“This isn’t fair to me. I’m physically and emotionally exhausted Jen. You’re working me to death here. All I’m asking for is one week off for Christmas. I’m already ahead of schedule on my next album, and I don’t have any appearances scheduled and I’d really like to spend some time with my mother. She’s not going to be here forever, and she misses her daughter. Please, at least think about it.”
Chloe clicked on the send button and closed her laptop. She cast a weary glance at her bedroom.
“This place is a mess,” she said to herself, “I’ve really got to learn to pick up after myself.”
She pulled herself off the bed and grabbed the remote from her bedside table to turn on the radio. A techno song was on, and she get into the beat as she tried to tidy up her room.
The phone rang and she turned down the stereo to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hey Chloe, have you heard from Jen?”
“No, I just e-mailed her. How are you Joey?”
Joey McIntyre and she had become great friends and occasionally wrote songs together.
“I’m good, how about you? Have you thought of any lyrics for the music I wrote?”
“I’ve got some ideas, but nothing concrete. I’ll let you know as soon as I write anything, even if it’s terrible.”
He laughed, “Okay, call me as soon as you find out if you get some time off. My mom wants you and your mom to come over for Christmas dinner.”
“Okay, later Joey.”
“Bye Chloe.”
She hung up the phone and walked into the bathroom. She splashed her face with water and stared into the mirror. She temporarily spaced out until she realized what was on the radio.
Brian’s soft voice had filled the room.
“Friends get scattered by the wind, tossed upon the waves, lost for years on end.”
Chloe looked over to the radio, then back into the mirror.
“Friends, slowly drift apart. They give away their hearts, maybe call you now and then. But you wanna be just friends.”
She remembered back to the day that she broke up with Brian and inspired him to write that song.
“What was I thinking?” she muttered, “I should never have broken up with him. He was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“You say you love me very much, and you’ll always hold me dear. Those are the sweetest words I never wanna hear.”
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the biggest idiot of all?” she asked her reflection.
“What’s a love without desire, a flame without a fire, can’t warm me late at night, when I need you most.”
“I miss him so much. I wish we could have been friends; I’d really like to talk to him.”
Chloe got an idea then, and dashed to her laptop. She booted up the Word program and wrote out everything that was running through her mind.
“What do you think?” Chloe asked, biting her bottom lip in expectation.
“This is the best song you’ve ever written Chloe,” Joey said, “It’s amazing.”
“Thank you.”
“How did you write it so fast?”
“I got inspiration.”
“From what?”
“The radio actually. Brian’s song came on.”
“Are you okay Chloe? I thought you were over that.”
“I thought so too, but it came on and I was staring in the mirror, and I realized how much I miss him and everything just came out. You’re looking at my first draft there.”
“You’re kidding, right? This looks like you’ve re-written it at least five times.”
“Nope, that’s what came out on the first try.”
“You need to talk to him.”
“He doesn’t want to talk to me Joey. You’ve heard the song, we can’t even be friends.”
“Are you gonna send him a copy of the song?”
“No, why would I do that?”
“So he knows how you still feel.”
“That wouldn’t make it any better Joey.”
“You never know.”
“Could we drop this?”
“Sure. Hey, are we gonna do this as a duet?”
“Yeah, just like we said when we wrote the music.”
“Good, that means I can put it on my next record.”
“Oh, so now you’re gonna steal my song?”
Joey pretended to be shocked, “Your song? We wrote that together.”
She laughed, “I know, I was just playing with you.”
He playfully hit her in the arm, “You’re so mean to me.”
“I know, but it’s so much fun.”
“Come on, let’s go. I want to get this recorded. We can use my studio downstairs.”
She let out a long sigh, “Okay, let’s go.”
Brian pulled up next to his mailbox and opened it.
“Just great,” he muttered as some of the contents spilled out into his car.
He pulled into the driveway and stuffed all the mail into his backpack.
“Hi Missy, did you miss me?”
The cat purred as he reached down and stroked her soft black fur.
Brian put his keys on the counter and took out all his mail.
“Bill, bill, junk, bill, card from mom, bill, hey, what’s this?”
He held up a small manila envelope and examined the small print.
“Joey McIntyre? What’s he doing sending me something?” he said as he opened the flap.
A tape fell out of the envelope along with a sheet of paper.
“Brian,
Please listen to this. I want to get your input on it. It might go on my next album, but I’m not sure.
Thanks,
Joey M.”
Brian picked up the tape and looked at it. “Mirror, mirror” was scrawled on the label.
“I might as well, I haven’t heard any of his new material yet.”
He walked over to his stereo and put the tape in. A piano began playing an a woman’s voice started singing.
“This isn’t his usual style,” Brian thought out loud.
Why don't I like the girl I see?
The one who's standing right in front me
Why don't I think before I speak?
I should have listened to that voice inside of me
I must be stupid
Must be crazy
Must be out of my mind
To say the kind of things I said last night
Mirror mirror hanging on the wall
You don't have to tell me
Who's the biggest fool of all
Mirror mirror I wish you could lie to me
And bring my baby back
Bring my baby back to me
Why did I let you walk away?
When all I had to do was say I'm sorry
I let my pride get in the way
And in the heat of the moment I was to blame
I must be stupid
Must be crazy
Must be out of my mind
Now in the cold light of the day I realize
Mirror mirror hanging on the wall
You don't have to tell me
Who's the biggest fool of all
Mirror mirror I wish you could lie to me
And bring my baby back
Bring my baby back to me
If only wishes could be dreams
And all my dreams could come true
There would be two of us standing here in front of you
If you could show me that someone that I used to be
Bring back my baby to me
Mirror mirror hanging on the wall
You don't have to tell me
Who's the biggest fool of all
Mirror mirror I wish you could lie to me
And bring my baby back
Bring my baby back to me
“Chloe….” He said as the song ended.
If you wanna know what happens, you’ll have to read the final part in the trilogy, I need You.
©2000 by Kristine Scott. Do not take this story without permission from the owner! The song is sung by M2M. They own the copyright, I do not.
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