Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
Fisher
Listening parties are part of the drill as a record company executive.
But I haven’t ever enjoyed a listening party like I have tonight’s.
Vivian’s new album—her first with Right Records—has been played in public tonight for the first time.
Kinda. There have been a couple of “leaks” on YouTube to try to create buzz.
People have gone wild for what they’ve heard so far.
My gut tells me it’s only going to get better.
I think this is the album of the decade. Tonight will only fuel the buzz.
The party should have finished an hour ago, but it’s still in full swing.
The excitement in the air is palpable. I’ve been to a number of listening parties where you know from people’s reaction that the album is going to bomb.
Tonight has been the exact opposite of that.
Judging by people’s reactions, this is going to be the album of her career.
And that’s saying something. Vivian’s already a global superstar.
“Hey, Fisher.” Tommy, Vivian’s manager, comes up and slaps me on the back. “I heard you got a producer credit on this album?”
I chuckle. “Maybe. I was in the studio a little. Couldn’t resist giving a little bit of input here and there.
” I don’t know if it was something in the air in Star Falls.
Maybe it was spending time with Juniper.
But I really enjoyed getting back into the creative side of the music industry.
That was the part I always loved, but over the years, as I’ve gotten more and more successful, that side of things has become further and further away. This album brought me back to my roots.
“Well, it sounds great. It’s a more mature sound from Vivian,” he says. “It suits her, and I think she’ll widen her audience with it.”
“Her audience is pretty wide already,” I say, as I spot Jack on the other side of the room.
I didn’t realize he was coming tonight. All my friends were invited, but Jack never comes to these sorts of things.
He’s standing with Byron and Rosey. It’s nice to have them here, supporting me. Just like they always do.
Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I snap my head around.
“Hey, super-producer,” Vivian says, grinning at me.
“Congratulations, Vivian,” Tommy says.
“Thanks, Tommy. As you know, I had a blast recording this album. I think it shows.”
“It feels very authentic,” he says. “It’s going to be huge.”
She smiles, and I can tell it’s forced. I don’t think Vivian cares much what people think of her music. She knows she enjoys writing, recording, and performing.
Someone approaches Tommy, leaving Vivian and I to speak. “You should be proud of yourself. It’s a great achievement. I think you’re going to see critical and commercial success with this one. Tommy’s right.”
She smiles again, and this time it’s genuine.
“Yeah, I hope so. Although, you know, getting to make the record that I want to make, with good people. The fact that these lyrics are lyrics I’ve written—sometimes with help, but even so…
It feels so good. I finally get to have the career I want.
And you know what? That only happened when I met Beau.
He gave me the confidence to go for what I wanted. ”
“Sounds like husband material,” I joke.
“He’s a good one.”
“Wasn’t it such a shock to move to England?”
She shrugs. “Not really. His family is the best. They’re almost as much of a draw for me as Beau himself.” She laughs. “But I love London. And I get to come back to the US all the time. I’m living the best of both worlds, so I can’t complain.”
“I’m happy you’re happy.”
“Oh, and you know Gerry called me the other day.”
My stomach churns at the mention of my nemesis. “Really?”
“I know. He’s relentless. Anyway, I told him I wouldn’t meet him for lunch. I also told him I’m happy at Right Records.”
“That’s good to hear. That you’re happy with us.” I pause. “And that you wouldn’t meet him for lunch.”
She laughs. “Why would I waste my time? Speaking of, let’s start talking about the next album.”
“We should definitely do that,” I reply.
Before I can tell her that I’ll talk to Tommy and get the ball rolling, we’re interrupted by Efa and Bennett. Efa and Vivian squeal and pull each other into a hug.
“It’s been too long,” Efa says. “I miss you. I miss everyone in London. Tell me everything? Where’s Beau?”
“Remind me how you two are connected,” I say.
“We’re family,” Vivian says. “Beau’s brother Jacob is married to Efa’s sister, Eira.”
“I think I’m more confused now,” I confess.
“My brother-in-law is also Efa’s brother-in-law.” Vivian turns to Efa. “Is that right?”
Efa narrows her eyes like she’s thinking. “Maybe. It’s complicated.”
“It gets worse during the holidays.”
“And now I’m your sister-in-law, Fisher, you’re basically family with Vivian, too.”
I grin at Efa’s assertion that Bennett’s my brother. She gets it.
Jack and Bennett come over and join us, with Vivian’s husband, Beau. Jack pulls me to one side. “You know I said I’d get my family’s security team to look into Gerry,” he says. “Well, they’ve found a few things I thought you should know.” He holds up a flash drive.
“You want to email it to me?”
He shakes his head. “I always assume if I email something, it’s going to get into the public domain. This file is encrypted. I’m not sure if you’ll want this getting out.”
Jack’s acting like he’s part of the CIA, but he looks serious.
“What is it?” I ask him. I glance around. The party’s finally winding down. The place is less busy than it was even ten minutes ago.
“I wouldn’t have mentioned it here if I didn’t think you’d want to know right away. I want you to enjoy your night. But I don’t want to keep this from you, either.”
“What is it, Jack?”
He pulls in a breath. “I have a laptop in the car if you want to see it now?”
I expect to come back into the party, so I don’t say any goodbyes before I leave. I just follow Jack down to the limo that’s waiting at the bottom of the stairs to the hotel. Of course Jack has a limo idling at the curb. He’s Jack Alden.
I slide into the back on one side and he gets in the other side. Without saying a word, he plugs the flash drive into the laptop, puts in the various passwords, and then brings up the file on the drive.
He hands the laptop to me.
The file is headed “Alden Family Security,” and underneath are the words “Gerry Banks.”
The first page is full of stuff I already know. Where he works. His career history. I skim down to the section of the report subtitled “Family Background.”
It says how he was raised by a single mother. For years, he thought his father had died. Later, he found out that he was the result of an affair his mother had with a married man whom she’d worked with briefly.
Inexplicably, my heart begins to race and my palms slick with sweat. I pull in a breath, trying to steady myself. I read on.
Name of father: David Grant
That’s my father’s name.
My mouth goes dry and my heart stops. I can’t hear anything. I don’t know if I’m still breathing. I glance up at Jack as if to say, is this what I think it is? He’s wearing a concerned expression.
It’s exactly what I think it is.
“My fucking father is his father?” I spit out.
“It would seem so.”
“And he’s known? All this time?” I hand the laptop back to Jack. “So he hates me because he hates my… our dad?”
Jack swallows. “Your father never took responsibility for him. He refused to acknowledge paternity and wouldn’t submit to a test. You got him. He didn’t. Your father chose you.”
I try to make sense of what Jack’s saying. My father chose me? I certainly never felt that way. Since the divorce, he’d never made much effort with me.
“So how do we know he’s Gerry’s father?” Maybe Gerry’s mistaken. My thoughts start to race. If I can convince my dad to take the test, we can prove it once and for all.
“I don’t think Ms. Banks, Gerry’s mother, ever had a doubt. And anyway, your father did submit his DNA eventually. After Ms. Banks served him with court papers.”
Does my mom know? Is that why they ended up divorcing. “When did that happen?”
“Gerry was fifteen when she launched the lawsuit.” I scan the screen and nausea rises in my belly.
I was eighteen. That’s when my parents divorced. I wonder if my mom knew all along.
He was someone’s father and tried to pretend he wasn’t. He was worse than I ever thought he was. I thought he was faking being a happy family man. I just didn’t know how deep his deceit went.
“It doesn’t say if your dad paid anything,” Jack says. “Gerry got a full scholarship to Penn State.”
“What year did he go?” I ask, trying to find the answer in the text in front of me.
Jack recites the dates. It’s a question he’s already asked himself. Gerry started the year as I entered my final year.
“So he turned eighteen just before I graduated from college. That tracks. Maybe Gerry’s mom told him then.” I turn to Jack. “You think he followed me into the music business or do you think that was a coincidence?”
Jack shrugs. “Seems like a big coincidence.”
“He’s still coming after me for my father’s mistakes,” I say. “When is it ever going to stop?”
“I don’t know, Fisher. But at least you know what you’re up against. It’s definitely personal for him.”
“He probably thinks I had a charmed upbringing.” I sigh. “I suppose I did in a lot of ways. But it was too perfect. And it was all a lie.”
I’ve always given my mom equal blame with Father for portraying the charade of being a happy, loving family. But maybe she was blindsided by the other side of my father just like I was. “I should call my mom.”
“Tread carefully. It may not be something she wants to discuss. Not now after all this time.”
I need to know when she found out. I need to know how long she was pretending. Was this all my father’s doing?
“Thanks, Jack. I could never have put all this together.”
He pulls out the flash drive and hands it to me. “What are you going to do?” he asks. “Will you confront Gerry?”
I pull in a breath and a sense of calm comes over me. My muscles loosen and my surroundings come back into focus. “I’m not sure confront is the right term. But we need to talk.”
“We’re here for you,” Jack says. “Whatever you need.”
I’m so lucky. Biology means nothing. I have the best brothers a man could ever wish for.