Chapter14-Fighting To Return

March 15th, 2012

 It’s several weeks later, and 7th Anthem are about to release their single, Do You Feel Me. So far, Brandon had been chosen to replace Justin if he needed to be replaced. But before that could be done, they needed to find out if Justin can return to the band.

 Justin was asked by the members for any updates, and he would say the same thing: No change. Now it’s been a month since his parents gained conservatorship over him, and his future in the band was hanging in the balance. 

 So the members gathered in front of a laptop to Skype him. Alyson spoke first: “Justin, it’s been a month now. First I need to ask, how are feeling now?”

 He replied, “A lot better now. I actually feel a lot more rested than ever. I can’t even remember the last time I had real sleep.”

 Andrew gave a small laugh, and said, “Too long, actually.”

 Alyson continued, “Well, that’s good to know. Anyway, we’re doing this Skype meeting so we can find out your place in the band. Has your parents said anything yet?”

 Justin said, “No, they haven’t.”

 “Did you ask them?”

 “To be honest, I didn’t. Look, you don’t understand my situation here. My sister Taylor is conspiring against me. She’ll do whatever it takes to send me to a mental hospital. I’ll be lucky if she’ll let rejoin the band.”

 That shocked the members. Andrew, who has barely talked to him, spoke up: “Justin…you can’t let your sister control your life. Your parents have conservatorship over you, not Taylor.”

 Justin said, “Andrew, you don’t get it. She sides with mum and dad. She calls Hayley and me liars. She doesn’t acknowledge that she’s English, and that I’m her brother. She is in complete denial, and yet, she’s manipulative. She got Hayley to be sent to a boarding school in England. Who knows what Taylor will do to me?”

 “This is stupid! She’s younger than you.”

 “Yeah, but she’s manipulative. I’m practically her slave. She’s making me do her homework and her chores. I even have to style her hair. She claims I can do it since I’m supposedly gay now.”

 Andrew thought for a moment, and then he said, “Okay, look, we need you in the band. Brandon’s good, but you’re our founding member. If Taylor is doing everything in her power to send you to a mental hospital, then you should file a lawsuit. Against both her and your parents. Taylor shouldn’t be controlling your life like this. And besides, I’m bi, and I don’t style women’s hair. I only style mine.”

 Justin saw Andrew give a smug grin. He glared at him, and then said, “Anyway, you got a point. But how can I file a lawsuit if my parents have control over my life?”

 “I’ll look into this. There has to be a way. It’s one thing for your parents to take care of you, it’s another thing for a sibling to take advantage of your situation, and try to prevent you from returning to the band.”

 “Thanks Andrew, but we have to be careful. If we follow through with this, I may never return to the band.”

 Andrew nodded in silence. And with that, the Skype session ended. Andrew was in deep thought when this ended. Alyson rubbed his back, and asked, “Is there a loophole?”

 He replied, “I don’t know. I can talk to my parents, and see what they say. But this isn’t right. Taylor is his little sister, not his mom. She shouldn’t be taking advantage of him like this.”

 Bailey asked, “So, what are we going to do?”

 Alyson thought for a moment, and said, “I think we should force a meeting with Justin’s parents and Taylor. We need to talk to them, and we do this with Andrew’s parents around, and our manager.”

 Andrew nodded his head in agreement. Then he said, “I’ll call them up, and see if we either have to fly to Boston, or if they can come to London.”

 It’s a few days later, and 7A and their manager Louis arrived in Boston. They couldn’t convince the Harrison’s to come to London, so they had to go back to their hometown. They all entered the main boardroom of the Hawthorne Law Firm. This meeting involved legalities, and they needed Andrew’s parents in the room in case something happens. 

 Once everyone was in the room, Justin and his parents were in the boardroom. Taylor was at school at the time, so she couldn’t be present.

 The meeting begun with Louis speaking: “Okay, we’re all here to discuss Justin’s future in the band. Now, it’s been a month. Justin, how are you now than when you were last month?”

 As Justin was about to speak, his mother interrupted him, saying, “Justin has made great progress, but he had outburst one time.”

 “What kind of outburst.”

 The father explained, “He told lies to Taylor about how he and Hayley were brought in England.”

 Justin sat there, trying to give no emotion. As for his bandmates, they also tried to look cold, but only Andrew and Alyson showed any emotion. They were apparently frustrated. 

 The parents noticed that, so the mother asked, “What’s wrong?”

 Andrew shook his head, but Alyson said, “I think you should let Justin speak for himself. If he has recovered mentally, then he should say his point of view.”

 Andrew nodded his head in agreement with her. Mr. Harrison said, “No. He is not capable of saying what is on his mind. He told lies to Taylor.”

 Andrew asked harshly, “What if you’re the one telling lies? What if he was telling the truth about his upbringing?”

 Suddenly, Mrs. Hawthorne, his mother, scolded him, “Andrew! Sit down!”

 Mr. Harrison said, “Actually, let the young man speak. Tell me, how is Justin telling the truth? Is there proof that what he is saying is factual? Tell me that if you insist on being singing lawyer.”

 Andrew gave a big sigh, and said, “Bailey told us what he told her. Justin explained that you and Mrs. Harrison were very popular authors in England during the 80s. But you both got so caught up with publishing books and teaching at Oxford that you neglected Justin and Hayley. He had to be a father to her. He tried to get your attention by acting like Bart Simpson on steroids. Instead, you sent him to boarding school.

 “He was angry towards you two. Then some time after settling in America, he took his anger out on me. During the UTurn years, he didn’t get any better. In fact, his anger took over his life. He became numb, and started taking on my personality. Then you send Hayley to boarding school in England. That put Justin over the edge. That’s why he mixed prescription medication with other substances and alcohol, which resulted in his blackout, which led to his public meltdown.

 “Can’t you see what your years of neglect did to him? Because of this, he never opened to any of us. Because of this, he’s future in 7th Anthem is hanging in the balance. Now, tell me he lied to Bailey. Tell me you’re telling the truth. Tell me you and Mrs. Harrison didn’t ignore Justin and Hayley back in the 90s. Tell me!”

 With that, there was silence in the boardroom. Andrew’s parents were stunned by his strong argument, as were everyone else, except Alyson. Justin gave a small smile. Andrew turned to him, and gave him a small nod. Then Andrew sat down.

 Louis thought for a moment. Then he said, “I want to speak to the Harrison’s alone. Only the Hawthorne’s may stay. Everyone else, including Justin and Andrew, wait in the lobby.”

 So 7A left the boardroom. They were sent to the main office, where Andrew’s parents worked. Justin approached Andrew, and said, “Thank you, Andrew. I don’t deserve what you did for me.”

 Andrew said, “Justin...I…I forgive you. But I don’t trust you. But you are a vital member to band. You are one of the founding members. So you need to be back in the band, regardless of where you and I stand.”

 Justin nodded his head. 

 Then they all waited in silence. It got boring enough to where the members got busy by being on their phones. Now it’s three hours later, and there’s still deliberation in the boardroom.

 Suddenly, Taylor barged into the office. The members saw her at the doorway. Justin asked, “Taylor, what are you doing here?”

 She approached him, “I just got out of school.”

 He said in a defeated tone, “Taylor, they’re in the boardroom across from this office. If you want to seal my fate, go ahead.”

 With that, Bailey, who has been silent the entire time, stood up. She said, “No, Justin! What Taylor is doing to you is not right! This band is your life, your career.”

 Then she turned to Taylor, and said, “Taylor, you can’t control your brother. He’s older than you. His parents have conservatorship over him, not you. You’ve deceived and manipulated your parents. I don’t know what you have against him, but this band is his career. And we need him because he is very important. He’s one of the four founding members of 7th Anthem. 

 “If you have him sent to a mental hospital just because you don’t want to acknowledge you older brother, his past, and the fact you’re British, we will go as far as suing you for keeping him hostage. If he is now mentally capable of making decisions, then let him rejoin the band. Otherwise, you will be sued, and the lawsuit will be all over the tabloids and the internet. Do you want that following your life around? Do you want the world to know that you destroyed your brother’s life?”

 The members were stunned by what Bailey just did. For years, she would be silent, and allow Andrew and Alyson to make the strong arguments. Now it was her turn to defend Justin. Taylor stood there, glaring at Bailey. It soon turned into a staring match.

 Then Taylor said coldly, “You want your Justin back? Fine.”

 So with that, Taylor went straight into the boardroom. Her parents, the Hawthorne’s and Louis were surprised to see her come in like that. 

 It’s an hour later. 7A were still in the office, waiting to hear the verdict. Then what seemed like forever, Justin’s parents, Taylor, the Hawthorne’s, and Louis entered the office. Louis made this announcement: “Justin…you are now returning to 7th Anthem!”

 With that, the members breathed sighs of relief. No one was more relieved than Justin. Then Louis told Justin, “Not so fast. Justin, your parents are still your conservators. So they will be overseeing your finances, and your mental health. You are to keep taking your prescribed schizophrenic medication. You are not to abuse the medication. If you have another meltdown, you will be sent to a mental hospital. You will not be allowed to rejoin 7th Anthem. Is that understood?”

 Justin said, “Yes, of course!”

 Then Louis gave a smile. The war was finally over. Justin was now well enough to be in the back again. As the members were congratulating him, Justin eyed Taylor, who was standing there, sulking and with her arms crossed. He wanted to go talk to her, but he saw what Hayley saw in her. At the point in her life, Taylor was set in her ways. She doesn’t want to acknowledge her brother and her connections with England. It was her choice, a choice she will have to live with.