Page 50 of Something to Believe In
The threesome turned to enter the Barn. They were the last to arrive. Jami strode from the back of the Barn, near the bar, with a man beside him.
"I'm glad you're all here. This is Zeke. Zeke, let me introduce you to my bandmates."
Jami made the introductions, and Zeke shook everyone's hand.
Tony then continued on. "I also have an introduction to make."
A woman stepped from the studio as if summoned. Tony held out his arm, motioning toward her. "This is Carlene Matthews. Carlene is the owner of Shout It Out PR, which is now our PR firm. As we're getting Zeke up to speed on loading our equipment, she'll be interviewing each of you individually so she gets to know you and also can put together PR for us. Please be open and honest with her."
Carlene nodded. "It's nice to meet you all. Who wants to be my first victim?"
They chuckled, but Axel glanced at Maddyn. "Do you want to go first? You probably shouldn't be lifting anything today, anyway."
Maddyn looked up at him, her expression soft. "Sure."
Carlene clapped her hands together. "How about if the two of you come into the studio together for the first part? I understand you've been dealing with quite a bit recently."
He took Maddyn's hand in his, and together they followed Carlene into the studio. She had stools set up for the interview. This gal was prepared.
She sat on a stool facing the two stools she had set up for him and Mads. She knew exactly who she was going to interview when she came out of the studio.
Carlene started. "Let me begin. I'm Carlene Matthews, and I started Shout It Out PR twenty years ago. I'm good at my job. I'm good to my clients and thrilled to be working with you all. Your stars are rising, and they're rising at warp speed. Now tell me about you two."
Axel turned to Mads and waited. She smiled at him sweetly. "I'm Maddyn Nolen. I've been with the band since the beginning."
Carlene nodded and wrote in a notebook. "Maddyn, I understand you and Axel are a new couple."
Maddyn turned to look into his eyes. Her lips tilted into a soft smile. "Yes. We've worked together for about twenty years. I've loved him for most of that time. I was married when I first joined the band."
Carlene leaned in. "What's your ex-husband's name?"
"Steve."
Carlene's left eyebrow rose into her dark bangs.
Maddyn took a deep breath. "Steve Jackson."
Carlene nodded and wrote his name down. "Has Steve tried contacting you recently? Phone calls? Social media messages? Email?"
Mads shook her head. "No. I haven't heard from him in a long time."
"Why did you divorce?"
Poor Mads. Her shoulders drooped slightly, and his heart hurt for her having to relive this part of her life.
"He cheated on me. The band was getting busy with gigs, and I was gone a fair amount of time. I came home early from a gig to find him in bed, our bed, with another woman."
"Who was the woman?"
Mads shrugged. "I don't know. He wouldn't say. Just that he picked her up in a bar. He tried blaming it on me. I was never around. Cared more for the band than him. On and on."
Carlene smiled softly, and her eyes locked solidly on Maddyn's. "You do know it wasn't your fault, right?"
Maddyn took a deep breath. He watched her process this discussion with interest.
"I do know that on some level. But I should have paid more attention to his needs. I feel as though I should have done better as a wife."
Carlene's brows rose high into her bangs. "Maybe we all could do better when there is a parting of a relationship. But it isn't one-sided, and being lonely or left home while your spouse works isn't permission, or a good excuse to cheat."
