impressed with.”
“Bullshit. That's Sam and I'll tell you right now she's not that way. She knew me before the position and she's known me after. She treats me the same no matter what and you know what? I'll tell you if I went to her and said, 'Sam, I've decided this is all a mistake and want to settle down with a girl.' She'd do it and not look back.
Where you need to realize we fail is when we look back. When you're constantly looking back, you don't walk in a straight line forward. And the quickest way to get to where you're going is in a straight line.
Those things we look at behind us are called temptations to sway us from what we need and want for real.
But you know what? Sometimes in life, things go so right and pieces fall into place so even when you have temptations, you know the only road is the one you're on instead of the one which you know is wrong for you.
Do me a favor?”
“What's that?”
“You put yourself into this thing with her for a month like there's no other temptations on this planet and you stay out here. You work it from a phone like I do and you give her your all. Tell her you want to try it and you give her everything.
If at the end of the month it's not you and you have temptations elsewhere, we'll sit down and see if we've got misgivings and if they're there, we'll dig ourselves out of it and we'll throw ourselves into a relationship.”
“Why?”
“Because I know if you do that and I do this, the meeting we have in one month is going to have us sitting telling each other we've actually got the best thing we've ever had and can't believe how lucky we are.”
“Do you feel that now?”
“Yes, and you know why? Because right now, I'm burying my past. I've gone through Kevin and I've gotten through Gino and I'm definitely through everyone else, so all that's left is what's ahead of me and as much as I love you, I know if you did the same, you'd finally realize the one for you is where she needs to be...right there for you making you excited... Oh damn, I've got a song coming through.”
I pulled out my phone and started singing 'Sexcited'
He smiled, “Man, that was different!”
“Why, because I put myself in the mindset of a lawman who cites sexually? Believe me, we played that game when Steve and I were together. You'd be amazed at how I look in and out of a uniform!”
He laughed, “Ok!”
“Handcuffs come in handy during those little forays...but you know what? I look at him over there and I see someone who is my lawyer...and we always know his briefs are around his ankles when I'm on that desk!”
He laughed. “One month. I'll take the deal.”
“Ok, 100% and if you need time off, you give me the yell and I'll definitely allow you honeymoon time.”
He laughed, “Ok, let me call her.”
“Bullshit, you go find her and give her 100% real you...don't cut it with a phone.”
“Man!”
“I'm giving that man 100% me and I'm not calling in a relationship with him.”
“I guess I never thought about it that way.”
“Honey, I'll give you the advice you need to get yourself what you need. Just trust me on this, I think it's going to make us closer as true friends than anything.”
“I'm going to go. I'll be back.”
“You know where I'll be.”
He went and I went back stage and got undressed.
Lena said, “You're crying.”
“Hon, these tears are good ones.” I pulled out my phone and started singing, 'Good Tears'.
Afterwards, I got into the wedding dress and got completely ready. En came back and smiled, “Do you realize how gorgeous you look?”
“Yes. Not only do you tell me, your eyes tell me.”
“I've got to get dressed.”
He got dressed and as he put on the tuxedo, I helped put the diamonds upon him.
When he was dressed, I went over and put the head piece on and left the veil off. I turned to Lena, “I'm leaving that off until the photo shoot. Then, we'll need it, but I'll probably need help getting it off. My hands will probably be shaking.”
When I was finished, I looked in there mirror and found the makeup suitable. En asked, “Are you ready?”
“Yeah.”
We went out on stage and the doors opened. People came in and Dave came up to the stage. He went to the mic and asked, “Is this thing on?”
I heard immediately it was but the booth said, “You're coming through fine.”
Dave turned to us. “What I will do is I'll introduce you guys as a married couple and then, I'll introduce Clive. Then, Clive will introduce you, Rhette, and then you En as new acquisitions of his.
Once that's done, it's up to you guys to do it however you see fit.”
I turned to En, he said, “What I'd like to do is to do 'In Your Arms' both ways.”
“Will the band know both ways?”
He turned, “Guys, Rhette has come up with a new way of doing 'In Your Arms'. I think you have the regular way down great, so let's do it the club version.
I said, “What it is, is an up tempo version. The horns are going to take the violin parts. I'm hoping you can improvise.”
I asked the booth, “Can you play that back at this speed?”
I began singing and the booth matched. En's voice sped up sounded different. It was sort of humorous.
The orchestra leader said, “We'll certainly give it a shot. I need our drummer and bass to give us theirs and let's see if we can fill in with everything else. Horns, give it to me but for now, violins, up the tempo and give us the melody.”
He counted off and the violins carried it. The band fell in and En went to the mic. He motioned me over and I went with him. We got it belted out and the band leader said, “I'll have them practice it this afternoon so it's ready.”
En looked at me, “What do you want to do?”
“'The Wedding Song'.”
The orchestra began and I was surprised. I hadn't done so much as to sing it into my phone, so all they had to work from was that.
When I got to singing it, it sounded wonderful. At the end, I went over and said, “Guys, this is a pat on the back for everyone here. That was totally surprising.”
“We've got an arrangement for most of what you've gotten. We don't have the operatic pieces quite nailed yet, but they're sounding excellent.”
“Man! I'm impressed! How about we go into 'You Can't' and then, I'll introduce 'Baby' and then, we'll go on into 'Fallen'. Then, I want to work on one called 'Can You Live Without Me'.”
“We've got that done.”
“Really?”
“The booth has it complete with their sound effects.”
“Ok, let's do the run through of that. I have faith you've got the other two.”
He smiled, “You pay us and we get them. I've never seen someone have so much original stuff which is so excellent.”
“Thank you!”
He said, “Band, if we're Blessed, we might get to see how it's done.”
I said, “Guys, if you heard the time stamp on the recordings, you would know when they come, they come and it's unknown what I'll have coming out.”
The booth said, “Rhette, we want your approval on the video run we've got behind 'Fallen'. Based upon what you said on your recording, we think we've got enough footage we can do it.”
“Ok, give it a shot. Those of you in the audience, pull out your hankies...this one is sad.”
The lights dimmed and I watched. When the lead in gunshots happened, I heard some tympani drums doing a low roll in the background making it more impressive behind the snares. The scene changed to the sight of a car pulling up in front of the house and the two soldiers going to the door. By then, my words were coming through and we were nearly through the first verse.
Whoever was on the editing was brilliant, it faded and we got a bright white hands on look of the twenty one gun salute. When that gunshot happened, even I got chills.
During the second verse, we went to the military funeral scene and then, it went into the salute again. The third verse got us into guys coming off the bus for new recruits and then, by the end of the verse when the 'Fallen' was showing the salute again, I know I was crying.
The drums faded out and it showed a flag waving at half staff.
I went to the mic and said, “I'm crying because it's beautiful. Now, here's the critic and I'll tell you what I want.”
“Ok”
“What you've got there is beautiful. It's not quite what I want though.
When begin, I want a haze around the edges. And I want all those scenes shown superimposed over a flag waving.
These are her memories. She's in a fog and this is her crying out during her grief. She's trying to make semblance of it and we've got to show that third verse as pure patriotism that her babies' life had some meaning. I want little snippets of you throwing in Revolutionary war, the Alamo, us in World War I, and then, I want a scene of that flag being raised at Iwo Gima. Then, I want you to find me a picture of an Eagle feeding her young in the nest. Then then while we're fading out, I want that Eagle seen soaring superimposed upon that flag while the other is seen flying at half staff. Have that Eagle flying towards that flag, not away from it and you'll have me happy.
You've done amazing work. I'm proud of it and I'll tell you what you've got there is pure award winning material if we can sell it.
Now, let me see what you've got for 'Can You'.”
I went over and before they began, I heard Dave's voice, “Rhette, I need to get authorization from you on something. You probably don't know what we've got going at the studio, but it's uncanny this song has happened when it has. I'd like to use it as a lead in a soundtrack for a movie. If I may.
What I'll do is show you the video we've got for it with the footage and then, with it alone. You can decide, but I need to warn you the footage from the movie changes it.”
“Ok, I'll probably be pissed, but I'll try remaining professional.”
“Just have an open mind and heart. I think it makes it more powerful.”
“Play it.”
When the video came up of the car wreck, I was surprised. It looked very real. Then, as I heard the steaming of the radiator and the scene, I thought, 'Damn, no one could live through that!'. When I heard the voice, it sat my ass down on the stage. It wasn't a teen boy, but a small child, 'Mama, don't die Mama!' And then, I heard the screams. By then, I was crying.
The video was over the shoulder of an angel at first viewing the scene and then, it went into scenes of the movie and at the end, I saw the light and heard my voice doing the lead out.”
I went to the mic, “Don't show me the other one. I'm bawling and I wrote this thing!”
Dave chuckled, “We're on our fifth time through it and I think the waste basket is overflowing up here.”
I heard Sherry's voice, “Play something that's going to get us laughing because I'm finished with all my Kleenex.”
“Sorry hon.”
“You warned us. That was fair, but if I hear that 'Baby' song right now, I'll probably be a puddle running down into the orchestra pit.”
“Dave, we need to get a bunch of those little boxes of Kleenex and issue them.”
“They're on their way.”
“One to every four seats. That's how we gage it in a funeral home.
When we come out of that, I want to get into a song which probably isn't on anyone's playlist, but it's called, 'I'll Stand By You'. It'll seg us into better things.”
The orchestra leader said, “We know it.”
“Great!”
“Oh, Why you look sad
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
Cause I've seen the dark side too.
When the night falls on you
and you don't know what to do
nothing you confess could make me love you less
I'll stand by you I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you.”
En came up to stand behind me holding me and hugging me. The house lights came up and I saw Shirl and Sherry hugging. A tear went down my face and I know I put my hand down to En's waste
By the end, I said, “I'm in the wrong dress, but that's ok. We're going to go into the fun songs. We'll do, 'Road', 'Cherry', '3 Meat', and then get me out of it with 'Mr Clean'.
I'd like to do '3 Meat' and 'Mr Clean' with a band as I've not done that before.”
The orchestra went into '3 meat' and then on into 'Mr Clean' with a 40's jazz style to it.
When it was over, Dave said, “Rhette, Anna wants to do 'Mary' with you and Gladys wants to do 'Train'. When do you want to do those?”
“Let En do his first two and then, I'll go get changed into the black dress'. I want to do a light test on it to see if we're fine. I'll want to do those when we've got the audience in a dancing mood.”
“Ok”
En said, “Let me do 'Excape' and then, we'll do 'Rhythm'. When Rhette comes back out, I'll do 'Do You Know' since Rhette sings the best back up I've had on it.”
I went back and got into the black bustier and dress. The black shoes were a bit tight, but we'd get them stretched.
I went out and without his backup singers, it sounded bare. I went on out and started giving him back up. He smiled and then, we went into 'Do You'.
He went into a dance at the beginning and then, came back to the mic. When I was singing back up, I caressed the side of his head and heard a whistle.
At the end, Dave said, “That dress is amazing.”
“Thank you. Let's do 'Mary' and then 'Train'.
Dave interrupted me, “I've got you another duet. I know you'll do it. It's just which one.”
“Before you tell me. You tell her 'Ride on Time' if this orchestra knows it. And the booth up there has lighting effects so we've got them on their feet.
“Rhette, I want to show you something we just got finished. Look at the jumbo back there and you tell me if it's something you'll approve.”
“Ok”
I turned and I saw the black and white checkerboard pulsing with a Red neon Rhette writing itself out and then strobing.
“It's approved. Get me a jet in that and I'll be happier.”
He laughed, “Patience.”
“Fuck you!”
He laughed, and said, “Let's do this one with her. Band, surprise Rhette.”
When the beat happened, I went into the opening yells. By the 'I don't knows', I was into the dance.
I heard her voice and looked and towards stage left where the dressing room was located and didn't see her. I looked over to the other side and didn't see her, so I figured it was a tape.
I continued to sing and saw her coming up on stage singing without a mic. She'd been down in the audience.
When she got to the mic, I was full into the back up with her. She went into the first line of the chorus and then pointed at me. I took it Mariah high. We went into the 'uh uh uh uh uhs' in our own voices.
By the end, I said, “Dave, if the band can't do it. I want us to do 'Ride' without it. I think she and I can improvise. We will need more than one mic down here.”
“Give it a try.”
“Take out those stabilizers on the mics because we're going to be filling this place. I think both of us can do it without mics...if need be.”
“Let me get you something done.”
“We're going into it none the less.”
We went into it and soon we had a band playing behind us. Someone ran out with a mic and handed it to me.
When we were finished, Martha said, “Honey, we've got another one we want you to do. I'll sing back up for you.”
“Which one?”
“'Deliver Me'” (by Sarah Brightman)
The orchestra went into it and I began. The lights changed on the jumbo which made the room orange. When I heard Martha go into the backup, I heard a guy's voice. I looked over and saw En standing next to her.
When we were finished, I asked, “Does the orchestra know 'Free'?”
The orchestra went into it and then I said, “I want us to seg into 'Cross' at the end of this.”
The orchestra leader nodded. I turned to Martha and said, 'Back me up hon!”
She giggled and I said, “En, give me that rich full voice on this. I want the Benedictine monk sound.”
He smiled and we went into it. I gave some of the Benedictine sound and then went into it. By the time we were finished and segged into 'Cross' with the full rich organ sound, the sounds were so full and different it filled the theater.
At the end, Dave's voice came on excited. “Rhette, I've got that recorded!”
“Ok, we'll listen to it and see if it's got any flaws.”
He laughed, “It's perfect!”
“Ok Dave. I know there's two flaws in it, but if I can't hear them we'll let it go.”
I turned to the orchestra. “Let's get into En's final and let it go.”
En came out and Dave interrupted me. “Rhette, we've got another duet who just came in.”
“Ok” I said with a hint of annoyance.
“She's wanting to do 'I'm Alive'.”
“Oh damn, Sherry get up here!”
Tears stung my eyes because I knew this was more of a dream come true for Sherry than myself.
I heard the humming and her intro. The orchestra went into it and I was impressed. She came out doing a slow dance.
When she got to the second verse, I began harmonizing in operatic highs. I sang up the back up and took it Sarah high.
I could feel I was adding the icing on the cake which was sounding pretty sweet.
At the end, she hugged me and I said, “Off to the edge of the stage is probably the biggest fan on this planet you've got. As long as I've known her, she's treated herself to coming to see you.”
“I hope they just got that recorded because your voice sent chills through me.”
“Thank you.”
I turned, “Sherry, come over here hon.”
Sherry came out and I said, “Celine, Sherry. Sherry, Celine.”
“Sherry has been a fan of yours forever. She and I worked together and there wasn't a day I didn't hear, see, or feel she was your number one fan. I'll tell you it was to the point it was extreme, but because I loved Sherry, I allowed her enthusiasm for you to become infectious in my life.
Don't ask me why some of your songs aren't my favorites, but some of them rock my world. I probably wouldn't've listened to you had it not been for her and it giving us some common ground as friends.”
Sherry hugged me, “Thank you!”
I smiled and Celine smiled. She said, “I think you look familiar. Haven't you been to my shows out here?”
Sherry nodded, “Four times.”
“My goodness!”
I interjected, “That's her paying to fly out, stay, and come to see you on her dollar...not mine. Had she told me, I would've gotten her out here and comped her.”
Sherry said, “I've got all of your works. I know you probably hear that, but I've got videos of when you were young and your releases from when you were doing singles in Canada. There are some cassettes I've got which are ones which aren't even record company recordings.”
“You've got those!” Celine said looking shocked.
Sherry nodded, “I've even got the bills they put on telephone poles to advertise your shows. I was hooked from the first time I saw you and wanted a complete collection.”
Celine smiled bigger, “Man, you've got everything! May I see it sometime?”
“Sure!”
Sherry paused and asked, “I've got something I'd like to give you. It was made for me by my partner, but I know you'll love it.”
Instantly, I knew the art glass picture.
Sherry continued. “It's a picture of you which is done in stained glass.”
“Like those out there in the theater entrance?!”
“Yes, those were made by us. She did the stained glass and I do the frames. We're no longer together, but I'd like to present you with that picture.”
I said, “Celine, I've got a picture here on my phone of it. I took a picture because I'm going to commission one for myself to be my album cover.”
I took my phone out and pulled up the picture and showed it to her.
Celine took my phone and said, “Oh, it's beautiful!”
“I'm planning on having mine put above the mantel instead of a portrait.”
“I will do the same!”
Sherry smiled and asked, “Can I go get mine?”
“Hon, let's get through tonight and then, I'll take you home. We'll be flying back out here this week. Maybe we can get Celine to meet our children by then.”
“You've got kids?!”
“No, we're going to go to Brazil to adopt on Monday. Sherry's wanted a little girl for as long as I've known her and she's flying down with us so we can make that happen.”
“Oh!”
Sherry smiled, “Rhette's very good to me.”
Dave's voice said, “Rhette, we've got a photo shoot.”
“I apologize, but he's correct.” I said looking at the clock on my phone. It showed we had thirty minutes until it was time.
“I'll be here this evening.”
“Thank you for coming. It means a lot to me.” I turned to Sherry. “Hon, I want you to be able to meet her and get to know her better.” I turned back to Celine, “Would you mind sometime if she sees what you do to be able to get to go on stage and then, one of your concerts from back stage? It'd be great for her and give her more insight.”
She smiled, “Sure. It's busy back there, but I'll do that.”
“Thank you.”
I walked off stage and got the wedding dress put on. Lena helped get me spruced up and then got the head piece and veil put on.
En came back, “Baby, we need to put your ring on!”
I smiled, “Sure hon, I'm ready.”
Dave came back and said, “Rhette, we've got half an hour, what we'll do out there is we'll go out and introduce you two as a couple. Then, we'll have a photo opportunity where you'll cut the cake, and then drink toasts to each other. He'll take off your garter and be seen throwing it. Then, you'll throw the bouquet.”
“Ok, any ideas of who is going to catch it?”
“No, that's not staged. There's enough stars and your family here, I think we'll have a good turn out.”
“Ok”
“We'll have you have photos taken in front of the fountains and then, in front of the rose arbor. We've got it done up so it looks like there are white roses amongst the red in hearts.”
“Cool. What about the fountains? Anything special there?”
“No.”
“Tell them to put on the Valentine's display in the programming. There's a spot in it which are hearts.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so that should have that touch for the photos.”
“One moment, let me make that call to get them on it.”
A knock sounded at the door. I went over to open it. Danny came in and I hugged him, “Man, you look beautiful!”
“Thank you. Danny, this is Enriches. En, this is Danny. He's my ex who I told you about which is handling the contract.”
“Oh!”
En went over and shook his hand and hugged him. “Thank you.”
Danny smiled and then turned to me, “I've got the contract here if you want to look at it.”
“I trust you. What is it telling me in short?”
He pulled it out of a briefcase and opened the folder, “The first page is standard. We go through all the standard things. There's executor, powers of attorneys, there's your Wills, the incorporation of yourselves in a joint corporation to get the decreased tax status, the record company is in there, and of course, your joint holdings.
What I do want to point out is there's a change. I'll show you and let you read it so you know it's a change.”
He opened it and pointed at the paragraph. “Your friend Sal asked it be changed.”
I read the paragraph. Instead of a ten year, one billion dollar at the end, it stated the one billion was paid to En.”
“Let me make a call.”
I dialed Sal, “Hello?”
“Sal, I'm looking at the contract. Danny, my lawyer just brought it to me. What's this about the money being paid.”
“I'm not letting you go into it with the amount hanging over your head. Consider it a wedding present from New York and the other cities in the family. We took up a collection and we've got that for you.”
“Ok, I appreciate it. It's too much, but I'm not going to turn down a gift. Now, I want to ask you to speak to Billings and ask them what the fuck is up with them at the Conq.”
“What's going on?”
“They were the ones in on the skim. I've not gotten it proven yet, but you know as well as me, when I find out, I'm going to take them to trial. Would you make the call and get to the bottom of it? Tell them they owe me forty percent of that skim for the past eight months and NO, I won't reconsider.”
“Ok, that upsets me greatly. They're not supposed to be in the city.”
“I know that, and you know that, and no one ever bothered to ask permission, so rightfully, I could ask for all of it. Instead, I'm going to ask for the forty percent and tell them if they continue to attempt bullshit, I'll certainly try them for it.”
“Let me make that call. Sign the contract. I know it's good.”
“Ok”
I hung up and David asked, “What's with Billings?”
“They were the ones in on the skim at El Conq.”
“What?!”
“Yeah, Las Vegas told me.”
“Man!”
“Sal's handling it. IF they refuse to pay up, I'm going to take them to trial for the entire amount. Until then, do a check and see where their people are and get them the hell out of this city. If we don't see tail lights, you know what to do.”
“I'm thinking about doing that anyway.”
“Let's do it with Sal's intervention right now. I'm sure you know he's going to side with us.”
“Ok”
I turned to Danny, “Any other surprises in this?”
“The last page.”
“What's it say?”
“You two are going to be adopting. It's unsure how the children will be adopting, but there's a paragraph which states the children will go to surviving parent should anything unforeseen happen and then, there's a pair of custodial papers for that.
You need to know because it could be a mess with that mirrored in a divorce situation.”
I looked up at En, “What's going to be decided there?”
He shrugged, “Don't think of the negative. If we adopt four, then we'll split them.”
“Uh huh, we're not going to make the kids pay for us not making it. That's wrong.”
“Ok, we'll work on joint custody then. I don't know why you're worried about it not working.”
“Because I'm a sex offender in the state of Missouri and you could use that to get the kids. You using that would play the press against me and I don't like it at all.”
“Ok, so all the rest of it's a sham and you want to worry about kids.”
“Babe, listen to me. You being given one billion dollars in your bank account demonstrates you've got plenty of financial resources to care for them. It'd be a mess, but we've got all the rest worked out so it's all worked out except that portion.”
He stared at me, “I'm not giving you the kids. I'm not denying you them, but I'm not going to do a joint custody where I'm to stay off the road and you go out and then, I have to work on those off days.
You know as well as I do the off days we've got selected would have me earning nothing.”
“Ok, let's do it this way. For six months, I get them the four days a week I'm supposed to be in and you get them three. Then, the next six months, you get them four days and I get them three. It works out for our work schedules, and it works out we get them equal amounts of time.”
“Let's not think negative.”
“I'm trying not to!”
Dave said, “Rhette, agree to that. You've got more than enough witnesses right here which will attest to you agreeing to it. Sign it so we can get on with things.
I'm siding with En on this. It's negative and it's a sticking point. That agreement for you two is sound and yes, it's negative.”
“I want everything in writing. All the witnesses on the planet siding with me and one judge siding with him, fucks me. I'm sorry, but I'm not allowing one judge to fuck me more than has already happened.”
I turned to Danny, “Go get the last page of it changed to reflect that and I'll sign it. Until then, my ink isn't hitting the papers.”
I turned to En, “I love you, but this agreement is to protect both of us. Give me this and I'm completely fine with everything else. It's not going to fuck up on my part because anyone in here will tell you I'm good for my word and bond.
I'm not saying you aren't, but I'm not willing to risk it. Call it bad feelings for one judge who allowed that man there to influence his decision to put me into prison, but I'm NOT going to lay mine or my kid's future in a judge's hands ever again.”
He nodded, “Ok” He turned to Danny and said, “Go get the changes. I'm satisfied they'll be what we need.”
Danny left and En said, “Stand up so I can hug you.”
I stood up and said, “I'm sorry.”
“No, I understand. We've got to think of the negative even when we're sure it will be positive, but just the same, I know you're protecting my interests at the same time for asking for that.”
I turned to Dave, “Finish telling us how it's going to be out there.”
“That's about it. Dove's will fly and confetti will be thrown. There's more, but that's a surprise.”
“Where are our families?”
“Out there.”
“Ok, how big of a surprise?”
“Let's just say it's a gift from me.”
“Do we present our gifts to each other at that time?”
“No. I'll advise against it. Save that for later up in your suite.”
“Ok.”
I smiled at En, “You got me something?”
He chuckled, “You're terrible! I could ask you the same thing!”
“Of course I got you something!”
He smiled, “You didn't have to. You already gave me everything I wanted.”
“Let's just say it's something you'll want and don't know it.” He paused and asked, “Can we go ahead and say our vows to each other? We've got Lena here and Dave.”
I turned to Lena, “Would you care to be a bridesmaid?”
She laughed, “I'm hardly dressed for it!”
“That's ok.” I paused and said, “I do want Jilli in here. I did ask her to be my bridesmaid.”
“Ok”
En turned, “Have Rhette's entire family come in. I want Dad in here to be one of my groomsmen and I'll take Brent and Ash as them also.”
“Ok, Mom's going to have to be a bridesmaid.”
Dave said, “Call and get them back here.”
I dialed and Mom answered her cell. “Yeah hon.”
“We need you and the entire family back here.”
“Ok, how do we get in?”
“Let me have Dave come get you.”
I turned to Dave and he said, “I'll go get them.”
“Have En's family come back also. They would feel left out if they weren't.”
He nodded. “Ok”
He left and I kissed En. “Thank you for thinking of my family.”
“Thank you for thinking of mine.”
He stared into my eyes and said, “I love you.”
“I love you too. I know you love me. Everything shows you do.”
He smiled bigger and Lena said, “You two are so romantic it's beautiful.”
Dave came back and said, “We need to take this out on the stage. I brought the entire family section.”
My Mom came in and I went to hug her. “We're going to say our vows to each other while we're waiting on Danny to get changes made to the contracts.”
“Oh”
As soon as I saw Robbie, I asked, “Where have you been?”
“I'm not on the list. I only made it this far because your mom got me in.”
“Oh! Well, I called because I've got someone for you to meet.” I turned, “Lena, this is my cousin Rob. You'll hear me call him Robbie because I grew up calling him that, but he prefers Rob.”
She smiled and Rob said, “Man!”
“Reel your tongue back in fella!”
He laughed and went over to Lena. “I'm Rob.”
“I'm Lena.”
The room was getting crowded. “Everyone, let's go out on the stage. It's getting crowded in here and we want everyone to witness this.”
We went out and stood I said, “Jilli, you stand here. Mom, you stand here. Lena, you stand here. Rob, you can stand next to her.
En, you stand there, I'll be back as soon as I've got this arranged. Ash, you stand here. Brent, you stand there and Britt, you and the baby stand here.
Mama and Papa Immanuel, you stand there.”
I saw En's sister and said, “Well hello! I'm Rhette!”
I held out my hand and she said, “You're beautiful!”
“As are you...my God, we know En didn't get all the looks in your family!”
She laughed, and I said, “Come over here, you can stand next to my brother Ash. Ash, this is En's sister, you protect her like your life depends upon it because she's as much a part of my family now as you.”
He smiled and I knew his eyes were telling me he thought she was a knockout.”
I saw James and said, “James, I'm glad you could come. Your spot is there next to Jilli, of course.”
He chuckled, “Man, you look pretty.”
“Thanks.”
I looked at Dave. “You stand up where the preacher would stand and you hold the shotgun.”
He and Everyone laughed.
I went over and hugged a lot of my aunts and uncles. “Thank you all for coming. Form a circle and we'll begin this with a prayer.
Uncle Bob, would you lead us in prayer?”
“Sure.”
Now me asking a Baptist preacher to lead us in prayer for two gays saying vows to each other probably rankled him, but I know he supported us, so he did.
He went over to the mic and said, “Our Father, we come to you today to join together two who love each other in your eyes. Love known to you can not and should not be judged by us...nor should it ever be.
Rhette and Enriches have demonstrated to everyone they love each other and we ask you Bless their bonds of matrimony.
Please be with them as they go forth in their lives as one and please give them the knowledge and actions to do what is right for their union.
We ask these things of you, in your name we pray, Amen.”
I hugged him and said, “Thank you.”
He smiled and stepped back over by Aunt Alice.
I went over to the mic and said, “En, I'm supposed to say vows. Right now, I'm so nervous, I'm probably going to forget something I'm supposed to say, but I'll begin by saying I, Rhette, give you my love, honor, devotion, and love. I give everlasting respect, continuing communication, and of course, my opinion.”
Several people chuckled and En smiled.
“For you, I give all of my financial abilities, my time, and my position whatever it may be. Please take all of it while I am well and be there when I am sick. Do what you will with it, but please know I do all with gratitude.”
He smiled and said, “Babe, I could say 'ditto' right now and it'd be complete. I give you my life, my love, and my passion. What I have is yours and please do me the favor of allowing to me to get a word in edgewise.”
A lot of people laughed.
“Loving you is more than a signature on a contract. It's more than words anywhere and it's more than actions imply because it's feelings within my heart. I know we'll build our hopes and dreams into realities and it's because we want that we'll endure time until our deaths part us.
You told me you want lives together, and I ask God allow it because I've found the one for me. In Unity, we find strength and our strength is our bond. Please be there when I am weak as I will you.
In your arms I find peace and harmony in this world. And may the love I hold for you in my heart grow with each passing day because it has thus far.”
He leaned forward and I kissed him. We fell into a hug and everyone applauded as sobs escaped me. I felt his body quaking also and his squeezing me not let up.
When we did part, he looked at me and wiped my tears. I kissed his and then, wiped them.
He said, “Let me get this ring upon your finger before I forget.”
He slid it on and kissed me again.
Dave said, “Man!”
I turned to look and saw he and Sam hugging.
What was funny is the man in the booth said, “Someone needs to resupply the Kleenex up here. I've got it on tape and video. That was beautiful. I'd like to congratulate you both.”
We hugged everyone and by the end, I saw Danny standing off to the side. I went over and hugged him and he said, “It's ready.”
“Thank you.”
“That was beautiful Rhette.”
“I feel complete now.”
“You look it.”
He hugged me and I went over, “Everyone, in my hands is the contract. I'm signing it.”
I knelt down and signed it upon the floor and then, En knelt down with me to sign it. I never bothered to read it.
When we stood up, everyone applauded again.
I went to the mic and said, “Everyone, it's going to be on display at our luncheon. We've got the press out there, so let's go get them their pictures taken.
After the luncheon, we'll take family photos and be sure to get everyone a portrait of the occasion to take home with you.
Since they have video, I'll get you a dvd burned also.”
En held my hand and said, “Come on everyone!”