Chapter Seventeen: Opening Night
"Well, someone's all dressed up to go someplace nice." Hazel paused
by
the window table, casting it's occupant a grin. "Hot date, Laura?"
"Nope...no date." Laura cast her companion a grin. "But I am
going
someplace nice. 'Ere, you haven't seen Cassie and Stuart, 'ave you? I'm
meant
to be meetin' them 'ere, and we're kinda pushed for time."
"Haven't seen hide nor hair of either of 'em." Hazel admitted. She
glanced
over her shoulder to make sure that she wasn't being watched, then
slipped
into the seat opposite, dropping her teatowel onto the table in front
of
her. "So spill. Where are you going, dressed up like that? Must be
someplace
better than this old dump of a cafe, right?"
"Well, it's somewhere we ain't usually invited." Laura grinned. "I'm
kinda
excited, to tell you the truth. We're going to Wembley."
"The stadium?" Hazel looked taken aback. "Is there a match on, then? I
thought
it was the off season!"
"It is. This is a concert we're goin' to."
"Oh? Who's playin'?" Hazel sounded interested. Laura laughed.
"Hazel, what planet you been livin' on for the last week or two? This
concert
is the biggest deal to 'it this city in...oh, I dunno. Ages. Don't tell
me
you ain't 'eard about it!"
"I've been working double shifts." Hazel admitted. "It don't leave much
time
for a life at home aside from going to bed and to sleep...I guess I'm
behind
on things in the real world. Brian an' I 'ave both been workin' doubly
'ard
to pay off the price on our council flat an' make it our own before the
baby
comes along - security an' all that. It's been kinda mad."
"Oh, of course." Laura grinned. "You work too hard, you know, for a
woman
who's twelve weeks on."
"I know I do, but I need the money." Hazel shrugged. "Gotta grow up
sometime,
Laura...I'm twenty five on Tuesday. An' with any luck we'll 'ave things
in
'and by the time the babe gets 'ere and I'll be able to quit this
deadend
job anyway. Brian's goin' for a promotion this week...fingers crossed."
"Wish him good luck from me." Laura responded. "You guys have been
together
almost three years now, it's about time things came into line for you."
"Yeah. I agree." Hazel laughed. "Anyway, enough about my borin' life.
Tell
me about this concert!"
"Ever heard of the Misfits?"
"Sure. I listen to the radio enough while I'm 'ere. American group,
ain't
they?"
"Yes, they're based in California."
"So it's them you're gonna hear? Cool...but why the big deal? I mean,
there
are a ton of American groups. There's that Jem group that Brian thinks
is
so fantastic." She pulled a face. "And it ain't 'er voice 'e finds
compellin', neither. What's so special about these girls?"
"You really do have your head in the sand!" Laura looked amused. "Who
do
you think plays saxophone for them?"
"Not a clue." Hazel shrugged.
"Oh come on. Who do you know who went out to America in search of fame
and
fortune, Hazel?"
"Is this a trick question? Do I win a prize?" Hazel grinned. Laura
laughed.
"No, silly. Just think about it!"
"How do I know them?"
"Well, you worked with her for long enough."
Hazel's hand flew to her mouth.
"Wait a minute...you mean Sheila?" she demanded. "Sheila Burns?"
"Yep. Got it in one." Laura nodded.
"You're tellin' me that Sheila Burns is a bigshot rock star now, out in
the
States? Oh unbelievable! Some girls get all the luck!"
"I know...but they're good, Hazel. Real good. And she promised tickets
on
the door to me and any friends I bring along with me, which was cool of
her.
They cost a bomb, the tickets, and apparently the gig's sold out, only
she's
had a handful put by for me."
"What it must be to be famous." Hazel sighed wistfully. "That girl
always
landed on 'er feet somehow, didn't she?"
"That's Sheila." Laura shrugged. "'Ere, what time do you knock off
work?"
"'Alf eight. Why?"
"Wanna tag along? We gotta be there for nine."
"You sure?" Hazel looked taken aback.
"Sure I'm sure. You 'ave as much right to be there as any of us, you
worked
with her, after all."
"True. Hard to tell if she liked me, mind you." Hazel grinned. "Hard to
tell
a lot of things with Sheila. I liked her, mind you. She was good fun."
"Well, she never said anything bad to me about you, though she had a
whole
catalogue of insults for some of the others she worked with." Laura
said
dryly. "I'm serious, though. Come, if you ain't too exhausted by
workin'. I know it'll be a blast an' you need a break."
"I do." Hazel agreed. "Probably not the kind the doctor would approve
of,
but okay. I'm in. First though I gotta tell Mr Randall what became of
'is
blue eyed girl...I'll see you 'ere in ten minutes, when I'm done for
the
night. I think I see Stuart's car outside anyway."
"Okay." Laura nodded. "We'll be here."
"Cool." Hazel dimpled, then hurried off towards the kitchens to spread
the
news. Laura looked amused. She had always liked Hazel, since Tony's
Cafe
had always been a favourite local hangout of hers, particularly when
Jetta
had worked there.
"It'll be neat to have her along, and a surprise for Sheila, too." she
mused.
"I just hope there's no trouble...that whoever was tryin' to scare her
got
scared 'imself. I so want this to be a success for 'er!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Woo...what a night!" Pizzazz tossed her microphone up in the air,
catching it deftly in her other hand and casting a wide grin around at
her bandmates as the four girls left the stage for the final time.
"They loved us out there!
How many times did we have to go back out? We must've done every song
we
ever wrote tonight...some of 'em more than once!"
"It was a blast." Roxy nodded her head. "I never saw so many people in
one
stadium! Sucks to Jem and her dumb band. We're number one!"
"I guess England likes the idea of bringing home one of their own."
Stormer
cast Jetta a glance. The Briton shrugged.
"I 'ave to admit it's kinda nice." she agreed. "So we'll be playin'
London
again, will we?"
"We sure will, now your brother's little minion is tied up doing other
things."
Pizzazz nodded. "By the way, I spoke to Eric about that before we went
on.
He reckons we can nail the jerk for harassment and get some kind of
penalty
on Jeremy, too...I told him to hand it over to the lawyers and let 'em
deal
with it. I don't think Jeremy will dare try messin' with us again. He's
lost
out to us twice now."
"Good." Jetta grinned. "I've had enough of his interference in my
life."
"You know what's been weirdest about this tour?" Roxy observed as they
reached
the dressing room, her expression unusually thoughtful.
"What?" Stormer asked her, her expression curious.
"The fact we ain't had to fight for it. It's all come to us."
"Huh?" Pizzazz stared. "What nonsense you talkin' now, Roxy?"
"I think she means that we 'aven't had any competition. That it's been
so
easy to take this country by storm." Jetta put in. "And, though I 'ate
to
agree with Roxy, she's right. It has been easy."
"The best part of that is that Jem played England a few months back."
Pizzazz
responded with a grin. "But she didn't have a sell-out show at Wembley,
did
she?"
"I read in a magazine this morning that a whole bunch of people have
phoned
their music hotline to demand to know when the Misfit single is going
to
be released." Stormer added. "We've been here a week and already we're
big
news here!"
"Well, we oughta give 'em what they want." Pizzazz observed. "We all
agreed
that Just Misbehavin' is the one to hit 'em with?"
"You're asking our opinion? That's a first." Roxy snorted. Pizzazz
narrowed
her eyes.
"I'm feeling benevolent. Don't push me." She retorted.
Jetta laughed.
"I don't think it'd matter what song we put out. We could remix The
First
Noel an' play it backwards, they'd still lap it up." she observed.
Stormer
giggled.
"I'd like to hear that." she admitted.
"I'll go with Just Misbehavin'." Roxy shrugged, deciding now was
clearly not
the time to enquire what exactly 'The First Noel' was. "Ain't we
tacklin' America with that one too, though?"
"That's the plan. Why do twice the work?" Pizzazz responded. "We got a
week
or two left here to promote the song, then we fly back to Cali and
attack
the local market. How can we fail? Jem and her wimps will be history in
no
time."
"Pizzazz, forget Jem for a moment, will ya?" Jetta examined her nails,
her
tone suddenly serious. "This tour is ours...not Jem's. We ain't
followin' Jem, we're makin' our own mark 'ere. And whatever 'appens in
America, England belongs to us, okay? Who cares what Jem does? Tonight
belongs to us."
"I agree." Stormer nodded. "The Misfits rock!"
At that moment there was a knock at the door, and a security guard
poked
his head around it, his gaze resting on Jetta.
"Miss Burns, there are a group of people outside wantin' to see you.
Say
they're mates of yours...you want me to get rid of them?"
"Did you get a name for them?" Jetta asked.
"A Miss Cunningham, I believe, Miss."
"Oh, then it's all right. Tell them to come on in...after all, there's
plenty
of room." Jetta grinned.
"Laura?" Pizzazz demanded. Jetta nodded.
"Sure. You got a problem with that?"
"No." Pizzazz shook her head. "Do what you want."
"Don't worry. I usually do." Jetta winked at her bandmate as the door
of
the dressing room swung open and the group of visitors were hustled
inside
by the bewildered security guard, before the door was once more firmly
shut.
Jetta got to her feet.
"Well, this is nice, ain't it?" She observed. "Hi, Laura...I'm glad you
came,
by the way. I looked out for you but the crowd was too big and the
lights
too fierce."
"You are one heck of a star, Sheila Burns." Laura grinned at her. "I'm
proud
to know you! An' so are these guys..."
"Stuart...Hazel!" Jetta laughed. "Well, memories are long, that's for
sure.
An' who's this?"
"This is Cassie. Stuart's bird." Laura explained. "She's already a big
fan,
you know."
"Quit it, Laura. You're embarrassing me!" Cassie exclaimed, her cheeks
going
pink. "Hi...I don't really know what else to say."
"Well, these are Stormer, Pizzazz an' Roxy, an' Laura will probably
'ave
told you I'm Sheila, though I'd prefer it if you didn't call me it.
Most
of the world call me Jetta these days, 'less they want a smack in the
mouth.
Old pals are an exception." Jetta indicated for them to sit down. "I
can't
believe that you finally got yourself a girlfriend brave enough to live
with
you, Stuart..."
"Cheeky!" Stuart protested. "I'm waitin' for the day a bloke's brave
enough
to take you on, Sheila."
"Well, I'm goin' for a soda." Roxy got to her feet at that point.
"Pizzazz, Stormer, you comin'? Let Jetta have her little reunions."
"Sure." Pizzazz nodded. She shot Jetta a thoughtful look. "Hate to
intrude
on personal stuff. Stormer?"
"Um...well..." Stormer glanced between Jetta and Pizzazz.
"You don't 'ave to go. It's up to you." Jetta shrugged.
"Stormer." Pizzazz's eyes narrowed.
"Guess I'm going." Stormer got to her feet, a look of resignation on
her
face. "See you later, Jetta. Bye all."
"Well, they're conversational." Hazel observed.
"Oh, they're okay. Just not comfortable with friendly gatherings."
Jetta
laughed. "An' it gives me a chance to talk to you all properly. I never
expected
you 'ere tonight, Hazel...still workin' at Tony's?"
"Yes...but hopefully not for much longer, if Brian gets his promotion."
"You still seein' him?" Jetta was taken aback. Hazel nodded.
"Yep. Three years in September, and we've a babe on the way an' all."
"Wow." Jetta let out a low whistle. Hazel laughed.
"Like I told Laura, I'm almost twenty five, and it's kinda fun to think
about
playing family."
"Not for me." Jetta was adamant. "I ain't growin' up or slowin' down my
life
for no man or no children. You'd have to drag me off stage first...I
love
being a Misfit."
Cassie laughed.
"Laura told me you were full of life...she weren't wrong, neither." she
responded.
"It's been cool to meet you guys, though. You are going to put
out
a single while you're here, aren't you?"
"Apparently, according to the boss." Jetta grinned.
"Who is?" Stuart asked.
"Pizzazz." Jetta replied. "She owns the music company."
"She must be rollin' in it!" Cassie exclaimed. Jetta nodded.
"Why do you think we live in a mansion, duckie, back in California?"
she
asked. "Much fun as it is to be playin' back here, I'm 'appy livin'
over
there so long as I got a place like that to call home."
"Some things never change." Laura grinned. "Guess we'd better be going.
It's
late and you probably have a million things to do, right?"
"Guess so." Jetta agreed. "But keep in touch, okay?"
"Will do." Laura nodded. "C'mon, all...let's leave the star to her
business,
huh? It's time us normal folk trotted off 'ome."
"Silly." Jetta pulled a face at her friend. "I'll see ya, anyway.
Before I
go."
"You mean that?" Laura looked questioning. Jetta nodded.
"Count on it." she agreed.
PART ONE: SHEILA
Chapter One: Life in London
Chapter Two: The Saxophone
Chapter Three: A Friend In Need
Chapter Four: Never Again...
PART TWO: A DESIGNING WOMAN
Chapter Five: Sheila's Decision
Chapter Six: A Band In Crisis
Chapter Seven: First Night
Chapter Eight: Making It Happen
PART THREE: BACK IN THE CITY
Chapter Nine: The Misfits In London
Chapter Ten: On Every Screen...
Chapter Eleven: A Musical Reunion
Chapter Twelve: Jealousy
Chapter Thirteen: An Old Acquaintance
Chapter Fourteen: Doing London
Chapter Fifteen: Sabotage!
Chapter Sixteen: The Final Straw
Chapter Seventeen: Opening Night
Chapter Eighteen: Jetta
(The Misfits and Holograms and other animated Jem characters are copyrighted to Hasbro Inc. All characters who do not appear in Jem episodes are my own creation. This story is copyrighted to E.A Woolley (2001)