Marion's Story Ch. 13

Thanks to my very good friend Marina Kelly for all her help with the story and of course the wonderful editing....it makes me look like I can spell.

So we were ready to tour...Moll's did her usual awesome job organizing the tour and it was ready to go before we knew it. The bus was organized, this time the roadies were going to have their own van. Our social media pages were full of new dates, the promotional stuff was all ready for release.

The band gathered early Tuesday morning as we loaded our gear into the bus, we had a quick huddle and group hug before heading to Columbia to play at the Blue note for our first gig on Wednesday night. Then it would be on to St Louis which in many ways had been the big kick off for us. Then we would be saying Sayonara to the Midwest.

Following that it was east to Louisville and Lexington before heading south to Clarkesville, then to Nashville. We had three gigs booked for Nashville and we were really looking forward to it. OK Nashville is mostly about Country but there is an amazing alternative music scene there as well.

Then west to Memphis, Birmingham, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Mobile then the main stop New Orleans.

After chilling in New Orleans for a week we were then off to Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas. North up to Oklahoma City and Tulsa. On the homeward journey we were stopping at Joplin, Springfield then Back to Kansas City, with our last gig in Lawrence.

The next part of the tour was going to be the grueling part. We were going to take two weeks off before embarking on the next phase.

Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and then New York for four gigs before heading west to Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. It was going to be mammoth and exhausting.

By the time we finished in Nashville the pressure was already starting to tell. We all snapped at each other, we found ourselves arguing about nothing. Christ we were only just starting and the tension was unbearable. Mel was the worst she never wanted this tour, all she wanted was to focus on recording a proper album in a real studio for one of the big labels. She had wanted to record before the tour so we could promote it and now she wouldn't shut up about it. As far as she was concerned the tour was a mistake, we should be recording and she became insufferable, she just kept rambling on and on about it.

The bickering aside, the shows were all incredible, our return to St Louis had been a real highlight moment. The place was sold out and our merchandise stocks were low. The old CD's were almost gone. It meant Moll's spent countless hours on the phone. She was never without the damn thing stuck to her ear. I will give her credit, she drove us hard and none of this could have happened without her hard work but Jesus H Christ I wish she would put the thing away.

For Moll's and me it meant I was left on my own a lot with nothing but my acoustic guitar and pencil and paper. She realized quickly how pissed off I got with her always on the phone arguing with some venue owner, publicist or promoter so she went down to the bar or the lobby to have those conversations.

With her disappearing out of the room all the time it gave me time to write. It's funny though how your tastes change. The songs I now wrote were more ballads like the earlier ones which Jas and Mel hated. I on the other hand felt the pull of this genre. Somehow it seemed more honest, or at least real.

When I played them for Molly she scrunched up her nose visibly distressed, "Babes, they aren't going to suit the band, write some like your earlier stuff, the popular ones, this stuff will never fit."

Disappointed I groaned, "It's not meant to, these are my songs, I know Mel will hate them, it's just what I'm feeling at the moment."

Sitting beside me and lifting my hand off the guitar she sighed, "Babe, the band is hot now, you might never ever get this chance again, ride the wave babe, c'mon we have talked about this and it was you who said we had to ride the wave. We have to maximize this opportunity and we could use some new material. The stuff Mel is writing is just the same old thing, you can do it, write something new for the band."

The words were barely out of her mouth when that damned phone rang and she was off out the door again trying to get our new merch sent on so we could pick it up in Memphis.

Alone again I went back to my writing and I had one idea that could go either way, it could be a real love song or a rocky girls day out anthem that would suit the band. Over the next hour I fleshed it out and by the time she was back I had something resembling her request.

As she sat on the end of the bed, I played it my way first which made her frown, then when I played it the way the Lips could do it, she jumped up, "Oh god yes, that's perfect, the girls will love it and so will the crowds."

When I played it for the girls during sound check they all loved it, although I could see Mel chewing her lip, I think she felt the pressure of having to write because I hadn't been producing much, she felt she had to do it all and what hurt was the girls rejecting all her recent efforts.

Seeing the first thing I put forward so readily accepted hurt. I saw it in her face, she was jealous.

Still we had it nailed for our third show in Memphis and Moll's was right the audience loved it. Seeing Mel hurting pained me, to try and placate her I picked up one of her old songs one that we had already rejected. I kept the words, well some of them and found a melody that better suited the flow and I found a riff that fitted over the top perfectly.

With Moll's down in the bar with that damned infernal phone glued to her ear I took the song and my guitar and knocked on Mel's door.

When she saw me, I asked if she had a moment to listen to something.

I played her the song and I saw the mixture of pleasure and pain. Yes, she liked it but she hated the fact I took her idea and made it better. She snapped, "Jesus Christ, why don't you write your own fucking songs why steal mine?"

Confused and angry I spluttered, "I'm not stealing it, I was only trying to help, I thought you might like it."

She screwed up her face, "I do like it dipshit, but jeez it pisses me off that you do it so easily, do you know how hard I worked on that song? Fuck it took me months to get it to a stage I thought it might be alright, you take ten minutes and the girls will swoon all over you and say how fucking great you are."

I stood up quickly and threw the sheet of paper with the new words and chords at her and snapped, "I don't care about who gets credit, present it as yours, tell em it was all you if you like because I don't fucking care. I was just trying to be nice so fuck you bitch."

I slammed the door behind me and bumped into Moll's who was coming back from the bar, "Hey babe, where you been?"

"Talking to shit for brains Mel." I snarled.

"Wow, steady on babe, why so mean?"

"Oh she vexes me bad, I hate her sometimes."

"Come on what has she done this time?"

I shrugged, "Nothing, just being Mel, you know how it is."

She wrapped me in her arms and whispered, "Maybe a nice blowjob would take away your anger?"

"Well it couldn't hurt."

The next day on the bus on our way to Atlanta Mel came and asked Molly if she could sit with me for a while. As we sat she passed me a piece of paper. As I read it I realized she had taken my idea and made a few changes. As I sung it in my head I nodded, "Yeah...that could work. It's definitely better."

She said conciliatorily, "We could play it for the girls, say it was collaboration."

I shook my head, "Nope, it's your song...you present it."

Screwing up her face she asked hesitantly...apologetically, "Are you sure?" I just nodded.

Mel called us together at the back and she played it as we bumped along in the back of the bus, of course everybody loved it and she got big hugs from everyone, they all cheered and applauded. The praise from the girls at least made her a little happier at least. She looked as guilty as hell when she peeked up at me, her face bright red with shame.

When the bus pulled up outside our hotel Molls and I snuck up to our room, as the door closed behind us she laughed, "You sneaky bitch, that was all you wasn't it? That's why you were in such a bad mood last night?"

I shrugged it off, "Yeah, I changed a few things around and when I played it for her last night she got in a snitch."

She crashed her lips onto mine, "Babes that was nice, letting her have the credit, you're such a sweetie."

"Show me." I growled in a low snarl.

She laughed crazily, "Oh stop it... you know you're never going to be able to pull off the tough girl routine."

I stripped off her clothes and was about to dive between her legs when the phone went. It was the promoter for tonight's show. She tried to push me away so she could sit up but I pushed her over onto her back. Using her legs she tried to kick and push me away but I was already between them.

She was so engrossed in trying to keep a level voice she stopped kicking out and wriggling around. I pushed her legs wide apart and let my tongue do the talking as it slipped into her greasy slit. Their discussion became very one sided all she could say between clenched teeth was, "Uh huh, yeah, sure, yes, whatever." Trying hard to stay calm and not let on but as her orgasm approached, she lost it a little, in the end she just said, "Bye." Wrapping her sexy legs around my head, she held on tight to my head moaning loudly through a powerful orgasm.

"You dirty bitch." She grinned, "Christ babe that was the promoter for the gig tonight, I have to meet her in half an hour, now I'm going to have to take a shower, god damn it I hope she didn't hear."

She got dressed up real pretty and left me sitting on the bed with my guitar. That turned out to be a waste of time as now nothing came out, my mind was a blur. I decided to wander down to the bar and catch Moll's for a pre-dinner drink. I threw on my little black dress deciding to go braless to tease Moll's. I touched up my makeup and pulled on my new pumps, standing I paraded in front of the mirror pleased with the results...except my legs. Moll's had some moisturizer with glitter infused in it, I took ten minutes to rub it into my legs giving them a little sparkle as I moved.

As I walked into the bar it was easy to spot them, they were in a booth way down the back away from the bar. The woman she was talking to and sitting way to close to for my liking was a very beautiful woman, maybe in her late thirties but exuding sexuality. She was dressed in a business suit, but still managed to look friggin hot. They sat side by side in the booth leaning against each other going over some paperwork but after this long with Moll's I learned to read her body language and I knew when she was excited and let me tell you, this was one of those occasions. Watching the other woman's hand running up and down Moll's back in a gentle caressing motion infuriated me, what the hell...this was way past flirting.

Her mouth was that close to Moll's ear she almost had it in her mouth. God knows what she was whispering.

Moll's was into it as well which is what hurt the most, she leaned against the woman, toying with her hair winding little curls round her finger and stretching them out. Their eyes were locked and although she fluttered them from time to time her gaze never moved as she listened to every word being whispered in her ear.

Their hands touched as the woman showed her something and Moll's jumped like she had been electrocuted. I stumbled to the bar and the barman asked, "What do you want?"

'Whisky please...a double."

I sat on a stool and watched, this was the first time since April that anything like this happened and it made me nervous, uneasy. Maybe it was me, but moments like this just stir up all my old anxieties and insecurities...maybe the reason she flirted with other women was she was unhappy with me, maybe she wanted a real woman not some fucking wimpy guy in a dress.

In the end I couldn't take it any longer I got up and walked quietly down to their booth. Moll's never even saw me coming until I stood over them, "Hey Moll's." I rasped.

She jumped moving quickly away from her new friend, "Oh hi Mi, um this is Gloria, she is promoting tonight's show. We were just going over the details."

Her face flushed and she looked as guilty as sin. Gloria didn't even blink, she leaned across Moll's stretching out her hand, "Hello, so this is the wonderful Mimi I have been hearing so much about, it's a pleasure." I noticed her hand caressing Moll's back was still circulating rubbing small circles.

A little angry I snapped, "Yeah that's me, Molly's partner."

Her smile turned into a thinly stretched pout, "Yes I got that, Molly hasn't stopped gushing about how pretty you are and I have to say she undersold you...we were just going over some arrangements."

Molly tried to smile but she picked up on my irritation and muttered, "Perhaps we should go and leave you to it." She sighed.

Gloria stood up and let Molly squeeze past her but not before giving her a quick kiss on the lips, "We can finish off later." She turned and glanced at me, "I'm looking forward to the show, see for myself what all the fuss is about."

I turned without replying and walked away with Molly close behind me. Nothing was said until the elevator doors closed behind us, Molly exploded, "Christ you rude bastard, she's the woman who promoted and funded tonight's show and most of the tour, without her this wouldn't be going ahead, I can't believe you were so god damned rude to her."

"Fuck her." I snarled, oh wait that's what you wanted to do wasn't it? I could see it in your eyes Molly. I should have listened, you know what they say...once a cheater always a cheater."

"OH for god's sake, OK we flirted and I played up to her but nothing fucking happened. Don't go all jealous fucking boyfriend on me now."

"I'm not your boyfriend I'm your girlfriend, well I'm not even sure about that any more, jeez Molly we're going to be married or at least we were supposed to be."

She gave me an angry glare, "What's that supposed to mean? What exactly are you saying...supposed to? Mi...we were only flirting, jeez girl you know there was nothing in it."

"No I don't, I seem to remember you and April in a similar situation."

She slipped into my arms, "Babes there's nothing in it. Yes, I flirted, but for god's sake she is a very attractive woman."

"I don't care, I'm not going through that again."

She sucked in a deep breath, "Yeah well there's nothing to worry about, I'll be surprised if she ever talks to me again and she will most certainly not be helping us get the best gigs at the best venues. Shit Mi we have to play up to these people to get the best deals."

"Yeah well if you have to prostitute yourself to get good deals I would rather stay home."

She shoved me that hard I banged my head on the elevator door, "You bitch don't you ever talk to me like that again, I was trying to do the best for the band, Gloria is a very big promoter."

The elevator doors opened and we walked out like we were walking to our death. Inside we said nothing as we got dressed for dinner.

As always, her phone went off and the way she whispered it was obviously Gloria. She locked herself in the bathroom so I couldn't hear but it was hard to miss the giggles. When she emerged, she looked guilty and refused to look at me.

Sitting at the table with the band and roadies we were just starting to relax and talk without snapping at each other when Gloria turned up at the table. "Enjoying dinner?" She asked.

Molly jumped up and introduced her to the band. Mel had to bite her tongue to stop the drool falling on her plate. Molly rushed over and got a seat for her and she got Mel to move so Gloria could squeeze in between them.

The conversation quickly grew becoming quite boisterous as Gloria asked all sorts of questions and laid on the sweet palaver as thick as maple syrup. Mel was in serious lust trying to impress her like a love struck girl but Gloria had eyes for only one girl at our table and that was Molly.

She was a very clever woman though and I think she realized she would have to win me over if she was going to get her. She leaned over to get close and try and engage me, "Mimi I understand that you do a lot of the song writing?"

I shrugged filling my mouth with food. Taken aback by my coldness she asked, "Have you always been into music?" Her sickly sweet demeanor couldn't fool me, all she wanted was to get to Molly, and the rest of this was just her bullshit act as she played the bigshot.

I just kept eating and then turned to talk to Bret one of the roadies. Molly gave me a painful jab in the ribs and a biting glare which I ignored.

Gloria ordered a couple of pitchers of margaritas for the table. The girls all dived in but when she passed me a glass I shook my head.

Gloria obviously pissed at my snub held up her glass to make a toast, "Well girls here's to a successful night and an even more successful partnership."

The table erupted in a loud cheer and the girls all joined her toast which I passed over. They all thanked her for organizing the gig, she laughed it off, "It's my pleasure seeing an all-girl band out there and doing it is something I want to be part of."

As soon as dinner was finished, I got up announcing I was going to get changed for the gig. Molly stayed seated beside Gloria mumbling, "I'll be up soon."

Back in my room I realized how fragile our relationship really was. I remembered back to when she fooled around with April and her comments about how she didn't believe in monogamy. Since then there had been no signs of that and I had hoped it was in our past, I mean we were going to be married.

After today though, I wondered whether Molly had any intention of curbing her wayward ways? Even if we did marry" The fact she made light of my concerns frustrated me. I got out my little schoolgirls outfit, I stripped to pull on my corset. Stretching it in as tight as possible I could and I felt it constricting me, pulling my waist in as tight as humanly possible. The pain did hurt but it eased my mind, the restriction somehow quashing my anxiety.

When I bent down to pull up my fishnet stockings I just about blacked out. Clipping on the stockings I slipped on my little panties making sure my dick was held in place. I pulled the plaid skirt up and donned my white blouse. Damn Jas for removing the buttons. It left way to much exposed. Stepping into my sparkly silver stiletto's I stood to see my reflection in the mirror. This trashy slutty thing was wearing thin for me. Yeah it was a cool gimmick but that's all it was a gimmick. This wasn't how any of us dressed in real life. It was a charade, a big façade and it really bothered me.

I sat down at the dressing table and started to apply my makeup. I was adding the finishing touches when Molly walked in. Walked in isn't quite right...no...she burst in with the door slamming against the wall and she roared, "Jesus Mi you bitch. I worked damned hard to build that relationship with Gloria over the last couple of months and she has been so helpful. She wants to help us go international later this year and you just about fucked it up with your rude insulting behavior. Would it have hurt to be nice to her for five frigging minutes?"

"Fuck her, she's nothing, she is the one who needs us, we don't need her. There are people cuing up to have us play. She's just a dumb bitch playing the bigshot."

"Fuck, you just don't get it, she doesn't have to pretend, she's one of the biggest promoters in the country."

"Who cares, they're a dime a dozen."