Jem…Chapter 139

*Angel………………..

I’m honestly as flabbergasted and blown away at seeing the final cut that Molly had put together and I’m not even trying to hold back the tears. I’m so freaking proud of everyone for doing their parts and mine was really just not all that big just actually mostly playing the Keytar.

“Oh my god Molly this is so amazing, you are so amazing!”

She’s blushing super red and she’s wiping away tears too and then there’s this sort of something there that was like always there from when we met but it’s like a lamp that finally has oil or something.

“I just…I didn’t do that much you all were playing and singing.”

Sister Beth rubs her shoulder. “You did amazing work, you put everything together and made it all come together and that’s a big thing Molly. Thank you.”

There’s a lot of “Thank you’s” from the girls and there’s more for me and there’s lots for Carmen too who actually did the make-up for the girls here and I see a different look there on Carmen’s face as she’s wiping away tears and that’s that look that you see on people’s faces when they have that chance to do something good or like give back.

You sort of see that look with some people from the armed forces that get to do something for someone and it’s sort of like kind of balancing the books for them even if they were like defending folks.

With Carmen it’s more like some of this has chipped away some of that mountain of guilt and pain she’s carrying.

I end up hip to hip with her at one point and I hug her.

She looks at me. “I still can’t believe that you’re good with me.”

I look at her. “It’s okay, seriously I knew that you were going to try something like that when you were first dropping in the big tips before you started to hang around.”

“You really don’t miss things much do you?”

I shrug. “Yeah well you kind of had a bad resume as a friend to start so I was looking for you to actually be bad.”

“Jason mentioned me?”

“I know about pretty much everyone that he was going to school with actually.”

“You two sound close.”

“Yeah well only children and all of that and dead moms.”

She makes a face but nods. “Yeah I really never had any of that in my head when we were being shitty to him, which kind of makes me feel worse about it.”

I look at her. “Look Carmen I know Jase and given what you went through and what Adam is doing he wouldn’t really hold a grudge considering you’re even more a victim of Adam’s than he’s ever been.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure okay?”

She does a final sniffle and she leans her head on my shoulder as we’re watching the video again and Molly’s doing her computer magic with it and in no time she’s getting all sorts of links and there’s actually in like ten minutes after it’s done money starts to come in to their PayPal through links and donations and comment from Japan actually.

We all kind of crack up when one of the girls looking at the screen is saying. “Sweet Roxy-Moogle people are doing it.”

It’s not much each like small donations but in ten minutes it’s added up to close to forty dollars Canadian.

I smile as we’re still sort of watching things coming and there’s comments on out Youtube channel for the band and there’s some tweets coming in and I send out a few too and a few phone shots of the screen thing and how cool it is and a big shout out to our fans in Japan who are helping out so much.

I get tweets to from Rayne and the girls saying that they’ll be coming over to the shelter and they’ll be bring some stuff.

Kimmie says and some people too.

Okay that’s cool.

I show them to Sister Beth and Jan who let the women and the girls know so those that don’t want to really be around too much stuff going on or can’t be around it have a chance of going and not being here and I’m getting my stuff ready and a couple of the girls look at me and they ask.

“Can you sing another song Jem, please….?”

I look at Sister Beth and Jan who even says. “I have an acoustic guitar if you want to borrow it?”
I look at her and Sister Beth. “Do either of you play? I can do keyboard or Keytar while you play guitar.”

Jan nods. “I can, what do you have in mind?”

“Nothing but a child.”

“Oh I know that but I’ve never played it.”

I look at her. “Have you ever played by ear?”

She nods. “I’m better at ear that reading by sheet.”

I get sitting where I want and Jan’s close to me and we’re kind of kitty corner couch end to love seat in the living room and I look at Molly. “You want to get this too and we can link it exclusive to the shelter’s page?”

She actually laughs. “I actually had the same idea, you really don’t stop huh?”

“Well we’re here and I am all dressed up for it.”

Jan and I tune and I start with the keys and she comes in with the acoustic and I really love this song it’s one of the best songs that I ever heard Steve Earle ever sing and it’s one that I’ve always thought of covering.

*Nothing But A Child* By Steve Earle

“Once upon a time…”
“In a far off land…”
“Wise men saw a sign…”
“And set off across the sand.”

“Songs to praise they sing…”
“They travelled day and night…”
“Precious gifts to bring…”
“They were guided by the light…”

“They chased a brand new star…”
“Ever towards the west…”
“Across the mountains far…”
“But when it came to rest.”

“They scarced believed their eyes…”
“They’d come so many miles…”
“The Miracle they prized…”
“Was nothing but a child….”

Then Jan starts to sing the chorus with me and we get this almost folk meets country harmony going that is one of those things that as a singer and a musician that you really want to hit.

“Nothing but a child…”
“Could wash those tears away…”
“Or guide a weary world…”
“Into the light of day.”
“Nothing but a child…”
“Could help erase those miles…”
“So once again we all…”
“Could be children for a while….”

Then it’s back to me for the song itself.

“Now all around the world…”
“In every little town…”
“Every day is heard…”
“A precious little sound…”

“And every mother kind…”
“And every father proud…”
“Looks down in awe to find…”
“Another chance allowed…”

And then it’s Jan and I going back into the chorus together and we’re really getting into it so there’s a bit more volume to our mixed voices and I can’t help but to have a smile on my face because it’s just this good…and it’s just like the right place.

“Nothing but a child…”
“Could wash those tears away…”
“Or guide a weary world…”
“Into the light of day.”
“Nothing but a child…”
“Could help erase those miles…”
“So once again we all…”
“Could be children for a while….”

“Nothing but a child…”
“Could wash those tears away…”
“Or guide a weary world…”
“Into the light of day.”
“Nothing but a child…”
“Could help erase those miles…”
“So once again we all…”
“Could be children for a while….”

And then we’re ending it all off with me singing.

“Nothing but a little baby…”
“Nothing but a little baby…”
“Oh nothing but a child….”

There’s some clapping and I take a breath and Rayne passes me a tissue and I dab at my eyes and smile up at her and she’s still in her work stuff and shelter or not and church or not she leans down and she gives me one of those really long and deep and sweet Rayne kisses and when she break it she has some tears too.

She presses her forehead to mine and she whispers to me. “Do you know how amazing you are?”

“I’m lucky more than awesome but I will still take you calling me awesome.”

I kiss her back and Sister Beth and Jan don’t even bat any eye while we’re doing it but lots of the younger girls go “Oooooo.” Making us break the kiss and blush.

I look at her. “I saw the cards are they real?”

She sits sinking in on the couch right close to me and she smiles. “I was talking to some of the others at work about the idea you had and one of them actually asked if they could help and well I wasn’t going to turn it down so I said sure that we’d figure something out and then my boss told the manager what we were doing and we were given time to get the singing part right and then we I was given these for the shelter.”

She passes a whole stack of cards to Jan who’s staring at them and Rayne says. “There’s two hundred a card and there’s one for each month and he said he’d talk to head office about something extra for Christmas.”

There’s a lot of cheering and there’s some more tears and we’re getting hugged again and Jan’s looking stunned.

“Girls…no ladies I don’t know what to say I never had…I didn’t think that something like this was possible.”

I smile and slip in tight and lean on Rayne while wrapping my arms around her. “People can be surprisingly cool plus there are the other factors.”

Jan looks at me questioningly. “Like what?”

“Like their people were in the video and in their Wal-Mart smocks and that’s good for them and that this is a charity and that’s a tax right off for them and it’s really good local press.”

Kimmie pipes in. “Yeah that’s Angel for you she’s got like the whole head for the business and stuff.”

I look over and I grin at her and Brooklyn coming in and they have some boxes and so do some of the other girls from their school and there’s a woman in the schools colors but a track suit and there’s a fellow there in a suit.

Okay… he’s looking at me. “You’re Angel Benton?”

One of the younger girls says. “Nuh-uh she’s Jem and that’s Roxy-Moogle!”

A bunch of them actually yell. “Magical Power Panties!”

Kimmie goes over right quick to them and she’s blushing some and she says to them excitedly. “We brought color pencils and markers and paper for drawing!”

There’s a bunch of “Yays!”

I look back at the gentleman in the school suit and I offer my hand. “Yes I am sir and I’m afraid that you have me at a disadvantage.”

He blinks at what I said and he takes my hand and we shake and mine’s firm but not to firm and I do look him in the eyes.

He finishes the handshake but he takes a second to cough and look away.

I think I Jake’d him.

He looks back at me and says. “I’m Henry Tower I’m the assistant headmaster at Harper’s Point Academy.”

“It’s very nice to meet you Mr. Tower and I hope that you’ve heard good things at least.”

“Well my brother in law runs The Pine Tree Café and he has spoken well of you several times and he rarely does that but given the effect that you’ve had on my students I can see why he’s a fan.”

I smile. “Thank you sir, but the things that were organized at the academy were Brooklyn and Kimberly’s ideas and that and the school spirit and goodwill that you’ve taught these girls already.”

He looks at me and he does that lips tucking back a smile from me laying it on a little thick and we share one of those odd little fencing/verbal sparring moment things.

“I’m very proud of the students today and we’ve decided to have this go towards some of their marks and conduct scores but I was actually specifically talking about Miss Kimura and Miss McKinnon I do believe that their attendance as well as their marks have actually improved since you moved in.”

Brooklyn blows me a raspberry as she goes past us. “Bad influence.”

I smile and so does he.

“Well we’re a good fit, we’re a family and a stable home and all of that really makes a huge difference.” And I gesture around the shelter to make my point.

He gives me the touché look.

Rayne’s hand is sliding under me and she’s squeezing my butt!

And I can’t hit her.

He looks around the place all over again. “I actually agree and helping out with education is what I do and after watching the video and seeing the webpage for the shelter we allowed to students to buy from the Academy supply store from their debit accounts as well as the faculty if they wanted to buy some extra supplies for the people here.”

He looks at me. “You wouldn’t happen to know where the ladies that run the shelter are I have an idea about scholarships that I want to put forth.”

I look at him. “Scholarships?”

He nods.

I point to Jan and Sister Beth. “I think the two that you need to talk to right now are over there sir.”

He smiles and he shakes my hand again and Rayne’s squeezing my butt at the same time as he’s doing it and I’m trying really hard not to squeak out loud and he shakes Rayne’s hand “Ms. Leblanc I’m glad that you’re doing well.”

She smiles and gives him a nod. “It’s nice to see you when it’s not about Brook and Kim.”

He leaves and I give her a jab then a kiss and I look at Brooklyn who plops into the loveseat where Jan had been playing. “That was cool.”

I nod and look at her and she’s got this really happy look on her face and she sighs.

“I thought we might be in shit he called us after the video recording bit into the office. He was kind of doing that build up to a lecture actually when Molly had the video done done and it be-doops on Kim’s phone right there in the office.”

“And it’s like Kim so she actually took it out right there and she’s watching it and he gets all pissed off and then he gets like more and more chill as the video goes on and then he boots us outside and he tells us to wait in the hall.”

“Then there was him talking to The Fish.”

I stop and look at her tilting my head. “The Fish?”

Brooklyn shrugs it’s like this really old nickname someone gave him like from the eighties or nineties.

I giggle. “Oh I think I know where it came from.”

“Where?”

“There used to be these funny old books from Apple-book called the MacDonald Hall books and they’re headmaster was called Mr. Sturgeon.”

The girls are chuckling and I really want to find some Gordon Korman books somewhere because if there’s one I would love to have it’s the Bugs Potter one.

Brooklyn shakes her head still smiling and she’s looking over at Mr. Tower.

“Well he comes back like after ten minutes and he calls us back in and he says that he’s impressed with us and that we can tell the girls that they’ll let them spend like twenty five bucks each on their debit cards for the school store.”

“Then he tells Kim and I that we did good but he’d like some advanced word next time we decide to do something like this when it involves the school and then he like said he’s going to erase the last three detentions off of our records for a positive strike? I like don’t know what that is but it sounds like it’s something good.”

“And he’s going to give a recommendation to my law teacher and Kim’s civics teacher that they might look at this like extra credit.”

Then she points at Kim. “And then she comes out with all of that Chinese nerve of hers.”

Kim yells. “Japanese, it’s Jap-pon-nese round eyed fired haired devil!”

That makes us and a bunch of other people laugh.

And Brooks grinning and she continues. “Well she asks him. Is it true that there’s spaces here that aren’t filled because Brooklyn and I had spaces held but we stayed at our house? And he says yes. And Kim says well we don’t need the dorm spaces and it is only October and I think with like tutors you could like find some girls that might really need that space and it would be charitable and you could like write it off.”

Kim comes over. “Then he kicks us back out and he tells us to tell the news to the girls and then next thing Brooklyn and I know we’re with the track coach and then the girls are getting a bunch of stuff and Mr. Tower’s with us and I guess that he’s got to set up stuff between the academy trustees and the shelter’s church board but it might like actually be a deal.”

I pull her down into a hug. “Okay this was totally awesome; we really, really did good today.”

Brooklyn nods. “Stuff like this was TV stuff Angel, my family and where I was going to grow up I would’ve maybe ended up here in a whole other way. Now school and home and Mike and yeah like better grades and all the stuff with the band…seriously this is right up there with all of that. I mean I’ve actually gone from thinking there’d be a good chance of nothing ever happening in my life or me doing something.’

And Kim nods. “To us actually doing something and this, this is big or it is to me too.”

I hip shove Kim over to get some room and I lean ahead and gesture for Carmen and Molly to come over too and when they get there I look around at them.

“This, this is what I want. Us, A band and a team and sisters all together but working and doing things and being there to lift each other up and when we can to pass that along.”

I hold up my pinkie and they all get it and we all look at one and other and we’ve been through so much and we’ve done so much and we’re just getting started and them we all lean forward as one and link our fingers together.

Rayne says. “Starlight.”

And Brooklyn and Kim say. “And Butterflies.”

I think it’s from before and all and I look at Carmen and Molly and then the girls too and we all say it together. “Starlight and Butterflies.”

I look at the clock after we break it up and get up. “If we hurry we can get home and we can get rehersal in and then be on time for the gig tonight.”

There’s a flurry of hugs and kisses and thank you’s over and over again and we’re just getting out of there and I see one of the younger girls with her face painted with a butterfly mask picking up Jan’s guitar and it’s huge on her and I can’t help but to smile at how intense she looks doing that.

Rock on little sister, rock on.