Ember

10 - It's good to be alive!

Marco

“You’ve all lost your damn minds! This is the biggest thing that has happened to Dun’s Dungeon, and now you want to bring someone else in?”

Colin sighs, Saint shakes his head, Bob says nothing, and I roll my neck. I didn’t expect Matt to take the possibility of Ember joining the band well. I didn’t expect him to bang on and on about what a mistake it was, either.

“It’s really not up to you, Matt.”

“You think?” He raises an eyebrow at me. “I am the manager of this band, and I’ll say who joins and who doesn’t.”

Fuc.k it!

I get out of my seat, ready to punch the smug prick out. I won’t have Matt telling any of us what to do. Yes, he is our manager, but we have complete creative control. It helps to have a lawyer in the family. Before we sign, my brother-in-law looks over any contracts presented to us as a band. This asshole knows full well that Dun’s Dungeon makes the decisions when it comes to band members, new and old.

Colin lays his hand on my chest, stopping me from charging Matt. “Must we play this game every damn time we as a band make a decision, Matt?”

Matt grits his teeth. “The band has been sold as a male foursome. You have offers from record companies wanting to buy this male foursome. The merchandise, interviews, ticket sales, the damn EP do not include a woman!”

“You sexis.t bastard,” Bob hisses. “This has nothing to do with us bringing in a new member. It has everything to do with the fact she’s a woman, though, doesn’t it?”

Sounds about right for that prick. Why we ever agreed to have Matt as our manager is beyond me. He’s sexis.t, racist, homophobic, and everything in between. I’d fire him right now if I thought I could get away with it. Matt’s only with us because he’s a friend of Colin’s father.

I try to block out the bickering as I think about what to do next. Of course, we could tell Ember we’ve changed our minds about her joining. Everything we’ve done ‘just in case’ can be trashed. However, if Ember tells us that she wants to join the band, then join, she will. Colin and I have already photoshopped Ember’s picture onto new merchandise, posters, flyers for the tour, the EP cover, and even our damn website.

We’ve incorporated Ember’s voice into the songs we’ve chosen for the EP. The guys and I played back the songs last night, and we sounded amazing. Sure, it was hard work trying to get it done in time and even harder making sure nothing had technically gone wrong. But everything is perfect and ready to go live the moment we get word from Ember. This motherfucker is not ruining this for us!

“This girl,” Matt taps the new poster featuring Ember. Colin did a fantastic job because you’d never know Ember wasn’t there the day we took the picture. “Does not have the right look.”

I narrow my eyes because I have a feeling that Matt isn’t talking about the way Ember is dressed in the picture. He’s saying without words that she’s not good-looking enough.

My eyes widen as anger fills my veins. “You have to be fuckin’ kidding me! Ember is beautiful!”

“I might have known you wanted to fuc.k her,” Matt huffs and folds his arms around his chest. “What happens to the band when Marco talks the little slut into bed?”

I can’t stop myself, so I grab his shirt front and pin him to my basement wall. Matt swallows hard, his eyes wide – fuckin.g pissant is all mouth.

“I don’t care who you think you are, but if you ever talk about Ember like that again, you’re done!”

“You can’t threaten to fire me!” He counters back.

“Yes, he can,” Matt looks at Colin with defiance in his eyes. “We haven’t signed with a record company yet. We’re not even out there as an established band.”

“But this tour will put you on the map,” Colin nods at Matt. We all know what this tour will do for us. “You have two major record labels interested in signing you as a foursome. If you bring this girl in, they could pull their offers. Are you willing to risk that? After everything you’ve worked for?”

Colin, Saint, Bob, and I have worked hard for this opportunity. We wouldn’t do anything to risk that, and that’s why we called up both record labels and told them about Ember. Both record label bosses were intrigued to hear the new member is female. We even played them a song featuring Ember’s vocals. Both couldn’t express enough what having Ember with us could do for our careers.

As Colin tells Matt all of this, his nostrils flare in anger. He yanks on my wrists, and I let go of his shirt with a chuckle. He’s pissed that Colin and I have gone behind his back with all of this. I don’t answer to this prick, and I never will.

“So,” Matt brushes down his shirt front. “Y’all want this girl in the band?” Each one of us nods our heads. “Don’t come crying to me when this one,” Matt points at me. “Talks her into bed and then drops her the next day. He’ll break her heart, and you all know that he will. All of this will have been for nothing because she’ll leave no sooner has she joined. When she tells the world her story, this band will be finished, and you know it!”

I clench my teeth in anger as Matt walks out the door, slamming it behind him. He doesn’t have a damn clue what he’s talking about. I’ll admit that once upon a time, I would have talked Ember into bed. If she were any other woman, then I wouldn’t have given a damn about the consequences. But Ember isn’t just another woman; she’s my friend, and I won’t do anything to jeopardize that.

“He’s got a point,” I throw daggers at Saint. “Don’t look at me like that, Marco. We all know what you’re like with women. Hell, we’ve all seen the way you look at Ember.”

I run my fingers through my long hair in frustration. I get what Saint is saying, but it won’t happen. Ember is happy with her boyfriend, and I won’t do anything to mess this chance up for any of us.

“I’m not about to chase after a taken woman. You should all know me better than that by now. Besides, I like Ember, and I do not want to ruin the friendship we’re building.”

I’m offended that they would think I’d chase after Ember merely for se.x. She is worth so much more than that. All three of my bandmates know what I went through with my ex. They know I’d never inflict that kind of pain on another person. No matter how badly I want Ember, even if I think her boyfriend is a dic.k, I wouldn’t cause him that pain. Because it is more than anyone deserves.

“We all want Ember to join the band, Marco,” Bob gets out of his seat and stands at his full height. “Regardless of what Matt just said, I know you have more respect for Ember than to try and get her into bed. She’s gonna help us skyrocket with that voice of hers,”

He’s right, she is.

“We’re trusting you, Marco,” I want to tell Colin to go fuc.k himself. Instead, I nod my head. I won’t argue with my bandmates over something that will never happen.

We talk no more about it and get on with practice. We leave the day after tomorrow and need to get as much practice as possible before then. I also need to see my family before I leave. My mother would never forgive me if I didn’t have dinner with them all.

Mom loves to cook; it’s her happy place. She runs her own diner, and everyone loves her famous sweet potato pie. It’s her own recipe, and I’ve never known one person to dislike it. Mom wants me, my brother and sister, their spouses, my nephew, and my father home for dinner tonight, no exceptions.

Six songs in, and I need a drink. The guys fall about themselves laughing when I choose water over beer. I guess it is funny to them; water never was my first choice of drink. I won’t pretend that I’m changing for Ember because I’m not. I’m changing for me, though I’ll admit it’s happening because Ember made me step back and take a look at myself. I was ruining not only my life but my very soul. I don’t need drugs, and I don’t need to drink myself into an early grave. What happened with my ex was not my fault. I didn’t push her into the arms of others, and I don’t need to keep punishing myself.

“Let’s get back to it,” I tip my head at the guys. “I’ve got a dinner to get to in three hours.”

“Hold on,” Colin holds his hand up while looking at the screen of his phone. “It’s Ember,” This could be the call we’ve been waiting for. Colin answers the call and puts it on loudspeaker. “Ember, what can I do for you?”

“Hi,” Ember sounds shy all of a sudden.

The hairs on the back of my neck instantly stand to attention. Ember has said one word, and I can tell she’s upset.

How could I possibly know that?

“Sorry, I know you’re probably rehearsing,”

“That’s fine. What’s up?”

“Am I on speaker?”

“Yeah,” Colin nods, even though Ember can’t see him.

“Good. Well, I’ve made my decision,” My heart is hammering in my chest. I want Ember to join the band for so many reasons. “If you guys still want me, I’d like to take you up on your offer,”

“Fuc.k, yes!” Colin yells, and Ember laughs as Bob and Saint cheer. “This is gonna be the best thing to happen to the band.” Ember’s chuckle comes down the line loud and clear, and it makes me smile. “Have you spoken to Toby about this?”

“Toby won’t be a problem.”

“Good,” Colin smirks. “I’ll send a car to pick you up Thursday morning.”

“Great! See you guys soon!”

“Bye!” We all yell.

Damn, it’s good to be alive right now!