Chapter 6

Saturday morning, we were setting up to run through our set when my Dad came into the studio with another guy. He was introduced as Allan Maxwell and was an artist’s agent. He said that, if he could, he would sit in a corner and just listen to us before he made up his mind. As it was our intent to do a run-through for the show tonight, he was welcomed.

He took the piano seat where he wasn’t in the way, and we just got on with things.

The main part of the session was to work out the order so that we didn’t sound too much like previous shows. We added a couple of new songs that Pet had brought along. As she and I, as well as Emily, could read music, we played the backing first and then I went to guitar and played that part.

Donna and Josie were extremely good at picking up tunes by ear and it only took a couple of goes before they could take over. We took a couple of tries, before we were able to play the tunes as a band. Then we added the words.

We had done this so many times in the last three months that it was second nature. Everyone except Janet and Pet sang so it was just a matter of seeing whose voice fitted the songs. This time it was mine as the song was about something sad, the loss of a love, and my lower register seemed good for that. I did seem to sing all of the sad stuff. We played the songs as a complete package and then decided to call it a day.

Allan stood. “I manage a lot of singers and groups, but I’ve never seen something like that. Will you play those tonight?”

Donna said we would.

“Amazing,” he said. “If you’ll have me, I’ll be happy to be your agent.”

“Let’s all go up to the house,” I suggested. “We can have something for lunch and discuss this. I’m sure Mom has put something together.”

We sat around the kitchen table and Allan told us what he could do for us, from arranging gigs to organizing transport and accommodation should we need to travel. He was up front about his cut, and we knew enough to know it was a reasonable rate. He said that he would see us at the Dude and then he could finalize being our agent before the contract signing with the TV station.

He had been told about our commitments up until the New Year and said that he would start looking for places where we could play once those were out of the way. He also said that those places would be dependent on how the TV show went at Christmas. He had a few ideas that might help with that.

When he left, we went back into the studio and did the set we had planned for tonight to make sure it flowed. We then loaded the van. Our outfit would be our new leather-zipped dresses.

Donna, Emily, and Pet left to freshen up and get ready for the show, saying that we would meet at the Italian place at six. Janet came back to the stable with Josie and me. I could see that she looked a little worried. I asked her if we could help, and she started crying.

“Today my father’s coming to collect me,” she sobbed. “I know I can’t go back. I still love my folks. What can I do?”

“Will he know where we’re playing tonight?” Josie asked.

We all had a think about that and decided that if he knew about the video clip he would know about the Pixies; therefore, it wouldn’t take much for him to figure out that we would be at the Dude tonight.

I phoned the manager at the Dude and explained what we thought may happen. He said he would talk to his doormen. He asked for a description.

Janet got on the phone and described her father. She was a bit happier when she went up to the house to get a shower and dress.

Josie and I took turns in the shower. It wasn’t too long before we were ready to go. With the van we could hang our outfits in the back. Josie said she would ride with Janet to keep her spirits up. We said “Bye” to Mom then I took the car and headed for tonight’s show.

At the Italian restaurant we had a nice meal, being treated now as regulars, as well as minor celebrities. We parked around the back of the night club, and a big guy at the door greeted us and another couple helped with the kit. That went up on stage first while there weren’t many people in the place. Then we went back down to our changing room to get ready for the show.

Janet was a bundle of nerves. Just before we went on, she took a peek at the crowd and nearly fainted. I looked and she pointed out her parents, sitting at a table with the manager talking to them.

I nodded. “Don’t worry, they’re being restrained. Just play the show as we always do, and you’ll be fine. They’ll either talk to you after or they won’t. It’s your call.”

I asked the other girls to use modest levels on the zips tonight and we went out on stage and did our show, including the new songs. The crowd seemed happy, with a lot of dancing. I could see Allan at a table with a couple of guys I hadn’t seen before. He looked like he was smiling.

Janets’ father looked sour. Her mother smiled and tapped her feet.

When we got to the end someone yelled, “What about the Devil!” followed by a general call of “Devil, Devil.”

Donna winked. “It looks like we have a signature ending, girls.” We hit our straps with the Devil once again visiting Georgia.

After we finished, we were asked if we would mingle with the crowd for a while. We went out to the dining area to meet and greet. Donna and I took Janet’s hands and pulled her towards her parents.

Her mother got up and hugged her. “Oh, my darling daughter that was wonderful. Your father has been tromping around the house saying that you turned into a harlot. All I saw was six very pretty and talented girls who gave out a lot of enjoyment.”

Her father then stood up, slowly. He was mindful of a very big guy standing next to him. “Are you coming home with us?”

“No, Father,” Janet answered respectfully. “I’m not coming back to that strict and smothering town. I love you and Mom but I’m not going with you. I’ve found my place here with a group of true friends. I’ve nearly finished my course and have been offered a good job in a good salon. You can tell Uncle Robert that his fire and brimstone no longer binds me to his will.”

“Your Uncle Robert is a fine and upstanding man, harlot. He should not be vilified in this den of iniquity.” Her father’s eyes blazed with righteous anger.

His wife, still holding on to Janet scoffed. “Hah! Fine and upstanding? That man was a genuine lout in his youth and took many young girls’ virginity, including mine. There are things I could tell the good people about your brother that would have him railroaded out of town. Don’t give me your insane nonsense any longer. My daughter is old enough to make up her own mind. Make your peace with her now, or else go home by yourself.”

He sat back down and held his head in his hands for a few moments. Then he lifted his head with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, dear, but I can’t forgive that. Come home when you’re ready, Flora, but don’t expect to be welcome in our church, again.” With that he stood and left.

Janet held her mother. “Mom, what on earth have you done?”

Her mother sighed. “Something I should have done years ago but was too lazy to. Now, where can I stay?”

Janet bit her lip. “I’m hiding with Josie and Edie. I haven’t given up my apartment, yet. Would you like to come and live with me there? We can find a hotel room for you tonight. I can move my things back in tomorrow.”

She turned to me. “I’m sorry, Edie; you went to so much trouble.”

I hugged her and told her that I was happy for her. I was sad that her parents had broken up.

“The bed in my old room is a double. Your Mom can come back with us and stay the night. I’m sure we can rustle up a nightie and dressing gown for her.”

She hugged Donna and me.

We left her with her mother as her father went out the door with a minder to make sure he left. We then went over to the table where Allan looked on with interest.

He and his companions stood as we approached, “You girls are something else. That could have been a Japanese play without words. Is her mother staying?”

We said she was and then he turned to the two guys with him. “Donna and Edie, I would like you to meet two friends of mine who really didn’t want to come out tonight. They’re now glad they did. These fine upstanding gentlemen are Jack Carver, owner of one of the biggest venues in Chicago and the other is Matt Dover, who has an equally big place in Cleveland. I dragged them here by saying that I wanted to show them a group who would fill their halls. I think they didn’t believe me.”

“Young ladies,” Jack started, “we’ve done a lot of business with Allan and when he says he’s sitting on the next best thing, he’s usually been right.”

Matt laughed, “We have to forget about that surf band you had on your books who only sounded good when they were high. The higher they got, the worse they got.”

The guys laughed together and invited us to sit.

Allan chuckled. “When you started the songs from this morning, I told these guys that I had heard them transformed from a couple of bits of written music this morning into something that sounded like you had been playing them for years. If I hadn’t seen them evolve with my own eyes, I would have said it was impossible.”

Jack looked at us, “Girls, I’m happy that I came along tonight. As it turned out, I’ve had a very good meal, a few drinks with friends, and I’ve been entertained by a very professional outfit. Allan tells me that you may not be available until next year. That’s good with me. There’ll be a venue waiting for you in Chicago when you get there.”

“Well said, Jack,” Matt added, “The same goes for me and Cleveland. Allan will be talking to us again, I know. I loved the look and the sound. Where have you all played before joining the Pixies?”

Donna revealed that everyone was new to playing in a band, but Pet had graduated with a music degree and was our main composer. They both shook their heads in wonder. Allan said he wanted to meet us at the recording studio on Monday evening with some paperwork.

Donna and I went off to mingle with the audience.

I saw Josie and went to join her. On the way I noticed Charlie and Bruce with a table full of guys from school. After we had spoken to that table, I asked, “Fancy a little bit of passion with your friend Bruce?’

She grinned, so we walked over to the table where the guys were and I sat on Charlies lap and put my arms around his neck to give him a very nice kiss while Josie did the same thing with Bruce, much to the amazement of the others.

We continued to sit on their laps while we spoke to the others, cementing our guys’ status at school. We then left them to mingle some more, finally collecting Janet and her mother and going to change.

A couple of guys helped us load the van and I called my mother to tell her about our guest. When we got home the lights were on and Janet and her mother went in the house while Josie and I went into our home.

As we undressed, she giggled and told me I was a tease with Charlie and that I needed to be very careful with him. We put on our nighties, dived into bed, and gave my little friend some exercise.

It was odd, but after I had kissed Charlie, I seemed happier when Josie and I made love as women.

The next morning, being Sunday, we saw to the chicks and then went over for breakfast. Janet and her mother were there with her mother wearing something that my Mom must have loaned her. Everyone was happy, especially Flora, who was chirping away like a machine gun.

When she slowed down, she smiled. “Sorry about that, I’ve been missing my little girl so much I just had to bring her up to date with things, although most of it won’t interest her any longer.”

Janet had love in her eyes. “Mom, I was taking everything in and some of it I made note of. I may send my friends back home a letter or something to let them know I’m all right.”

Josie asked just where this very conservative place was. We were told the family home was near South Lebanon, which was north of Cincinnati. It was a very white and very Baptist village. Her Uncle Robert was, as we had gathered, a fire and brimstone preacher.

After breakfast, we helped Janet load up her van again with her stuff and followed her and Flora to the apartment. When we got there her mother explained.

“When we got here yesterday my husband asked everyone where Janet was, and no-one knew. Whoever thought of spiriting her away had a brilliant thought. When we tried to ring her there was just a message to say the service had been discontinued. I thought that I’d lost her for ever. One of the guys told us about the night club and I’m glad he did, even if it was something of an ‘event’ as far as I’m concerned. Your Father took a long time before he would go in, something to do with the Devil being inside.”

We got all of Janet’s things back into her apartment after she had gone through it with the vacuum, much to her mother’s approval. We then took the two of them to one of the Sunday markets where Flora bought some clothes to be getting on with, changing before we left and giving me my mother’s dress.

We told Janet that all we needed were the instruments on Monday evening and she came back to my home to load up the van again while her mother settled in. As we were loading, Janet confided that we may see a lot more of her Mom as she had been a singing teacher “back home” and was very keen to see more of what we were doing.

On the way home Josie commented that we seem to be growing helpers like dough rising. I had to agree but did say that we may need them all if things got bigger.

“That’s one scary thought,” she said. “It started out as a bit of fun and a way to make some pocket money. Before you and I met there was no way I could have predicted what has happened. I still can’t get over the Halloween show and how I felt so powerful and brazen up there on that stage. You looked like the she-devil herself with your hair flying about.”

I smiled at the recollection and agreed that “she-devil” may be the right word! In my own mind, however, the words “man magnet” still resonated and I was starting to wonder if I was angling for something else with Charlie, more than friendship and a little kissing … maybe.

Monday, we went back to class, and it went along quietly until lunch. When both Charlie and Bruce came and sat with us, they were full of how they had a good time at the night club, being their first time at an up-market place. The Chuck Wagon had been more their preferred venue up to now.

“I hope you guys realize that this is the sort of place we’ll expect you to take us in future,” Josie smiled. “No dives or greasy spoons for ladies like us.”

Bruce laughed. “Josie, darling, if it gets me some kisses from you and maybe a little more, I’ll be happy to take you to the Ritz.”

Josie grinned. “You, buster, may have put yourself into a new category with me, as someone who may be interesting to know.”

I watched Charlie as this conversation continued. “Charlie, I’ve enjoyed my times with you, but you do know who I am, don’t you?”

He peered into my eyes. “Sure, I do, Egg. You were once a fairly ordinary guy and now you’re a beautiful girl. I want to make you mine, one day.”

That made me freeze for a few seconds. “Are you sure? Do you care enough, even if I don’t have all the equipment to make you happy?”

“Edie,” he affirmed. “You already have what I like. Anything else would be a bonus, but I can wait until you’re ready for that.”

I looked at him and felt wobbly.

Josie put her hand on my arm. “Charlie, if you’re sure about that will you treat her gently, if you’re the one to give her the ultimate girl experience?”

He nodded. “I promise never to hurt her, Josie, because I love her.”

I melted a bit more. “Look at me and say that again, Chuck.”

He looked at me, right in the eyes and said, quietly, “Edie, I love you.”

Bruce, obviously going with the flow, added, “Josie, I think I’m falling for you, but I do need a little more time with you to be sure.”

“Thank you for being frank, Bruce,” Josie said, with obvious disappointment. “Our short time together was exciting. I think I’d like to try to see if you can re-ignite my fire.”

“When?” Bruce asked.

“We’re in the recording studio tonight and tomorrow but we’re at the TV station on Wednesday evening for an interview with Shirley. Perhaps we can all go and have a drink or two after that.”

I was flustered all afternoon and hardly knew what I was being taught. In the car going home, I asked, “Josie, what about us?”

She looked a little sad when she replied. “Edie, do we really have an “us?” You look like you’re heading towards being a girl and it will be an important thing with the Pixies. I love you but we’re becoming more like close sisters. I can tell that you enjoy our lesbian activities more than hetero sex. I’m a real girl and need a bout of lust now and then. You only get that way after you have been with Charlie. I can see that you’re contemplating what it’ll be like to have him inside you with his weight holding you down. We have to be realists, my darling sister, and that realism is that we need to move apart some.”

I had tears in my eyes. “I’ve let you down, haven’t I?”

She put her hand on my arm. “No, Edie, you could never let me down. It’s just that we’re both evolving. The last months with you have been magic and I’m so happy with what you’ve done for me. I think that it may be time for me to go and look for a place of my own, at last. I was always too lazy to do so before, so I shacked up with the wrong guy just for somewhere to sleep. You, my love, have helped me get stronger. I’ll start looking after the exams. Until then I’d love to stay with you, please?”

“As you said earlier today, thank you for your frankness. I just ask that you care for me as I move further along my own path. I’ve been thinking about Wednesday night, and I expect that you’ll go all the way with Bruce. That will be a line we draw at the end of our sexual activities together. I suppose that the thing for me will be to see if Charlie loves me as much as he professes. I don’t know what to do if he wants to make love.”

Josie grinned. “Don’t worry, girl, I’ll help you get ready. I think you should be glued for that or else he may want to give you a blow job and that would spoil the whole experience. He can still taste you, but he’ll need to lick your slit to get anywhere, and I know you like that.”

We got home and showered and put on casual outfits and went up to the house for an early dinner. Mom, being aware of what we needed on Mondays and Tuesdays for a while, had prepared something simple. After we had eaten, we were about to leave for the recording studio, when she asked, “Before you go, girls, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing wrong, Mom, just changing.”

Mom looked at me. “You’ve started thinking about sex with a boy, haven’t you?”

I hung my head but all she did was go to a drawer and pull out a packet of condoms. “Enjoy your first time, Edie, I know I did. Get him to use one, or more, of these. Do we have a likely time?”

I blushed and admitted it could be Wednesday night.

She nodded, “Just be in time to get to school in the morning. Your father will look after the chicks.”

I was in a daze as we went to the recording studio. I came down to earth with a thump when we got there because Allan arrived. He brought two copies of our contract, which outlined the services he would supply and the rate he would take of any income we got from his groundwork. Each of the Pixies signed the two copies.

He then said, “Let’s go and start making your first hit album.”

Inside the studio we put our instruments out where we were told, and an assistant plugged them into various amps. The studio manager wanted us to lay down the backing first and then sing over it into special microphones. We had decided we would like a more “live” sound and insisted that we do the songs in a single take.

He hemmed and hawed but finally agreed.

We were able to move about a bit but were warned not to bump into anything. That evening we put down three songs after getting used to the place. I think that Allan got happier as we moved through the session. Flora had come with Janet and spent her time in the control booth listening and making notes.

Tuesday was almost a repeat performance. Charlie and Bruce joined us for lunch and then Charlie and I showed the others where the storeroom was. We had a very nice kissing session.

That evening we put down another three tracks and the studio guy told us that it had been a pleasure working with artists who were so serious about their music, and not in it just for a laugh. He wanted to know what we wanted to call the album. Donna told him the name should be ‘A Way with the Pixies.’ He said that would help him with the final mix as well as the production of the songs to create a flow.

Wednesday, we had an early finish, so we went home for Josie to prepare me for my sacrifice, because that was how it was looming in my mind. She introduced me to the wonders of an anal douche, followed by a shower with plenty of smelly soap and creams. Then we remade my girly slit, which got easier every time we did it.

We weren’t wearing stage gear, but Donna had told us all to glam up. By the time we left for our favorite Italian place we both looked, and smelled, fabulous. We both had big bags with nightwear and a new outfit for tomorrow.

Mom came over as we left the stable and gave us both a hug and a kiss. She then said, “Josie, if Edie goes the whole way tonight you know that there’s a spare bed in the house for you, if you want. That way I can keep my daughters close.”

She continuously amazed me with her insight.

Marianne Gregory © 2022