Page 8 of Perfect Storm

“Yes ma’am,” I laugh.

I had no intention of watching her pee. I was hoping she’d hop straight into the shower so I could join her. I grab some pajama pants from the chair by the window and step into them, looking out over New York.

It’s still a weird feeling to live here. After living in LA for ten years, waking up to the busy city is a shock to the system. The clear blue skies and the warmth coming through the coated windows has me smiling. I hear the toilet flush and the shower start.

“Food!”

“Christ,” I mutter. “I’m going,” I yell back to her.

Padding through the apartment, I find the leftovers she was referring to and open the box, giving it a sniff, Chinese.

There’s no law that says you gotta have pancakes in the morning. I grin, I love how easy going she is, that she can suggest dinner for breakfast, or driving out of the city on a moment’s notice to go hiking, because you can’t hike proper in the city.

Everyone always says I’m the laid back one of the group, the silent one who goes with the flow. It’s true, but a more adventurous side is coming out with Elsa around.

I heat the food and set the table as she breezes in, wearing a white summer dress that’s baggy around her slim figure. There are a number of necklaces layered around her neck and she has her bangles on. My little hippy chick. Her hair is tied up in a raggedy-looking knot, but it works on her.

“Mmm,” she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses my shoulder before taking a seat, pulling her legs up and crossing them. No one else I know sits at the dining table like that. She sometimes does it when we’re out in public.

Elsa picks at her food while scrolling on her phone. I’ve never been big on social media. I leave that to Hannah, our PR person or Jordan.

He’s forever doing something on Instagram. I don’t think a day goes by when he doesn’t post at least half a dozen pics and one video. No clue where he finds time to come up with it all.

As part of her job, social media is a big thing for Elsa. She has a huge following in the make-up world. Plus, she needs to keep up with the latest trends and fads. It’s all Greek to me, but given it’s a part of her job, I’m not concerned when she does it. She sets her phone aside to drink and eat, giving me all of her focus.

“Dad and Tommy are coming to the city,” she tells me, gnawing on a rib.

I’m almost tempted to offer to lick her fingers. It’s rare her dad and his partner come out here.

“Yeah?”

“I know,” she sits forward. “Miracle of miracles, right?”

“What’s the occasion?”

“Tommy is turning fifty. Dad wants to do something different.”

“Coming to New York? Has he run it by Tom?”

Elsa’s dad, Walter lives in a camper van and moves all around the West Coast. He met his partner on one such trip and he joined him on his travels, then never left. That’s how Walter likes to tell it, anyway.

I love Elsa’s dad. He’s fun, easy-going, liked me from the start, which is always a help when meeting your girl’s parent. Loving our music helped too. Tommy is perfect for him, they’re two peas in a pod, relishing their life on the road.

I found it hard to believe Walter was ever married to Elsa’s mom. She lives in a Beverley Hills mansion with her new husband and three step-kids. And she can’t stand me. I think that is more to do with who my father is and that I have no relationship with him, he’s an old friend of Elsa’s parents.

Whatever her reasons, that shit is no fun when we do go visit. Luckily, Elsa has always been closer to her dad, and very rarely sees her mom.

“I asked the same, and he said yes, he’s happy about it. I know it’s not their vibe, but who am I to argue?” she smiles. “I’m already thinking of all the fun things we can get up to.”

“Sounds good, when?”

“Next month. His birthday is on the eighteenth.”

I nod. I’ll have to remember to ask Janie my assistant to add it to my calendar. Elsa will make sure I don’t forget. I want to make sure no band commitments go in on that day. One thing we’ve all been doing is ensuring we get our private time.

After breakfast, I wash up, then get my laptop to read the news. I stay up to date with current affairs. The sphere around me and my band isn’t the only thing going on.

There is a story about Red Alert that makes me frown.

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