Generation Two: Pello: Chapter Three

SLUGHORN LEGACY
Generation 2: Pello Slughorn
Chapter Three: We’re an American Band

Midori is the best friend anyone could ask for.  As summer break approached Dr. Fantrain began to get more boarders and needed me to start coming in after school for a couple of hours and to work a few extra hours on the weekends.   I knew the money would be nice and it would get me that much closer to getting my drum set, but I wasn’t sure I could let my family fend for themselves.  Midori, who was at my house most of the time anyway and who had become a natural cook, stepped up and said that every day after school he would go to my house to do his homework and make the Slughorn’s dinner.

I protested at first but he insisted and told me that he wanted to help out.  I knew that the biggest reason was to try and get close to Parley again, but I still felt bad that he wanted to take that on.  After several discussions about it I told Dr. Fantrain that I would start putting in the extra hours.

The last couple weeks before summer break went by in a whirlwind.  The days went along like this:  Get up, have breakfast, go to school, go to Fantrain Farm and work for two to three hours, home to have dinner, hang out with Midori for a while, do homework and then to bed.  The weekends were much of the same except for no school.

This may seem like my life was without fun, but that isn’t true.  I was becoming really good on the drum and practiced everyday during my study hour.  Midori, who was becoming quite popular in school, also had the same study hour and would come to the music room with me.  We were also joined by Milly Lee, a stunning gal who had the biggest crush on Midori.  She would come and listen to me play and flirt with Midori who had befriended her but tried to tell her he wasn’t interested in being more then friends.  The girl, was relentless, and continued to do everything in her power to make Midori fall for her.  Spending that much time with a beautiful, smart, friendly, and fun young lady I found myself crushing on her.  I would try to show that I was interested but she never noticed and only treated me like a friend.

It was three days before the summer break and the three of us were hanging out in the music room.  I had been experimenting with some drum beats when I decided to move forward and I started the down beat of “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds.  Half way through the song Midori began to sing the lyrics and what came out of his mouth was gold.  I had known the kid for all these years and never knew he could sing.

“Oh my Simish.”  Milly squawked.  “I didn’t know you could sing.”

“I didn’t either.”  I laid my drumsticks in my lap.

“I learned to sing when Parley was practicing for your mom’s funeral.”  He lowered his head finding the floor really fascinating.  The topic of my mom’s death or the funeral was always a touchy subject in the Slughorn household and Midori had learned to treat it with kid gloves.

Milly never liked it when Midori brought Parley up and she quickly changed the subject.  “You two should form a band.  I bet you could get some gigs around town.  It would give you some extra spending money.”  Her smile filled her face.

“Milly, I don’t have a drum set and I’m sure two people doesn’t make a band.”  I said being the Donald Downer.

“Oh psssh, I’m sure my dad could loan you the rest of the money with a promise to pay him back after your first gig or two so that isn’t a problem.  Midori you really do have a lovely voice you two should do this.”  Milly’s voice turned into a whine and her face scrunched up making her normally beautiful face something truly horrific.  Milly, although super generous and kind, came from the most wealthy family in Appaloosa Plains and she rarely took no for an answer.

“Eh…I’m not sure I really…..”  Midori started, but I cut him off.

“I could really use the money.”  I gave my best friend a look.

By the end of the period Midori had given in and agreed to be part of a band with me as long as it was something we did for fun to pick up a little extra money.  Nothing more.  Milly was in seventh heaven and as we walked out of the classroom she was already making plans in her head.

Just before school ended Milly had made good on her word.  She got her dad to loan me the rest of the money for my drum set, she recruited Marquis Creech and Abram Hand to join our band as piano player and guitarist, and that is how the Southern Llamas became.  She had also arranged our first gig which would be three weeks after summer started, so we had time to practice together as a band.

~~

The summer started out with a bang when one of the animals on Fantrain Farm got attacked by a wild dog that wandered into on the property, late in the night, and the two of them got into a scuffle.  Dr. Fantrain was able to catch the dog, which he put in quarantine in hopes that the dog could be tamed, and called me in to help out with the injury.  After that night he decided that he wanted me to learn from him, before I went off to school, the trade of being a veterinarian.

In addition to my normal responsibilities on the farm Dr. Fantrain would have me attend his exams.  I was very grateful and I learned a lot from him.  He took the time to explain what he was doing and why as well as the proper way to handle the animal that was being examined.  It made me feel as if I was ahead of the learning curve.

With every new patient and lesson I knew that becoming a veterinarian was my life’s calling.  I enjoyed the time with Dr. Fantrain as well as enjoyed the hands on learning.  I was also becoming attached to the critters who lived on the farm and each held their own special place in my heart.

 Fareed and I were becoming chummy.  He didn’t like people to ride him, but since the first day I started he took a shine to me and it wasn’t long before he let me put a saddle on him and soon we were galloping around the property with Shoshone tagging along.

   The cats Gilbert and Ms. Jezebel stole my heart with all their love and cuteness.

  I enjoyed watching the dogs form their pack.  When Bear was healing from his attack by the wild dog Cherry and Cleo stayed by his side.  He and Cherry had gotten very close, close enough that I think we will have puppies roaming around the farm soon.  Every day when we had to leave Cherry would whine softly for her pack and she was happy as a clam the next day when we would return.  Dr. Fantrain worked with the wild dog, which we called Frostbite, and slowly he started to trust humans and finally we were able to incorporate him in with the others and he fit nicely in our little farm pack.

Dr. Fantrain even bought some chickens so we could start selling some fresh eggs to people around town.

~~

The three weeks went by fast and it was the day of our first paying gig. We found ourselves at my house at 10 am for one last rehearsal.  None of us wanted to mess this up and we were all excited of the prospect of this continuing through the rest of the summer.  During the past three weeks we found out that we were actually a decent band and were pumped to get the show on the road.

We were in the barn and had just finished practicing the song we had planned to end the night with when Milly, who attended just about every rehearsal, began gushing over Midori as usual.

“Oh Midori, you have the best voice in the world.  I still think you should do this professionally.”  Her voice laced with sugar.

“I told you Milly, I only am doing this to help out Pello and to get a little bit of extra spending money for school in the fall. ”

“But….”

“But Midori you are so flawless and I just have to stroke your ego every chance I get.”  Came Parley’s mocking voice from the doorway.  We all turned our heads in her direction.  “Let’s not forget there are three other guys that make up the band.”  She gave a smug look toward Milly and looked down at her nails.

“Parley….”I started, but Midori cut me off.

“It’s okay Pello.”  He walked over to Parley and took her wrist,  “Can I have a word please?”

As he dragged her away from us we could hear Parley chuckle,  “Sure, It doesn’t appear I have a choice.”

PARLEY’S POV:

 Midori pulled Me away from the rest of the group and spun me around to face him.  “Parley Marie Slughorn your attitude has gotten out of control.  You have no right to be jealous of Milly.  No right at all.

“I…I…I’m not jealous of Blondie.”

“Please you can’t fool me.  You may be able to fool your family, the kids at school and even yourself, but you can’t fool me.  I know you better then you know yourself and it is eating you up that Milly is showing me attention.”

I looked at him defiantly and even gave him a smile, “You’re crazy.  I just don’t like her.  She is fake and stupid.  There’s no crime in that.”

Midori grabbed my arms and pulled forward to ensure that I look at him when he said his next words.  “Parley, you made the rules now you have to live by them.  You pushed me away  and told me you didn’t want anything to do with me despite all my attempts and attention.  Milly and I aren’t together, but I have every right to move on, and if I choose to move on with Milly you have nothing to say about that.”

His words were like daggers to my heart.  Tears stung my eyes but I fought them back.  Pulling out of his grasp I stood there starring at him.

It felt like I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t think.  I stood there starring like a loon and then all at once my arm shot forward and I smacked Midori across the face.

I couldn’t believe what I had just done, but I couldn’t let him know I was sorry either.  If I did that it would just show him that he is right and he isn’t right.  He couldn’t be.

Rubbing his cheek he looked up at me.  “Real mature Parley.”  He voice wasn’t full of anger or disgust, but sadness and longing.  I couldn’t handle this I couldn’t handle any of it so I turned on my heel and fled.

PELLO’S POV

  We could hear the slap echo throughout the barn.

“Did she just slap him?”  Milly’s voice was full of concern, we hadn’t been watching the arguing pair, but when we heard the noise we all looked up.  Milly started to walking toward them as Parley fled the room. Midori turned toward us and we could see that his already red cheek was even redder.  Milly lunged at him wrapping her arms around his neck.  “Oh my Sims she did slap you.  Are you okay?”

 I took in a deep breath.  Parley had been out of control these past few years, but hitting someone, hitting my best friend she had pushed the limits too far.  “I have to go talk to her.”

“No, don’t worry about it dude.  We talked, she had no other recourse.  Just let it be.”  Gently pushing Milly away from him he grabbed his mic.  “Let’s practice the opening song one more time.”

 That night we had our first gig and it was awesome.  After our set the owner of the bar asked us to return on Thursday for ladies night and as long as we were continued to be received well then we would be booked every weekend for the rest of the summer.

We were all ecstatic about this, but Midori was just so far away.

~~

Weeks went by and our bad was becoming very popular.  People around town started to recognize us and a few even asked for our autographs.  Marques, Abram and I were eating up the attention but Midori was just along for the ride reminding me all the time he wasn’t doing this for more than being a friend to me and a few extra bucks.

The end of July arrived and Milly presented us with a gig.  She told us her sister was getting married at the end of August and wanted to book our band, but was having doubts because there was no girl in the band.  Her fiancée and her song was At Last by Etta James and she couldn’t have anyone but a woman sing that song.  Milly had convinced her if The Southern Llamas could find a girl then she would hire us.

The only problem was…where do we find a good sounding girl that could fit in with us in such a short time?

Thank you everyone for reading.  My legacy really, truly means the world to me even though I don’t update as often as I would like, so I appreciate you all stick with me through the long breaks.

A couple of thank yous:

Thank you to Sonny Wells of the Wells Legacy for making Kora for me.

Thank you so much to Logan from Logans Lotz of Lots for making the beautiful Fantrain farm.  It is a home that the Slughorn’s will always find their way back to even if they move away for a bigger life.

and finally

I want to think Pawsitively Adorable Puppies for making Frost Bite.