Music Man Pt. 03

He slept, and was awoken by the phone. It was Graham. Ged asked to phone him back and had a quick shower. Then he rang back.

"There's been a development," said Graham.

"Spill," said Ged.

"I had a visit from Mrs Cassie Copthorne," he said. "Things are more complicated than we thought. She brought documentation which I copied. It's obvious that it was Zachariah Copthorne who set up the account and transferred your money. The stupid man then transferred money monthly into their joint account as if it were his monthly salary.

"She thought he had a good job. When we stopped the Order, he managed another month and then he told her he had been made redundant. He's got some dead end job now, judging from what he's bringing home."

"So Cassie is not the vengeful bitch I thought she was," Ged said thoughtfully. "I'm glad about that. It did seem out of character."

"You might like to know that she wants to divorce him and has moved out of the matrimonial home," Graham added.

"You representing her?"

"Couldn't - conflict of interest."

"You can now," said Ged. "Ring her and tell her I've withdrawn my suit against her, and that you can now take her case. I'll pay at the end of it, but you don't need to tell her that."

"Very generous," Graham averred. "You want me to go after Mr Copthorne I take it?"

"Oh, yes," said Ged, "and I think the police might get involved this time? He was in my flat without my permission and did it without Cassie's knowledge."

"Already done."

After the conversation, Ged could not settle. He had resigned himself to a life without Cassie because she was married, and now everything was open-ended again. He wondered if she might listen to his explanation now she was going to be free again.

He stopped himself abruptly. He had a vivid memory of those months on tour, knowing she was with Zak and eventually married to him. He remembered the feeling of desolation, of emptiness he felt day after day. He remembered his deep depression as he dragged himself out of yet another hotel bedroom to play the same stuff yet again.

The only consolation was the re-invigoration of his creative flair, and especially his song 'Connie', as he called it. Then he reminisced over his time with Catherine Styles, and how she had helped heal him and given him a future. After Catherine he could live without Cassie.

Then he thought about Karin. They had so much in common, and even if they never progressed beyond 'friends with benefits', he was happy with her, and could see that there would be other women who could fill his life. He was young; he had time.

Then he thought of Cassie and her beautiful face, hair and body, her long legs and sinuous neck, and felt unsettled again. "I'm conflicted," he said out loud to no one, "but I'm OK as I am."

He was delighted he had no preparations to make for the party; Karin had taken care of that. Wednesday and Thursday were busy. He had meetings with Gus and a final meeting with Leo and Amos, who apologised for his behaviour.

"The bastard took me in as well," he said. "He painted you as the stuck up toff who took Cassie from him 'with your poncy ways' as he put it."

Ged told him it was too late to put it right, and life was too short to hold grudges, and while not exactly friends, they now had a certain respect for each other.

Ged promised he would fill in if they needed him, but he was not going on any more tours, and he certainly would not play if Zak was playing.

Graham phoned him to say that he had sent off the solicitor's letter, similar to the one he had sent to Cassie, but there could be no divorce action until the couple had been married a year. However, he would keep her on the books until August, when the process could begin. After that, it should take about two months.

Friday dawned and Ged was up early. Gwen, his housekeeper, arrived and cleaned through the house, then prepared the rooms with his help. They worked well together, and at lunchtime Karin arrived, and the caterers shortly after. Gwen and Karin took over establishing the caterers in the kitchen.

The party went well. It was not a hedonistic orgy which was a disappointment for the press who attended, invited by Karin. There were about one hundred and fifty guests, mainly from the music world, but many of Ged's friends past and present were there, as well as the folk group. Gus, Leo, Jon with Jessica, and Annette with Susan also arrived.

Ged's bedroom and study were locked, but the other bedrooms were open, and afterwards there was evidence from the bedding that some couples had found privacy there.

At eight o'clock, the DJ took a break and the crowd called for Vivienne's little folk group to perform some of Ged's songs. After some little time they got themselves together and entertained the guests.

When they finished, Karin ran to him and hugged him. Thereafter Karin and he made the rounds of the guests as a couple, Ged introducing her as his house project manager, and everyone told her how impressed they were.

He was deep in conversation with a school friend of his when Annette tugged at his elbow.

"Ged," she said urgently, "You have another guest. Over there."

In the doorway of the room Ged saw Cassie standing quite still and looking directly at him. She was not dressed for a party, but was wearing jeans and a tee shirt. Then she turned and was gone.

He reacted. He didn't think, he ran, and reached the front door as her car turned out of the gate.

Again his emotional life was turned upside down. He had not seen her face for so long, and he was unnerved by the violence of his reaction. He was captivated again, as he had been when they first met.

Why had she come uninvited to the party? Why dressed like that? Why leave as soon as she was seen? Why was she doing this to him? Anger and resentment inevitably followed.

He became aware of Karin by his side, taking his arm.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go back inside. You have guests."

He allowed himself to be led inside the house, and did his best to socialise, but his heart was no longer in it. Thankfully no one noticed except Annette and Susan, and of course Karin.

Eventually, in the early morning, the party wound down and the guests took their leave.

As Annette and Susan said their goodbyes, Annette told him, "There's plenty of time, Ged. I think you'll see her again. I don't think she knew about the party. She came to see you."

Ged thanked her absently, and they left. Once the house was shut up, Karin led him to bed.

"That girl," she said, as they undressed, exhausted. "She's the one who let you down, isn't she?"

"Yes," he said. "That's her. I just can't get over her arriving like that - no phone call, no warning."

"Come to bed," she said, and they climbed in naked and cuddled up.

"You don't have to perform tonight, my stud," she said. "Let's just go to sleep."

They wrapped themselves round each other and were soon asleep, which surprised Ged when he awoke.

It was not the only surprise. Karin was already at work on his morning wood, and before he could warn her, he erupted into her mouth. She took it all, then sat up, an inevitable tendril of semen hanging from her lips. She rolled her tongue over her lips and engulfed the escapee.

"You use the bathroom," she suggested, "and I'll make some tea. Then you can make up for our lack of passion last night." She smiled, and there was no reproach in her comment.

He relieved his bladder and cleaned his teeth, and then decided to wake himself up with a shower. As he lathered and rinsed he remembered Cassie's appearance and rapid escape. The woman was a puzzle.

Then he had an idea. She had left Zak and was to divorce him as soon as the marriage was a year old in August. So now she wanted Ged back did she? He was angry at that. She cut him off, married someone else and expected him to welcome her with open arms? No chance. He towelled off vigorously, putting all his anger into the action, and feeling the pain of it. It was good.

When he returned to the bed, Karin was lying nakedly waiting for him. She was idly fingering her sex and from time to time licking her fingers, whether to taste her juices, lubricate her dryness or simply to turn him on, he could not tell. It had the desired effect though. She stared brazenly at his naked body and Ged was inflamed with lust at her wantonness.

He climbed over her and without any foreplay entered her strongly, and began to fuck her hard. All his anger at Cassie came out in that fucking: he slammed into the helpless woman beneath him, oblivious to everything except his lust and anger. He could hear her grunts, but paid no attention. As he reached his climax he felt her vagina clench on his penis and it was enough to explode into her.

He collapsed onto her, and then realised what he had done.

"Oh, Karin," he moaned. "I'm so sorry, so sorry."

To his surprise she giggled. "What are you sorry about? That was fantastic. I've always wanted to be taken like that - almost raped. I came like a train, didn't you feel it?"

He nodded with relief. "I don't know what came over me," he said.

"I do," she replied. "You're angry with your ex. and you took it out on me. I saw you towelling yourself down. That's why I fingered myself for you. I wanted to be ready for you to do it hard and violent this morning. That's what I got."

He warmed at her thoughtfulness

They dressed and spent the morning clearing up the debris from the night before. As Ged was finishing in the kitchen and Karin in the living room, his mobile rang.

"Hello?"

"Ged, it's Cheryl."

"Not the Cheryl who cut me dead when I was desperate to prove I was innocent to Cassie, which resulted in her fucking and marrying Zak? Not that Cheryl?" Ged spat the words. "You had nothing to say to me then; I've nothing to say to you now."

And he hung up..

It rang again.

"Ged, please!"

At that moment Karin called from the dining room. "Darling, I think we'll have to wash these napkins."

"OK, love," answered Ged, and when he gave his attention to the phone again, it was dead.

"Bye Cheryl!" Ged said sarcastically to the disconnected phone.

Karin stayed for the morning and they went for a pub lunch before she left to go home. Ged retired to his study and tried to work, but Cassie and then Cheryl kept intruding, and in the end he went shopping, bought a more advanced digital voice recorder which had a range that could record music, then called up Viv for an evening drink.

She did not come home with him, saying that he was with Karin, and she was not into sharing. On Sunday he went for a long walk in the hills, taking his new toy with him, but he got no inspiration and did not use it.

The next week was spent in London, where Gus had insisted he met and got to know another solo artist, Gerard Frobisher. He was to discuss his songs and explain what led to their writing, agree on an arrangement of the music - the man worked with orchestras and swing bands rather than small groups - and be present at the recordings. He returned on Friday, which was Good Friday, in time to join the group at the pub. It was a long weekend holiday so the pub was unusually crowded.

When they had finished playing, there waiting for him was Cheryl. He had not seen her in the crowd.

"Please Ged," she said with obvious distress. "I'm very sorry. Please talk with me."

Ged sighed. "What are you drinking?" he asked.

--

Chapter Eighteen

Cassie Fenton, as she now resolved to be called, had a great deal of adjusting to do. A few days before, she was a happy woman, married to a man she had always fancied. She was clear about Ged who she believed had let her down so badly, nay betrayed her dreadfully, and from whom Zak had saved her.

In two short days everything had been upended. Ged was innocent; Zak a criminal and a liar. She knew she had failed Ged and had hurt him very badly.

She felt guilty, hopeless and depressed. She could have been married to Ged by then if she had only kept her word and restrained her anger. Now her life was hollow. Now there was little chance of getting back to the man with whom she had had the deepest relationship in which she had ever been: a real soul mate.

She realised that while Zak was a good lover and good companion, they had never been as close as she had been with Ged. Added to which Zak was a lying, cheating bastard.

She went over and over it with Cheryl, and while Cheryl was patient, she knew Cassie was going nowhere. By Wednesday night she could stand no more.

"Cassie," she said, interrupting another self-pitying monologue, "You can't go on like this. You have to go and see him. You have to apologise to him and bear his response. Even if he rejects you, at least you'll know where he stands, and you can start afresh."

Cassie went pale. "I... I don't think I could face him, Cheryl. Annette said he was a hair's breadth away from a breakdown and it was all my fault. No, I just can't."

If she felt guilty about things that night, the following night her guilt was made worse. She had only just arrived from work when her mobile rang. She saw it was her kid sister Marie, and she wondered if her breakup from Zak had reached her sister who might have told her family.

Fear gripped her and she did not answer it. She would have to tell them that all the money they had spent on the wedding was wasted. Her father had obviously spent more than he could afford to give her the big wedding she wanted. Well, Zak wanted it, and she wanted to please Zak.

There it was again. Her relationship with Zak was one of wanting to please him, so unlike her love of Ged with whom she could just be herself.

How could she have done that to her Dad? She remembered how they had tried to change her mind, how unhappy they were that she was marrying Zak. How right they were! Her father had repeatedly begged her to contact Ged. He had always liked Ged, and she obstinately refused.

Eventually she accessed voicemail to find out what Marie wanted. The message was brief.

"Cassie, ring me back. I have something important to tell you. It's about Dad."

Oh heavens, she thought, Dad's ill. She rang her sister.

"Marie, what's happened to Dad?" she babbled, "Is he all right? Shall I come home?"

"Dad doesn't know I'm phoning you," her sister told her. "He doesn't want to upset you, but as it happens, I do!"

"Sorry?" Cassie was perplexed.

"I bloody hope you will be," her younger sibling spat. "Listen dear sister. Dad took out an second mortgage on the house to pay for your stupid flash wedding, and he maxed out all his credit cards. He was paying it all off a bit at a time, but you know he's lost his job?"

"No?" Cassie gasped. "How long?"

"Two months." she answered. "He couldn't pay the mortgage or the credit cards. The card owners were sending solicitors' letters, and the Building Society was getting ready to repossess the house. We had nowhere to go."

"But-"

"We nearly lost the house, Cassie. God knows where we'd have ended up."

"But-"

"How did we manage? I'll tell you. We were so desperate that I came to Manchester without Dad knowing and found Ged. I asked him for help."

"Marie!" Cassie was horrified. "How could you?"

"Look, we were desperate. I couldn't think of anyone else. I remembered Dad and Ged getting on so well. Dad forbad me to tell you we were in trouble. He hadn't told me not to talk to Ged though. You know what Ged did?"

"No, but I think I can guess."

"He took me to his house. Have you seen it? It's awesome! Massive!'

"Marie, what did he do?"

"He fed me, asked if I'd brought paperwork."

"And you had." Cassie knew Marie was supremely practical, more so than she was.

"Of course. You won't believe this!"

"What?"

"He paid off the credit cards, and get this - he's paid off the whole mortgage as well. The house is free and clear - he's given it to Mum and Dad."

Cassie thought for a moment. "How much?"

"The cards were twenty thousand, and house was seventy."

Cassie was lost for words. Ged had effectively paid for her wedding and more, he had supported the family he should have been a part of. She began to weep.

"Sis? Are you there?" Marie's voice was full of concern.

"Yes," she sobbed. "I'm here. How could he do that?"

"He loves you, you stupid twat!" her teenage sister replied with some exasperation. "Can't you see that?"

"No, not at the moment." she answered. She wondered at the courage of her sister, who would risk everything to save her parents, and Cassie herself had done nothing but be a worry to them.

"I know he loves our Dad," she continued, "but I don't think he will ever forgive me."

"Go and see him, you stupid cow," her adolescent sister abused her. "He's a good man. He's better than you think."

"Marie," Cassie said, "I know exactly how good he is, but I've hurt him beyond forgiveness. You have more sense than I have."

"Sis," she answered, "If I were older, I'd be fighting you for him. I almost made a play for him at his house, and you know how alike we are, he could have pretended I was you! I could have taken your place!" and she laughed loud, and Cassie somehow found comfort in that laugh.

"My darling sister," Cassie told her, "You deserve him more than I do."

"I'm too young for him." Marie laughed, "and believe me, you do deserve him, and he deserves you."

Cassie was silent for a moment, then, quietly and seriously to be sure Marie understood, she said, "You've done more for me tonight than you'll ever know. I love you, Sis."

"And I love you, or I wouldn't have told you this. Go get him, Sis!"

However, early on Friday night there was a distraction. A visitor.

Cassie had resolved at that moment to do just that. Even if he rejected her, she would have tried.

There was a ring at the door, and into the living room came Zak. They had just finished the meal and were having some coffee. It was Brian who let him in, and Cheryl and Cassie had heard a muffled conversation at the door. When Zak entered the room, Cheryl and Brian made their exit but left the door open.

"What the fuck are you doing?" was Zak's opening remark, glowering at her.

"What does it look like?" she snapped viciously back at him. "I'm living here for the present. I've left you and I'm getting a divorce as soon as the marriage is a year old."

"Listen, you stupid cunt," he snarled, "You're my wife. You belong at home with me. You don't really think that pansy boy will have you after you've been fucking me for over a year, do you?"

"Zak," she replied with exaggerated patience, "You don't seem to have grasped the situation. It makes no difference whether Ged wants me or not. I've left you because you are a evil, cheating, lying bastard and you repulse me."

"You were willing enough to fuck me when you found out about him on the tour." He looked smug.

Then he changed tack and became gentle. "He cheated on you, Cassie - you saw the photos. You came to me because we had a good thing going before he came on the scene, I do things for you, you know that. I get you off like no one else. I bet he never got you off like I do. You need me Cassie, and he's not going to be around for you."

"Sorry Zak," she said blandly, her tone making it clear she wasn't sorry at all, "You lied about Ged, you made up all that so called evidence and you destroyed our lives - and I mean mine and Ged's. About you I couldn't care less."

"Who told you that?" Zak looked worried for the first time. "Who's been getting at you? He was sleeping with that roadie, you saw the pictures - and then that little tart he had in his room, and they were just a sample."

"Zak, I know. I know what you hatched with Amos. I've seen the emails you wrote to him and that he wrote to you. You got me by lying to me, and by lying about Ged. He never cheated."