It was almost mid-morning and i still found myself entangled with Hyde, still saying 'just a few more seconds longer' to my alarm clock. For some obscene reason, i'd promised Hyde i would call up on old acquaintances today and visit Steve, in an attempt to see if he'd like me back on contract again. 'I need to shower and get going baby, otherwise it won't look good on me,' Knowing full well that Hyde was grossly over qualified for any engineers job in these parts, he'd called up an old pal he knew on the outskirts and arranged to make it a guy day out, not to mention the fact his 'old pal' was more well networked than he could wish for. 'I'm not stopping you, have fun dear,' I groaned as i snuggled back into my pillow, sprottling my body out more as i found his side of the bed now empty. 'No way, you promised you'd go see about a job today, get up!' he laughed as he pushed me lightly over onto my back and pulled the sheets away from me. Finding my available pillow to throw at him (and drunkly missed) i found myself hauling my lazy ass out of bed, under orders of a man. It suddenly occurred to me, that this was one time i was independent and dependent all at the same time-and i don't know if i like that amount of responsibility.
After primping and preening for a good hour in the bathroom, i'd finally dropped Hyde off with a kiss and a wife style wave, at Cafe' Del Mar and was now sitting in Hyde's 4x4, clenching the steering wheel tightly, so much so i felt the blood spouting out of my knuckles. My problem was not the prospect of asking for a job, it was the memories that were held inside the building. If i went back to work there, i'd have to learn to live with a few more of my mistakes, i'd have to live with the fact my biggest mistake was made here, and there was nothing in this life, to irradiated that. I was Taylor paranoid now and it bugged me that much, that i grabbed my bag, flung open the car door, and pounded the worn tarmac up to the door-adamant to move on.
Something's never change, and the snotty receptionist was her ever-stereotypical self as i breezed in on a whim and a prayer. Standing outside studio door, i waited for the red light to fade before wondering if it was such a good idea to be attempting to hack old ways. Closing my eyes and thinking of Hyde, i knocked on the door and waited for Steve's gentlemanly grunt to allow me to enter. Pushing the door open i was greeted with cool artificial air,. and a scary sight. 'ALBA!!!' Steve's over-excitement was evident as he stood up to give me a bear hug, almost crushing me in the process. 'My god girl look at you, all growed up!' he laughed as i smiled back at my rather over eccentric producer buddy. 'Well i was thinking my old style wasn't really in vogue, so, out with the old and in with the new,' His childish giggle of laughter ringing in my ears as he was never one to miss my sarcasm. 'So after the grind of LA, you've come back to sleepy town?' He sighed as he plonked back in his comfortable chair and looked up at me with a cheesy smile. 'Could say i missed the place.....okay you can say i missed the place, and besides i thought it was time me and Hyde moved our relationship up so we moved in together,' I rambled, totally missing Steve's blank, confused expression. 'Oh yeah sorry-Hyde's the man in my life, mock all you want to but it shut my sister up,' He laughed once again at my blatant humour, as i rolled my eyes in continuation. 'I wonder how i grew out of your daily quips Ali, but god knows now i hear them again i miss em'!' he smiled comfortingly as i stuck my tongue out childishly. There i saw my queue to go in for the beg, grovel and plead regime, that was me attempting to get a job.
Leaving Taylor at home, i decided that it was my time to hit the stores. Taylor was busy sorting out songs of potential demo-ing later this month, and i felt that i'd only be wanting to stick my views in the melting pot if i were to sit in, and i really didn't want to get anyone off side, so i decided i'd come for some therapeutic release. Walking out of La Senza into the main precinct i decided upon lunch-my appetite has been quenched by Taylor the last two days and i was finally in need of some real food stuffs.
Waltzing into a small cafe, i noticed the hot and busy atmosphere as i glanced up at the menu boards whilst rummaging through the change in my purse. Finally deciding upon my order, i waited patiently in line whilst a server became available. The guy standing opposite me looked anxious, the constant looking at his watch routine couldn't hide his nervous state. But when i looked over last time he was staring at me like i had a booger or something. He looked vaguely familiar, his tall frame being the most underlining thing, his hair thick and long, complete with 1995's floppy fringe. 'Beau Martin,' he suddenly blurted out as i looked away from him bashfully, only to be shocked to the core when he said my name. He looked a happy type of surprise as i knit my brow and poised myself to fire back with the ever knowledgeable 'Do i know you' question, when it finally clicked. Backstage, Janet Jackson MTV concert, January of last year. A side room, no light and the hottest sex ever. It started out as a harmless conversation, but it soon ended up with shirttails un-tucked and my dress puddled round my ankles quite happily. 'Shit Hyde is that you?' i gasped as he nodded quickly. What i consider to be the smallest place on earth, had to home my one and only one night stand.
'God, i didn't even recognize you!' i exclaimed as we moved out of the queue and down to a table, forgetting ordering my double cheese bagel to go. 'Well i wouldn't expect you too,' he replied, rather shyly, causing a case of the rouge blushes from both of us. 'What are you doing in Tulsa? It's not exactly the type of mecca i had you pegged for!' I continued as i settled my bags down by my feet. He fiddled with a menu on the small table as he told me what brought him here. 'I've just gone steady with my girlfriend, we met while i was out in LA and she lives here and well.....i'm here too! I'm actually waiting for an old friend to come see if he can sort me out with some freelance work,' I nodded my head appreciably as i settled y purse on the table. 'What about you? I thought you would have been out LA way by now,' I sat back in my chair and drunk in the delicious sight of him. It was remarkable he'd remembered anything after that night, because prior too our one nightstand we'd talked, but i never knew much about him-he seems aloof and secretive, but not when propositioned with satisfying a woman. 'Pretty much the same, i'm visiting my boyfriend and then i'll see where the wind takes me, i'm grateful of the break right now after graduation,' He smiled at me sweetly as i looked back at him expectantly. It was safe to say there was no side rooms available, and probably now i look hard, Hyde's not my type at all, but he was hot and he was taken, i was taken and loved and god knows i love Taylor but i can't stop myself when i see i nice firm...
'Beau i hate to say this but my friend is here,' he nudged politely as i looked to him then over to where a lanky gentleman was walking towards us. 'Okay sure, listen how about we hook up sometime? With our partners of course, and totally mutual,' I underlined my statement, his knowing chuckle a sign that he was thinking the same thing as me-there'd be no repeat of last time, no matter how good. 'Okay sure,' and there it was. A sweet smile, a scribbled phone number on a napkin and the amazement that out of all places to bump into an old stand, it was at a small town cafe in Tulsa. But as i walked away from the cafe, feeling more refreshed than any food could manage, i decided that i would be calling that number some day soon, Taylor or not-but right now, i was hungry, missing my comforter and by now, he'd be done with music (if not, i'd make sure he was done)
I pulled up on the curb outside of Cafe Del Mar roughly, still smiling chesseily to myself as i got that 'Friday' feeling welling up inside, the fact that Steve had welcomed me back with welcome arms and was more than willing to give me my old job back had made this little bunny as pleased as punch. I waved as i noticed Hyde strolling out of the cafe, looking around for me expectantly before jogging up to the car and bouncing in. 'Well?' i asked with arched eyebrows and a piercing look. He just sighed back at me and broke out in a smile to match mine. 'He's got freelance stuff for me to help out with starting next week...and i don't even think i have to ask how your trip to Steve's went,' he laughed as i looked out the window and started pulling off the curb and back onto the road to make our short way home. 'He was bending over backwards to et me to help with some of the work load, seems he's got quite the rep since we last worked together,' Chatting away on the journey home eased my mind, as i saw Hyde as excited as me at the prospect of a new job. 'Oh yeah, i um bumped into an old friend today, she's a backing singer i met last year-seems she's in Tulsa with her boyfriend and she asked if i'd like to catch up and i said only if i could bring you so maybe we could hook up for a drink with her and her partner sometime?' His question, although perfectly innocent, probed a dip in my breathing. I glanced over at him looking at me neutrally, and i was starting to read into what he'd said already. 'What's her name?' i asked politely as i pulled down the top of our road. 'Beau Martin, she did the um...Janet Jackson tour last year,' His voice softened as he chose his words, and i almost felt the impulse to ask him about this girl more, but i didn't think i should-if he was my worst enemy, and been one of his ex girlfriends, it should bother me if she's taken and Hyde's happy with me, but I've only just heard about her and i don't like it. 'Drinks sound good,' i nodded as i pulled up the drive and shut the engine off. 'Eh, more enthusiasm please!' he laughed as i pulled off my best fake smile. She's so obviously a 'part' of his past-and i don't want someone complicating things. Okay so i'm getting paranoid, but after Taylor, any affairs of the heart no matter how great or how small-how innocent or whatever, i always worried that i was going to be the confused fool at the end of it all. Curse Taylor.
'So all in all you were okay today?' I was lying down on the sofa, with Beau resting against me, messing about with my hands as i kissed her neck softly. 'I'm a big girl now Taylor, i can handle a shopping precinct!' She laughed as i winced at my stupidity for sounding so stupid. 'Well i know that, but i don't trust the other people in the shopping precinct, if that makes any sense,' I looked at her oddly, crossing my eyes as she ruffled my hair with a short burst of the giggles. She settled back against me and i shut my eyes, savouring the feel of just being peaceful together, whilst Isaac and Zac were inspecting Isaac's new place with mom, dad and the rest of the clan. 'Oh yeah, something fun did happen today,' She suddenly sat up a little, sitting on the arm of the sofa as i pushed myself up a little to listen to her properly. 'Without me? You know you having all this fun....you need to bring me up to speed on it all sometime,' I pouted as she leaned forward and greeted me with a fleeting slip of the tongue before she pulled away and carried on her explanation. 'Maybe after that dinner dance, i'll bring you up to speed-but for now, i bumped into a...a friend of mine, he's just moved in with his girlfriend, i bumped into him the cafe-small world huh?' She was looking glittery eyes and excited as i absorbed her words. 'Well that's cool, now you know someone here,' Trying the best reply she almost leapt back into my arms comfortably as i phathomed all she was saying. Was he an old friend, 'old' friend, or an old flame disguised as an old friend? Curse Alba for my foolish insecurities (although i'm not sure why) 'I said we'd all meet up sometime-OH WAIT! Hyde's an engineer and Zac's not going to the dance tonight...do you think Hyde could take his space at our table? Bringing his girlfriend of course-you'd love to meet him, so much in common,' It was like she was a little five year old waiting for my consent to open her Christmas presents at some god awful hour. 'Well uh...sure i guess, the space would only go to waste, but only if you promise me snuggle time later,' I had a bad feeling about inviting a stranger, but if he was Beau's friend i'd just have to learn to like it, no doubt i'd meet him someday. 'Snuggle? You'll get more than that! I'll go give him a call,' She beamed, kissing me on the end of the nose and leaping off the sofa to run through and use the cordless in the kitchen.
Rubbing my head in wonderment at what i was letting myself in for, i heard Beau chattering away happily as i leaned forward to pick up the album cases we'd been listening too, just lazing about. But when i picked up our last album i noticed at the bottom of the inlay Alba's name and i just stared at it oddly. Why did she still get under my skin, when i had a gem in Beau? Was it the fact that we did have unfinished business and it was just eating at me to build our burnt bridges with new timber? But if i found her, and we talked-what would happen. We don't have a good history of talking, or drinking coffee for that matter. But my thoughts were soon broken when i heard Beau putting the phone back down and skipping back into the den, her sweet humming coming closer and closer as i closed my eyes to see a flash of the movie of me,. Alba and one unstable kitchen table. 'He's already going with his girlfriend, so i said they could join our table,' I vaguely heard what she said as i pulled myself out of the shock image i'd just seen playing again in my mind. 'Baby, you look a little pale, you okay?' she cooed, as i looked up at her, adjusting my sights back to her petite features. 'Oh yeah sure, great well i look forward to meeting...Hyde,' i smiled, dazed and confused. Why won't Alba go away? Why do get this nagging voice in my head telling me i'd know why she wouldn't go away soon? She means and meant nothing too me, yet i find myself seeing images of her face when i shut my eyes now and then, when i have a beautiful girl who is willing to be with me whenever i need. Remembering this fact i took Beau's hand and stood up, pulling her towards the bottom of the stairs. 'I'm going to take a shower, coming?' I winked, finding some of the old me still awake inside, as she winked wickedly and trotted up the stairs after me, head once again shaking off Alba Montrose when something i never did care about haunts me a year later.