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Authors: Erik Schubach

London Harmony: Small Fry

BOOK: London Harmony: Small Fry
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London Harmony: Small Fry

By Erik Schubach

Copyright © 2015 by Erik Schubach

Self publishing

 

P.O. Box 523

Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026

Cover Photo © 2015 Yurka Immortal / Kiselev Andrey Valerevich / ShutterStock.com license

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties.  Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, blog, or broadcast.

 

This is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

 

Manufactured in the United States of America

 

FIRST EDITION

 

ISBN 978-0-9966241-1-4

 

Chapter 1 - Wedding

I still couldn't believe it, I was vibrating with so much excited energy, I wondered if I could phase the walls like Kitty Pryde.  My sister, Vanessa, was finally getting married!  It was the first of June, a time of renewal for my sister-in-law to be.  It was all kinds of feng shui that her name was also June.

I thought this day would never come. Hell, just a few short years ago, I wasn't even sure I'd even make it to adulthood without Vannie ending up in some mental institute somewhere, and me having a nervous breakdown when they took me from her to put me back into the foster system.  We were living on the streets and Vanessa was off her anti-psychotics.  We could barely afford food, let alone meds.

Then along came June, our miracle in so many ways.  She had been searching for Vannie's alter ego, a DJ, who goes by Scratch in the New York underground music scene.  Instead, she found my sister on the verge of another psychotic break, and her little sister, living in an abandoned auto shop in New York City.

I sometimes wonder if June herself isn't a little mental.  I swear to god the woman didn't seem to think anything of my sister's erratic behavior, any more than she would take note of what color someone's shoe soles were.  June didn't care about her problems, she only cared about the person she saw beneath them.  She saved us.  Got Vannie to get help in a special mental health program, and just about adopted me.  She became my legal guardian while Vannie got back on her meds and went through recovery.

June is my hero, and I'll do her proud if it's the last thing I do.  She showed me so many wonders in this world that I had only been privy to in my consumption of just about any book I could get my hands on.

She accomplished her original goal of hiring 'Scratch' to be her talent scout for the record label she was starting in England called London Harmony.  Then she spirited me away to London to help set up the shop as we waited for my sister to join us.

The two of them spent years just teasing each other as they built the most successful, invitation only, record label on the planet.  They were the cutest couple who weren't a couple.  Until they couldn't stop pretending anymore and Vannie admitted, they were girlfriends.  Shortly after they were engaged.

We had a bad scare a couple month back when Vannie had a break.  Her meds weren't in balance, but the music she says she sees in June's eyes kept her grounded enough over the last few weeks for the new meds the docs prescribed to do their thing.

I don't know why I'm babbling, maybe it's because I'm bouncing off the walls.  If you know us, then this is all old news.  I was Vannie's Maid of Honor... oh and June's too.

I almost laughed, looking at the small room in the tiny chapel in Sussex.  June and Vannie agreed to run away and elope, rather than have some high profile wedding that had more media at it than loved ones.  That is what would have happened; see, June is not just my almost sister, but she's also that emotional rock sensation, J8.  Her mother is none other than rock legend Many Fay Harris. So it would have been a circus.

They 'had' planned to elope with Zilrita Marx and me for the witnesses for the marriage license.  Zil is the cool, goth, business manager for London Harmony and one of our best friends ever.

I pushed through the crowd to the restrooms that had been commandeered by the two brides to be and giggled to myself.  When we arrived at the secluded little wedding chapel, we found out that it wasn't going to be as simple as that.

June's entire family had been waiting for us, even June's other mother, Congresswoman Anabella West had made it.  The extended clan would have been bad enough, but June's close-knit group of friends from college, June's Eight, who had actual urban legends about their misadventures, had shown.  Zilrita was part of that pack.

Then just about every artist that London Harmony had signed, and the staff of London Harmony too.  Not to mention some of our bizarre extended family here in England, like that giant huggable man, Bear.  It was standing room only, as we had almost seventy people stuffed into the twenty-seat chapel.  It was a veritable who's who in the London music scene.  Best elopement ever!

“Ack!”  I heard June blurt from the bathroom, then “Lizzy!”

Elizabeth, June's adopted sister, was all grins as the six foot two statuesque Amazon stepped over and comically disengaged her baby, Fay, into my arms.  I couldn't believe the squirmy little girl was already one-year-old, and toddling around on two feet like a holy terror.  Liz looked down from her impressive height and gave me a silly grin.  I grinned back as she entered to see what the latest emergency was.  I swallowed, June's sister was hot!

It took a lot to derail the unstoppable June Harris-West, but this wedding was one of the things that could do it.  She was a nervous wreck and getting her sister, or her mothers into the room as she got ready, every couple minutes.

I blinked my way out of my thoughts as Fay jammed a couple of fingers up one of my nostrils.  I looked down at the silly girl and made a fool of myself making baby faces and sounds for her.  Her smile was delightful.

I wish I could say my sister was more composed but... “Fran!”  Oh I guess I should have started with my name, I'm Francine Brighton, but everyone just calls me Small Fry.  I grinned at the Goth, who was having a giggle fit over the two ladies antics. She held out her hands and wiggled her fingers eagerly, and I passed the football to her care.  The baby was treated to one of Zil's patented squid hugs as I stepped into the restroom.

I couldn't stop my smile.  It was so rare to see my sister dressed in, well, a dress.  She usually dressed casually in t-shirts and jeans and wore men's oversize black hoodies.  When she dressed more femininely, she looked spectacular.  I was sort of happy that we have a strong family resemblance, it helped anytime I was feeling self-conscious about my looks.

I asked in an overly dramatic voice, “Yes, oh sister of mine?”

She looked down at the white sundress that cast a glow of innocence around her.  “Is this dress really okay?  We could postpone this until I can get the other one from home messengered over.”

I stepped up to her and reached out and grabbed her hand and placed it on my shoulder.  An old habit, it was what I had always done to ensure to her that I was really there, when she was off her meds in New York, all those years ago.  Some habits are good to keep.  Then I hugged her and stepped back with her still grabbing my shoulder.  I felt her squeeze it and tried not to show the sadness in my heart, because she was checking, which told me she wasn't feeling sure of herself.

I tilted my head. “Sis, you look beautiful.”  Then I shifted my head toward the wall shared by the two washrooms. “That woman in there loves you and she couldn't care less what you are wearing, you could take your vows naked and she couldn't care less.”   Then I smirked. “She'd probably prefer that.”

Vannie's eyes sparkled with mischief as she slapped my shoulder lightly.  “Fran!  A kid shouldn't talk like that.”

I rolled my eyes.  “Van, I'm eighteen and going to college in September.  I hardly think I'm a kid anymore.”

She looked at me and checked my shoulder again then said, “You're always going to be my baby sis.”

I looked at my cell and then her.  “Ten minutes.  I'll go run interference.  I love you.”

She smiled and took a deep breath then nodded once. “Love you too.”  I left the restroom with a smile, that was the most she has spoken in a while.  My sister has never been the loquacious sort, less is more in her opinion.  I'm wondering if it is the new drug regimen the docs have her on, they aren't supposed to be as depressant as the last ones.

As I shut the door behind me, Elizabeth was closing the other door.  We grinned at each other and I said, “Dress.”

She nodded and replied, “Shoes.”  We shared a chuckle and she looked at me and squinted an eye. “I  have this nagging feeling that I might have handed something to you earlier.”

I just said, “Zil.”  And we looked around until we saw her in her black studded leather dress.  She gave us a silly grin and wiggled her hands in an 'all gone' gesture.

We looked at each other and I blurted out, “Mandy!” at the same time she said, “Mom!”

We went in search of the giggling terror.  Sure enough Mandy and Anabella were monopolizing the baby with Sir Percival, Abigail Addison's seeing eye dog.  Ana looked up at us and squinted an eye in warning and signed with a free hand, “Don't you dare.”

Liz signed back comically, “Fine.”  Then she looked at me and said and signed, “Let's get back to guard duty, I won't be able to pry Fay from their talons.”  This got the ringing chimes of laughter from Ana which I think her daughter was aiming for.

I said and signed back, “Okay.”  Whenever we were within sight of Anabella, we made a habit of signing in case she couldn't read our lips.  That was one of the things that amazed me about their family.  Because of Anabella being deaf, they always make sure to include everyone in a conversation.  Any public appearances any of them attends, they always sign as well, in case a hard of hearing person is in the crowd or the event is televised.

We got back to our sentry posts and just marveled at the people in attendance.  Liz knocked twice on the door and I followed suit.  Five-minute warning.  The pastor, vicar, rector, priest, parson, deacon, or whatever she was, cleared her throat.  It came across the speakers in the room from the little clip on microphone she had on her ear.

Everyone quieted down and the ones who could sit sat.  There was a chuckle that rolled through the crowd like a wave, when Fay giggled brightly at the sudden silence.  Liz stepped away from the door and stood off to the side from the preacher lady and signed as the woman said, “We are about to begin.  Everyone, please rise.”

The organ music started, and I grinned at the old man who sat at the tiny pipe organ.  He looked to be in his early seventies like the pastor.  I had and inkling they may be husband and wife since all the pictures of the hundreds of weddings they performed over the decades were hanging on the walls, and both of them were always in the photos.  They were quite a striking couple when they were younger.

When they were looking for a private chapel, I had shared with them that I had read somewhere about this one in Essex, which had performed the first, same-sex marriage, in the country.  My sister mumbled a single word, “Symmetry.”  Which was like an entire conversation between her and June, so this was the place they chose.

I looked from side to side as June and Vanessa, with equally shy looks on their faces came out of the restrooms.  I offered my elbows to each of the women and they glanced up at each other and you could feel the electricity arcing between them.  They each took an arm and June whispered, “Thanks for this Small Fry.”

I scrunched my nose and whispered back, “Of course J-Dub, there is no place I would rather be on such an auspicious occasion.”

June suppressed a chuckle and murmured our familiar banter,  “A little young to be using big words like that.”  For some reason, it felt like family every time she did that.  I love words.  You can do anything with words.  You can convey thoughts, ideas, and most importantly, emotions with words.  You can show your heart with but a few words.  So I have always delved into reading and understanding words, even when I was young.

I huffed and whispered back with a smile, “Bite me.  I go off to college in a few weeks 'sis'.  Would you prefer joyous, inspirational, favorable, approbatory?”

She grinned back and said as I walked them both toward the clergywoman, “Okay thesaurus butt.”

Vanny cleared her throat quietly and whispered, “Do you two mind?  I think I'm getting married here.”

We grinned at her as they let go of my arms and I leaned over and kissed Vanessa's cheek and whispered, “You go get her.”  Then I winked at JW and stood off to the side.

The parson said, “Thank you all and thank you for coming to celebrate the union between June Harris-West, and Vanessa Brighton in the bonds of holy matrimony.  Now I can go on with the usual words spoken in a ceremony like this, but the only words that matter are the ones both spoken and unspoken between the two that stand before you today.  So the brides have chosen to read their own vows before you and the eyes of whatever god they worship.”

She smiled and looked at June.  My future sister-in-law took Vannie's hands and they touched foreheads, letting Vanessa see the music in her eyes.  Then she used the words in her heart, straight from her soul.  The emotion and truth behind her words were so profound, a conveying of emotion so deep they don't even have words for them, but most of all she spoke her love.  I was crying unchecked when she shrugged, and finished her vows with a tear in her own eye. “I'm yours Nessie.”

Vanessa cocked her head and just smiled at her.  The vicar cleared her throat and my sister broke eye contact with June.  Then she blinked at the clergywoman and gave a cheesy grin.  “Oh, yeah.  My turn.”  She looked at the packed room and said, “Ummm... what she said.”

A chuckle spread through the room and she looked back at June and her expression softened.  “I don't do a lot of talking.  I always figured actions spoke volumes, words only spoke concepts.  So all I can do is tell you that I promise to be by your side and support you, and always be there when you need me.  I could try to tell you how much I love you but again, I prefer actions, so instead I'll just spend the rest of my life showing you instead.”  She shrugged again.

BOOK: London Harmony: Small Fry
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