Cross My Heart

NOTE* This is all in Josh's POV

“Try that again but play an A chord to start this time.” I spoke to Matt into the intercom. He nodded and looked back to his guitar, trying the riff we were working on again.
“Daddy!” I heard a little boy’s voice yell, proceeded by the sound of the air leaving Mike’s lungs. He had been lying on the couch behind me, bored with nothing to do. Ian was in the kitchen ordering in pizza.
I turned to look. Mike’s little boy, Tristan was sitting on his chest. “Hey Trist.” Mike wheezed. “You’re getting to big for that.” He complained as I laughed.
“Hi Josh!” The small child said enthusiastically and waved at me from across the room. I smiled politely back at him.
“Hey, little dude.” I wasn’t great with kids, but as long as they went home at the end of the day I could stand them. I don’t think I would ever be able to have kids of my own, simply out of fear of accidently killing them. I think that was one of the reasons it didn’t work out with me and Amanda, she always wanted the little critters.
“Hey guys.” Mike’s girlfriend, Enid walked in and sat on the floor in front of the couch Mike lay on.
“Hey.” I replied and turned back to Matt, who was staring through the glass with a frustrated expression. “Now play it again no one was paying attention.” I actually hit record this time as Matt started playing again.
“I thought you were spending the day with Shaun?” Mike asked Enid. That caught my attention. I sat down in my spinny office chair and turned to face them.
“You know Shaun?” I asked her.
“Shhhh!” She put her finger to her lips and nodded to Matt, still playing, paying no attention to us. “Matt doesn’t know…”
“He can’t hear us.” I told her.
“Shaun has a kid.” Enid told me.
“Yes, I already know that Phoenix told me.”
Enid gave me a funny look. “How do you know Phoenix? I left because she wanted to talk to Shaun.”
“Phoenix is my girlfriend.”
“It’s a small world after all.” Mike sang, getting used to the weight of Tristan on his chest.
“Do you think…” Enid looked over at Matt. “Would she tell him?” I shook my head
“No way. Phoenix isn’t like that. She wouldn’t unless Shaun wanted her to. I had to drag it out of her.”
“How was that?” Suddenly Matt’s voice filled the room. I turned my attention back to where it should be.
I turned off record and pressed on the intercom button. “Perfect.” Hey, if it wasn’t I could always re-record later.
The rest of the day went by as smoothly as it could, but my mind was clouded. Phoenix had been gone for a long time. What if things haven’t gone well with Shaun? Maybe I shouldn’t have let her go out after only a month…but she seemed like she was doing so well!
I tried my best to put her out of my mind, but she always lingered.
Mike left first; Enid and Tristan were staring to complain. Next Matt, for he was done from the day. Ian left just as the sun was starting to go down.
All alone, I had nothing to do but worry and work away and the daunting task of editing. I really was having a hard time focusing on that though. By nine o’clock, I was really starting to get worried. What if she got lost? What if Scooter found her?
I couldn’t stand it anymore, I found the stupid land line phone we had here for emergencies and dialled my own number.
“Uh…hello?” Phoenix’s unsure voice answered. “Mr. Josh Ramsay’s phone.”
“Hey.” I smiled, relieved she was still at least alive. “What’s up?”
“Oh hey Josh.” She said, as if informing other people it was me. “I’m just with Shaun…you want be back?”
“No it’s okay. I was just checking up…I was getting worried.” She gave an exasperated sigh.
“I’m not five.”
I laughed. “I know, I know. I’m just all alone at the studio now…my mind was wandering…”
“Josh. I’m fine. I’ll start walking back-“ She stopped talking for a second and I heard the sound of another voice. “Shaun will give me a ride to the studio…is Matt there?”
“No, he left a few hours ago.” I said. “I’m alone.”
“I’ll be there in ten.”