Rock Radio - By Lisa Wainland Page 0,52
wife who was so famous. He’d go back to his twenty-year high school reunion and they’d all stare at him as he made his big entrance. He’d be the big man then.
He imagined Dana in a low cut black dress and himself in a fine Italian suit. He always heard the Italians made the best suits.
They’d walk into the reunion and everyone’s head would turn. Kenny Miller who called him “loser” for four years would wet his pants with envy. Farrah, Linda and Carrie who all turned him down for dates and then laughed at him when he showed up alone to senior prom would see what they missed out on. His stupid brother Paul, “the doctor” who his mother and father thought walked on water, would finally respect him. They’d all be sorry they ever called him a failure.
Oh, yes, Larry and Dana would soon be one. Surely the card was enough for her to see that he was her soul mate.
The clock ticked six o’clock. It was time to call.
The phone rang endlessly. Finally she answered.
“Hi, it’s Dana, what’s up.”
“Dana, it’s Larry.”
Oh God, she thought, Larry again. “Hi Larry. I got your card today.”
Yes! She got it. She remembered. She was so sweet. “Did you like it?”
“It was very nice.”
Nice? That wasn’t the response he wanted. “You mean nice of me, but the card meant more to you, didn’t it Dana?”
She wasn’t quite sure what he was getting at. “What do you mean Larry?”
“I mean you understood, right? You feel the same way?”
“What way Larry?”
He got shy. “You know...what I wrote in the poem...that we’re meant to be together.”
“Larry, we barely know each other,” she said with no emotion, trying to hide the fear she felt in the pit of her stomach.
His voice grew tense. “That’s not true Dana, we’ve talked on the phone lots and lots. We’re close friends.”
Dana realized this guy was one sandwich short of a picnic. She wanted to get off the phone...now. “Look, Larry, of course I’m your friend, and I appreciate the thought, but I have to go.”
“Why are you blowing me off Dana? That’s not fair of you!” This wasn’t how Larry envisioned the phone call. Not at all.
“Larry I’m not blowing you off. I can only spend so much time on the...”
He cut her off. “But I’m different Dana.” His voice was filled with anger.
“Larry, I really do have to go. I’m at work now and I’m going on the air soon.”
“Dana I don’t think you’re being fair.”
“I’m sorry, but I have to go, bye.” She hung up.
Larry heard the click, then the dial tone. How could she have dismissed him like that? And hung up on him? He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Yes, he rationalized, she was at work, but he gave her his heart in that card. There was no excuse for her reaction. How could she blow him off? She was no better than any of the others. No better than Farrah, Linda, Carrie or The Bitch.
She is at work, he reminded himself.
Well, then, he thought, I’ll just have to contact her at home.
Chapter 35
Cody and the band arrived in Orlando Monday afternoon with just enough time to stop at the local radio station to promote their appearance. Alex brought his guitar to play an acoustic version of All You Were.
They walked in to a hero’s welcome. A group of fans were waiting for them outside the building of the radio station, cameras in hand. Eric shuttled The Cody Blue Experience through the small crowd. He’d done well by them, negotiating a deal with a major label for representation. It was a good deal for Eric as well. He maneuvered a clause that stated the band’s acceptance was contingent on Eric’s continued involvement with the group and a cut of the profits.
“We’ll be back,” he promised the small group of fans. “They gotta go on the air.”
Cody, Harper, Alex and Bobby walked through the station. They looked the part of rock stars. Now that their album had been released more pressure was put on them for their appearance. The label hired stylists to work with the guys.
It was hard work to dress like you didn’t care.
The once pudgy Alex had lost a lot of weight. He tried to work out at every stop, keeping to a regimen of sit-ups and push-ups, though he still had a small amount of baby fat that the ladies found cute. His once short brown hair was