Part 64 (1/2)
Jem answers the door. Most people look like c.r.a.p if they're a new parent, but he's a model of health compared to how he looked when we first met him. His long, brown curls hang loose across his shoulders and he's barefoot. Jem nods in greeting and steps back; we follow into the slate floored house.
Ruby appears, dressed in a black s.h.i.+ft dress with legs bare, scarlet hair piled onto her head. As usual, her face is hidden behind dark eye make up and bright red lipstick.
”Hey, guys,” she says with a smile.
”Missed ya, Ruby Tuesday!” I enthuse and hug her. She ducks from under my arms and crosses hers. The personal s.p.a.ce issues haven't changed since she became a mother, then.
Jax hangs back in the doorway, avoiding Ruby's eyes. We head into a bright room, furnished with yellow sofas and a low coffee table. In one corner, there's a baby seat and folded clothes, and I stare. I've seen Ruby with the baby before but still can't fit the two together in my head.
”I thought we were rehearsing?” Jax asks Jem.
I push a plastic baby toy out of the way and flop onto the sofa next to Nate.
The tension between Jem and Jax never fades completely, and takes time to ebb whenever we meet up after time apart. ”We are,” replies Jem. ”I want to run through plans for the tour promo, then I can get back to publicity and make sure everything is booked and ready.”
”We've been discussing this for weeks. It's rehearsals we need to get on with ready for The Monday Show next week,” retorts Jax.
”He probably wants to make a better impression on this TV appearance than he did in his debut in Amsterdam,” replies Ruby.
Jax scowls. ”Ha-f.u.c.king-ha.”
I bite back a smile. Jax, Nate and me were in the s.h.i.+t after the drunken spectacle on Dutch TV, but I still think it was b.l.o.o.d.y hilarious. Awesome night.
”Good point,” replies Jem.
Ruby Riot wouldn't be where it is today if it wasn't for Jem Jones, Blue Phoenix guitarist and our manager. He saw the talent and took us on as his project, and pushed us on everybody until people sat up and noticed the band. Before Jem, Jax organised the band while Nate and me would turn up and play. It was Jax recruited Ruby and she added the dimension the band needed. Now Jem's in charge. Jax has never fallen out with Jem artistically, if anything he's inspired by him, but Ruby is an issue.
Ruby and Jax were close before Jem. Not lovers close, though I think Jax harboured those thoughts last year. Problem solved when Jax met Tegan and fell in l.u.s.t. Or love, or whatever. No, Jax's issue is Jem stole Ruby in more ways than one; as far as Jax is concerned Jem got our lead singer pregnant, and Ruby Riot had to hit the brakes. On the Blue Phoenix tour, Jax totally lost his s.h.i.+t about the situation when he found out, but that's Jax. If he doesn't get his own way he acts out like a b.l.o.o.d.y princess.
”We need to decide about the States,” says Ruby, looking at Jem. ”I know Jem's thoughts but I think this should be a band decision.”
Jax sits down and rakes a hand through his messy blond hair. ”What's the problem? I don't understand why we're not just going.”
”We can go for a week instead of the two we planned?” I suggest.
”The baby. Three months is young to travel,” says Ruby. ”I mean, she could be okay but we're cautious.”
”Alb.u.m release means we need maximum marketing,” snaps back Jax. ”Here and overseas. We need to go to the States. End of.”
”Yeah, I get that. Maybe schedule in the New Year?” says Jem.
”New Year? What the h.e.l.l? No, we need to go December at the latest.”
Jax and Jem glower at each other and as if to emphasise the point, a baby's cry comes from the adjoining room.
Jem looks to Ruby. ”Let me talk to the guys, you see to Quinn,” she says, and Jem wanders towards the baby's shrill cries.
”We agreed,” snaps Jax. ”You agreed. Promo tour Europe and the States.”
”And I intend to!” retorts Ruby.
Some days, me and Nate slice through band tension like this with a quip to diffuse issues, but this situation has brewed for a while. There's no point reasoning with Princess Jax when he's in this mood, he won't listen. This time, I half-agree. I don't want the alb.u.m to bomb and have to pin my life back on slogging around pubs and clubs again.
”Do you have room for us anymore?” says Jax in a low voice. ”Because seems like the band dropped to the bottom of your priority list.”
Ruby steps towards him; they stand face to thunderous face.
I glance at Nate and he rolls his eyes. Here we go... ”No. We will go to the States. We'll do everything we're advised,” says Ruby. ”Jem will be with us, he'll have to suck it up and either get a nanny or look after Quinn himself when I'm busy.”
Jax blinks at her. ”But you said ”
”Jem's overprotective, that's all. He'll loosen up,” she says.
”He won't stop you?”
Ruby laughs. ”Jax, since when does anybody stop me doing anything that slows down Ruby Riot?”
”Umm. Your daughter?” replies Jax.
Ruby's eyes narrow at his snark. ”You guys went back to uni, I'm not the only one with lifestyle distractions.”
”She's right,” I interrupt. ”You know me and Nate were supposed to finish our degrees. Jem has a US tour booked for the summer too, we can go then and -”
”What's the point in touring if our alb.u.m's a f.u.c.king failure? s.h.i.+t!” Jax tucks his hands beneath his arms.
”Are you not getting any, mate?” asks Nate. ”Tegan holding out on you?”
”What the f.u.c.k?” he snarls.
”This.” Nate waves his hand. ”Don't push all your frustrations on us!”
I bite my lip and look away. Nate's trying to be funny, but this time he's overstepped the mark.
”This has nothing to do with anything but the band!” Jax snaps.
”We're not going to disappear from the world,” I say. ”We just toured with Blue Phoenix, the obsession with you by the chicks isn't waning. b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, the lovefest for Jax Lewis is being carefully cultivated by the PR people. n.o.body's gonna forget us in a hurry.”
”Too b.l.o.o.d.y well,” he mutters. ”I need to s.h.i.+ft the focus back onto the band and the music. I'm sick of being the poster boy.”
I hit on the crux of the issue. ”I thought you liked being a rock G.o.d,” I say with a laugh.
”Rock G.o.ds shouldn't have girlfriends, apparently,” Jax replies.
”What's happening?” I ask ”Forget it.”
”What's wrong, Jax?” asks Ruby.