Celia was not blessed with such an ability. She was ragged and torn, with bags under her eyes, a headache that a Tylenol and Motrin combo had not been able to tame, and a thoroughly distorted sense of body rhythm. She only picked at her meal of braised beef tips in gravy and her glass of chardonnay had long since assumed room temperature.
“Bleah,” Laura said next to her. She had just taken a bite of her braised beef tips. “This food sucks compared to what they gave us on the Concorde.”
“That was about the best airline food I’ve ever had,” Celia agreed. The meal service that Air France offered had included caviar, fois gras, and pan seared veal served with a rich Bordeaux.
“For thirty-five hundred dollars a ticket, the food should be pretty good,” Laura said.
“You would hope,” Celia agreed. “And you know, though that takeoff and climb-out was kind of terrifying for someone like me who is not a fan of flying, at least the trip was fast. Paris to New York in just over three hours. That is truly amazing.”
“I liked it,” Laura said. “If Jake and I ever go to Europe I’m going to have him buy the tickets on the Concorde. He would really love it. Jill would yell at him about how much it costs, but he’s used to that.”
“We all are,” said Celia. As one of the owners of KVA, she had to deal with Jill on a regular basis as well.
“Anyway, I’m glad you came with me,” Laura told her. The rest of the band and crew were making their way home leisurely, stopping in London for a day and Atlanta for a day before making the final flight back to LAX.
“Are you kidding?” Celia said. “There’s no way I’m going miss Jake Kingsley live on stage. I’m looking forward to the show.”
“Me too,” Laura said. “I’m a little nervous about my part in it, but it will be the first time I’ve ever actually seen him perform an entire show.”
“You’ll do fine,” Celia assured her. “I’ve seen how much you’ve been rehearsing Blur.”
“Yeah, I have been working my butt off on it, but I’ve been rehearsing by listening to a CD of Blur with the sax track removed. That is hardly the same thing as a real rehearsal.”
“Actually, it’s not all that different,” Celia said. “As long as Jake and the rest of the band perform in the same key and tempo as the studio version and don’t put in any add-ons or fills, you’ll be fine. And the outro on the studio version ends with a finale, not a fade-out, so there shouldn’t be anything unfamiliar, right?”
“I suppose,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll do okay. Just having a little stage fright. It will be fun to be up on stage with Jake again though. The times he played with me when I was touring with Bobby Z are some of my fondest memories of performing.”
“I didn’t get to see any of those shows,” Celia said. “It’s going to be really cool to see the two of you up there together. Well worth this long travel day from one side of the world to the other.”
“Thanks, C,” Laura said, patting her leg. “And I’m sorry we couldn’t get you your own hotel room.”
“Things happen,” Celia said with a sigh. Thanks to the TSF, pretty much every hotel room in the Las Vegas area that Celia would be caught dead in had already been booked, either by ticket-holders, band crews, TSF staff, or the bands themselves. As such, Celia was going to stay in Jake and Laura’s suite at Caesars Palace. And she could not help but remember what had happened the last time she and Jake had shared a hotel suite. Of course, Laura had not been there for that one, but now there was a strange little history between her and Laura to add to the discomfort level.
“I hope you don’t think it will be awkward staying with us,” Laura said, picking up a little on her feelings.
“In all honesty, I am feeling a little strange about being face to face with Jake,” she said. “He knows what we ... you know ... what we did that night.”
Laura smiled. Her memory of that night in Celia’s room was a fond one. It had not been repeated, partially because Celia was uncomfortable with the rule that Jake be informed each time something like that happened, and partially because they had not yet returned to the line where such antics became necessary. “I told you, Jake is cool with what we did,” she whispered. “In truth, it really seemed to turn him on when I told him about it.”
“I’m sure it did,” she said with a chuckle. Especially since he knows that I have now dallied with both of the Kingsleys. “And I’m sure the awkwardness with pass. You don’t think he’ll ... you know ... make any little comments about it or anything?”
“I can’t guarantee that,” Laura said. “Jake is Jake.”
“Yes, he certainly is,” she said with another sigh.
“Anyway ... uh ... speaking of awkwardness,” Laura said. “I just want to warn you in advance that ... well ... this is kind of embarrassing.”
“What is it?”
“Jake and I haven’t seen each other in a while and we’re going to want to ... you know... do it.”
Celia smiled. “I have no doubt that is true,” she said. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to listen at the door or anything like that.”
“Well ... the thing is that you probably won’t have to,” Laura said. She was now blushing. “I tend to get a little ... you know ... loud at times while we’re doing it.”
“I know,” Celia said. “Remember, I was staying in the Coos Bay house with you two when you first started doing it. You were the very impetus for and a very frequent violator of Rule 17.”
“That is embarrassing,” Laura said. “I can’t help it though.”
“Then maybe you just shouldn’t have sex with him until you get home,” Celia said lightly.
A look of extreme alarm crossed Laura’s face at this suggestion. “I ... uh ... don’t think that will be an option,” she said.
Celia giggled. “I know,” she said. “I was just kidding.” She leaned in a little closer and lowered her voice. “And you don’t have to be embarrassed. I’ve watched you paddle your canoe while I sucked on your chichi, Teach. I don’t think you need to be worried about me hearing you come while Jake is fucking you. In fact, maybe I’ll be inspired to do a little paddling myself if you put on a good enough performance.”
Laura looked up at her, her look of discomfort turning to one of interest and arousal. “Now that’s kind of hot,” she said.
“It’s all a matter of perspective,” Celia replied.
The flight attendant came by a moment later and asked if she could take their trays away. They both said she could. She then asked if she could bring them anything else.
“How about a vodka and tonic?” said Celia.
“Very good. And for you, Mrs. Kingsley?”
“Nothing for me,” Laura said. “I think I’ll catch a little nap.”
“As you wish,” the flight attendant said.
And before she even returned with Celia’s fresh drink, Laura was reclined and sleeping soundly in her chair, a pleasant little smile on her face.
A stretch limousine, chartered by Music Alive, picked up Jake, Laura, Jake’s band, Celia, Obie, and the Nerdlys at 7:00 AM the next morning. They were scheduled for an 8:30 sound check on Stage 2 of the dual stage venue. A good portion of Jake’s bandmembers were hung over (and considerably lighter in their wallets) and everyone was tired (except for Laura, who had catalogued more than fourteen hours of sleep in the past 24 hours) due to the early hour.