Charlie
“Hey, thanks for setting this up Dawson and I appreciate you boys meeting with me. I know you have a lot going on. How’s the tour going?”
Fox, Arch, and I sat in a conference room of the hotel, staring at Neo on the big screen.
“It’s good. We’re behaving, showing up on time, fans are happy, record sales are good, Daw’s happy, aren’t you?” Fox answered and Archer and I both popped an eyebrow at his sudden affectionate name for our manager.
“All good here, Neo. Is there a problem?” Dawson replied.
Neo shook his head, pushing his fingers through his hair before speaking again. “Nothing’s wrong. I just need to talk to you. Actually, Dawson, could you give us a minute?”
Dawson frowned, shrugging to show us that he was as confused as we were, but he left, closing the door behind him.
There was a moment of silence before Neo started talking. “I’ll come straight to the point. I want to apologize.”
The three of us looked at each other before turning our attention back to him.
“Addi and I never asked you what happened in Miami when you were there all those years ago. We were told a story, but it turns out we listened to people we never should have trusted. People we never should have trusted to take care of you.”
Archer froze and Fox instantly placed his hand over his shoulder as if he was stopping him from running.
“I know what happened,” Neo explained. “Addi will want to talk to you herself, but I needed to speak to you today. I’ve never outright blamed you all for being on that plane, but I guess, deep down, I probably did. As my pain worsened, my attitude toward you got worse. I mean, you did fuck up, and you deserved the fine we gave you but I should never have held your contract over your head to make you go with Fern to her parent's, Charlie, and I should have made sure I understood why you got arrested. You should have been able to come to us. I failed you all. The label failed you. If you want to quit, we totally understand. We’ll let you out of your contract. I’d also like to give you back the money we fined you. Like I said, your behavior warranted it, but I wonder if you’d have behaved like that if we’d done our job and protected you.”
Archer was the first to speak. “We appreciate it, Neo, and we can’t tell you how terrible we’ve all felt about what happened to you and Addi, but I was assaulted and Charlie was protecting me. That’s why he was arrested. We’re good men; all of us. I’d prefer not to have that money back. Could you donate it to a charity that supports male victims of sexual abuse?” He looked to us and we both nodded in agreement.
“We don’t want to quit, Neo. We love the label and what happened to me had nothing to do with you or the Gods of Melody and everything to do with the manager of the hotel who stole our money and brought in someone who sexually assaulted me and beat me unconscious.”
“Fuck. All this time…” Neo muttered.
“Look, we can’t change the past. No matter how much we wish we could. We have to find a way to let go of it and move on. We’re trying to do that, Neo. I hope you see that,” Archer explained. “Why don’t we draw a line in the sand and move forward? We promise not to become those dicks we were becoming when you fined us and you promise not to see the worst in us.”
Neo smiled. “Sounds like a plan. And can I ask you a favor?”
“Anything,” Fox replied.
“Fern. She’s going to be running the label until Addi gets back. It’s a lot. She can do it, but the three of you are close with her and after everything… I mean… look, can you keep an eye on her for me?”
“Neo?” I leaned forward, trying to get a read on him. “What’s going on?”
“Sorry, boys, I need to go. I’ve got another meeting. Look after yourselves.”
And with that, the screen went black, but a bad feeling hung heavy in the air.
Fern
Charlie: You free? It’s band related.
Me: You need to call or video?
Charlie: Video. It’s all 3 of us.
Me: Addi and Mav are here with the kids. They’re adorable. You need me to ask them to leave?
Charlie: Might be good if Addi and Mav are there. But not safe for small ears.
Me: Give me ten and then call.
Ten minutes later, Felix was playing with the kids in Addi’s office while she, Mav, and I answered Charlie’s call.