CODA

Thirty-Six

Carter yawns, reaching blindly for the her phone, the incessant buzzing it is making is driving her crazy.

Olive

Mom and dad are
here, and dad wants
to get this fight
rolling. Come down to
Ava's and my room
asap! love you, sorry
if I woke you up.

Carter sighs, carefully rolling out of Calum's arms and replacing herself with a pillow, he should get to sleep as long as he can. Finding clothes that are not Calum's over sized t-shirt she throws her hair into a messy bun and scrawls out a little note for Calum when he wakes.

Once done she wanders from his suite towards the elevator to ride down a few floors to where her band is staying. She's barely knocked on the door before it's being swung open, her body being engulfed in a tight motherly hug. The sweet perfume of the person telling her that it is in fact Olive's mom who is hugging her.

"Carter! So good to see you again. I cannot wait to see our girls on stage tomorrow night! I can't believe Charles and I get to see you girls perform on tour before the rest of the families. Your dad got the EP and we get this. It's going to be so special."

"We are all happy to have you both here. And I will be even more happy if we can get myself out of this stupid agreement."  Carter signs back excitedly.

"We all will be excited if we can manage that. We don't want to see you hurt or uncomfortable again. And we miss your voice! You have been on vocal rest since the show on Thursday!" Delanee signs, her actions exasperated in an effort to show her true feelings on the matter.

"Well, then let's discuss a few things." Olive's dad smiles, beckoning Carter towards him, multiple small stacks of papers laid out on the bed in front of him.

"You really think you can get me out?"

"Yes. Without a doubt."

"How?"

"There is nothing in the dating contract they had you sign that would get you out. They iron clad that thing. But, they do have a bit in the band's contract with Hollywood Records that we can use." Charles explains, moving papers around until he finds what he wants.

"Here." He shows her a paper, "It says that the label and all management personal assigned to work with the band will at no time, or in no way, force or cause physical pain, or unnecessary mental strain to come upon any member of the band with knowledge that it would cause such."

"How do we use that?" Carter asks quickly.

"The allergic reaction issue in Amsterdam, I don't think we can use. That was an accident and a fluke. But, Olive told me Calum said Jaydan admitted to knowing your distaste and disgust for meat, and yet still sent you to the festival in Vienna for his own gain. His words where "She didn't have to eat it. Just walk around it" or something to that extent. But, he knew you would be uncomfortable and still sent you. Then you ended up throwing up so hard that you have been on intermittent, and now a full, three days vocal rest. Which is physical harm in direct association with the event he sent you to. He also did not seem to worry too much about how uncomfortable it would make you to be there. He caused you a mental strain in trying to do what you had been asked while so uncomfortable."

"Okay, so those things could get the dating contract thrown out?"

"I have spoken with Ava, Olive, and Delanee quiet a bit about what else might have been being forced so harshly on you and Calum, and they told me about the date in London. Where Calum and you were both made uncomfortable because they forced you to share a public kiss that was far more than necessary or appropriate. Their demanding text messages, no sympathy, and constant accusations that you are trying to out right defy them. And the over all mental strain this contract is putting on you, while physically compromising your voice which is your instrument in the band. I think I have a solid case. I can get you out. They won't be happy about it. But it is them who are in the wrong in the contract they signed with you four. So, if they try anything, like dropping the band from the label or something, we can counter and go after them for it. I don't want to create drama. I don't want the music industry to look at CODA as a dramatic diva group who would be hard to work with. So we will do the least we can, but still also make sure we have our girls best interests taken care of."