7 Traces Pt.2

"Yeah, I just left. Will come home in around an hour. Hmm. Hmm. I am going to swing by Trigman's house and pay him a quick visit. Do you want me to pick something on the way? Heh? We had burger yesterday. Hmm. No, I will bring some cupcakes. Hmm? We still have a couple of beers in the fridge, so we're good for today. Okay, I'm here, I'll see you in a bit."

Hanging up from my call, I pushed the glass door inwards and announced myself. As expected, the clinic was empty. Nothing but two benches, a water cooler, and a television running local news channel.

"We're in the back, come on in." Trigman shouted from the back.

I trotted and opened the door to his operating room.

Nothing.

I walked a little further and peeked into his office.

Nobody.

This time, I shouted.

"Where are you guys?"

"In the bedroom."

Ugh. Is it safe for me to go there?

What if I caught them while they were playing?

I walked towards their bedroom and carefully peeked inside.

Mapalla was covered under the sheet, his eyes fixated on the LED.

Trigman was sitting next to him, clipping his nails.

SAFE

"What are you guys doing. No clinic today?" I asked.

"Hmm? Yeah, I opened in the afternoon. But this noob next to me said he wanted to watch a romantic movie with me." Trigman said without looking at me.

I looked at the LED and saw 'The Other Guys' playing.

I looked at them and said, "Is this you guys' idea of romantic?"

Mapalla finally looked at me and said," We have watched Brokeback Mountain millions of time. So,

I picked the next best thing in bromance."

I didn't question his thought process and proceeded to remove my heels.

Mappala gave me another look and asked, "Wanna get comfy?"

"That's the plan."

"Go to the kitchen and get a beer for you and me. I asked Trigger an hour ago, but he scoffed like an angry cat."

"Wait. Who's Trigger."

Mapalla pointed at Trigman," This dummy. I meshed his first and last name Trigman Gallant. I added the 'R' at the end by myself. He also had a name for me following the same principle. Mappa."

I walked out shaking my head and came back with couple of beers in hand. I handed one to Mapalla and jumped on the bed between the guys.

"So, how are you going to do it?" Trigman questioned.

"I have been here for four minutes, Trigger."

"Don't call me that, and it doesn't matter. I have your earnings. Who are you going to meet first anyways?"

"I'm thinking to meet up with P.A. first. She is going to be here on her tour anyway."

"When?" Trigman was not letting me go easy today.

"I, don't know exactly. I saw the news on her tour some time ago. I don't remember the date."

"Stop screwing around, Mad. There is no way you don't know that." Trigman's volume was going up, while decibels in my volume were starting to drop.

"I- I swear, I don't."

"Message him. Message Cline. Ask him. Or message her. Message Harman. Ask her."

"USA and India times are difficult to measure. I will text them when I get home." A Solid Excuse.

"Cline is always eager to get in touch with you. Harman would love to talk to you. Nobody dislikes you in P.A.'s camp except P.A. herself."

Mapalla chimed in to deliver the final blow, "This thing about transparency is, Mad, that you are predictable. It is of no use to hide anything from us."

I threw my hands on my lap. They clutched the cold can of beer, who transmitted the chills into my bone.

"Mad, we know its hard, but you have to do it. For yourself. For Kiyomi."

I know it, dammit.

I took the phone out of my pants' pocket and opened the messenger.

Can life let me be selfish one more time?

I found Cline's chat and texted 'Hi' to him.

Please don't reply.

Moment later, my phone chimed.

Goddammit Cline.

'Hey Cline, how's it going?'

'What do you want?'

'Wow, your attitude is different when you want me to do you favours.'

'And you take much advantage of me when that happens. Let me enjoy this.'

'Well, since you can't do one thing P.A. has hired you to do, I wanted to ask if you were capable to do anything else?'

'How deep do you want me to sink this time?'

'One, when is P.A.'s concerts coming to Asia?'

'We're kicking it off from Asia this time.'

'Wow. No Australia or London this time?'

'Your friend wants to push the envelope every time. But it keeps us getting paid, so I don't mind.'

'Give me the date.'

'Let me see…'

After a brief pause, he texted again.

'Its almost end of the summer. So, it would be three weeks deep into fall.'

After mid-October. I guess I can take an extended leave. There are going to be numerous holidays

during the month anyways, so it would work out.

'When is the tour coming to India?'

'Hmm, not until the end of November.'

'That's too far away. Where is the first show?'

'Tokyo. From there to Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and then India.'

I though to myself, 'They are going to cover five locations in barely a month?'

'How many shows in India? And here on from there?'

'Three shows in India. From there the show goes to China for five. We're dropping Russia for the moment because it would be Mid-December by the time we would be done with Asia.'

'I want backstage passes for all the shows from Thailand to China.'

He waited for a moment before replying, 'Yeah, keep dreaming, Mad. I don't have that kind of power and you know it.'

I waited for a second and then started pushing Cline's buttons. 'Yeah, I thought so. If you can't write songs for your artist, you cant arrange something so meager for me.'

No reply from his side.

Its working.

I continued. 'Some songwriter you are. Oh no wait, you are supposed to write three songs for P.A.'s next album, didn't you? How did that work out? Oh, I'm sorry, you asked me to write them. I haven't got money for them, and my pen isn't going to touch the paper before I see the paper in my account, Hitmaker.'

Cline was a good person, just lacking in one thing. Song writing. He always envied me because of my ability with words. One day, he stole my old song and gave it to P.A., which became her first Top 10 hit. He knew what he did and came to be for forgiveness. He took all the credit and threw an apology at me in the end. I was furious at his gesture, because I felt that his hustle to even steal my song was fake. I let everything out on him that day and gave him a nickname to remind him of his guilt. HITMAKER. I was guilty of what I had said and promised not to use that name.

But today, I want to do right by someone, and I won't let anybody stand in my way. Even if I have to rip open the wounds of the past, whether they are mine or else.

There was no reply from Cline for minutes, in the meantime, I explained what was going on. When I was done, I got his reply.

'How many people?'

I asked Mapalla and Trigman, "Hey, would you accompany me to meet Priscilla?"

I put the phone in my pocket and opened the front door.

"I hope you are happy now, Trigman. I have taken first step towards my past. Geez, talking like makes me feel like a certain mad scientist."

"I am happy for you. But I don't get it, why did you get only Thailand's and China's show tickets. You have enough money to fly out to Tokyo."

"I know, but I have a feeling I will have to fly out to Canada in the near future."

"Oh, is that where Expy lives now a days?" Mapalla inquired.

I nodded.

"I can't afford five tickets if I don't save now. If I would be lucky, I would convince P.A. to let us hang around."

Trigman crossed his arms. "What do you want us to do?"

"When the time comes, I want you both to meet me in Nepal. I'm hopeful I will be there with everyone."

Both of them opened their eyes wide.

"You will write the last page in the city where you etched your introduction, eh?"

"Mapalla shut up. Don't sound so philosophical. I'm already late, and I still must pick up sweets for babe. Imma bounce."

Trigman and Mapalla gave me the V-Sign and saw me off.

I ran towards my home looking into the horizon.

Now, there is no turning back.