Carlotta's Song

I was stunned...I had come here to meet the composer of this haunting melody and here he had found me...

"You play that very well...." he said.

"Coming from you, it's composer that is a high compliment indeed!" I said.

"I see your case over there by the bedroom door...You play the trumpet also?" he asked.

"Yes..that's my primary instrument...but the Piano was actually the first instrument I learned to play." I said.

"We have a lot in common Mr. Reed Nelson." he said.

"You know my name?" I said.

"I've heard of you...I've been back to Philly and caught you and your band in Josies a few times
and I saw you in San-Francisco last year." he said.

"Meek told me that you never leave the island." I laughed.

"I travel...I doubt that I'll ever live in Philly again...You from Philly?" he asked.

"No..I'm from North Jersey...but I currently live in Philly...been living there for about three years now." I said.

He looked at Debbie, still in that sheer sundress and a smile creased his face.

"I can certainly see why you selected to stay." he said.

Debbie actually looked like she was blushing at that comment..

"Can I get you guys a wine cooler?? A sandwich or something?" she asked.

"No thank you, I am quite fine." he said very politely.

"May I?" he said , motioning at the Piano.

"Oh yeah, of course." I said.

He sat down and he began to play "Carlotta's Song." on the Piano...It was hauntingly beautiful...just the way I had heard it...At this point..I didn't even want to attempt to play it on my trumpet...He had played it too well..I couldn't do it justice.

"Mr. Cook... Could you write me some beautiful music to play? I can't touch what you did on that song." I said.

"I didn't compose that song...My love for a beautiful woman composed that song...I was just an instrument." he said.

"Now that's what I'm talking about....that was sooooo beautiful." said Debbie.

I smiled. Chet finished playing and said..

"Meek is producing a session at the studio tomorrow....He'll know the direction....Come down and
check me out... I have a few numbers that I'll give you to play...and then I'd like for you to have dinner with Carlotta and I...We just recently got engaged." he said.

"That will work...Pleased to meet you Chet." I said shaking his hand.

''And I you." he said as he left.

''What a nice, polite guy." said Debbie.

"Yeah." I said.

II-

The next day ,Meek Rollins drove up to our villa...Yolanda was sitting up front...She had on some jeans..a large t-shirt and her hair in a ponytail and some sandals... Debbie and I came out and got in.

"How are you guys doing this fine morning?" asked Meek.

"We are fine, how are you?" answered Debbie.

"I'm great..Sorry I wasn't at the bar when you guys got there...something came up...I had to take a call from uh , ruh the record company and I had to leave." he lied.

I smiled....Record company eh? Okayyyyyyyyy, I thought to myself. We drove into the town and went to a little restaurant where we had breakfast....Debbie had a western omelet and bacon, I had my eggs scrambled light with bacon and hash browns and Meek had Steak and eggs..While Yolanda had a fruit cup and Orange Juice...After we ate, we all had tumblers of coffee and were joined by Chet Cook and a very lovely young woman who could only be his Carlotta. I could see why he was so taken with her..She was drop dead gorgeous!

"Heyy everyone....This is my fiance, Carlotta Young." he said.

"Oh Chet, you've met Reed?" asked Meek.

"Yeah Meek, we met yesterday while you were busy with other more pressing business." I said with a slight smile that let Meek know that I knew exactly what he was actually doing or rather who he was doing.

Chet and Carlotta had coffee and then headed to the recording studio.

Debbie and Carlotta sat in the upstairs area, which allowed them to look down into the studio and see the studio floor... An engineer miked Yolanda and the guitarist, bassist, drummer ,percussionist and keyboardist....In a separate room, a saxophone player, trumpeter and trombonist were being equally miked...as Meek and I sat in the recording booth. Meek was a perfectionist...He knew his business and he went about it well...

The session began...Yolanda Prentist cut three sides that day and the band was cooking....At no time did I see Chet Cook...He seemed to have disappeared... I peeped over at Debbie looking at Carlotta's big engagement ring....Chet must have paid a mint for it!

"Okay...take five" said Meek.

Chet appeared finally..He had been sipping on a bottled water. He picked up his trumpet and practiced a few riffs.

Meek called down to him-

"You ready babe?" he called out.

Chet looked up to him and smiled-

"Let's do it Meek" he said.

The red light went on and Chet began to play a beautiful solo...His playing was so fluid...Even though I was a trumpet player myself...I was in awe of his talent...I would love for him to come to Philly and play Josie's one weekend. Perhaps I would talk to him about it.

Chet played a solo on all three cuts that Yolanda had sang on and then played a solo cut of his own...I noticed that Carlotta was gone!! Debbie and Yolanda were now conversing amongst themselves...I walked over to them.

"Where's Carlotta?" I asked.

"She got a phone call..she stepped outside a minute." said Debbie.

I thought nothing of it...I excused myself and went to the small restroom in the studio. It was small and hot and smelly... When I was done..I washed my hands and walked outside... I heard
the sound of a wet kiss and a soft moan.... I peered around the corner and to my shock I saw Carlotta and another man...A tall, muscular man in a corner, kissing hungrilly!

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, Garvinnnnnnnn....." she moaned...

He had his hand up her dress...and she had his zipper down... She had her hand inside his pants..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh girl...ohhhhhhhhhhh I'm about to explodeeeeeee...." he moaned as they continued to kiss.

"Garvin, Garvin...we've got to stop..we've got to cool it..He's inside..." she said.

"When are you going to tell him about us and quit this charade?" said Garvin.

"Soon...Soon...I'm waiting for the right time." she said.

"When is the right time? Tell him so we can stop this sneaking and hiding." he said as he squeezed her behind and kissed her some more.

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuu...ohhhhh Garvin stop....ouuuuu...I want you sooooo bad..." she said.

"Well for now, make up an excuse and meet me at my place in about an hour." He said.

I didn't want them to know I had seen them so I ducked back into the studio. By now, Meek, Yolanda, Chet and Debbie were in the lobby with the engineer and the sidemen...

"Oh there you are Reed...what did you think?" asked Chet.

"Man, you are fabulous!" I said.

"I have five compositions....Take a few days, look at them, tell me which ones you like." he said.

"Oh, Okay...thanks man." I said.

"Carlotta, my love for her ,inspired all of these tunes...She is my inspiration, my muse.." said Chet!

"Awwww that's so sweet." said both Debbie and Yolanda in unison.

Carlotta walked into the lobby just about then...

''Hey babe, where you been?" asked Chet.

"I had to take that call...it was business...Can you drop me by my place? I have to get my car and run into town...The office called." she said.

"I can run you to the office." said Chet.

"No that's okay..I have a few things I have to take care of at home first." she said.

"Okay....What time are we meeting for dinner and drinks?" asked Chet.

"We can't tonight..I'll be at the office...Maybe tomorrow hon." she said.

"Oh...okay..that office...After we get married and I make a little money, you won't have to work there anymore." said Chet.

"Yeah...uh that'll be.....that'll be very nice." said Carlotta.

"Okay guys...well..It looks like I'll see you tomorrow night then " said Chet as he and Carlotta got in his car and left.

Meek dropped me and Debbie off at our villa...If he was trying to keep what he and Yolanda were doing a secret...It was a little difficult now...both Debbie and I noticed the little looks they were giving each other all day and how she kept rubbing his leg...We both noticed the huge bulge in his shorts that he couldn't conceal.... Debbie said to me when we got back to our villa..

"I know they probably can't wait to be alone...one more minute and they looked like they were about to rip each others clothes off." she laughed.

"Who?" I said feigning ignorance...

"Meek Rollins and Yolanda Prentis....He brought her down here to be away from Philly..he aint slick." said Debbie with a smirk...

I unzippered her dress and helped her slip out of it.....She turned towards me and gave me a warm sloppy kiss and walked away from me...I followed her and pulled her towards me..We embraced and kissed some more..

"You aint slick either you know." said Debbie.

"I aint hidin that I want to just ravish you." I said.

"mmmmmmmmmmm, you smell good Reed" she cooed and we continued to kiss...I couldn't help
thinking about poor Chet..He had no idea that his fiance was stepping out on him. His song took on a whole new meaning now.

"You feel good girl." I said as I walked her to the bed room and stepped out of my trousers and laid her softly across the bed, where we were now in a passionate embrace and kissing and licking each other furiously...

"Ohhhh Reed...don't tease me anymore...let's do thisss..take me...takeeee meee." she nearly screamed as I entered her and we began making sweet slow love on the bed....We hadn't even turned the sheets back...

A few hours later, I got out of bed...Debbie was sleeping soundly....I walked in the living room, picked up my trumpet and began to play "Carlotta's song"...It was beautiful...I had finally played it on the trumpet..maybe , with Chet's permission..I would record it after all.

(To Be Continued...)