Chapter 16

Mick signed over the villa to Michelle and Anna through their solicitors. The pair had a good slice of the publishing royalties and he saw no need for him to be excessively generous. Between the two of them, they now held it freehold and Mick was half a million richer.

He could've offered it to them for the full list price, but he thought of his baby daughter. He figured he was helping provide for Emily and his concience was clear.

Mick bought a more modest place on a cliff face overlooking the ocean. It was isolated and down a long access road and it suited him fine. There was enough land to build himself a studio and still plenty more for a garden and maybe a pool. It had a nice ambience and he could fill it with the antique oak furniture he was fond of.

He'd paid a call on Freddie not long after The Curse's return from the States and found him in significantly better condition. He was off the booze and under medical care for his liver problems. Terry was more relaxed as well, now that she'd got her husband back under control.

The hiatus following the US tour gave Mick the opportunity to compose some more songs. The lyrics he came up with were inspired by the emotional upheavals he'd undergone during that tour. Instead of fretting, he was writing, and it felt good to create.

Finally, he admitted he needed to protect his own interests and formally applied for access to Emily. He and Michelle drew up a notarised agreement with little rancour, having informally agreed on the main points beforehand.

Apart from that, Mick occupied himself with building the studio and laying out his garden until it was time to reassemble The Curse.

They were up for a Grammy, but Mick had failed get a decision out of the band whether they were to show. He thought that, at least, he should go and it would have the added bonus of being able to spend some time with Sabra.

They called each other about once a week to discuss business and to keep in touch. She was divorcing her husband and they were fighting over the assets of the company. It was costing her plenty but she insisted she didn't want any financial help from Mick. This, she told him, she needed to do on her own. Her future plans had to wait until she'd got present business out of the way.

The US tour and sales of their CDs had benefited the band's coffers considerably. Mick added to his car collection, an Oldsmobile Cutlass he'd spied in the States, and bought some land in the country he hoped to run some horses on one day. Karen and Junior made some 'sensible' investments and Anna and Michelle bought themselves a club downtown.

Mick's relationship with Michelle turned from frosty to civil after a week. Michelle wasn't inclined to hold grudges but, at the same time, had a good memory for perceived offences. She'd forgive, but never forget.

By week two Mick was allowed to enter the house and, by the end of it, Michelle made him a cup of coffee. Progress was slow but, for the sake of The Curse, he had to keep moving forward.

He brought all the band together the next weekend by way of a BBQ at his new place. Mick invited a few record company execs, Flyblown's partners and the studio folks from Phoenix. Mick figured a shmoozing session with as many people he could think of that had a hand in The Curse's success. Even Freddie turned up with Terry, although his old friend was drinking water.

The Dodger and his wife were cordial. Despite telling Mick what he would do if he upset Michelle, The Dodger implied he was sympathetic to Mick's predicament. He even told Mick he believed he'd been provoked beyond reason by his daughter and had told her so. Of course he knew Sabra and probably had a crush on her in the old days.

Karen, Michelle and Anna brought salads and Mick provided the steaks. He and Michelle cooked them together while Anna circulated around the garden. Few of his guests would've failed to be charmed by The Curse's lead singer.

It felt like a celebration yet, at the same time, there was kind of a family atmosphere. Mick was getting on well with the girls and the tension had eased. Michelle still seemed to hold a grudge towards Sabra and all discussion about her had to be tactful, however.

But Mick had failed to take into account the power of the mobile phone or, more specifically, the ability of young people to spread the word very quickly. Fans started arriving from two onwards - determined to hang out with The Curse for the afternoon. Generally, they were young and well behaved and Mick didn't mind too much. Anna, naturally, was the centre of attention but most of the gatecrashers appeared reluctant to approach their icon.

Around 2.30 another gatecrasher arrived with a blousy redhead on his arm. Mick wasn't happy to spy Mal 'the Man' Mouton with his oft-tolerant wife. Mick was wary that he'd come to cause trouble and had a quick word with Rangi, The Curse's security guy on their last domestic tour. The big man agreed to keep a close watch on the MTV host.

More people began arriving and Mick and the girls were growing concerned. Many of these newcomers had been drinking and some were being abusive to his invited guests. Rangi suggested The Curse retreat into the house and lock the doors. He would gather a small posse and restore some order.

Mick was in a bad mood, both because his day was being ruined, and his garden was likely being trashed. He'd considered calling the cops but Rangi talked him out of it. They were just youngsters, he explained, and he could deal with them. Mick went into his bedroom to sulk, shutting the door.

To calm himself down he took out his baggee and rolled himself a joint. He was lying on the bed when he heard a soft knocking. Irritated, he licked his finger and stubbed the joint before getting up to unlock the door. Opening it a fraction, he saw Michelle's face looking in.

"You alone?" she asked. Mick nodded. "Can I hide in here?" He stood aside and let her into the room.

"What's happening outside?" he asked her.

"Rangi's getting everyone to move off," she explained, "some people have gone home and there's about 20 or so in the lounge."

"Where's Anna?"

"Anna's ok. She's hanging out with Dimitru and Terry's looking after Emily. Karen and Junior went home an hour ago."

"Good, good." Mick was relieved that none of his friends and guests had got into squabbles with the gatecrashers. It seemed Rangi was getting everything back under control. "How's my garden?"

"I think a few plants have been trampled and there's some beer cans. Otherwise, not too bad!"

"I guess I shoulda helped out there, but... well, this whole celebrity bullshit. You need to be careful about getting into situations..."

"Hey! We understand, Mick, don't reproach yourself. Rangi's good at this shit... better than you. Some guy coulda punched you out just for being who you are. Y'know how those idiots are when they're drunk and trying to prove something?"

"I guess."

"You been smoking dope? I can smell it."

"What of it?"

"Nothing. It's just I've never seen you toke up before."

"I have a joint now and then," Mick told her, "mostly to relax."

"Yeah? Mind if I have a toke?"

"What about breastfeeding?"

"A little shouldn't hurt, should it?"

"You've changed your tune," Mick laughed, "you used to get paranoid about smoking within a kilometre of Emily."

"Yeah, well, maybe I was a bit tough on you? Maybe, in a lot of things, Mick?"

"Ok," he sighed, "you can finish this with me if you want?"

Mick sat back on the bed and retrieved the joint from the ash tray. Michelle sat beside him and drew deeply of the smoke before handing it back for him. Mick then lay back down and Michelle nestled against him.

"How are things between you and Sabra?" she asked, "when is she coming over?"

"Dunno," he shrugged, "might never happen. I might pop over for the Grammys..."

"Oh, I see. Things not going, y'know, all that well between..."

"I dunno, Michelle. She's up and down like a yoyo. Quite frankly, I don't know where I stand at the moment."

"I, I'm real sorry, um, y'know, about how things turned out," she said. Her voice was uncertain and struggling with the dope. "Good shit!" she grinned.

"Coromandel," he told her, "dry as fuck... had it too long in the tin."

"I miss you, Mick," she said in a faraway voice, "this feels real nice just lying here with you. We used to do a lot of this shit, remember? Just hanging out... lying on the bed... talking shit."

"Yeah babe," he said softly, "then Emily came along and... well, I just felt left out, y'know? You wanted Anna, and..."

"She needed..."

"Ok, I get that. I needed you as well... you gave me shit, Michelle."

"Oh, Mick!" she stretched her arm across his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's like... I'm stretched between two poles, y'know? There's Anna on the one side, and..."

"And you let go of one to..."

"Well, see, my mistake was... I always thought you'd be there for me. I didn't think you'd... then you took up with Sabra. Anna thinks you picked up a couple of girls... she reckons she heard it from someone who saw you. That's not true, is it?"

"What if it is? Didn't see you in my bed that often. I was waiting for you, but you chose to fuck Anna. I'm not made of granite... not staying there forever waiting for you to grant me..."

"Ok, ok," she said, "I know I fucked up. Two girls together, Mick? Kind of surprises me. What, you fuck them separately, or get one to sit on your face or something?"

"Why do you want to know?" he laughed.

"Because... um, why do you do it?"

"Why do you think?"

"Silly question?"

"Yeah," he smiled.

"Shit, I really miss this," she said, "the cuddling... all the other stuff."

"Like?"

"You know?" she smiled, "the fucking."

"Anna not satisfying you?"

"We don't actually do much of that," she said, "she likes to talk, cuddle... mostly."

"No body massages?"

"You're teasing me," she batted at him, "sometimes, I guess... She gets off mostly. She likes to..."

"Yeah, what?"

"I wouldn't be saying this if I wasn't stoned," she told him. "She rubs herself... on my leg... here."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. She likes it when I pinch her nipples."

"Don't we all?" he laughed.

"Sometimes she puts her fingers down there," she continued, "and it's ok, y'know? But... but, what I miss is... your cock, Mick."

"You do?"

"Fucking you always got me hot."

"So why didn't..."

"I don't fucking know, Mick, ok? Anna gets so lonely sometimes and I can't just leave her. You got to understand, it wasn't about rejecting you... I love you, now, and always."

"Hey, chill!" He bent over her face and kissed her. Michelle immediately put her arms around him and held him down - her mouth working softly and passionately against his.

Outside in the lounge Mal 'the Man' Mouton slumped on the two seater in the corner - his wife beside him all but passed out. He'd managed to slip past Rangi purely and simply because he was a 'face' and obviously not one of the young gatecrashers. The security guy just assumed he was there by invitation.