Heaven comes to he who waits

Untitled Part 8

Day after day, everyone worked on possible tracks for the new song Roland had come up with. Nothing seemed to fit though. 

"Has anyone seen Curt?" Manny walked into the rec room, looking at his two friends. Ian was messing around with the synth and Roland had his headphones on, strumming his guitar lightly. 

He waved his arms to get their attention and Roland took his headphones off and stared at Manny, waiting for him to say something

"Either of you seen Curt? I haven't seen him for like an hour" Manny looked at his wrist watch. Yeah, about an hour now. They decided to take a break and Curt hadn't returned when everyone else did

Roland shook his head and put his headphones back on. He looked at Manny out of the corner of his eye though, waiting for him to leave. Manny looked over at him and then looked at Ian. Ian shrugged and went back to messing around with the synth. 

Manny rolled his eyes and shook his head. They were absolutely no help. He left the room and continued his search for Curt. He went room to room. Then he realized he checked the entire building and there was no sign of him 

"Paul, we have a small problem" Manny stuck his head into his manager's office. Paul looked up from his letters and waited for Manny to elaborate on the issue 

"Uh, I can't find Curt anywhere. I looked everywhere in the studio" Manny walked fully into his office. Paul took off his reading glasses and sighed. He put a hand on his head for a moment and closed his eyes. Then he put his glasses back on and stood up 

"Have you checked outside?" Paul put his hands in his pockets 

Manny shook his head. He turned around and left the office and headed for the back door. Maybe Curt was out there doing something. He looked through the window first, he didn't want to go outside if there was nothing out there 

He scanned the back yard and then he saw Curt. Talking to someone through the gate? They had a neighbor? 

Curt looked so happy. He was smiling and laughing. He was leaning against the wooden part, and had both his hands in his jacket pockets. He couldn't see who he was talking to 

"What ya lookin at mate?" Ian startled him and Manny nearly jumped. He turned around and shushed him quietly. He pointed to Curt, and they both started to watch him 

Curt dug around in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small white box. Manny and Ian couldn't make it out. But they figured out what it was soon. Curt opened it and pulled a smaller white thing out. A cigarette. 

Manny looked up at Ian for a moment, then looked out the window again. Curt put the pack back in his pocket, and a hand came through a small hole, holding a lighter out to Curt. He took it and stuck the cigarette in his mouth and lit it, then handed the lighter back. 

"He swore he'd never smoke" Manny whispered in disbelief. Neither of them could believe what they were seeing 

With his free hand, Curt ran it through his hair and let his head for a while. Ian and Manny could tell something was seriously stressing him out. But what? 

Curt flicked the cigarette bud at the ground and put his foot on it and moved it around to bury it as best as he could. He continued to talk to the mystery person to the left of him. Manny grabbed Ian's shoulder, and pulled him away from the window

"Let's go work" Manny was a little quiet now, Ian noticed this. Ian nodded and both of them walked back to the rec room. Roland was still strumming chords quietly, on a stool in the back. He looked up at them and nodded to them 

"We're going to practice a bit" Ian mentioned, walking over to the synth and took his place. Roland looked around and waited a few minutes for Curt, but he didn't show up. They went back to work anyways