"Where have you been all day?"
Sylvina Martescu, daughter of former Misfit Stormer and Jewel's synth player swung open the door, casting Nancy a dark look. "I thought you were hanging out with us this afternoon...we were looking for clothes for the cover of our new album."
"Something came up and Aunt Phyl called me." Nancy said with a shrug, setting her guitar case down in the hall and stretching. "I'm beat, though."
"I bet it was for that witch's comeback concert." Sylva scowled. "You spend more time with her than you do Jewel right at the minute."
"I don't! I live with you guys." Nancy protested. "But I did write this song Emily's releasing in a week or two's time, and she wanted me to play lead guitar for it at the concert, so I agreed. It's no big deal, musicians play with other groups all the time, you know, and it doesn't mean I'm neglecting Jewel stuff. You know I've been writing for our new album too...which I could easily not write and then your shopping would be in vain, wouldn't it?"
"Pah." Sylva rolled her eyes. "Fine, then. Do as you like."
"Evening, Nance." Copper emerged from the lounge at the sound of voices, casting both girls a grin. "How's work for the show going, huh?"
"Hectic. Em's about ready to freak." Nancy responded with a groan. "I guess it's a big deal, her comeback and all that, but I reckon she'll be fine. She got a great reception at the reunion show, after all."
"But then she was playing with professionals." Sylva pointed out cattily. "The Misfits?"
"She has to earn money and pay the bills too, Syl." Copper chided gently. "Remember, she has an extra mouth to feed."
"Yeah. Poor kid." Sylva rolled her eyes. "I'm going to watch telly...I've had enough of this Sirena chat."
"She's still not Sirena's biggest fan, huh?" Copper asked, once the girl was out of earshot. Nancy shrugged.
"Who cares? Not her business." She replied succinctly. "Any coffee going?"
"Sure." Copper nodded, leading the way into the kitchen. "Topaz just made some, so there should be enough for you."
"Where is Topaz, anyhow?" Nancy frowned, perching on the stool. "She not here?"
"She's upstairs...on the computer...talking to you know who." Copper grinned. A look of comprehension touched Nancy's expression.
"Ahh. Cameron." She said with a smile of her own. "I see."
Topaz had first met Cameron Milligan when Jewel had spent a few weeks on holiday in London, and it had been love at first sight. Even now, so many months on, the two kept in touch via email, chat and phone, and despite the long distance Topaz had admitted that she wasn't interested in any other guy since the two of them had met.
"Really, it's kinda cute." Copper observed as she poured two mugs of coffee. "Though whether anything can come of it I don't know."
"Well, look at my cousin and Violet." Nancy pointed out. "They met online and now I can't say I know many people more in love than Taylor is with Vi." Violet was the keyboardist of one of Jewel's friendliest rival bands, the Teenangel Outsiders. Based across the Atlantic, the two groups rarely met, but these days when they did, it was on amicable terms.
"Mm, but Taylor lives in London and that's where the Teenangels are based. They see each other a lot more than Topaz and Cameron do." Copper pointed out.
"True, but we'll be going to England ourselves soon enough. Mom promised us a UK tour and she can't renege on it now." Nancy dimpled.
"I suppose you're right." Copper acknowledged, handing her friend a mug. "It'd be nice for her if they could get together somehow. I'm lucky to have Aaron and you have Dean...it'd be nice if Topaz could really have Cameron on a proper relationship level."
"What about Syl?" Nancy raised an eyebrow. Copper giggled.
"She's the femme fatale of rock and roll, remember?" She said with a laugh. "S'pose one of us has to stay single, huh? Keep the male fans interested."
"Now that sounds like something she'd say, not you." Nancy observed, grabbing a biscuit from the jar and dipping it in her drink. "Did you swap brains in town or something?"
"No...it sounds like something she'd say because she did say it, earlier on." Copper responded, grinning. "When I asked her if she was going to pursue that guy Jack she met at the mall. So."
"Ah that would explain it." Nancy replied wryly. She stifled a yawn. "I am so tired. I can't believe how exhausting it was just going over that one song again and again. But Emily wants it to be right and I guess I do too...You know I'm a perfectionist at heart."
"Yes, I do." Copper smiled. "It'll be fine, Nance. Both of you are big pros."
"I hope so." Nancy nodded. "Apparently Aunt Phyl is arranging a warmup gig before the big show...she told me about it as I was leaving to come back here. So I'll be missing one night this week or early next for that...it's at le Klub Kool. Then I have to finish writing our album and fit my Jewel schedule in...great."
"Right now I think you need to sleep more than anything." Copper looked amused. "It's not easy being a star, huh?"
"You're telling me." Nancy nodded ruefully, taking a sip of her drink. "But to be honest, it's also fun working with Emily. I'm glad we're friends these days, too. I mean, it's not the same as working with Jewel and I love that, you know I do, but it's fun and we have a good time. It's different music, that helps too."
"Personally I'm glad the rivalry's kinda broken down." Copper looked thoughtful. "All Sirena wanted was her mother, really...and noone can say she has it easy, what with single motherhood and all."
"Mm." Nancy nodded. "I think Mike's kinda cute, but believe me, when I'm over at her place, I'm glad that it's not my responsibility to look after him. I wouldn't know where to start, and how she manages is beyond me."
"Guess she just loves him." Copper shrugged. "I wanna have kids one day, Nance...but not now. I'm way too young to think about babies now."
"Right now we're young rock legends in the making, huh?" Nancy asked dryly. Copper grinned.
"Yep." She agreed. "That's us."
"Hey, that reminds me." Nancy set her empty mug down on the drainer. "Em said something about Rory Llewelyn having a new group on his books. Aunt Phyl knows about them too and apparently so does Mom - nice we're told this stuff, isn't it? But anyway, if he has new signings, we're bound to get a lot of them thrust our way over the next few weeks and months...and you know what Rory's like. King of the sleazy operators. We oughta keep our eyes and ears open on 'em."
"Maybe we shouldn't judge them till we meet them." Copper suggested cautiously. "Just because Rory signed them doesn't mean they're gonna cause us trouble. They could just be hopefuls, like we were once, and Rory's the one whose given them the contract. Let's find some stuff out about them first, huh?"
"All right, all right." Nancy grinned. "You always wanna think the best of people, don't you? Well, fine...we'll do it your way. But just be aware they're about, okay?"
"I'm sure if Rory does his PR job right everyone will soon know that they are." Copper pointed out. Nancy shrugged.
"Probably. But when does Rory ever do anything 'right'?" She asked. Copper frowned.
"Point taken. I don't love him any more than you do." She replied. "But we're stuck with him as a neighbour and a rival agent...we have to make the best of things. Maybe this new group will turn out to be friends, not foes. Any idea of their name?"
"Nope. Aunt Phyl didn't say...and Emily didn't seem to know." Nancy shook her head. "Only that there are more than one of them, so it is a proper group, like we are. I don't know, Copper, but I have a bad feeling about this."
"Well, not a lot we can do." Copper shrugged. "We just have to wait and see what happens."