*****032:

Aubrey

It was my last week out of the house according to my own calculations. At twenty-five weeks I needed to keep a much lower profile. I needed to lay on my left side every couple of hours and take small naps. I needed to eat like a horse, really, really good foods.

So I needed to make the most of my freedom while I still had it.

We'd gone to grief counseling as per normal routine, and would have stayed to eat lunch in the cafeteria, but Eli and Juan had cancelled today so there was no one to play with in the play place.

We decided to head over to Marshall and Angie's and hang out for an hour or so till it was time to go to swimming lessons.

Angie was delighted at the change in plans and welcomed us eagerly. Of course, Celeste and Felicity had lava eruptions of fiercely giddy rapture when they saw each other, falling all over themselves screaming each other's names, and calling out, "Oh, my beloved favorite cousin!" Where they'd added the beloved from, was anyone's best guess.

They instantly went out to play, and Abbie, who traveled everywhere with me, took Rein out in the backyard to play on the swing-set. That left Angie making us lunch and me reclining in the den nearby. Keeva, my full-time bodyguard was reading in the living room out of the way. As long was we were inside or in the backyard she was satisfied.

"Have you talked to your sister?" I asked conversationally, wondering how the law suit was going, and if it had been settled. Victorine Newport, Angie's sister, had sued Axis after collaborating with them a few months back, claiming they infringed on copyright laws, stealing her music, etc.

Angie licked her fingers, then washed them in the sink, and then washed them again using anti-bacterial soap. It was clear she was a nurse midwife.

"Yes." She said. "Rafe said not to get into stressful topics with you. But basically, she's still trying to sue, even though Axis' lawyer wants to settle out of court, amicably, with mentions in the credits and cover art, and upgraded royalties. The initial hearing determined that the first song, what was it called?"

"Songs of a Stranger."

"Yes, that's it. Songs of a Stranger. She feels the collaboration contract she signed for her group did not cover Rowanne's private collection which Jeff and possibly Ben had access to, consequently, the tune is too much like her music. They basically felt that even if they didn't plagiarize it intentionally, they most likely heard her stuff in transit and unintentionally copied it."

"Rafe says it's pretty common, even though a lot of groups don't care. I think he said the higher up you get, the collaboration takes on a more artistic feel, more professional, less worried about sticking it to each other, as long as the basics were covered, and folks knew there had been collaboration."

"Yes, I've seen your family in collaborative jam sessions." Angie shook her frizzy light brown pony tail, handing me an amazing beet and pear salad and homemade rye bread with raspberry jam. She sat on her couch next to me with a sigh of pleasure. She had to enjoy getting off her tired feet now and then. She took a bite and then spoke with her mouth full. "There's no way to tell who comes up with what exactly, they all work together so well. I've seen Mom play a tune once and Parker, and Melia pick it up easily with just one hearing, adding pieces and harmonies and beat. There's really no way to tell which belonged to whom."

"So, you don't think Victorine will drop it? The CD is ready to go to marketing."

"Oh, she'll settle. She's just milking it."

"Delaying on purpose so it will be in the limelight longer?"

"That, and just delaying on purpose to get back at Rafe and the guys for what she calls using them. She is really mad at you, for interfering, and busting up her band. If she could sue you for that she would. That's her biggest beef."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Were you trying to match make? Did you have Justine in mind when Jeff broke up with his wife?"

"No." I hurried to assure her, "But I did look up LDS girl bands with single girls in an effort to expose my guys to a higher caliber available female. It didn't turn out the way I'd hoped, except for Justine and Jeff, but they weren't my primary targets."

She laughed. "Who were your primary targets?"

"Ben, for one. It was Ben who was so depressed at the time, unable to find a decent LDS gal to hang out with. One even told him he wasn't worthy of her. No negotiation at all. It's sad they can't take into account that people change. People clean up their acts, and actually do make an effort not to carry so much baggage. Ben is one of those--- was actually--- he's very discouraged at the moment. I think he might have been hurt one too many times, and is considering going out on his own again. He was drinking the other night at Felicity's party."

"I saw that, I'm very sorry."

I scrunched up my lips and stared out to the backyard where Abbie was pushing Rein on the swing. Part of me longed to go out there, and part of me was just tired. We'd had a pretty decent yoga and meditation this morning, and I felt relaxed. So relaxed I could take a nap.

"It's not your fault. No worries. Ben has to make his own grown up decisions."

"I'm just sorry Victorine is still suing. It makes her look greedy."

"Yes, it does. And she was the nice one, according to Rafe, the one with half a brain, but her voice training left something to be desired. You know what you were talking about with Mom and Parker and Melia, yeah, Victorine and the girls did not exhibit those basic professional skills. They drove Parker to madness. I thought he was going to strangle them. I've never seen him so frustrated.

She laughed out loud, shoving another bite of salad in. "That cracks me up. She was also like that as a kid. Impulsive and stubborn."

We both laughed about siblings, Angie was not mad about my observations, she understood and that eased my concerns before it was time to head out for swimming lessons.

*****