When The Lights Go Down

Little Talks

Just weeks after announcing split from wife Gladys, FP Jones announces new tour with fellow musician Alice Smith.

New power couple on the rise? Alice Smith is set to join FP Jones on tour, replacing the singer's estranged wife Gladys.

The Snake Charmer World Tour: Selling out arenas everywhere!

"She's just so talented, it was a no brainer." - Singer FP Jones on the decision to bring Alice Smith on tour with him.

Is Alice Smith the reason this music royalty couple broke up?

Al-P? Falice? Could this be music's new "it" couple?

"Ok so the bus route will take us everywhere we need to go with ease, but I've made arrangements at some hotels in the cities where we'll be doing multiple shows, so you'll be able to get a better night's sleep." Fred drawls on as he walks out to the bus with FP. The last few weeks have gone by in a blur, as soon as Alice agreed to join the tour things got kicked into high gear.

"Good, that's good." FP absentmindedly responds, very clearly not paying attention.

"You alright?"

"Is Alice here?" FP wonders, looking around wildly for the feisty blonde. "I don't see her, you don't think she backed out do you?"

"She didn't," Her voice answers from behind him. "But good to know you have zero faith in me." She teases gently. "I stopped for coffee, figured we could all use it." She gestures to the trays in her hands.

"You read my mind." Fred grins, taking one of the to-go cups in hand.

"Are you all set?" FP wonders.

"Yeah, I just have to grab my bags and we'll be good to go." She answers, and he can sense just the slightest apprehension in her voice.

"I'll help you out." Fred offers.

"Here, hand these out for me." Alice passes the trays to FP and follows Fred towards the taxi she had arrived in.

"I wanted to talk to you really quick before we head out." Fred admits as he grabs her suitcase from the trunk of the car. "I know I've come off a little bit... well like an asshole," She smirks. "But I hope you know it's nothing against you."

"I feel like we've had this conversation a hundred times, I told you, I understand."

"I know but I just don't want there to be any bad blood, we're going to be spending a lot of time together, I don't want it to be tense."

"I promise you, we're good. You're just doing your job, just like I'm doing mine, and if it wasn't for your wife being so persistent that wouldn't be the case." Alice tells him. "I'm grateful to be here, it's been a long time since I've played for more than just a tiny little cafe. You, FP, Mary? You've given me the chance of a lifetime."

"We're happy to have you," Fred tells her sincerely. "You've really helped FP out."

"He's helped me out too," Alice admits. "He doesn't know it but he has. It's important to have someone you can be vulnerable with."

Fred smiles at her, curious to know more but not wanting to push it. Instead he opens the storage space and takes her bags from her. "I'll get these squared away, you go make yourself at home!"

FP's hand extends towards her as she climbs the stairs to the bus, and she takes it with a smile. "Everything alright? Looked like an intense conversation."

"Everything's fine, he was just telling me about the bus and all that stuff."

"It's a pretty cool bus actually, taken us to just about every show I've ever played."

"Filled with memories, huh?" She runs her fingers gently over some notches on the wall, the initials "J.J" etched above them to signify his daughters name.

"That was from one summer, Gladys and I were playing a bunch of shows and decided to turn it into a vacation." He begins to explain, smiling at the memory. "Our daughter hit a bit of a growth spurt so we started tracking it every week, it's become kind of a thing now whenever she's here."

"That's sweet," Alice follows him throughout the bus, memorizing all the important things he shows her. "How did she handle you leaving?"

"Not so great, though that could be because I had to break it to her over the phone." He frowns. He had told her that he'd be heading out weeks prior, but he had called her the night before to tell her that todays the day, and she had been so upset he could've called off the whole thing without second thought.

"Over the phone?" Alice questions.

"Yeah, Gladys is deciding to play the role of bitter ex-wife and wouldn't let me come see her to say goodbye. Said if I'm going to be selfish and go out on this tour with everything that's been going on then I don't have a right to see either of them."

"She can't do that!" Alice scoffs, disgusted by the thought.

"Technically no, but I don't want to push it, she's been good about not taking things to court, I want to keep it that way." He decides but she can see that it bothers him. "I guess that's why they invented FaceTime right?"

"I guess so."

"Make yourself at home, pick any seat you want." FP insists. "However if you sit at the table be warned that you're signing yourself up for card games."

"I am a mean poker player." She jokes, setting her things down in a seat by the window.

"I guess I'll have to play you, I'm pretty good myself." He takes the spot across the way from her and shoots her a smile as she opens up a notebook scrawling down word after word to keep her mind off of everything to come.

She taps her pen against paper anxiously and looks over at FP. "Hey, FP?"

"Yeah?" He looks at her so innocently, so sweetly, and she can't help but smile, any anxious thought slowly slipping from her mind.

"Just... thank you. For the opportunity."

"No thank you." He winks. "I'd be at home wallowing if it weren't for you. This will be good for both of us."