December 24th [COMPLETED]

6. En Route

The Nashville airport was quiet for an early Monday morning but only because it was so very early. There was a slight chill in the air that reminded the travelers that fall was soon approaching. George stepped out of the car and felt like she could breathe again. Simply being in the airport gave her a rush of energy she knew all too well how much she had missed. She stood at the edge of an adventure and there was a buzzing in her blood that couldn't wait to get started.

Jamie was yawning and leaning against a pillar, her eyes squinting in the bright early morning sunlight. George approached and greeted her colleague with a friendly pat on the shoulder. Behind her, she knew things were playing out as they always did. Sydney would rope the driver and a nearby airport employee in to help her unload the two large traveling cases full of equipment and load them onto an awaiting dolly to then be checked in and sent off to be stowed away on their awaiting flight.

Everything as it should be, George thought.

"Morning," George greeted Jamie with a smile that was responded to with a yawn.

"Only technically," Jamie replied through that yawn. George laugh. She couldn't help it. She was back where she belong, standing on that oh-so-familiar precipice.

"First time on tour?" George asked.

She could spot a newbie a mile away and Jamie gave off the vibe that she hadn't ever really left the states. Jamie nodded.

"Don't worry," George said, "You'll get used to it."

"What's the job?" Jamie asked, her eyes slowly opening further as her mind finally started to wake up.

George hadn't had time to fill Jamie in on the details. She had barely had time to pack up what she needed at Clara's house and hope Jamie would say yes.

"You know that Swedish pop girl group, Monika?"

Jamie nodded.

"My label owns their label. They've apparently made two very successful albums in the last three years. Our job is to make sure they make a third."

Jamie nodded again, her brain slowly whirling behind her glasses as her brown eyes took in all the readily available information. George could see the overwhelm start to ebb in at the corner of her eyes. George moved closer and put an arm around Jamie's shoulders. She was grateful for the previous eight weeks they had had getting to know one another, working side by side on Clara Kemp's album. She could do this job alone but she wanted Jamie there. She hated to admit but she needed Jamie's help.

"Look," George's serious tone caught Jamie's attention. "Once this thing starts, it doesn't stop. It's gonna be intense and overwhelming, yes. But it's also gonna be fun. Trust me, okay?" George waited for Jamie to nod again.

"Good," she said. "And don't worry. I've got your back. I'm not gonna let you drown. I promise that. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine."

"George!"

Sydney's call was the cue. George couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips. She gave Jamie's shoulder one final squeeze, whispering before she let go, "It's starting."

"Plane's on time," Sydney said, "We've got fifteen minutes. We need to hustle."

"Then let's go!"

George was the first to take off running and Sydney and Jamie followed. It had begun.

*

Jamie managed to fall back asleep on the plane and George envied her that luxury. But George had a job to do and the entire six-hour flight to London was filled with different influences the girl band had sent George, songs they liked, sounds they wanted to emulate, everything and anything George could get her hands on to jump-start the project.