"Roxy? What in 'ell are you doin' 'ere, don't you think I 'ave plenty to do already without an impromptu visit from me sister in law?"
Jetta eyed her visitor in surprised irritation, putting her hands on her hips as the former Misfit made herself at home in the hotel room. "I ain't 'ere on vacation, I'm working! In 'alf an hour the girls an' me 'ave to leave 'ere, pick Anna up from 'er digs an' convince the whole audience she's Sylvina without anyone gettin' suspicious! I don't need a visit from you on top of things!"
"Maybe I'll come to the show." Roxy suggested. "Anyway, Jetta, quit your moaning. This is kinda important...more important than your work, okay? It's about Stormer."
"Stormer?" Jetta paused, remembering the conversation with Sylva earlier in the week, and the events of the previous day. "What about her? What now?"
"She and Elliot are getting divorced."
"For real?" Jetta's eyes widened. Roxy nodded.
"I can't pretend I ain't glad." She admitted. "She always was too good to marry that cretin anyway."
"I 'ope you 'ad more sense than to tell 'er that." Jetta said dryly.
"Don't be dumb, I ain't stupid." Roxy snapped. "But listen. She wants to come back up to Philly with me, but I was thinkin', Stormer don't belong in Philly. California is her home, always has been. That's where she belongs. So I figured that that's where I'd take her. Only..."
"Only you need a place to crash." Jetta rolled her eyes. "Subtle, Roxy. Real subtle."
"You got it." Roxy ignored the jibe. "Well? Can we?"
Jetta was silent for a moment. Then,
"You spend so much time at our place without bein' invited that we've a room we call Roxy's room." She said darkly. "Stormer can 'ave Nancy's room."
"Great." Roxy smiled. "I knew you wouldn't push out a Misfit."
"Not Stormer. I could 'appily push you out." Jetta replied impishly. "But I owe Stormer for what she did for me when Justin 'ad 'is accident...sure, Roxy. I'll call Justin an' tell 'im we're 'avin' guests for a while. Not for ages, mind you!"
"No...I'm gonna find a place in LA once I'm there." Roxy shook her head. "Be kinda like old times, you know? Pity she sold up her house...but we'll find something."
"You're staying with 'er? Like, permanent?" Jetta was surprised. Roxy shrugged.
"For a while." She said shortly. "We'll see."
Jetta eyed her sister in law thoughtfully, understanding in an instant the loyalty that Roxy had long since assigned to her former bandmates, Stormer in particular.
"Okay then." She said finally. "I got to go see about some nervous twenty somethin's, so if you don't mind, I'm gonna boot you out."
"I'm going. Gonna go find me a seat at this show." Roxy winked. "Bye Jetta. See you soon, huh?"
"Guess so." Jetta nodded. "Now, out!"
"I'm going! Sheesh!" Roxy laughed, getting to her feet and sauntering to the door. "Good luck with your girls, huh? Man, who'd be a mother!"
And then she was gone, laughing to herself as she went. Jetta rolled her eyes, closing the door firmly. Though these days her sister in law and she were on fairly amicable terms, sometimes she just did not believe Roxy's cheek.
"But she's right, damn 'er. I won't let Stormer down." She murmured. "An' Sylva will be glad to 'ave 'er mother in Los Angeles while all this is goin' down. She ain't 'erself...she's focused on this concert but she ain't really into it like she usually is. Maybe it's cos she ain't playin'. Ah well. Before long we'll be back in LA and things then, I 'ope, will settle down. For now, though, I 'ave a concert to organise...an' a bunch of musicians to hurry along!"

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"I think I'm gonna hurl."
Anna peeked out between the curtains of the big makeshift stage, her face pale and her expression troubled. "I've never been so scared, Syl...I don't want to go out there."
"You have to, Annie, you promised...don't let me down now?" Sylva begged. "It means so much to me for Jewel to play here!"
"I know, I know!" Anna bit her lip. "I really feel rocky, though. What if I pass out on stage?"
"You won't. It's nerves." Nancy put in her bit, tuning up her guitar. "Take it from me. I mean, I feel pretty sick right now myself, you know, and Topaz eating Doritos backstage wasn't doing anything for my stomach, but I know soon as I begin playing I'll feel fine. It's a buzz to perform, really. You'll be fine."
"I hope you're right." Anna sighed. "There are a lot of people."
"Jewel are big business." Copper put in her bit, as she and Topaz joined them at the curtain. "Bigger than we ever dreamed possible. And...and we're gonna make this a good one, girls. Okay?"
"Yep." Topaz nodded. "Fine by me."
"We're doing it for Syl." Copper smiled at the elder twin. "And her family."
"Hear hear." Anna murmured. "Now if only I can last it out..."
"You look fab." Topaz appraised the younger twin with a smile. "Really, if I didn't know which twin you were, I'd swear you were Sylva. You look so alike tonight it's uncanny. I feel like I mustve had a couple too many drinks, cos I'm seeing double."
"Don't talk about drinks." Nancy scolded. "Neither Anna or I are feeling brilliant."
"Oops. Sorry." Topaz looked guilty. "I forgot about your stagefright, Nance."
"Yeah, well, the Doritos really helped it." Nancy grimaced.
"All right, girls, get ready." Before Topaz could respond, Jetta had appeared, looking harried as ever as she eyed them. "Syl, you better come with me, okay? Let 'em get ready. Good luck all, okay? Knock 'em dead an' show 'em what Jewel is all about." Her gaze rested on Anna. "An' Anna? Give it everythin' you got, okay? Your Ma was a damn fine musician...prove to us all you got it in you too!"
With that she was gone, and, swallowing hard Anna took up her place behind the keyboard as the big gossamer curtains were raised and coloured lights flooded the stage, highlighting the four musicians in their glow. Amid the cheers and whistles from the crowd, Topaz shouted a friendly greeting, and then announced that their first song would be Any Other Way. Since Topaz never suffered from nerves, it was a safe bet to start with, and, even though Anna played every note as though afraid she might screw up the harmony, the song came off without a hitch.
Then Nancy took the mic, well into things now, and called for quiet.
"Tonight's show is special, because we're playing Sylva's hometown!" She announced. "For that reason we wanna dedicate this show to her family, for giving the group such an awesome keyboardist!"
There were cheers and roars of approval and backstage Sylva felt her cheeks going red with pleasure.
"They like you, kid." Jetta told her with a wink. "Even if you ain't out there."
"I wish I was." Sylva responded. "But Annie's doing great, isn't she?"
"Yes." Jetta agreed, as the group launched into the familiar 'Beauty Queen'. "Thank God for the Martescu music gene."
"Indeed." Sylva murmured. "And...and thank God for Jewel."