Page 25 of Wild Tonic
The residential part of the studio complex was almost as impressive. The converted barn house had five basic yet comfortable double bedrooms, a kitchen, lounge and recreation room. The latter had a home cinema screen with surround sound speakers, a flat-screen plasma TV, various computer consoles and a table tennis table. Nate wondered if it was possible to stay there full time.
When they first arrived, they ate, chatted and made plans for the session. There was still a slightly uneasy atmosphere between the group. The tension was particularly noticeable between Nate and Alik, despite their best efforts to rise above it.
Nate’s creative juices starting bubbling. He was itching to get started.
Those juices still had him awake at three in the morning and he sat on the sofa in the second live space, his beloved old acoustic cradled in his lap, working out a riff. It was the part of the process he loved, bringing all the disjointed thoughts and chords in his head to a cohesive sound. He took a short break and lit up a joint, watching the smoke spiral above his head.
“Can’t sleep either?” Richey’s voice broke his concentration and he looked up.
“You know me too well.”
Richey had moved into Nate’s house when he first joined the band. They’d spent many a long hour in the converted garage, working on songs, playing covers and generally hanging out. It felt like a world away from where they were now and Nate missed that easy friendship.
His friend sank on to the sofa beside him. “I heard that Clem had a run in with Poppy the other night.”
It took all of Nate’s patience not to roll his eyes. He hated the fact Poppy was interfering in his relationship when she had one of her own to worry about. One that had started way before his with Clem.
“Yeah, I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She’s being a total bitch about it.”
“No idea why though. Eva had nothing but good things to say about Clem. She really liked her.” Richey took the joint from Nate. “I really shouldn’t, but…” He let the words trail off and Nate instantly knew what he meant.
“I’ve got an idea for a song.” Richey tossed his lyrics notebook towards Nate. “See what you think about that.”
As he read through the words, Nate lit up another reefer and they passed it between the two of them until it burned out. The mellowing effect of the hash was setting his artistry alight and as Nate began to tap out some chord patterns, Richey joined in with singing.
“All I know is the big periods of nothingness, the darkness, catharsis…”
The lines echoed in Nate’s head and he pondered whether it was reflective of Richey’s period in rehab. He hadn’t visited Richey the whole time he’d been there. It had been Alik, Parker and Poppy that had taken care of all that. The guilt Nate felt intensified. He should have been there for his friend, should have noticed what was going on and how Richey had been feeling.
They sat around, playing with various riffs and bridges until they found something they were happy with, the time evaporating. By the time they were satisfied, the sun was beginning to come up.
A big grin framed both their faces, in part from the grass but also from the buzz of finding a new song idea.
Richey stood up. “I’m knackered, mate. Gonna get some sleep before we put this track down later.” He high-fived Nate and headed out of the room.
Nate stretched out on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. The pleasant exhaustion that came with a session like that flooded through his body, but his mind was still not ready to rest yet. He was vaguely aware of his phone vibrating with a message and reached down to find it under the table.
It was from Clem:Miss you, wish you were closer xx
Me too, what are you up to? Xxx
Up early, prepping for the photoshoot later xx
Is that the lingerie one? ;o) xxx
Might be… gotta go, Leona’s here xx
His own thoughts echoed Clem’s. He wished she was closer too, like right here next to him. Now. He missed her more than he realised.
The bang of the door made him jump, pulling him back into reality.
“Have you even been to bed?” Alik stared down at him.
Immediately, Nate shifted himself into an upright position. “Nope, me and Richey have been working on something. He’s just gone up to bed.”
“Wanna let me hear it?”
There was a childish streak in Nate that wanted to refuse, wanted to wait until Richey was there so they could show off their work together. But the song was too strong, too intense for that.
