Different Circles

“I don’t want him flying me around anymore,” Celia said. “I don’t ever want to see his face again, as a matter of fact! Can you believe this shit? He actually told a reporter private things about what happens on the road! Who does something like that?”

“Apparently Njord does,” Suzie said. “And I will see to it that he never sets foot in that aircraft again. I will call up the home office and tell them what he did.” She looked at Celia. “It would be very helpful to our cause if you were to call them up too and express how fucking pissed off you are that a member of your aircrew blabbed his big mouth to the entertainment media about your personal life.”

“What about you?” Celia asked. “Won’t you get in trouble for sleeping with me?”

“Sleeping with you?” Suzie said with a smile. “I’m not sleeping with you. Never have. That was all speculative lies made up by our mole. Remember? You denied everything. I certainly will do the same when HR asks me about it. Yes, you and I like to hang out together on occasion after you get back from your shows, but I have no idea where he came up with the idea that we were getting naked and stinky together.”

Celia smiled back at her. “Of course,” she said. “I didn’t think of that. Should I make my phone call first?”

Suzie shook her head. “I should make mine first and prep them for what is coming. And when you make your call, I would suggest you make it very clear to them that legal action against the company will occur if this situation is not made right and made right immediately.”

“Understood,” Celia said.

“We should probably get Jake and Laura in on this outrage too,” Pauline suggested. “As soon as they reappear in the world anyway.”

“Oh yeah,” Celia said. “I haven’t even gotten to the part about Laura yet.”

“Then read on, Macduff,” Pauline said. “Read on.”

She read on. The writer—her byline identified her as Jessica Barstow—rehashed the Jake and Laura story, explaining that they had met back during the recording of Celia’s debut solo album in 1991 and had gotten married in 1994. She made sure to mention the allegations of domestic violence and drug use made against Jake, including the infamous cocaine from the butt-crack incident, and then she rehashed the allegations that Laura had been a terrible teacher who had been asked to resign when she started dating Jake. She put in a few quotes from Laura’s mother from the American Watcher stories when Mrs. Best speculated about how Jake must be abusing her since she was isolating herself from her devoted Mormon family.

From there, she got into the meat of things. Citing the same ‘anonymous source close to the band’ she described how Laura enjoyed the company of young female groupies (“the sluttier the better” the source was quoted as saying) and would often have one accompany her back to the hotel after the show. She did this openly and all of the other band members and the road crew knew about it. She even suggested that Jake knew about this habit as well. “I don’t see how he could not know,” the source allegedly said. “Jake and Celia are pretty tight with each other. And the saying that what happens on the road stays on the road wouldn’t apply in this situation.”

She then wrapped it up by writing that Pauline Kingsley, spokeswoman and manager of Laura Kingsley as well as Celia herself, stated that Laura, like Celia, emphatically denies the allegations and is outraged that such a thing was even being suggested. After this, Jessica Barstow invited any readers who might have knowledge or stories that could corroborate the allegations against Celia, or Suzie, or Laura, please give her a call at her office or send her an email. Her office number and her email address were printed below her byline.

“Madres de Dios,” Celia said when she was finished reading. “Njord and his big fucking mouth.”

“Let me read that thing,” Suzie said. “I’ll need to have my ammo ready for when I make my call.”

Celia slid the tabloid across the table to her.

“I’m a little worried about that last line in the story,” Pauline said. “The one about how people should call or email her if they can corroborate. As it stands now, it’s our word against Njord’s. We have put up a wall of denial and we are reasonably secure behind it. But if a member of the road crew or the security staff or one of the many hotel workers who must have witnessed you two staying in your room together every night, or ordering dinner for two from room service, decides to talk ... that wall starts to crumble.”

“I don’t think any of the road crew or the security staff would blab,” Celia said. “We’ve worked closely with them for two tours now and they’re a great crew. They’re very supportive of me and of everyone else in the band.”