The next morning the ringing phone awoke him, Taylor looked at his clock radio and saw that it was ten to twelve in the morning.
"Hello Ann, sorry about last night."
"Hi baby, and there is nothing you should be sorry about, I'm the one that must apologize. What happened by the way, did your mom catch you...playing?"
"No luckily not my mom," Taylor laughed. "Laura and Jenny walked into the room."
"Oh thank God, I had such a scare I dropped the call, sorry for abandoning you baby."
"No Ann please, my sister should know better, but they thought that they would have a nice laugh at our expense. I will get them back for it one day."
"I got a little carried away last night; I hope you do not think I'm some kind of wanton hussy."
"No please Ann, I would never think that."
"It is just...I'm surrounded by horny band members the whole day, and all they talk about is sex, sex, and more sex. Not that they mean anything by it, sometimes I guess it must be hard on them to have a female band member."
"I know what you mean Ann; it is the same with our band."
"Oh...so you sit and swap sex stories with your band members...naughty, naughty," Ann teased.
"No, not me, I just meant..."
"It is ok baby, that is what I like about you...you are so easy to tease," Ann laughed.
A knock on his bedroom door interrupted them, "Get up lazy bones, time for dinner," Laura called through the door.
"I have to go Ann; can I call you tonight...later?"
"Yes baby, call me anytime you want."
"Okay bye then, I will speak to you later."
"Bye Hun."
Taylor quickly dressed, brushed his teeth, and joined everyone down stairs. He blushed remembering what happened in his room, but Jenny and Laura went on normally, as if nothing happened. After dinner, he cleaned his room, did his exercises, and napped the afternoon away. Later that night he and Ann spoke for thirty minutes on the phone, and then he went to bed. The next week flew by, registering for classes, band practice, and broadening his exercise routine. He had to pace himself and it hurt like hell, but each day brought a little improvement. They filled the two pubs they played at to the max that weekend, and his ever-growing fan club showed up in full force. He only managed to speak to Ann once over the weekend, but he was tired, so he did not mind.
The following week a courier arrived with the documents he and Laura had to sign for the songs. Barney explained the legal mumble jumbo over the phone, while they signed and send the courier on his way. There wasn't much happening at the Varsity; they just received lists of what books they needed, and information about the courses. The new year will kick off in February, so everyone was just going through the motions. Taylor used the time to start working on a few new songs for the band, and one for Ann. Paul started getting even more moody during band practice, and even Taylor began tiring of his shit. Things were happening for the band, they were in a position to choose where they wanted to play on weekends, but Paul just kept on ruining the mood for everyone.
Paul is a third year student at the same Varsity as Laura, Jenny and Taylor, and enjoyed the fame more than anyone in the band. What he did not like, is the idea that it's not him they came to see, but Jenny and Taylor. Everyone in the band knew this, and the songs that attracted the most attention from the crowd were the ones Jenny sang, or had long guitar solos. Paul's boyish blond good looks did not really fit in with the type of songs he sang, and will fare better with a crowd that enjoyed POP music. The rest of the band looked like rockers, dressed like rockers, and acted like rockers. Taylor with his long dark hair, and black attire fit the bill, even though he did not jump around and dance on stage. Jenny looked awesome in her rock-chick outfits she wore, so Paul stood out like a priest at a witches convention.
Luckily, for Paul, most of the songs Taylor wrote were for a male singer with female backup. On the other hand, the female could sing the lead, while the man then sang the backup, and with the fans, demanding to hear Jenny more, that was just what was happening. Most of the male students were not attracted to the pubs because Grudge was playing there, they just followed the female students. Now once they arrived at the venue, most guys rather wanted to see a hot chick singing, than a guy, something they could cheer about without looking gay. Since drunken men are louder than women, the band got a better crowd reaction when Jenny takes centre stage. Frank gave the crowd what they wanted, and everyone was happy, except for Paul.
He blamed the change happening inside the band on Taylor. Before Taylor joined, they might not have been so popular, but at least as lead singer he got more attention. With Taylor's arrival came new songs, and with those new songs came Jenny. The old songs suited his voice more, and were mostly chosen because they did not have a backup female vocalist. The rest of the band liked Taylor's songs, not only was it challenging to learn how to play them, but they were original, not ripped off from another band. Singers were hard to come by, so Taylor figured if the shit is going to hit the fan, then he would go, to replace him would be easier.
January passed into February, on weekends the band played, during the week it was classes, and exercise. His leg muscles were improving daily, and most evenings Taylor was so tired, he just fell in bed. Ann phoned once or twice a week, her celebrity status keeping her very busy. She invited Taylor to one of the events, but he declined, not that he did not want to see her, but they both knew if he appeared with her in public, the press would be all over him. Jenny was at their house often, and would tease Taylor, but he was just too tired to respond. Whenever he had a free moment, Taylor would work on a new song, he called it 'Broken.' At first, the song was about what he felt like, but he decided to change the words slightly, to reflect someone feeling broken up about a relationship.
March started with a bang, Taylor took his first steps without crutches, short steps, but steps nonetheless. Frank told them during band practice that he was entering them in a battle of the band's competition, and Ann wanted him to fly out so that they could start recording his song. She wanted him to record with them, and would not take no for an answer. The recording would take three days, and would take place at their music company's recording studio in Los Angeles. They haven't practiced anymore phone sex, since their last disaster, but Ann made it clear that she wanted more...whatever more meant, Taylor would take it. The battle of the bands competition was open to any new and upcoming bands, with the finals to be held in June. They would play at different venues, and the public would vote after each performance who goes through.
Frank printed leaflets, and handed them out at the places they played at, hoping that some of the crowd would travel and support them. Luckily, one of the venues is in Casper. Frank had allot of confidence in Grudge's abilities; he said that most of the bands that entered the competition were garage bands. Kids that played out of their garage's at home, and who thought that they sounded good. There are a few well-known bands taking part, so they will have their work cut out for them.
Taylor and Laura was busy practicing his new song 'Broken' the Monday night when Jenny walked in.
"What the fuck was that," she exclaimed looking highly excited.
Taylor just looked up, while Laura answered. "Hi Jen, and welcome to you too."
"Did I just hear your brother singing...tell me my fucking ears aren't lying to me?"
Laura laughed, "Do you see anyone else in here?" They were in Taylor's gym slash recording studio.
"Holly shit, I remembered you telling me that Taylor could sing, what you forgot to mention, is the fact that he can sing fucking better than anyone we know."
"Yes Jen, I know that, and now you know that, tell it to Mr. Pruts over here," she indicated in Taylor's general direction.
"Just drop it Laura," Taylor replied.
