hands together briskly, trying to push away some of the sweat I feel building on them. I’m nervous about tonight and not just because of Duke Ellington and the chance to perform with him. Even just to meet him. I’m nervous because it’s the first time I’ll see Tommy for more than two seconds since the pre-C hristmas incident, or complete and utter loss of my damn mind as I’ve come to think of it. I haven’t taken any laudanum since then either and while the headaches have crept back a couple times, I’d rather deal with the pain than the aftermath of poor decisions made in a drug fueled haze. No matter how phenomenal they were.
“What are you gonna do tonight?” I ask Lucy, noting her very casual dress.
“I’m going to a small party one of the other girls is throwing. Nothing huge. I’ll sing some songs, play some games, shout ‘Happy New Year!’ on the roof and head home.”
I smile. “It sounds wonderful.”
“Ha!” she laughs, not believing me. “It’s nothing compared to meeting Duke Ellington but I’m excited about it.”
“What is Rob doing?”
“Flying. Delivering mail. Righting wrongs. Saving the world.”
“One letter at a time?”
“How else is it to be done?”
Lucy did not return with the family heirloom diamond as we had expected but she did come back with a very clear picture of what Rob wanted. Her. He absolutely , 100%, for all eternity wants her. He didn’t have a ring, his grandparents had been too poor to afford one and his mother was still using hers, but it’s in the works. Lucy is ‘engaged to be engaged’ as she put it and she couldn’t be happier. I and Rosaline, on the other hand, are starting to wonder where we are going to live in the next couple years. We are getting by without Alice, but without Lucy too? We’re sunk.
“Are they sending a car for you?” Lucy asks, grabbing her coat.
I frown. “No. I’ll walk. It’s not far.”
“That’s strange, isn’t it?”
“It’s not.”
It is. It’s very strange. Ralph never mentioned it, Tommy hasn’t had time to talk to me (thank God!) and no one else said a word about my coming to the club tonight. Considering one of my idols will be there, that’s all very strange.
Lucy and I walk down to the sidewalk together and say our goodbyes while we head our separate ways. I feel silly dressed up as I am and walking through the city streets but it’s late, nearly 10pm, and several people similarly dressed have spilled out of clubs out onto the sidewalks. I can hear music rolling out of open windows and doors, shouts of excitement and joy ringing out in the cold air and suddenly walking doesn’t seem so bad. At one point I even cross paths with a group of men and women stumbling down the street singing a popular song I do in the club almost every night. I join in as I pass them, receiving a round of applause and sloppy handshakes.
Then I’m home, at the door of the Cotton Club and I can hear the familiar music of Duke and his boys wafting through the walls. My pulse slams out of control. I feel lightheaded from excitement. The world takes on a razor sharp fineness to it, almost making it grainy, and I’m acutely aware of every detail in every brick in the walls. This is it. This is when my dreams and life collide. This is when I take that next step toward my ultimate goal, toward Harlem, toward New York, toward the Big Time. My moment is finally now.
“Adrian.” Rick says when he sees me. He sounds surprised . That should be my first clue. “What are you doin’ here, darlin’?”
I laugh, feeling light and giddy. “What do you think I’m doing here? I’m meeting Duke Ellington.”
Rick grimaces, looking over his shoulder toward the closed door of the club. “We’re all full up, Aid.”
“What?”
“We’re full. At capacity.”
“Since when?”
“It’s a busy night.” he mutters, not meeting my eyes.
I force another laugh, this one far less airy. “What? Is the Fire Marshal in
“What are you gonna do tonight?” I ask Lucy, noting her very casual dress.
“I’m going to a small party one of the other girls is throwing. Nothing huge. I’ll sing some songs, play some games, shout ‘Happy New Year!’ on the roof and head home.”
I smile. “It sounds wonderful.”
“Ha!” she laughs, not believing me. “It’s nothing compared to meeting Duke Ellington but I’m excited about it.”
“What is Rob doing?”
“Flying. Delivering mail. Righting wrongs. Saving the world.”
“One letter at a time?”
“How else is it to be done?”
Lucy did not return with the family heirloom diamond as we had expected but she did come back with a very clear picture of what Rob wanted. Her. He absolutely , 100%, for all eternity wants her. He didn’t have a ring, his grandparents had been too poor to afford one and his mother was still using hers, but it’s in the works. Lucy is ‘engaged to be engaged’ as she put it and she couldn’t be happier. I and Rosaline, on the other hand, are starting to wonder where we are going to live in the next couple years. We are getting by without Alice, but without Lucy too? We’re sunk.
“Are they sending a car for you?” Lucy asks, grabbing her coat.
I frown. “No. I’ll walk. It’s not far.”
“That’s strange, isn’t it?”
“It’s not.”
It is. It’s very strange. Ralph never mentioned it, Tommy hasn’t had time to talk to me (thank God!) and no one else said a word about my coming to the club tonight. Considering one of my idols will be there, that’s all very strange.
Lucy and I walk down to the sidewalk together and say our goodbyes while we head our separate ways. I feel silly dressed up as I am and walking through the city streets but it’s late, nearly 10pm, and several people similarly dressed have spilled out of clubs out onto the sidewalks. I can hear music rolling out of open windows and doors, shouts of excitement and joy ringing out in the cold air and suddenly walking doesn’t seem so bad. At one point I even cross paths with a group of men and women stumbling down the street singing a popular song I do in the club almost every night. I join in as I pass them, receiving a round of applause and sloppy handshakes.
Then I’m home, at the door of the Cotton Club and I can hear the familiar music of Duke and his boys wafting through the walls. My pulse slams out of control. I feel lightheaded from excitement. The world takes on a razor sharp fineness to it, almost making it grainy, and I’m acutely aware of every detail in every brick in the walls. This is it. This is when my dreams and life collide. This is when I take that next step toward my ultimate goal, toward Harlem, toward New York, toward the Big Time. My moment is finally now.
“Adrian.” Rick says when he sees me. He sounds surprised . That should be my first clue. “What are you doin’ here, darlin’?”
I laugh, feeling light and giddy. “What do you think I’m doing here? I’m meeting Duke Ellington.”
Rick grimaces, looking over his shoulder toward the closed door of the club. “We’re all full up, Aid.”
“What?”
“We’re full. At capacity.”
“Since when?”
“It’s a busy night.” he mutters, not meeting my eyes.
I force another laugh, this one far less airy. “What? Is the Fire Marshal in
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