"Nice job!"
"Oh, thanks, but the crowd was really small. Even for me," she said, the concern in her voice showing.
"Don't worry about it! You've got a loyal fan base out there, and tomorrow we're renewing your contract. We'll make a big push for the rest of the tour, and things will turn around in no time," her agent told her. "You'll see!"
"I hope you're right. I've spent quite a bit of money lately," she said.
He knew she was anticipating a hefty advance on the contract so she'd gone ahead and purchased a very expensive car she didn't need. Then again, she wasn't exactly a spendthrift and even back when she was in her prime and making money hand over fist, she wasn't extravagant. It was just something she'd wanted for a very long time and finally went out and bought for herself. She'd bought it because she trusted him with 'him' being her agent of 25 years, William Howe.
"So what's next?" she asked.
"Um, well, the contract signing," William told her.
"No events tonight? Nothing?" she asked knowing this was becoming the norm rather than the exception to the rule.
"No. Not tonight I'm afraid," he informed her. "But don't be late tomorrow. The meeting starts at 10am and this new kid—and I mean kid—runs a tight ship. He's only 23 years old, but he's got this wicked sixth sense for business, so don't piss him off by showing up late."
Jeri Kennedy's only flaw, if one could call it that, was being late. She'd always been late to everything. Had she not gone on the road touring in her freshman year of high school, she'd likely have been expelled for excessive tardiness. She'd been late to class nearly every day that year and had been suspended twice for it. Even now, nearly 25 years later, she still couldn't get somewhere on time. Or more accurately, anywhere.
Jeri had been at the top of the pop charts back then with one hit single after the other. At 15, she had a fresh, sweet look about her and a voice that spoke to young girls and teens who went gaga for her bubble-gum music long before the term 'gaga', let alone Lady Gaga, was a household word. Because of the loyalty of her fans who were now in their late 30s and early 40s, Jeri Kennedy, who was on the verge of turning 40 herself, had been able to keep touring and continue making money. It was nothing like the money she'd made those many years ago, but it was still more every year than most people earned in any three-year period.
She hoped to keep touring for two more years before slowing down or even retiring, and she really needed this last, two-year contract to pay off her car and get completely out of debt. Unlike many famous young people, Jeri had been reasonably careful with her money. She owned a very nice home just outside of Los Angeles, had two luxury-type cars (a Mercedes and an a Audi), and had a small amount of her money was very nicely invested. This car had been a once-in-a-lifetime kind of purchase, and once it was paid off, the rest of what she'd make the next two years would all be invested for her future retirement.
Her still-youthful appearance had made it easier to keep touring and playing the same kind of music decade after decade, and the fact that her aging fan base was very loyal and forgiving also didn't hurt.
She'd been naturally blonde as a teenager, but now bleached her hair every six weeks or so as it hard darkened a bit over the years. She had a cute little button nose and high, prominent cheekbones and soft, full lips with an amazing smile she shared quite often. Jeri was still wearing braces when she her first hit made the Pop Top 40 chart, and they were the reason her teeth were still perfectly straight today.
She wasn't petite, but at 5'5" and just over a hundred pounds, she was a small woman who could wear a size 2 dress or an extra-small top even now. In a word she still did a reasonably good job as passing for a much-younger woman. She could no longer pull off the teenager look, something she'd done into her early 30s, but she was still more than believable performing her greatest hits year after year as well as the occasional new song her fans found enjoyable.
"Okay. Sounds good. I guess I'll see you there tomorrow morning," she told him.
"Ten o'clock, Jeri. Sharp!"
William just shook his head when she said, "No worries. I'll be there!"
Were she to show up on time, it'd be an historical first for Jeri Kennedy.
At 10:05 the following morning, William was trying to call and text her at the same time.
"Jeri? Where are you? The exec is getting ready to walk!"
At twelve minutes after, Jeri came running into the conference room just as the new signing executive stood up to leave.
"Sorry! Traffic was terrible!" she said knowing traffic had nothing to do with being late. As always she just couldn't get herself moving and had no one to blame but herself.
"Ms. Kennedy. How nice of you to show up," the executive with the cherub face told her snidely.
"Well, I am here!" she said with her normal, cheery smile and happy tone of voice.
"Unfortunately, you've wasted nearly a quarter of hour I don't have to spend on...."
He gave her a quick once-over then said, "Aging pop stars. William can fill you in."
Just before getting up to leave, the angry, young exec told Jeri's agent, "I almost felt bad having to be the bearer of bad news, but having sat here wasting precious time, I no longer care. Tell your client we're not renewing her contract."
Before he could reply, Jeri had stepped inside the conference room and had no idea what had transpired.
"Okay," she said as the much-younger man strode right on by her.
Once the door was shut, Jeri looked at William and asked, "What's going on?
"You might want to sit down," he cautioned her.
"So that's it?" she asked. "Twenty-five years down the drain just like that?"
"I'm afraid so," he told her.
"Did my being late effect his decision?" she asked.
"No. It just made it easier for him to deliver."
"So...now what?" she asked as she sat there trying to understand what had just happened.
"Nothing. At least not with this label. I'll get to work on finding another company to take you on, but I gotta tell you, Jeri, this isn't gonna be easy."
"I...I understand," she said as reality began setting in.
The first thing she had to do was either get the dealership to take the car back or try and sell it. She could absorb the depreciation, but there was no way she could keep it. From there, she'd have to get serious about her finances and do some real belt tightening until William came through for her. The thought that he might not be able to sent a chill through her for more than just financial reasons.
