Songs of the Heart - 2. Chapter 2 - Your Achey Breaky Nose

Dear Mr. Nessay Rodriguez,

It is with great regret that we must inform you that we are unable to offer you a loan at this time. We look forward to serving you in various other ways, with the variety of services we offer. If I can be any more assistance please feel free to contact me at the number below.

Sincerely,

Josh Hoeven

Loan Officer

NHAP Bank

Well, that was one fine way to start another shitty day, Sometimes I just wish I could get out of this funk I have been in. Instead, all I can do is worry about my finances and more importantly my bar’s finances. Finance and number crunching had never been my strong suit. Several years ago I cashed in medium-sized trust fund my grandparents had left me and bought out the old country bar in town. Something that did not go over real well with some of the locals, especially the minister of the oldest church in town It started as making a killing but steadily over the last few months I have been dealing with several incidents that have made it hard to run.

It all started when someone spray-painted “Fag” on every window and door, next someone decided to break in and smash every bottle of alcohol and liquor in the place, and just last week someone decided to smash in all the windows. If it wasn't for my best friends Odin and Ty, I don't think I would have made it through this last month. Man, it was good to have brothers, even if they are not blood. Our brotherhood started close to five years ago when we all met at one of those conferences meant to guide young people towards a career. I can still remember meeting them, I was lost and could only find two figures arguing over who led them astray. Odin who stands well over 6 feet tall was bent over locking eyes with Ty who is just under five feet and half. I had to chuckle at the absurdity of the scene in front of me. Eventually, we got everything straightened out and bonded over the next few days. Since then we have been close.

Shaking my head and coming back to current times, I reached for the next envelope on my desk. I look down and see it is from the concert board here and I shake my head. Not sure if I want or need to open this letter and see that bid for the festival was denied. All the bars in town had bid to be the official bar of the festival, also to have one of the biggest acts perform here. The cash flow would be just the injection my bar needed to live on. Just once in my life could something go right. I was just about to open the letter when five feet of blond male rushed into my office.

“WE DID IT NESS! WE GOT JBM TO AGREE TO BE OUR HEADLINER!”

I couldn't help but grin at my friend. His energy and enthusiasm echoed out throughout the bar. He had busted his tail over the last couple of years and his family a set of wealthy ranchers, from the area had donated lots of money and time to this festival.

“Um that's great Ty, but can you remind once again who JBM is?”

The look I got after that question, made me feel lucky looks don't kill. The thing you need to know about Ty is he loves music and at the moment he had a man-crush on all three members of JMB. Odin and I had given up long ago trying to persuade him to move on and find someone local to hook up with in Houston. I guess I should mention here that all three of us were gay and single.

“Ness we need to get you out of this bar and out into the real world with the rest of us. For your information, JBM was the group that won the singing contest America’s Next Hit! Their hit single My Way Baby stormed up the chart. Its been number one on charts for about three weeks! Gah! You are so frustratingly focused sometimes I wanna shake you!”

With that, I stood and came around the desk to hug him. “Thanks for reminding me Ty there's more to life than working and sleeping. Now onto this letter, I got from chairmen of the concert board, care to tell me what it says?”

The only answer I got was Ty grinning and shaking his head side to side, damn little pest, so grabbing my letter opener I sliced the letter open and pulled it out. Scanning the letter looking for the words “We regret” or “We’re sorry”. Instead, I found a check for $3000, and my bid to host the festival had been accepted. Lunging over my desk towards Ty, I wrapped my arms around him and spun him around. I wonder what this would have looked like if someone could have seen it, a caramel-skinned six feet tall dude spinning around a blond white as cream skinned barely five feet four-inch-tall screaming and laughing with excitement.

Suddenly Ty’s phone began to chirp so I put him down. I had to admit the tune it was blaring was catchy and I could see why people were liking it. I had a niggling feeling that one of the voices felt familiar. Watching as he answered it, slowly his grin spreading out wide across his handsome face. It was funny to watch because I could slowly see his excitement building until it burst and he hung up the phone. Grabbing my wrist I suddenly was jerked forward, for someone so small Ty had the strength of a bull.

"Ty…..Hold up…..STOP! Ty, what are you doing? I have bills to pay and I haven't started ordering things and getting the bar revamped for the festival! I don’t have time for whatever that phone call was about!”

In response, Ty continued to drag me ou towards the door of the bar and opened it. “For your information, we will be meeting with the star attraction of this show. JBM is here in town already, and their lead singer requested to meet you right away!”

“Great Ty just what I needed some mini diva to come strolling into town and think he can boss me about! If this dude thinks for one second I will give a damn about his-”

I was interrupted by the door opening and a ghost from a long-forgotten past entered. Same blond curls, bright crystal blue eyes, that “gonna have my way with you” smirk and trouble, that's all this bastard ever brought with him. Now I knew why that voice sounded familiar, I had grown up with the younger version of it.

“Ness Rodriguez I would like you to meet the lead singer for JBM, Mr. Brady Jordan!”

The bastard looks like he was about to speak, knowing my hatred and anger might fade if I gave him the chance to do so. I marched up to Mr. Hotshot and did something I wanted to do over the last fourteen years. All the bullying. all the name-calling and outing me to the school, the hell he made my life. He deserved something to remember me by, I had just the thing for him.

I kneed him right in the balls. Then proceeded to deck him straight in the nose as he bent over from the first blow! Watching him drop to his back was the best site I have ever seen. Turning towards the door I sprinted out and towards my home a couple of blocks away. Ignoring the voices calling for me to stop, letting the tears fall from my eyes fuel me, I sprinted home not sure what I was going to do.