“Yeah, Jack,” I said. “I know.” I rolled my eyes, returning to the cash register.

“Hey, babe,” AJ said. “Fun day at the office, I see?”

I turned around to see him leaning against the counter. The line was forever getting longer. “Hey, I didn’t know you were coming by today. You don’t need to be in the studio right now?”

“Why would I be there? The album’s done! Finito!”

“Really? That’s amazing!”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m meeting the fellas in a little bit for lunch to celebrate. But I wanted to come by and see you first.”

I glanced back at the impatient customers staring at me. “AJ, can this wait?”

“Nope, the interview is this morning.”

I stared at him. “Interview for what?”

He peered at me from over his sunglasses. “Come with me and you’ll find out.”

“I can’t just leave!”

“Michelle. You see that guy over there?” he motioned to Jack. “You know he’s a jerk. I know he’s a jerk. This place is apparently never going to realize your potential and promote you. Time to say screw it.”

“You’re kidding me?” I put my hands on my hips. He couldn’t possibly be serious.

AJ shrugged, a sly smile on his face and started heading for the door. He gave me a look, silently asking if I was going to follow.

I started shaking my head. He was crazy. I glanced at Jack, a look of disapproval etched into his face. “You know what?” I said. “Sure.”

I took of my apron and grabbed my stuff. Peter was gone forever from my life, and with him, the feeling of inferiority he’d given me. A new life was within reach, and I was going to grab for it.

“What are you doing?” Jack demanded.

“Jack, I quit. I threw the apron on the counter and waved at the people as I walked by. “Good luck. Seems like you have a lot of people to serve!”

Outside, AJ was cheering. “I can’t believe you just did that!”

“Oh my God, I’m jobless. I have no idea how I’m going to pay my bills, but… that felt pretty darn good.”

AJ smiled. “Don’t even worry about it. A job opened up for the record company, at the studio. I started talking with some people, telling them who you were, where you worked…”

“Oh yeah,” I said, already worried. “I’m sure my coffee making skills really impressed them.”

“Calm down! The receptionist remembered you and put in a good word. And everyone respects her opinion. Anyway, it’s entry level. Not much more than you’re probably making now. But you’d be helping to manage booking studio time and keeping everything organized. And there’s room for advancement.”

“You think I can do it?” I asked, not at all mentally prepared for an interview.

He grabbed each of my shoulders. “Michelle, I know you are.”

I was never, ever going to tire from looking into his deep brown eyes. I nodded and followed him to the studio.

~*~AJ’s point of view~*~

“It is so nice to be eating something other than hospital food! Living off jello for days is not for me,” I said.

“Right. Because you didn’t have a cool friend who snuck you in McDonalds every once in awhile?” Nick said pointedly.

I laughed.

“So are you guys ready to get out there again?” Howie asked.

Nick nodded. “It’s been too long since we’ve toured! I’m going a little crazy.”

“Nick, you’re always a little crazy!” I opened one end of the straw and blew the wrapper at him.

“I’m glad our music has matured more than we have,” Howie rolled his eyes.

Brian turned serious. “Guys, we’re really going to need to focus. We have to prove to everyone that we are just as good of a group of four. The harmonies are just as good. Whatever the media has to say about us, we need to stay on the same page. They’re always trying to cut us down and break us up. We’re going on fifteen years here, our fans our loyal. We’ve have to be unbreakable…”

I stopped listening to what he was saying. Something had caught my attention. I elbowed him.

“And… what?” he turned to me.

“I think we finally have our album title.”

Nick and Howie stared at me curiously.

“What?” Brian asked.

“Unbreakable,” I said. We’d certainly beaten the odds time and time again. I thought of our superhero action figures. We were still making music, long after our “shelf life” was supposed to end.

Brian thought about it. “That’s really good.”

The other two seemed to approve as well. Howie said “good job, AJ” just as Nick was saying “good job, Brian.”

“Hey, it was my idea!” Brian laughed, turning to me.

“What? I was the one who pointed it out, or you wouldn’t have even noticed!”

“But I said it,” Brian shoved me a little.

“Rok, you are delusional!” I shoved him back.

“Me? I came up with the title! As usual!” he stuck out his tongue.

People started to stare, but we didn’t notice. The four of us were having a good time.

It seemed like this quartet thing was going to work out afterall.

~*~*~*~*~

“Hey, how did it go?” I asked Michelle. I was picking her up to go to dinner at Brian’s. A double date.

Michelle’s smile lit up her face. “I think I have a new job.”

“That’s great!” I enveloped her in a hug and gave her a kiss.

“Thanks, AJ.”

“Um, before I passed out, I kind of remember you switching to Alex again. What happened to that?”

“AJ, Alex,” Michelle shrugged. “I love them both.”

I smiled. We’d gone through so much, but suddenly it all seemed so easy.

“You know,” Michelle said. “You only said those three little words once to me.”

“What words?”

She followed me outside and cocked her head to the side. “You know what words.”

I smiled taking both of her hands into mine. “Michelle, I love you.”

I saw her smile, but she shook her head. “Oh, that’s not enough now.”

“What do you mean? I’m not about to be unconscious this time.”

“But you went too long without saying it. Now you’ve gotta prove it.”

“How?” I asked her, putting on my sunglasses. Summer was almost over. I’d be leaving to do a radio promo tour soon. I was enjoying every second I had with her while I could. Of course, one reason I wanted her to get hired by the studio?

There were always jobs to do on the road. It’d be easier to get her to come with me more often.

Michelle shrugged. “That’s for you to decide.”

I noticed her sly smile and started catching on. “You pick up your new car tomorrow.”

“Ah, but this is today.”

I thought about it. Brian’s house wasn’t too far away.

I handed her the keys to my Porsche.

“Aw, you do love me!” she grinned.

“Just a little bit,” I laughed, opening the driver’s door for her. “But be careful!”

“Oh, you know me! I never get into any trouble.”

I laughed and got in the seat next to her. “Alright, where’s my cape? Never know when I’m going to need it!”

“Haven’t driven in awhile. This is fun!” Michelle said, speeding up a little as she got out onto the road.

“Did I say cape? I meant seatbelt!” I grabbed it as she flashed me the smile I was usually giving her.

“The ride is only beginning!” she laughed.

And that was more than fine with me.