193:014

"Tracy?" A familiar but slurred voice met her ear.

"Blaze?" She glanced at her clock, 3am.

"I'm kind of in a spot, baby, can you come bail me out?"

"Bail you out of what?" She choked, sitting up, straight, alert.

"I'm in jail in Orange. Not good, a club we were at got busted. I don't have the money right here, but I can pay you back."

"Are you kidding? You know my policy."

"No, what policy?"

"If you're doing drugs, I can't bail you out."

"Tracy.... I'm not doing the drugs; I was at the club at a bad time."

"Blaze, they don't just hold you for bail for nothing."

"I know, would you just come down here, I'll explain it later. I've bailed you out of a bad situation, be a friend."

When he put it that way.... How could she refuse? "In Orange? Okay, I'll be there in a few."

She hung up and dialed Jake's cell, left a message and then put the baby in her car seat and got in her car. Blaze, bailing him out of jail. How had he got in this situation? She would be followed, she would be photographed, they would eat her alive this time.

She arrived, took the baby out of her seat, jostled her, woke her up, wrapped in a blanket, she entered the police station, a dimly lit, rather austere, even dirty-walled, and dirty feeling tunnel like affair. She approached the glass paneled counter, explained who she was and who she wanted to bail out, shushed the damn reporter who was behind her, hounding her relentlessly. Fortunately, the police officer at the desk wasn't too thrilled to have her entourage, and asked them all to leave the office. She could see their disappointment and the speculation. This would be everywhere before she even got him bailed out.

It didn't take long. Others with him had already been bailed out. They brought him up, she gave a credit card, retrieved his belongings, and they opened the door for him. He looked stoic, briefly, eyes darting around for paparazzi. She jerked her head to indicate that they were waiting outside. A little worse for the wear, his hair was standing out all over his head; his eyes were dark circled, his clothing disheveled, and his sandals missing completely. He grabbed her and pulled her close with one very strong arm. "Thank you for coming baby." He kissed her loudly on the ear, pulled the blanket back and planted a wet one on Kylie's head too. "You too, girlie. Thanks for getting me out of here."

Tracy shook her head. "We're not out of here yet, my friend. This is just the beginning."

"I can handle them." He said flamboyantly, stuffing his pockets with his belongings once again.

Tracy swallowed. "I left Jake at home. It's just me. You only think you can handle what's about to greet you."

He opened the door, waited for the rush of voices and bowed extravagantly, flourishing his hand like a jester. Then he began answering their calls, yes he was at the club in Newport that got busted, no he wasn't on drugs, wasn't held for dealing, or for doing. Yes, he and Tracy were an item, yes they were dating, yes, Kylie was his child, and yes they planned to be married soon. He pushed his way through the crowd that had gathered, not unusually, even though they would have thought the hour prohibitive, didn't these guys ever sleep?

She pushed him unceremoniously, even rather angrily into the front seat of her mini-van, locked the door so he couldn't say anything else and put Kylie into her car seat.

A couple of reporters were blocking her way into her door. Tracy was in no mood. "Move it." She yelled above the noise of calls and questions. One of them had grabbed her arm, Tracy jerked free and shoved her open palm into the guy's nose, he reeled back, more startled than hurt. More questions and calls slapped her offended ears. She reached for her door handle. "Get out of my way!" She had her phone, she had hit 911. "Let me go!"

"Tracy, is it true, what Blaze said?"

Tracy turned as another flash blinded her, another hand grabbed her shoulder. She turned, not caring anymore who got it. She brought a knee up, shoved fingers into eyes and jerked a camera out of someone's grasp and threw it. It hit someone's head unexpectedly, she heard the impact, and was at once chagrined and ashamed. She turned and reached for the door handle, and jumped into her van, gunning the engine, and hitting reverse as fast as she could. Blaze was laughing at her, hysterically, doubled over and alternately moving mirrors so he could see behind them. He hooted, he gulped, he belted out his mirth. Tracy slapped his hand as he tried to move her rearview mirror. He leaned over and grabbed her, pulling her by the neck and kissing her lips. Flashes went off, Tracy jerked away from him and brought a hand up, but the look in his eyes was so comical, she suddenly burst out laughing.

"Whoo Hoo! Girlfriend! Yeah!" he yelled.

Tracy glanced behind her as she saw the reporters get in their vans to follow. She raced out onto the street, onto the freeway, hooting and screaming, hair flying.

"Aiding and abetting a criminal, Trace!!! Yahoo!" Blaze had the window down and was hanging out it, almost on the roof of the van, pounding the top, yelling stuff at the reporters. "This is the life; let all your inhibitions go! Yeah!"

*****