The Second Song #1: Homecoming (5 page)

I introduced gran briefly to the reporters and they took her picture and asked her a few innocent questions about me as a child. They took pictures of gran and me weaving our baskets on the back porch, asking us about life in the bayou.

I went on to show them my high school and the place that sold the baskets gran and I made. I took them on a tour of the swamps and all my old haunts, steering clear of Avery’s house. I explained how much I loved the simple beauty of my home and how I never wanted to be responsible for changing it in any way.

They asked me about Avery, and I told them the simple version of our childhood romance. I introduced him, talked about his successful career and I explained that our current relationship was off limits and that Silas and I had always been great friends, but we both had known it was never going to be a long-term relationship. It was a good interview, probably the best most honest interview I’d ever given.

"You’ve given us more than we could ever ask for Elise," she said, squeezing my hand in a friendly gesture. "I think we can safely say the world might understand you a little better when this airs."

"Yeah, and it’ll be a miracle if my managers don’t murder me on the spot." I laughed as I walked her out.

The next day they were all gone and Avery and I spent a blissful week together.

Then the interview aired. It was good. No one had resorted to sneaky editing tricks to portray some dark horrible secret they’d fabricated just to make it more exciting. It was simple and honest. It showed Elise Leroux the adult. I liked it.

Max called two seconds after it ended. I couldn’t have expected any less of him, but he was furious. I’d never heard him so angry. I hung up on him. In two months, he’d cool down and forgive me. What choice did he have?

"I
love you Lise," Avery whispered as he moved inside me. "I’ve always loved you, every day of my whole life." He gazed deep into my eyes and I could see it all so clearly. We’d been so stupid and stubborn all these years we could have been together, loving each other like this.

I reached to stroke his face, my body moving with his where we lay in front of the fireplace in the living room.

"I love you Ave. So much it hurts to breathe when you’re not around."

"I’m here
cher
, I will always be here, even when life comes back and we have to part, it will never be like it was before."

"Oh Avery," I gasped as he began to move, thrusting harder and deeper.

"You are
mine
Elise Leroux, you’ve always been mine and you will always be mine,
mon cher
."

I arched my back as he drove into me with each declaration; my nails scrapping down his back, as our lips met in a searing hot kiss.

"Elise you have some explaining to do!" The door crashed open and Max Clark and half a dozen other familiar faces swarmed into the room.

"Max!" I screeched as Avery moved to cover us with the blanket.

"GET OUT! Every last one of you just get out!" I cried, furious that they dared barge into Avery’s home like that.

"Get dressed Elise, we’re leaving." Max insisted.

"No, I’m not a child you can order around anymore, and you have no right - this is Avery’s
home
!

"It’s alright,
cher,
" Avery said softly, leaving the security of our blanket to confidently walk across the room to his traveling gear, heedless of the fact that he was naked in front of a group of complete strangers.

"Max you’re angry about the interview, but we can talk about this another time. You can’t just come barging in like this."

"I can and I will, Elise. You’ve crossed the line this time! Do you know what crazy ridiculous stories are flying back home in the real world?"

"I don’t care,
this
is the real world Max, and not that circus you call my life."

"Get out!" Avery said in a cold, harsh voice I hardly recognized. "Get out of my house right now." He turned, pointing a wicked looking blade at Max and his entourage. "Stop harassing the woman I love, and should you wish to speak with her, call like a civilized human being to make sure we are in a position to receive guests."

"Now son, calm down," Max frowned at the huge knife in Avery’s hand. "No need to go all Cajun-swamp crazy on us."

"Did he seriously just say that to me, Lise?" He turned to me with amusement in his eyes.

"I’m sure you wrestle alligators with that thing, and we’re all sufficiently impressed, but this isn’t necessary. We’ll just take Elise and go."

"
Cher,
go get dressed." Avery sighed. "I’ll handle this."

I ran up the stairs, but I could still hear their conversation.

"I am a well-educated man, Mr. Clark. I am a very successful photojournalist in high demand, and the work I do is sometimes dangerous. The knife is for protection when I’m away. I had to use it against a member of the Argentinean drug cartel not too long ago and I’m not afraid to use it now. You’ve broken into my home, interrupted Elise and I during a very private moment, and now you refuse to leave and you think I’m going to
let
you take her?"

Listen son, I’m sorry for the insults, that was unnecessarily rude," Max countered, "but we really need to get Elise out of here and do some damage control from that crazy interview."

"She was honest about who she is, how can anyone not see that?" Avery snapped. "We’re done here Max. You can leave like I’ve asked, or I will make you leave. The choice is yours."

"Elise! This isn’t over!" Max called.

"It is for today!" I said as I came back downstairs, handing Avery his jeans. "Go back to town, get a room and call me tomorrow and I might agree to talk. But don’t you
ever
step foot in this house again without express written permission. Avery is off limits! You hear me Max?"

"Fine, meet me tomorrow in town at nine."

"Fine, but you’re all leaving Avery Island when we’re done!" I slammed to door in his face.

"The rumors are flying Elise." Max sighed. "They’re talking about how you’ve been cheating on Silas for years with this Swamp Boy - their words, not mine," he clarified. "They’re saying you’re a product of incest between your mother and her brother. It’s ridiculous, I know." He held his hand up to stem my outrage.

"Momma didn’t even
have
a brother! My daddy was her high school sweetheart. He died during a bad storm when she was just a few months along with me. A tree fell on him when he was trying to secure the windows before the storm hit, and he didn’t make it. It was all in the interview, Max - didn’t you watch it?"

"Of course, and I know it was all honest and a true representation of you, but back home everyone’s calling it a PR stunt. No one believes you’re this back-woods beauty with the sweet love story."

"Well, I don’t care what they believe. I did the interview to get rid of the reporters who were scarin’ my gran half to death. It worked, they all left town."

"More will come, Elise. You know that."

"I know." I sighed. "Next time, I’ll deal with it better."

"I think it’s best if you come home to L.A. for the rest of the summer so I can keep an eye on you."

"Max, I’m a grown woman; I don’t need to be supervised. There is no way in hell I’m leaving right now."

"I had to beg you to come here and now you’ve got me begging you to leave. Sounds like a stubborn child to me."

"I’ve been writing songs Max. Good ones. I’m happy here and I just want the remaining two months to finish working’ on this album."

"Elise, you leave the song writing to the professionals and let me worry about the content of your next album. I’ve purchased the rights to a dozen songs I think you’ll like. They’re not too out there, but the music is a little edgier."

"It’s not enough Max. I won’t do another pop album." I shook my head stubbornly.

"You will do it because your contract with the label says you’ll do it! Now enough of this Elise, it’s time to get your head out of the clouds and accept what is. You’re a pop star and you’re never going to make the crossover into another genre of music. You’ve got a few years left at best and you need to make the most of them!"

"And when I’m too old to be a pop star. What then Max?" I snapped.

"You come back home to your swamp and marry that boy you love and live happily ever after."

"And my music? When do I get to play
my
music Max?"

"Elise, you have a great voice, you have the face and the body this industry loves, but you don’t have the skills for anything else," he said harshly.

"You let me play my new songs and then you say that to me again."

"Elise, we don’t have time for your childish temper tantrums. You come back to L.A. and do your next album like the label wants and they might not sue you for breach of contract."

"They can’t sue me because I don’t want to sing their music," I said, completely aware of how naive I sounded as soon as I said it.

"They will take everything you have, it just isn't possible."

"I’ll make you a deal, but you have to promise me a few things," I finally said when I knew I’d never get him to listen otherwise.

"Make your points." He sighed wearily.

"I will come back to L.A. and record the next album and I will go on tour and dance as I am obligated to do."

"And what part of my soul will I have to sell to get your cooperation?"

"You leave me and Avery alone for these next two months. Take the entourage back to L.A. and keep the press off my back."

"And?"

"Avery is now and will forever be, off limits and none of your business."

"And?"

"I want a shorter tour this time - no more performing all across the world ten months out of the year."

"And?"

"When I’ve finished the pop album, you’ll listen to my new songs and consider making a slow progressive change to the kind of music that defines Elise Leroux. After my contract is up that's my pop career over. At least there will be something for me to transition to."

"If I agree, I have some demands of my own."

"Name your points." I sighed, hating this stupid game of negotiation.

"No complaining. If I agree to this, I don’t want to hear your constant diatribe, criticizing every decision I make for you."

"If you will consider allowing me to be a part of those decisions." I countered. "At least let me know when things about my life and career are being discussed."

"I also want you to publicly reunite with Silas. Your fans are collectively devastated over the breakup."

"No, that’s a deal breaker. I won’t do that to Avery. My love life is my business and no one else’s. I will still make a cameo in Silas’ next video like he asked, but I won’t perpetuate the illusion of our relationship."

"Will you perpetuate the illusion of your continued friendship?"

"That’s not an illusion. I will be happy to publicly continue our friendship."

"Will you go to the Teen People’s choice awards with him in a few months?"

"I will discuss it with Avery. If he would like to attend with me, I will bring him, not Silas, but maybe Silas could bring along a date and we can all go together."

"I can live with that."

"Do we have a deal?"

"I believe we do." He smiled. "It’s good to see you growing up Elise. I wish I could give you everything you want."

"I know you only want what you perceive is best for my career. I just wish you’d consider the possibility that
not
making a bazillion dollars an album wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen. If we only made a quarter of a bazillion dollars it might still be okay, by me anyway." I smiled fondly as I left him.

I wouldn’t tell Avery about the deal we’d made - not yet anyway. I didn’t want anything to spoil these next few months; it may be the only time we had left together. I wasn’t so sure we’d make it together in my world, despite my best intentions.

––––––––

End of Part One

Thank you for reading this story by Emily Stone. I hope that you loved

Avery and Elise as much as I do!

Read the series

Part 2
available now!

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C
ommon expressions you might hear in French Louisiana:

Bayou
a slow moving river or stream

Beignet
pronounced “bin-yey” sweet square-shaped doughnut sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Bon rien
a good for nothing or lazy man

Ça c'est bon
 (Sa say bohn): That's good.

Ça va
 (Sa va): That's enough.

Ca viens?
How is it coming?

Caimon
alligator

Cajun
pronounced "cay-jun" French-speaking people who migrated to Louisiana from Nova Scotia in the eighteenth century.

Capon
coward

C'est tout
 (Say too): That's all.

Cher
(Sha): a term of endearment for someone you’re fond of.

Crawfish
small freshwater crustaceans resembling lobsters

Creole
People of mixed French, Spanish, Indian or Negro blood

De'pouille
anything or anyone who is a mess

Down the Bayou
South

En bouts des dents
to eat something you find distasteful

Fais-do-do
 (Fay doe doe): A dance. Literally "go to sleep" - a phrase whispered by French-speaking Cajuns to their children so the parents could join in the dancing.

Gumbo
pronounced “gum-boe” A thick, soup based with a roux and sometimes thickened with okra or file.