Aubrey (Axis Rising)

022:

*****022:

Rafe

And so the week starts over.

First thing Monday morning after the home stuff was underway, I left my gorgeous hot wife, satisfied and energized, to take out my creative stimulation at Dark Avenue. We had a video to make, we had footage to view, we had a song we were working on and we had rehearsal.

My guitar in hand was always a good place to start, as I perched in the sound room waiting for instructions, or the other guys to show up, something.

That was when Jen Athens popped in and smiled her sweet shark smile at me. I knew her to be this razor sharp young attorney, scared the heck out of me she was so sharp, but I'd taken her dancing a couple of times before Aubrey and I got together, and she was hot on the dance floor. She had that smoking hot body to go with her sharpness. I looked up.

Her cold eyes softened just slightly when I turned on the old charm, that sexy smoldering look I saved for magazine covers and turning Aubrey on. It was an imperative before any kind of talking with Jen, because for me, she was always the bearer of bad news. So we had to acknowledge that there was more to life than bad news.

"We have to do the take down on Songs of a Stranger. We find no evidence of Direct Copying on the lines in question and Victorine Alissa did sign collaborative licensing disclosures. But there was sufficient access to their catalog, and their pre-release video pre-dates ours, so we had to concede."

I nodded. That happened. Kind of like saying, shit happens, it happens all the time. Because of the times we live in, collaboration often takes the form of three notes here and there, similar, borrowed, acknowledged borrowed, or not. Whatever.

"We are working on getting the collaborative disclosure to cover with direct acknowledgements on the album cover. Is that acceptable to you and the band?"

"I don't speak for the band, Jen, I might be married to them, but I respect their freedom."

"Fine, there's a meeting in an hour when you guys are on break from the video. The other issue is personal. Do you want to discuss it now?"

"Personal legal issues coming from you?"

"John Crimmons asked me to inform you that Roberto Jimenez who is suing for custody of your daughter is a legitimate contender, and since foreign law dictates that he should have been given the chance to adopt her in the wake of her parent's demise and her grandmother's write off---we will have to go to court."

"In Mexico?" I didn't let my instant heart stopping anxiety show at all. My voice sounded very calm.

"No. It can be here, or in Mexico. Hopefully it will not have to be in both. John is working on it."

"That's somewhat reassuring. What do I need to do?"

"John wants to meet with you."

"We'll do lunch."

"Today?" She made a note.

"Yes."

She turned smartly, since that's the only way she knows how to turn and without a word, left my presence.

I was instantly bombarded by the band and the video crew and I had to--- forced myself—to turn off the anxiety and go to work. This was work time, pure and simple. And I am a working man.

I called Aubrey and told her to meet me at Il Cielo for lunch with John.

*****