Brian Haner Jr
Brian Haner Jr.
"Tell me good news, Zacky," Brian said as his friend slumped into the opposite chair.
"It's all good Bri," the slightly chubby, tattooed man said with a grin. He gestured with his unlit cigarette. "We're sticking to the revised schedule, so we're catching up a little bit each day. It this keeps up, we'll coast right up to our deadline."
Brian let out the breath he'd been holding. For a while he hadn't been sure they were going to come in on time, let alone on budget. Between having to pay for the studio use and supplies while trying to stall other orders, the band had been within days of going under.
He leaned back in his chair. "It's April now," Zacky was saying. He held up a hand before Brian could interrupt. "Every department is making sure there are inspections and quality checks every step of the way. No one is going to shortcut on this album."
"Good," was all Brian was able to say.
Zacky grabbed his hat off from the coffee table and stood up. "I'm going to go explain all this to Jimmy and Johnny."
He gave a wave and walked out of the house. Brian grinned. Zacky might not be the smartest guy in the world, but he got the job done.
Brian was about to turn on his computer and start checking scheduling, when someone else walked into his office. He glanced up and saw Matt.
"How's life?" Matt asked as he settled into the chair Zacky had vacated. "Did you get much sleep this weekend?"
"More than I thought. Sky wakes up every few hours, but then she goes right back to sleep. The baby nurse Val recommended is great. She calls me every couple of hours just to let me know that things are going well at home."
"Sounds like you have it under control."
Brian nodded. "Here, too, Matt. I know you've been worried, but the album is on schedule. We'll be meeting the due date."
Some tension in Matt's face eased. Brian knew that Matt tried not to show that he was concertned, but Matt had alot of reponsibility. He was the one who had found the funding for the album, then he'd been the one to recomment Brian's skills. While the temporary loss of funding hand't been Matt's fault, he'd taken it hard. He'd busted his butt to get the album up and running, and so far they were doing fine.
"I knew I could count on you," Matt smiled.
"You can always count on me to take the kid when you and Val head off to get married at the end of the month. I can handle him and Sky too."
Matt laughed. "Yeah, right. In your dreams. Your daughter is sleeping her life away right now but that changes. Besides, we've already made other arrangements. My son is going to be well looked after."
"If you're sure," Brian said. "I'll be happy to take him."
"Worry about your own, right now," Matt rose and shook Brian's hand. "Congratulations again. Both on the guitar part and on Sky."
"Thanks."
Brian watched his friend leave, but instead of returning his attention to his computer, he rose and crossed to the window. It was a sunny day, with temperatures near seventy. But he didn't see the newly budding flowers painted on the grounds outside. Instead he pictured his daughter sleeping peacefully in her crib.
He was flying by the seat of his pants with her- which was what he'd done with most of his life. When he'd joined the band, he'd been afraid he would fail completely and publicly, but he hadn't- despite his history of screwing up.
Maybe he was maturing. It was bound to happen eventually. His job was successful and so far fatherhood was even better than he'd thought it would be. He loved Sky, and he was willing to do whatever he had to so that he could give her a decent life.
Thinking of Sky make him think of Nicole because for some reason they were linked together in his brain. And thinking of Nicole made him remember the kid they're shared last Sunday. The kiss he hadn't been able to forget.
He was done screwing up, he reminded himself. Which ment no more weekend flings with somen like Lily Frase. He had to go for someone right or not bother. When he'd first decided to take Sky, he'd told himself he wasn't going to do te relationship thing at all. That would be easier. But now he wasn't so sure. He might be willing to give it a try if it meant being with someone special... someone like Nicole.
"It's all good Bri," the slightly chubby, tattooed man said with a grin. He gestured with his unlit cigarette. "We're sticking to the revised schedule, so we're catching up a little bit each day. It this keeps up, we'll coast right up to our deadline."
Brian let out the breath he'd been holding. For a while he hadn't been sure they were going to come in on time, let alone on budget. Between having to pay for the studio use and supplies while trying to stall other orders, the band had been within days of going under.
He leaned back in his chair. "It's April now," Zacky was saying. He held up a hand before Brian could interrupt. "Every department is making sure there are inspections and quality checks every step of the way. No one is going to shortcut on this album."
"Good," was all Brian was able to say.
Zacky grabbed his hat off from the coffee table and stood up. "I'm going to go explain all this to Jimmy and Johnny."
He gave a wave and walked out of the house. Brian grinned. Zacky might not be the smartest guy in the world, but he got the job done.
Brian was about to turn on his computer and start checking scheduling, when someone else walked into his office. He glanced up and saw Matt.
"How's life?" Matt asked as he settled into the chair Zacky had vacated. "Did you get much sleep this weekend?"
"More than I thought. Sky wakes up every few hours, but then she goes right back to sleep. The baby nurse Val recommended is great. She calls me every couple of hours just to let me know that things are going well at home."
"Sounds like you have it under control."
Brian nodded. "Here, too, Matt. I know you've been worried, but the album is on schedule. We'll be meeting the due date."
Some tension in Matt's face eased. Brian knew that Matt tried not to show that he was concertned, but Matt had alot of reponsibility. He was the one who had found the funding for the album, then he'd been the one to recomment Brian's skills. While the temporary loss of funding hand't been Matt's fault, he'd taken it hard. He'd busted his butt to get the album up and running, and so far they were doing fine.
"I knew I could count on you," Matt smiled.
"You can always count on me to take the kid when you and Val head off to get married at the end of the month. I can handle him and Sky too."
Matt laughed. "Yeah, right. In your dreams. Your daughter is sleeping her life away right now but that changes. Besides, we've already made other arrangements. My son is going to be well looked after."
"If you're sure," Brian said. "I'll be happy to take him."
"Worry about your own, right now," Matt rose and shook Brian's hand. "Congratulations again. Both on the guitar part and on Sky."
"Thanks."
Brian watched his friend leave, but instead of returning his attention to his computer, he rose and crossed to the window. It was a sunny day, with temperatures near seventy. But he didn't see the newly budding flowers painted on the grounds outside. Instead he pictured his daughter sleeping peacefully in her crib.
He was flying by the seat of his pants with her- which was what he'd done with most of his life. When he'd joined the band, he'd been afraid he would fail completely and publicly, but he hadn't- despite his history of screwing up.
Maybe he was maturing. It was bound to happen eventually. His job was successful and so far fatherhood was even better than he'd thought it would be. He loved Sky, and he was willing to do whatever he had to so that he could give her a decent life.
Thinking of Sky make him think of Nicole because for some reason they were linked together in his brain. And thinking of Nicole made him remember the kid they're shared last Sunday. The kiss he hadn't been able to forget.
He was done screwing up, he reminded himself. Which ment no more weekend flings with somen like Lily Frase. He had to go for someone right or not bother. When he'd first decided to take Sky, he'd told himself he wasn't going to do te relationship thing at all. That would be easier. But now he wasn't so sure. He might be willing to give it a try if it meant being with someone special... someone like Nicole.