The Unexpected Life of Carnegie Lane (15 page)

Another turning point a fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist directs you where to go

So make the best of this test and don’t ask why

It’s not a question but a lesson learned in time

It’s something unpredictable but in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life!

“
Time of your life”

Written by Billie Joe Armstrong

Greenday – Nimrod Album 1997

9

Carnegie
walked into her house and stood before the judicial panel that were waiting for answers.

“Where have you been mum?” Sienna asked with her hands on her hips. “I need my rice bubbles.” It was the best she could do. And she expected it to burn guilt into the absolute core of her mother’s soul.

“Get your own Sienna, rice bubbles and milk isn’t a complicated thing to do.” Carnegie had never told her to do that, ever. Now seemed like a perfect time for a change. Sienna said nothing, she was too shocked to even consider an answer.

“Mum… Where were you? I thought you were coming home last night.” Sobian asked as she doubled back to the kitchen and got her sister rice bubbles in a bowl.

“Sorry, I fell asleep.” Carnegie replied, as she walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on. Sobian looked at her out of the corner of her eye. Carnegie was vague in the way she matter of factly offered no answers or explanations. Other than to say what was clear to them all.

“Where? Is what we really want to know.” She walked over to the TV, and turned it on. The news of the day had begun, and one of the headlining stories was about Sheeva’s Disciples who had just arrived at Brisbane airport. The Bass player, Ryan, was being interviewed and attempting to dodge questions about the apparent ‘missing’ lead singer.

“Oh my god! Nate Bowman is missing!” The twins were mortified.

“He’s not missing.” Carnegie said defensively, then decided to shut up.

“He’s not on the plane, what if he was kidnapped by a crazy fan?” Sobian had a million stupid ideas brewing in her mind. Carnegie began to giggle. It was all too funny.

“Mum…where
were
you last night?” Olivia looked at her mother, she was unusually happy, strangely calm, and was giggling at seven in the morning.

“I just went to a friend’s place, that’s all. I fell asleep in the middle of Star Trek if you must know.”

“What friend? When did you make a friend here?” Olivia continued her questioning. This wasn’t normal behavior.

“A while ago, just get off it. Get dressed for school. You’re going even if you think you’re not.”

The news of the missing Nate Bowman continued.

“Do you still talk to him mum?” Sobian asked, genuinely hoping her mother could solve the mystery of her missing idol.

“Yep.” She said, yet offered nothing more.

“Then can you call him, and ask him where he is?” She said innocently.

“Nope.” Came the reply.

“Why not?”

“Cause…he’s not missing, he is exactly where he planned to be right now, and tomorrow night he will be performing at that concert.” Carnegie took her coffee then went and sat on the lounge. She watched with some interest the commotion at Brisbane airport, noting how tired those poor band members were, and how unavoidable the publicity was.

“Oh no! The concert! We never did get tickets did we?” Olivia said, feeling somewhat dejected.

“Yeah well, I still don’t want to go, what if one of those stupid girls says something to him about the email. I hate this place so much.” Sobian was starting her down in the dumps moment again. Carnegie decided to halt it, right then and there.

“You are going, we are all going. I think it’s time you had a little faith in your mother actually. As for those girls, if I hear them say anything, I’ll slog ‘em for ya!” She grinned, knowing full well that wouldn’t be necessary by the end of the night.

“Mum. You don’t understand. We told everyone that you were friends with him and now, we just look like idiots. I get that you talked to him once, maybe twice, but it’s because of his sister that you even know who he is, it’s not like your
friends
with Nate Bowman, like… dream on.” Sobian was so negative sometimes. Carnegie understood why though, it wasn’t like there had been much to hold onto lately.

The conversation was full of comedy to her. All she wanted to do was to tell those girls exactly what had happened. She knew she couldn’t. This surprise was turning out to be almost cruel.

Sienna broke the moment and allowed room to change the subject, getting the kids back on track to be ready for school was all she wanted to do.

“Mum... I got nits again.” She said scratching her head wildly.

“Since when?” Carnegie asked with frustration.

“I don’t know, I just found one… look!” She handed her mother a perfect specimen. “Biggen ain’t he!” She had a smile from ear to ear.

Carnegie just sighed.

“I’ll get some stuff today, whatever you do, don’t scratch your head at school and if you have to scratch, try to make it look like your thinking.” She grabbed a hair brush and brushed the untamed jungle of her daughters head.

Her own began to itch. She had found over time that her sudden itch at the mention of nits was psychosomatic. Time was getting away, she had 20 minutes to have those four kids perfect. Her headache was subsiding, although she was slightly absent, in a different way than she had been. The phone rang, she chose to ignore it, knowing the answering machine would pick it up. Connor was ready, Sienna was ready, the bigger girls were questionably ready, still dragging their heels as they did. Still wondering where their mother was, and with whom.

They could tell that whatever had happened last night had put her in a strangely interesting mood. They were also concerned about Nate Bowman, which was bound to be the topic of the day at school. They both knew that they would be wearing the brunt of the jokes as a result of it.

Their mother’s voice on the machine faded and beeped, allowing the message of whoever was calling to be heard. It was that moment that froze everyone in the house on the spot, totally unable to move.

“Hi Carnegie, it’s Nate, I didn’t even hear you leave this morning, I was so asleep. Thanks for a great night…I had a fantastic time. Call me, when you’re organized, we’ll try for a late breakfast and get some time in before the rest of the crew arrive what do you say? Well… later babe.” The beeping of the phone indicated the call was over. Other than the television, still speculating on where Nate Bowman might be, the house was silent.

Sobian and Olivia were wide eyed with their mouths hanging as if their bottom jaw was broken. Sienna and Connor really didn’t care and waltzed out the door, heading for the bus stop. It was only the intrigue of the accent that held their attention in the first place.

“You… were with Nate Bowman last night?” Sobian felt like her mother above all those girls, had just performed the greatest betrayal of them all.

“It’s not what you think…” She replied quickly.

“Then what am I thinking? Because there is something fundamentally wrong in you getting that message, and us having been the babysitters at the time.” Her hands were on her hips. Olivia was still stuck to the floor in the same position.

“Well, here is what I think. Go to school. And don’t say a word. Do you get that Sobian?” She had never heard her mother be so direct, not even when she was angry.

“I suppose.” She said, still wanting to know exactly what was going on.

“Olivia? Do you understand?” Carnegie needed a promise from both of them.

“Wow… what’s he like mum? Wow… that is seriously cool.”

“Olivia!!” She said again, a little frustrated.

“Yeah, OK... No one would believe us anyway. But that is…way cool mum.” She couldn’t get over it.

“So, do we get to meet him, or are you going to keep him all to yourself?” Sobian still had her hands on her hips. Her sister might have recognized the cool side of things, but she had to make it through the jealousy first.

“All in good time. Now go to school. I need today to myself.”

“Clearly…” The twins echoed in tandem. Both of them packing the last of their bags and heading out the door just in time for the bus.

Carnegie sighed with relief. She walked into her room and threw herself on her bed. So far, she had only had four hours sleep. It wasn’t enough, yet somehow she had to make it enough. She got back up and walked out to the stereo. She put on one of Sheeva’s disciples CD’s very loudly. Then she threw herself in the shower, washing away any fatigue she might have been carrying as she listened intently to the songs… Nate’s songs.

She wished she had listened to it more, this music was really good. Nate’s voice was amazingly great and she was sad she didn’t know the words. It didn’t really matter that much. What they had wasn’t based on how good she thought his music was anyway. Strangely, it was based on how good he thought her story was. In recognizing that, Carnegie felt relieved. She had finally found her equal ground.

Tye Markem was having a field day. He had a huge email ready to send to Richard in England, along with more photos of Carnegie leaving the hotel at 6am, hair rather disheveled and carrying her shoes. He was drawing his own conclusions and enjoying every moment of it. Tye watched the news and knew something that no other reporter had even bothered to think about. Nate Bowman wasn’t missing…he was already here, and as suspected, there was more to the “why” than a charity for a school.

He had a magazine in the door keeping it slightly ajar. Last night he figured out that if you leave the door open a little bit, you can hear the movement of the elevator. Every time he heard it go off, he would go and watch the floor numbers. If there was anything on the top floor, leading down, he would go and investigate.

He had already been told he had the last room available, that all other had been booked, yet he seemed so nice that they said he could stay, as long as he wouldn’t mind keeping to himself when the remainder of the expected guests arrived. He had assured everyone he was only here for sleep and some R&R on the beach.

Richard called him not long after the photos arrived.

“Tye, well done. You were right we are onto something here.”

“So, are you going to sell those photos? Do you think it is a headline?” he was excited now.

“What I think, is there is no rush. This could be an absolute ripper of a breaking story. More than just photographs and speculation, and besides we have nothing on both of them, for all anyone knows, she’s not got anything to do with him. Keep doing what you’re doing. If and when she comes again, follow her. Find out who the fuck she is and if there is anything going on between them, it won’t take long before there is physical contact of some kind. Trust me on that.”

“So, you want me to follow her and not stay here when the band arrive?” Tye was almost disappointed.

“Nate Bowman is a story regardless, by the time the band gets there, media will be all over the place. Let them have that, what you have is major and none of them know. If he has a new girlfriend, and one that is very obviously out of character for him, the world wants to know about
her
. Believe me when I tell you we could crack this right open and sell the pictures you gather for the next twelve months without trying. So just do it.” Richard was calm, yet he clearly wasn’t offering Tye an option. He understood it though. He could see the angle.

“Yeah…good thinking. Well, I’m all over this. I’ll keep you informed.”

“Good. Oh and Tye..” Richard paused…waiting for him to respond.

“Yes..?” He questioned.

“Say nothing to anyone. Do you understand?” It was a warning. Tye knew not to cross him, or it would be the end of his interesting career.

“I understand… I’ll talk to you soon Richard.”

The conversation ended. Tye Markem was trying to pick perfect scenarios in his head of how he would achieve this and not be seen. He made himself an in-room coffee, which he hated. All he wanted was a cappuccino from the café downstairs. He couldn’t get one now and not look suspicious later. He had to wait. Just in case Nate Bowman decided it was quiet enough to do breakfast outside of his room. Tye prayed that Carnegie Lane would come back and have it with him, then he could go down and it wouldn’t seem strange he was there twice. Funny how dreams come true sometimes… Isn’t it?