Friends

"How could you do that to the poor man!" Bianca's words echoed through my mind over and over until they developed a new meaning for a different person. She had nearly been dragged out the door with Cheever as Jimmy stood pridefully on the landing on the marble staircase, watching as Bianca sputtered and stammered after Cheever, telling him he should stay. He had packed his bags quickly and was out the door by 9 this morning. She was so upset that Jimmy had actually fired Cheever that she had moved all of her things back into her original room across from mine and refused to leave it.

Jimmy's only excuse for the firing of Cheever besides the obvious problem of funds was that, "Bianca, we don't know if this man could go to the news about us. The last thing I want is to open up more newspapers with my face on them telling some blasphemy about how I'm in a rut or some cockamamie story like that. It was for the best that Cheever leave our residence."

"But it's gear if we get a maid, right?" Robert asked. "A french one, with those little black and white dresses and heels. Oh, ho, ho! Come on, Jim, a french maid cleaning up the place. Bon agrees."

Jimmy ignored this and took Bianca's hands in his, looking into her eyes like I wished he would look in mine. "You know you mean a lot to me--"

"Save it, Page. How could you do that to the poor man?" With that, Bianca had stormed up the stairs and toward her room in a huff, leaving Jimmy to shrug as if nothing had happened and Robert to gaze after Bianca absent-mindely.

Now her final words were ringing in my ears, a witness to her anger and his collectiveness, and it had taken on a different meaning. I had a photo shoot today, and Donovan Leitch was coming over as well. I had ignored my growing love for Jimmy for a man I had only met once and was not very familiar with as a musician other than his four hits, Jennifer Juniper, Sunrise Superman,  Mellow Yellow, and Season of the Witch. I had thrown away all chances of ever getting Jimmy, especially whilst Bianca was ticked at him, just for Donovan. In my mind, I had backstabbed Jimmy, even if he didn't like me, and I felt that I owed him something although I didn't... How could I do that to the poor man?

My body took me through the motions of greeting and preparing the models for the photoshoot, but looking back, I have no recollection of it. All I remembered was asking Bonzo for permission to take some pictures in the gazebo of his garden and he had said yes. In the garden, Donovan's car had pulled in and I had called to him against my better judgement. All I got in return was a tall wave and he turned to jog up the steps into the house.

After two hours of shooting, my body once again took me through the steps of cleaning up and dismissing the models. I knew I'd have to develop the pictures and send them into Levi's, but right now all I wanted to do was follow the sounds that lead to the kitchen and the hall connecting the kitchen and the cardroom. Donovan and Jimmy sat in the kitchen. Robert and John Paul had a recording to do at the studio for a new song and were going to be gone the entire day while Bonzo was still downstairs, practicing.

"Good afternoon, Jen," Jimmy greeted merrily as he sat at the island with Donovan standing on the other side of the bar. At the pet-name, a shiver was sent down my spine and I smiled. "How did the photo shoot go?"

"Brilliant," I replied. "Levi's are nice trousers. Expensive as Hell, though. If I had a nice paying job, I'd get a pair. Afternoon, Donovan."

Donovan nodded as I sat beside Jimmy and stared at the man I so longed to see. He grinned at me and dropped his eyed while Jimmy turned to face me. "Bianca's still in her room, eh? I'm a terrible person for not feeling bad about firing Cheever. She has this thing about her... She's one of the two people who can make me feel the consequence for something so simple as sacking a man I had no intention of keeping in the first place."

"Who is the other person?" I asked, hoping he would reply that it was me.

"Me mum," he replied humorously, as if I should have been able to guess. "That takes a strong woman, mind you, to make me feel guilty for something so small and inadequate." Jimmy stood and walked around the island to stand beside Donovan, making another sandwich with the ingredients left out.

I gave an uninterested nodded and looked over at Donovan as he finished off his sandwich. "Did you two already practice?"

"Play," Jimmy corrected. "And yes. Donovan wants to show me one more thing before he takes off for Scotland, then the house will be quiet. I know how you like the quiet."

Donovan eyed me a tad disapprovingly and I hastened to make myself seem more appealing to Donovan. "No, I actually quite like the noise. I think it's a great honor to be in the same house with Led Zeppelin, and telling you not to practice is as stupid an idea as telling a mourning dove not to sing. I respect the beautiful music, but... not when I'm sleeping."

Donovan and Jimmy smiled at me before looking down at their hands. Donovan muttered something to Jimmy and turned to leave the kitchen. I excused myself and hustled after Donovan, knowing Jimmy knew that I liked the Scotsman. As the hall hosting the arches to the kitchen, dining room, and living room opened into the foyer, I caught up with him and he turned to me.

"Did I forget something?" Donovan asked, patting his pockets with a serious expression. "I should I brought a cup of water, right?"

"No, you didn't forget anything," I breathed. A stroke of courage waved through me and I added,  "Well, maybe me."

Donovan looked taken aback. With a tinge of disgust, he sighed and place his hands on my shoulders and the world seemed to slow down. Wrinkles formed between either of his eyebrows and he looked torn. "Look, Jenni, I must say that I thought it was sweet that you're interested in me, as I know you are, but... I don't believe I've cheated on my wife once in our three year marriage. I love her more than anything and I can see us living until the end of our time."

"How did you know...? Never mind. Come on, Donovan, she'd never know. We could have a secret relationship. I know you like me too. Don't be a futty-dutty! You were interested in me yesterday, I knew it."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I was only amusing you. You are beautiful, but I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize me and Linda or either of our kids. Look here, dear, don't feel down. I'd snatch you up if I weren't in a loyal engagement. I think you're chasing after the wrong guy if you think I'll leave Linda for a lady I hardly know."

"Fine," I sighed. I was used to rejection, apart from rejection on a celebrity level, and it wasn't something foreign to me. "I understand."

"Good." He gave a nervous laugh and squeezed my shoulders before kissing me on the cheek and turned to continue toward the sound room. With a sigh, I also turned, but toward the dark hall I had just left.

Jimmy stood in the doorway of the kitchen and frowned. In a second I was in his arms in the foyer, the strength and heat of him squeezing me tightly toward him. It felt like a brotherly embrace, a warm, comforting embrace that I never wanted to leave, but I didn't know why he was holding me. I wasn't complaining, not one bit, but if he thought I was sad he had another thing coming. Having not truly liked Donovan for any reason other than his looks, I didn't feel that regular breathless feeling I normally got whenever I saw Bianca and Jimmy doing anything romantic.

"Er, Jimmy," I began as Jimmy swayed us back and forth sweetly. He rested his chin on my head and I breathed in his musky cologne fondly. He was a virtually scentless man, which was quite amazing, and just the slightest smell of cologne clung to his exposed collarbone. I meant to tell him that I wasn't truly upset, and why would I be, but his embrace was so tight and inviting that I decided against it. It was tight to the point that he could have pushed all the air out of my lungs but I wouldn't care. I'd love to die in his arms and no others, know that my last breath was his and that I had died in the comfort of his arms, his scratchy, stubbly chin rested atop my head.

As we swayed onward, softly and hardly evident, Jimmy whispered, "I don't know what to do to make you feel better." Kiss me, I thought. I could feel Jimmy swallow his spit and relished in the closeness. "I apologise for the bluntness of Don. I suppose it was better than leading you on, right? I'm so sorry. Don't even think about it anymore, Mama. Just don't cry. We'll always be mates, you know that, right? Please don't cry."

"I don't cry," I snapped indignantly, closing my eyes wearily, my face pressed against his chest. Another pet name...

"That's the attitude."

Although I was a tad frustrated at the misreading of the situation of Jimmy's behalf, I was grateful for our embrace. Even if he had said "mates." He didn't understand and it irked me. I wanted him to know that I loved him and that he should love me too and that Donovan was just a small crush. But in this moment, whether or not we were friends or lovers, I wanted nothing more than to be held tightly by him.