Chapter 7
The next morning saw the guys getting ready for various things, Davy packing his case for his flight to the UK and Mike and Pete packing bags because they were going to stay at the club while the girls were away.
Micky was up waiting for Gemma to arrive. She’d taken some time off work and was going to be staying at the pad with him, so he was in a happy mood.
Pete was also getting ready to head off to the school for his first block of classes He’d put his acoustic in the car and Vicky’s work diary in a bag, He was nervous, but the others reassured him everything would be fine. “You’ll be great, don’t worry.” Mike gave him a hug and a quick kiss.
He said goodbye to Davy, giving him a hug, as did Micky. “Safe flight, and I’ll see you soon.” Micky hugged him and went off to make some breakfast.
“You ready, Davy?” Mike asked coming back from putting all the bags in the trunk of the Monkeemobile. “Don’t want you late for your flight.”
Pete left first and then Mike and Davy were on their way to LAX. Davy was quiet the whole journey, and Mike didn’t want to push him to talk. He knew he was feeling nervous, worried about what family problems he’d be facing back with his family.
At the airport he parked up near the terminal, took Davy’s case out of the trunk and gave it to him. “Hey, at least your room won’t be a mess with Gemma staying over with Micky. She’ll keep it tidy.” He laughed. “Safe flight and look after yourself. We’ll see you soon. Give us a call and I’ll be here to pick up up.” He hugged Davy goodbye and watched him walk over to the terminal to go check in. He gave Mike a final wave before he went inside.
Mike then set off to the Strip, arriving just in time to see the girls about to set off with Ronnie’s dad who was going to drive them to the health spa. “Listen, Mike, if you need anything call me. Ronnie is going to have a complete rest,” he said, staring straight at her.
“You’ve got everything you need, haven’t you?” Ronnie asked him, ignoring her dad. “Christine’s already here. She’s cleaning up and gonna set up the bar. We’ve filled up the ice box and cupboards with plenty of food for both of you. Thanks so much for everything.”
“Hey, don’t worry about a thing. Me, Pete and Micky will be fine. You make sure you enjoy yourself.” When they’d left, he took his and Pete’s bags and put them upstairs in the spare bedroom. He then went down to the club to find Christine.
“You need any help with anything?” he asked her.
“Set up the tables if you don’t mind. We don’t get too many people in early afternoons—there’s a few regulars but I can manage down here.”
He helped with the chairs and tables and went off to the office to start his first job, calling up some bands to come in to audition. Christine popped in to bring him a Coke.
***
Pete was at the school now, having met Mrs. Young, who he would be assisting in his first lesson. She was middle-aged and dressed very conservatory. The children, who seemed to be around the ages of twelve and thirteen, started to come in. Pete was told to give out the exercise books and she gave him a seating plan so he knew who was where.
Mrs Young started playing a classical music record and she told the class to listen carefully and continue with their notes from the previous day’s lesson. She sat down behind her desk then called Pete over and told him he would be looking after the choir class that was next on his own, and to go and sort out the music that was set up ready at the piano.
He noticed the children looked quite bored listening to the classical pieces, and knew her choices of music were probably not their taste either: Morning has Broken, All Things Bright and Beautiful and various other similar hymns.
In between the classes he decided to check out the piano and while no-one else was around, started to play some of the Monkees music. He didn’t notice the pupils start coming in.
“What’s that you’re playing, sir? Music for us to sing to?” a blonde girl asked.
“No, sorry. Mrs Young left some music for the choir, and I’m not sir—you can all call me Peter. That’s my name.”
“Boring hymns again,” someone said. “Can’t we do something more modern? Something we like?”
“Can we sing some Beatles songs, please? Vicky let us in our last lesson,” a boy at at the front asked. “Can you play their songs?” The boy looked over at Pete.
“Well, if you all would rather that, I don’t mind, but it’ll be better if I play the guitar instead…just let me go get my acoustic from the car.” He was back five minutes later and a few girls were now holding tambourines.
They started with some songs from the Beatles’ albums, Love me Do and Please, Please Me, moving onto I Want to Hold your Hand, From Me to You, Help, and finishing off with Yesterday.
The children said they’d write a list of other songs for the next lesson. Some suggestions mentioned were the Mamas and the Papas and the Beach Boys. Pete hoped Mrs Young wouldn’t mind. He didn’t want to do anything to risk Vicky’s job.
While Peter was casing his guitar, one of the young girls who’d been playing the tambourine approached him. “That was groovy, sir.”
“It’s okay. Remember it’s Peter, not sir. I’m not that old.”
“Do you give guitar lessons, by any chance? I’m already having piano lessons with Vicky, but I’d love to learn the guitar. I think I might have a lesson with you this week. Mary Bright’s my name.”
Pete took out Vicky’s work diary to check. “Yeah, on Friday. I haven’t thought about giving guitar lessons though. I don’t know if I’d have the time.”
“That’s okay. See you later—I better go. Don’t want to be late for English. Thanks for today. It was good,” she said as she was leaving the room.
Pete now had a break period and went to find the staff room, noticing there was just one young woman in there in an armchair, drinking a cup of coffee and reading a magazine. She smiled at him when he walked in.
“Hello, you must be Peter, the guy covering for Vicky? Do you want a drink?” she asked him. “I’m Laura, another teaching assistant, English and Math.”
“No, I’m fine thanks, and yeah that’s me. First day here,” he answered.
“How are you finding Mrs. Young and her classical music? Those poor kids! Vicky tries to get her to let them listen to more popular music, but she’s set in her ways, doesn’t like to change things.”
“Well I’ve just had the choir singing Beatles songs. The kids seemed to enjoy that.”
“That’s good. You from around here?” she asked him. “So how d’you know Vicky? Are you and her a couple?”
“I live in Malibu near the beach. I met Vicky at an audition for a pianist job at a hotel in LA—she’s just a friend. I’m in a band that plays at the club she lives above.” He didn’t want to say anything about Vicky’s private life. He wasn’t sure what she might have told them herself.
“Which club’s that? On the Strip? I don’t really go that often, but I’d love to see your band…maybe you could invite me to your next gig.”
“It’s tonight at the Dive. You’re welcome to come along anytime. We play Saturday and Sunday nights too,” he answered her.
“I might just do that. I don’t get out much. I only moved around here in September to start this job. Vicky and I started on the same day. I like her—nice girl, but it’ll be good getting to know you. So it’s a date! I’ll see you tonight. See you soon, too. My break’s finished now.” She got up and left Pete alone in the room.
His next and final lesson of the day was helping Mrs. Young with eight pupils who were learning the recorder. It was a slow process as Mrs. Young didn’t seem to have much patience with some of them who seemed to be beginners. Pete was glad when that period was over as it meant his first day was over. He was looking forward to getting to the club and spending time with Mike until his first lesson later that afternoon.
When he got back to the club about twenty minutes later, Mike was busy seeing to a alcohol delivery that had just arrived and didn’t know how long he’d be, and he’d already had a quick lunch in-between jobs, so Pete went upstairs and made himself a sandwich.
He settled down in the living room to read through the rest of Vicky’s work diary and try to plan out his week. Between the school, private lessons, the hotel, travelling and their own gigs, he didn’t have much time to himself, and hoped Mike would be fine with that.
Mike got back to the office and filed the paperwork from the delivery and decided to go upstairs to Pete so they could get some time together. He made a coffee and joined Pete on the couch, but they’d barely had ten minutes together when Micky shouted up that Susan was here.
Micky came into the room. “The chick’s waiting downstairs for you Pete. She’s kinda cute…good job Davy’s not here—he’d be all over her.” He laughed.
“Well I’m glad you’re here now, Mick, you can help me sort out the delivery. I just cane up for a coffee and a break. Good luck with the lesson, Pete. I’ll tell her to come up.”
Mike found Susan waiting near the door to the stairs to the flat. “Go on up. Pete’s waiting for you.”
Mike stared at Micky. “How old did Vicky say she was? She’s got quite a lot of makeup on.”
“Eighteen, I think. Come on, let’s get on with this work. Gemma’s gonna need picking up soon. I need to go get the food we’ve been making back at the pad—I’ve not been slacking. We’ve been busy.”
Susan knocked on the door and walked into the living room. “Hi, I’m Susan.” She held out her hand and smiled. “I’ve brought my music that I’ve been working on with Vicky. You must be Peter. Your friends told me to come up. Are you ready to start?” she asked, taking off her jacket.
She went over and sat at the piano, put her sheet music on the stand and started to play. She was playing something easy just as Vicky had said she would. She decided to quiz Pete a little. “Have you been playing long? I’ve heard you play bass and the organ for the club’s house band.”
“I started when I was six, and started lessons at nine years old, and yes I’m in a band, thanks for asking. Do you want to try something a bit harder? The music you’re playing is more suitable for someone younger, don’t you think?”
“I prefer to start easy and move on to more complex music. Do you want to make any suggestions? Are you the guy Vicky often duets with? Could we try that later? I’d love to try something different.”
He listened to her while she played, also reading some notes Vicky had made. “So you’re taking your grade six exam soon. Have you chosen your pieces? Can I hear you play the scales and some broken chords? How’s you sight-reading? I can give you a new piece of music to test you.”
“I admit I get bored easily. I’m not keen on playing too much classical music, but that’s what’s expected, isn’t it?” She stopped playing and asked for a drink of water.
Pete gave her some sheet music and went to the kitchen, bringing her back a drink. “Do you want to have a go at that piece? Is it new for you?” She nodded and resumed playing.
Soon the lesson was coming near to the end, and Pete decided to duet with her as she’d asked. He sat on the stool with her, showed her the score, and started to play something he and Vicky regularly played. She soon joined him and kept up.
“Well, that’s the lesson over. Have you got any more with me, or will your next session be with Vicky?” He looked through the diary again.
“I’m booked in for an hour on Friday…could you maybe give me an extra lesson Saturday, too? It’s my exam next week and I want to get as much practice in as possible,” she asked subtlety, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
He wrote her name in the book for Saturday. “How about ten o’clock in the morning?”
“That’s perfect. Two hours, okay? Mom will pay extra as it’s a weekend. I’ve enjoyed today. It’s been a nice change. I’d better go—my mom will be here to pick me up. I’ll see you on Friday, Peter. Bye.”
She ran down the stairs and met her mom who was waiting in the bar. “I’ve booked another lesson with him, Mom. You don’t mind? I said you’d pay him more with it being an extra session. He’s good. I wonder if he gives lessons permanently. I’d love to swap teachers. He’s cute.”
“You’re dressed a little differently today and why the makeup?” her mom questioned her.
“Well today was different. I thought a male teacher would go easier on me, and looking good always helps when there’s a man involved. You taught me that, Mom, It works with dad.”
Micky was sitting nearby with Tina, one of the bar staff who had brought her daughter Daisy in for her piano lesson and they were having a drink while they waited. He watched Susan and her mom leave. “Come on, Daisy. Let’s go find Peter. Can I listen to you play? I’ve heard you’re really good.”
She went into the living room and sat straight on the piano stool and introduced herself to Pete, saying she’d promised Micky could stay and watch them. She started to play chopsticks straight away, going straight into some nursery rhymes.
“Vicky said Daisy was good for her age, and she’s outgoing too,” Pete commented.
“Her mom’s Tina, who works behind the bar. She’s helping Mike downstairs in the stockroom. Daisy and I here are friends now—she wants me to teach her the drums, too, don’t you?”
She nodded eagerly at Micky with a huge smile on her face. “Yes, please. Mom says I can learn them, but she won’t buy me a drum-kit.”
“They are a bit noisy though, but when you’ve finished here you can have a go on my kit that’s down on the stage.” Micky stayed until the hour was up and disappeared with Daisy afterward. He took her downstairs to wait for her dad to pick her up, and then went off to pick up Gemma and collect the food they’d made for the evening.
Pete had one more lesson to do. It was with Ben, a boy from the school earlier. Mike came up after the boy had left and Pete was making himself a sandwich in the kitchen. “It’s twenty past seven. Thought I’d spend some time with you before the gig.”
“Okay, I’m gonna grab a shower and get changed too. It’s been a busy day. How’s your day been? We haven’t had much time to talk. Did Davy get off okay?”
“Yeah, I hope things aren’t too bad for him over there. He’s gonna call us if he can, but like you, I’ve been busy. We got four bands coming to audition tomorrow. You gonna be able to listen to them with us, make a decision together?” They both went and sat down in the living room.
“I doubt it. The school want me in at half-eight in the morning. There’s an assembly and I’m needed to play the piano. Mrs. Young wants to go over the music with me. I finish at one, then I’m going straight to the hotel. I finish there at six. I’ll be home about half past.” He checked the diary. “There’re no private lessons tomorrow, though.”
“You might be in time to catch the end of the last band. I’ve got a busy day too. Those judges could turn up any time. I need to be down there and and keep on top of things.”
When Pete went into the shower, Mike went down and helped Micky and Gemma serve the food. He then started a set list, realizing he needed to change things around with Davy not being there. He decided on added a few songs he sang, so Micky could have a few breaks.
Soon they were on stage as a trio. It felt old, with one member missing. Mike sang Papa Gene’s Blues, What am I Doin’ Hangin’ Round?, You Just May be the One, and Sweet Young Thing. Micky did the usual crowd-pleaser songs like I’m a Believer and Stepping Stone.
The crowd still enjoyed them as usual. They were up and dancing, having a good time. Mike felt relaxed on stage doing what he did best.
He sang a few more songs in the second set. The Kind of Girl I could Love, Sunny Girlfriend, and You Told Me, quite a lot more than he usually did. They ended with Micky singing Let’s Dance On and Words with Pete.
Gemma was there to hug Micky when he came off stage. “You did brilliantly. Micky, you did too. Mike, great songs—you were getting some attention from the girls over there.” She looked at Mike and tilted her head to make him aware of four girls at a nearby table.
They’d made a good profit with the food, but Micky told Mike he had a few plans for tomorrow as he knew that was normally a slow night at the club. He wanted to try something new. Mike was needed to finish off a few things and he helped serve behind the bar.
Once he’d finished, he went upstairs to find Pete in the bedroom reading. He’d brought up some food, which he told Pete he was gonna reheat. He came back and found Pete already fast asleep.
He decided to let him sleep. They’d both had a long day. He ate some of the supper, then joined Pete in bed, cuddling up to him. He needed to relax, but his mind was racing. What on earth’s Micky planning for tomorrow? Should I be worried? He looked at his watch—it was after one o’clock and he needed to be up early.
He soon fell asleep, dreaming about what the next day would bring and glad the first day was over.