Chapter Text
Chapter Thirty: Homecoming
Dreams are curious things. Are they memories of the past or premonitions of the future? Manifestations of childhood trauma or imaginings of the unknown? In another sense, dreams are one’s greatest ambitions and wildest fantasies: the Heart’s Desire.
If Gar had been asked about his “dream girl” at various stages in his life, he would have supplied very different answers. His childhood criteria was simple. Did the candidate have cooties, and if not, was she prettier or just as pretty as his 2nd grade teacher? His preferences became even more shallow as a teenager and after experiencing heartbreak in adulthood, he refined his search further by compiling a wishlist of sorts. Ideally, she would be a lover of music and all things nerdy. Slow to anger, prone to laughter. Someone who was supportive of his aspirations, someone on whom he could depend through thick and thin.
Gar currently dreamed of nothing at all, for he was too busy waking up to the sound of fingers tapping on glass. Though tempted to roll over and continue sleeping, he was distracted by the sight of a naked woman next to him. At the moment, she sat up against the headboard and typed away on her tablet, brow furrowed in concentration. When Gar shifted his body to wrap her in his arms, she looked down at him with a soft smile.
“Look who’s finally awake.”
“Morning, sweetcheeks.”
“ Sweetcheeks ?” Raven repeated scornfully, her smile turning sour. She briefly escaped his hold to place the tablet on the nightstand. “Bold of you to assume that I would ever let you call me that.”
Gar responded by pulling her small frame on top of him and settling his hands on the aforementioned cheeks. “Why not? It’s accurate,” he said, giving her backside a playful smack.
“Watch it, Logan. If you’re not careful, you’ll be missing fingers for tonight’s performance.”
“Based on last night’s performance, I think you’d miss my fingers more than I would.”
Although Raven’s face was hidden from view, Gar could tell that she was in the midst of giving him an epic eye roll. His shit-eating grin grew even wider as she groaned into his chest, “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet you love me anyway.”
“Despite my better judgement.”
“If we’re talking about your judgement, we should really address that tramp stamp of yours. Lovely ink job, by the way.”
At that, Raven’s groaning turned into an outright lament. “I was a stupid teenager. I was trying to ‘express myself’.”
“It’s very on the nose. Or should I say beak ?”
“You better take this information to the grave, you hear me?”
The previous night, Gar had discovered that the prim and proper manager had a bit of a wild side. Gently stroking the outline of the tattooed corvid on her tailbone, he chuckled and said, “You got it, boss. Speaking of information, it just occurred to me... I’m supposed to be your best friend, but I don’t even know when your birthday is.”
After a bout of silence on Raven’s part, he nudged her and continued, “Come on, ‘fess up. If anyone should know, it should be me, right?”
“If I tell you, you have to promise not to make a big deal out of it.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
Despite the fact that the couple was in the total privacy of Raven’s hotel room, she still leaned over to whisper the top secret date into his ear. Gar added up the days in his mental calendar, then gasped aloud dramatically.
“Seriously?! That’s so soon! How am I supposed to book the party princess and bouncy castle on such short notice?”
“You promised not to make a big deal out of it,” she replied in a warning tone.
“After everything we’ve been through, are you really going to tell me that we don’t get to celebrate your special day?”
“With everything we’re going through right now , I don’t think we’ll have the time. Lawsuits don’t exactly scream ‘celebration’ anyway.”
“Is that what you were working on before I woke up?”
Raven nodded and gestured to her tablet. “I was just going through the NDA draft from Richard. It was in my inbox early this morning, he must have stayed up late last night to finish it.”
“Man, you go-getter types are all the same, you never know when to stop,” Gar said with a disapproving shake of his head. “For a second, I thought you might be working on a ‘relationship contract’ or something.”
“If it were, I’d have an addendum to tack on. Give me a sec.”
Gar had only been joking with his last comment, so he was somewhat stunned when Raven crawled out of bed to withdraw a piece of paper from her purse. When she handed it to him, Gar recognized the stationary from their hotel in Toronto. Raven bit her lip nervously and said, “I meant to give you this a while ago, but I could never find the right moment.”
Rather than a contract, it was a letter. A smile flitted across the musician’s face as he read “Dear Gar” in the top left corner. His expression turned more serious the further down he went. Raven was sorry, more sorry than he originally realized, for being so verbally aggressive during their big fight after the bowling alley fiasco. The apology offered no excuses, only full admission of fault and a promise to do better in the future.
If the letter were from anyone other than Raven, Gar might have brushed it off as lip service. And yet, there was something so honest and bare in her handwritten words that all he could do was take them seriously. Before the sign off, there was a request to be held accountable. As ideal of a woman that she was, Raven wasn’t perfect. She had flaws and shortcomings just like everyone else. The difference was that she was willing to work through them, not by herself but with him . Her friend, her lover, her partner.
When Gar reached the end, Raven tentatively asked, “So, what do you think?”
“I’ve already forgiven you,” he said with total honesty. “That’s all in the past.”
“Just because that particular fight is behind us, it doesn’t mean that it won’t happen again.”
Gar folded the paper closed. “Do you want me to keep this?”
“Yes, please. They might seem like empty promises, but I meant every word.”
At this statement, any previous conceptions of Gar’s “dream girl” completely flew out the window. Though Raven didn’t necessarily meet all of his hypothetical requirements, she came pretty damn close. In most cases, she surpassed his expectations completely. He didn’t have to dream anymore, not when the reality in front of him was so much better. Filled with contentment, he placed the letter to the side and pulled her in for a hug. Gar buried his nose in her hair and breathed in deeply to soak up her smokey, floral scent. The familiar smell warmed him from the inside out, the same way eating a home-cooked meal satisfied the soul.
Eventually, he pulled away to kiss her cheek and said, “I have something of my own to add, but I think I’ll save it for another time.”
“Hmm, I’m intrigued,” Raven said, then stood up from her seat on the mattress and began to gather up their discarded clothes from the floor. “We should probably head to the dining room soon, or we’ll miss out on the complimentary breakfast.”
Rather than join her in standing, Gar buried himself deeper into the blankets and released the high-pitched whine of a sleep-deprived toddler. He was loath to leave their sanctuary of sheets and if it were up to him, he and Raven would never leave this bed.
“Is room service not an option?”
“Free food is free food. Not everyone is a big spender like you,” she answered grimly, “and someone in this relationship has to be fiscally responsible.”
The couple agreed to meet in the hotel dining room once Gar changed into different clothes. He felt like appearing in the previous day’s outfit would be more of a victory lap than a walk of shame, but Raven was dead set against a grown man like himself showing up to a meal in his pyjamas. By the time he stepped out of the elevator and into the dining room, Raven was already at a table with the Graysons and the roadies, clutching a mug of tea in her hands. Gar loaded his plate at the buffet with the hotel’s limited vegan options and plopped into the free chair next to her. A couple of bites in, he asked the table, “How are we feeling this fine morning, gang?”
“Peachy keen,” Cassie replied brightly. The stylist was seated on Raven’s other side and had a giant grin on her face. “Say, don’t you think Raven looks good today?”
The musician gave the woman in question a sideways glance, forcing himself to shrug as casually as possible. Even though they had already admitted their relationship to his bandmates, Gar didn’t know how Raven felt about the entourage knowing. If he acted weird, it would be more suspicious. Rather than trying to come up with a way to divert the topic, he settled for the obvious.
“She always looks good.”
“She’s positively glowing , in my opinion. Very well rested.”
Turning to Raven, Cassie leaned forward to place her elbows on the table, chin cupped in her hands and eyebrows wagging wildly.
“Did you get a lot of sleep last night, or...?” she asked. When Raven didn’t answer, Cassie’s laser focus shifted back to Gar. “What about you?”
Before Gar had a chance to reply, his partner answered for him.
“Like a bear in hibernation, ear-splitting snoring included.” Raven reached for Gar’s hand over the table and intertwined her fingers with his. Glancing over with utmost calm, she said, “The roadie team already knows, so there’s no point in hiding it. A certain drummer friend of ours is more prone to gossip than a neighbourhood watch.”
“I called it first! I knew something was going to happen between you two!” Cassie exclaimed triumphantly, the other roadies nodding and smiling in agreement. “Now I didn’t know if it was going to be a full-on relationship, or just a hot and heavy fu-”
“-Cassandra Sandsmark!” exclaimed Raven, her stone-faced expression finally cracking.
“Please, Rae, I have to know! It’s great that you two are together and all, but did you two finally get it on or what?”
“...”
“You don’t even have to admit it out loud if you’re that embarrassed! Just blink once for ‘yes’, twice for ‘multiple times’.”
“Finish your eggs and shut up.”
The entire table burst into a fit of laughter at Raven’s curt response, while she only rolled her eyes and continued drinking her tea. The conversation shifted to other matters for the rest of the meal, though Cassie took every opportunity she could to tease the recently formed couple. Raven released her hand from Gar’s so she could eat, but that didn’t stop the guitarist from putting his arm around her shoulders and affectionately placing some of his extra food onto her plate. When the group eventually left the dining room to head back to their rooms, Gar slowed his pace and pulled Cassie to the side so that the others were out of earshot. He whispered, “To answer your question from before... Let’s just say I met her avian friend.”
The stylist’s eyes widened as her lips stretched into a conspiratory smile.
“The one that’s permanently perched on her lower back?”
“Mhmm. I think I’ll call him Edgar.”
“Ha! I knew Raven wasn’t only into you for your good looks. Funny and well-read!”
“I’m not as well-read as her.”
“No one is,” replied Cassie with a snort. Her smile softened to one of genuine affection and she reached over to give him a friendly squeeze. “I’m happy for you two.”
“Does this mean I get your official approval?”
“You’ve had it for a long time now. I was just waiting for Raven to catch up.”
“That makes the two of us.”
“Honestly, I suspect she started developing feelings much sooner than you think. Long before it was obvious to the rest of us, anyway.”
Interest sufficiently piqued, Gar asked, “Oh yeah? How long are we talking here?
“Let me put it this way,” answered Cassie. “Do you know the first thing I said after Vic confirmed the news? ”
“What?”
“ Finally .”
Some people believe that a child must pay for their father’s sins, but Raven was not one of those people. As the offspring of a serial baby daddy, it would be hypocritical to judge anyone based on their parentage. Despite everything that she and Garfield had been put through, Raven held no ill will towards Rose Wilson. If anything, the manager felt nothing but solidarity for the woman. Raven knew firsthand what Slade was like towards his employees. She could only imagine how much worse he could be towards a relative, let alone an estranged daughter.
When Rose entered the Titans’ green room just before their penultimate show, the band was ready and waiting to receive her. She had barely crossed the threshold of the door before Kory rushed forward to usher her into an empty chair. Victor made small talk while Garfield offered snacks from the craft services table. The only Titan who kept his distance was Richard. The frontman clutched a printed copy of the NDA tightly in his hands and regarded the stranger with a wary look.
The band had settled themselves into a half-circle, directly facing the photographer in a 4-against-1 formation. Rather than join her clients on their side, Raven pulled up a chair to close the gap between the two parties. From personal experience, she knew even something as inconsequential as seating arrangements could be isolating. If they were to work together against Slade, it was important for Rose to feel like she was a friend, not a foe.
After a bout of uncomfortable silence, Rose spoke out, “So, you want to go after my father.”
“That is correct,” Raven replied. “You said that you were willing to help us.”
“Also correct.”
“Enough to take him down in a lawsuit?”
“That depends. What are you trying to get him for?”
“Attempted extortion, potentially assault as well. The issue is that we don’t have very much evidence at the moment.”
Rose frowned and scrunched up her nose. “That’ll be tricky. My father really knows how to cover his tracks.”
Richard interrupted gruffly, “How do we know we can trust you? After all, we’re just strangers and he’s family .”
With a toss of her long, platinum blonde hair, Rose scoffed derisively. Her gaze hardened as she stared back at Richard with defiance bright in her eyes.
“Trust me or not, I don’t really care. I just want the old bastard to get what’s coming to him.”
“Don’t mind Richard,” Raven said, giving the frontman a warning glance. “We just want to hear what you have to say. Right, team?”
“Right, so long as what you have to tell us will actually help our case, and if you promise not to double-cross us as soon as this meeting is over,” Richard said before passing the NDA to Kory, who then handed it over to Rose.
The photographer’s sharp eyes perused the document with a bored expression on her face, pausing every so often to look up and raise a brow in the Titans’ direction.
“This is totally unnecessary. Honestly, with all of this bullshit paperwork, you’re more like my father than I am.”
“It’s not bullshit, it’s a safety net,” said Richard, crossing his arms defensively before adding, “and you don’t know me.”
“But I do know my father. Do you want to know what I know, or what?”
Richard pointed to the NDA. “As Raven’s current legal counsel, I insist that you sign before the conversation goes any further. Frankly, I still think that we could get by with our own research anyway.”
“Good luck with that. Daddy dearest is super paranoid. He stays off the grid as much as possible, so his electronic trail is practically non-existent.”
“So what you’re saying is that we have no chance at winning this thing. Very helpful.”
“I never said that. You need evidence? I’ve got it.”
“Sign first, talk later.”
It was Rose’s turn to express her frustration, cursing loudly as she accepted a pen from a very apologetic-looking Raven. Rose signed the NDA with an aggressive scratch of ink, then tossed the papers back into Richard’s lap. After regaining her composure, Rose leaned forward in her chair to survey the group with an imploring expression.
“Basically, I’ve been on my father’s retainer for the last several years. Every time one of his clients starts acting up, it’s my job to tail them and gather ammunition. In your case, it was a matter of taking out the competition.”
“Can you give us access to Gar and Raven’s photos?” asked Richard.
“Not quite. I work in film, not digital. After I develop the photos, my father holds onto the original copies.”
“And how does that help us?”
Rose reached into her camera bag and took out a plastic, cylindrical container. It was a canister of film, reminding Raven of old-school disposable cameras.
“I’ve kept all the negatives, which can prove that the photos are unedited. Film is quite fragile post-process. It needs to be stored properly or it’ll deteriorate. I have an entire crate of archives in my apartment back in L.A.”
“An entire crate ?” Garfield cut in, eyes widened in surprise. “Exactly how many photos do you have of us?”
“You’re not the only ones he’s blackmailed, not by a long shot,” said Rose. “If you could rally together all of his victims, you’d have more than enough firepower to make your case.”
“How many people are we talking here?” asked Victor.
“Looking at his active clients, somewhere around twenty, maybe twenty-five individuals? And that’s just his current roster.”
Wilson Entertainment was home to a wide range of celebrities, from musical acts, to models, to actors. Though his management was cutthroat and borderline exploitative, it was unlikely that any of Slade’s starlets would be willing to speak out against him publicly. The stakes were far too high.
“That would take a lot of convincing,” said Raven. “Not everyone is willing to put their career on the line for something like this, especially if they’re in it deep.”
“I’m sure you’d be able to find others who are fed up with my father’s abuse. If I assisted in recruiting more key witnesses, would that help?” asked Rose.
“Of course. It’s not like we have anything else to lose,” Raven replied. “What do you think, team? Any objections?”
She looked around the half-circle once more, making eye-contact with each of her friends. Victor sent her two thumbs up and Kory’s response was a smile of full support. Though Richard still had his arms crossed in a defensive stance, he gave her a small nod of approval. That left Garfield, who reached over to clasp Raven’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“We’re behind you 100 percent,” he stated plainly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Then it’s settled,” Raven announced, turning back to the photographer. “We’ll be in touch.”
The end of the conversation came in good time, for Tim ran inside the green room to notify the band that their set was about to start.
“Break a leg, Titans,” Rose murmured dryly, giving them a nod of good-bye before taking her leave.
The sound of the door closing behind their new ally made Raven jolt to attention. Suddenly, she understood the full gravity of the situation. They were about to engage in an all out legal battle against one of the most powerful men in the industry. Was she ready for the chaos that would ensue? The relentless media coverage? The astronomical lawyer fees? In the handful of minutes before showtime, Garfield and Kory stood up to stretch their legs while Victor stepped out to call Sarah for a pre-show pep talk. Meanwhile, the manager was glued to her seat, completely wrapped up in her anxieties. The chair beside her creaked with Richard’s weight.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s just... This whole lawsuit is going to be a lot more complicated than I thought.”
“In my experience, lawsuits are rarely ever straight-forward. But yeah, we’re in for quite the doozy.”
Being the private person that she was, Raven rarely discussed financial matters with other people. However, the Titans’ friendship taught her that staying silent about her problems was more obstructive than anything else. Rather than bear her burdens by herself, she decided to unload them instead.
“I just don’t know how I’m going to pay for all of this, let alone find a competent lawyer who’s willing to stand up against a giant corporation.”
“Like I said yesterday, I know a guy,” replied Richard. “Would you like me to get in touch with him?”
Without a sliver of hesitation, Raven accepted. “Yes, please.”
Richard nodded his assent and stood up, taking his phone out of his pocket. After selecting a number that seemed to be on speed dial, he spoke quietly into the receiver, “Hey, Bruce? It’s me. I have a bit of a favour to ask...” Richard’s voice grew even lower as he stalked off to an unoccupied corner of the green room.
While Raven waited for Richard to finish his conversation, she briefly wondered if the “Bruce” he was talking to could possibly be that “Bruce”. Moments later, Richard returned to his spot beside Raven to deliver the verdict.
“It took cashing in a giant favour, but I can officially say that we’ve got support from my, er... Mentor. He said he can hook us up with one of his colleagues who specializes in extortion cases. It would normally cost us an arm and a leg, but they’re willing to work pro bono .”
“You’re kidding.”
“What can I say? The man’s got a lot of pull.”
Raven peered at her friend with curious eyes, taking special notice of the way Richard wrung his hands nervously everytime his mysterious mentor was mentioned. Based on his caginess and strange behaviour, Raven jumped to a wild conclusion.
“Was that Bruce Wayne on the phone just now?”
“H-huh?”
“Bruce Wayne? Current associate justice of the Supreme Court?”
“How do you know who he is?”
“Who doesn’t know who he is? He was Gotham’s District Attorney for a while, I used to live there, remember? With the amount of crime in that city, Wayne is a household name. How do you know him?”
“He’s my adoptive father.”
“ Well that was unexpected ,” thought Raven, then said aloud, “So.Your daddy is bailing us out.”
Richard sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “Not directly, but yes, we wouldn’t have gotten the ‘family discount’ without him.”
“I see. And you got all defensive when you thought I was a trust fund baby,” the manager murmured with a half smile. “I can’t be the only one who sees the irony in all of this.”
“Again, I’m sorry about that. It’s no secret to the rest of the band that I have a giant chip on my shoulder when it comes to Bruce. You can imagine what it was like growing up under his shadow. The pressure of living up to his legacy was suffocating.”
“Is that why you went into law? What does he think of your recent career change?”
“Well, my obsession with music is mostly his fault,” answered Richard, his lips curling upwards in a sardonic grin. “He’s the one who forced the piano lessons onto me as a kid. According to him, it was another way of building character and discipline.”
“I would say that it worked. Character and discipline are your greatest strengths as a leader.”
“Thanks. I... I just don’t want people to assume that I have what I have because of nepotism. I worked hard for everything I achieved and I’m proud of it.”
“I understand exactly what you mean.”
“I almost never ask my father for favours, you know. My pride is too fragile.” Richard chuckled in a self-deprecating way, then leaned closer to place a steady hand on Raven’s shoulder. “But to protect my team? My family? That’s worth it.”
The normally surly woman’s heart warmed with affection as she pulled him in for an uncharacteristic hug.
“Thank you.”
“We’ve got your back, Raven. Don’t you ever forget it.”
By the following morning, the team was back on the road, homeward bound. Thankfully, their penultimate show in Seattle had been relatively uneventful. The Titans reverted to their original travel formation with the band members and manager in one van, and the roadies in another. Despite the arduous all-day drive back to Jump City, Gar was in high spirits. He loved the roadies dearly, but nothing compared to the intimacy of letting loose with his closest friends.
Inspired by James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke , the party of five blasted a playlist of their favourite tunes from the late ‘90s and early 2000s, singing along with unbridled enthusiasm. They belted power ballads, harmonized with boy bands and screamed the lyrics of angsty, adolescent anthems. Even theme songs from beloved childhood cartoons made it into the mix. Although the musical trip down memory lane was pure nostalgia heaven, the group’s high energy eventually quieted to a more subdued calm as they travelled further south into California.
Minutes to midnight, the Titans were nearly home. Cool, night air ruffled Gar’s neon green tips when he peered out the open window to admire the local shops and restaurants illuminated by street lamps. As customary for a Saturday night, the sidewalks were occupied by small crowds of pedestrians enjoying the nightlife. Though he didn’t know any of them personally, Gar felt a strong affinity towards the strangers. Like him, they belonged to Jump City, a multi-faceted mosaic of different people, customs and cultures. Exploring the various stops on their tour had been exciting, but in that moment, there was nowhere else the guitarist would rather be.
“Our city is the greatest city ever,” Gar declared to the rest of the van.
“Vancouver was pretty great, don’t you think?” said Victor from the driver’s seat next to Gar.
“Vancouver?” Raven said.
Gar glanced backwards at her, who currently sat in the middle row beside Kory. The dubious look on the manager’s face made it clear that she still hadn’t fully recovered from the passport prank nor the stage dive fiasco.
Victor quickly added, “Once Gar got himself patched up at the hospital, that is.”
“I’ve got to agree with Gar,” said Dick from the last row. “It sure is good to finally be back home.”
“I, too, have missed our glorious city,” Kory chimed in. “I cannot wait to sneak into Wolfie’s and grab a drink.”
Everyone agreed emphatically, prompting Victor to take a quick detour down a side street on the way to Raven’s condo. They weren’t actually planning on going inside the bar, of course, since their final show was happening in less than twenty-four hours. The band’s stringent manager wouldn’t have allowed such reckless behaviour anyway. The vehicle passed some of their favourite places, such as the bookstore Raven liked to frequent and Gar’s old job at La Maison Verte. Turning the corner, the Titans expected to see the pub buzzing with activity, but instead, the windows were pitch black.
“The drinks are gone!” exclaimed Kory.
“What do you mean, gone? ” Victor said. He brought the van to a screeching halt and the five friends spilled out onto the street to investigate further.
The interior of the pub was completely empty, with the exception of a few crumpled up cardboard boxes and half-filled garbage bags. A handwritten sign was taped to the front door that said:
Due to temporary suspension of health permit, this food facility is closed.
Gar could only stare with his jaw hanging open in pure shock. Sure, the pub had been on the grungier side of things, but who cared? Wolfie’s had been a place of “firsts” for Gar. His first legal drink. His first strikeout at flirting with a complete stranger. His first formal gig as a Titan.
“I can’t believe it,” Dick said. “We were gone for what, a month? How could this have happened while we were away?”
“Things change,” Raven answered with a weak shrug. “You can’t expect the world to stop turning just because we were on tour.”
“Not the world, just Jump City,” said Kory. “ Our world.”
The brief remainder of their trip home was solemn and quiet. It was the end of an era and they hadn’t even gotten the chance to say goodbye. But Raven was right; it would be foolish to think that their hometown would have the courtesy to stay exactly as it was before they left. After playing concert halls that held thousands of people, Gar figured that it would be weird to return to their tiny watering hole for a performance. Like a snake shedding its skin or a hermit crab moving to a larger shell, the Titans had outgrown Wolfie’s. Such was the price of success.
The Titans’ van pulled into the parking lot of Raven’s condo complex soon after. Everyone was meant to go to their respective homes and get a good night’s sleep, then regroup at the concert venue the next day. Victor kept the engine running while Raven, along with Gar’s help, grabbed her suitcases from the back. The pair hauled her things to the building’s entrance, where Raven stopped to give him a goodnight hug.
“See you tomorrow,” she said, turning around to punch her key code in the door.
“Hold on.” Gar took her by the hand before dropping it to rub the back of his neck nervously. “I, uh, don’t want to pressure you or anything, but... I really enjoyed falling asleep next to you yesterday night. I know that we still have a big day ahead of us tomorrow and all, so I get it if you want to say n-”
“-You’re rambling. If you have a question, just ask.”
“Do you want me to keep you company tonight? I’m not expecting ‘action’, per se. I just thought it might be nice to, you know, cuddle. Unless, of course, you wanna do more than cuddle-”
“-Gar,” cut in Raven once more, but this time, her tone was much more gentle. “I appreciate the offer. Really, I do. But after weeks of being away from home, all I want to do is take a hot shower and collapse into bed. Alone.”
The guitarist did his best to hide his disappointment by backpedalling.
“No worries, I totally understand! You do you, boo boo!”
As usual, Raven saw through his brave front immediately.
“Please, don’t take it personally. It has nothing to do with you. I love you, remember? Did I enjoy spending the night with you? Yes. Do I need my space? Also yes. If I don’t get it, you’ll have to deal with a very grumpy, high-strung manager tomorrow. Understand?”
“I do.”
“Get some rest, Gar. I’ll call you in the morning.”
He moved to return to the van, but Raven grabbed him by the elbow to stop him and catch his lips with her own. The kiss itself wasn’t anything particularly mind-blowing, but it was enough to reassure him that Raven truly did care. There was no need to get upset over being apart for one night, not when they had their entire future as a couple ahead of them.
Raven fulfilled her promise to call Garfield the next day, though it was much sooner than she had originally anticipated. She intended on calling him well after noon in order to give the night owl ample time to sleep in, but unfortunately, this was an emergency.
“Whassup?” yawned Garfield, who finally picked up after multiple tries. It was the crack of dawn and he sounded barely conscious.
“We have a major problem!” Raven nearly shouted back. “The concert hall’s been flooded. A pipe burst in the middle of the night and the owner only discovered the damage just now. If we don’t find another venue in the next couple of hours, we’ll have to cancel tonight’s show.”
Her final statement was enough to jolt Garfield out of his grogginess.
“ WHAT?! ” he hollered at the top of his lungs. The next thing Raven heard was the sound of his thumping footsteps running to another room. “VIC! We need to go to Raven’s, stat!”
“Can you call Kory and Richard, and pick them up on your way over?” she asked. “We need to figure out a Plan B as soon as possible.”
“I’m on it.”
Raven spent the next half hour burning a path into the hardwood floor of her living room as she racked her brains for a solution. There was no conceivable way for them to book another place in time. The original venue’s manager had suggested a list of alternates, but it was too early in the day for any of their offices to be open. When the four Titans arrived, they settled themselves around Raven’s dining table and got straight to business. The group threw out suggestions left and right, only for them to be rejected immediately. Nearly an hour later, they were no closer to finding a solution.
“Eureka!” cried Gar. “What if we go to Wolfie’s?”
Raven resisted the urge to pull out her hair. “We sold nearly four thousand tickets for tonight’s show. There’s no way the pub could fit that many people, even with all of the booths and tables taken out.”
The manager looked at the clock and saw that time had run out. They needed to inform the concert goers of the cancellation and start issuing refunds. As Raven stood up to make the dreaded phone call, Victor slammed his prosthetic hand on the table.
“The Square! Murakami Square!” he said. “What are the chances that something’s going on at the amphitheatre tonight?”
“How many does it seat?” asked Raven. She had walked through the public park on a couple of occasions and from her memory, it was enormous.
“A couple thousand, I think, but that doesn’t matter,” answered Richard. “There’s tons of grass to sit on. We’d probably have to get special permission from the city for the noise, but if there’s no scheduling conflict with another event, it shouldn’t be an issue.”
“That... That just might work.” Raven began to pace again, however this time, it was with intense focus rather than stress. “Kory, can you check today’s weather?”
“I’m on it!”
“Gar, contact the roadies and explain the situation. If you can’t get Tim on the first try, call Cassie next.”
“Yes ‘mam!”
“Raven, I have the forecast!” Kory said. “Clear skies with a 0 percent chance of rain.”
Raven could hardly believe their luck. That being said, they weren’t out of the woods just yet.
“What about the people who paid for premium seats? If the amphitheatre fills up before they get there, there’s going to be a riot.”
“We’re gonna need security regardless, so why not have them take care of corralling all of those folks to the front?” said Victor.
“And for our more entitled guests? I’m sure there will be at least one person in the audience who won’t be too happy about sitting on grass.”
Garfield gestured to the cellphone against his ear. “Cassie says: why not give out our extra merch? Everyone loves free stuff.”
Raven nodded back. “Good idea. Can you ask her to send me the inventory list? I’m pretty sure we have enough branded water bottles leftover, but it’s best to double check. Victor, would you happen to know where I can get a T-shirt cannon?”
“No, but I can find out,” the drummer replied, already taking out his phone to do some research.
“What can I do?” asked Richard.
“Get in touch with City Hall and see how much an event permit costs. I’m sure there’s a waiting period, but I’m willing to pay a rush fee. Don’t take no for an answer.”
The day only became more frantic from that moment on. By some miracle, Richard finagled his way into the office of their municipality’s top brass. It took almost an hour of pestering and arguing in order to receive the permit, but it was done. At the same time, Victor connected with an audio-technical company to rent the necessary sound and lighting equipment. Kory was in the midst of haggling with three different agencies in order to hire a small group of security staff. Communications was left to Garfield, who spread the word via social media that the Titans’ concert had changed venues, along with the promise of free merchandise for their trouble.
All the while, Raven filled in the gaps as best as she could. She enlisted the roadies’ help to set up the amphitheatre by cordoning off enough seating for premium-ticket holders. The only thing left to do was re-work the tour budget. Organizing a concert was no small feat to begin with, and adding on the time restrictions, it was near impossible. There was no way around it; all of the last-minute changes were going to cost Nevermore Records dearly. Raven knew that it would have been cheaper and much less complicated to simply cut their losses and cancel the show altogether. However, she also knew how much it meant to the band, especially after losing their beloved pub. It made no sense to move forward from a business perspective, but just like Richard, Raven believed that the sacrifice for her family was worth it.
The team never stopped working, not until the very last moments before the concert. With sound check completed and audience members streaming into the park, there was nothing left to do but wait for their cue to go on stage. Rather than having a comfortable green room filled with snacks and beverages, the Titans had to make do with the cramped space of their rented van. Raven was grateful that none of the band members were divas. Instead of complaining, they graciously took the opportunity to reminisce over the highlights of their tour.
“What was your favourite moment?” Kory asked.
“The bowling night, for me,” Victor replied first. “The Bees were a hoot and I’ve never been so proud of someone hitting a strike before.” He nudged Raven playfully on the arm.
“Technically, it was a spare,” she answered back, sending Victor a knowing wink. “For me, it was the entire day in New York City, especially the encore.”
Garfield, whose arm was currently wrapped around her shoulders, gave her a little squeeze. Based on the smug look on his face, he was very proud of himself for preparing such a well-received date and the special performance afterwards. He turned to the rest of the team and said, “I’d have to say it was coming clean to you guys at the airport about Raven and I being together. You have no idea what a relief that was.”
“I’m sure that had more to do with the opportunity to finally show PDA,” Richard said with a grin, then gestured a hand at Kory. “For us, it was getting married in Vegas.”
His wife giggled nervously. “...I was actually going to choose the girls’ day out in Miami. But yes, I suppose our nuptials take a close second place?”
At that, the entire group roared with laughter, with the exception of Richard who was no doubt rolling his eyes behind his sunglasses. Their fun was interrupted by the ring of Raven’s cellphone. She picked up the call immediately, spoke for half a moment, then hung up to address the Titans all at once.
“It’s finally showtime, the last one for the foreseeable future. Today was absolutely crazy, but somehow, we were able to pull through.”
Garfield moved his arm from around her shoulder to rest his hand on top of hers. “That’s because we’re a team.”
“Not just a team,” Kory said, placing her hand on Garfield’s.
“We’re a family,” continued Richard, adding his hand to the growing pile.
Victor joined them. “And what does a family do?”
“A family is always there for each other,” recited Raven, “no matter how difficult things get.”
The Titans approached the stage from behind, where the roadies provided them with their various musical instruments. Microphone and guitar stands were already set up out in front, along with Victor’s drum kit and Richard’s keyboard. However, Raven felt it would be more dramatic if the band stepped out with their most iconic equipment in hand. The front man was given a wireless microphone and the drummer, a pair of sticks. Meanwhile, the bassist and guitarist strapped their instruments around their shoulders. The moment all four Titans appeared on stage, a surge of cheers flooded Raven’s eardrums. She peeked around the corner to take in the sights before her.
It was well past sunset. The bright, full moon and a smattering of stars shone upon the massive park. The concrete seats of the amphitheatre were filled to the point where some people had to sit on the steps of the aisles between the rows. The grassy space behind was even more crowded with audience members on lawn chairs, blankets and tarps. While the other three Titans got into their positions, Garfield stepped forward and grasped his microphone with a sure, steady grip.
“Are you ready?” he asked the audience.
The answer was an explosion of deafening cheers.
Garfield cupped his ear and pointed to the crowd. “I can’t hear you!” he shouted, his words reverberating through the speakers and into the open air. “I said, are you ready?!”
The concert-goers opened their mouths in unison, all screaming at the top of their lungs. Victor smacked his sticks together in a 4-count, then launched into the drumming pattern for their first song. Kory’s bass joined him in the second bar, followed by Richard’s keys in the third. Garfield rounded out the intro with a riff on his electric guitar. All four band members played together for another measure, until at last, Richard sang out the opening line.
At this point, Raven had memorized the order of the concert by heart. Other than a couple of surprise encores, the set list remained virtually the same for the entire tour. Despite the show’s predictability, she was no less entertained. When the final notes of the Titans’ last song faded away and the band members said their supposed goodbyes, Raven knew exactly what would come next.
Sure enough, the Titans hadn’t even made it off stage, but the crowd was already begging for them for an encore. They immediately returned to their positions, with Richard taking his place in the center front.
“Let me guess, you want us to perform one last song?”
“Yeaaaaaah!!!”
“Anything for you!” Gar shouted into his mic, pointing to the people in the front row and giving them an exaggerated wink. He then waltzed over to the drum kit upstage and handed the microphone to Victor.
“It was an amazing tour, filled with amazing experiences. But nothing beats being home, right, Jump City?” said Victor.
An enthusiastic chorus of agreement was the audience’s reply. The microphone changed hands once more so that Kory could take her turn in addressing the crowd.
“Our last song is a new one, written by our favourite guitarist. He will be playing it as a solo tonight. Enjoy!”
With that, the bassist, dummer and front man walked off stage for real, leaving Garfield all by himself. Once the three band members joined Raven in the wings, she looked at them with wide eyes, silently asking for an explanation. The plan was to play a mega-mashup of their entire album. Much like with their original venue, it seemed that Plan A had been thrown out the window. The manager took the tiniest of steps forward so that she could get a better view of Garfield. Tim had whizzed out to provide the guitarist a stool while Conner adjusted the microphone stand. Garfield switched out his electric guitar for his acoustic one and perched himself on the stool.
“I wrote this song on the road, so it’s a little unpolished. Bear with me! It’s a very special song, written for a very special person.”
When Garfield looked to the side and locked his gaze with Raven’s, she held her breath. He then closed his eyes and began to pluck a simple tune.
Life is just an endless journey / I’m sick of wandering
Searching for that special someone / Has got me wondering
Will I ever find that person / The one to call my own?
My Northern Star, my rock, my fire / My home
In the past, Raven had turned up her nose at songs written for the sole purpose of serenading a single person. Perhaps it was out of envy, or just plain ignorance. But that was then, and this was now.
The skies above are turning darker / And I can’t see a thing
Through the fog, the rain, the thunder / A beacon’s flickering
You’re the lighthouse in the distance / No matter where I roam
My Northern Star, my rock, my fire / My home
When the second verse moved into the chorus, the melody shifted. The chords remained the same, but Garfield’s voice grew louder as the music swelled.
When I’m lost at sea / You anchor me
The compass that I’m following is you, you, you
The storms may rage / The winds may change
But I will always find my way to you, you, you
‘Cause baby when I’m with you, I am home
The tune shifted once more as Garfield transitioned into the bridge. It began with an instrumental interlude, with his skilled fingers dancing over the strings. He leaned forward into the microphone to sing in a bare whisper.
I’m coming home / I’m coming home
Near or far, my Northern Star is sure to guide me home
I’m coming home / I’m coming home
My Northern Star, my rock, my fire / My home
On the final “home”, the music modulated to a higher key. Garfield belted the final chorus, his voice cracking ever so slightly with the strain.
When I’m lost at sea / You anchor me
The compass that I’m following is you, you, you
The storms may rage / The winds may change
But I will always find my way to you, you, you
‘Cause baby when I’m with you, I am home
The tempo slowed and his voice grew quiet at the very last line:
‘Cause baby / You are my home
Making his way offstage, Gar took care to steady his trembling legs. It wasn’t stage fright or embarrassment, not even the fear of being judged. It was the fact that he had just poured his entire heart out onto the stage without giving his surprise-adverse partner a single shred of warning. He knew that she appreciated his music, but this was something else entirely. Writing a song for someone was like knitting a sweater or making a pie from scratch. It took time, skill, and unfiltered, unabashed love. There was also expectation involved. Would the sweater fit? Did the crust have a soggy bottom? Was the song too much? Too cheesy? Would the recipient like it? Oh God, did she like it?
From the shadows of the wings, Raven walked towards him. Her eyes shone brighter than the moon and her lips were upturned in the tiniest of smiles. Gar finally let out the breath that he had been holding the entire time. His relief was short lived, however, for he heard the familiar rasp of someone clearing their throat behind him. The guitarist turned on his heels to find himself face-to-face with the one person he least expected to see at a rock concert. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair turning grey at his temples. He had an air of superiority about him, made evident in the way his nose turned upward and his lips firmly downward.
“Hello, Garfield,” said Steve.
“What are you doing here?”
“Your mother suggested we attend. She wanted to- We wanted to show our support.”
Standing next to her husband, Rita gave Gar a small wave and a brilliant smile. Steve brought his arm around his wife’s back to draw her closer. The affectionate gesture reminded Gar of his own favourite person.
The musician looked to the woman beside him and said, “Raven, meet Rita and Steve, my foster parents. Mom, Dad, this is Raven Roth, founder of Nevermore Records and manager extraordinaire. She’s also my partner.”
“Are you serious?” Steve said, gaping in Raven’s direction. His expression was one of incredulity, but Raven seemed to interpret his question literally.
“Very serious,” she answered. “We intend on making this a long-term relationship.”
Still dumbfounded, the older man said, “Ms. Roth, I’m sure you’re an intelligent person, what with you running your own company. But I can tell you right now that partnering up with this knucklehead is going to be one of the worst decisions of your life.”
“How so?”
“He’s lazy. Obnoxious. Impertinent. Totally irresponsible!”
“I agree with everything you said, except maybe that last part. Gar can be pretty reliable when necessary.”
“I still think you’re making a terrible mistake.”
Steve shook his head and looked away from Raven in order to give Gar a hard stare. There was something else underneath his disdainful gaze. Was that... Betrayal ?
Gar stepped forward, unconsciously placing himself between Raven and his foster father’s grilling.
“Sir, if you’re upset because I didn’t tell you earli-”
“-How long has this been going on for?” Steve interrupted.
“Uh, three weeks, give or take?”
“THREE WEEKS?!” bellowed the older man. “I’ve openly offered you a stake in Dayton Enterprises for the last five years and this is how you repay me?”
Gar, Raven and Rita clued in at the exact same time, the trio sharing a look of wide eyes and slightly open mouths. Meanwhile, Steve’s face turned redder and redder with every passing second.
“Honey, I think there may be a misunderstanding,” said his wife.
“There’s nothing to misunderstand. We were too soft on him, Rita. We should have put our foot down with all of the ‘I’m not going to college’ nonsense from the very beginning. Now look at him! Suckered into a risky investment like a complete fool.”
“Steve!” Rita cried. Her tone brought Gar back to his rebellious teenage years of sneaking out of the house late at night and being caught soon after. “They’re romantic partners. Obviously!”
Steve’s mouth opened and closed multiple times before he stammered out, “You’re dating your boss ? Dear lord, Garfield, you’re stupider than I thought!”
“He’s not stupid. He’s also a grown man who doesn’t need your approval.”
Raven moved forward so that she stood between the two men, Steve looking even more scandalized than before and Gar gazing at her with total admiration. Whatever Steve may have been expecting from Raven, it certainly wasn’t her withering glare.
“I love him,” she continued, “and despite the way you treat him, he loves you. I suggest you smarten up before it’s too late and you lose him completely. Sir .”
Steve peered at Raven intently like he was finally seeing her for the first time. His expression went from flabbergasted to fascinated.
“How long has your company been up and running for?”
“A year in May.”
“And you’re a private business, I assume? Incorporated or not?”
“I was planning on incorporating as soon as the tour ends.”
“Smart girl,” said Steve with a nod of approval. “I’ve been keeping up with the Titans’ chart performance. I haven’t seen any ‘real’ numbers, but the album and lead single went Platinum, right?”
Raven nodded back, her eyes shifting over to Gar for the shortest of seconds, silently asking him where his foster father was going. Gar merely shrugged. He had made it his life’s mission to stay out of Steve's business; there was no way he would willingly get involved with it now.
Steve continued, “You must have made a pretty penny.”
“Not quite. It’s true that record sales were high, but even though we made a profit on merchandise over the tour, we recently had a couple of unforeseen expenses.”
“Sounds like you could use an angel investor. Now that I’m getting older, I’ve been taking a step back from my own company in order to explore other ventures. Interested?”
“I-I...I’d need time to think about it.”
“And put together a proper pitch, of course. I would expect nothing less.”
Steve’s words hung in the air like the threads of a spider’s web. Gar could see Raven’s eyes narrow as she considered the proposal, carefully weighing the pros and cons. Was it a trap, or an opportunity? Steve merely smiled, daring the younger woman to take a leap of faith. After another beat of silence, Raven said, “You’re not just offering because I’m dating your son, right?”
“Garfield has nothing to do with this.”
“Good. When are you available to talk?”
“Let’s compare schedules, shall we?”
Steve motioned to a quieter section of the backstage area and the unlikely pair walked off, leaving Gar and Rita to their own devices. Gar turned to his foster mother and let out a long, heavy sigh.
“And there she goes, headfirst into the shark tank.”
“Raven will be okay. She seems like she’s one hell of a negotiator.”
They both let out a laugh, Gar’s squeaky chuckle harmonizing with Rita’s bell-like giggle, and the pair embraced in a long overdue hug.
“Thanks for coming tonight, Mom.”
“It was the very least we could do,” replied Rita. She stepped back to cup Gar’s face with one hand while the other rested on his shoulder. “We’ve missed you. I’m sure you have many a tale to tell.”
“I missed you too. I’m sorry I’ve been so distant lately.”
“But you’ve found your way home.” Rita lowered her hand from his face in order to subtly point a thumb in Raven’s direction. “I’m happy for you, sweetheart. And I can’t wait to get to know her better.”
“I think you’ll really like her. At least, I hope you will.”
“I already do. After all, it would make things very awkward if I didn’t get along with the mother of my future grandchildren.”
“ Mom! ” exclaimed Gar.
“That’s ‘Nana’ to you,” Rita answered with a wink.
When Raven and Steve returned, Rita quickly took over by welcoming the younger woman with a warm hug. It was a picture perfect sight, one which Gar would have liked to commemorate forever. He didn’t have his phone on hand, so he settled for committing it to memory instead, taking in every minute detail of the moment. This was it. He was home.
Life had returned to normal, or at least, semi -normal. Suitcases were unpacked, belongings returned to their proper places. Raven slipped back into her daily routine like she had never left at all. Each day, she woke before her alarm. The mornings started with a brief yoga session, followed by an agenda full of band business. Leftover time in the late afternoons would be spent going for walks or running errands. Unfortunately, her outdoor adventures became less frequent as of late, since the month of April brought its legendary showers. On the wettest of days, Raven stayed inside with nothing but a book and a cup of freshly-brewed tea.
Though the days were filled with solitude and silence, the nights were never spent alone. Just as the sun would begin to set, Garfield would appear at Raven’s door, juggling an armful of groceries and petting Earl Grey on the way in. They would greet each other with a kiss and get straight to work, Garfield cooking up a storm while Raven “helped” by fetching pieces of equipment and doing the occasional taste test. Then, they would sit on her couch with food in hand and talk about anything and everything. Raven’s work day. Garfield’s foster parents. The progress of the lawsuit. At first, Raven felt somewhat self-conscious, wondering to herself if they were being too clingy. Was it healthy for couples to spend so much time together? Whatever happened to her personal space and spare time?
However, it felt even stranger to be apart. She chalked it up to the after-effects of the tour and how they had gotten accustomed to being together 24/7 for nearly a month. But Raven knew deep down that being with Garfield was the only thing she really wanted. For whatever reason, he had yet to stay the night. After eating and cleaning up, they would settle in front of a TV show for what Raven hoped would transition from cuddling to something more. Much to her disappointment, Garfield would eventually get up from the couch, then give both her and her cat kisses goodnight before seeing himself out. Raven thought the next night might be different. After all, it was her birthday. Birthdays were always a hard time of year. They made her think of the passage of time, and by extension, her own mortality. She knew those thoughts were unnecessarily morbid, but her absent parents and loner status had given her little cause for celebration in the past.
It was only fitting that the sky was overcast when she woke up that morning. Rather than let Raven sulk by herself, Garfield insisted that he spoil her rotten. He began the festivities by coming over just before suppertime, placing an enormous casserole into the oven and a bottle of champagne in the fridge. Then, he whisked her off to the local bookstore for a shopping spree. They weren’t able to stay long, for the darkening sky began to spit heavy droplets of rain. It also didn’t help that Garfield got recognized by several fans soon after they entered the shop. It seemed like sunglasses and a baseball cap weren’t going to cut it anymore. While he stayed behind to sign autographs, Raven took the opportunity to slink out by herself. The pair hadn’t gone public yet, and with the lawsuit still going on in the background, they couldn’t afford getting caught.
Garfield being crowded in public became a common occurrence in the aftermath of the concert at Murakami Square. The local media deemed the event as an undeniable tour de force for the band. The Titans were hailed as hometown heroes who had made it from obscurity to wild success. On top of that, Garfield’s latest song went viral when a fancam of the performance gained traction in views and shares. The song and its mysterious inspiration was all anyone wanted to talk about during recent press junkets. The businesswoman inside of Raven kicked herself for not getting a proper recording of the single onto streaming channels sooner. It would have been supremely upsetting, if not for the fact that “Homecoming” was all about how much Garfield loved her. The song was so effective that anytime Raven got remotely irritated with him, all he had to do was hum the chorus and her heart would immediately soften.
Now that the pair had reunited in the dry shelter of her kitchen, Garfield sang it once more, his warm breath tickling her ear as he hugged her from behind. Unfortunately for him, the charm was losing its effect.
“You want me to what ?” said Raven.
“Go pick up the truffles I ordered,” he repeated. “I was supposed to swing by after the bookstore but I completely forgot.”
“Too bad, so sad. You’ll just have to live without them.”
“Please, baby? I already paid the deposit!”
“You put a deposit on mushrooms ?!”
“I’d go get them myself but we both know that the moment I step out, everything will go to shit.”
“You could wear a proper disguise for once.”
“I was talking about the food.”
Raven frowned petulantly. “I know how to stir a pot, you know. I’m not completely useless.”
“Say that to the miso soup you burnt last week.”
With a great huff of frustration, Raven untangled herself from Garfield’s arms and made her way to the door. The drizzle from earlier had evolved into a full-blown thunderstorm, so she pulled on a raincoat and rubber boots.
“I can’t believe you’re making me go out in this weather. Whatever happened to the perks of being the birthday girl?”
“I need the truffles for the salad. Need! ” Garfield hollered back. “I said that I would treat you to a knockout meal, and I’m a man of my word!”
Raven took out the largest umbrella from her closet and fantasized about beating him with it.
“A man of his word would remember to pick up his own funghi.”
“You know me, I’m the funnest of guys!”
At the bone-chillingly terrible pun, Raven popped her head back into the kitchen to give him a withering look. Garfield merely waved back with his stirring spoon and said, “Stay dry, love. The trip will be worth it, I promise!”
Walking through the streets of downtown Jump City in the pouring rain, Raven couldn’t imagine how a couple of overpriced, overrated mushrooms could ever be worth it. She should have known that someone as ridiculous as Garfield would have a “shroom guy” several blocks away, inconveniently located in a part of the city where it was easier to walk than to drive. The rain came down in sheets, slowly filling up her boots with water. By the time she made it back to her condo, her entire person was completely drenched. Damn that stupid man and his stupid recipes. Fishing out her keys from a sopping wet pocket, Raven steeled herself to give Garfield a piece of her mind. She hardly wanted to start a fight on what was supposed to be a special day, but the entire scenario was simply too much. Throwing off her wet things, she barrelled into the hallway at full speed, only to immediately stop in her tracks.
The lamps in her living room were dimmed to the lowest level. Instead, the room was awash in the glow of candle light. A layered, frosted cake sat on her coffee table, covered in a dozen fizzling sparklers. Above it hung a mutli-coloured banner and several helium balloons. Behind the display were her dearest friends. Kory and Richard smiled quietly to the right while Victor and Sarah fidgeted impatiently on the left. In the middle of the group, Garfield chuckled nervously and raised his arms in a shrug.
“Um... Surprise?”
Raven nearly dropped the bag of mushrooms out of shock. Instead, it was her umbrella that toppled to the floor. Stepping forward, Victor reached down to pick it up, then pulled her in for a tender hug.
“Happy birthday, sis. We know you probably didn’t want a big party, but we convinced Green Bean to let us in on the fun.”
Another pair of arms joined them. “We hoped you might reconsider our presence if Garfield kept it as a surprise,” Kory said.
Richard and Sarah quickly moved in to add themselves to the group hug. The four of them only let go when Garfield shooed them away so that he could embrace Raven all by himself.
“You may not like your birthday, but we’re all glad you were born,” he said quietly, just loud enough so that only she could hear.
“G-Garfield, you-”
“Scoundrel? I know, I know. Say the word, and I’ll kick everybody out so that it's just the two of us.”
She shook her head, then smiled at the rest of their guests. “No, this is perfect. Who made the cake?”
“Yours truly!” Victor answered.
“Thank you, it’s wonderful. I don’t know about you all, but I would love to eat it right away.”
“Dessert before the meal? You’re really living life on the edge there, huh Raven?” Richard said, a small smirk overtaking his face.
Raven gave him a challenging look, daring him to question her further. She turned to Garfield and said, “We’re going to need ice cream.”
Many slices of cake and pints of ice cream later, the group rearranged Raven’s living room in order to watch a movie. Victor had brought over a projector so that it felt like a real cinematic experience. Gar was a bit miffed that dinner had gone untouched, but that wasn’t important. Rather than sulk, he counted his blessings. Raven had quickly forgiven him for the useless errand since it was necessary for the others to sneak into her condo undetected. Dick and Kory provided blankets and cushions to build a plush fort on the floor where everyone could sit and watch. To top it all off, Sarah had put together a gift basket of sweet and salty treats for the gang to munch on. The movie was Raven’s choice, of course. Gar thought she might pick a neo-noir thriller or a historical drama, but instead she chose a fantasy book-to-film adaptation.
When the closing credits rolled a few hours later, everyone stood up to stretch and clean up their snack bowls. It had been a fun time, with solid action sequences and good laughs. However, Gar wasn’t satisfied. Raven gave him an amused grin.
“What’s wrong, didn’t like it?”
“They got so many things wrong! I mean, the main character’s name is Tris-TRAN, not Tris-TAN. And they changed the entire ending! Other than Robert De Niro in drag, the book was way better.”
Raven laughed. “Oh dear, I really have rubbed off on you, haven’t I?”
The rest of the group made moves to leave but Raven stopped them, insisting that everyone sleep over. With all of the extra pillows and blankets, they had more than enough bedding to be comfortable. Kory and Dick retreated to the guest room while Sarah and Victor reorganized the fort into a makeshift bed. Gar draped a couple of blankets onto the couch in a nest-like formation.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Raven asked.
“Getting ready for bed?”
“You’re sleeping with me, silly.”
Raven took his hand and led him to her bedroom. It was just as Gar remembered it from the first time he had gotten a peek at Christmas. The only difference was a picture frame on her bedside. The photo was a selfie that the Titans had taken at the beginning of the tour, just outside of the Las Vegas venue. A ticket stub from their Jump City concert was tucked into the corner of the frame. The finishing touch was Gar’s lucky penny hanging on its leather cord on the outer corner. He reached over to rub the penny’s rusty surface.
“I was wondering why you stopped wearing it.”
“I don’t want to lose it. It’s important to me.”
Looking at the decorated frame made Gar feel wistful. Although it hadn’t been that long since they returned from the tour, he still thought back on those weeks with fond memories.
“The tour was something else, wasn’t it? I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.”
“Agreed.” Raven joined him at her bedside and patted on the mattress, inviting him to sit down. “You know, I never got to give you a proper thank you for ‘Homecoming’.”
“No need for thanks. I just don’t know how I’m going to keep talking about it during interviews without spilling the beans that it’s for you .”
Gar paused to gather his courage. He had been meaning to bring up the topic for the last few days, always waiting for the perfect moment. He normally believed there was no time like the present, but he didn’t want to ruin her birthday by getting her upset.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Tell me.”
“I wanna announce that we’re dating to the public. Sooner, rather than later. I know you wanted to wait after the lawsuit gets settled, but-”
“-Let me think about it, okay?”
Gar looked at Raven with wide eyes. He had expected a much more prickly response.
“Really?”
“I’ll have to speak with our lawyer to see how it would affect the case, but I know we’ll have to bite the bullet eventually. I don’t like keeping it a secret either, you know.”
“Whatever happened to staying anonymous?”
“I’ll deal with that when the time comes,” Raven said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “But I think I finally understand. You want people to know that I’m yours and you’re...”
“...Mine?”
“Yes. Mine, all mine. So just give me some time to think and I’ll get back to you. Deal?”
“Deal.”
The pair sealed it with a kiss and moved under the covers. After turning off the light and cuddling closer, Raven said, “I have a request of my own. I appreciated the party, but I was hoping for a present that’s a little more intimate .”
Gar was about to ask for specifics, but things became crystal clear after Raven shifted her weight to lay on top of him.
“Right now? With the others in the next room?”
“We can be quiet.”
“Hopefully not too quiet.”
That night, Gar finally got an answer about her mattress; it was even more comfortable than he imagined. In subsequent weeks, his overnight visits became more and more frequent. Though he hadn’t moved in officially due to the shared apartment lease with Victor, a pile of his clothes and an extra set of toiletries had taken residence in Raven’s home. He made sure to get out of her hair during the daytime so she could concentrate on work. Other than band business, she still had the lawsuit to worry about. Most of that stuff was being taken care of by Raven, Dick and their lawyer. Building the case and getting in touch with Rose’s contacts took a whole lot of brain power that the simple guitarist wasn’t able to give.
That being said, Gar wasn’t idle either. His mind practically swam with snippets of lyrics and strings of melodies. When he wasn’t making appearances in public or getting interviewed, Gar camped out at Wicked Scary Studios recording demos for the band’s next project. The April showers eventually petered out to make way for May flowers. With the world in bloom, Gar couldn’t help but be filled with inspiration. He whistled a guitar riff to himself over and over, changing it slightly each time just to see which iteration he liked better.
“Can you please quit it?” Victor asked from the driver’s seat.
The entire band was on the way to Los Angeles for they had been invited to appear on a podcast by a hot shot YouTuber. Their road trips were usually filled with chatter and tunes, so Gar couldn’t see why Victor had such an issue with his music. When he said so, Victor merely replied, “You better shut it before I shut it for you.”
When the Titans arrived at their destination, they were quickly ushered by producers to get into hair and make-up. Even though it was only a podcast, a live video recording would be broadcast as well. At this point, Gar was barely fazed by the production rigamarole. He and the other band members had gone through that rodeo multiple times, so with practiced patience, Gar sat perfectly still in his chair and let a group of strangers work on him. Since the podcast host was known for his aggressive interviewing-style, Raven had prepped the band in advance with several techniques of getting out of sticky questions. As she predicted, the interview began with a fairly civil introduction, only for the niceties to be dropped completely by the first question.
“So Victor, how are the wedding plans going?” the host asked.
“Pretty well. Actually, Sarah and I have-”
“-You were recently seen at a coffee shop with Karen Beecher, a.k.a. the lead singer of Honey and the Bees. The two of you seem to be getting real cozy over those iced lattes. Care to explain?” To prove his point, the host showed Victor a zoomed in tabloid photo on a tablet, which would no doubt be displayed on the screen for viewers at home.
“We were discussing the wedding, actually,” Victor replied calmly, albeit through gritted teeth. “Honey and her team have offered to perform at our ceremony. We met up in person to discuss the details.”
“That’s very generous of her! If I were in her shoes, I’d feel pretty awkward showing up at my ex’s wedding.”
“We never dated. We’re just friends.”
“Of course, of course.” The host turned his attention to Dick and Kory. “Now after doing a little digging, my research team found out that you two are high school sweethearts. Is that right?” When the pair nodded, the host continued, “We also discovered that you eloped during the Las Vegas leg of your recent tour. Can you elaborate on that?”
Kory answered first, ever excited to talk about their wedding.
“Richard and I were engaged for several years, but-”
“-There are rumours that you two only tied the knot so that you wouldn’t be deported,” interrupted the host. “Some of your more conspiracy-minded fans think that you’re actually a Tamaranean spy. Of course, one can’t believe everything one hears on the Internet, but is there any truth to that claim?”
While Kory sputtered angrily at his accusation, Dick intervened on her behalf.
“Kory’s been a U.S. citizen for the last five years. She’s just as American as you and I! Green card or no, we got married because we love each other.”
“I see. Speaking of love, that leaves us with one more Titan. What is it like to be the fifth wheel? That must be hard, right?” The host pivoted slightly in his chair so that he held a direct line of vision with Gar.
“I make do,” the guitarist said in a light tone, hopeful light enough to ease some of the tension in the room.
“Your single ‘Homecoming’ is still making a lot of buzz. What inspired you to write it? Or should I say, who?”
“ Finally, a question about music ,” Gar thought before answering, “I know the lyrics can be coded as romantic, but really, it could be about anyone. A lover, a friend, even a family member. I think it’s gotten so popular because it’s easy to relate to. We all have someone who we see as ‘home’.”
“So you’re saying that there was no real inspiration? No ‘special someone’, as you say in the first verse?”
“Well I-”
“-Because you seem to be on real good terms with a certain pop star, though I’m not sure what her boyfriend Billy Strayer would say about that. Can you tell us a little bit more about this photo of you and Terra?”
“Fu-funny story!” Gar said, quickly catching himself before dropping an F-bomb into his microphone.
Once again, the host showed a photo on his tablet. Though the scene was very dimly lit, it was unmistakably him and Tara. Shit . Slade Wilson had been suspiciously quiet since the end of the tour. It looked like he wasn’t pulling punches anymore, now that the suit had been filed. They should have known that the snake would try to force their hand eventually. Rather than make up some half-baked lie, Gar decided to go with the truth. “We used to date before either of us got famous. We broke up a long time ago. I believe this was taken when we saw each other at the SXSW Festival.”
“You look awfully friendly. I guess it was an amicable break-up? Any chance of the two of you getting back together?”
At this point, Gar was floundering. He looked to his Northern Star for guidance, who was currently seated in the corner of the studio, scribbling something on a piece of paper. When Raven raised it for him to read, it said:
Keep talking. Be honest and straight to the point.
“I have no intention of getting back together.” Gar turned back to the host and spoke with pure confidence. “I wish Terra and Billy all the best.”
“You really have no lingering feelings?”
“None at all.”
“I suppose that makes sense. People move on, right? Anyway, you seem to me like you’re more of a ‘brunette’ guy rather than being into blondes.”
“Uh, I guess?” Gar agreed confusedly.
“This next photo was sent to us by one of our viewers just before you got to the studio today, and I have so many burning questions. We may even have to censor it for our younger audience as it’s a little spicy. Tell us, who is this mystery woman?”
Gar screamed internally. Slade had gone all the way and leaked the image of him and Raven. Her back was to the camera, but it was very clear that Gar’s hands were under her shirt as she kissed his neck. It was the original photo that had gotten them into their legal mess in the first place.
“Is she a celebrity?”
“No, she hates the spotlight.”
Gar let go of all pretenses and looked directly at Raven once more. “ What the hell do I say? ” He mouthed in her direction. The host followed their interaction with curious eyes. His jaw dropped when he realized that the mystery woman was sitting right there in his studio.
Raven mouthed back, “ Tell the truth. The whole truth .”
“ Are you sure? ”
She nodded. “ I’m ready. We’ll get through this together .”
“You know what? I’m actually going to have to retract one of my previous statements,” Gar said. For the first time in the entire interview, the host decided not to interrupt, so Gar carried on. “‘Homecoming’ is directly inspired by someone extremely special to me. Every single lyric in that song is about her.”
“Is she your-”
“-Partner?” It was Gar’s turn to cut in and take full control of the situation. “Yes, she is. We’ve been dating for a couple of months now. While our relationship is relatively new, we’ve known each other for much longer.”
“But why keep things so hush hush? I’m sure your fans would be thrilled if they knew.”
“She cares about her privacy and I care about her. It’s as simple as that.”
“We’re past the point of privacy, Gar,” the host said. “Why not tell us more about her?”
“Well, she loves tea. She has a cat. She can’t cook for her life but I try not to hold that against her.”
“Gar!” the host practically begged, “I think the people are gonna want more than that.”
Knowing who the real boss was in the room, the host craned his neck so that he could look pointedly in Raven’s direction. She had told Gar to tell the whole truth, but did that include her name, address and social security number? To everyone’s utter shock, the Titans’ manager got up from her seat and stepped into the camera’s view.
Leaning into a microphone, she said, “You wanted to meet me so badly? Here I am.”
“Just to clarify things for our audio listeners, we have another guest joining us in the room. Can you please introduce yourself?”
“My name is Raven Roth.”
“And you are...?”
“Gar’s partner. Manager of the Titans. Owner and founder of Nevermore Records.”
~several months later~
“Are you ready?”
A green-haired man jolted to attention as someone spoke in his direction. He had been entranced by the blur of trees, buildings and pedestrians as the limo drove through the city. There was so much to think about that he found it easier to simply clear his mind of all thoughts. He didn’t even notice that the vehicle had already parked outside of their final destination. The courthouse.
“I said, are you ready?” the voice repeated.
The man turned to the woman beside him and covered her hand with his.
“I should be asking you that question. I’m not the one who has to testify today.”
“I’m not the one who’ll be attacked by paparazzi the moment we walk out.”
“That’s a shame, considering how beautiful you look.”
The couple was dressed in formal attire; nothing glamorous, just professional. The man’s charcoal grey suit looked comically serious in comparison to his neon green dye job, but the woman looked perfectly at home in her sleek, black pantsuit.
“I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be. You’ve been preparing for this for ages. Even Dick says that you’ve got a better poker face than he does.”
Though the trial was starting soon, Garfield Logan and Raven Roth took a few more moments in the privacy of the limo and its blackout windows. Already, there were reporters standing just outside the vehicle, waiting to pounce. Raven’s phone chimed with an incoming text message.
“Victor and Sarah just got here. Apparently Richard and Kory are already inside with Rose and our lawyer.”
Gar noticed his partner’s trembling hands as she put away her phone.
“You’re going to be okay, hon. Just breathe.”
“I just want Wilson to get what he deserves. What if they don’t find him guilty? What if he gets away with it?”
“We’ll have to trust that your testimony along with Rose and the others will be enough. You’ve got this.”
Over the course of several months, Rose made good on her plan to recruit other witnesses. She had managed to convince a dozen of Wilson’s former and current stars to testify against his abuse. Their trump card was Tara Markov, formerly known as ‘Terra’, who joined the campaign after making headlines when she broke all ties with Wilson Entertainment. Breaching the airtight contract meant that she could never release music unless she did it through her previous label, but with an army of fans behind her, it gave their case much needed public support.
Garfield pulled Raven closer to hold her tight. As their bodies pressed together, he heard a soft, metallic tinkle. It was her ruby necklace rubbing up against his lucky penny.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you wear this rusty old thing again,” he said, tucking the charm back under her collar.
“I need as much good luck as I can get.”
“Remember what I said when I first gave it to you?”
“That I worry enough about the bad and that I need to focus on the good.”
“Exactly. What happens happens, so there’s no use fretting now. Focus on the good, sweetheart. Focus on me.”
Raven took a deep breath and nodded, giving Garfield one last kiss before they exited the limo. The pair smiled at each other, knowing that whatever the future brought, come what may, they’d face it as a team.
“Together?”
“Together.”
- End of Album -