Loosening Up Bk. 10 Ch. 21-25

The band struck up the lead refrain, and suddenly Dave was singing along with Ashley, "We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout ..." They laughed their way through the lyrics, but got most of the song reasonably well done. There were a few whoops and hollers from the band as the song went along, especially when Ashley and Dave were singing at the same time in pretty decent harmony.

As the song ended, Ashley screamed at Dave, "ONE MORE! WAIT!" She ran back to the pile and came back with a song Dave knew because John Stewart and later Roseanne Cash had sung it and it had been a favorite:Runaway Train. The band and singers got copies, and they started into the song cold.

Dave started on cue, "I'm worried about you, I'm worried about me, the curves around midnight aren't easy to see, flashing red warnings, unseen in the rain ..."Ashley joined in here and there throughout the song, but Dave stuck with the lyrics throughout the whole song, his eyes asking for forgiveness at all the goofs he thought he was making.

At the end of the song everyone gathered in the studio. Ashley was hanging on Dave's arm, "You were fantastic. You CAN sing! Who knew? You've been hiding this talent. You have what it takes. You're going to sing with me - a lot, and I mean in public - in concert." She prattled on about how good he was.

Dave wasn't all that sure. When she ran out of steam he said, "I beg to differ with you, I was terrible. I lost the tempo, mumbled the lyrics, and more."

"No, no. You don't understand. I've sung those songs at least a hundred times, and the band has played them at least that many times. We were well rehearsed although we needed a refresher here and there. That wasn't what I was listening for. You have a unique voice and it even has a country music twang that's just ... delicious!

"What I was hearing was the timber of your voice - its edginess, your slurs, color, your diction, accents, reverb in your chest, and more. You need to rehearse what you plan to sing before you give a concert; you just don't go out and wing it in front of ten-thousand people. The voice you have is one that people will want to listen to over and over again."

Kyle was standing with Marina and they were both nodding. Dave looked over at the older man.

Kyle said in a commanding tone, "Ashley's right, Dave. You have what it takes. I'm a guy that would know, trust me. History was made here, today. A star is born and it's you." Marina was nodding beside him.

Marina added her comments, "I get paid a lot of money to help spot rising talent. I am pleased to have been here today at the very start of what will be a great moment in music history. You can really sing. Don't ever say you can't again. You were great."

The recording session ended about five o'clock. Ashley went and shook everybody's hand, kissed a lot of cheeks and lips, and thanked them for the great job they'd done that day, and then she ran off to check on Kendall and the babysitter.

Kyle, Dave, and Marina saw almost everyone out of the house by way of a side entrance that came directly from the driveway parking area into the studio area. To Dave's surprise, Bart, Mike, and Ally stayed behind - the three backup singers. In an aside, Kyle said, "They're staying for dinner and after-dinner playtime."

Ally was no slouch in the female department, but Dave had resisted gawking at her during the day since she was working and he didn't want to pose a distraction to her if his interest became obvious.

As they went upstairs, Dave found Ashley and a young, high schoolish girl talking as the young girl fed Kendall baby food as she sat in a high chair. She was doing a much better and neater job of it than Dave had done the previous evening. The babysitter's name was Coraline Howard, or Coral for short.

Dave found himself staring at Coral for a minute and he got caught. She smiled at him and said, "I know that look. You think you've seen me someplace. Do you know; did you figure it out?"

Dave shook his head.

"I'm the spitting image of Cadey Mercury, the porn star."

Dave laughed, "That must be awkward."

"You have no idea. All the guys in my high school class think they'll get lucky if they just take me out on any old kind of a date. The daddy's of the kids I babysit for are the same way - maybe worse, with a few exceptions. I actually play my cards pretty close to the vest. No one in school has been fortunate enough to score this pussy, and only one baby daddy, and of course, a few others - very few."

Dave glanced at Kyle who was trying to look busy opening a wine bottle.

Coral chuckled, "Yes, Kyle is the man - with Marina and Ash. They taught me a lot on the many occasions we've hooked up. That's why I'm hanging around tonight. I like you. Kendall and I watched you sing for a while from the back of the booth. You were good. Maybe we can get together later. I've been with Mike and Bart, too."

Dave bowed, "I'd be honored. Do you have paper?"

"An STD test? You bet I do. Some of the kids in school passed around gonorrhea - another reason not to mess around with my classmates. The bug wiped out about a third or more of the junior and senior classes. It was a fucking epidemic. Notices, school meetings, parents up in arms, and everything. Bad scene. Everybody got tested, even some of the teachers. It was messy. I was virginally clean and still am. I'm just not a virgin." She giggled.

Kyle chuckled, "In a way, Coral is a student of ours. We're tutoring her in the finer ways of lovemaking, sex, and relationship management. You can help tonight."

Coral laughed, "I like to fuck. I'm a nympho, and Kyle tells me that's good, especially in this crowd."

Kyle smiled, "That about sums up where we are today. We're expanding her horizons from that solid base of understanding." He laughed.

Ally came over, "I heard that. That fits me, too." She stood next to where Dave sat and put her arm around his shoulders. She said to him, "If you don't burn out with the teenager, I'd like a shot at you, too. I wanted to add that I'd be your backup singer any day of the week. You really can sing. You just need to build your confidence in it and practice a little. I really hope to sing with you in some concerts."

Kyle said to Dave, "This is a small group of close and intimate friends that I've managed to assemble here in Nashville." He gestured around the room.

Ally said, "We all know about the Circle, and have read the book. We're all simpatico with the values and activities of the Circle. I'm not sure about Coral?" She gave a warm smile to the teen.

Coral smiled, "Nope, I'm fully onboard with all this. I've read the book and watched most of the episodes. Ash gave me the DVDs. I watch them when my parents are out of the house. Based on what I know, it's changed my college plans. I'm going to school in Sarasota - at the university there so I can pledge the Circle and join. They are definitely my kind of people. Having Dave here is like having the Big Star of the TV show in our presence and now he's also a country music star and ... hopefully ... one of my lovers, tonight."

Ashley caught Dave's eye and winked. She said, "She's serious and she'll be a good little pledge and member. She has the Hank's family seal of approval. She's even lining up one of her similarly inclined friends who's a year younger to takeover for her as a hot and horny babysitter when she leaves for college in August. We haven't met her choice yet, but very soon we're told."

Dinner was casual and easy - delivered pizza and subs. Coral had prepared a large salad while Kendall napped, so that was on the table as well in a huge bowl.

Some of the dinner discussion centered on Dave's newfound singing talent. He tried to deflect the discussion from resulting in any further action, hoping the afternoon discovery would be forgotten. Much as he'd been close to and liked the book and movieRoad Trip, he didn't see himself following in Jim Mellon's footsteps - the main protagonist in the book. The others gave derisive laughs at his comments.

Ashley did get Dave revealing some of the people he'd met along his trip and who he'd hooked up with. She was sure that he was the 'realization' of Jim Mellon in the flesh. A point that created an interesting philosophical discussion over the dinner table about how fiction often turns into reality.

Coral was more widely read than one would expect for someone entering their senior year in high school. She quoted Buddha, "The mind is a magnet: If you always think of blessings, you attract more blessings. If you always think of problems, you attract more problems," and "As you think, so shall you be."

Coral said, "Perhaps it is your destiny to become a singer, just as it was for Jim Mellon. In your case it might even be more important, because it would expose the world to the philosophy and goodness of the Circle. In terms of loosening up society, I think that would be very good."

Everyone at the table looked in awe at the teen. She'd just laid down some real wisdom.

Dave said, "You just blew me away, Coral. That was very well said and supported by a source I revere more than almost any other."

"I didn't mean to sound religious," she apologized.

"No. No. You were fine. I took it just the way you meant it. There are forces at play that we do not understand. Buddha probably did, and thus his teachings have such value to us, even 2,500 years after he lived. I take what you say and will have a good think about this. If this is a sign, I'm sure there will be others."

Ashley said, "I'm all for making signs - I think we're all trying to give you one today, Dave. Now, if Coral will help me put Kendall to bed, we can all start OUR adult playtime." She gave Dave a wink and nod.

A half-hour later there were four nude women side-by-side on Kyle and Ashley's long sofa in their living room: Ashley, Marina, Abby, and Coral. In front of them, equally naked, kneeling four men: Mike, Bart, Kyle, and Dave. The men had the women's legs over their shoulders, and their mouths firmly attached to a woman's cunt. Tongues were each trying elicit a first orgasm for the night. It wasn't a contest, but everyone seemed to be of a single mind. What was happening seemed contagious.

Marina crested first, almost curling up in a small ball as she fell off the sexual edge that Bart had created for her. The other women looked at her with love. Ashley leaned in and kissed her husband's mistress. Ally did the same a moment later.

Coral shuddered into a climax second among the women, her whole body trembling spasmodically as the crest of the wave broke. "Oh, fuck, that was good. Thank you. Why didn't I start doing this when I was twelve?" She giggled, "Let's see, that would have been six years ago, times 365 days - that's something like two-thousand orgasms I've missed. I need to catch up. Do more! Make me cum again. Hurry! I have to catch up to where I'm supposed to be." Dave was happy to comply.

The four couples switched around frequently the rest of the evening. Dave was surprised at the stamina of each of his male friends. Kyle, the oldest of the men, had taught himself how to moderate his performance, yet last for hours; and that was exactly what they all did.

Around midnight, the electronic baby monitor sitting on an end table started to announce that Kendall was awake and making little cooing and babbling sounds. Ashley gave a long sigh, and disappeared from the lurid scene in the living room to tend to the tot, pausing in the kitchen to pick up an already prepared bottle of formula and a house coat. She announced, "I'll be back everyone."

Bart and Ally announced they needed their beauty sleep. They'd already brought in their overnight bags from their cars and picked out a guest room to sleep in together. Mike dressed and bid everyone goodbye and slipped out the door.

Coral decided she should head home and sleep in her own bed lest her parents get overly concerned about her all-day and all-night absence. Before she left, she found Dave and plastered her hot, naked, teenage body against his. "I WILL see you in the morning and I know in Florida in the future. We WILL do this again and again. I really like you." Her departing kisses were very arousing. She dressed and disappeared.

Kyle and Marina were standing naked and seeing people out the door. They waved at Dave and headed off to their room.

Dave went upstairs to the nursery and found Ashley cuddling Kendall as the baby gulped down the last of the formula in the bottle. He was carrying his clothes, as well as Ashley's. He told her, "I'll be in the big bed, unless you need me?"

"No, Kendall will go right back to sleep after this. I'll be beside you in five minutes, but I need a shower."

"I'll join you."

Breakfast was a flurry of activity, and then suddenly Dave found himself alone with Ashley after Kyle, Marina, Mike, and Ally rushed from the house for their jobs or other activities. Dave had noted that Ashley kissed each of them goodbye with no little degree of passion, and even shared a few whispered words of love with them.

Exactly at nine a.m., Coral came bebopping in the front door with a big smile and kisses for Kendall, Ashley, and then a lingering kiss for Dave. She whispered, "You rocked my boat last night like no one else has ever done. I love you."

Dave gave her a peck back and said, "I'm glad. The feeling is mutual. I love you."

Ashley said to Coral, "We'll be in the studio. You can interrupt us anytime."

Dave looked surprised but brought his coffee mug and followed Ashley to the large studio. She booted up the computer terminal in the studio. Finally, she turned to him, "Great, all set. Now, we can rehearse."

"Rehearse? For what?" he chuckled.

Ashley flashed him a devious grin, "For your debut performance, of course. It'll be in Birmingham, Alabama, but there'll only be about eight-thousand people there."

"ARE YOU FUCKIN' KIDDING ME?" Dave's voice was an octave higher than he usually spoke.

"Nope. Kyle and I even talked about it briefly this morning. You will join me on stage right after the intermission. I'll introduce you, say a few words, and then we'll sing three songs:Texas Dawn - the duet version we tried yesterday,Jackson - that was fun, andLoving More Than One - I have a duet version of that too."

"You're yanking my chain, right?" Dave insisted as he backed away from her towards the door, his fear reaction coming into play.

"Nope. I'm serious."

"Why?"

"Why not? You have a good singing voice that fits right into everything I'm doing. The variety on stage will be more than welcome by the audience. The tabloids will love it because suddenly I appear with an unknown man in my life, so I get lots of free publicity. You, who are unemployed, suddenly have a new and legitimate career that makes you and everyone around you happy. You'll even get paid a few bucks. This is a win-win-win-win-win situation."

"But I can't really sing!" he pleaded.

"You will by this afternoon. I'm going to teach you. Take it from me, if you have the intonation or pitch accuracy and can carry a tune - which you proved you do - the rest is easy. Most people can't, thus you are a rare breed of cat and one I happen to love, and you love me ... so to prove our love to each other you're going to sing with me on stage on Saturday night." She laughed but stood defiantly with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, fuck!" Dave swore.

Ashley went to the computer and turned to him, "On your music stand, from yesterday, is the duet sheet music forTexas Dawn. The band laid down some tracks of music weeks ago that I use to rehearse to. There's no voice. You and I will provide that. This is like karaoke."

Dave kept shaking his head. Ashley started the music but he made no sound. He was caught off guard as the speakers near his feet started to play the song that had especially made Ashley famous.

"This time when I start the music, start singing after the opening refrain. It helps if you take a subtle intake of breath before you need to start singing. It'll also relax you."

As the music started, Dave filled his lungs with a huge gulp of air, and then on cue, he sang, 'Texas Dawn comes early when you've been awake all night.'

Ashley flashed him a big smile and joined in with her part. Pretty soon the two were harmonizing. She was leading him with the finger of her right hand, as though it were a baton.

They made it to the closing bars of the song, and Ashley rushed into his arms and kissed him. "You were great! If you do that Saturday night, we'll bring the house down, I promise. Oh, you are going to be such a huge star. You don't see it, but the rest of us do. Get ready for a really fun ride through life."

Ashley's bus pulled up to the Birmingham Convention Center at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Ashley, Kyle, Marina, Dave, and everyone else that had been in the Wednesday rehearsal got off the bus. Behind the bus, a two-axle truck also pulled up and stopped. A few minutes later, a dozen 'roadies' from the BCC were unloading the truck and carrying the band's musical instruments into the large arena.

Ashley took Dave's hand and led him into the large theater. She explained, "I've sung here before. The acoustics aren't the greatest, but the fans don't care. We'll do a dry run of you about four o'clock so you can hear how you sound in here. It won't quite be the same because there won't be all the people soaking up some of the sound and the echoing effect won't be as pronounced.

"By the way, I gave you the wrong number on the size of this place. I think I said eight-thousand would be here. I was wrong. Kyle told me on the bus. We'll have eighteen-thousand; it's a sell-out crowd. SRO."

Dave looked up at the sunny sky and spread his arms in supplication. "Oh, Lord, save me from this pernicious experience and pain I'm about to feel."

Ashley laughed and led him up onto the stage. "When I sing, at least initially, if I'm nervous, I'll pick a spot way off in the distance, like that red exit sign, and I'll sing to that. The feelings go away quickly. I'm not nervous any longer, even right off the bat. When I started singing, I damn near had a panic attack if there was anybody present. What I'm trying to do now is give the audience a good experience. You do that when you make love to any of the women in your life - you set out to give them a great experience. This is the same, only instead of sex, we keep our clothes on and sing." She giggled.

"Thanks for that clarification. I might have gotten the two mixed up out here tonight. The situation could have become embarrassing."

Dave walked around the stage and looked out and around at the eighteen thousand empty seats. He tried to visualize it with every seat filled and failed. The only seats that weren't going to be used in the arena had been a couple of hundred that were cordoned off directly behind their stage; they had no visibility for the event. Instead, a large number of VIP seat had been set up with folding chairs on the floor area in front of the stage. He thought, 'So this is what eighteen-thousand looks like. Holy shit. I'm fucking terrified.'

Dave was sure that his skin had paled from his Florida and motorcycle tan to a lily white and pasty complexion because of his fear of singing in public. When he stood, his legs shook and he was sure his knees would give out.

A little after four, the band had finished their set-up and ran through a few songs to make sure all the instruments and the sound system worked as intended, and that Jason and Annie in the mixing booth had locked in what the various controls did to the acoustics in the stadium. The stadium staff had also provided two 'helpers' to guide them at a large mixing board in a station behind the VIP seats.