chapter 69
Cody woke up at his house in Gainesville still reeling from the night before. His father had been living off the money he was earning. His mother let him back in her life, her house and presumably, her bed.
After everything his dad had done.
Cody was angry beyond words. He was livid. He picked up the phone to call Dana. He didn’t get a chance to phone her last night because he got home too late. He hoped she wasn’t mad. He really needed her right now.
He dialed her at home and got her answering machine. Disappointed, he left a message, then tried her at work. Again, he got her machine.
“Oh, Dana...where are you?” he muttered.
Cody felt completely alone and again it was because of his father. He plodded out of bed and into the kitchen. Bobby and Harper were gathered around the kitchen table, eating cereal, talking in low voices.
“Hey...Cody Blue, welcome back,” Bobby said with a wave.
“Good to see you man,” he said shaking his hand.
“You too, buddy.” Harper stuck his hand out.
“It’s good to be home,” Cody said, and it was. He was in the house he’d really grown up in – the house from his college years – with the only real family he had ever known. The band decided to stay living together in their house in Gainesville until they really hit it big. The money they’d received so far they were saving. They didn’t want to buy an okay house when their rock star mansion was only a top ten song away.
Cody took a bowl from the cupboard and poured himself some cereal to join the group.
“So what have I missed? How were your days off?”
“Relaxing.”
“Interesting. And yours?”
“Incredible,” Cody said with a smile, thinking of Dana.
Bobby caught his grin. “So things are good with the deejay.”
“You could say that.”
“I’m happy for you man,” Harper said, “and jealous. But seriously, it’s good to see one of us in a good relationship.” He stopped eating. “Have you talked to Alex, yet?”
Cody spooned a bowl of sweet flakes into his mouth. “No, what’s up with him?”
Bobby and Harper exchanged knowing glances.
“What’s up?” Cody repeated.
Bobby started, “Alex is marrying Kylie.”
“What?”
“And he’s quitting the band.”
Cody dropped his spoon in his cereal. Milk and flakes flew everywhere. “What?!?”
“Seems on his short little break he met Kylie’s dad, the preacher, and found religion.”
“Where’d he find it, under the couch?”
Bobby and Harper laughed. “No man,” Bobby continued, “her dad had some big talk with him and he decided to become a religious man and marry Kylie and raise a family.”
“Okay...I can see that, but what about the band?”
“Devil music.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
They grew somber. The normally quiet Harper spoke up. “Naw, dude, it’s true. Bobby and I were just talking about what we’re gonna do.”
Cody breathed heavily. Everything was changing. Again. “Find a new guitar player?”
“Yeah...we gotta talk to Eric. I don’t know, without Alex it’s not gonna be the same. We were the original three.” Harper put down his spoon.
“So?” Cody said incredulously. Success was so close...they couldn’t give up now.
“The party’s over guys. It was a good ride though,” Bobby resigned.
“It’s not over,” Cody said adamantly, “not by a long shot.” He got up from the table and pushed his chair in anger against the table.
He went to his room and grabbed his suitcase. Fortunately he had not unpacked so leaving was easy. He threw a few items into his bag. Bobby followed him.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“What does it look like? I’m leaving.” The past two days were too much. He needed time and space.
“I know you’re disappointed but, c’mon man, don’t do something so rash.”
Cody zipped up his suitcase. “I’m not. Alex had his flip out...this is mine.” He began walking to the front door.
“Where are you going?” Bobby asked.
“Home,” Cody said. “I’m going home.”
*
Three hours later Cody was cruising down the highway to Dana. She was his home.
It was hard to process the past two days. His mother had been lying to him and his band was breaking up. The people the closest to him had disappointed him the most. He stepped on the gas thinking about it, trying to put as many miles between his past and his future as possible.
Cody picked up his cell phone and tried calling Dana again. There was still no answer at home or at work. He called the station back and asked to speak with Sharon.
“Hi, promotions, this is Sharon.”
“Hey, Sharon, it’s Cody.”
She brightened. “Cody...what’s up? It was so much fun this weekend.”
“It was. It was. Hey, maybe you can help me out. I’m trying to reach Dana, have you seen her today?”
“No, not yet, but I have to tell you that was really cool what you did for her when she got back.”
“The flowers?” Cody asked.
“No, silly, the limousine. She was so impressed.”
“What limousine?”
“The limo you sent to take her home from the airport. Very rock star.”
“Sharon, I didn’t send her a limo,” Cody said, suddenly scared.
“You didn’t? Then who did?”
“Who the hell did Dana go with, Sharon?”
“Oh God, what are you thinking...?”
“Sharon, I think you need to try to find her. See if anyone’s seen her...isn’t that guy Jonny staying with her?”
“Yeah.”
“Call him now. I’ll hold the line. See if she came home last night.”
“Okay,” Sharon said, suddenly panicked. She put Cody on hold and buzzed Jonny.
“Jonny Rock.”
“Jonny, it’s Sharon.”
Again she was calling. “Sharon, look I told you I’d do the remote...”
“No, no, that’s not why I’m calling. Are you sure Dana didn’t come home last night?”
He thought of her perfectly made bed, no suitcases and then to his promise to try her cell. In all his personal turmoil, he’d forgotten. “Sharon...I don’t think she did. Why?”
“I have Cody on the line looking for her...he never sent her the limo I saw her get into yesterday.”
Jonny flew forward in his chair. “What?”
“Hold on let me tell Cody.”
“I’m coming down to your office,” Jonny said, then hung up and raced downstairs.
“Cody, Jonny said Dana never came home last night.”
Cody’s blood ran cold. “Call the police. I’m on my way.”