Page 148 of On The Edge
“No, Louis. You get to leave. Now. If you’re lucky, we won’t get your hotel room cancelled before you can get your shit. Tick tock, Louis.” Markus crosses his arms over his chest, tablet still in hand.
“Who will take over your stuff? You guys cannot survive without me!” Louis scrambles to his feet and I smirk when I see that his nose is most definitely broken and his eyes and jaw are already starting to bruise. He’s going to be nearly unrecognizable tomorrow.
“Paul is more than capable.” I shrug. He’s capable, but he’s borderline crushing on my girl and I won’t let that fly.At all. “It’s time he had a promotion.”
“Please,” Louis scoffs. “Paul?”
“It doesn’t really matter, does it? You’refired. Get out!” Reis yells, grabbing his shirt and shoving him hard towards the broken door.
Louis looks at us as he stumbles, falling to his ass before scrambling back up and running out the door.
It’s like we all exhale for the first time since we found out she was gone.
“Okay,” Adam says, standing up and pulling his mask over his face. “Let’s finish this show and go get our girl.”
FORTY-TWO
It’ll…get better right?
I’ll be able to hold my head upright one day, right?
I’ll be able to feel something other than this…intense pain like someone’s trying to rip my soul from my body.
I’ll be able to breathe again…
Right?
FORTY-THREE
“What doyou mean we can’t postpone?” I snap into the phone. I called our management team back in New York after the end of the show in Birmingham. Woke all their asses up in the middle of the night in order to figure out a way for the four of us to get a day off.
We need more, but we have at least another week of the tour.
“We just need an extra twenty-four hours. Insurance will cover the costs, and we’ll issue an official statement.”
“Reis, can you imagine the backlash? You guys signed up for this tour and now you’re skipping shows? No, that’s unacceptable,” Bryn, the head of our label, says strongly. His words and tone leave no room for discussion. “The contract is very clear. There may only be a cancellation if there’s a band member’s illness. An illness they are unable to physically be on stage for.”
“This isn’t fucking fair!” I roar into the phone, snapping like a rubber band under tension. Rationally, I know I shouldn’t be yelling, but my emotions are frayed. I just need to get to her. I need to see her.
“I understand there’s something going on, Reis, I get it. But our hands are legally tied. I’m sorry.” Bryn actually sounds genuine and I run my hand through my hair.
“Yeah, thanks, Bryn. We’ll be in Cardiff tomorrow.”
“Good luck. If it makes you feel any better, sales are off the charts because of this tour. Not only that, but there’s a bunch of press that want to interview you guys after you get back. I’ll pass the information along to Louis.”
“Don’t. He’s been fired. Let go immediately. I don’t want him knowing, being informed, or knowing anything about us from here on out.”
The pause is awkward. Heavy. I know Bryn liked Louis, but I’m not above playing the ‘it’s him or us’ card.
“Alright, who is filling in?” Bryn asks stiffly.
“Paul. He’s worked with us for a while now, he worked directly with Louis and knows the ropes. More than that, we know we can trust him.”
“Understood,” Bryn says. “Okay, well, I’ll get Paul the interview information and I’ll talk with you after the tour.”
I agree, bidding goodbye and hanging up the phone before throwing my phone against the bed, watching it bounce and fall to the ground.
“Fuck!”
