his sweaty hand before shaking mine. “The kid’s got talent.”
“Thank you, so do you.”
“Any monkey can do what I do.”
“I think, then monkeys must be very talented percussionists.”
He shook his head at the compliment. “You know you can come downstairs? The liquor’s flowing.”
“I’ll be down. I’m waiting for Sidney.”
“Really? Cool. Well, I’ll see you later then,” he said and left the stage.
Sidney walked over. “I’ve a load of stuff to take to the van, and I want to wash some of the sweat off. Can I meet you downstairs?”
“Sure, I’ll be in the hall.”
He nodded.
I found the stairs, and when I opened the door, I was blown away by the cool air. I passed a women’s washroom, stopped, turned around, and walked back to check my makeup. I’m sure Sidney wasn’t the only one who needed to get rid of some sweat. I was happy to see I had the place to myself. I looked at the woman in the mirror and saw that I was glowing. I repaired my makeup where needed. I had a feeling, the vipers in the lounge would be looking for any flaw to pounce upon. I took time to use the facilities. As I washed my hands, I wished that I could have a drink in me before entering the band lounge. I hoped that I wouldn’t thwart Alex’s good time by being here, but I was Sidney’s date and would pretend Alex was just another band member.
I moved my hands through my curls, pulling down the ones that the humidity had shortened. I blushed, thinking about Sidney’s hands in my hair, his lips on mine. Oh god, what was I doing here?
The door opened and a woman breezed in. She glanced at me before going into a stall. I didn’t want to make chitchat in the john, so I left as soon as I heard the stall door’s lock click.
I turned the corner, and the party seemed to have spilled out into the hall. I smiled and walked around until I found an empty place to lean against the wall. It wasn’t long before Sidney joined me. He kissed me lightly before putting his arm around me.
“Shall we?”
“Sure.”
He guided me past the various groups. Someone handed him a few beers. I took a long pull of the icy brew and found it refreshing. We inched our way towards Elijah. People were introduced along the way. I caught about a third of the names. I no longer was Alex’s mom; I was Sidney’s girl. I liked that. I nodded to Harry who was chatting up a young woman wearing very expensive clothes. I suspected this might be Mandy Broadhurst. Harry was drinking water. Inwardly, I was overjoyed, considering he would be driving my car home.
“Cin, this is…”
My attention was forced back to Sidney and the polo-shirted man in front of me.
“He’s the band manager,” Sidney finished.
My inner librarian came up with the name that I didn’t hear.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Richards.”
“Tom, call me Tom. I understand you’re the one that spotted the light tower problem. Thank God, you were here. I haven’t told the band yet.”
“That can wait. Let them enjoy their success,” I said.
“We’ll talk soon,” Tom said before moving off to talk to someone else.
“Sidney, the girl stealer,” Elijah greeted us. “I turn my back for five minutes and Stoneridge moves in.”
I couldn’t tell if Elijah was teasing or not. The rocker was fragrant with whiskey. He held on to the bottle of Jack Daniels that he had drunk a good quantity of.
“It was a fantastic concert. The crowd loved the new songs,” I said quickly.
“Do you think so? I need honesty here. Too many suck-ups.”
“From where I was sitting, the audience was enchanted, and by the second chorus of the second new song, they were singing along.”
“That’s good,” he said. “Thanks for coming.”
“No problem.”
“Stoneridge, you take care of her, or I’m going to break your scrawny neck,” Elijah said.
A young woman tapped Elijah on the back, and I
“Thank you, so do you.”
“Any monkey can do what I do.”
“I think, then monkeys must be very talented percussionists.”
He shook his head at the compliment. “You know you can come downstairs? The liquor’s flowing.”
“I’ll be down. I’m waiting for Sidney.”
“Really? Cool. Well, I’ll see you later then,” he said and left the stage.
Sidney walked over. “I’ve a load of stuff to take to the van, and I want to wash some of the sweat off. Can I meet you downstairs?”
“Sure, I’ll be in the hall.”
He nodded.
I found the stairs, and when I opened the door, I was blown away by the cool air. I passed a women’s washroom, stopped, turned around, and walked back to check my makeup. I’m sure Sidney wasn’t the only one who needed to get rid of some sweat. I was happy to see I had the place to myself. I looked at the woman in the mirror and saw that I was glowing. I repaired my makeup where needed. I had a feeling, the vipers in the lounge would be looking for any flaw to pounce upon. I took time to use the facilities. As I washed my hands, I wished that I could have a drink in me before entering the band lounge. I hoped that I wouldn’t thwart Alex’s good time by being here, but I was Sidney’s date and would pretend Alex was just another band member.
I moved my hands through my curls, pulling down the ones that the humidity had shortened. I blushed, thinking about Sidney’s hands in my hair, his lips on mine. Oh god, what was I doing here?
The door opened and a woman breezed in. She glanced at me before going into a stall. I didn’t want to make chitchat in the john, so I left as soon as I heard the stall door’s lock click.
I turned the corner, and the party seemed to have spilled out into the hall. I smiled and walked around until I found an empty place to lean against the wall. It wasn’t long before Sidney joined me. He kissed me lightly before putting his arm around me.
“Shall we?”
“Sure.”
He guided me past the various groups. Someone handed him a few beers. I took a long pull of the icy brew and found it refreshing. We inched our way towards Elijah. People were introduced along the way. I caught about a third of the names. I no longer was Alex’s mom; I was Sidney’s girl. I liked that. I nodded to Harry who was chatting up a young woman wearing very expensive clothes. I suspected this might be Mandy Broadhurst. Harry was drinking water. Inwardly, I was overjoyed, considering he would be driving my car home.
“Cin, this is…”
My attention was forced back to Sidney and the polo-shirted man in front of me.
“He’s the band manager,” Sidney finished.
My inner librarian came up with the name that I didn’t hear.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Richards.”
“Tom, call me Tom. I understand you’re the one that spotted the light tower problem. Thank God, you were here. I haven’t told the band yet.”
“That can wait. Let them enjoy their success,” I said.
“We’ll talk soon,” Tom said before moving off to talk to someone else.
“Sidney, the girl stealer,” Elijah greeted us. “I turn my back for five minutes and Stoneridge moves in.”
I couldn’t tell if Elijah was teasing or not. The rocker was fragrant with whiskey. He held on to the bottle of Jack Daniels that he had drunk a good quantity of.
“It was a fantastic concert. The crowd loved the new songs,” I said quickly.
“Do you think so? I need honesty here. Too many suck-ups.”
“From where I was sitting, the audience was enchanted, and by the second chorus of the second new song, they were singing along.”
“That’s good,” he said. “Thanks for coming.”
“No problem.”
“Stoneridge, you take care of her, or I’m going to break your scrawny neck,” Elijah said.
A young woman tapped Elijah on the back, and I
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