Kate
Bonner looked down on her son. He was growing so fast. He was her
miracle. Her one and only. She had had to grow up fast. Sixteen
and stupid. Ran away with the boy she was so starry eyed in lust
with. Her parents were so against him. Eight
months later she was running for her life, with a black eye, cracked
ribs, and contractions. Yeah, pregnant. He had beat her for the
last time. She couldn’t even take her guitar cause he had smashed
it into a thousand pieces. She was being too loud he said. He was
trying to sleep. But in reality he was falling down drunk. The last
thing she remembered was making it through the doors of the emergency
room...
The
car pulled up in front of the New York recording studio, Rollin’
Records. She still didn’t really understand why New York and not
Nashville, but a few people she trusted said Buddy Rawls was a great
producer and he had access to amazing musicians and everyone thought
this might be the one...
Kate
nudged her son and whispered gently, “We’re here.”..
Conner stretched a bit and rubbed his eyes and mumbled, “Where?”..
“The
recording studio Baby,” She said as she released his seat belt...
“It’s
going to be so boring Mom,” he bemoaned...
“I
thought you liked my singing,” she teased...
“Oh
Mom, I do. I just hate going to the studio.”..
“I
know sweetheart, but I brought all your electronics. And maybe Mr
Rawls will let you into the recording booth.”.
.“Cool,”
Conner said as he followed his mom out of the car...
She
stopped in front of the doors to the studio and knelt down in front
of her son. “Conner, I love you. This might be the one. Are you
ready for fame and fortune?” she asked hugging him tight...
“I
love you too, Mom. If we get famous can I get a dog?”.
.“We’ll
see baby.”..
Together
they made their way into the studio. As they walked in it was old
and run down looking, but the incredible amount of memorabilia made
up for that. No one was at what looked to be a receptionist desk...
“I
don’t see anyone bud,” she said..
.“I
gotta go potty Mom,” he said...
“OK.
Hang on. Let’s see if we can find someone or a bathroom.” Kate
started opening the first door she when a nice mid thirties lady came
in from another one..
.“Hi!
How may I help you?” She asked...
“Hi.
I’m Kate Bonner and this is my son Conner."
“Oh
my gosh! We’ve been expecting you,” she said putting out her
hand to shake. “My name is Sandy Johnson.”..
“Thank
you. Do you have a restroom he could use?”..
“Oh
my heck yes. Right this way.”..
Once
everyone was relieved, Sandy showed them to the recording rooms...
“Buddy!”
She hollered, as she opened the door to the booth. “Kate is
here.”..
Kate
saw a scruffy semi gray haired man with glasses perched on his nose.
Being that she was five foot nothing, she had to look up at him. She
took his proffered hand and shook it...
“Kate,
it’s nice to meet you,” Buddy said cheerfully..
.“Mr.
Rawls. It’s an honor to meet you,” She said with a smile.
His
happy demeanor was infectious..
.Buddy
looked down at this petite girl/woman. Now he had a face to go with
he songs he had been working on. It was then that he noticed the
boy. He was told that she had a son...“Hi,
my name is Buddy. What’s your name?” He asked as he held out
his hand...
“My
name is Conner,” he replied as he shook his hand. “Are you going to
make my Mom famous? Cause I really want a dog.”.
.Buddy
chuckled. “Conner, I am going to do my very best.”..
“Cool,”
he mumbled already dismissing Buddy to refocus on his electronics...
Just
then Brett came through the door of the sound booth...“Buddy,
sorry I’m ….” He trailed off as he almost ran over Kate and
Conner...“Hey,
I didn’t know you were giving tours to school kids today.”
Brushing off the kids, he looked back at Buddy, “Sorry I’m late
man. The traffic sucked.”..
He
watched as Brett dismissed Kate and set guitar case down and held the
door open for Tank. If Buddy knew anything in this industry it is
that you do not dismiss the women, especially short women.
Kate
seemed to magically grow a foot taller if that was possible...“Excuse
me?! Who the hell are you?”..
Brett,
who usually wasn’t particularly stupid, replied, “Who the hell
am I? I am Brett Walker.” Not even finishing that thought, just
assuming everyone knew who he was...
Kate
took a breath to retaliate when Tank walked over to her son. And
before she could shield her son from the dog, who was almost as tall
as she was, and who looked like a Shetland pony in comparison to her
son, he wagged his tail and licked Conner. She almost had a heart attack
thinking the dog was attacking her son...
“Conner!
Watch out!” Kate started to grab her son when the dog leaned
against him, slid down, and was belly up waiting for tummy scratches...“What
do you think you are doing bringing a dog to a recording studio!”
Then to Conner, she admonished “Be careful.”
“Mom!
He is so cool. See. It’s fine.
He likes me!”..
Her
heart was beating so hard. He was all she had and she was a little,
OK, a lot, over protective. Then she turned back to this, this …
man. She just tried to give him the look and make him answer her
question, but he gave her the look and proceeded to tell her why..
.“I
bring him cause he’s mine. And because I can.” Brett then
turned and walked back out and into the studio.
