Making Dreamland

Fifty One. Songbird

Chapter song- songbird by Fleetwood Mac

Avery

I wake up in a cold sweat and with a massive headache. I glance at my phone for the time and it's 6:30 in the morning. I'm feeling very nauseous and I'm thankful that Harry slept on the couch in the living area of this hotel suite so that he doesn't see me like this.

Immediately I run into the bathroom and fall to my knees and hug the toilet. There really isn't anything in my stomach to empty which makes this whole process even worse. I begin to cry as I feel so deathly ill. I'm so out of it that I don't even hear Harry come in.

"Hey you." He says as he rubs my back gently.

"Noooooo I don't want you to see me like this." I begin to shake my head no.

He takes a seat on the floor next to me.

"Tough. I'm not leaving." He says softly.

I cry and dry heave and he's here rubbing my back and just speaking such calming and gentle words to me right now. I'm startled by the sound of his phone ringing.

"Hello? No, it's fine, I asked to be called. Yes. Perfect. Ben, you're a lifesaver my friend. Thank you a million times over. Talk later." He ends the call.

"Everything ok?" I ask.

"Better than ok. Baby you can stay here if you want to, I've got some things I need to take care of this morning." He says.

I really don't want to be sick and I know I don't have time to be. I'm supposed to check out and head to the next city today. I don't have time to be sick.

"I've got to get moving. I check out in a few hours and it's off to the next city. I've got to shake this. I hope it's just a 24 hour bug." I say as I start to stand and he mirrors my movement and gives me his hand to steady me.

"Let's go lie in bed. Need to talk to you." He says.

He looks a little nervous and that of course makes me nervous.

I follow him to my bed and climb under the covers, not getting too close to him since I've just been sick.

"Is everything ok? And please don't say condition number 3 Harry."

He chuckles a bit at my statement.

"I'm going to give you some answers to your questions, but again, condition number 3 applies ok?"

"Ok." I take a big gulp.

"We are checking out today, but it's not to go to the next city on your tour baby." He says.

"What?" I ask.

"You're sick because you're having withdrawals baby. You haven't put any drugs into your system for at least 36 hours now so you are having full on withdrawals. It's not pleasant, I know."

That thought never occurred to me, but it makes perfect sense now.

"Here's how today is going to go Ava; I am paying Devon a visit this morning to notify him that he is no longer your manager."

"Harry, I have a contract with him. I'll be held in breech of contract."

"A contract that he made one huge colossal mistake on. He failed to have it notarized and filed within the required time frame. Therefore it is rendered null and void. Ben just called to tell me that a judge just signed off on and filed the termination papers in Tennessee. It's done."

"Oh my god. Are you kidding me?" I put my hands over my face in astonishment.

"Nope. Not kidding." He smiles.