𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝘼𝙩 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛, 𝘽𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙚!

TWENTY SIX - Illness Simplified

It was 4:28 in the afternoon, Joe had fallen back asleep and Mari, David, and Corinne had been talking for hours. Mari with a cigarette lit and one leg thrown across the other, her arm resting on one of her legs, David sitting cross-legged in his wooden chair, laughing away, and Corinne sitting with her legs crossed on her spot at the foot of the bed.

"I just know as soon as my assistant gets word that I'm back in state she'll book a million different interviews for me to take." Mari complained, taking another huff of her cigarette. Corinne had, to her relief, given her permission to smoke in the apartment-- Mari had been dying for one for God knew how long.

David had been fiddling with his hands all afternoon, absolutely restless, and yet more tired than he'd ever been. He'd managed to sleep through the entire eight hour flight, and yet he was still more tired than he'd been in months. He kept looking around when things felt off, he couldn't help it, and Corinne was beginning to notice his behavior. She could immediately guess what was wrong.

"John'll probably call, wanting you to go to some party again."

Mari shrugged, "They aren't that bad lately."

"How come?" David asked, Corinne silently taking a sip from her drink.

"Because now I know people. In fact, people have started going out of their way to speak to me." She said.

She was so happy she was finally making friends in the industry. It seemed like such a childlike joy, but she didn't care, she'd been following John and Mick around like a lost dog, and it was starting to get embarrassing.

"What do they say?" He asked.

"They ask me what I'm working on, I say 'nothing', the rest is irrelevant."

David nodded and his eyes went to Corinne, "I've been working on some new stuff." he told her.

"For an album?" She asked, watching David nod for a second time.

"Yeah."

Corinne's eyebrows furrowed, "You never told me you were writing stuff."

David shrugged, "Didn't come to mind."

Corinne looked at Mari, "When are you starting a new album?" she asked.

"After I move to Berlin, but I've already been writing some things." She answered.

"I loved Every Soul," Corinne said, "can't wait to hear what you'll do next."

Mari smiled and took another drag of her cigarette, eyes wandering from their original place on Corinne.

David smiled, Mari was always very humble. He admired that about her.

When Mari finally caught sight of the clock on the wall, she noticed it was decently late in the afternoon. She had calls to make, she didn't want it to get too late or else she doubted to many people would answer.

"It's getting late, I think I should go." Mari said, sitting up in her chair as she got ready to leave.

David's expression changed as he looked at the clock, it wasn't even that late.

"You have somewhere to be?" He asked.

She shook her head, "No, not really, but I have calls to make. I have to let my assistant know we're back in town, if she hasn't figured it out already."

Mari got up out of her chair, sticking her cigarette in her mouth as she used both of her hands to push herself out.

"I should also call John and let him know." She added, taking it back out of her mouth.