Johnny Goode, Lead Guitar

Meanwhile the couple's sex life was varied and often intense. Sometimes, though, they just made love. In a way, Johnny liked that best of all.

Joy was on schedule to graduate at the end of the year, while Johnny had two more left. The band wanted to up the number of local shows, and roam farther. After the first semester, Johnny agreed. At this point he was making much more money playing in the band than he would likely make just by getting a degree. But money wasn't everything, was it?

In the spring they would go up to three hundred miles to play. If they went that far, they'd play two nights. Johnny liked that, because the second night was always more sex charged than the first, if that was possible. He was barely passing the courses, other than his music. The summer tour was around the corner. He made it through the year with passing grades. Johnny did especially well in the 'class' devoted to playing classical violin. He found himself absorbed by that, and spent some amount of time on it. The instructor asked if he wanted to keep on with the violin. She said that if he worked hard, he could play in a major orchestra. Her name was Milly Smith. She could play the violin, and she was a great teacher. Johnny had to tell her that the band tour would prevent him from doing summer work. But he promised the take the violin with him, along with the fiddle that he used in the show.

The summer tour was a rousing success. The band took a two week break in late July to do a studio album. Johnny wrote three of the songs. They wrapped the recordings up just in time. Johnny wasn't satisfied with the ultimate result. But the album took off when released later in August. It went right to number one. They were signing a new contract, and Joy told him that they were going to get a bigger percentage in this one. The other guys didn't object. They knew that Joy and Johnny were the drivers of the band's success. They were all getting rich. Johnny banked all the money that he didn't need to live. Then he read up on investing, and put some of it into funds. After that he didn't have to think too much about money.

Johnny decided to drop out of college and go onto a career in rock. Their success kept him busy, and Joy and he were getting frazzled. They each had a shitload of money. Also, Harry was getting into some kind of drug habit. After eighteen months, they took a hiatus.

Johnny asked Joy if she wanted kids. She smiled at him, went to the bathroom, took her pill dispenser and flushed the pills away. Three months later she was pregnant with their son Robbie. They were living at a country property in Virginia. The house was okay for the two of them. Johnny decided to see if he could buy the place, which had fifty-two acres. The price was fair, and he did it.

He first had a recording studio constructed. It was state of the art, then. Then they broke ground on a big addition to the house. It took about nine months to complete, as did Joy's pregnancy. Robbie and the house arrived in the same week.

Joy and Johnny made several studio albums. They generally sold okay. They were writing their own stuff, and it was good. In another year a daughter Mary was born, then another daughter Jane. The years passed, and their fame gradually diminished. Johnny's fortune did not. His earlier investments had skyrocketed.

Joy was thirty-eight when she put out a solo album. It was great, and sold really well. It got a lot of play time, everywhere. Her voice was, if anything, better than ever. While she was recording that, Johnny started back at the classical violin, and also guitar. He put out a classical album. It was well reviewed, but sold slowly.

Their kids were also doing well in music, and school. Robbie was thirteen, Mary twelve, and Jane ten. They were all in the local school, but had music lessons at home. Robbie was more an athlete than a musician. Joy and Johnny were in many ways stay-at-home parents. But when Joy had the hit album, she started doing solo gigs nearby, in D.C. and Maryland. She refurbished the old RV, and she hired Stephanie, a woman from the area, to drive her. The venues would set up for her. At the 'farm' they had two people to help out, Moe and his wife Jinny. They had a crew to help with recording as well. Most of them lived somewhere nearby. Moe and Jinny lived only a half-mile up the road.

On day Joy came to Johnny after the kids were asleep.

"Johnny, I have an offer for a tour. It's an all-star tour."

"What does that mean?"

"It means some big names form a -- you know -- super group."

"And you'd be the singer?"

"Yep. I've been restless, and I would like to do it. I know it would put a burden on you, but you have Moe and Jinny to help."

"How long, and who?

"Well. Three months to start. Then a break and another two months. It would start on the east coast, move west. We'd have busses. I'd use the RV."

"Would it be rock?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Well, James Black on drums, Harmon Kiddie on keyboard, Mookie Helfer on bass. And Brandon Wills on lead guitar."

"Not me?" Johnny was joking. Brandon Wills was a really big name in rock. He would be the big star of the tour. He was a fantastic player -- of guitar. Also, it had been reported, of women. He was over six feet tall, medium build, long blonde hair and the bluest eyes.

"Just give it some thought. I really feel like I need to do something like this. I love our life, but this is a chance for a rejuvenation for me."

Johnny just looked at her. He stared at her for perhaps a full minute. She started to look away. He walked off from her, into his office. She didn't follow.

In his office, he looked up the law about divorce in Virginia. Infidelity was a ground for divorce, but not favored any longer. He made a list of family law attorneys in the area.

There was a definite frost that came over the farm that evening. Johnny stayed up late. Joy was -- apparently -- asleep when he climbed into bed. He woke early the next morning, got the kids up. Off to school. It was a Friday, and they all bought pizza at school. No lunches to pack.

Joy came down just after they got picked up by the bus.

Johnny said, "Morning. Coffee?"

"Thanks. I slept in. I must have been very tired."

"A stressful time, now." He was not joking about it. She knew that. The elephant in the room needed to be addressed.

"Johnny. I won't fuck him. I will not. Have you no trust in me?"

"No."

"Shit. Look, I know what you're thinking. Sex always happens. Livens up the act. But I won't do that. I promise."

"Well, I'm dead set against this. If you go, even if you don't fuck him, everyone will assume that you did. The kids will be caught in the crossfire. I'll be caught in it. You, too."

"That's just the old rumor mill. We can get past that.'

"How? The set will be drenched in innuendo and sex. That's your act. And it's his act as well."

"I kind of gave an okay to this. But there's an out."

"How long have you been planning this thing?"

"I....it's been a month. There are papers to sign and contracts. I needed to make a commitment."

"What's the out?"

"You have to sign off. Our stuff is in both of our names. But a lot is in your name alone. If you say no, we can't use it."

"No." He turned and walked off.

"Wait up, Johnny! These guys have already rented houses out here, and they're ready to move. It's gone too far. You have to agree."

"No, I don't. What do you mean they've rented houses?"

"We thought we could use the studio to work up the set. You know, all the people would come over in the daytime, work out stuff."

"And at night?"

"They'd go home, of course."

"I say no. Joy, there's no way you can go on tour with this guy and not fuck him. That'll lose you your family. For sure it'll lose you a husband. It's close to that right now."

"You don't mean that. You can't."

"Why not? Are you really telling me you're gonna spend three months in close contact with Brandon, playing and singing those songs, and not jump him after? Bullshit."

"I will not, Johnny. What can I do to convince you? Anyway, I own half of some of our songs. I need them."

"Show me the contracts and papers. ALL OF THEM. I'll consider some stuff."

"I need to know a week from today."

"Tough shit. You coulda said something. This is all just bullshit. I think we're finished right now."

"Oh, no. Don't be this way. When they get here you can watch all the practices, see that nothing will happen."

Johnny walked away. He went the next day to a lawyer's office, and saw two of them. One advised him about what might happed in a divorce. Johnny could keep the farm, since he bought it in his name before they married. He also would keep all of his investments that he had before the marriage, unless they had been comingled. They hadn't. But Johnny was most interested in custody of the kids. The lawyer said that he had a good chance of keeping them where they grew up. Joy was going to be gone on tour a lot coming up -- if she did it. That would make the court look favorably on Johnny as the custodial parent.

The other lawyer was about their right to use the songs from when Joy and Johnny were touring. She said that the ones he copyrighted himself were his property. The others, with both names, might be problematic. That was okay with Johnny. The tunes that he owned outright were the ones that they used to do very sexy. He had all five of those, and they needed them, so they said. I thought they could easily replace them, in some way. They could just cover old blues standards, and go sexy. Still, it was a small edge.

He came back to the farm in time to meet the kids at the bus. Joy was in the house, and was making coffee when they all barged in. Brandon Wills and a suit were at the kitchen table.

"Honey, this is Brandon Wills, and our tour manager, Larry Bright. They came out to discuss the tour, and logistics. But you weren't here."

"I had an errand in town. How're y'all doing?" I directed this at the two guys.

Brandon offered his hand, "We're making progress. This thing is supposed to kick off in six weeks. Publicity needs to go out. And, I hear, you are the big stumbling block."

Johnny was shaking his hand as he said this. The handshake was not a contest of strength. Guitar guys don't do that.

"I'm dead set against the tour. Or, well, against Joy going."

Bright asked, "Why? It's an almost guaranteed money machine."

"I have money. I have a family. I have a wife -- now."

"Listen, Johnny, I have no designs on your wife. Sure, things can get heated on tour. But I will not mess with her. I'm not here to take your place, your family or your wife."

"You're taking my place on stage, right? I'm telling you that I don't believe you. I don't believe Joy, either. If she goes on this tour with you, you'll end up fucking her. If that happens -- and it will -- I'm out a wife."

"Johnny, I'm NOT GOING TO FUCK BRANDON!" Joy was shouting. She was actually jumping up and down. "I love you. I love our kids. I will not jeopardize that by going off the rails on tour."

Johnny walked up the stairs, leaving the three at a loss. He heard them discussing something. He dodged into the guest room, above the kitchen, with a vent. He heard them talking.

"Joy," Brandon said, "I don't see how to convince him. It's not like he hasn't been on tour. I bet he fucked every lead female he went out with."

"Yeah, but that's only two."

"Still, one hundred percent. I mean, despite our very strong good intentions, things happen. A lot of spontaneity there. How can we convince him that we can overcome that?"

Bright said, "Because we need those songs. Need them for sure. I checked. He owns the best five."

Joy piped up, "That's part of the problem. Those are the ones where we really got worked up. We'd end with one, run into the RV and fuck like rabbits. If you were in his place, would you let us do the songs?"

"No," Brandon seemed down. "Maybe we can write replacements."

Bright said, "Maybe I have an idea. We can write a contract with him that reassures him about the sex. You know, if Joy cheats, she loses......what?"

"All the cash?" Brandon seemed skeptical. "He told us he has money."

"How about uncontested divorce, all community property, custody of the kids?"

Joy said, "Are you kidding me? Custody of the kids? No way, over a tour fuck....No way!"

"If he gets proof of infidelity, he can sue for divorce anyway. My lawyer said he'd probably get custody. So what do you have to lose?"

"Her family," said Brandon. "A lot."

"Brandon, are you bringing someone along? You know, to fuck."

"I could, if that would help. I can get someone."

"Yeah, I bet you could. Maybe three or four."

"Three's the max. No room in the bed for four. How much room is in the bed in your little RV?"

"Stop. If he heard that, he'd freak."

"He needs to grow up. He doesn't own you. Just your best songs."

"Maybe if we invite him to come along," said Bright.

"No, he won't leave the kids if I'm away. We'll ask him to help with the prep. He can see the interaction for himself."

Bright spoke up, "My question is -- how could he catch you, even if you do have sex? It'd be after the gig, and security keeps people out. Including him."

Joy said, "Johnny would know we fucked when he saw the next show. He'd know. There would be no way to hide it from someone like him."

Brandon said, "Maybe we could do the tease thing. You and I just tease each other, then back off. That might give the show a new vibe. I did that once for two weeks."

"Then what happened?"

"Well....the inevitable. Shit. It's a hard problem."

The three decided to invite Johnny to help with the show. When he came down for dinner, Brandon was there, and Bright wasn't.

Johnny asked, "Why are you here, now?" Not a polite tone.

"I wanted to ask you to help out with the prep. We start tomorrow. What about it?"

"Sorry. I might peek in from time to time. But, I want you to understand that if Joy goes out on this tour, we're finished. So I won't help with that. I would hope you take that into account. Where is she now?"

"Over at the studio. I wanted to talk. I wanted to promise you that I won't fuck her. My solemn word."

"No trust. I don't know you. Know your rep, though. Know what a tour is like. If she goes, we're toast. I'm going to tell her that tonight. Before you all have a lot more time invested."

"Man, is there no way you'll see reason? Shit."

Johnny walked outside. He and Brandon headed toward the studio. As they walked, Johnny stopped.

"One more thing, fella. If I find out that you fucked Joy while we're still married, I'll kill you. Don't know how, or exactly when, but I will do it, no doubt. So, you have more at stake than she does."

"That's a crime. You just did a crime! Threatening me like that."

"Your word against mine. No hard feelings. Right now I believe that my family, or at least my marriage, is gone. I can't think of a lot that could save it. Maybe if you withdrew."

"I can't. I need the money. Three wives, bunch of kids, lots of cash going out."

"It's your life."

Joy came out of the studio. Brandon walked inside. He was very uncomfortable. He'd never been threatened like that, face to face. He believed that Johnny meant exactly what he said. He resolved never to fuck Joy, no matter what happened.

That night, after they went to bed, Johnny spoke to Joy again about the tour.

"Joy, I don't think you believe me. I want to make this as clear as I can. If you do this tour, I'll get a separation order, and I'll file for divorce. I say that because I consider it inevitable that you'll stray on tour. So....it'd be over. You know.....You know...that there's a real good chance of that. Yet you want to do it anyway. What that says to me is that you just want out. Want the free, high life you had."

"Johnny, you're being a wimp. And if our marriage ends, it won't be because of me, because I WILL NOT cheat. So save your ammo until you have some actual target. I WON"T DO IT! You're just pissed off because they didn't ask you to go. Jealous!"

"Okay. I've had my say and you've had yours."

The band showed up the next day at ten am. Johnny was about to complete a recording of a violin sonata. Their presence outside the sound proof room did not distract him. He completed the piece, stood up. He saw four guys clapping outside the glass. He took a bow. Then he went outside, got introduced to the rest of the all-stars.

He left them to it. They broke for lunch at one. Joy had apparently arranged for a caterer. They were all sitting outside, some smoking -- tobacco. The remaining members of the band were curious about Johnny, who had a big reputation.

Jimmy Black asked Joy, "Why did Johnny seem so.....subdued this morning? I mean, have you guys talked this through?"

Joy smiled at him, "We've spoken. He doesn't agree for me to go."

Mookie gave a snort, "I wonder why?" The sarcasm was evident.

"What are you going to do? I don't want to waste time here." Mookie again.

"I'm going. But I don't think we'll be able to do his songs."

"That's a bummer. I looked at your song book, and at your concert video. It's obvious that he has a good reason to say no. Joy, you're a Mom, and I guess a wife. I don't want to be a part of messing that up. Maybe I should book on out."

"Me, too," said Harmon.

Brandon said, "You guys signed the papers. You have to do it. I promise you that nothing will happen between me and Joy that would mess over her family. I have a good reason to avoid that. The guy told me he'd kill me if I fucked his wife. He meant it, too."

Joy was aghast. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right. He wouldn't know how to kill someone. Maybe we should.....no. Reporting it would get him arrested."

"Not necessarily. His word against mine. But keep it in mind if I get whacked."

They finished lunch. Johnny was watching the afternoon rehearsal on his laptop, live. He thought they did well. He didn't like one of the new numbers that might incite Joy. Then they played another one like that -- worse. It was going to be the finale. Brandon intentionally toned it down some on that one.

"What's up with you, Brandon? You're going soft." Mookie gave him a hard stare.

"Again," he said. They did it again. Joy and Brandon meshed. Johnny just looked on. When the song was done, the band packed up, put their stuff out in the foyer. The discussion from lunch emerged.

Harmon said, "That last song -- the two last ones -- if I was Johnny and saw them, I'd be real worried."

Joy said, "No worries,"

The guys left. As Brandon was walking to his motorcycle, he stopped and faced Joy.

"It could be a problem, on down the road. Just saying,"

"No, Brandon. No. We do what we do and get off stage."

Rehearsals continued for several weeks, with the band getting better. Johnny watched intermittently. He knew what was going to happen. He just didn't know what to do to stop it.

One day he found the three other guys on a walk. No Joy. No Brandon. He walked up to them. They looked sheepish.

Mookie said, "We were just talking about Joy and Brandon, and how you and your family might be affected by the tour. None of us is comfortable. Is there something we can do?"

"I don't know. If all of you quit now, took the money bath, it still might not save the day. Just - if someone....Nah. Nothing. Done deal, really."

The next day all three of them walked away. That caused a real crisis. Brandon and Joy stormed into the house. Johnny was eating a late breakfast.

"You asshole," Joy screamed. "You did this. If not for your bullshit jealousy...."

"What happened?" Johnny was very curious.

"They walked. All three. Left a note saying that they couldn't mess with you and the kids. I guess they like the kids. And it's your fault."