Page 105 of Hold Still

“McKenna? I thought you said that she—”

Before my ill-chosen words are spewed back at me, I jump over Aiden’s response. “Fuck what I said before. I want you to do as I’m saying right now. I expect her to be paid, in full, through the end of the year. Tell them to send me the bills from now on. Got it?”

“Loud and clear. Is she why you’re you ducking tonight’s concert?”

My bruised knuckles throb. “No. I’m not getting into this now, but I’m in no shape to perform.”

I kill the call and look at Elaine, who’s smiling from ear to ear. “Well, that’s certainly a start.”

Buoyed by her positive response, I state, “I’m only getting started. Do you have the address for the Project’s office?”

“Wait here.” She leaves the kitchen and I toss the frozen packs into the sink. “Here you go.” Elaine hands me a piece of paper.

I skim the contents. It’s an email from the Project with their office address at the bottom. McKenna scrawled today’s date and ten a.m. on it. “I’m going to straighten them out first. McKenna’s next.”

“I have no doubts.”

I kiss the woman’s cheek. “Thanks for being such a friend to McKenna and helping her with her mother.”

“It’s my job, but I love that girl, too. Now go and take care of business.”

I leave her in the kitchen. McKenna’s mother waves at me from a seat by the television, signs of the struggle between me and Matt still littered around her. I need to get to the Project’s office. Calling over my shoulder, I say, “Don’t clean up in here. I’ll have someone come and do it.”

Elaine responds, “You’ve done enough. I’ll take care of it. Now, go.”

I offer them both a nod and race out of the front door. The cops left Matt’s car here, but it’s not a problem for Shirley.

Pulling into the parking lot, I release the kickstand and hop off the bike. It’s after noon. They better still be here. Looking around, I notice McKenna’s Honda is nowhere to be found.Shit.I cross into the small reception area and ask the receptionist about the board meeting.

The young girl’s mouth drops open when she realizes it’s me. I don’t have time for any fangirl bullshit right now and repeat, “Where. Is. The. Board. Meeting?”

Her mouth pops closed. She swallows and says, “They’re in the back conference room, but they’re meeting behind closed doors.” Ignoring the rest of her sentence, I brush past her and stride to the back of the building. “Hey, wait, I said you can’t go back there. You’re not on the agenda.” An Exit sign leads outside and I turn away from it to the closed door that will lead me into the conference room.

I inhale and twist the doorknob, the receptionist hot on my heels. Leaving the door open, I enter the room.

“I’m so sorry. I tried to get him to stop, but he wouldn’t listen,” the receptionist worries behind me.

A tall woman with a brunette bob stands. I recognize her as the President from the Big Reveal and address her. “Peggy, so nice to see you again.”

Peggy lifts her hand, stopping the yippy receptionist in her tracks. “Mr. Martinez, to what do we owe this pleasure?” Her voice is disapproving, probably as a result of my being wasted at her party.

Shrugging off her disapproval, I approach the round table. I’m here for my girl. Nodding at each one of the people I saw at the Big Reveal, I reply, “I heard there was a meeting about McKenna, Ms. James, and I have some things to share.”

Peggy motions for the receptionist to leave us and looks at me. “We’re all still here. What do you want us to know?”

That McKenna’s one-of-a-kind. That she’s sacrificed so much for her mother. That I wouldn’t have an album or probably a glimmer of a future if not for her. That she deserves to stay in the competition.

I swallow and take my time, looking at each board member. “When I first got together with Ms. James about the Project, I had no new music. Nothing.”

I let my words sink in. “I had been trying to write new songs for so long, but didn’t have anything to show for it. The stuff I did have was absolute crap.” I place my hands on my hips. “Ms. James changed everything. She taught me how to get outside of myself and reconnect with music. She listened to me—really listened—and challenged me to try something new. And it worked.”

I walk behind Peggy and place my hands on the back of her chair. “Isn’t this what your organization promotes? Challenging the youth to look at things from another angle and daring to be different?”

The board members look among themselves, murmuring.

Not letting them take the floor from me, I continue, “I know Ms. James met with you earlier.” I pause and observe heads bobbing in agreement. “I’m sure she explained whatever that stupid tabloid printed was lies, distantly related to the truth. So what that she made a bad relationship decision in her past? Who hasn’t?” I chuckle. “I know I have. But this time, I’m hoping to turn all that around.”

A few of the board members drop their heads. Taking their response as silent assent, I say, “What matters is how you deal with your mistakes. If you’re me, you run and hide and stop living your life. That’s not how Ms. James handled things. No. She took over her family’s responsibilities, all the while building her graphic design company from scratch. And she’s a fantastic designer. You know that. Yousawher work.”

I walk across the room. “I know you’re deciding whether to allow her to represent you at the national competition. I also know you’re afraid to take a chance on someone who might not have a squeaky-clean reputation. But I was at the Big Reveal and I know what I saw. Ms. James’s presentation stood out above the others. And I’m not saying this because my music was featured in hers or because I would never have produced another song if not for our collaboration.”

I smile and garner strength from the chuckles around the table.

“I think you need to choose the one artist for this award who created a visual masterpiece out of songs. The one who made you want to celebrate life and living. Because that’s what Ms. James does. She makes you experience joy through her work. She brought me out of a place of darkness to a place of creation, and I’m a much better man for having her in my life.”

I stop. What else can I add to change their minds?

Peggy stands, “Thank you, Mr. Martinez. We appreciate your words and will take them—”

Before she can cut me off, I blurt, “We all know she owns this competition. But she also owns my heart.” My next words tumble from my mouth.

---