No subject
Mon Jun 21 02:55:29 CDT 2004
Knowing that
they would come last, they contented themselves with reviewing their parts
and relaxing.
The German Shepherd bass player still looked like he was struggling to get
his rhythm
just right, though even Cassie admitted that he put in a great effort and had
improved tremendously. Laretta, on the other hand, was too excited to
concentrate
on reviewing her parts, and instead caught glimpses of the other bands that
went on stage
to perform. It became thoroughly clear to her that every band that night
deserved to
be there. Each and every performer showed incredible talent and attitude,
and Laretta
knew that she, Cassie, and their band mates would have their work cut out for
them to
top everyone else.
About an hour had passed, and Laretta found herself enthralled with the
talented bands
on stage. She considered herself proud to be a part this scene. The time
had come for
"The Wild Bunch" to perform. Laretta hurried to where she could see them and
smiled and
waved to her friends. They smiled back, and for his part, T.J. gave a salute
and twirled
his drumsticks. Laretta was deeply impressed with what she heard. Sandy,
the lead singer
and guitarist, had a powerful yet sweet and mellow voice, and she put a lot
of energy into
her guitar playing. She was so energetic that she hopped and skipped around
the stage to
the rhythm of her guitar. Laretta was amazed at how the rabbit did this,
considering that
she was wearing stiletto-heeled boots!
Laretta tremendously enjoyed watching them play. Subconsciously, her tail
wagged in time
with the rhythm of their songs, "World on Fire" and "The Power of My Love"
when Cassie
decided to join Laretta. "I can see why your friends were so excited," the
vixen said with
a smile, "They're very good, and they've got the audience in a great mood.
That's good
news for us when it's our turn!" Laretta smiled and nodded as she watched
her friends take
a bow and leave the stage. "Speaking of which, it won't be long now. Let's
go get ready."
Laretta complied and got her guitar ready. The excitement and anxiety
started to
overwhelm her. She knew it wasn't too late for something to go wrong. She
also knew
that this was definitely the time to prove herself to Cassie and everyone
else. With
a glimmer in her eye and a smile slowly creeping across her muzzle, she held
a firm grip
on the guitar's neck with her right hand-paw while gently stroking its black
and red
painted exterior and the strings with her left hand-paw. She was ready for
anything
and everything, and she was grateful to be living for the moment.
Before she knew it, a stage hand gave them a "ready to go" signal. "Come on,
Laretta,
that's our cue!" said Cassie as she took her own guitar and walked towards the
stage. Laretta's heart beat quickened with each step she took towards the
stage. The
moment had come for her to step out into the light.
"Ladies and gentlemen of all species, this is the moment you've all been
waiting for!
You've heard some of the best talent in rock tonight, and now it's time for
the queen of
them all to take center stage! We proudly present to you, the one and
only...CASSIE THE
ROCK VIXEN!!!"
The entire crowd erupted into a screaming frenzy as the lights went up and
centered on
Cassie. Laretta stood firmly in her place, proud to be sharing the stage
with the
wonderful vixen. She was a little surprised to see Cassie turn back to her
and wink, as
the emcee continued. "We know how excited you all are, folks, but we've got
an
important announcement for you. Cassie has a special treat for you, because
tonight she
has an incredibly beautiful and talented she-wolf guitarist playing with her!
Everyone, please give a special round of applause to Laretta!"
Laretta was simply stunned. Without her knowing, Cassie met with the emcee
earlier that
day to specially request that Laretta be given a special mention. For
Laretta, the
experience was utterly amazing. Everyone was cheering and applauding
especially for
her! Amazed as she was, Laretta maintained enough poise to smile and wave to
the audience
as the cheering continued.
All television cameras focused on Laretta following the announcement. This
was
especially important for a certain family watching the events from their home.
"Mommy! Daddy! Look, it's Auntie Laretta!" shouted the young wolf cub as
she smiled
and bounced up and down. "It certainly is dear," said Edmond, Laretta's
older brother, as
he tried to make her hold still, "and if she were here right now, she'd tell
you that it's
way past your bedtime!" he chuckled.
"Aw, Dad!" whined the young wolf cub, "Can't I stay up to watch auntie
Laretta play,
PLEASE?" "Well, I suppose one song would be okay," said Claire, Edmond's
wife, as she
cradled her sleeping infant son, "but after that it's time for bed!"
"Say, it looks like they're ready to begin!" said Eddie as their attention
turned to
the television. "Oh, boy!" cheered the young wolf cub as she saw Cassie and
her band ready
to play.
On stage, Laretta felt the energy humming through her guitar. She smiled as
she
started pumping the sound out, getting the song in motion. One more surprise
lay in store
for her, though. Just before she took the lead, Cassie kicked up one of her
stocking-clad legs, sending one of her blue high-heeled pumps soaring far
into the
audience! What amazed Laretta was how the fans madly scrambled to catch the
shoe, almost
as if they were trying to catch a home-run baseball. Cassie promptly kicked
her other
shoe into the audience, causing another excited furor.
As surprised as she was, Laretta just kept on cranking out the energetic
sound of her
guitar. She felt a wave of euphoria wash over her as she felt the music come
alive.
Throngs of fans cheered, waved, and danced, lifting Laretta's spirits even
higher.
Indeed, the whole band was charged up and playing their best, especially
Cassie. It
soon became clear to Laretta why Cassie kicked her shoes off. The energetic
vixen put all
her body into the performance. She leapt, pranced, and twirled about the
stage with
acrobatic grace. If she did that in high heels, Laretta thought, she could
end up with
a broken heel and a sprained ankle!
The performance of Cassie's band went phenomenally. Laretta gave nothing
less than a
top-notch performance, pouring all her heart and soul into her powerful
guitar riffs.
They played through two of Cassie's favorite songs, "Beware the Night" and
"Living for
your Love," and were now down to the final song, a solid favorite among
Cassie's loyal
fans, "Rock You Tonight." Laretta knew this song well and kept pace with
Cassie's lead.
When they came to the grand finale, Cassie grinned at Laretta and signaled
her to
come forward. Even with all that had happened, to Laretta this was
completely beyond
belief. Cassie was asking her to take the lead!
Laretta's heart beat furiously with fear and excitement, but once she started
working her
way in, the momentum of the sound carried her through. Laretta felt the
energy
surging through her body, from the top of her ears down to her stiletto heels
and into
the stage. She tore through her part with skill that easily rivaled
Cassie's. When they
came to the end, the entire audience rose to their feet and gave a tremendous
cheer.
Laretta was overcome with joy. Completely on a whim, she raised her guitar
above her
head, threw her head back and gave out a ferocious howl that echoed
throughout the
stadium. The audience went wild as several spectators, human and animal
alike, cheered
and howled back!
With their performance finished and a complete success, Cassie, Laretta, and
the rest of
the band bowed to a standing ovation. Cassie couldn't resist giving Laretta
a warm hug
while waving to the audience. Without saying a word, Laretta just smiled and
hugged
Cassie back.
Later that evening, with the concert just a memory, Cassie and the rest of
the band decided
to go out and celebrate. They found a terrific pizza parlor and ordered the
largest pizza
on the menu loaded with every topping imaginable and a round of soft drinks.
Laretta
was utterly exhausted and her feet ached, but she was also very happy and
hungry and
looked forward to their meal.
Everyone in the band was obviously overjoyed by their successful performance.
They
were happily chatting and joking when Cassie stood up to make an announcement.
"Everyone, let's give a big round of applause to Laretta, our newest member!"
she said
with dignity and grace. All the band mates applauded happily. They were
deeply impressed
by Laretta's performance, and were very glad to have her on board.
Laretta was nearly speechless. She rose to her feet unsteadily, searching
for the right
words to say. "Everyone," she started, her voice wavering, "Thank you all so
much! I
can't tell you how much this experience has meant to me. I've never felt
happier than
playing with all of you." She smiled at the tall, elegant vixen beside her,
"Especially
you, Cassie."
Cassie smiled and hugged the she-wolf. "Now remember, it's not official
until you read
and sign the contract!" Cassie replied. "Come by our studio again tomorrow,
and we'll get
it taken care of." Cassie's bass player, the German Shepherd 'morph, had
something
important to say. "While we're on the subject, Cassie," he started, "I'd
like to go over
my own contract and set a reasonable closing date. No offense, I had a great
time with
your band and all, but I'm really missing old band!"
Laretta was slightly surprised to hear this, but Cassie just smiled casually.
"It's
no problem, Otto. Cindy just called me the other day and told me she's
feeling better,
so this is actually very good timing! It was great having you on board, but
I don't want
to keep you from doing what you love most!" Seeing that Laretta was slightly
bewildered,
she explained the situation to her. "You see, Laretta, Otto is originally a
bass player in
a jazz band. He was the only free agent we could find to fill in for my
regular
bassist, Cindy, who was out with a bad case of the flu." Otto just nodded
and grinned,
"Hard rock just isn't my style, that's why I might have sounded wonky. I
have to
admit, Laretta, you're great at setting a really good rhythm, and that made
it easier for
me. I wish you luck playing with Cassie!" Laretta smiled and replied,
"Thanks, Otto.
I'm glad you were there to back us up, too!"
As the band started in on their meal, Cassie turned to talk to Laretta again
while her
pizza cooled. "Cindy will be there tomorrow when you come to sign the
contract. I told
her all about you, and she's looking forward to meeting you!" She paused for
a moment with
a look of slight unease, "My agent and manager, Foxonian, will also be
there." Laretta saw
no reason for concern and replied, "That sounds okay, Cassie. I was actually
hoping to
meet him, since he did a lot of work bringing us together!" Cassie still
looked uncertain
as she continued, "Well, all I'll say is, he's not quite what you'd expect."
Laretta was herself confused and was going to ask Cassie why she was so
concerned,
when suddenly a rowdy, laughing group came shuffling into the restaurant.
Laretta
instantly recognized her friends from the band "The Wild Bunch." They were
equally enthusiastic about their successful performance that evening and
happened to find
the same place to celebrate as Cassie's band. Laretta smiled and waved,
"Hey you guys,
you were terrific!"
"Heya, Laretta!" T.J. said as he tipped his hat, "Man, you were awesome out
there! I
mean, everyone backstage was psyched out by the way you were playing! You
totally blew
'em away!"
"She sho' did!" Vixina exclaimed between bites of her pizza, "Especially
whut with
thet howlin'! Say 'Retta, we ought t' make thet a reg'lar way t' end our
concerts.
Th' audience jes' loved th' way yew did that!"
"There's gonna be other concerts?" T.J. asked, confused by what she meant.
"For Laretta, there will be!" Cassie said, smiling proudly, "She's the
newest member of
our band!"
"Oh wow, congratulations, Laretta!" exclaimed Sandy. "You must be the
luckiest she-wolf
on earth!" Laretta grinned and nodded, "I certainly feel lucky! So what
about you guys?
How did things go after your performance?"
"Just great!" said T.J. as he hooked his thumbs under his suspender straps,
"A couple
record execs really liked our performance and made us an offer to sign on to
their label!
I tell you, playing with great performers like you and Cassie made all the
difference!"
Sandy nodded as she stumbled slightly, "Yeah, but next time I'm gonna cut
back on the
hop, skip, and jumping around!" She winced as she unlaced her boots and
rubbed her
sock-clad feet, "Ooh, my feet are killing me!"
T.J. grinned and put his arm around his lover's waist, "Looks like I'm gonna
have my
hands full giving you a foot massage tonight! Not that I mind..." Sandy
smiled and
rubbed his head, "Have you ever?"
Everyone laughed and Cassie smiled and said to them, "Congratulations to all
of you.
You certainly deserve the recognition!" Laretta just finished her pizza and
smiled.
For once, she genuinely had no worries, and she felt that her life was going
in the
direction she always wanted it to. She was thankful to all her old and new
friends for
being there to see her through. Most of all, she was happy and proud of
herself, and
perhaps that was all she needed.
Last revision:
September 11, 2001
--part1_169.c4b06e.28d12cc8_boundary
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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>Stage Sisters chapter 6
<BR>
<BR>Written by & copyright of Andrew Cotton Wolfie8898 at hotmail.com
<BR>
<BR>Featuring Laretta Morrigan (Cassie's rhythm guitarist) and Cassie
<BR>
<BR>Cassie, the Rock & Roll Vixen
<BR>http://members.aol.com/rufinoform/Cassie.htm
<BR>Laretta Morrigan
<BR>http://velar.ctrl-c.liu.se/vcl/Artists/Richard-Foley/Laretta2.jpg
<BR>
<BR>Please read chapter seven, featuring Laretta and Cassie and the conclusion of
<BR>this story, at
<BR>http://members.aol.com/CassieRockVixen3/stage_sisters_ch7.txt
<BR>
<BR>All characters created by & copyright of Earl Bacon except Laretta, who is
<BR>created by
<BR>and copyright of Andrew Cotton, Alex, who is created by and copyright of
<BR>Donna Fritz
<BR>and Vixina, who is created by and copyright of Cloudchaser Shaconage.
<BR>
<BR>"Ladies and gentlemen of all ages and species, are you ready to rock?
<BR>Welcome one and all
<BR>to the Lone Star Metal Round-Up! You'd better all have your seat belts
<BR>fastened,
<BR>because you're about to be blown away by some of the hottest and wildest
<BR>metal bands
<BR>around! Get ready for three solid hours of the most heart-stopping,
<BR>head-thrashing,
<BR>mind-blowing music you'll ever hear from the greatest rising talent in human
<BR>and furry
<BR>heavy metal! If that's not enough for you, tonight you'll also hear a special
<BR>performance from the most beautiful and talented vixen on the planet...Cassie
<BR>the Rock
<BR>Vixen and her band!"
<BR>
<BR>As if on cue, the crowd erupted into a screaming frenzy upon hearing the
<BR>emcee's
<BR>thundering announcement. Multi-colored lasers lit up the air and smoke
<BR>poured out onto
<BR>the stage as the first band emerged to perform. The night was rife with
<BR>energy and
<BR>ecstasy, and everyone was extremely enthusiastic for the concert that lay
<BR>ahead.
<BR>
<BR>From backstage, Cassie and her band mates waited patiently for their turn.
<BR>Knowing that
<BR>they would come last, they contented themselves with reviewing their parts
<BR>and relaxing.
<BR>The German Shepherd bass player still looked like he was struggling to get
<BR>his rhythm
<BR>just right, though even Cassie admitted that he put in a great effort and had
<BR>improved tremendously. Laretta, on the other hand, was too excited to
<BR>concentrate
<BR>on reviewing her parts, and instead caught glimpses of the other bands that
<BR>went on stage
<BR>to perform. It became thoroughly clear to her that every band that night
<BR>deserved to
<BR>be there. Each and every performer showed incredible talent and attitude,
<BR>and Laretta
<BR>knew that she, Cassie, and their band mates would have their work cut out for
<BR>them to
<BR>top everyone else.
<BR>
<BR>About an hour had passed, and Laretta found herself enthralled with the
<BR>talented bands
<BR>on stage. She considered herself proud to be a part this scene. The time
<BR>had come for
<BR>"The Wild Bunch" to perform. Laretta hurried to where she could see them and
<BR>smiled and
<BR>waved to her friends. They smiled back, and for his part, T.J. gave a salute
<BR>and twirled
<BR>his drumsticks. Laretta was deeply impressed with what she heard. Sandy,
<BR>the lead singer
<BR>and guitarist, had a powerful yet sweet and mellow voice, and she put a lot
<BR>of energy into
<BR>her guitar playing. She was so energetic that she hopped and skipped around
<BR>the stage to
<BR>the rhythm of her guitar. Laretta was amazed at how the rabbit did this,
<BR>considering that
<BR>she was wearing stiletto-heeled boots!
<BR>
<BR>Laretta tremendously enjoyed watching them play. Subconsciously, her tail
<BR>wagged in time
<BR>with the rhythm of their songs, "World on Fire" and "The Power of My Love"
<BR>when Cassie
<BR>decided to join Laretta. "I can see why your friends were so excited," the
<BR>vixen said with
<BR>a smile, "They're very good, and they've got the audience in a great mood.
<BR>That's good
<BR>news for us when it's our turn!" Laretta smiled and nodded as she watched
<BR>her friends take
<BR>a bow and leave the stage. "Speaking of which, it won't be long now. Let's
<BR>go get ready."
<BR>
<BR>Laretta complied and got her guitar ready. The excitement and anxiety
<BR>started to
<BR>overwhelm her. She knew it wasn't too late for something to go wrong. She
<BR>also knew
<BR>that this was definitely the time to prove herself to Cassie and everyone
<BR>else. With
<BR>a glimmer in her eye and a smile slowly creeping across her muzzle, she held
<BR>a firm grip
<BR>on the guitar's neck with her right hand-paw while gently stroking its black
<BR>and red
<BR>painted exterior and the strings with her left hand-paw. She was ready for
<BR>anything
<BR>and everything, and she was grateful to be living for the moment.
<BR>
<BR>Before she knew it, a stage hand gave them a "ready to go" signal. "Come on,
<BR>Laretta,
<BR>that's our cue!" said Cassie as she took her own guitar and walked towards the
<BR>stage. Laretta's heart beat quickened with each step she took towards the
<BR>stage. The
<BR>moment had come for her to step out into the light.
<BR>
<BR>"Ladies and gentlemen of all species, this is the moment you've all been
<BR>waiting for!
<BR>You've heard some of the best talent in rock tonight, and now it's time for
<BR>the queen of
<BR>them all to take center stage! We proudly present to you, the one and
<BR>only...CASSIE THE
<BR>ROCK VIXEN!!!"
<BR>
<BR>The entire crowd erupted into a screaming frenzy as the lights went up and
<BR>centered on
<BR>Cassie. Laretta stood firmly in her place, proud to be sharing the stage
<BR>with the
<BR>wonderful vixen. She was a little surprised to see Cassie turn back to her
<BR>and wink, as
<BR>the emcee continued. "We know how excited you all are, folks, but we've got
<BR>an
<BR>important announcement for you. Cassie has a special treat for you, because
<BR>tonight she
<BR>has an incredibly beautiful and talented she-wolf guitarist playing with her!
<BR>Everyone, please give a special round of applause to Laretta!"
<BR>
<BR>Laretta was simply stunned. Without her knowing, Cassie met with the emcee
<BR>earlier that
<BR>day to specially request that Laretta be given a special mention. For
<BR>Laretta, the
<BR>experience was utterly amazing. Everyone was cheering and applauding
<BR>especially for
<BR>her! Amazed as she was, Laretta maintained enough poise to smile and wave to
<BR>the audience
<BR>as the cheering continued.
<BR>
<BR>All television cameras focused on Laretta following the announcement. This
<BR>was
<BR>especially important for a certain family watching the events from their home.
<BR>"Mommy! Daddy! Look, it's Auntie Laretta!" shouted the young wolf cub as
<BR>she smiled
<BR>and bounced up and down. "It certainly is dear," said Edmond, Laretta's
<BR>older brother, as
<BR>he tried to make her hold still, "and if she were here right now, she'd tell
<BR>you that it's
<BR>way past your bedtime!" he chuckled.
<BR>
<BR>"Aw, Dad!" whined the young wolf cub, "Can't I stay up to watch auntie
<BR>Laretta play,
<BR>PLEASE?" "Well, I suppose one song would be okay," said Claire, Edmond's
<BR>wife, as she
<BR>cradled her sleeping infant son, "but after that it's time for bed!"
<BR>
<BR>"Say, it looks like they're ready to begin!" said Eddie as their attention
<BR>turned to
<BR>the television. "Oh, boy!" cheered the young wolf cub as she saw Cassie and
<BR>her band ready
<BR>to play.
<BR>
<BR>On stage, Laretta felt the energy humming through her guitar. She smiled as
<BR>she
<BR>started pumping the sound out, getting the song in motion. One more surprise
<BR>lay in store
<BR>for her, though. Just before she took the lead, Cassie kicked up one of her
<BR>stocking-clad legs, sending one of her blue high-heeled pumps soaring far
<BR>into the
<BR>audience! What amazed Laretta was how the fans madly scrambled to catch the
<BR>shoe, almost
<BR>as if they were trying to catch a home-run baseball. Cassie promptly kicked
<BR>her other
<BR>shoe into the audience, causing another excited furor.
<BR>
<BR>As surprised as she was, Laretta just kept on cranking out the energetic
<BR>sound of her
<BR>guitar. She felt a wave of euphoria wash over her as she felt the music come
<BR>alive.
<BR>Throngs of fans cheered, waved, and danced, lifting Laretta's spirits even
<BR>higher.
<BR>Indeed, the whole band was charged up and playing their best, especially
<BR>Cassie. It
<BR>soon became clear to Laretta why Cassie kicked her shoes off. The energetic
<BR>vixen put all
<BR>her body into the performance. She leapt, pranced, and twirled about the
<BR>stage with
<BR>acrobatic grace. If she did that in high heels, Laretta thought, she could
<BR>end up with
<BR>a broken heel and a sprained ankle!
<BR>
<BR>The performance of Cassie's band went phenomenally. Laretta gave nothing
<BR>less than a
<BR>top-notch performance, pouring all her heart and soul into her powerful
<BR>guitar riffs.
<BR>They played through two of Cassie's favorite songs, "Beware the Night" and
<BR>"Living for
<BR>your Love," and were now down to the final song, a solid favorite among
<BR>Cassie's loyal
<BR>fans, "Rock You Tonight." Laretta knew this song well and kept pace with
<BR>Cassie's lead.
<BR>When they came to the grand finale, Cassie grinned at Laretta and signaled
<BR>her to
<BR>come forward. Even with all that had happened, to Laretta this was
<BR>completely beyond
<BR>belief. Cassie was asking her to take the lead!
<BR>
<BR>Laretta's heart beat furiously with fear and excitement, but once she started
<BR>working her
<BR>way in, the momentum of the sound carried her through. Laretta felt the
<BR>energy
<BR>surging through her body, from the top of her ears down to her stiletto heels
<BR>and into
<BR>the stage. She tore through her part with skill that easily rivaled
<BR>Cassie's. When they
<BR>came to the end, the entire audience rose to their feet and gave a tremendous
<BR>cheer.
<BR>Laretta was overcome with joy. Completely on a whim, she raised her guitar
<BR>above her
<BR>head, threw her head back and gave out a ferocious howl that echoed
<BR>throughout the
<BR>stadium. The audience went wild as several spectators, human and animal
<BR>alike, cheered
<BR>and howled back!
<BR>
<BR>With their performance finished and a complete success, Cassie, Laretta, and
<BR>the rest of
<BR>the band bowed to a standing ovation. Cassie couldn't resist giving Laretta
<BR>a warm hug
<BR>while waving to the audience. Without saying a word, Laretta just smiled and
<BR>hugged
<BR>Cassie back.
<BR>
<BR>Later that evening, with the concert just a memory, Cassie and the rest of
<BR>the band decided
<BR>to go out and celebrate. They found a terrific pizza parlor and ordered the
<BR>largest pizza
<BR>on the menu loaded with every topping imaginable and a round of soft drinks.
<BR>Laretta
<BR>was utterly exhausted and her feet ached, but she was also very happy and
<BR>hungry and
<BR>looked forward to their meal.
<BR>
<BR>Everyone in the band was obviously overjoyed by their successful performance.
<BR> They
<BR>were happily chatting and joking when Cassie stood up to make an announcement.
<BR>"Everyone, let's give a big round of applause to Laretta, our newest member!"
<BR>she said
<BR>with dignity and grace. All the band mates applauded happily. They were
<BR>deeply impressed
<BR>by Laretta's performance, and were very glad to have her on board.
<BR>
<BR>Laretta was nearly speechless. She rose to her feet unsteadily, searching
<BR>for the right
<BR>words to say. "Everyone," she started, her voice wavering, "Thank you all so
<BR>much! I
<BR>can't tell you how much this experience has meant to me. I've never felt
<BR>happier than
<BR>playing with all of you." She smiled at the tall, elegant vixen beside her,
<BR>"Especially
<BR>you, Cassie."
<BR>
<BR>Cassie smiled and hugged the she-wolf. "Now remember, it's not official
<BR>until you read
<BR>and sign the contract!" Cassie replied. "Come by our studio again tomorrow,
<BR>and we'll get
<BR>it taken care of." Cassie's bass player, the German Shepherd 'morph, had
<BR>something
<BR>important to say. "While we're on the subject, Cassie," he started, "I'd
<BR>like to go over
<BR>my own contract and set a reasonable closing date. No offense, I had a great
<BR>time with
<BR>your band and all, but I'm really missing old band!"
<BR>
<BR>Laretta was slightly surprised to hear this, but Cassie just smiled casually.
<BR> "It's
<BR>no problem, Otto. Cindy just called me the other day and told me she's
<BR>feeling better,
<BR>so this is actually very good timing! It was great having you on board, but
<BR>I don't want
<BR>to keep you from doing what you love most!" Seeing that Laretta was slightly
<BR>bewildered,
<BR>she explained the situation to her. "You see, Laretta, Otto is originally a
<BR>bass player in
<BR>a jazz band. He was the only free agent we could find to fill in for my
<BR>regular
<BR>bassist, Cindy, who was out with a bad case of the flu." Otto just nodded
<BR>and grinned,
<BR>"Hard rock just isn't my style, that's why I might have sounded wonky. I
<BR>have to
<BR>admit, Laretta, you're great at setting a really good rhythm, and that made
<BR>it easier for
<BR>me. I wish you luck playing with Cassie!" Laretta smiled and replied,
<BR>"Thanks, Otto.
<BR>I'm glad you were there to back us up, too!"
<BR>
<BR>As the band started in on their meal, Cassie turned to talk to Laretta again
<BR>while her
<BR>pizza cooled. "Cindy will be there tomorrow when you come to sign the
<BR>contract. I told
<BR>her all about you, and she's looking forward to meeting you!" She paused for
<BR>a moment with
<BR>a look of slight unease, "My agent and manager, Foxonian, will also be
<BR>there." Laretta saw
<BR>no reason for concern and replied, "That sounds okay, Cassie. I was actually
<BR>hoping to
<BR>meet him, since he did a lot of work bringing us together!" Cassie still
<BR>looked uncertain
<BR>as she continued, "Well, all I'll say is, he's not quite what you'd expect."
<BR>
<BR>Laretta was herself confused and was going to ask Cassie why she was so
<BR>concerned,
<BR>when suddenly a rowdy, laughing group came shuffling into the restaurant.
<BR>Laretta
<BR>instantly recognized her friends from the band "The Wild Bunch." They were
<BR>equally enthusiastic about their successful performance that evening and
<BR>happened to find
<BR>the same place to celebrate as Cassie's band. Laretta smiled and waved,
<BR>"Hey you guys,
<BR>you were terrific!"
<BR>
<BR>"Heya, Laretta!" T.J. said as he tipped his hat, "Man, you were awesome out
<BR>there! I
<BR>mean, everyone backstage was psyched out by the way you were playing! You
<BR>totally blew
<BR>'em away!"
<BR>
<BR>"She sho' did!" Vixina exclaimed between bites of her pizza, "Especially
<BR>whut with
<BR>thet howlin'! Say 'Retta, we ought t' make thet a reg'lar way t' end our
<BR>concerts.
<BR>Th' audience jes' loved th' way yew did that!"
<BR>
<BR>"There's gonna be other concerts?" T.J. asked, confused by what she meant.
<BR>
<BR>"For Laretta, there will be!" Cassie said, smiling proudly, "She's the
<BR>newest member of
<BR>our band!"
<BR>
<BR>"Oh wow, congratulations, Laretta!" exclaimed Sandy. "You must be the
<BR>luckiest she-wolf
<BR>on earth!" Laretta grinned and nodded, "I certainly feel lucky! So what
<BR>about you guys?
<BR>How did things go after your performance?"
<BR>
<BR>"Just great!" said T.J. as he hooked his thumbs under his suspender straps,
<BR>"A couple
<BR>record execs really liked our performance and made us an offer to sign on to
<BR>their label!
<BR>I tell you, playing with great performers like you and Cassie made all the
<BR>difference!"
<BR>
<BR>Sandy nodded as she stumbled slightly, "Yeah, but next time I'm gonna cut
<BR>back on the
<BR>hop, skip, and jumping around!" She winced as she unlaced her boots and
<BR>rubbed her
<BR>sock-clad feet, "Ooh, my feet are killing me!"
<BR>
<BR>T.J. grinned and put his arm around his lover's waist, "Looks like I'm gonna
<BR>have my
<BR>hands full giving you a foot massage tonight! Not that I mind..." Sandy
<BR>smiled and
<BR>rubbed his head, "Have you ever?"
<BR>
<BR>Everyone laughed and Cassie smiled and said to them, "Congratulations to all
<BR>of you.
<BR>You certainly deserve the recognition!" Laretta just finished her pizza and
<BR>smiled.
<BR>For once, she genuinely had no worries, and she felt that her life was going
<BR>in the
<BR>direction she always wanted it to. She was thankful to all her old and new
<BR>friends for
<BR>being there to see her through. Most of all, she was happy and proud of
<BR>herself, and
<BR>perhaps that was all she needed.
<BR>
<BR>Last revision:
<BR>September 11, 2001</FONT></HTML>
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