Chapter 9
(Beca & Chloe)
Chloe jumped as Beca slammed the door coming home from work. Setting her book aside, she stood to see what was wrong. Beca stomped into the living room, headed straight for the kitchen. The ginger stood still, waiting to see where her partner ended up. Beer in hand, she stormed back into the living room and threw herself into the armchair.
Sensing a hug wasn’t the way to go, Chloe sat back down on the couch. “Becs, what’s wrong?”
“They did it again! This is the third time I’ve recorded a demo of Emily’s music and they handed the song off to someone else to record.” She took a long drink from her beer. She was starting to wonder if someone somewhere had decided she would never get to record her friend’s work for some unknowable reason.
Chloe clenched her jaw. She had heard all three demos and knew they were objectively good music, even without her inherent bias. “That’s fucked up. Are they giving you reasons?”
“Just that they’re taking the song in a different direction.” Beca scrubbed her hand over her face and through her hair roughly. “I promised Emily her music would be treated right. But how can I make sure if they keep taking it from me?” She sighed heavily and leaned forward, her arms on her knees, beer dangling in one hand.
Now, Chloe moved closer, sitting on the arm of the chair and resting a hand on Beca’s back gently. “Babe, Emily isn’t going to hold it against you; she knows it’s out of your control.”
“I know, I just… I feel responsible. I got her in at the label; I feel like I should be looking out for her.”
Chloe stroked her hair. “That’s the big sister feeling kicking in again. Look, she’s already done some backup recordings, and these songs are getting recorded, even if they aren’t you. Emily has no grudge to hold. Have you talked to her today?”
Beca shook her head. “She was in the studio all day. Though they probably told her before she left.”
“Find her tomorrow. Make sure she understands. You’ll feel better if you hear it from her.” Beca nodded and leaned her head in Chloe’s lap, where the ginger softly ran her fingers through her hair.
After dinner, Beca was still feeling restless. “Chlo, would you come work with me a bit?”
Chloe looked surprised. This was a first. “I’ll absolutely sit with you, but I’m not sure what you’d want me to do.”
Beca took her hand. “I don’t want to think about work. Could you sing something for me to tinker with?”
Chloe squeezed her hand. “Yes, I can do that. Whatever you need, love.” They went into the guest room, to the desk that held Beca’s mixing equipment. They spent some time choosing a song, then ran through it several times. When they were happy with it, Beca recorded Chloe singing, listening with a smile. Chloe’s voice was the soundtrack of Beca’s adult life, and she never missed the chance to hear it.
The recording had taken longer than expected, so Beca saved the track and shut down for the night. As they changed for bed, Chloe came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. “You should let me work out some of that tension,” the ginger said quietly, kissing her bare shoulder.
Beca turned in her arms. “What did you have in mind, babe?” Neither had gotten further than undressing, and Beca grabbed Chloe’s hips and pulled her closer.
Chloe took Beca’s face in her hands and claimed a fierce, aggressive kiss. Beca leaned into it, raking her nails down her back, making her moan quietly into the kiss. Chloe stepped forward, forcing Beca back slowly to the bed. “Sit, love,” she instructed in a murmur. Beca obeyed, and Chloe leaned down to graze her teeth over one taut peak, eliciting a deep groan as Beca buried a hand in red hair. Capturing it in her teeth again, she flicked her tongue over the sensitive flesh, and Beca pulled her hair as she moaned.
Chloe collected another fiery kiss before she knelt down in front of her partner. With Beca’s hand still fisted in her hair, she quested with her tongue until Beca gasped, then voiced a long, low groan. Circling gently, Chloe slid her fingers inside her partner. Beca gripped her hair harder as her breath caught. “Jesus Christ, Chlo…” she breathed as she lifted her hips to meet each strong, slow thrust. Soon, she gave a ragged cry and laid back, Chloe climbing in next to her to hold her as she trembled.
The ginger kissed her forehead. “Less tense?”
Beca chuckled breathlessly. “Mission accomplished.
***
The next morning, Beca got to work early so she could catch Emily in the parking lot. She pulled the tall songwriter away from the front door so they could talk. “Look, I wanted to make sure you know I have nothing to do with them taking your music from me. I want to work with you, and I don’t know what their issue is.”
“Beca, it’s okay. I’ve heard the demos; it’s not like you’re holding back on them. They sound fantastic.”
“I know. But I promised…”
Emily put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s fine, really. One of these days, we’ll be what they’re listening for and it’ll happen. I have no real complaints about working here.”
Beca nodded. “Okay. Just don’t give up, because I won’t.”
Emily hugged her friend. “I’m not giving up, don’t worry. But I do have a rehearsal in a few minutes. We’ll talk soon.” Beca nodded and watched her hurry inside. At least one of them was busy.
She took out her phone and texted Chloe. “Talked to Em. All good. You were right.” Putting the phone away, she headed inside, rather slower than Emily had.
By the time she got to her office, she’d had it. She called Theo and told him to get there. To his credit, he was winded when he arrived some five minutes later. “So, where are we on finding me material to record? That’s what I’m here to do, isn’t it?”
“Yes, of course. We’re trying to find songs worth your talent…”
“Bullshit. I’ve given you demos so good, they could be singles. I want substantial options for immediate recording by the end of the day.” She gestured his dismissal before sitting. She didn’t like to be a tyrant, but it felt like someone was deliberately holding her back, and she was tired of it.
At lunch, she called Chloe and told her what had happened. “Good!” the ginger asserted vehemently. “I don’t usually go for conspiracies, but it definitely is starting to sound deliberate. Any idea why?”
“Not a clue, but I’ve had it.” She clenched the fork in her hand till the metal hurt her hand. There was a knock at her door. “Chlo, hold on. Come in.” It was Theo with a stack of papers. “Babe, I have to go. See you at home. Love you.” She hung up and set her fork aside. “You need something?”
Theo walked to the desk and placed the papers next to her salad; it looked to be sheet music. “Apparently, all of these were supposed to come to you for consideration, but someone in the mail room didn’t know where to send it. So, he just kept a stack instead of asking. So, here are all the viable options from the stack, the rest of which you’ll have tomorrow.”
Beca picked up the papers. “I’ll look through these. Are there any recordings to go with them?”
“No, but you can get a group together to work with you. Or just someone to give you an idea of what they sound like.”
“Good. I’ll do that. Thank you, Theo.” When he left, she sent Emily a text. “Are you free?”
“Yeah, just finished. What’s up?”
“Music! Where can I find you?” Emily gave her an office number several floors down. She packed up the music in her bag and headed out to find Emily’s office.
In Emily’s small office, half occupied by the piano and guitar, Beca handed over the stack of sheet music and explained Theo’s story. “Think you can play the basics for me?”
“Absolutely. Let me see what we have.” The songwriter divided the music according to which instrument she would use. She took the stack of guitar music and put in on a stand as she picked up her guitar. “How do you want it?”
“Melody first. I’ll read over your shoulder.” Together, they worked through several songs, a few of which Beca took out of the stack entirely. They went back over a couple in greater detail, both taking notes as they went. By 5, Emily needed a break on top of needing to go home. Aubrey was coming into the city that night, and they had standing Friday night plans.
When she got home, Beca felt better than she had in a while. She was finally moving forward, and she couldn’t wait to tell Chloe. The redhead was thrilled to hear, and doubly glad it hadn’t been something more sinister. “Are they any good?”
Beca told her about the afternoon working with Emily. “A few just don’t work for me, but a few have potential. We’re nowhere near done with what I got today.”
Chloe threw her arms around her partner. “I’m so happy for you, Becs. I was worried this morning about how the day would go. But I’m glad you lit a fire under Theo’s ass.”
Beca chuckled. “I felt bad tearing into him, but goddamn. At least it worked.” She sat on the couch and drew Chloe down into her lap. “I finally feel productive, babe. It’s like I’ve just been hanging out all this time. Now I can actually do what I’m there to do.”
Chloe kissed her forehead. What had just started to bother Beca had been annoying her for months. She was glad it was just a mailroom fuck up, though. And perhaps if Beca used Emily on the demos, they would let Beca record some of Emily’s music. “I’m just happy to see you happy, love.”
***
The next day, they met up with Emily and Aubrey for lunch to finalize their Thanksgiving plans. While Chloe and Aubrey coordinated food, Beca and Emily divided up the other work between them, from setting the table to leftovers to dishes. Emily agreed to play some music, but Aubrey insisted she not be the only entertainment.
When their plans were nailed down, they relaxed to catch up. Beca and Emily tripped over each other with work stories, which had their partners laughing. Chloe loved seeing her best friend at ease and relaxed with Emily, holding hands and leaning on each other at points. Aubrey was more laid back than the ginger had ever seen her; Emily was doing good things for her.
When they all headed home, Chloe hummed to herself as she went about the laundry, as she did most Saturdays. She paused as she heard a loud thump, then went running when she heard Beca’s shouted, “Goddammit!”
She found Beca on the floor next to the coffee table, her hand clamped tight to her head above her eyebrow. “Becs! Are you okay? What happened?” She knelt next to her partner. “Let me see,” she said, tugging on her wrist. Under the hand was a rapidly swelling bump topped by a small cut. “What happened?” she repeated.
“I tripped, fell, and caught my head on the corner of the coffee table,” Beca grumbled, flinching away as Chloe probed the bump.
“Alright, let’s get up and sit and I’ll clean that cut and get some ice.” Chloe stood and helped Beca get onto the couch. She made a trip to the bathroom for bacitracin and a bandage, then to the kitchen for a bag of ice and a towel. Back in the living room, she treated the cut and had Beca lay down with the ice on a towel over the bump.
Beca reached for Chloe’s hand. The ginger sat next to her on the couch. “Don’t go, yet,” Beca said quietly.
Chloe laced their fingers. “I’m right here as long as you want, Becs.” She leaned down to kiss the other side of her forehead. “Are you dizzy?”
“I don’t think so. I’d rather stay still than find out, though. It fucking hurts.”
“I know, love. Do you want Advil for it?”
Beca sighed. “Yeah, I guess. Thanks, Chlo.” Chloe kissed her hand and fetched the pills and a glass of water before resuming her seat. The timer on the dryer went off, and Beca tried to sit up. Chloe pushed her shoulders back down gently.
“No way, Becs. I know you wanna help, but you hit your head pretty bad. The laundry can wait.” Beca sighed, but nodded her concession. She hated feeling like a burden, but she really didn’t want to be alone at the moment. She wrestled internally with whether or not to keep Chloe with her in the living room.
Choe could see the emotions warring in her partner’s eyes. “Babe, it’s fine. Please don’t beat yourself up over it.” She kissed her hand again. “I promise I don’t mind taking care of you.”
Beca looked up at her. “It’s fine. You can go fold. I’m good here.”
“Becs…”
“Really, I’m alright. You’ll come back when you’re done. Not like my head will be better by then anyway.”
Chloe deflated. “Okay. I’ll go. Yell if you need anything.” Standing, she made her way to the laundry, then to the bedroom to fold. She tried to concentrate on the familiar task instead of the unfamiliar feeling of Beca pushing her away. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d said or done something to cause it.
Beca tossed the melting ice on the coffee table and rolled on her side. The minute Chloe had walked away, she knew she had fucked up. She fought with what to do about it, until, frustrated with herself, she made herself get up and walk to the bedroom, where Chloe’s back was to the door as she put clothes in a drawer. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I didn’t mean to send you away like that. I wanted you with me but…”
“Wait, why are you up? You should have called for me.” The ginger rushed over to help her to the bed.
“Chlo, please. I had to say it…”
Chloe interrupted her with a soft kiss. “I thought I’d done something wrong but couldn’t figure out what. Babe, you come before chores. And I always want to be with you, especially if you’re hurt.” She rested her forehead against Beca’s.
“Forgive me?” Beca whispered.
“Always.”