Chapter 2

Katie stepped on the gas as the first chords of "It's My Life" drifted from the speakers. This song always made her drive fast. She wished she could live her life with that attitude.

It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive

Since the divorce four years ago she had immersed herself in her work. The photography studio had really taken off once she put all of her energy into it, but between that and the kids she had no time left for herself. People were starting to comment on how tired she looked. Her best friend, and studio partner, Becca, was becoming a bit concerned. Just this week Becca had said to her, "Katie, hon, you look exhausted. You need a vacation." She had even offered to cover her clients in August, before the big holiday rush set in. Her ex, Kevin, and his wife, Laura, had the kids for the month, jetting off to the Bahamas.

Her marriage felt like it took place decades ago. She had met Kevin during her last year at Northeastern College in Boston. Even though she grew up in the south, Nashville, TN, to be exact, she wanted to spread her wings . So she decided to go north for college. He grew up near Boston, and was working at a large computer company in Metro West Massachusetts at the time. They had met at a Boston hot spot one night when they were both out with friends. After a long conversation it was obvious to them both that they wanted to see each other again. Katie wasn't thinking of finding a boyfriend. She was more focused on if she was either going on to grad school, or if not, what would she do with a BA in psychology. But life doesn't always consult us before it happens. A year later she and Kevin married in a small ceremony with their family and friends around. A few months after the wedding, they discovered they were going to be parents. Nine months later little Sophia was born. Two years later Brandon came along. The years went by as they always do. In her early 30s Katie began realizing that she and Kevin really were not connecting like they used to. He seemed more distant. She was busy with her job as a graphic artist, and he spent long hours at the office. During the last year or two, Katie spent a lot of time trying to get back in touch with him, but he never wanted to work on things. He thought things were fine the way they were. One night Katie saw his email still open on his computer, and took a peek. It wasn't like her to be nosy, but she was curious if there were any clues as to why her husband was so distant. In the email were the clues she pieced together discovering her husband was having an affair. That would explain all the late evenings and weekend work meetings. Kevin didn't deny it when confronted, but made it very clear he did not want to work things out. So after a few months they parted ways. The kids were 9 and 11 at the time. Of course they were very upset at first, and went through a rough period. But now they both thought their parents were better off apart than together. Kevin ended the affair eventually, but did end up meeting is new wife, Laura, a couple of years later. The years had passed and Katie now realized she was much happier as a person and with life, than she had been in her marriage. They shared joint custody, living in the same town, and the kids were thriving. She and Kevin had gotten to a point where they could work together on parenting the kids, and talk to each other as friends, and not enemies.

As Katie brushed back the long, auburn strand of hair that had fallen into her eyes, she thought, maybe Becca was right. Maybe she did need a vacation. It had been a long time since she went on one. They kids were away at a two week summer camp. Becca was off the next day for a couple of weeks to visit her family in Maine. Yes. Once she wrapped up her July clients and covered for Becca, she would do just that.

Her mind starting drifting to all the possibilities a month off might offer. Where should she go? What should she do? She could hang around New England. Maybe take a week in Nantucket to do some writing, then up to Ogunquit for a few days. The more she thought about it the more excited she got. She could rent a convertible and just go. She might even take a few days and do something totally different like explore New York City and do some shopping. This might even be the time to think a bit outside of the box, hire a model and do some urban photo work in New York. Work had become so all consuming that it might be nice to challenge herself artistically, and bring back some of the fun of her craft. She was feeling better already.


She started making a mental list of what she had to wrap up this month. Becca was leaving next week for her vacation. Katie didn't mind picking up her slack, since summer was usually slow for Becca, being mainly a commercial photographer. Most of the time it involved head shots for corporations, or covering events in the city. There was one shoot, though, that Katie wasn't looking forward to. Becca did a fair amount of promo work for some lesser known celebrities and musicians. There was one shoot that could not be rescheduled for a musician next week. Celebrities could be really arrogant pains in the ass as far as she was concerned. One reason she preferred her child portraiture and landscapes to promo work. But she would do it. She just might not like it........



Jon slid behind the wheel of his sleek, black BMW convertible and sighed. Like he'd told Jack, it had been one hell of a year. The tour. The separation from his family. The divorce decree that blindsided him. They had all taken their toll. He hoped that this time exploring the coast and Boston might give him some clarity. Maybe he would be able to do a little writing while he was here. Lord knows he had an overflowing well of emotion to draw from at the moment. And just like the words on the notepaper folded up in his pocket....his soul needed some soothing.

His thoughts drifted back to the words hastily jotted down on the paper he had picked up at the cafe. There was something about the words, the feelings behind the hand that wrote them. Who wrote them? What were they thinking and feeling? What escape did the words offer? What place did they lead to? He was so lost in thought that he missed the exit for his hotel. "FUCK!" he exclaimed! Damn Massachusetts roads. But he chuckled to himself. Leave it to him to get so engrossed in the poetic phrases that he forgets where he is going, and in New England to boot. This wasn't the place you could find your way around in when you weren't paying attention.

After he got back at the hotel, Jon called his personal assistant to check on his commitments for the next month. Since the end of the Lost Highway tour in Europe and a handful of shows in the US, he was ready for a vacation. Dot was taking the kids to Europe for two months, over the summer. So Jon thought he would take that time to get his thoughts and life in order. Lucky for him most of his time was his own. There was one appointment he couldn't cancel, a photo shoot. It was for a piece for his upcoming acoustic solo album. He hated photo shoots. In his experience photographers always took control of him, posing him, telling him to turn "just this way a bit" and "give me a sexy look now, Jon." He just felt like a puppet being controlled by someone else's artistic vision. At least it was only one speed bump in his summer of freedom and relaxation. He smiled, deciding to focus on the more positive aspects of the day.

He decided to check out the fitness center in the hotel, maybe have a long work out, then relax in the whirlpool tub in his suite. After changing into gym shorts and a tight tank top, he headed down to the fitness center. No one was around this time of the afternoon, so he had the place to himself. He didn't mind people being around when he worked out. He would just get into his own vibe, blocking out the world. But he had to admit he was really looking forward to some time this week of not worrying about being recognized and pestered. He really loved his fans. But even he needed some down time.

After his workout he headed back to his suite, turned on the tap in the bathroom. He then called room service to bring up something edible for dinner, and a good white wine he could enjoy while lounging in the large, garden style tub. After the wine arrived and the dinner was picked at, he took off his wet, sweaty gym clothes and allowed himself to slip slowly into the tub, savoring the feeling of the warm water caressing his tired muscles. He let out a big sigh, thinking to himself, this is one luxury men should take advantage of more often. He took a sip of the wine, and closed his eyes while he listened to the water gentle lapping against the side of the tub.

Chapter 3