Chapter 13

There's some german in this chapter 'cause I wanted it to be original... so you can either google translate it or just overread it. In the next chapters you'll understand more what's going on... ENJOY!

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Bruno stares at me with big eyes and an open mouth. I knew he'll be surprised. I love to make him happy...

"Really?" Brian asks me and I look at him. "You sayin' we can meet Flo Rida in a bit?"

I nod and smile. "Yeah. If you have time..."

"Are you kiddin' me? Of course we have time!" He says back excited. "Bruno that's great!" He claps Bruno on his shoulder and Bruno smiles at him a bit. Something is wrong with his reaction. First I thought he's just so overwhelmed that he can't show his happiness but watching him now I start to think he doesn't like it. He taps nervous from one feet to another, looks around with a serious face and takes some quick drags on his cigarette, that must be his second already. I have no idea what he's thinking. I expected him to be happy and smile but not being like that. Shit! I want to talk to him right now what's wrong. But damn Beverly is here too and I can't. We go towards my car. Beverly and Brian go in front of us. Then he suddenly grabs my arm and we stop. He looks at me seriously, waits a bit until Brian and Beverly are so far away that they can't hear us and then leans to me.

"Why you doin' that?" He asks me quietly, almost whispering. 

"What do you mean?" I ask back also with a lower voice, confused. "I thought you'll be happy about it, meetin' Flo Rida..."

"I am! But you know that you don't have to do that! I don't wanna take advantage from your contacts!"

"I know." I smile at him. I would love to kiss him right now so bad. But 'cause of fuck Beverly, I can't... I really have to get rid of her. "But it won't harm me takin' you with me. And we're together now so I wanna support you!"

"Yeah and that's great! But I just want you to know I'm not with you 'cause of that! It's kinda bad enough we met because you gave me a job. I don't want our relationship gonna be all about that..."

"Bruno I know! And I also don't want work bein' too involved but that's just one time. I think that's gonna be ok... I also don't think you need my help to get jobs! You never know, maybe meetin' Flo Rida will start things and then you don't need my contacts anymore 'cause you have your own... Okay?"

"Okay..." Finally he starts to smile. "Guess I'm gonna meet Flo Rida in some minutes... Whooaa that's fuckin' unreal."

"You know what I would love to kiss you right now! But not in front of Beverly..."

"She doesn't know, right? I thought so. That's why I didn't kiss you either." He smirks. "But I find a way to kiss you, don't worry!"

We rush after the other 2, get in my car and drive off. Luckily Beverly didn't notice anything... We arrive at the studio and walk in. I introduce everyone to Flo Rida and we smalltalk a bit. He really looks exhausted and uneased. I can tell he's worried somehow.

"Flo what's wrong with you? I have you in mind to be chilled and happy, always cracking a joke, but now totally opposite..." I finally ask him.

He sighs. "They moved the deadline for my album 2 weeks forward and then they say they want me to do 2 more new songs plus change 1... it's ridiculous! This whole pressure totally blocks my ideas. I have no inspiration, no creativity... I got some beats and lyrics, but they all suck and I don't wanna put on any songs... they should be special. I want new flows, new beats, a fresh new style..."

I look at Bruno and he looks at me. I don't wanna say anything without his ok. So I give him a baby-should-I-glance, he smiles and nod lightly. "Well Mary told me already a bit about that and that's why I brought these 2 guys. You know they're not only in a band, they also write and produce their own songs. And I think they're really talented...maybe you gonna listen to their stuff and find something you like..." 

He looks at me. "Hm yeah if you think they're talented, why not. Give me your numbers guys. I'll call you." He says and Bruno gives him his number. He stays totally cool outside 'though I know he kinda dies inside right now. I think Flo Rida is the biggest star he met 'til now and he has his number now and wants to listen to his songs. I'm so happy and excited for him. I feel that something will raise out of this. I just feel it...

After that we record the 4 songs Flo Rida wants to perform at the event and we soon leave. Then we drive to the other studio. The guys scream and yell the whole ride long, how they just met Flo Rida and what songs they wanna play to him.

"Babe you really think he gonna call us?" Bruno suddenly yells excited. 

Shit. Did he just call me babe in front of Beverly?

"Erm... did I miss something? Why do you call her babe?" She asks looking to Bruno and then staring at me. She sits in the front and the guys in the back.

I give Bruno a glance through the rear-view mirror. He bites his lips and leans back silently. I knew that we can't hide it long, but I wanted to tell it at least Mary before Beverly knows it... Whatever. Actually there's no reason to hide my relationship...

"Well you know, Bruno and I..." I glance back for a second and he leans forward smiling and puts his hand on my shoulder. "...we're together." Point. Now it's out.

"Oh...okay..." She just says and leans back in her seat.

Wow! Was that all? I expected more from her... No silly comment? No high screaming voice?  

"I just kneeeeeew something's different with you today." She adds. Ok I knew I cheered too soon... "You were so freakin' happy today. And now I know... someone got laaaaaaid haha haha haha" And there she is again, good old bitchy Beverly... I just ignore it, smile and stroke Bruno's hand still laying on my shoulder. That should be answer enough. She kinda recognizes that we don't care about her and she stays silent the rest of the drive while we imagine all possible things that can happen with Flo Rida. Then we arrive at the studio, we step out of the car and Bruno grabs my arm.

"She knows now, so we don't have to hide anymore." He says and presses his lips on mine. I can feel all his passion and happiness and exciteness in this kiss and I love it! That's why I'm with him and that's why I wanna give him a chance. He's honest to me, all of his feelings towards me are real and true. Beverly watches us annoyed for a bit and then walks inside with Brian.

"You're the best, Caro. But promise me, you don't do that ever again!" He says after letting me go.

I nod. "I promise! If my feeling's right I don't need to do that again. I feel like from now on it's flowin' on its own..."

"I have a similiar feeling..." He says back, lifts me up a bit and spins me around. I scream and he puts me down again then we kiss one more time and go inside the studio. "Time to tell the others the good news..." 

The others freak out as well over the news. I feel so good making them happy. They really deserve a little bit of luck and I don't mind helping them. Beverly and I stay in the studio for about 2 hours. They're rehearsing a lot and do it very very good. It seems like they're extra motivated. It cheers my heart so much seeing Bruno like that. He laughs all the time and puts all his creativity in this session. I could stay there all day long but Beverly urges me to go back to the office. So I let everyone sign the contracts and we drive back. Bruno tells me I should come back as soon as possible and prepare for a strenuous night. I just laugh. He's a fool. My fool!

Back in the office I rush to Mary before Beverly can. I just know she would tell her straight away... I get there first luckily. I tell Mary everything and like I assumed she's concerned about my new relationship a lot. She also dislike that I took him with me to Flo Rida. I have to promise her that I never do that again. Funny! The same I had to promise Bruno... But in the end she says it's my life and as long as he makes me happy, she's happy too. I love her so much. I have to promise her also a couple of times that I'll be careful with Bruno and after 40 minutes I'm on my way back to the studio. We go eating after I arrived. All the guys already know about us and are even more friendly to me. Eric even calls me his new sister. It's perfect! I feel so happy and comfortable around them. Then we go back to the studio they continue rehearsing and I watch them. Around 10 we head home and like Bruno said a strenuous night follows...  

The next 3 days, Thursday to Saturday, go by the same way. At Sunday he says he only wants to spend time alone with me, so we sleep long, watch movies, cook together, just have a lazy day at home. Everything just feels so good, so right. It makes me happy and every second with him is fabulous. It's like we know each other for ages. We just have this connection...

Flo Rida really called them and Bruno, Phil and Brian gonna meet him at Wednesday. I can tell Bruno is really excited and asks me a hundred times which songs he may like. I just say I don't know him so well, I only met him a couple of times. I suggest they should take every song with them, even the ones that are not finished. And I tell him that everything's gonna be alright. He just should stay like he is... 

At Monday Mary tells me that I get the Michael Jackson tribute show and I never was so happy about work than that day. In the evening I tell the guys about it and that I want to have them as a performing band. They're of course happy about it too. But I tell them that Mary has the last word and she first wants to see how they do at the other show...

At Tuesday it's the probational eating. I take Bruno with me and I never had so much fun at things like that. With his help I can chose the perfect menu. I call Mister Brown and his daughter and they love it too. The rest of the week it's pretty the same. I work first, then go the studio, they show me everything the rehearsed or changed during the day, we go to my apartement and have fantastic sex. I even gave him keys to my crib. Pretty much of his clothes and things are already there, not that he has much either... so if he wants to get something or change he doesn't have to come to the office first. I fully trust him and the bond between us is already so deep that I don't feel a risk. We're just together for one and a half week but it doesn't bother me at all that he practically moved in. I love to have someone with me and so we see us every day... 

The week goes by so fast. The meeting with Flo Rida goes well, he keeps 10 songs he liked the most and says he will call them next week if he decides to take a song.   

Before I know it's Friday morning. Bruno and I lay in bed. He sleeps, but I'm already half awake and snuggle up against him. I love this time the most. It's so peaceful and relaxing, I could stay like this the whole day. Suddenly my phone rings loud. First I thought it's my alarm but then I realize someone is calling me. I turn around and grab my phone. It's Isabella, my niece and she calls me with her mobile phone. She never did that before, it's way too expensive. Normally she calls me with my sister's or my mother's landline number. That makes me wonder a lot and also worry. Bruno moves and turns to me.

"Who calls you so early?" He asks me with closed eyes and jawns.

"My niece." I reply and answer the call. "Hey Isabella, Süße, was is los?" I only hear rustle on the other side of the line what sounds like sobbing. "Isabella? Ich versteh dich ganz schlecht. Was ist denn los?" Still only rustle and sobbing. "Isabella? Ich hör dich nich."

Then finally I hear her speaking. "Tante Caro? Kannst du mich hören?"

"Ja jetzt schon. Was is los?" I ask her worried.

"Ich... ich... ich kann nich mehr Tante Caro. Bitte kannst du kommen." She spits out while sobbing. "Ich halt das nich mehr aus... Oma heult die ganze Zeit  und Mama is dauernd bei irgend so nem Typen und wenn sie mal daheim is, dann streitet sie nur mit Oma, weil die ihr nur Vorwürfe macht. Und gestern hat sie hat gesagt, sie will zu diesem Typen ziehen. Ich hab gesagt, dass ich dann nich mit geh. Ich will hier bleiben... zuhause... und Oma is dann ganz allein. Ich hab Oma gesagt, dass ich nich mit Mama ausziehen werde und dann sagt sie mir, sie will das Haus eh verkaufen. Es kümmert sich niemand um sie und das Haus is viel zu groß und..."

"Warte, warte, Isabella..." I interrupt her. "Beruhig dich erst mal! Alles wird gut, okay. Ich red mit Oma und Mama. Wieso rufst du mich eigentlich mit deinem Handy an? Das is viel zu teuer!"

"Ich... ich bin nich zuhause... ich bin weggelaufen..."

"Was? Isabella das kannst du nich machen! Jetz geh erst mal wieder nach hause. Ich ruf später aufm Festnetz an, ok?!"

"Okay. Aber Tante Caro. Du musst wirklich kommen. Ich halt das nich mehr aus."

"Süße, alles wird gut! Ich ruf dich später zurück. Geh nach hause."

"Ok... Bis später."

"Bis später." I say and hang up. Bruno is up now fully and looks at me worried.

"What's goin' on? I didn't understand one word. I just can tell something's wrong, right?"

I nod lightly, put the phone back on my nightstand and get out of the bed.

"Baby? Talk to me!" He says sitting up.

I turn around and look at him. I try to get my thoughts together about what I just heard from my niece. I feel guilty. I knew I was selfish and didn't care about my mom. The last time I called her was like 3 or 4 weeks ago and only for some minutes. I left them alone, I left my family alone with all their problems. All I promised to be there for them whenever they need me I didn't keep. I grab a long shirt and put it on. I feel terrible knowing my family breaks apart while I'm here happy and only care about myself. I sit down on the bed and run with my palms over my eyes and through my hair. I need to fix this. My family needs me know. Bruno asks me again what's wrong and finally I know what to do and say more to me than to Bruno. "I have to fly to Germany as soon as possible!"