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Chapter 49, Part 2
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Mark sighed and rose to his feet. Looking Andi over, he frowned, then turned and walked out the door, his head filled with thoughts. Sitting near the door were Eleanor Rigby and Wild Honey Pie.

“Well, how is she?” Eleanor Rigby asked, between puffs of her cigarette.

“Pretty bruised up, no thanks to you,” Mark responded sharply. “Why did you have to go and do a thing like that?”

“She needs to know her place,” Wild Honey Pie spoke up. “She walks around like she owns the place. She needed to be taken down a notch.”

“Well, don’t do that again,” Mark snapped. “If anyone needs to be taken down a peg, it’s you two. Don’t ever do that, seriously. Taste of Honey… she’s…” He hesitated. What he wanted to say was, She’s special. But he knew that was the precise reason that the women had been so cruel toward Andi. “She’s the closest thing to family that I have,” he finished. “If you hurt her, you’re as good as hurting me. Another stunt like that, and you’re out. I don’t care what the other guys say, who you’re sleeping with, or whose kid you’re currently carrying. Do anything like that again, and you’re out on youe a**es quicker than you can say ‘rejected.’ You’re both replaceable.”

With that said, he turned on his heel and strode back to the room where Andi was, with Wild Honey Pie and Eleanor Rigby staring at him in shock and disbelief.

Mark flopped down onto the bed beside Andi, who was now asleep. With a sigh, he wrapped his arms protectively around her and closed his eyes.

How dare they hurt her like that? he thought furiously. How dare they?! After everything she’s been through, after doing so much to better herself… and they do this to her.

Mark took several slow, deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Memories from the past flooded his mind.

If they only knew what she’d been through… and I was there for her every step of the way, he thought. And I swear, if they lay another finger on her again, I’ll kill them. Andi… she’s my friend, and one of the few people who would swear that I’m an okay person. No one’s immortal. Even I won’t live forever in people’s memories. When I’m gone, what will live forever is how I treated people. I may have done some lousy things in my life, but at least Andi’s living proof that I’m capable of doing good things…

_____________________________________________

Mark stared at the young girl, the disturbingly young girl who had been left with him, and wondered what he had gotten himself into…


Not long before, he had been given the details on what would be the recording of his very first album. “We’ll have you stay with one of our other musicians, Ace Nix. He lives near the studio and regularly hosts a lot of our newcomers,” Mark had been told. “We hear he’s very generous.”

Generous, indeed. Perhaps that wasn’t the best descriptor. As Mark was ushered into Ace Nix’s home, he had noticed that there were quite a few women there.

“Do they all live here?” Mark asked, noting a woman who was wearing too few pieces of clothing for his comfort.

“Not always,” Ace replied, leading Mark down a hall. “But, you know, I never say ‘no’ to a lady in distress.” He indicated a door. “That’s your room. I’ll send someone by in a minute to check up on you, and then make sure someone takes care of whatever you need.”

“Uh, sure. That’s nice,” Mark stammered, opening the door and stepping into the room. His eyes widened at the room-- spacious, with decorations and furnishings that he knew were not cheap. Mark flopped onto the bed, leaving his suitcase near the door, and stared up at the ceiling.

A soft knocking at the door made Mark sit straight up. “Yeah, come in,” he called out.


A petite young woman stepped into the room. “Hi, I’m Delilah,” she greeted him, smiling. She sat next to him. “So, how are things coming along?”

“Fine, I guess,” Mark replied. As he looked at the young woman, his eyes widened in shock. She was definitely much younger than he’d first thought. Much younger. In fact…

“Are you even old enough to drive?” he asked.

Delilah shrugged. “What does that matter?” she asked, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Are you planning to give me a car or something?”

Mark stared at the young girl, the disturbingly young girl who had been left with him, and wondered what he had gotten himself into. Here was a girl who looked as though she were barely into her teens, wearing horrifying skimpy clothing, pressing up against him as though there were nothing wrong.


“D-don’t touch me,” Mark stammered, leaning away from her.

“What, not into chicks?” Delilah asked.

“I just think you’re… I dunno… a little young.”

“Ace says age is just a number.”

“And you are what is known as jailbait, sweetie. You’re young enough to be my… I dunno. Maybe not daughter, but maybe kid sister.” Mark shook his head, disturbed. “What the hell are you doing in a place like this? And dressed like that? What about your parents? Or school?”

“Ran away from home,” Delilah responded, shrugging. “And I guess I said f-you to school.”

“You really shouldn’t talk like that, either,” Mark said. “You seem like a good kid who’s gotten herself involved with some bad people. Look, go back home. Get an education. Put on some damned clothes, at least! You’re too young to dress like a stripper.”

“But, Ace says--”

“**** Ace!” Mark snapped. Delilah shrunk back, looking fearful. “The last thing you need is to become another statistic. Do something with your life. There’s enough people who’ve ruined their lives living like this. Get an education and be someone. Unless you want to die young from a drug overdose, or out on the street when you’re no longer young and beautiful.”

Delilah stared at him for a few more seconds. Just then, the door shut, rather loudly, and a low voice remarked, “That was a nice speech.”

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