I leaned in to see which one he was talking about. “Yeah. Not even close. I like that one.” I tapped the one just behind it.
“Hm. Not bad.”
“Um, it’s pretty fucking perfect. And it’s the one we’re using.”
“Is that even up to you?” He cocked his brow at me skeptically.
I mirrored him. “Is it not?”
“Well, I don’t mean to burst your bubble babe, but we usually vote on it.”
I grinned and rolled my eyes. He was so naïve. “Sure you do.” I took the prints from him and laid them on the dresser. Then I swung my leg over his lap and straddled him. “Or, maybe I pick out your covers. I show Royce, who naturally agrees because he has fantastic taste like I do. Then I show them to Angel because I know he won’t give a shit at which point I come to you just to see where you’re at. If you go with my pick, awesome. If not. It still comes out two against you and Derek. If you both choose different covers I automatically get my way, or better yet, you both agree and it’s a tie and I get called in to break it, in which case I still get what I want. But you’re right. You do usually vote on it.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“I know. Let me make it up to you.” And I did. Twice before dinner and a third time before we fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms and still basking in the after sex glow I was getting so accustomed to.
***
It had been three months since Linus’ attack. The summer had come to an end and, with the record finished and a new tour on the horizon, Ava was working overtime as usual. I wasn’t complaining. Unlike poor Francis who never set foot outside of the office, Ava was always on the move, going wherever the band went, which of course meant, she was always with me.
Somehow in the midst of all of her crazy scheduling she had managed to organize a charity concert at Rusty’s. At first I’d thought it was intended as some sort of a pre-show to kick off the impending tour. Then I realized what date it was. The concert had nothing to do with the band or the tour. It was for my mother.
It had been ten years to the day since her death and playing in her honor seemed like an obvious way to acknowledge it. Maybe even make peace with it. And with her.
As I took the stage, I knew I had two choices. Get up there and put on the best show I’d ever put on for the sake of my mother, the fans who had come out to support us, as well as our charity and naturally, the cause itself. Or, do more than just raise money for a charity that was dedicated to helping families just like mine, and actually do my part in raising awareness so that maybe some other kid out there wouldn’t have to grow up as scared and messed up as I did.
Once I thought about it, it really didn’t seem like much of a choice at all.
“Good evening everyone! First, I want to thank you all for being here with us tonight. Second, I want you to know we’re going to do our part and blow the fucking roof off of this place.”
The crowd went wild with anticipation. Time to dial them down a notch for just a minute.
“Before we get this party started, there’s something I’d like to talk about with you. Something many of you have had questions about.”
It had been enough to calm the roaring audience to a more manageable lull. “Some of you may have already heard about what happened. Many of us are from the same neighborhood, went to the same school. Even if you didn’t know me, you probably knew my brother, Linus.
“For those of you haven’t heard, Linus was arrested three months ago. I won’t go into any of the details regarding his situation, but I would like to take a moment to tell you about mine.
“Thing is, I’ve been keeping secrets. I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to be honest with you. Because you deserve that from me.” For the first time since Finding Nolan had started playing for crowds, the room was completely silent.
“Tonight’s concert is being played to benefit the Raising Awareness About Mental Illness Campaign. I know I usually claim that we choose our charities at random, that I don’t see any more or less value in one over the next. They all deserve our help and our attention. And that’s the truth. Mostly. I didn’t choose to support mental illness awareness by accident. I did it, because I grew up in a home where mental illness was not only ignored, it was shunned. Because of this ignorance and cruel neglect, my mother committed suicide when I was thirteen. And in recent months, my brother battled his own illness and lost as well.” I had to stop. I cleared my throat several times before I continued.
“Because my mother’s illness was a disgrace according to my father, we had been taught at an early age to lie about it. This didn’t change in her death, when my brother and I were instructed to tell anyone who asked that she had in fact died in an accident. Having been the one who found her, I can tell you in no uncertain terms. It was no accident.
“But lying was a must. And so I did. And later, when I developed my own demons, I lied some more. See, I’m an addict. My addictions and self-destructive behaviors have nearly cost me my life on more than one occasion. More importantly, they nearly cost me my best friend. The woman I love.” I turned my head to face her. She had tears in her eyes. So did I.
“My goal was to get clean in secret. No one would ever need to know. I am happy to tell you today, that I have been successful. However, I still have a long way to go. And I know that in order to get to where I want to be, I can’t keep secrets and I can’t lie. So, I’m telling the truth. Now.” I took a deep breath, preparing to make my public apology when the entire building erupted in what I could only describe as compassionate applause. It didn’t subside for several long minutes.
To my complete and utter shock, Derek, Angel and Royce had come to stand beside me, all three clapping their hands along with the crowd.
I bowed graciously toward the room and then each member of my band. I did it repeatedly and eventually a new calm overtook the room.
There was just one thing left to do.
“Enough with all of this serious stuff. I know everyone came here tonight to have a good time.” I picked up my guitar. “I suppose the best way to start is by playing our newest single.” I grinned. “Which just happens to be the number one song in the country right now.”
And just like that, the normal concert crowd came back to life.
“Oh, and in case anyone is wondering…she came back to me.”
The room went ballistic. More importantly, I could see Ava jumping up and down on the side of the stage. Now and forever, my number one fan, best friend and love of my life. And, without taking my eyes off of her, I started to sing.
“Others may not understand
The reality of love.
How it overcomes all odds
But that's okay, because I'm
finding my own way, anyway
As I search for your heart…”
THE END
Want to hear the song for real?? YOU CAN! Click HERE to listen to Blaise’s song ‘COME BACK TO ME’
Author K.S. Thomas
Dog Lover who likes her pastries full of cream and sugar….oh…and I write some
Aside from being an author, I am also a mom to a beautiful little girl. I tell everyone I named her after my great-grandmother (because that’s the mature answer), but really, I named her after my favorite princess – just so happens I got lucky and they had the same name…If I wasn’t a writer, I would work on a horse ranch – I’m an animal lover (in addition to dogs, horses are at the top of my list). I wear flip-flops pretty much everywhere I go. I would rather stay awake until 5 am than get up at 5 am (years of bar tending have left their mark), if I can, I’m going to the beach AND I will always be nice to people who bring me chocolate…or coffee…if you bring me both, I’ll probably love you forever.
A gypsy at heart, I write the way I live, following the story wherever it may lead, always ready to start the next one. This is clearly reflected in my body of work which to date includes everything from Children’s Lit to Thrillers.
; I happily reside in sunny Florida (for now) and can be contacted via my blog (Friedgatortail.com), my website (ksthomas.net) or the following social media sites ~
Facebook/Twitter/Goodreads/Pinterest
Books by K.S. Thomas include ~
I call him Brady
Save the Date
Salty
Country Girls
Blood Bound
Drive
This Christmas
Lucky In Love
Getting Lucky (A Lucky Novella)
Upcoming Releases for 2014
Unhurt
Secret Hudson (A Finding Nolan Novel)
Lost Avalon: A Finding Nolan Novel Page 18