London Harmony: Water Gypsy (7 page)

Harry chimed in without even looking, “You can't argue with this one Tabs, I know, I have tried.”

We all shared a laugh as I inclined my head slightly in thanks to the far too smug looking woman beside me.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't inhale the two cheeseburgers and chips as Harry steered us toward my home. The two seemed quite pleased with themselves as they watched me make a right pig of myself while they just split a burger and shared a fizzy pop.
I'll have to plot their doom after I finish this divine double espresso.

As I trudged through the trees along the bank of the river to the Persephone, a text buzzed on my mobile. I glanced at it as I was using the screen to light my way. Ronnie confirmed I was on Saturday. I smiled then boarded the boat. I looked to the road and exchanged waves with my friends before they drove off down the lane.

I sighed as I looked at the lights of the city reflected off the water. Yes... I actually did enjoy living on the water, I would miss it after I got my flat. I ducked into my cabin then huddled near the stove pipe as I started working on the lessons. I still had a bit before I needed to get to sleep and I wanted so much to please Marj's daughter. I bit my lower lip as I thought of how bloody sexy she looked today. Then I closed my eyes and reprimanded myself, yeah, right before you exploded on her like a petulant child.

The rest of the week went pretty much the same. Working interspersed with demands from the woman I felt had an endless supply of sexy looking, solid color business dresses. She was working me hard on the lessons. It was relentless and I was feeling physically beat down. I had perfected the first lesson and was well on the way to getting through the second without looking like a bloody git.

Then she went and piled on the lesson from the final chapter in the book. I had blinked at it and whispered out hoarsely, “I... I can't do this. This is impossible, nobody can do this one.”

Her simple almost sad response was, “One person did.” It was almost remorseful. Then she marched off down the hall. I hung my head. There was no way I could accomplish this, and I think she knew it, but I also knew that I'd try anything to earn her favor. I think she knew that too. Why did I punish myself so? I answered that question later that night when I couldn't get her out of my head and may have been thinking of her in bed as I umm... well you know. Then I fell asleep with a thoroughly pleased smile on my face and feeling oh so toe-curling good.

The next day, I was a nervous wreck. After my morning routine and snacking on an orange and a slice of bread with peanut butter slathered across it, I just obsessed about the upcoming rave. I was so excited to be able to perform again, but I hadn't shared some of my newer songs with anyone yet. I worried if they were up to par. I knew all I could do was my best, and share the stories and emotions in my words.

I almost went to my playlist again to see if I shouldn't sing some of my older stuff. I growled out a frustrated, “Grah! Get out of your head Tabster!” I grinned at my silliness and suppressed a giggle.
Shut up! Fine, I giggled.
I couldn't concentrate on working on some new music in Garage Band, the excited jitters were too much.

So I laid back on my mattress and read another chapter from the lesson book. Finally I took a deep breath and looked at possibly the most frightening piece of sheet music any vocalist had ever laid eyes on, and began to sing. Was that dishy headmistress serious when she said someone had actually accomplished this? My eyes drifted to her mum's name on the book.
No way... bloody hell!

I smiled and worked on it one measure at a time, slowed down to quarter time so I could figure out my breath control and projection. I felt sort of like Sisyphus pushing his rock uphill, but at the same time exhilarated at the attempt. I just wish I knew Italian, so I knew what the words on this punishing piece meant.

I blinked when I caught myself lighting my kerosene lamp. It was twilight out, I had practiced the day away and I wasn't even five measures in, still at quarter time. I tried to attempt a little at full time but failed miserably. So I sang like Donald Duck for a bit just to be silly since that's how I felt while trying this. I snorted again, I think I actually did better that way. I mentally stuck my tongue out at myself, then went back to work.

The generators kicked in, and my light flickered to life. I put the lesson down and hopped up to plug in my devices. As I snuffed the kerosene lamp and I saw, its little glass reservoir was almost empty so I took the empty tin beside it out on the deck. I hopped across from the Persephone to the Tennessee and filled my container using the big red can of kerosene the captain kept beside the main cabin doors for the tenants to use.

I hopped back across, almost landing on my bum when I hit a little leftover slush, then went back into my cabin, refilled my lamp then went back to work. I relit my lamp after the electrics powered down.

Then my mobile buzzed. My eyes flew wide at the time as I answered, “Hiya, Paya!”
Shite, shite, shite.

She said, “On our way, be there in fifteen lady.”

I nodded like she could see me and kept the panic out of my voice. “I'll be here.” Then rang off. Bloody hell. I had to get dressed. As I got into my clubbing clothes, I made a peanut butter sandwich and chewed on a piece of peppered jerky. Paya would have my head if she knew I had worked through supper.

I was at the road minutes later, where they picked me up and turned us southeast toward the London Docklands. The rotating rave was to be in an old warehouse down there. I got an eye squint from my caramel skinned bestie. She shook her head as she sighed. “Lost in your own world again Tabs? You weren't ready when I called were you?”

Her evil grin made me not want to admit anything. I replied, “I'm sure I have no idea what you are implying you dastardly woman.”

Her grin turned into a smile as she put a hand to the side of her face and pretend to whisper in a normal voice, “Your shirt is inside out goose. And your hair is all static and mussed.”

I looked down at my shirt.
Shite.
I exhaled in surrender. “I was working on my lessons.”

She tilted her head as she said, “You do realize you aren't actually enrolled. You don't need to put so much effort...” She paused then smirked in glee. “...that's right, hot for teacher.” She gave a squeaky pleased chuckle.

I blushed profusely and defended myself. “She's bloody sexy!” Ok brain, wrong response, I'm going to have to work on impulse control. Then I tried to recover. “I just want to please her.” Harry made a coughing sound as he kept his eyes deliberately on the road, and I shot him the stink eye. “Get your mind out of the gutter you. She's just going out of her way to help me out for some reason I cannot fathom, and I don't want to be a disappointment.”

He kept staring straight ahead as Paya chuckled. He said off into the nether, “I didn't say a word Tabs.”

Paya said, “Pull over sweets.” He did and she wiggled her fingers at him in a dismissing gesture. “Turn around, give her some privacy.” He did and she made an upward motion at my shirt. I looked around then quickly took off my shirt and turned it right-side out and put it back on. Static crackled through my hair and I could feel strands sticking out and almost hovering around me in a halo.

My bestie barked out a surprised, high-pitched, humor filled sound. “Oh my. This won't do. She grabbed a water bottle from her purse and poured a little onto her hands and rubbed her hands, coating them in moisture. I could hear the crackling of static as she smoothed my hair back. A moment later she was attacking me with a little plastic hairbrush she kept in her purse. She grinned when she was satisfied and said, “There's Tabby Cat. Much better.” She turned to Harry. “Off we go.”

I squinted an eye and said in a humor filled voice, “You do know I'll come to assassinate you in your sleep for calling me that.”

She put a hand over her heart dramatically. “Who me? As I recall that's the name you chose for yourself on stage.”

I pouted. “I just panicked when he asked for a stage name, it was the first thing that popped into my head.”

She waved me off like it wasn’t important, a smile tickling at the corners of her mouth. “Sure sure, whatever you say Miss Romanov.” You know I don't think it would ever be possible to ever be truly upset with the smug bird. I grinned and leaned over to bump shoulders with her playfully.

Minutes later we drove through a fenced in area, the gate apparently pulled aside from where it had blocked access to a row of warehouses being renovated into lofts. We parked behind the designated warehouse F4 in a car park overrun by weeds. There were dozens if not hundreds of vehicles.

The moment Harry opened the door, we could hear the bass carried in the wind. Yup, we were in the right place. Paya and I fought for the rear-view mirror to touch up our makeup. I applied an extra layer of satin copper lipstick that matched my eyes and hair. Then we joined Harry. One of us on each of his arms.

We merged with a retro punk group walking to the doors. Exchanging head bobs and smiles. A bloke with spiky black hair with blonde tips pounded on the door. Someone pounded back then it was comical as no less than four of us produced playbills when the bloke started patting his pockets for his.

The tall punker grinned down at me and winked as he took mine and shoved it under the door. Cheeky.

Nobody was surprised when Skeeze opened the door. There were lots of guy sounds and arms grasping, complicated handshakes. Harry, being one of the testosterone-laden, joined in. Paya, the lone punk rocker bird with half pink and blue hair, and I just grinning and rolled our eyes.

As we filed in we gave a more subdued fist bump to our gatekeeper. We three women shared a quick chuckle. The place was slammin'. I could feel the music thrumming up into the soles of my feet through the concrete floor. My body wanting to pull it up inside me as I swayed to the music blasting from a stage made up of a few construction scaffoldings lashed together like the barges I lived on.

I saw Ronnie setting up a DJ station. He looked up and caught my eye. He nodded once in acknowledgment. I nervously reciprocated with a silly tiny wave of my hand.

Harry was off in search of liquid refreshments. Paya and I just started moving into the crowd and danced. She had always been such a smooth and creative dancer, I've often wondered why she never tried to pursue it professionally. From being exposed to her all these years, I was no slouch myself just trying to keep up with her.

Harry returned with beers. Paya grabbed a cup then stopped me from grabbing one of the three large red plastic cups with a hand on my arm. The twinkle went out of her eyes and she asked thoughtfully, “You're not drinking on an empty stomach are you? You need to sing tonight and being drunk won't help.”

I shook my head, knowing she was serious. “I had a sandwich and some beef before you picked me up. I knew you'd be upset if I didn't.” I added, “Mum.” Then stuck my tongue out at her.

She nodded and grinned then grabbed the cup I was reaching for and eyeballed it. She took two deep gulps of it and looked at it then handed me the cup that was now a third empty. “There, that's all you get until you sing.” I'd be upset with her if I didn't love her so bloody much for worrying about me. Instead I just accepted the cup, took a gulp then saluted them and we toasted and danced.

Every time some bloke started pushing in on us, we'd dance closer to Harry, in a suggestive manner, showing them we were taken and not interested. This just boosted Harry's confidence. I'm glad he didn't mind me using him as a testosterone shield too. He was so good for my bestie. To tell the truth, he's the only person she has ever dated that I wholeheartedly approved of. He treated her like she was important and truly mattered.
Who cares if he was from Cardiff?
I chuckled silently at that thought.

On the other hand, every time a woman would push in on us, I'd turn to her with a smile and Paya and I would give her the Harry treatment. Paya had never looked down on my sexual preferences and was secure in her own so this was just pure fun for her. She never felt self-conscious helping me with the women this way.

My cup was almost empty by the end of the second song and I was feeling a bit tipsy and daring. I started channeling the music and letting it move my body for me, merging, becoming one with it. I spun and ran directly into someone, sloshing the last of my beer to the ground. I blurted out, “I'm so terribly...” I froze as familiar emerald eyes took my breath away. I stopped.. just stopped... not moving, not breathing, dropping the cup as I squeaked out, “Teresa?” I quickly recovered. “I mean, Miss McClellan?”

She was different... so different. So... I was feeling flush and a heat started in my belly that threatened to consume me. The sexy professional dragon lady had transformed into... a goddess? Her pressed, professional garb was replaced with trendy clubbing clothes, a layered pop princess look.

She had heavy makeup highlighting her cheeks, her eyes were so smoky and alluring and her lips... I swallowed... they were works of art with so much creamy depth, coated with a glossy sheen. The tall heeled boots and skin tight capris showed off the shapeliest of legs. My eyes followed their curves. Now, I'm a leg girl, I freely admit that. And her legs were enough to make me drool. The only thing that turns me on more than legs are... I stopped thinking as my other weakness captured me, I was lost in her eyes.

Then I blinked as I took in her chocolate brown mane of wild hair, not held tightly to her scalp by a hairband. It just flowed around her shoulders, pooling there before cascading both forward and down her back. I took a mental picture. This was so... so...

Her smile was huge and her eyes twinkled as she squealed, engulfing me in a big hug. “Tabitha! What are you doing here?” She pushed away, holding my shoulders, and turned her head to the utterly gorgeous redhead she had been dancing with and a cold jealousy shot through my confusion and surprise. And... arousal at running into Teresa here, and looking so, wow. “Jenny, this is Tabitha Romanov. Tabitha, this is my cousin Jenny.”

Relief flooded me, I don't even know why I was jealous. I gave a tiny wave to the redhead and she cocked an eyebrow at me with a sly grin. “She's the one you won't shut up about?”

I blushed and I swear Teresa did too as she said, “Oh hush you manky bint. Can't you let up on the teasing just a bit?”

The redhead barked out a genuinely amused and surprised peal of laughter. Her smile doubled and she ignored her cousin and mocked looking around her. “It is a pleasure to meet, 'the voice,' Tabitha.”