Lifeline


Chapter Nine: Harvey's Proposal
When Pizzazz arrived at the hospital the next morning, she found the last of her fears allayed. Harvey, true to the spirit of a Gabor was sitting up in bed reading the day's paper, clearly much recovered over the course of the previous twenty-four hours. He cast her a smile as she entered the room and she hesitated for a moment, then came to sit down beside him, being careful to close the door of the room behind her.
"Hello, Daddy."
"I was wondering when you'd come." Harvey admitted, folding his paper and setting it to one side. "I had a long think, Phyllis, last night. About what you said, I mean. About needing a father." He frowned. "I suppose I've never known quite how to be that to you, have I?"
Pizzazz paused for a moment, then, "You changed, you know."
"I did?"
"When Mom left. You...were different."
"I didn't realise you still remembered a time before your mother left, my girl." Harvey admitted. "You've never been in love, have you?"
"God no." Pizzazz shivered, then, "Well...not really."
"I was in love with your mother." Harvey admitted. "And I suppose losing her was so painful to me I forgot about other things for a while. I suppose I neglected you...when you were probably feeling as bewildered as I was about the change."
"I was okay. I've always been strong." Pizzazz said firmly.
"Really?"
"No." Pizzazz sighed. "But I've made myself strong now, Daddy. Things...I don't let 'em bother me. I do what I want, when I want and hang everyone else...its the best way."
"I've spoiled you. I'm sorry for that." Harvey took her hand in his, turning it over as he contemplated. "Phyllis, when you come close to death, your priorities shift about. I can't describe what went through my head in the office, when it happened - thank God I wasn't alone at the time! But I was frightened...I thought I would die. And knowing that kind of fear makes you realise how precious life and the people around you are...even more vividly than you ever did before."
"I guess I can see that." Pizzazz looked thoughtful. "Daddy...I know you hate what I do for a living, and I know you're disappointed in me, but it's what I want to do with my life...can you accept that?"
"I only opposed it because I was afraid you were turning out like your mother." Harvey admitted. "She always wanted to sing, you know. And I am proud of you, Phyllis. Really I am. But I'm proud of you for different things than your fame and success. I'm proud that you came to DC and worried about me...I'm proud that you were there when I woke up. And I'm proudest of all that you missed a concert date to be here."
Pizzazz blushed slightly.
"Who told you about that?" She demanded.
Harvey indicated the newspaper.
"I read." He said simply. Pizzazz picked up the paper, skimming the article, then frowning.
"Nowt better to do with their worthless lives than report on other people's problems." She muttered, tossing it back down. Harvey laughed.
"Perhaps." He agreed. "Oh, I don't know. We've grown so far apart over the years and I've hated to see it...you were so impossible as a teenager, I didn't know what to do with you."
"You coulda stuck around to see what I did." Pizzazz replied. "You were never there, Daddy!"
"You weren't always the best of company to be around when I was there." Harvey chided her. Pizzazz sighed.
"Stormer said it's both our faults." She admitted reluctantly.
"Yes, I believe it is." Harvey acknowledged. "Well, what do you think? Can we start again? We've not talked so calmly and rationally...well, ever, I don't think. Can we keep it up? There's nothing I want more than a relationship with my only child...there is noone in the whole world who means as much to me as you do."
"Really?" Touched by this, Pizzazz eyed her father in surprise. Harvey nodded.
"Really." He agreed.
"Then...Daddy, why did you sell Misfit Music to Eric Raymond?"
"I'm sorry?" Harvey looked blank, then, "Oh! The music company! It was making a loss...why?"
"Eric and Riot think they own us now." Pizzazz said, a slight note of petulance in her voice. "Riot came out to DC to try and threaten me to make me do the concert last night. He said he controlled my contract and I had to do as he said. And he's been so mean to me, Daddy! He's always making our group do stupid little unimportant shows just to try and make himself and his group better than us, which they're not. It makes me so mad and there's nothing I can do about it, because you sold the company!"
"I see." Harvey frowned, then, "I wasn't aware that it was such a complicated issue."
"That's just it, Daddy, you're never aware." Pizzazz replied. "I mean, you don't pay attention to things like that! Misfit Music was important...who cares about a profit? I thought...I thought you bought it to help me."
"I did." Harvey nodded his head. "Initially. But you were abusing my trust in you, Phyllis, by your reckless behaviour. I'm afraid it was bad business and I saw Raymond's offer as being a good solution. I didn't imagine that it would cause you any additional problems, only him."
"Well, it did." Pizzazz frowned. "Daddy, if you never buy me anything ever again...will you buy my music company back?"
Harvey was silent for a moment, then,
"Does it mean that much to you to have it?" He asked quietly. Pizzazz nodded.
"It's my career...of course it does." She replied.
"Then...well, how about a compromise?"
"I'm listening." Pizzazz said slowly.
"If I buy back the company, it's on the condition that you make sure it doesn't make a loss. The company will be in your hands, Phyllis, to do with as you see fit. If it goes out of business, I shan't bail it out. It's down to you to make it succeed."
"Okay, I guess I can do that." Phyllis nodded. "What else?"
"I'll put up the money needed to buy it back, but it's down to you to persuade Raymond to sell." Harvey replied. Pizzazz snorted.
"Oh, that's easy." She responded airily. "I know where the financial records are kept in that place...I'm sure there's plenty of dodgy dealing I can pin on him. I know how he works...I can get round him." She frowned. "More difficult getting Riot to give up his half, mind you...but I'll do it."
"In that case, then I'm willing to back you." Harvey smiled. "But I'm doing this not as a business venture, my girl, or an attempt to spoil you again. I'm doing it to prove to you that I'm proud of your achievements and that I support your choice of career, all right?"
"All right." Pizzazz nodded her head. "It's a deal." She smiled. "You know, I don't think we've ever properly talked business before, either. I mean, business is boring...but not music business."
"Well, then we've found our common ground, haven't we?" Harvey returned her smile. "Tell me, how long are you staying in DC?"
"How long do you want me here? I ain't in a hurry to get back to LA - no Riot is telling me what to do, anyhow."
"Well, if you wait a few days till they let me home from here, then I'll come back with you to California and maybe we can get this business deal of yours through with some speed. What do you think?"
"I think yes." Pizzazz's face lit up in a delighted smile. "I say the sooner we can be trashing that Stingers Sound logo the better! But...Daddy, I don't want you to tell anyone else about this. I want to see if I can convince Eric to sell without realising who he's selling to. See, he's under contract to the company too...and I wanna make him pay!"
"My lips are sealed." Harvey's eyes twinkled. "I'm just providing the money...it's all in your hands."
 
 

Chapter One: The Magazine
Chapter Two: A Phone Call
Chapter Three: Washington DC
Chapter Four: Harvey Gabor
Chapter Five: Answering To Eric
Chapter Six: Breaking Down
Chapter Seven: Riot
Chapter Eight: A Change Of Luck
Chapter Nine: Harvey's Proposal
Chapter Ten: A Cunning Plan
Chapter Eleven: As It Should Be

(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)