Jason’s twentieth birthday barbecue was a good time. The friends and family ate talked, and laughed and when Peter got his guitar they sang. Some sang better than others but they sounded best when their voices melded together as one. And after the steaks were eaten they roasted marshmallows and made smores and by the night’s end Joyce and Chase were laughing and reminiscing about the good things instead of dredging up memories about bad ones.
Peter and Belinda drove them to the airport the next morning. Although Robin was still tired from last night’s party she was anxious to see her Mom. She hadn’t been able to visit due to school. Her mother and stepfather had decided against a big wedding and had just tied the knot in Vegas where they had a short honeymoon.
Some might have called their romance fast but to anyone who knew Harry and Betty they knew that both had waited a long time to find each other.
“When you get back be ready to work, son.” Peter stated. “You’ve been slacking and we have an album to release in less than six months.”
“Two weeks and I promise my head will be back on track and we’ll jam out and have enough music for two albums. Akita might put back an album in the hole for us—or we can market it to Second Life or Cartoon Network.”
Peter’s eyes lit up. “Two albums?”
“Two.”
He kissed Jason right on the lips. Jason wiped his mouth and shook his head with a smile.
As he and Robin walked hand in hand through the terminal, Jason began to look tired. “Do you want a wheelchair?”
“Nah. This walking is good for me.”
She gave him an unsure look. “It won’t hurt your legs like before, will it?”
He squeezed her hand lightly. “With these orthos Peter might even be able to walk. Shit it’s like having statues around my legs. My legs aren’t going anywhere in these, honey.”
His last leg braces weren’t meant to keep his legs and joints from twisting into weird positions while he tried to re-learn how to walk. And the result had been a great deal of pain, which had very nearly caused him irreparable damage.
Once they boarded, Robin looked around in pleasure as she got comfortable in her seat. She was happy that Jason had upgraded them to first class. She had only been on a plane when going to and returning from Florida where here mom and her had caught a cruise ship to the Bahamas. The ride had been cramped, although at the time she had been preoccupied with other things.
Once they were in the air Jason had leaned over to whisper to her.
“Should we join the mile high club?”
Only his voice hadn’t quite been a whisper.
Robin blushed and sank in her seat. “No!” She hissed and someone chuckled.
“One day we’ll have a private jet, babe.” He was looking out the window at the clouds. “And I’ll be so famous that we’ll ride in limos and people will be waiting at the airports for just one glimpse at us so that they can beg for an autograph.”
Robin smiled and squeezed his hand until he looked at her. “I have no doubt that you will be famous. When I met you, you were already on your way.”
He gave her a solemn look. “I didn’t say me, I said ‘we’. I want your voice on the album, Robin. I want people to hear how special you are and why I love you so much.”
Her eyes lowered. “Jason, I’ll give you my voice. But this album is about your music; you and Peter’s. I don’t want to take from that. You said Akita Tom wants to mix your style with his and me singing on the tracks might not be what he’s looking for.”
He kissed the back of her hand. “I want to try something new. I want to take sound and turn it into music. Just street sounds, maybe a baby crying. Do you remember the song The Ghetto by Donny Hathaway? There’s a baby crying in it and somehow that baby’s cries turned into music. The concept has been around for years but I want to take it up a notch. I want to take your singing and transform it into musical notes.”
She stared at him in amazement. “You can do that?”
“That’s what I want to try. There’s this mixologist by the name of Nick Bertke. He makes music as POGO and he’s been transforming sounds into musical notes for years.”
Robin listened to his ideas and began to remember that Jason was more than just the man that she loved and a talented artist, but he was also a musical genius. If he said he could make music out of everyday sounds then she believed him. And with Akita Tom backing their music Wheels of Steel was going to become top in their genre.
Chapter Three
Robin thought that the Midwest was hot, but Atlanta during the first of June was like one of Dante’s nine circles of hell. This was southern fried chicken and biscuits type of heat that made her and Jason gulp down breaths of air the minute they stepped off the plane and the heat blasted them in the face.
When they entered the terminal the heat followed them, but when Robin saw her mom rushing forward all thoughts of an iced mochalata left her thoughts.
“Mom!” They hugged each other while two men that had never met each other stood back watching with silent smiles on their face. Finally Mr. Benali offered Jason his hand.
“You must be Jason.”
“And you must be Mr. Benali.”
“Call me Harry.”
Jason wasn’t sure what Harry Benali’s race was but he definitely wasn’t black. He had an olive complexion and thick salt and pepper hair that fell in waves to his brow while remaining short around his neck and ears. He was tall, trim with a hairless face and Jason could only guess that he was in his early fifties or late forties.
Robin’s mother suddenly pulled from her daughter’s embrace but her arm remained around Robin’s waist.
“I’m sorry, Jason!” With her other arm she gave him a warm hug and then an appraising look taking in his straight posture and the cane in his hand. Months ago when she had looked at Jason all she saw was his handicap, but now she looked at him as the man that loved her daughter; and a handsome man, at that.
“I hear from Robin that today is your birthday.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She kissed his cheek. “Happy birthday.”
“Congratulations on your wedding, Miss Betty,” he said.
Betty looked at her husband and took his hand lovingly, pulling him forward.
“Thank you Jason. Harry you remember my daughter?”
Harry reached out to shake her hand but Robin bypassed the hand and hugged him briefly.
“Hi, Harry, nice to see you again. Thank you for allowing Jason and me to stay with you guys.”
“Not a problem. We have plenty of room.”
Harry Benali was a successful business owner that ran a chain of Laundromat/tanning salons. Robin thought it was a strange combination but mama had assured her that it was the thing in Atlanta. Mama had gained some new clients and was doing very well as a CPA. She sent Robin money on a regular basis although Robin was comfortable with the college fund that her mother had finally given her when she enrolled in college.
While they got their suitcases, mama bragged on Jason’s musical talents and although she didn’t have to quite twist his arm he agreed to play some of his music for them later.
Harry looked at the number of bags Robin had brought in shock. Jason said nothing. He’d brought one suitcase and was not about to complain about anything Robin did even if it caused him to wonder if she had plans to stay in Atlanta for the entire summer.
If Miss Betty thought it was odd she didn’t say anything and just kept chatting with Robin about everything under the sun. The men got a cart and loaded the bags while Harry strained to push it outside. He said he’d get the car and Jason offered to go with him so that Robin and her mother could have a few private moments.
“Robin says you have three daughters.” Jason said.
“Four now with Robin.”
His response made Jason feel good about him.
“They’re all older so they have their own homes, but you’ll get to meet them tonight at dinn
er along with their husbands and my grandchildren. Betty says it’s nice to have so much activity after living alone for so long, but I wonder.” The older man smiled. They talked until Harry pulled the car up to the curb for the women.
Harry had a hard time getting all of the suitcases into the car until finally Robin offered to sit on the biggest one and they placed the makeup case beneath Betty’s feet.
“Maybe I brought too many clothes,” she whispered to Jason who just shrugged and grinned.
They got to the house and both Robin and Jason were impressed. It wasn’t just the size; the house was large but it was a perfect piece of Americana. There was a magnolia tree in the front yard and peach trees lined the oversized driveway. The porch was tall and had columns that reminded Robin of slave days. A century ago her mother would have been a house wench here while she would have been a field Negro.
She looked at Jason wondering if he was thinking the same thing. Well her Mama lived here now so if there were ghosts of a bygone period still present they should be proud of that accomplishment.
They got the suitcases into the house and Jason looked around at the beautiful home.
“Wow,” Robin said. “This is beautiful.”
“This is your mother’s handy work.” Harry said while placing his arm around Betty’s waist. “I asked her to redecorate it so that she could make it her own.”
“Our own.” She lifted her face and he kissed her.
Harry looked at Robin and Jason a moment later and Robin realized that the two were still in their honeymoon stage.
“Let me show you to your room.”
“Room …” Jason said.
Harry was heading up a flight of stairs but he turned to look at them. “I figured you two would want to room together. Unless you want separate rooms-“
“No.” Jason spoke quickly. “One room is fine.”
Robin’s face felt warm until she met her mother’s eyes. Her mother was trying to suppress a smile.
It took Jason a bit longer but he managed the stairs and when Harry and Betty apologized about them he explained that he had stairs in his own home—he didn’t mention that he rarely used them and utilized the elevator instead.
The room was large and comfortable with a fireplace and an adjoining bathroom, which had a claw foot tub. Harry began bringing up the suitcases while Jason used the facilities and Robin began unpacking their things.
When Jason returned to the room Robin gave him a stern look. “Mom and Harry said that we should rest until dinner but that doesn’t mean that we’re having sex just because we’re sharing a room.”
Jason chuckled. “Not everything is about sex, Robin. Let’s just take a nap. I want to hold you in my arms and sleep under this air conditioning. Freaking Atlanta is like sitting on the damn sun.”
She gave him a surprised but pleased look while Jason climbed onto the double size bed and pulled off his jeans. Once he was down to just boxers and his shirt he began to unfasten his leg braces.
Robin helped him remove them. They were made of hard, unyielding plastic and once they were removed Jason sighed in relief.
“Do your legs hurt?” She asked while rubbing them lightly. She was thinking about the stairs.
“No, I was just hot.” He reached behind him and began to prop the pillows then he lay back tiredly and opened his arms for her to join him. Robin slipped off her sandals and climbed onto the bed and into his arms. His arms enclosed her lightly and it felt good to be surrounded by Jason.
The knocking on the door woke them. Robin sat up and rubbed her eyes.
“Yes?”
“Some of the family is here if you two want to come down. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour,” Betty said through the door.
“Oh, okay Mom. We’ll be right down.”
Jason rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Damn I slept like a baby.”
“I did too.” She smiled and gripped his arm. “I’m happy you came, Jason.”
“Me, too. Your Mom looks really happy and Harry seems like a nice guy.”
After they got dressed Jason and Robin went down to meet Harry’s family. Jason was surprised to see them gathered around a birthday cake. Everyone began singing happy birthday to him and he looked at Robin who seemed equally as surprised.
Robin looked around at all of the people in the room from little children to step sister’s and brothers in-law and love and acceptance filled Robin.
She gripped Jason’s hand and he leaned forward to blow out the candles on his birthday cake, his face as pleased as a child who had been given the gift that his heart most desired. Instead of making a wish, he just said ‘thank you.’
Robin and Jason enjoyed Atlanta despite the heat. They swam and went out to eat and Robin got caught up with her mother. When Robin and Betty did things together Jason was fine with working on his laptop or hanging out with Harry. He carried around a recorder and caught the sounds of the family dynamic. They made trips to the park where he recorded the sounds of Atlanta and came up with ideas for capturing the spirit of southern soul in music.
One quiet night Jason played the album that Akita Tom had made which featured the music of Wheels of Steel. In Japan where Akita lived, the album was a smash hit and it was just beginning to get air play in the U.S. where the album was in heavy rotation on internet radio in ambient lounges.
Jason and Robin were having such a good time that when they got the phone call concerning the tragic news it felt as if they had been doused with cold water. Having never lost a person that he loved to death before, Jason was hit hard and for a long while he couldn’t form a coherent sentence.
And then Jason had just lowered his head into his hands and sobbed while Robin held and rocked him in her arms.
Chapter Four
Jason was on the laptop when Robin sat up in bed. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost 2 a.m.
He looked over his shoulder at her from his seat across the room where he was seated at a desk. He gave her a slight smile.
“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” He asked.
Robin climbed out of bed while shaking her head. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, feeling his tight muscles. “What are you doing?”
“Reading information about the accident. It’s really big news in Japan—not so much here in the states,” Jason said with a tinge of disappointment. He knew that the fan base between Japan and America was different but he wanted to shout out to the world that one of his heroes was gone. Akita Tom was gone.
Robin lightly rubbed Jason’s shoulders while she joined him in reading the news about Akita Tom’s death.
Last night brought sad news for the underground hip hop community; it's been confirmed that Akita Tom (née Thomas Chancellor) died last night in a car accident in Tokyo. The Japanese hip hop DJ and producer was a mere 36 years old. News of his death was made public yesterday when his label Akita Productions issued a statement online. Akita’s family will hold a private burial in Japan.
Akita Tom was known around the world for his jazz-infused, sophisticated take on hip hop beats, and a melancholy, nostalgic undertone to his music that has made for some of the most beautiful tracks to emerge from the underground. In addition to making music and founding a record label, he also owned influential record stores in Tokyo (Genius Records, Ramen Records) and worked on the soundtrack for Samurai Hokoshu, Gobhi and Goliath and The Bushido Code a popular adult anime about a group of multi ethnic teens in 17th Century Japan.
Robin hugged Jason. Let’s listen to some of his music. Can we? We can play it low so that it won’t disturb anyone.
Jason nodded and she felt some of the tension release from his shoulders.
“Thank you for going to Japan with me-“ he began.
“Of course I’m going with you.” She sat on his lap and kissed him on the nose. “I liked Akita. And I wasn’t there the first time but I’ll be there this time. I’ll be there as long as you’re there.”
/> For the first time since hearing the news about his mentor’s death Jason smiled.
Belinda was able to send Jason and Robin’s passport to them by overnight mail and then the two were on the first available flight to Japan. Mr. Edelson, Akita Tom’s assistant, arranged for the flights and paid for them. He had explained to Jason and Peter that he needed to talk to them concerning some legal aspects of Akita Tom’s estate. There was an unfinished album under Akita Tom’s record label, not to mention other works that had been contracted.
Jason spent hours on the phone talking to Mr. Edelson, Peter, in conference calls with Peter and his dad as well as with his own doctors.
The Baclofen was going to be a problem. Jason needed bi-weekly visits to doctors to regulate his intake. Although Jason didn’t feel that he had time to worry about missing a few doctors’ visits he also knew that not doing so could cost him his life.
He had to arrange for the Baclofen to be waiting for him, but more importantly he had to have doctors knowledgeable in the drug to properly dispense and monitor the amounts being dumped into his body.
When not talking on the cell phone Jason leaned his head against Robin’s shoulder and tried to sleep. It was hard to find enough peace to sleep. Akita Tom was gone, the man who had renewed his love for music making was no longer going to be there for him and Peter and now the world of music production seemed scary and far to complex for a person that just liked creating beats in his home studio.
Robin leafed through magazines with beautiful images of people who were an intriguing mixture of traditional culture and modernized western influences. She was excited about her trip even while she was saddened by Jason’s loss. She looked at him sleeping soundly against her shoulder. His unruly red hair haloed his head and she resisted the urge to place a kiss on the top of his curls.
Freckles covered his pale skin and a shadow of a beard was beginning to appear on his jaw and chin. He had eyes that were green and flecked with chocolate and gold. But those eyes could darken when he was angry … or aroused. He was as passionate and volatile as his red hair suggested—but he was also vulnerable and loving.