Hard Landing Ch. 08

The horns sounded better and Blue was grooving on the piano part halfway through when Larry stopped and yelled, "Cut! Nope, nope, nope." Everyone stopped and Blue looked at Larry again.

"Jill, you're a good piano player. But you're just... playing piano right now. You aren't jamming."

"Larry..." Jo started but Larry held up his hand and she stopped.

"Jill, you gotta feel it. You aren't moving your body at all. You're standing still, looking at your keys and the music. And I know at this point it's not because you have to focus to play this. I bet I could turn off your iPad right now and you could still play it. This song isn't half as hard as that concerto you just threw off the top of your head this morning. It's because you're thinking about it, you're in your head. I've seen you in the audience when we play this song. You move like there's electricity being pumped into you. When you're playing, you gotta feel that!" He thumped his chest with his fist. "We all gotta feel it, together. That's what being in a band is about." Steve and Suzanne were nodding.

Blue lowered her eyes to the keys. Then raised them to meet Larry's gaze. "Fine. Count us in Larry."

He grinned. Jo looked like she'd been holding her breath, but when Larry hit the opening drum riff, Jo hit the opening with extra energy, walking over to her pedals, leaving Blue on her own at the keyboard. Steve put a little extra umph into his lyrics and Suzanne started dancing as she played bass next Larry, doing a salsa with her Fender as her partner.

The horn part sounded much the same. But then as she went into the Latin piano rhythm, Blue got it. She started swaying her hips and bouncing on her torso as she made eye contact with Larry and Suzanne while they kept her on the beat. Her feet were moving and she was nailing it. When Jo went into the big solo, Blue was swinging her hips enough that her sundress was flipping back and forth. Her face had gone from determined to smiling. She could feel it.

As they finished out the song, Larry hit his splash cymbals extra hard, pointed a drumstick at Blue and yelled, "Yes! That's good enough for Jill, right Blue Girl?"

Blue smiled and said, "Screw you, Lawrence!" as everyone laughed. Then she stepped over to his drums and high-fived him. "Thanks, Larry."

"Don't thank me yet. That's just one song. I'm gonna be on your ass all afternoon unless you keep bringing it."

"Hey, Larry, that's my job!" Jo said laughing.

"Jo!" Blue said, blushing and looking at Henry out of the corner of her eye. She walked back to her keyboard and Jo met her there for a kiss.

"Told you you were good enough, Blue."

The Korg keyboard wasn't the only surprise the Collins family had for Blue that weekend, although the second one wasn't planned. Blue and the band had spent the afternoon working up songs she felt comfortable playing with them. After dinner, the gang was relaxing around the fire pit behind Henry's house. Jo made a point to sit in the same chair Blue had given her a lap dance in when they'd been here alone, amused at Blue's discomfort at the memories while Henry was sitting right here with them.

"So, do you guys ever jam out here like you do at the beach house in Ocean City?" Sara asked as Steve poked at the fire with a stick.

"All the time," Suzanne said, "but not after we've been practicing all day!" She laughed, rubbing her wrist.

"Oh crap, I gotta start thinking of a song or two I can do at the jam, don't I?" Sara said.

"You know, it would be easier for you and me to come up with something if we could play guitar," Blue said to Sara. "Any song I think of I have to hope one of these guys knows how to play it."

"I got you babe. You just whisper it to me and if I don't know it, I'll learn it for you," Jo said.

"Yeah, but that takes away the fun of surprising you. I wish I could drag a piano out on the beach."

"Why can't you?" said Henry.

"What?" Blue said confused. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope," Henry said, groaning as he got to his feet muttering, "Damn old knees. Hang on a second, Jill. Be right back." He strolled off towards the house.

Jo and Steve looked at each other. "Do you know what he's on about Bro?" Jo asked.

"No, I... oh shit! I DO know what he's on about. This is gonna be hilarious." Steve wouldn't share his epiphany and soon Henry came back out of the house hauling a big, black box with handles on both sides. It took him two hands to carry it. Jo started laughing as soon as she saw it.

"Guys, what is this?" Blue said, demanding to be let in on the joke.

"This," Henry said, setting the box down on the ground and flipping up the lid, "is a Hohner piano accordion." He lifted it out of the box. It had a beautiful marbled red finish, and it looked almost new. It also looked really heavy.

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"Again, Henry, are you kidding me?" Blue said.

"Not in the least Miss Jill. Here." Henry careful set it in her lap, and showed her how to put the shoulder straps on to take most of the weight. "So, you've got two octaves of keys here on your right hand. This particular instrument is unisonoric."

"What does that mean?" Blue looked totally flustered, as if someone had set a slightly irritated monkey on her lap.

"It means it makes the same tones whether you're pulling the bellows out or pushing them in. Bisonoric ones make different tones depending on if you're going in or out, kind of like a harmonica. You'll find this one a bit easier to learn. Here, put your left hand under this strap... right, just like that. Now, you just have to pull out the bellows to get some air into it, then squeeze it back and play as you do."

Blue sat frozen. "C'mon Blue, give it a try," said Jo.

"What in the world do I play?" she implored Jo. She gave the bellows a squeeze, holding a chord and jumped at the whining sound and stopped. "Henry, this sounds nothing like a piano!"

"No, it doesn't, but it plays just like one. And once you get used to the sound you'll know how to use it," Henry said, sinking back into his chair.

Blue looked at the contraption in her lap and made a few aborted starts at songs she was comfortable with. She stopped after a few bars of each one.

"It doesn't sound right," she complained.

"Think outside the box," said Jack.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't try to think of a song with piano, try and think of a song with a mood that goes with the sound of that thing." He pointed at the instrument on her lap.

"Well, I don't... oh!"

Jo grinned. "She's got one now. Let's hear what you got, Blue."

"Okay, but I'm not singing. One of you better pick me up."

"Steve will know it, almost guaranteed," Jo laughed.

Blue pulled out the bellows and worked it back and forth a bit to get the feel, then started the intro. It was clear she didn't know the song exactly, but she improvised the melody well enough that Steve laughed, clapping his hands in delight and started singing.

If I had a million dollars...

Jack, Suzanne and Sara all caught on and joined in, singing the responses to Steve's call.

(If I had a million dollars)

Well, I'd buy you a house.

(I would buy you a house)

It was a spotty performance, with her not knowing the song well, but she managed well enough the gang was able to sing the whole Bare Naked Ladies tunes, minus Henry, who just watched, bemused and sipping his whiskey.

If I had a million dollars

(If I had a million dollars)

Well I'd buy you a green dress

(But not a real green dress, that's cruel)

The accordion's sound matched the mood of the song exactly and by the end, everyone was singing.

If I had a million dollars,

If I had a million d-o-o-o-l-l-a-r-s...

I'd be rich!

"Henry, why do I ever doubt you?" Blue said after she was done.

"It's my unassuming country bumpkin charm," he said, straight faced.

She pulled out her phone and started Googling songs. "This year's beach jam is gonna be great!"

"I'm so beat," Blue said, later in Jo's cabin. She'd stripped off her dress and thrown herself on the bed in her underwear as soon as they'd walked in from the fire pit. "Who knew playing music all day would take it out of you like this?"

"You were pretty amazing today," Jo called from the bathroom. "I think you could easily do a thirty-minute set with us now. That's just a half a day playing together, and we still have all day tomorrow."

"I still don't know about that. You guys are rock stars. I don't know that I'm in your league."

"You just need to get the experience. One time up on stage and I'll bet you get a taste for it."

"We'll see. Either way I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight."

"Does that mean you're ready to go to sleep now?" Jo asked, hopping out of the bathroom.

Blue's eyes grew wide. Jo wasn't wearing anything except the velvet choker that Blue had bought for her in Virginia Beach the previous summer. The navy blue went surprisingly well with her purple hair. She leaned against the door frame, echoing the pose Blue usually made when she was trying to rev up Jo's engines.

"No... no I don't think I'm ready to go to sleep after all," she said, her eyes roving up and down Jo's body.

"Good. Sorry, this next move isn't that sexy," Jo said, as she hopped over to the bed on one foot. Blue sat up to offer her hand to help her balance. Instead of joining her on the bed, Jo grabbed the sides of Blue's panties and slid them off, then she pulled a pillow off the bed and set it on the floor. She grabbed Blue's knees, pulled her to the edge of the bed, then knelt down between her legs.

"Jo..." Blue breathed, sitting up to kiss her.

"I've been wanting to do this all damn day," Jo said, kissing her way down Blue's neck. She lowered her head and took a nipple in her mouth, delicately sucking and circling her tongue around it. Blue sucked in a breath, and put her hand behind Jo's head. She leaned back on her elbows as Jo moved lower, kissing Blue's stomach, licking her belly button, then putting a hand on each of Blue's knees and pushing her legs wide open.

"Oh god..." Blue whispered as Jo lowered her head and parted her lips with her tongue. She licked Blue's clit as she slid two fingers inside and caressed her walls with curling fingertips. Blue closed her eyes, surrendering to Jo's attentions.

Her thighs started to give the quiver that signaled her approaching orgasm and Jo stopped licking and slowed her fingers to a barely perceptible motion. Blue moaned as her body backed away from the edge.

Once she was certain she wouldn't trigger Blue's orgasm, Jo resumed licking her clit and stroking her fingers again. As she felt Blue near the edge she stopped again.

"Jo, this is so unfair!" Blue moaned.

Jo simply smiled and repeated the cycle. Then again. And again.

Finally, as she started shaking once more, Blue grabbed a double fistful of Jo's purple hair. "Jocelyn if you don't let me come right now I may die and you'll have to explain to everyone how you let it happen!"

Jo increased her pace, thrusting her fingers in and out.

"Oh my.... Jo.... oh my god...Jo... Eep! Jo!" Blue tensed her entire body, her voice quickly rising in volume, then she started shaking uncontrollably as Jo continued to lick and stroke her through her orgasm until she finally collapsed.

"Jo... that was..." She could barely get the words out.

"Payback for last year in Ocean City when you tortured me like that," Jo finished.

"You can torture me like that every day for the rest of my life if you want to."

"I'll hold you to that."

"You're gonna have to wait a few minutes before I can take care of you," Blue said, trying to catch her breath.

"You don't need to take care of me, Blue." Jo stood then knelt on the bed, straddling Blue's leg. "I know what you mean, but I also want you to know that I know you've been giving me your all, taking care of me since my crash." She lowered herself and her excitement left a slick trail of wetness on the skin of Blue's thigh. Blue smiled up at her, and lifted her knee slightly to give Jo a better angle. Jo closed her eyes and made an appreciative sound as she ground herself on the muscle and started rocking back and forth. "I love you taking care of me... oh that feels good... but I have to start learning for us to both take care... Mmmmm... take care of each other."

Blue watched her with undisguised lust. She reached out and ran her hands up Jo's sides to cup her breasts, giving a soft pinch to her nipples, causing her to suck in her breath and speed up her pace, rocking on Blue's thigh. Blue spread her other leg out wider, then reached out and pulled Jo higher on her leg. She moaned herself as they made contact and Jo started rocking her hips, pressing their bodies together. Blue could feel the soft triangle of hair between Jo's legs rubbing against her clit.

Jo had a head start and soon her body started shuddering as she gripped Blue's hips and let out a satisfied groan. She opened her eyes, looking down at her lover. Realizing she'd beat Blue over the finish line, she reached her hand between their bodies and slipped her thumb over Blue's clit. She kept rocking her hips and stroking her thumb until soon Blue was quaking as well, her orgasm nowhere near as strong as her first of the night, but to all appearances a satisfying one.

When they both stopped shaking, Jo leaned down and curled her arms underneath Blue's shoulders, stretching the length of her body atop Blue, caressing her neck and hair, and kissing her.

"I'm not going to stop taking care of you, Jo. Just so you know."

"I don't want you to. I just want to make sure I'm taking care of you too, okay? This needs to be a two-way street."

Blue grinned. "You certainly took good care of me tonight."

"It was a good start," Jo said.

"A start?"

Jo raised up on one arm and looked around the room. "Where did we put that strap-on?"

The next morning, Jo opened her eyes to see the sun just coming up outside her window. She reached out and picked up her phone from the side table to check the time.

"Seven o'clock. Time for a run?" Little sounded eager.

Might as well, she thought. She looked over. Blue was on her side facing the wall. Her naked back gave Jo thoughts of skipping her run and waking Blue for some morning fun.

"After what you did to her last night, you'll be lucky if she wakes before noon."

No lies there, Little, Jo thought with a self-satisfied grin. She'd kept Blue up for hours the night before.

She quietly rolled out of bed. Her closet was off the bathroom, and she hopped in and quietly put on her running clothes. She was getting used to her running prosthetic, but it still took a minute to get it fastened on securely. The socket was precision molded to the stump of her leg like her every day prosthetic, but instead of a leg and foot at the bottom, there was a carbon-fiber post, supporting a hydraulic mechanism that cushioned the shock of her landings. Instead of a foot, there was a foot-long curved steel spring that ended in a simple rubber pad.

Outside Jo spent a few minutes stretching, then took off at a slow jog around the farm. Her dad had made a running trail around the property years ago. Nothing fancy, just a six-foot-wide hard packed trail a little over a mile long, starting and ending at the barn and running around the fields and through the wooded areas. It turned into useless mud if there'd been any recent rain, but it had been dry for a few weeks, so the hard-packed dirt gave her prosthetic no problems. She'd worked up to two miles a day in the last few weeks.

"Think we'll be able to do the Army Ten-Miler this year?"

Probably not, Little. Only three months until then, I don't think I'll be up to that distance yet. Next year for sure. We'll have to go to cheer on Liz though.

Her gait wasn't a smooth as it had been before. She had a hitch on her left side, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Just different. As she approached the farmhouse at the end of her first circuit, she saw Larry sitting on the porch drinking from a coffee mug. She raised her hand and they exchanged waves and she ran past.

"I guess a ten-minute mile is okay while we're still rehabbing, but we're gonna need to bring that time down Collins," Little said as Jo checked her running watch.

I don't want to burn out, Little. Going to stretch it out three miles today.

She heard footsteps and turned her head to see Larry jogging up on her left.

"Morning Larry. Did I shame you into getting off your ass?"

"Nope, curiosity got me. I wanted to see that thing in action." He gestured at Jo's leg as they jogged. "That looks like some high-tech shit there."

"You don't even want to know what it costs."

"No, I really don't. You look like you're doing alright on it though."

"Seem to be. Going for two more miles, got that in you?"

"This isn't pull-ups or swimming Jo, I can hang."

They ran in companionable silence the rest of the way. Jo could feel the strain the last half of the third lap and slowed her pace. Larry slowed with her, declining to comment. They arrived back at the barn and started walking in circles to cool down.

"Thanks for the run. Blue's been running with me lately but she's sleeping in this morning."

"I'll bet," Larry grinned. "Doesn't have anything to do with all the noises Suzanne and I heard last night, does it?" Larry and Suzanne's room in the main house had the closest window to Jo's cabin.

Jo cleared her throat and said, "I don't know what you're talking about. Must've been coyotes." She walked over and leaned onto the barn door to slide it open. "By the way, thanks for the way you handled Blue yesterday. When you started going at her I was pissed, but you were right. She needed that."

"She's damn good, Jo. She just needs the confidence to go with the skill. She'll get there. She's got a great sound when her head gets out of the way and her voice is outstanding. You going to ask her to join the band full time? You certainly won't get any pushback on it from me."

"I'd like to, if I can talk her into it. I mean, how nice is it for you to get to play with Suzanne all the time?"

"Not gonna lie, it's the best. Sex is always better after a night of jamming together too. But I'm guessing you already know that after last night." He grinned.

Jo turned pink. "Maybe."

She went to the instrument cabinet and pulled out her dad's Gibson SG. "I love this guitar," Jo said, putting it on. "I have to get Dad to let me take it on the tour one of these years." She plugged it into one of the small guitar amps and set the volume low. No reason to wake up everyone else. She started noodling around with a solo.

Larry sat at the old black Pearl kit, skipping his massive collection of red Ludwigs. "Do Little Wing," he said.

"What?" Jo stopped playing and looked at him.

"Little Wing. Stevie Ray Vaughan? You come out here and play it by yourself sometimes. You don't remember? You and I jammed on it the day..." he trailed off.

Jo stared into the distance as the memories came rushing back. Little Wing. The song she played to herself out here when she was sad. When she'd walked away from another of her 'relationships' over the years. When she was missing mom. When she'd broken up with Blue, ran away from her in her dad's helicopter, then came back to tell her how she actually felt, only to find her gone. That time had been the best she'd ever played it, almost as good as Stevie Ray. She'd crushed the tune with the weight of her emotions.

"Sorry," Larry said, watching her face. "Didn't mean to bring up bad memories."