Buckingham Nicks-Part II of Fritz Series

Last Will

***A/N obligatory smut warning 😉***

"Poor Al, I mean the guy never met a gram of coke he didn't like or a scotch he wouldn't drink. But 57 is too young to check out" Irving sighs in contemplation sipping his jack and coke after Al's funeral. It was packed, and needless to say the music industries greatest hearts and minds were assembled for the occasion. It's scary to see the assemblage of persons Al personally had a hand in cultivating. The head of Warner Brother's music even showed up, and of course Don. He made an ass of himself at the bar, but he showed up; Glenn vainly trying to curtail his alcohol consumption.

Incredulity is the word of the day however, if I took a shot for every person who "Never saw it coming" I'd be shit faced and on the way to the hospital myself from alcohol poisoning. Personally, I'm upset with Al's passing, he was a good guy. He was just the right amount of shady mixed with industry know how. He could handle his shit, and he did a damn good job handling us as an act even when we were in Fritz. He wasn't a saint, and I admit he had his vices. Alcohol and cocaine being chief among them, women a distant third but I knew he had an eye.

He was never an ideal father figure for Stevie or I but he filled the void when we were new to the industry, and where as many managers have harvested the talents of their acts and kept the rewards for themselves, Al was always straight when it came to money. He wasn't even upset when we told him Rosen was watching his books, he was impressed and even commented that we'd be stupid not to watch our manager in this business. He made one fatal mistake in all the years I knew him. Carol Ann Harris.

She went from secretary to wife and sucked him dry in the process. In their two years as a married couple he called in favor after favor to get her auditions, she has no talent and inevitably she'd be rejected, so he had to call in more favors then outright bribe casting directors. The result was a lot of money and industry cred washed down the drain. Her modeling career has gone down slightly better, only slightly. She's only required to show up and look pretty, which admittedly she can do.

Now, she's a wealthy widow mistress of a vast music empire...and de facto manager of our recording label. Princeton Records. Warner is still our distributor, and they've approached us about jumping to one of their other labels, we haven't made any decisions yet. Al's death still too fresh. But her being in charge of our recording and performing schedule doesn't bode well for our future. Not at all.

"Disgusting isn't she?" a thin blonde man in his twenties stands next to me holding a beer "What do you mean?" he gestures at Carol Ann who is holding court on a sofa balling her eyes out for anyone who will listen to her. I shouldn't be too harsh she's not responsible for Al's death...not directly. And to her credit she does seem to genuinely miss him, despite being continuously annoyed with her spending, and her immaturity Al did have an affection for her. Nothing deep, but enough that he did his best to make her happy.

"Step-mommy dearest" he swigs his beer and I notice his resemblance to Liz "You know she banned my mother from attending? Who does that? They were in love up until the day he died whether she wants to believe it or not." He looks at me with red blood shot eyes, he's been drinking heavily "They slept together two weeks ago for crying out loud, he never loved Carol. He was heartbroken when mom left him, she just swooped in when he was vulnerable" he shoots back some more beer then introduces himself to me as an afterthought "Kip, Kip Wonsley. I'm the son you hear so much about but have never met. I can already tell you're Lindsey, just like mom described you"

Glad to know I need no introductions "Where's Liz?" he shrugs "at home drinking probably, my other brother refused to come. He's disgusted with Carol as much as I am, it gets worse though" I can only imagine, I'm honestly confused as to why I'm being privileged to this information "I heard through the grape vine old Carol Ann is knocked up...curious as to who's kid it is. Considering Dad had himself snipped years ago..."