Chapter Fifty-Two – Almost Famous
Angus was red like a lobster and looked like he had lost his voice. Jamie was still under the impact of having met his brother for the first time in fifteen years and had turned into a complete mute, as well.
"We have a solid case, Mr. Boyd," Nolan continued, adjusting his shades while continuing to grin like a Cheshire cat. "I mean, what could you possibly mean by this? Contestants agree to all conditions of the production and waive any claims against the show. Yet, those conditions are not detailed anywhere."
"Those are all industry standard," Angus shouted.
"Industry standard?" Nolan looked at Angus over his sunglasses, dipping them with one finger. "Ah, don't tell me, that's corporate for 'trust me, bro', right? It doesn't matter. You will get to face me in court. Well, not you, but your lawyer, yet I'm still looking forward to our little confrontation. No judge in his or her right mind will consider this sort of contract above board. Ah, by the way, your little show will have to continue without this group of people." Nolan gestured around at the young men and women gathered close. "They are suing you and the show, and they won't put up with your tactics anymore."
"You're Jamie's brother?" Angus asked. The poor asshole looked like he was about to drop to the ground, breathless from too much shock and anger. "Isn't that like a conflict of interest?"
Nolan laughed harshly. "Mr. Boyd, I strongly advise you to contact your lawyer. You obviously have no clue what you're talking about. But I do." He pushed his shades back up on his nose. "And I'll make sure you compensate all my clients accordingly."
"Your clients? I'm sure you tricked them--"
"No, no, no, the trickery part is all yours. Ah, I can barely wait to take your company for everything that it's worth. Such practices, Mr. Boyd," Nolan tsked, "shouldn't even exist. And online, out in the open? My camera gal recorded so many statements from your contestants that I'm thinking of starting my own reality show. Nolan Wicklow, at your service."
With that, Nolan turned his back on Angus and grabbed Jamie by the shoulders, guiding him away. Someone was keeping close behind them quickly, but Jamie couldn't look without seeming like he was hesitating. Right now, he had so many questions and he couldn't wait for the answers one moment more than needed.
"Nolan?" he mumbled. "For real? You're a lawyer."
"Yeah. And in case you haven't noticed, which would be understandable, that's our sister shadowing us so closely."
Jamie turned to look over his shoulder. Lucy grinned happily at him. She had her blond hair pulled up in a messy bun, and her pink lipstick would've made any social media makeup influencer become green with envy.
"Lucy?" he barely got out.
"Yep, that's me. Boy, this is exciting. Nolan, you're going to have to pay me, bro. I'm not doing this for free. It's obvious you're going to get a hefty paycheck out of this."
They were talking as if they hadn't been estranged for so long. Like with his parents, Jamie was dumbfounded about having a family that acted like they'd met last night and last week and last month.
"Did mom and dad contact you?" Jamie asked. "Of course, they did. But how did they know I needed help? I barely made it here because I wanted to punch Angus in the face."
Nolan grimaced. "No punching, Jamie. Assault charges are harder to shake."
"Are you really a lawyer? A real lawyer?"
"Hey, that hurt," Nolan said, pressing one hand over his heart. "But it's warranted, given our tumultuous past. I am a real lawyer and really real. As for who contacted me, that was your little friend."
"What little friend?"
Nolan looked behind. "Ah, he was here, now he's not. He said his name was Hearst. I suppose it's a made-up name."
Jamie bit his bottom lip hard. "It's not." Why had Hearst gone out of his way to help him by contacting his brother?
"Well, the kid was pretty adamant about my having to help you and your other friends that were contestants on this crappy show. He also practically made me an offer I couldn't refuse." Nolan grinned widely while squeezing Jamie's shoulder. "We're going to win this, and then I'll rake in the money you guys owe me for representing you."
"Are you going to take everything?" Jamie asked, feeling like a fish out of the water.
"Oh, no, I won't be that heartless. Unlike the scumbags that fooled you into being part of their fraudulent show, I do have a code of ethics I follow closely. You and your friends will be more than satisfied with the outcome, I promise you."
Jamie couldn't say he was entirely convinced, but since his brother was a real lawyer and he could help him and the others out of this horrible situation, he was willing not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"What about what Angus said? I'm your brother, so it's a conflict of interest, right?"
"It could be, but I know my job. You'll have to sign a waiver saying that you accept me as your counsel, while acknowledging all the potential conflicts that might result from our collaboration. I will need to research the matter a little more, but the chances are the lawsuit will take place in a jurisdiction where such issues are not constrained by any legal requirements. As you can see, I have this in the bag. Of course, we might not have to face a judge at all. I suppose this Boyd character has less than half a brain judging by the way he speaks and acts, which means that there are other people with money pulling the strings. The chances are they will want to settle. Each of you will receive a nice paycheck for the work done, as well as the emotional distress you've suffered."
"And you'll represent all of us?"
"Yes, your friends were more than happy to sign with me, as soon as they heard I was your brother."
"Wow," Jamie said, touching his head. He looked at Lucy, who was now walking by his side and had grabbed his arm quite possessively. "What about you, Lucy? Are you a lawyer too?"
His sister guffawed. "Right. No. I'm hurt that you haven't heard about me. I'm trying out viral products and post shorts about them."
"Does it pay?"
"Comfortably," she said with a shrug. "Although I don't mind charging our older brother when he needs me to run errands for him or help him with stuff. By the way, Nolan, if you finally have your big break with this whole legal thing, I'm expecting you to hire an assistant. Someone to clean that office of yours once in a while, make you coffee, all that jazz."
"My office is clean enough," Nolan protested. "And stop making me look bad in front of Jamie. I had my big break years ago."
"Sure," Lucy said, not exactly convinced. "Jamie, who's the big shot pulling all the strings? Who's funding this stupid-ass reality show?"
"I can't say that I know," Jamie admitted. "I mean, there was this guy Arthur who recommended me to Angus, and that's how I got on it, but I doubt he's the one with the money."
"No worries," Nolan assured him. "I'll sniff out the money trail. They better be prepared."
"I met mom and dad," Jamie blurted out.
Nolan tsked in displeasure, and Lucy looked away.
"They said you two went to see them in jail."
"We did," Lucy said. "It wasn't a pretty sight. Every time I went there, I left feeling fucking depressed."
"Did you help them? Nolan, especially you, since you're a lawyer--"
"I wish I could have. But they got in big trouble, and it's been only a few years since I passed the bar. Whatever help I had in mind for them, it came too late."
"They don't have any money. They won't accept it from me," Jamie said. "But we can't let them live in the street, right?"
"We'll work something out," Nolan promised. "The thing is, they refused to see us after a while."
"They did?" Jamie remembered his mom's words, about how none of their children should have seen them at their worst.
"Yeah. We haven't really kept in touch."
"I must say I was relieved when that happened," Lucy added. "I mean, call me selfish all you want, but I want to live my life, do the stuff I like, without being weighed down by a pair of crappy parents."
Nolan said nothing, but Jamie suspected he had also reached a personal compromise regarding their mom and dad.
"I still want to help them," Jamie said stubbornly. "If they don't have a place to live, they'll end up doing all sorts of bad things again."
To his dismay, Nolan laughed. "You look at them like they're the kids and you're the parent. But you were a pretty serious kid even as a child, so I'm not surprised."
"I was?" Jamie didn't recall anything of the sort.
"Yep," Nolan confirmed. "Even they were impressed with you. That's why they believed they could count on you the most to make your contribution to you know what."
"I don't remember that," Jamie murmured.
"Don't worry. It's all in the past," Lucy encouraged him. "Look at the bright side. You're free to be whatever and whoever you want to be. Also, you have such a cool stage name. Jamie Vayne," she chanted with satisfaction. "That's such a cool rock star name."
"Guys," Jamie said softly, overwhelmed by emotion. "So sorry about not getting in touch with you all these years."
"Eh, it's not like we did much to find you, either," Lucy said, but she didn't sound convincing at all. "Let's just focus on the future, and leave all that crap in the past."
"Now that I've pulled you away from that asshole and you've had a little breather to forget about punching him in the nose, I think it's time for me to get to work." Nolan tapped him on his shoulder. "We're going to see plenty of each other from now on, so let's stop being strangers. As for LiveFeed, don't worry. I can barely wait to shake them up properly. They'll cough up the dough."
Jamie nodded. He wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet, but it looked like his siblings had places to go and things to do. He accepted Lucy's hug and Nolan's handshake along with their phone numbers, and then started walking back.
Nolan had been right. He was no longer in the mood to punch Angus, because that asshole, along with his crew, would get their just deserts by having their show shut down. Of course, there was always a possibility that they would continue with the rest of the contestants, but they would have to have one hell of a lie prepared to explain what happened with those who were no longer part of it.
***
Jamie couldn't say he was terribly surprised when he saw Arthur's name popping up on his phone screen. Could it be that Arthur was the investor behind the show? He was a man with money and power, but somehow Jamie couldn't see it. Or maybe he was blind or chose not to see certain things.
"Hi Arthur," he said in a distant voice as soon as he picked up the call.
"Hi Jamie." Arthur didn't sound particularly disturbed, which made Jamie wonder whether he'd already heard about what had gone down or not. "Angus is livid. It looks like your family ruined his show."
"No, that's not true," Jamie said promptly. "He ruined his show, by being a scumbag and having some of us sign shady contracts."
Arthur didn't say a word for a while, so Jamie waited. There wasn't even an inch he was willing to give.
"I see. By the way, if your brother the lawyer hadn't made an appearance, what would you have done?"
"I would've found a way to get out of it."
"Hmm, I see. You're a resourceful person, Jamie Vayne. But I suppose that won't be enough. You were almost famous. I guess your chance is gone now."
"Wow, really? I must have struck you as pretty damn stupid, Arthur. But I guess that I still have a few working brain cells, because this gaslighting I'm getting from you right now seems pretty transparent."
"Oh, Jamie, I'm not doing anything like that," Arthur said in his usual charming voice. "It was your choice. Think about it and think without prejudice. I gave you Melinda, and I gave you Angus. Who did you choose in the end?"
Jamie felt his anger returning. "Is this the way you usually handle your business? How come no one sees you for the manipulator you are?"
Arthur laughed, seemingly delighted by the colors Jamie was using to paint him. "I don't intend to play the devil here and say that I offered you the temptation to fall right into it, but it looks like I did. Do not think you're not accountable, Jamie. For anything that has ever happened to you."
"You knew about the shady contracts from the very start," Jamie accused. He didn't wait for a confirmation. "How do you sleep at night?"
Arthur snorted. "Very well, thank you for asking. I suppose you're not going to go back to Melinda now and beg her to take you back."
Jamie felt tempted to confirm that. If Melinda was another of Arthur's poisoned gifts, what was he supposed to do? But no, he would be smarter this time around.
"Melinda will always have me back. For her, it's like I never left. We became good friends. Unless you have some way of blackmailing her."
"You assume I have more power than I actually have. No blackmailing, I promise. If she can make you happy, then I'm glad. But as long as you settle for gigs and jams, you won't get very far, Jamie. Celebrities are made, not born. That was what I was trying to do with you. My methods may be harsh, but I thought you had what it took to grow a thicker hide. It looks like I was wrong. Alas, it wouldn't be the first time, and I am used to taking the good with the bad."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jamie said, eager now to finish this conversation and get the hell out of here.
"Pretend all you want. You are smart, Jamie. But with this attitude, you will never grow to be worthy of your stage name. You talk the talk, but you don't walk the walk. Which is why this is where we part ways."
"Good riddance," Jamie said with a grunt. "But you know what, Arthur? I have to thank you. You opened my eyes to how people can be scumbags and assholes to the nth degree. Seeing my background, I should've known better. Yeah, I'll assume responsibility. But make sure we aren't going to cross paths again. My brother saved Angus from getting a broken nose, but he won't be around all the time to stop me. And it's you I'd like very much to punch in the face."
"Thank you for your honesty, Jamie," Arthur said with the same strange delight as earlier. "You are an interesting individual. Too bad there will be no career of yours for me to follow."
"Is this your roundabout way of motivating me to pursue fame, after all?"
"Is it working?" Arthur said slyly.
"No. I told you. It looks like I do have a brain when I want to use it. Delete my number, forget my name. I'm done with you, and I'm going to carve my own way as a musician."
"How long do you think you can keep it up without becoming disillusioned?"
"Disillusioned about what? Music? I'll always love to play music. That will never change. And if it never makes me famous, so be it. I won't chase this silly trap anymore."
"Okay, Jamie Vayne. It looks like you grew a pair."
"I've always had one," Jamie said. "By the way, that's not my name anymore. Bye, Arthur. Bear in mind what I told you. People say I have a pretty mean right hook."
He ended the conversation before Arthur had the chance to squeeze another word in. That was one chapter of his life ending all right. What was he going to do now?
He didn't know. But he knew that he didn't want to stick around anymore. And that thing, about not having roots, had worked fine for him before. Going back to it sounded like a good idea. He'd have to terminate the lease on his rental and hop on his bike, hit the road again. There had to be places in the world where he could play the drums.
***
"I can't believe it," Wen exploded, pacing to and fro like a caged animal. "That's why nothing works in the world today. Because young people aren't willing to put in the hard work to get ahead. They want everything handed to them on a silver platter." He kicked the only chair in the room to vent his frustration.
Hearst lay on the bed, supporting himself on his elbows. "You talk as if you're eighty or something. Angus and his guys shot themselves in the foot, admit it. Those contracts were bad as fuck."
"It could have worked!" Wen exclaimed, throwing his arms out. "And no one was getting hurt, so I don't get why everyone got so up in arms. It must be because of that idiot."
"What idiot?" Hearst asked lightly.
"Jamie Vayne, of course," his brother said, pouring all the venom he was capable of into the name.
"Not that much of an idiot if he saw the trap he was walking into."
"Ah, right, you like him," Wen said, grimacing like he had just swallowed a bitter pill. "But he couldn't have done all of this on his own. He hasn't seen his brother since he was ten. No," he added, worrying his bottom lip, "he must have had help on the inside."
"Everyone with a shady contract got together and pooled their resources," Hearst said. "And Jamie must've known about his brother being a lawyer. I doubt he really knew nothing about his family."
Wen shook his head. "Nope, that can't be. He's a leaver. He had no reason to seek out his brother now. Something's fishy."
Hearst rolled on one side and stared at the peeling plaster on the opposite wall. He made a show of yawning. "I'm going back to Sunny Hill in the morning. I have exams coming."
"Yeah, you do that," Wen said. "I need to check with Angus, strategize about crisis management."
Hearst knew there would be no crisis management. Wen would lose his job. But he had no regrets to spare for that.
TBC