By My Side, Always

Selina scowled at the phone. A feeling of suspicion was growing in her. This was the second time Stefano had flipped out about her suggesting an audit of the books.

Maybe she'd ask Gary privately what an audit would entail.

-=-

Gary stared at his cell phone and wondered where this little diversion in his life plan would take him. He was still concerned about risking his happy place for financial gain, but he had to do something to protect his life plan and support Emma in the way she deserved.

He heard the front door open, and Emma's happy voice as she talked to one of their neighbors. Emma made friends wherever she went. He smiled as she closed the door and faced him. "Making new friends?" he asked.

"No, it was Sam and Raphael. I met them again in the laundry room this morning. Such a cute couple. He's tall, dark, and handsome in a dangerous and mysterious way, and she's blonde and pretty like a splash of sunshine. They're polar opposites but so meant for each other. So sweet! They're both in school, she's studying to be a Hospital Administrator, and he's going to be a doctor. A surgeon, actually."

Gary gave her an impressed look. "I don't think I've met them yet."

"If you hadn't slept in this morning, you could have joined me to do the laundry. Then you would have met them," Emma said with a raised brow.

"Apologies," he said contritely, and she took a kiss as compensation.

He smiled, then looked down at his phone as his doubts reared their ugly head once more. He brutally pushed them down. "I'm making us new friends, too."

"Really, who?" she asked excitedly.

"Selina Moreno and Greg Yossman. We've been invited to their place for dinner tonight. I've agreed to do a studio album with her. Her manager is coming with a contract."

Emma dropped the laundry bag and gaped at him. "Oh my god! That's huge news! But what about being on stage?"

"She said doing a studio album is more like jamming with other musicians without an audience. Then they record it. No stadiums full of people, so it's more relaxed. I think."

"That's wonderful!" she cheered.

He nodded. "It should pay for a year of my college course. I think. Maybe two?"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked carefully.

He looked at her and thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and she had the biggest heart. He couldn't do enough for her. He'd just have to be vigilant that this didn't spoil his love for music.

"Yes."

Emma rushed over and sat on his lap, covering his face with kisses. When she pulled back, she smiled at him. "I'm so happy for you! It must be such a relief to know you may be able to pay for your course with this!"

He held up his hands. "We haven't discussed compensation yet, and I haven't seen the contract. It's all just theoretical. On the practical side, we need to go get groceries!"

"Blah!" she moaned. This wasn't one of her favorite activities, but it needed to be done.

-=-

A few blocks from their home was a decent-sized grocery store. When they first moved to the city, they shopped at the smaller local shops closer to home, but as their money got tighter, they had to go further out to find cheaper prices and a bigger selection.

Emma pushed the cart while Gary hunted for and picked up the items from their grocery list. They had their favorites and tried to eat healthily, but they had to shop smart on a limited budget.

As they rounded a corner, Gary heard a familiar voice.

"Oh my god! Rock stars buy their own groceries? They're just like us little people!"

Gary looked up from his list to see Jasmine and Brock grinning at him. He glanced over at the question in Emma's eyes.

"These comedians are Jasmine Goldman and Brock Tealson. They're in my course and my study group. Group, this is Emma."

Jasmine surged closer and shook Emma's hand. "Glad to finally put a face to all those dreamy descriptions Gary treats us to."

"Enchanted," Brock said with a grin as he shook her hand as well.

"What are you guys doing here?" Gary asked. "Don't you live, like, a block away from one of these?" He gestured to the store in general.

Brock gasped dramatically. "Gary! How do you know such intimate details about Jasmine's neighborhood?" He gasped again. "Oh my god! The secret affair has been exposed by such a mundane clue!" Jasmine was hamming it up, and Gary scowled at the two of them.

"Give it a rest, Brock! A week ago, we were comparing commutes by looking at Google Maps. I noticed the grocery store on the map Jasmine showed. Seriously, what are you guys doing here?"

"I like Brock's story better." She winked at Gary, blew him a kiss, and pranced down the next aisle.

Gary stood there watching them strut away with a frown on his face. Then he looked at Emma, who was watching him.

"Do you like Jasmine?" she asked.

"A little bit less today," he griped.

"Do you like her bigger boobies?" Emma said while trying to hide her smile.

Gary snorted and looked at her incredulously.

Emma's cell chose that moment to ring, and she pulled it out of her pocket. Gary spotted a picture of Dennis, and his eyebrows went up.

Emma's smug look disappeared behind her embarrassment. The picture showed Dennis' upper body, but he wasn't wearing his shirt, and his pumped muscles were glistening with sweat. He was flexing a large bicep and smiling at the camera.

"Hello?" she said, glancing at Gary's raised eyebrow. She shook her head as she listened.

He watched her expression quickly shift to shock and dismay. "That's awful!" Gary couldn't help but feel curious about what tragedy had occurred at the gym.

"Today?" Emma squeaked, then flicked a quick look at Gary. "Can you hold for a second?" she said to Dennis, then held the phone to her chest.

"Yvonne, our lead trainer, was hit by a car and was badly hurt. Dennis needs someone to lead her classes. Starting with one this afternoon and two tonight. These are the most coveted time slots as the classes are larger, and the pay is better. Dennis is offering them to me!"

Emma looked at Gary, and he could see this was important to her, but he couldn't stop his lips from moving. "Saturday is our day."

The moment her smile began to dim, he took her free hand. "No, I'm just being silly. You have to take it. You deserve this! We'll find another time to make ours."

Emma grinned at him, and her eyes were a little glassy. She nodded shakily, then put the phone back to her ear.

"I'll do it."

Her smile widened as she listened to Dennis and Gary felt a terrible flash of jealousy against the musclebound goof who could make his Emma smile like that.

He crushed that quickly as Emma didn't need his paranoid negative feelings.

"See you shortly." Emma hung up and looked at the time on her screen. Her eyes went to Gary. "I'm so sorry, Gary. I have to leave now if I'm going to make the class. I won't be home until close to ten."

He forced a smile on his face. "Quite the complex plan to avoid grocery duty."

She burst into giggles and kissed him. He felt a little better.

Then she rushed away, and he felt a twinge in his heart.

Taking a long deep breath, he got behind the cart and looked at his list again. He aimed himself down the next aisle and moved forward. Grocery day waited for no one.

Halfway down the lane, he came to a complete stop.

Selina and Greg's dinner date. He was going to have to go without Emma.

He took another deep breath and did his best to push the funk back.

He got through two more aisles when he spotted Jasmine looking over the herbal teas. There was no sign of Brock.

"Hey," he said, and she nodded at him, then looked for Emma.

"She got a call from her work. From her boss. A great opportunity she couldn't pass up." Gary realized he was babbling, so he stopped and looked at his list. They didn't need tea. "Where's Brock?"

Jasmine snorted. "He met a cute guy, and they took off to grab lunch or each other, or both."

Gary waved a hand as he didn't need the details, then continued on his way, struggling with the funk. Jasmine walked along beside him.

"Are you okay, Gary?" she asked gently.

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah," he said noncommittally.

He'd picked up his last item, so he headed for the checkout. She joined him, and he looked at the small basket she was carrying. He saw she was just picking up some tea and a bottle of jam. He locked eyes with her.

"Okay, I actually was celebrity stalking today. I was bored and thought it might be fun to hang out with you and Emma. Brock tagged along because he's Brock and loves to tease you."

She saw how much Gary was buying. "Looks like you could use some help carrying that home."

He sighed. "Yeah, that actually would be helpful."

He paid for his items and put them into his reusable bags, which had comfortable handles.

They walked the few blocks back to his apartment, talking about the assignments they'd have next week. Gary wasn't as concerned as he was already familiar with the work since he was doing some of the steps for some local businesses. Jasmine was after him to give up his secrets.

"All I'm willing to do is help you guys during our study groups. You need to learn this stuff on your own, or it won't stick. If I see any of you taking the wrong path, I'll give you a nudge in the right direction."

"Why are you taking this course if you already know how to do this?" she asked.

He snorted. "Hey! I'm learning stuff, too! Besides, you know very well I need the course for the certification. Then I can ask for a proper salary for the work I'm doing now for minimal pay."

They got into his apartment, and Jasmine took a seat at the small kitchen table as Gary put away his groceries.

"So Brock is having yet another hook-up?" Gary asked.

Jasmine laughed. "Oh my god, you sound like an old man when you say it!"

Gary's mind went back to Emma's comment about him being an old man in a young man's body, and he smiled. "Trying not to be judgemental. I just don't see the appeal to his constant rotation through partners."

Jasmine shook her head as she grinned at him. "It's just sex! Brock is just looking for a good time. He's young, and he has time to find a life partner."

Gary shrugged. "Would you like me to make you a Caesar salad with grilled chicken?"

Jasmine grinned at him. "That would be lovely!"

He puttered around the kitchen and whipped up two salads with chicken, and they ate at the table. "All I have is water to drink."

"That would be fine," she responded. "This is lovely."

They enjoyed the meal and talked about Li's latest tirade about her mother. The woman was really turning into a Disney villain in their minds.

"So, what's next for Gary the Rock Star?" Jasmine teased.

Gary snorted softly, then thought about his news. "Well, I'm going to Selina Moreno's place tonight for dinner and to talk about recording a studio album."

Jasmine's fork dropped into her bowl as she stared at Gary in surprise. "Oh my god! That's amazing!"

"Are you going to go on tour with her? How will you do that and complete your course? Or are you leaving the Accounting World now that you're becoming a guitar legend?" Jasmine gushed excitedly.

Gary chuckled and held up his hands. "Whoa, dial it back. I'm not going on tour. I'm definitely finishing my course as I want to be an accountant. In no way do I feel like a guitar legend. I'm still learning, and I'm self-taught."

"But you may one day be on a stadium stage before thousands, yes?" she pressed.

"No. I get terrible stage fright. That's why I only agreed to do a studio album. No audience," he explained.

She thought about that for a moment as she took a final bite of her lunch. "Don't you go on stage at the local club?"

Gary nodded. "They usually have maybe a dozen people watching, and they're all locals and regulars. The night I played with Selina, the place was packed, and if it hadn't been for Emma, I wouldn't have made it.

Jasmine squirmed a little. "I've never heard you play."

Gary picked up their plates and tidied up before turning to her with a smile. "I suppose I could play you something." She grinned and clapped her hands together. "Have a seat on the couch, and I'll be right out."

He walked into the bedroom and collected his guitar from its case in the corner. Walking back out to the living area, he saw Jasmine seated at one end of the couch, but her body was turned so she could see out the window.

He took a seat at the other end of the small couch and turned slightly to face her.

"You've got a really nice place here. Warm and cozy, with good light and a great neighborhood," she said with a sigh.

Gary smiled and nodded. "We love it here. The place isn't very big, but it's easy to keep clean, and the people in the building are mostly students but not the loud and obnoxious kind. I swear Emma has met and befriended all of them."

He ran his fingers over the strings and did a little soft tuning until his ear said it was ready. He glanced up at her expression of anticipation.

"I recently learned how to do this piece, and I actually played it at Rocky's the night I met Selina. Flamenco guitar is complex and fast, so it's tough to do but so rewarding once you have it. It's helped me with playing songs from other styles." He glanced at her in embarrassment for nerding out. She was just smiling. "Anyway, this is Asturias by Isaac Albéniz."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he began. This piece took all of his concentration, but he didn't force it. It had to come from inside, so he let it flow through him.

When he was done, he relaxed back and opened his eyes to see tears on Jasmine's face. "Hey, what's with the tears?" he asked in concern, grabbing a box of tissues for her.

She dabbed her eyes but smiled at him. "I'm sorry. That was... it was the most... beautiful music."

"I think you need a dose of happy tunes," Gary said, faking a look of concern.

He began playing the William Tell Overture Finale at a comical and frenzied pace.

Jasmine burst into giggles at his seemingly chaotic speed but realized he was just hamming it up as he played a brilliant rendition. He pretended to pant when he reached the crescendo, then he grinned at her as she clapped.

"So good! You're a nut, though."

Gary immediately reached into his musical memory chest and played the Almond Joy candy bar jingle. "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't...."

Granted, Gary's vocal contributions to the song left something to be desired.

"Okay, I can tell by the pained look on your face I should stick to instrumentals," he sighed.

"You know that phrase; you have a face for radio? Maybe you have the voice for silent movies," Jasmine teased.

"Ouch!" he moaned with exaggerated hurt.

"Oh, please! You have so much talent playing the guitar you can still succeed without Freddy Mercury's vocal skills.

"That's a relief!" he grinned.

He played Here Comes the Sun, and Jasmine did a decent job singing along.

"Your singing is a definite improvement over mine," he said as he set his guitar down out of the way to rest his fingers.

"Thank you, kind sir," she said with a nod.

"I was supposed to go to Selina's tonight with Emma. She's going to be working late. Would you like to come instead? Of course, I'd have to call to confirm that's cool with Selina. You're not one of those freaky celebrity stalker types who follow them to grocery stores of anything, are you?"

Jasmine tried to contain her excitement and stuck her tongue out at Gary at his teasing.

"Give me a second." Gary dialed Selina's number again. She picked up on the third ring.

"Hi! What? Yes, I'm still coming, but Emma can't make it. Would it be okay if I brought a friend I go to college with? Yes? Cool. We'll see you at seven. Thanks!"

Gary looked at Jasmine. "You're in."

Jasmine launched herself across the couch with a happy squeal and grabbed Gary in a hug.

He was caught by surprise, and her delightfully cushioned body felt good, but he disengaged her as quickly and gently as possible. She smiled at him happily as his face heated up. That's when he noticed her excitement was showing against her tight top. Visible bumps from what must be gumdrop-sized nipples were pushing the fabric. Gary looked away and was sure his face was about to ignite.

They spent the next hour talking about their families. Jasmine was enchanted by his tales of working on the farm and begged him to show her his mom's vlog.

"Oh my god, that's so sweet! I have to subscribe to this!" Jasmine gasped and quickly found the channel on her cell to hit the like and subscribe buttons.

"Great. Mom now has three subscribers," Gary said uneasily.

"You aren't ashamed of your mom, are you, Gary?" Jasmine asked with wide eyes.

"No! I think she's one of the most awesome women I know. It's just... her vlog is pretty basic, and the content she's sharing, I grew up with it, so it's not very interesting to me. I don't know how others will perceive it. The Internet can be a pretty mean place. I don't want anyone picking on my mom," Gary said defensively.

Jasmine nodded. "I agree. It can be an ugly place, but there are a lot of women like your mom testing out the water and expressing themselves. My bubbee, which means grandmother, is one of them. She has an account on here with videos on cooking. She's learned a lot and got my mame, mother, to create an account to make videos about how she makes clothes. I'm going to share your mom's account with them and let them know she's another pioneer like them. They can give her tips on improving her production values, but her content is wonderful. It's genuine and sweet, something that's becoming a rarity in social media."

"Oh! Thank you. I think she'd like that. Let me send her a quick message to let her know she might get some contacts." Gary banged out a quick email to his mother, letting her know she had a subscriber and might get contacted by like-minded vloggers.

Gary described how his mother was the only one he was still in touch with. "My dad lost any interest in me when I told him I wasn't following in his footsteps. He was actually pretty angry and made my life miserable in my last year at home. Mom kept me from losing my mind. My sisters and brother didn't want anything to do with me."

Jasmine gave him a sad look. "Did you ever play your guitar for them?"

He thought back and realized he hadn't. "No, I guess I was too focused on moving on, getting away from my father. I didn't give them much attention either. When I left, I gave my truck to my younger brother, Dale. He's going to be a farmer like dad. Sarah and Heather are both younger than Dale... and I have no clue what plans they had."

"It's never too late to reach out an olive branch and just say hello," Jasmine suggested.

He looked at her and nodded. "What about your family? Do you get along with everyone?"

She burst into laughter. "Not at all! I have three sisters and four brothers. The difference is, we're involved with each other's lives too much! Never have you met a more annoyingly clingy bunch!"

Gary barely managed to keep a straight face as he nodded thoughtfully.

Jasmine was really easy to talk to outside the school environment, and they had hours to fill.

-=-

Emma made her way to the front of the class and felt a thrill rush through her at how many people were smiling back at her. It was showtime, so she'd start with an introduction.

"Hello, everybody. My name's Emma, and I'll be your captain on this flight. Yvonne is recovering from an accident. I don't have any details, but we're all pulling for a speedy recovery. In the meantime, I'm familiar with your routine," she paused to flash them all a wide grin. "But I'm going to add just a little more energy to make you all sweat and feel good!"