Oh! Hey! I am so glad you are back!
The Bluewater Inn is humming. It is vibrant, it is alive! Kenny arrived last time. Kenneth Steel is a character by Spladoum. And I thank her from the bottom of my heart for sending him over. Please read about Kenny’s story in the forums:
http://forums.thesimsresource.com/showpost.php?p=3932288&postcount=292

I should thank a lot of people. You know who you are my friends! Please, may I invite you to read chapter 3? Have FUN! (That’s what the intention is)

*****

Evan Enqvist had not wasted much time after he got the phone call from Bubbles. She said she needed to talk to him. Nothing specific, but just that it had been too long since she had seen him and she wanted to dot her Is and cross her Ts, get her head cleared from cobwebs. He knew what she meant. He had been a psycho analyst for 10.000 years or so. He told his secretary to forward only the important calls, (she knew what he meant by that…) locked his office and was just in time to catch the late flight to Bridgeport.

Bubbles could be chaotic. Multi tasking was one of the fables he would tell her the truth about. You just ended up doing two things at the same time with less concentration for each. Like now for instance. She was thinking about bookings, and how she could’ve missed the one from Kenneth Steel, while she was making him a cocktail… Neither thought nor action were getting her full attention.

Kenneth, or Kenny as he liked to be called, declined the cocktail. That bar was too much in the open. He preferred to stay inside. Too much fresh air out there too. He wondered why he was staying here. All he had to do was go to the city and book a hotel room there and check out some of the clubs and bands playing there. He had asked that Bubbly Bubbles to prepare him something to eat, and while he made his way to the kitchen, he heard music coming from the garage…

Without a word he sat down at the keyboard and joined the man plucking away at his bass in a jazzy jam session. This was a nice extra no down town hotel had to offer. He let the idea of checking out right away go.

“Oh my… Evan… I should prepare something to eat for Mr. Steel. Would you care for some eggs too?”
“No thanks, Bubbles. I think I will turn in and sleep for a straight 7 hours for a change. Is that music coming from the garage? Who’s playing?”

All stood and listened to Kenny and Jozef jamming away. Not bad… Really not bad at all.

“Hi Bubbles, Do I smell fried eggs? I must say I could eat anything just now. Forgot all about the time. I had a nice time with eh… “
“That’s Mr. Kenneth Steel, Jozef.” Bubbles didn’t see Kenny bristle. Jozef did.
“Hi, my name is Jozef Tremont. Funky touch on the ivories and ebonies you have.”
“Jozef, grab a plate when you are hungry. There’s plenty. Evan turned in already. He’s in the tropical room.”

“How are those eggs Mister Steele? Is it alright if I call you Kenneth?”
Kenny almost choked. No one ever called him Kenneth except for his mom. And she was gone–first she left home, and then she died on him. He took his irritation out on his host.
“Do you expect me to eat this with my fingers? …You do, don’t you?” Kenny asked, testing this landlady’s sense of humor. Kenny was tired. His humor had soured into sarcasm at this point. He thought that Bubbles was too nice. Literally too nice. He had declined the welcome cocktail and had asked for something to eat instead. She cheerfully baked him eggs, even if it already was after midnight…
“Jozef, be a dear,” Bubbles said, “can you get Mr. Steel a fork from the drawer?”

Jozef sized Kenny up as he offered him the fork. He’d figured this one for a spoiled brat, and now he knew he was right. He could put this kid in his place, no problem.
“I bet you live in one of them houses that’s so damn big you get lost. I bet you’re friends with cops too. Am I right?”
“Now Jozef… Why don’t we go into the living room and drink some tea. I think Mr. Steel is tired from the trip and would like to go to his room? Let me get you your key. I prepared the Green room for you. I hope it will be to your liking”

The tone had been set.

Kenny went to his room. He was tired. That landlady got on his nerves, and he didn’t know why. Time to call Nate. He had promised his brother to ring when he got here. He looked at the time: 1:30 am. No, Nate was probably not going to be happy. He shrugged his shoulders. He needed to call right away when he got here right?

Next day when Kenny walked into the living room, he ran into that overly-cheerful woman and her brother. Now, the brother was a nice person… didn’t talk much, was giving him some space…

But the woman got on his nerves. She reminded him of his mom… now he loved his mom, but the thought of this person being so close to him, like his mom would be made him feel edgy and nervous. It seemed like she already knew him too well!

“You know Kenny… I don’t know you from Adam, but I see that you seem totally happy when you play. How about doing some jamming at my place in the city with the boys?”

While Evan was out recycling, Jozef made a call. Evan was curious about Bubbles. She made her dream come true. She had her Bed and Breakfast. But Evan also worried about the array of characters being in Bubbles’ face day in and out. Bubbles needed a focus point. Bubbles needed vast ground under her feet. He came in time, or so he thought, to talk some sense into her.

Jozef was talking to his old friend Jeff Hailey. How about if they would form a band. Just like they had in the old days? Could Jeff possibly get Tadd Pole to join too? Jozef also added he might bring someone along. Someone who could play the keys like no one he ever met before. And thus the name of Jozef’s new band was formed. It was going to be “the Ebonies”.

So… Jozef brought Kenny. They met at the old abandoned CycloneSue Factory. That’s where they would usually get together and practice.

Kenny looked around… yes.. instruments were here. But what was he doing here? This was not a fancy club… It had no cachet at all. This was not exactly what he was looking for.

While he sat down and started to play away, Jeff walked in and stopped at the door sill.

“Hey.. Tadd… How about us starting to practice a little with this Ivory face here… Mr. White Hair here seems to feel them blues like a real Ebony guy.”
“Yeah… well Jeff… I am going home. Need to shave and shower. Hey Mr. Ivory.. Care to join us? We could jam a little back in the city.”

That is how Kenny ended up at Jozef’s place, where Jeff and Tadd seemed at home too. He looked around. It was a big loft. Looked like they could play here. There were the instruments. Even a keyboard.

He watched the Ebonies getting together and play… Wow… they sounded good. It was a mix of Blues and Jazz. And he couldn’t wait to join in a jam session.

He only stopped to listen to Jeff on his guitar…. Oh Holy Mother… Here stood a legend.
For the first time in the whole trip, smart-mouth Kenny had nothing to say. He drank up the music and felt honored when the laughing men asked him to show them his keyboard skills.

They played, jammed and practiced. And then … out of the blue… Jozef received a phone call from a local pub. Would they perform on Friday Night?

So they did. It was the Ebonies who were asked to play. But Jozef and Jeff said they had an extra this evening. Introducing Ivory Steel, the man on the keys…

Kenny was thrilled. They actually wanted him to play with them! It was his big break!
Despite the band’s laid-back vibe, he dressed up. Very theatrical. No one would forget him! It was now or never. He was so busy with his hair that he didn’t hear Bubbles walk in. He froze and turned around at the sound of that voice…

… the HELL? What are you doing here? Can’t you KNOCK?’
‘Oh… OK… I’m sorry. But Hey. There wasn’t a Do not Disturb sign on your door knob. How was I supposed to know? You DO need fresh towels.’“Towels?! … god! I’m trying to get ready for the biggest night of my life and you wanna know about towels!?

“Go away! Leave me alone!”
Even as he said it he felt awful, but she was hitting a sore spot. A spot only reserved for people who really knew him. At the same time he wondered IF someone really knew him. He knew his brother Nate did. And his mom… but this woman? How could a complete stranger trigger him like she did? Somehow, even her kindness hurt.
Bubbles backed off. Ready to go and leave him alone in his room. But wondering why being the Inn keeper she could not ask a simple question about clean sheets.

Bubbles was thinking hard… Thinking really hard what she could say. She was boiling inside. What was this spoiled brat thinking? She needed to talk to Evan. She was not capable of handling situations like this. Had she crossed a line? Was she not allowed to be in here?

“OK… Fine, Mr. Steel. Dinner will be served early tonight, because of your important performance with our dear Jozef tonight. Leave your laundry on the floor. I will see to it we get it when you are out.”

The pub started to fill with people. Kenny and Jozef were the first to start warming up. Bubbles had gathered all of her courage and had pulled herself together. She absolutely didn’t want to miss Jozef’s first big gig. Even if that meant having to face Kenny again!

While the band was still fine tuning, people walked in. The place became crowded. Wesley showed up. He had read about the performance in the local paper.

Nora Winters was there too, all dressed in black. No one really noticed, but Jozef did. He thought he needed some more time with that woman. Here was a colorful soul trying to break out. He saw she wanted to, she just needed some more help.

It was a wonderful performance. Paparazzi were there to take photos and there surely would be an ad in tomorrow’s paper.

Kenny felt like he had won a war.. all by himself. Barry knew what happened earlier that evening. Bubbles had told him. He felt really bad and he wanted to talk to Kenneth Steel about that. Also, he was attracted to this Kenneth guy, and didn’t know what to do about that.

When Barry went to his room, he left the door open and waited for Kenny to return. He would hear Kenny right away; not only were their rooms right next to each other, but Kenny was wearing boots. Leather boots. Leather boots with silver studs and suede laces and smooth uppers and hand-stitched details. He heard those boots on the stairs.
“Kenny?….”
“Hey Barry… still up?” Kenny felt a jolt go through him when he saw Barry standing there. Unlike earlier, this was a pleasant jolt.

This Bubbles woman kept giving advice that hit way too close to the mark for a stranger, and now he was growing attracted to her brother!

“You played so well tonight Kenny! I really enjoyed that! Wow! I also heard you had a small misunderstanding with Bubbles. I know she is really upset about it. Is there something I can do to help?”
“No… Barry. I was out of line. I think I was sort of rude.”
“Well, maybe you two could talk about it then?”
“I don’t know Barry… I have no idea what to say. It is complicated…I guess I could tell her I am sorry…”

“… Oh… would you? I think that is grand of you! I know Bubbles is sweet. She didn’t mean to be rude… I think if you would apologize to her she’d be Ok. Here… I want to hug you! I really like you Kenny… Thank you!”
Before Kenny knew what hit him…

Barry kissed him… Thanked him.
Now Kenny was really confused.

Kenny decided to write a thank you note… no, an excuse note to Bubbles. He would leave right after dawn. His mission was completed here. He was ready to face his family and tell them about his future plans. It would be music. Music and nothing else.

It was good that Evan Enqvist was not here as a shrink. He could retire off some of the people here.. Evan was waking up when some others went to bed. This new day would bring changes. Jozef would go back home and start a new career with the Ebonies. He would have some time these coming days to talk to Bubbles. And… he was really starting to like it here. The fresh air, the food, the company… it all did him good.

To be continued…