The week after the concert many changes occurred, not only for Taylor, but for the band as well. A prominent newspaper printed a nationwide article about the concert, and after complimenting 'Culture's' phenomenal efforts on stage, the whole rest of the article was about 'Grudge,' and especially Taylor. They mentioned the rest of the band members, but most of the article, was about Taylor's guitar playing powers, and the new song he wrote 'Rock me baby.' Laura and his mother were so happy; they danced around the kitchen like two drunken crazy teenagers. Later that Friday night, Frank informed them all that they were getting more money per gig, and Jenny congratulated Taylor with a huge open mouth wet kiss.
The only person not happy with the turn of events was Paul, but Frank pulled him outside and had a good talk with him. With only a tenth of the varsity students back from holiday, and every one of them filling the pub where 'Grudge' played, the band rocked until late that night. Between sessions, girls would approach Taylor, asking for his autograph in the strangest places, which had almost every band member in tears laughing at Taylor's obvious discomfort. The Saturday morning, Laura called him to the phone, and while he made his way downstairs, he heard his sister talking to someone he expected to be Jenny.
Laura handed him the phone, "Hi Taylor speaking."
"So since fame reached the Miles home, your number one fan gets ignored."
Taylor did not recognize the woman's voice, "No...I'm..."
"We really need to work on your communication skills baby, it is me Ann," she laughingly replied.
"Oh, hi Ann, how are you doing?"
"Waiting for your call every single day. Don't tell me you thrown away my telephone number already."
"No, I have it stashed in a safe place," then remembering on what her telephone number was written, he hastily continued, "What I meant was that I have it."
Ann's loud laughter drowned out his reply, "Taylor you naughty boy, what ever will you tell your mother if she finds some husky's little g-string in your possession, or is she used to girls throwing their underwear at you?"
"No, no, I don't have any other...items of that description."
Ann continued laughing, and after settling down, she told him about how their nation wide tour was going. The tour was ending that January, and they still had three different cities left to play at. She complimented him on his article in the newspapers, and then asked, "Taylor, that song 'Rock me baby,' I want it?"
"Yes, no problem, I wrote it listening to your voice, so you could actually say it was written for you," Taylor replied.
"So you sit around all day dreaming...fantasizing about little ol me?"
"No...I mean, I was thinking..."
"Don't spoil a girls fantasies Taylor."
"Yes...I mean...you can have the song," Taylor mumbled.
"Great, do you have a lawyer presenting you," Ann asked sounding serious for the first time?
"No, actually just Frank."
"Okay, I tell you what, I will have a lawyer named Barney call you on Monday, he helped me a lot when I started out. He knows all about musical rights and all that shit, will that be okay?"
"Yes sure, tell your lawyer I will wait for his call."
"No silly, he isn't my lawyer anymore, my record company handles all my legal shit now, but Barney helped me when I started, he is good with copy rights and all that, so listen to him okay."
"Okay, thank you Ann, I will do that."
"Once he has you sorted, let him handle the selling of your song's recording rights, and tell him that I want that song, no matter what the price or conditions."
"Yeah no problem, it would be fantastic hearing you sing my song."
"The honor will be mine Taylor, it sounds fantastic when Jenny sings it, and I just hope I can do it justice."
"No freaking way Ann, if there is one person that can make that song into a number one, it is you."
"Oooh, you are just saying that to get into my panties, "Ann cooed.
"No, I..."
"Wait, you already managed to get me out of a pair, Taylor, Taylor, I'm shocked. Laura said that you are a perfect gentleman, but I starting to doubt that, "she replied laughingly.
"No...really, I just meant..."
"It is ok Taylor; I don't mind you thinking about me being all naked under my short dress, you dirty boy."
"No...that's not what I do, I really meant..."
"I'm disappointed Taylor, but I have to run, give Jenny and Laura a kiss from me, but no tongue action okay," Ann said acting as if Taylor really disappointed her.
"Yeah...I will, and thank you for calling Ann."
"Later baby," she replied before disconnecting the call.
Laura walked into the kitchen, gave his red face one look, and burst out laughing. "hmm have you been talking dirty to Ann again?"
"No, she just misunderstood me...that's all."
"Don't worry about it Taylor, that girl just knows how to pull your strings, but me thinks that she is interested in pulling on something larger," she said laughing, looking towards his crotch.
"Oh fuck off Laura, go take a shower, I need a lift to the gig tonight," Taylor replied leaving the kitchen with a laughing Laura still in it.
That night Frank assured him that the band had no rights on any of his songs, and that he was perfectly within his rights to sell any of the songs he wrote. Frank knew off Barney, and told Taylor that he would be lucky if the guy handles the copyrights to his songs. The rest of the band was very excited to hear that 'Culture' wanted to sing one of their songs, and after the gig, Frank bought them a few rounds to celebrate. The few rounds turned into many, and Taylor was dropped off at home, in the early hours of the morning. That next day, he really suffered through his training routine, but stuck with it and slept right through the rest of the day.
Monday night Barney phoned him, and after explaining what he does, Taylor faxed his songs through to him. Barney was surprised when he gave him Ann's message, and said he will handle it. He receives ten percent of any money or royals collected from a song, but Taylor did not mind. On Thursday, a package arrived for Taylor. The note that came with the package just said, "From your number one fan." Inside the package was a cellular phone, wrapped inside a yellow g-string, and another note. The note said, "If I ring answer me, and have both items ready." Taylor stopped using a cell phone after his accident, since no one ever bothered phoning him on it. He plugged the phone into the wall socket in his room, and left it on charge.
Jenny decided to sleep over the weekend at their house, in Laura's room, so they all drove together to and from the gigs over the weekend. The two teased him mercilessly over the ever-larger growing group of girls, which followed him to every gig they played at. The one thing that surprised him was that one of the girls asking for his signature shared a class with him, but she did not recognize him. That Saturday night, they finished just after one-o-clock in the morning, and arrived home just before two. Taylor was so tired; he just stripped off his clothes, fell naked onto the bed, and was asleep five minutes later. A loud ringing woke him up, and he searched through the dark room, until he found the noise-making device. It was the cell phone Ann sent him.
"Hi Ann," he mumbled still half asleep.
