at them both, I realised I couldn’t object to the
idea at all. They needed Freedom Records to become a reality, and I realised that I did too.
“Let’s do it,” I said.
Jesse bounced on his chair. “Really?”
“Yes. I’ll find a solicitor and arrange an appointment. It’ll take time to set up, Jesse. Nothing’s going to happen
overnight.”
“I know that!” He stood, came over to me, and flung his arms around my neck in a hug.
“Careful. You’ll strangle me.”
“Are you really in?” Jesse asked Charlie.
Charlie nodded. “As a silent partner, yes.”
Jesse hugged him too and then sat back down. “I can’t believe this is going to happen. We’re going to set up a
record label, and we’re going to do things right.”
We put the twins down to play on their mat and talked ideas and practicalities for a while longer.
“Come here,” Jesse said to Charlie during a lull in the conversation.
Hesitantly, Charlie joined Jesse on the floor beside the mat.
Jesse handed Charlie a black-and-white panda toy. “It’s their favourite. They’ll love you forever if you shake it for
them.”
Charlie did so, breaking out into a smile as the twins grabbed at the toy and tried to wrench it from his grasp.
“I think I should see out my contract with Phoenix Records,” Jesse said as we all watched Charlie playing with
the twins. “It’s only a two-album deal.”
I decided he was telling Charlie rather than the rest of us. I’d negotiated the deal for him, and Isaac would know
all the ins and outs of the contract.
“Even with taking a break now, I should only be tied to them for a couple more years at the most. And because
Dad and I had a big hand in writing the songs, we’ll retain a percentage of the rights to the masters.”
“Sticking with them will keep your clean image too,” Charlie said. “I’m the only divo in the room.”
I sucked in a breath. “That could be a problem for Freedom Records.” I stroked my beard in an attempt to look at
least semi-serious. “The owner might not want to work with a divo.”
Charlie narrowed his eyes, but his grin ruined his expression. His nostrils flared. “Uh, I think one, or both, of
these little guys has a dirty nappy.”
Isaac sniffed the air. “I think you’re right. Do you want to learn how to change a nappy?”
“Umm…is that a trick question?”
“No is an okay answer.”
Charlie looked down at the twins. “I probably should learn.”
“I’ll bring everything we need down. Wait here.”
“You could start writing songs for Charlie now, Dad,” Jesse suggested while we waited for Isaac to come back.
“You could release songs or even an album independently. You don’t need to be signed to a label.”
“Maybe,” Charlie said. “But to be honest, taking some time out might be good for me. I’ve been single-mindedly
focused on singing for nine years.”
“It sounds like it’s time for a break,” Jesse agreed.
When Isaac came back, he put the changing mat on the floor and talked Charlie through the process of changing
Colby’s nappy.
“Where are you going to live?” Jesse asked, moving the conversation away from our record label dream.
“We’re still figuring that out,” I replied.
“Not your place, then?”
“I don’t know.”
Jesse’s lips turned down as he nodded. I could only imagine what he was thinking. That was the house he’d
grown up in, and while his childhood memories might not have always been the happiest, they were all tied up in
that building.
“We might be better off with a bungalow. My house has too many steep steps.”
“Because my seizures aren’t fully controlled, I might have a seizure while I’m going up or down steps,” Charlie
said. “It’s a small risk, but I try to avoid them where I can. I do love Austin’s house, though. I wish we could stay
there. I just can’t see a way to make it happen.”
“What about a lift?” Isaac asked.
“I don’t think there’s space in my house for a lift,” I said.
“Sure, there is. My granddads got one fitted in their house when my alpha granddad became less mobile. Their
house was a similar style to yours. The lift was neat. It was in a corner of the living room and went straight up
into their bedroom. It was much smaller than you’d think. They eventually moved into a home together, but it let
them stay in their own house for a lot longer than they’d have been able to otherwise.”
I looked at Charlie. “What do you think?”
“It’s worth looking into. I
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