Thursday, August 12, 2010

Sessions Chapter 34 - Secrets

So tell me what you want to hear
Something that were like those years
Sick of all the insincere
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away




Sandy Point - Ed's Pier 7 PM



Rayne set her Fender next to stage along with Toad's. The lights sputtered and flashed and went dark and came back again, and Jimmy's attempts at some kind of sound check sputtered and flashed and went dark right along with the lighting. "Shit amps." Jimmy walked around looking at them, kicking cables aside. It was a stage crammed into one end of a pier set up for beach party music. Vince hadn't showed. Adrian was sulking. Jimmy was livid, deep into every freaking detail and finding fault with everything.





She sat on the edge of stage, swinging her foot against the paneling, finding rotten spots, her high heel sinking into them, watching Woody saunter up. "I brought Mia," Woody said, grinning as if he'd remembered to bring the beer to a party when everybody else forgot.

Mia was a short blonde girl, all chest and no legs, and she was wearing pink sunglasses that kind of matched her pink top and her pink flip flops. The pink top had an umbrella and fish design, a big fish hiding under a pink umbrella. It was night. Nobody else was wearing sunglasses. She swung the sunglasses toward Rayne and announced in a matter of fact voice, "I'm Brew's manager."

Oh yeah right, she was a manager. Rayne glanced at Jimmy. He jumped off the stage, pissed, ignoring the manager girl, glaring at Woody. "Where the hell is Vince?"



"I don't know man, haven't seen him."

"I help set up gigs," Mia huffed, sounding defensive even though nobody had said anything to her, or maybe that's why, because nobody had said anything to her. "And I write a column for the Sandy Point Independent. It's a paper."



"It's a circular with letters to the editor about potholes," Woody laughed. "And a couple of columns. Mia does one called BarCrawlers - you should read her last one, what was it? Oh yeah, Have Fun in a Field."



"It wasn't about cows," she snapped, still looking uncomfortable and still looking at Rayne and still hiding behind the sunglasses. "Sandy Point has a summer music festival, and there's some pretty good bands. And they pay them, on time, with checks that don't bounce. Jimmy knows that. We've known each other a long time, Jimmy and me."



Now that was interesting. Was Mia an ex? Maybe she hadn't realized she was an ex until very, very recently, as in right now recently. Rayne didn't understand why Woody was poking at her, which struck her as sort of mean, unless it was his version of flirting. She didn't know what to say, so she aimed a deliberate stare at Pink Sunglasses and kept her mouth shut. Fun in a field, yeah...I'll bet you're fun in a field.



"Long enough to know I ain't interested in your damned paper right now," Jimmy growled. Turning on Woody, he demanded, "You come with me, we got to find Vince. Mia you want to do something useful, you go find Adrian and get his ass up here."



He hesitated, leaned over, gave Rayne a quick kiss, whispered, "She's nobody sweetheart; you wait up here for me."



She had no intention of waiting anyplace else. The person she'd been expecting was striding toward her, barely avoiding bumping into Jimmy who was pushing past him. The two of them stopped short. Jimmy shot a quick look at him, a brief mutual acknowledgment, then dragged Woody along past the lanterns toward the road, Pink Sunglasses scurrying along behind...keep scurrying....



"Hey Wyatt, you found the place." She gave her brother a quick hug. "Come on over here, those guys are going to run over anything and anybody in their way."

He laughed before turning careful attention back to her. "Are you okay Rainie? Do you need anything?"



Was she okay? That was a hard question to respond to. Rayne sat down at a table near the stage and thought about money and watched the lanterns bob in the wind blowing onshore. Cheap pieces of paper shredded and torn, about the same as everything in Jimmy's house. She eyed her brother then shook her head. "I need absolutely everything but I'm getting used to recycled coffee. Look Wy, I didn't ask you to come out here because I want money from you. I want to know what you heard about Mom and Dad breaking up."

Wyatt sat back, looked out at the surf, and finally said, "I doubt I know anything you don't know. Dad called me and said it's temporary, they're working things out, and to blow off the rumors. That's about it."



Somewhere behind her, Rayne heard Toad yelling at somebody. She waited, waiting until the echo of his angry voice moved in the other direction. This conversation wasn't something she intended to share with Jimmy. Leaning forward across the salt scoured table, she pressed her brother, "What kind of rumors?"

Slightly surprised, Wyatt insisted, "You know what they say about him: one hundred proof lies. Come on, they've held on through a lot of shit including that asshole McDermott; if he says he wants to work it out, he'll try to work it out."



Her brother was right about that; they'd held on long past the point most couples would have given up which made the whole separation even stranger. "Ok listen Wy, Ryan was like years ago. Something big must have happened for them to split up like this. Dad's moved out. If they were working things out he would still be there. Something's different and if Dad is worried about rumors..." Rayne watched him expectantly.

Confused, Wyatt asked, "What's your point?"



"My point -" Something thudded behind her, she jumped, took a deep breath and started again. "My point," she repeated, "is that they've been through a lot of shit and didn't break up until now. My point is, what's different? Gemma Wilson, that's what. You know as well as I do that she looks like your mother. Gemma arrives, starts 'working' with Dad, and bang, they split up."

Wyatt sat back, staring at her, and then laughed out loud. "No way! She's not interested in Dad."



This time Rayne clearly heard Jimmy approach. She glanced up at him; he looked frustrated, cigarette flaring, guess they hadn't solved the missing Vince problem. She knew what he was going to ask and she didn't know the set but in this place, who would care? "Give me a sec, Toad, just a couple more seconds."





Jimmy backed off, crouched on the end of the stage and waited, making it clear that he was definitely waiting and wasn’t going to wait much longer.

"You're delusional," Wyatt told her finally. Arms crossed, his voice, so like their father's, tight and hard now. "They're all after Dad. Every single woman in the world is after him. That's bullshit, Rainie. You're buying into a myth."



Rayne stood up, trying to pull this together, why would Wyatt be so certain Gemma wasn't interested in Cooper? Because he thought she was interested in someone else. Why would he think that? The lanterns swung, weather picking up, throwing wind and water over the pier and casting yellow and red and shadows across his face. He would think it, she realized, uneasy, because he'd seen it. Wyatt was into Gemma, or Gemma was into Wyatt…that’s what he meant, and it would topple her brother right into the same sick place she’d been with Ryan.



She didn't want to follow this, she didn't have time now and even if she had, she didn't want to. "I have to go, but Wyatt, I'll bet you I'm right about Gemma. Something will happen, I don't know what, but it will, and you'll know I'm right."



He shook his head, shifting his feet, then stood firm although his voice held a touch of doubt. "No, not this time."



Jimmy eased up off the stage; she'd run out of seconds. Discouraged, anxious, Rayne grabbed Wyatt and held on tight, staring intently in his eyes as she warned, "Be careful, Wy. Please. Promise you'll be careful."



---------------------

NEXT CHAPTER: Sessions Chapter 35

28 comments:

Qui. said...

You're right, Wyatt. She doesn't want your dad, she already had him.

What is going on with Wyatt? I understand that he may have a little "thing" for Gemma but can he not see that he might be setting himself up to get used?
I may be wrong about that, I hope I am wrong but all I can do is shake my head.

I love these conversations between them! Great update!

Phoenix said...

Oh yeah, Wyatt definitely doesn't want to see it because he knows it's true. And he had a possible thing with Gemma. Even if it was just a flirtation Wyatt probably thought about different scenarios in his head that had NOTHING to do with is dad and Gemma. That has to give him a sick feeling in his stomach.

Hopefully he listens to Rayne and guards against any problems that are I'm sure are going to crop up! Rayne has her head on right this time. I think that stint in rehab might have done her better than I imagined.

Jimmy is serious about his craft. I don't think I realized how much until now because he wants everything just so and he'll get it that way regardless. I love that about him.

This was perfect!:D

thewynd said...

Qui, Wyatt has first hand experience with women he has been enamored with using him to get to his father. So he should be wary but he isn't. In his mind he is probably thinking that because Gemma looks like his mother, his father would stay away from her. Wyatt remembers Coop leaving Julia, not loving her.

Van said...

Heh. Someone's jealous :P

So Wyatt's that into Gemma? God, I feel so horrible for poor Cadence. Also, I'm surprised that Raine noted both A) Gemma's resemblance to Julia and B) a possibility of a Wyatt/Gemma romance, but didn't seem to make the whole "OMGWTFshelooksjustlikeyourdeadmom!" connection. I guess she does have her own stuff to deal with, though.

Needless to say, things are going to go from bad to worse as soon as these two find out about Cooper and Gemma... O_o

thewynd said...

Phoenix, Jimmy is extremely serious about his craft. To a fault.

Wyatt should listen to Rayne. She sees the parallels with her and Ryan but can't say anything. Despite the fact that Rayne and Wyatt aren't close, they still care very much about each other. Neither would want the other hurt. And I am sure that Wyatt will think about it...hard.

Muzegoddess said...

Well, little miss pink sunglasses seems to be a few sandwiches short of a picnic. "She's nobody sweetheart"....famous last words.

Rayne's wheels are certainly turning again and she can cleary read her brother well. It's still an issue for him, women wanting his dad more than him and maybe not just physically.

I have the feeling that Rayne might be the one to bust this whole thing wide open or at least a part of it.
The question is what will she do when and if she finds out?

thewynd said...

Hey Van! Wyatt has a terrible track record with women that his father comes in contact with. Not sure that it is him being that into her as much as it is an Oh no, not again reaction. I doubt his feelings for Gemma reach the depth of his feelings for Cadence but he is playing with fire here.

And Rayne doesn't know a lot about Julia except for what she looked like, she is Wyatt's mom, and she's dead. Wyatt's anger and pain over his parents' split isn't really on her radar.

thewynd said...

LOL Muzegoddess that is funny! And you're right about those famous last words...I hadn't even considered that.

Rayne isn't as close to it as Wyatt is so she could definitely be the one to break it open. We'll see what actually comes out about Gemma and Coop, who finds out and who doesn't.

S.B. said...

Van, have to add something here.

It really doesn't matter to Rayne if Wyatt goes after a woman who looks like his mother. She does not care if he does a cousin. Nothing to her. She cares if he gets hurt, but apart from that? No.

S.B. said...

And yeah, someone's jealous...hehe...

MedleyMisty said...

OMG I loved this! I love Rayne and Jimmy so much.

It's so beautiful and easy to read and to picture in my mind. It makes me feel all happy. :)

S.B. said...

Stacy!!!!

Ok one of these days you are going to have to explain 'easy to read'.

Jimmy and Rayne are so good together. There's this easy sweet swing, swing back, swing closer. They see each other, know where the other one is on the swing, when to push, when to let go.

THANK YOU!!!

thelook said...

Wyatt... oh goodness he isn't falling for Gemma is he? He has Cadence who thinks more than highly of him so having this little 'Gemma can't be into Dad when there's me' thing is kind of sad. I think it relates to back in uni when there was that teacher Wyatt really liked and Cooper was all 'Oh, you want me not my son isn't it? It's okay because y'know that's what every woman is like. Just remember not to slam the door on your way out otherwise the media could get a whiff of it'. This is almost like Wyatt's little comeback of 'Someone CAN like me/have a platonic flirting thing going on without any ulterior motives Dad!'

S.B. said...

thelook, that's exactly what's happening.

Wyatt hasn't fallen for Gemma yet. A casual flirtation. And yes, Rayne's insistence would bring up memories of his huge crush on Bailey and how his father got in the middle of it. Not a pleasant thing to wonder if Gemma too is really interested in his Dad and is only using him to get close to Cooper.

MedleyMisty said...

Oh, by "easy to read" I mean that if I picked it up in a bookstore, it would pass my sentence test. :)

The sentences flow and have rhythm and my brain doesn't trip up on them. It's like drifting down a river on an inner tube. Sometimes it's all smooth and easy and relaxing and sometimes there's exciting little rapids, but there's never any annoying rocks that stop my progress. :)

And I like the swing imagery. :)

S.B. said...

Stacy...

oh my god thank you! wonder if that's because I tend to write in 'threes'; it's a cadence that's easy to listen to

and I love swings...

MedleyMisty said...

OMG I seriously thought that I was the first person to come up with the rule of three until I googled it and saw that it had a freaking Wikipedia page. And then I started noticing it everywhere.

I like to say that Valley is brought to you by the letter S and the number 3. :)

So yeah, I totally get the writing in threes. And see, our styles really are pretty similar.

S.B. said...

Stacy.

ok I had NO idea it was a writing style LOL! I don't know a thing about writing. It's a design style, and I started to notice it in speeches. It's like a horse cantering, three beats, easy and smooth.

The letter S and the number 3...take a look at the letter S...

and I am really flattered that you see any similarity at all in our writing! I mean...thank you.

The Lunar Fox said...

Jimmy without a shirt walking around with a serious determination to get things done- hot! lol!

Ok, the whole thing with the pink sunglasses girl, I can't help wondering about the story from her point of view. She comes across as more than a delusional blond girl who most likely had something going on with Jimmy. I think seeing Rayne with Jimmy would be heart breaking especially if Jimmy had lead her on or used her, mostly because Rayne is such a strong confident woman and she fits so well with Jimmy.

Funny that Woody brings her, and I love the words you use to describe his grin. "..as if he'd remembered to bring the beer to a party when everybody else forgot."

And the whole thing with Wyatt, I feel bad for him too. He's a lot like his father in more obvious ways, and a lot not like his father. But anytime he gets a girl that's interested in him, there is always the possibility that it's only because of who his father is. And after that romance he had with his teacher in his own story line where his father came and called her out on it, I think something like that really sticks to you. It's one thing to have thoughts prancing around in your head, but another thing when someone manages to confirm those thoughts.

S.B. said...

LunarFox...

Jimmy is definitely hot LOL!

I'm so glad you picked up on that. Pink Sunglasses is not a groupie, and she's not delusional, and she just got slammed hard. Woody telling her nothing, picking her up, bringing her there and, being Woody, oblivious. And what does she find? A tall beautiful woman who can work right into Jimmy's band, a woman who doesn't even say word one to her. A woman Jimmy obviously wants. Did Jimmy lead her on? Well sure. Pink Sunglasses and a lot more.

Wyatt is a romantic. He's like his father but he's just as much like his mother. He falls in love and bang, the woman is a lot more interested in his father. It will stick with him.

S@n said...

IT seems like Wyatt is a little bit jealous!!
things might get worse when he finds out about his dad and Gemma....
but I wonder if Gemma will say anything... I bet she will get everything she wants after what Cooper did to her, so maybe nobody will ever know...

and I still think Wyatt is playing with fire... he has Cadence... and I bet she wouldn't like to know he is out there flirting with someone else....

wonderful update!!

S.B. said...

Sandy...

Jealous? I don't think Wyatt's jealous. In a strange place mentally, reviewing what he thought about Gemma, what Rayne said, putting the pieces together. Flirting with yet another woman who might have been with his father.

If Gemma asks for anything at all, such as the contract for Jimmy, Rayne is going to catch it. What she does with it is another matter. Nothing is as possible as anything. Go talk to the woman. Who will not tell Cooper's daughter that Coop forced her.

You are too kind. Thank you!!

Ning said...

Haha, was Rayne a teensy bit jealous when she thought Mia could be Jimmy's ex? She seemed to be extra mean to her (in her thoughts only, of course). :P Mia seemed to be nothing but fluff anyway. It's cute that Jimmy thought of comforting Rayne before she even said anything about Mia. I see something awesome blossoming between them. ;)

As for Wyatt, whut is he thinking? Isn't Gemma his aunt? That's kinda eew, at least that's what I feel. :S I'm hoping he'll heed Rayne's words, but I got a feeling he wouldn't. He seemed too confident. :( Especially that scowl he gave Rayne when she told him to be careful.

S.B. said...

Hi Ning!

Rayne was definitely close to jealous: uncomfortable and off balance. There's nothing quite like being blind sided by an ex you didn't know existed LOL! Jimmy and Rayne just get better and better. They SEE each other, which is why Jimmy knew she needed that reassurance.

Gemma is a little more distant than aunt; she's like a third cousin. Still pretty closely related but not his mother's sister. Everyone in the family is used to thinking of Rayne as the wild child (think it was Rafe who said she had more body than brain) so it wouldn't be surprising if Wyatt blew her off, but this time he might listen.

thank you!

Rachel said...

I love Rayne's easy confidence with regard to Mia--she's not at all bothered by her, not at all worried if she is an ex of Jimmy's. Rayne is secure in that.

Oh! I was hoping Jimmy would ask Rayne to play! Awesome.

Poor Wyatt. He should always be suspicious with any woman who comes onto him too strong. He needs to get his ass back to Cadence immediately. Why's he playing around when he has something so precious already?

This can't end any way but badly if he doesn't snap out of it himself. Because it will eventually come out that Cooper slept with Gemma, and it won't be pretty...though she might try to play Wyatt against his father, given the way the interaction went down...oh this is just a huge horrible thing waiting to happen.

Excellent. :)

J A Murphy said...

Oh my god ... what a rush!! I started reading sessions about a month ago and realised I wanted to know more about these characters so I went back, right back to the start and I've finally made it all the way up to now.

You have both done an amazing job with this story from the beginning and it's just gotten better as time has gone on.

Rayne and Jimmy seem like a perfect match - they're both so screwed up inside they might just help each other climb out of the hole.

The twins are pure brat, but I can't help adoring them for that.

And Wyatt ... Wyatt needs a good whack upside his head to knock some sense into him. Cadence is his match in every way and if he doesn't wake up to himself soon he's going to throw that away. He is so much like his father, it's scary and I don't think he realises that.

Only problem with being caught up is I now actually have to wait to find out what happens next!

thewynd said...

Illandrya I think it always shocks us when people read from the beginning so you get 2 gold stars for sticking with it! Some of the early work was so rough...

It does help to understand what motivates the characters however so bravo! You're right about this younger generation. Rayne and Jimmy do fit nicely and the twins while they can be brats do have their mother's best interests at heart. Poor Wyatt just can't catch a break with women but if he would just stop and see what he has he would be much better off. He doesn't realize, in fact none of Coop's kids realize, how like their father they can be.

Thank you so much. Hopefully you won't wait too long.

S.B. said...

Rachel, thank you!

Rayne's definitely secure around Jimmy: Mia didn't threaten her at all.

Wyatt...well he's young and he's a lot like his father LOL! He's a flirt. Gemma doesn't mean anything serious to him, but it has to be disconcerting to run into the same situation again - a woman he thought was interested in him appears to be first and foremost really interested in his father.

Illandyra: wow! I second everything Gayl said! Our work is really long at this point, so we absolutely appreciate it when someone reads the whole thing. Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment!