Right To Be Heard: Prologue
“I have to leave the tour,” Adam said seriously.
He had imagined the look on the manager’s face all morning, but Adam’s imagination did little justice to the smirk he saw.
“You’re joking,” Jack said.
Adam shook his head. “For medical reasons,” he elaborated. “I have a polyp on my vocal cord. I’ve had some hemorrhaging. The doctor said vocal rest and surgery.”
He knew that technically, he shouldn’t even be talking right now, but he had no choice. Lugging a white board and a dry-erase marker in to a meeting wasn’t going to be an option until it absolutely had to be. Adam was going in for surgery soon enough, and after that, there would be months of silence, with no guarantee that he would get his voice back.
“But you can still speak.”
Adam nodded.
“Can you sing?” Jack pressed.
“Technically, yes, but my range is limited and I’m hoarse.”
“That’s been the case for months, Adam. I don’t get what all the fuss is about.”
Adam ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't slept well for weeks, and he knew it showed. He was pale and his eyes were ringed by dark circles. “If I keep singing like this, I could lose my voice for good.”
“And you could lose your voice anyway, to this crazy operation you’re proposing! Adam, it’s no secret. You’re the biggest draw we’ve got to this tour. If you leave, we’re out a hell of a lot of money. And you’re not getting paid.”
“I’m aware of that,” Adam answered stiffly.
“Well, then, have the doctor give you some steroids or something to get you through til the end of tour!” Jack exclaimed.
“That’s entirely against the doctor’s advice. I’m having the surgery,”
Adam set his jaw, and his eyes got darker with intensity. Jack knew that look. “Can you at least put it off until we’re finished?”
“The tour goes for months. This is my livelihood. My career. I have to do whatever I can to protect it. Now if you’ll excuse me--”
“You’re outside of your contract,” Jack threatened.
Adam shook his head. “There’s leeway in there for medical reasons. I read the fine print.”
It took all of Adam’s self-control not to slam the door on his way out.