"And
so that was about it, really."
Jetta stretched out on the couch at the Gabor Mansion, idly flicking
through a copy of Cool Trash magazine. "We went to some posh place for
grub, spent the afternoon at 'ome in front of the telly. What about you
guys?"
"You call yourself a Misfit?" Pizzazz raised an eyebrow. "First you
don't come to the club with Roxy, Stormer and I on Christmas Eve. Then
you spend Christmas Day in front of the T.V? What's gotten into you,
Jetta? Don't tell me this is how it's gonna be from now on - you and
hubby and slippers by the fire!"
"God, no." Jetta grimaced. "But with all the movin' and crap, we've not
had time to do anythin' else. Besides, for once it wasn't too bad."
She flicked the magazine shut.
"I learnt that Christmas Day telly sucks as much in America as it does
in the UK, with all the nauseatin' Christmas films and crap." She
added. "We gave up after a while an' went to bed instead."
Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
"Plus he bought me some really expensive earrings an' an engagement
ring, at long last." She added. "So I didn't do too badly out of it."
She shrugged.
"Tell me what I missed, then. What did you guys get up to?"
"Ask Stormer." Pizzazz sent the synth player a glare, and Stormer
glanced up from her manuscript, her cheeks going pink. "She thought it
would be fun to bail, too."
"Stormer?" Jetta looked curious. Stormer spread her hands.
"I had a visitor." She said simply. "And he asked me out to Christmas
Dinner. Roxy and Pizzazz were still fast asleep, so I said yes. And I
had a good time."
"A visitor?" Jetta's brows knitted together, then, "I thought your
brother was stuck in Germany?"
"He is, worse luck." Stormer sighed. "No, this was a different visitor.
Elliot."
"What the hell is he doin' in LA?"
"He came to see me." Stormer's blush deepened. "Harvey's sending him to
San Diego with some colleagues on a project or something -I don't know
the details. Anyhow, he came to see if there was any chance I might
like to see something of him when he was here and I told him I would.
So he bought me Christmas dinner and we talked and it was really nice."
She shot Pizzazz a guilty look.
"I did intend to be back before I was, but I lost track of time." She
added apologetically. "I'm sorry for that."
"Some Misfit Christmas." Pizzazz grimaced back at her. "Is this how
it's going to be now?"
"Count me out." At that moment, Roxy appeared in the doorway, towelling
her hair dry as she came to join the throng. "Men are for suckers. They
screw you over and they're a waste of space. You won't catch me going
for some romantic Christmas meal, Pizzazz. Not even if the food was
gourmet. I'd probably spew first."
"Thank God one of you has some sense." Pizzazz muttered. "I guess
you're not going to bail on me on New Year's, by the way?"
"I didn't think you were having a party." Jetta cast Stormer a glance,
and the younger girl shrugged her shoulders. "Are you?"
"No." Pizzazz looked annoyed. "We were going out. You, me, Stormer and
Roxy - if you hadn't forgotten! We were going to go hit the Millenium
Club on fourth and west street - and after Christmas Eve, you are not
going to get out of it. You hear me? We're Misfits and we're damn well
rocking in the new year together!"
"Sounds fine to me." Stormer said hurriedly. "Elliot is flying back
east tomorrow and he won't be in San Diego till the middle of January.
I've no plans for New Year's Eve."
"Jetta?" Pizzazz sent the British girl a piercing look, and Jetta
sighed.
"Keep your knickers on. I'll be there." She said resignedly. "And yes,
I had forgotten - but it's fine."
"Justin is not invited."
"I wasn't going to ask him." Jetta shrugged her shoulders. "Besides, he
and I are going away in January some time, so I'm not really bothered
either way. Just for the record, I can survive in a seperate building
from my husband. Just because we're hitched doesnt mean he owns me or
that I can't breathe without his permission, you know."
"Coulda fooled me." Pizzazz said acidly, then, "Hey! Did you say you
were going away? Since when?"
"Since we decided we hadn't had a honeymoon yet." Jetta sent her
bandmate a challenging look. "What of it?"
"Who's going to file papers at the company if you trot off to some love
nest with him?" Pizzazz demanded. "Do you think that stuff files
itself? And what about the band?"
"If I'm not there, the band won't be playing." Jetta said calmly.
"Giving you plenty of time to do your own file sorting. It's not
impossible to run that place on your own for a week or two, and that's
all it will be. Besides, you have Stormer and Roxy on tap if you need
them. You won't miss me."
"Not if I have anything to do with it." Roxy grimaced. "I had enough of
those damn files when Eric left. I'm not any kind of executive and I
have no intention of becoming one."
"You'll do as you're told else you'll be sorry about it." Pizzazz told
her curtly, and Roxy snorted.
"We'll see." She said flippantly. "When it comes to it, there ain't
nothing in my contract which says I have to work in an office."
"Surprised you can read what your contract says." Pizzazz muttered, and
Roxy poked a tongue out at her.
Jetta rolled her eyes.
"Well, we're goin' and that's that." She said at length. "So I suggest
you figure somethin' out."
She winked at Stormer.
"If Elliot's gonna be in town, maybe you can get Stormer to sweet talk
'im into givin' you an 'and."
"Over my dead body." Pizzazz glowered. "You think I can't handle that
place on my own? Fine. You go on your little trek into wherever. You'll
see. Everything will be running better than clockwork when you come
back. Oh, and if you expect to be paid for taking impromptu leave, you
can forget it. You know that policy is at least a month's notice for
extensive leave and this is nowhere near a month."
"You won't change my mind." Jetta assured her. "After the end of year
I've 'ad, a vacation is more than worth a few cut pay days. Besides,
puttin' Justin an' my incomes together, we don't do too bad between us.
I'm sure we can spare a few bucks to your ego."
"Are you going to give me lip everytime we talk now?" Pizzazz demanded.
"I've tolerated this sick-fest marriage of yours since Michigan, and
this is the thanks I get?"
"Well, don't rile me and we'll be fine." Jetta shrugged her shoulders.
"This is old ground, and I don't want to re-cover it with you either.
We dealt with this before Justin an' I even got married. Let it go,
huh? This is Christmas an' I'd rather be talkin' about what everyone's
goin' to wear if we're goin' on the town New Year's Eve."
"That depends if we're gonna play or if we're gonna just party." Roxy
said thoughtfully. "Pizzazz? Are we gonna crash the stage?"
"Doubtful, since we're a touch out of practice." Pizzazz said quietly.
"Though you never know. Depends how bad the live act are, doesn't it?"
"It would be nice just to hang out one New Year's, together." Stormer
said thoughtfully. "Last year was the first time since we became a
group that we didn't drink it in together and I'd like us to do it
properly this."
"You're going to drink?" Roxy
raised an eyebrow.
"I do sometimes." Stormer grimaced back at her. "I just don't believe
in getting smashed, that's all."
"Each to their own." Jetta grinned. "Suits me fine if we don't play.
God knows it'd be nice to just have a proper night off to party."
"Then that's what we'll do." Pizzazz sat back on her hands. "It's
decided. Jetta, you make sure you come here at ten thirty on New Year's
Eve, okay? And don't be late, because otherwise we'll leave without
you."
"I promise to be there on the dot." Jetta held up her hands. "I don't
miss a night out on the town for much, you know!"
"You
know, you look really beautiful this evening."
Justin slid his arms around his wife's waist, leaning over her shoulder
to kiss her on the cheek. Jetta thwapped him away playfully, a grin
touching her own lips.
"I know, but thanks." She said, her tones light and teasing. "I ain't
givin' Pizzazz any reason to think I've lost my edge."
She glanced at her nails, flexing her fingers and blowing across them
one more time. Then she nodded her head in satisfaction.
"I'll do." She said flippantly. "The cab will be here in a minute, so
I've just time to grab my bag and my jacket and I'll be off."
She paused, casting her husband a doubtful glance.
"You sure you ain't pissed at me, goin' out like this on our 'first new
year together'?" She asked, sketching quote marks in the air as she
spoke. "After Christmas, I'm surprised you ain't kicked up a fuss about
sittin' home alone waitin' for me to come in."
"Well, that's probably because I'm not going to." Justin's eyes
twinkled. "A friend of mine has invited me to a party tonight.
Actually, both of us - but I told him you had other plans."
He looked rueful.
"The guy thinks we're already a shoo in for divorce, because we're not
spending New Year together as a couple." He added. "But I told him
we're not the kind of couple who lives in each other's pockets. Plus, I
trust you. I know I won't get home and find some hairy jerk in my bed."
"A party, huh?" Jetta raised an eyebrow. "Do I know this friend?"
"Not sure. He works in the photo business and we cross paths
occasionally. He's given me a lot of good tips since I came to LA."
Justin responded. "Hey, are you bothered about me going? Because
honestly, Jetta, if you're on a club crawl..."
"No, I'm not bothered." Jetta dismissed this with a flick of her hand.
"I just didn't realise you 'ad plans this evenin' too, that's all. It's
no bother."
She smiled.
"Besides, I know you're too scared of me to bed down with any strange
girls, so it's fine." She continued. "I 'ave a bloody good sense of
smell for other women's perfume, so don't you forget it!"
"Believe me, I'm not going out trawling for girls tonight." Justin
looked amused. "Any more than you are looking for guys. It's just a
party and we'll both have a good time. Okay?"
"We will." Jetta nodded her head decidedly. "And that," as she heard
the sound of a car horn, "Will be my ride. I'll see you
tomorrow...don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
"I'll see you next year." Justin returned with a wink. "And don't
worry...I don't think of doing half the things you do!"
Jetta grimaced at him, but he kissed her on the lips, running his
fingers through her hair.
"Have a good time." He murmured. "Don't let Pizzazz tell you what to do
all night."
"She's never managed that yet." Jetta returned the kiss, scooping up
her bag and picking her jacket up from the end of the bed. "All right,
I'm off. Night, Justin - and Happy New Year!"