TANTRIC (Book 3 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 76: Rock Stars Man Up

That's right! Time to hear from our favorite bad-ass, who has a surprising twisty-ton of drama to deal with in this chapter. (Some of it false drama but it leads him to a truth he's been hiding from...)

This is one of those cringe-worthy-everything-that-can-go-wrong-does-go-wrong chapters. Very fun and a little challenging to write, but I think I covered everything...so much truth coming out in this chapter...it's long, enjoy...

The song for this chapter...Drop In The Ocean by Ron Pope. I know it may sound a little weird, but I feel like this is a song that speaks to how Trace feels for Ross. It's a very conflicted song about man who isn't quite sure whether a love is a blessing or a curse, but he can not leave it behind, and there fore he has to hope something good  comes from it. After all these many years of therapy, and Ross proving that he is sober and stable, I think Trace has moved from hate to hope when it comes to the father that raised him...

BTW, I cried a little bit in this chapter writing one particular paragraph. Leave me comments if you feel me and find my cry-lines...

Trace

We aren't in the Ballard's house five minutes before my bullshit radar is going off.

Ellen does not look sick. I've seen her sick...she had a lupus flare a couple of years ago, and she seems much healthier right this minute than she did back then.

But even though she looks healthy, she seems...weird. She seems very nervous that Leed and I are here. Like, what did she think? She's sick, our girls are in a panic, and we would just throw up deuces and let them hop a plane while we drink more Foster's and work on our tans halfway around the world? I have no idea why neither Kat, Ash, nor Ellen thought Leed and I would be concerned about this situation, but obviously we love Ellen and we're here. For whatever.

None of that trips my bullshit indicator like the fact that Mike is no where to be seen, and when I ask, she tells me he's on a golfing trip in Florida.

What? She would call her daughters back from halfway around the world but she hasn't picked up the phone and told her husband who is four hours away that she needs him?

But before I can even finesse a little more information, Ellen is picking up her purse, shoving glasses in it and rummaging for her keys, looking anxiously between Kat and Ash, then giving us guys a cursory glance. "I'm so sorry, but I really need the girls to come with me to this doctor's appointment. They said I should come as soon I could, they'll fit me in...I know you all must be exhausted, it's such a long flight..."

"No we're fine," Ashlynn says quickly. "Private jet. We all slept comfortably. Everyone's good." She puts an arm around Kat, who adds. "Yes, we're fine."

"Don't lie Ballards A & B," Leed snaps, coming over to peer at Ellen. "They are worried. Really worried. In fact, so am I. You look...frantic. I'll drive."

"I'll drive. You drive like a maniac when you are torqued," I tell Leed.

Ellen looks between us, and bursts into tears. "You are such good boys. My girls are so lucky. I don't worry about their futures anymore..." She flaps her hand, rummaging in her bag for one of those little packs of tissues that her generation always seems to carry. She dabs delicately at her perfect make-up. "I'm so sorry."

That does kind of scare me. It's almost like she's thinking she's not going to be around to see their futures.

"It's okay," I tell her. "You're gonna be okay. You're the strongest woman I know and we're here. We'll stay. Whatever you need."

That makes her cry harder as she comes to embrace me. "Of course, it will all be okay, Trace. Don't you worry. I'm not worried. Just a little nervous." She glances at Leed and squeezes my arms. "You're very good in a crisis, Trace. I know you will...be very helpful." She clears her throat and dabs at her eyes again. "It shouldn't take long. There's no need for us all to go. Will you boys take care of dinner? Maybe order something? Girls, we really need to go."