“Thank you all,” Peace said softly into his microphone. “Here’s one some of you will remember.”
After a blistering paced, riveting use of the base melody, Peace launched into a deep throated blues rendition of House of the Rising Sun, which even caused Polasky to duck in through the entryway to hear it. Jill looked around, and could see the excitement Peace generated. Holly and her two girlfriends eased into the other three chairs at Jill’s table with a little wave. Jill smiled at them. A standing ovation greeted the end of the song, which seemed to even surprise Peace. Holly looked right at Jill, and leaned over towards her in the midst of the applause.
“Are you dating Peace?” she asked.
Jill nodded, rather than try to be heard.
Holly looked at her for a moment, and then smiled, turning back to face the bandstand. People came up to the bandstand and began filling the tip bowl on the piano with money. Some called out requests, which Peace nodded at, or shrugged off, which caused the person who made the request to laugh. Over the next forty minutes, Peace held the crowd spellbound with an uncanny varying of old favorites from the swing era to early rock and roll.
As Peace rocked into a rendition of Fats Domino’s Blue Monday, a group of five men, and an oriental woman eased into the area near the stage. Peace nodded at them happily, extending the riff he had begun, to allow them to slip into the piece with him. Two long-haired, older looking white men took up the base and drums already set up near the piano, blending right into the tune. It took only a moment longer for the three black men in the group to join in with their instruments: tenor saxophone, clarinet, and alto saxophone. The young oriental woman slipped in next to Peace. They did a duet of the remaining song, which brought the house down at the finish. After Peace hugged the oriental woman, and stood up to embrace the older black man with the clarinet, he shook and slapped hands with the rest of the group.
The older black man put an arm around Peace’s shoulders, and spoke to him for a moment. Peace looked back at Jill for a moment, and then nodded his head. Peace left the stage and went out of the room, waving his thanks at the crowd, who called out to him, indicating he would be right back. The band, who wore varying designs of black dress outfits filled in a light rhythm as the black man Peace had embraced spoke into the main microphone.
“Thanks folks. I see Peace’s been warming up the room for us.”
He paused as loud cheering and applause erupted. Peace had walked back into the room with an instrument case, as the man had finished his announcement.
“Peace has graciously agreed to fill in at trumpet for us tonight.
I…”
Another round of applause interrupted the man before he continued. “We need him to stay at the piano for a tune we’ve been working on though. He was the one who suggested we adopt it into our gig.” He smiled at Peace, who had come up on stage with trumpet in hand, and a puzzled look on his face.
“He doesn’t know he’ll be doing it yet. Any of you folks familiar with that Meatloaf tune, I Would Do Anything For Love?”
Applause rippled loudly through the crowd as Peace nodded his understanding. He went back over to the piano. The young oriental woman whispered something to him and kissed Peace on the cheek, before walking to the other microphone at the part of the stage furthest away from the piano. Peace set his trumpet down gently. Positioning himself behind the piano, he nodded to the group’s leader.
The lights in the bar dimmed perceptively, and Peace fingered the opening strains of the rolling introduction to the tune in the darkness. A spotlight illuminated the piano area. As Peace sang the opening line: ‘I would do anything for love’, the crowd hushed. As Peace and the band brought the song to a crescendo, another spotlight shone on the oriental singer named Laura. Jill shivered as she heard Laura sing the line ‘one day you’ll be screwin’ around’, and Peace with a clenched fist, sang the refrain: ‘I won’t do that’. The enthralled crowd hung on every word, as Peace sang the ending. When he fingered the light final notes of the tune, everyone in the room stood up. They applauded until the lights were brought up, and all in the band took bows. Laura took her place behind the piano; but not before she hugged Peace again, and whispered something in his ear. He laughed and nodded.
With trumpet in hand Peace joined Syl at the front of the band. The bandleader then spoke to the crowd. “Well, I guess this boy was right about that one.”
The crowd cheered again, and Peace ducked in next to the mic. “I have a surprise for Syl here, since he asked me to fill in at trumpet. I’ve been working on a dedication for the master, Louie Armstrong. If the band will back me up on this, we’ll see how it goes.”
“What you got in mind now, Peace?” Syl asked, playing along, and Jill could see the band members grinning.
“I think after a song like I Would Do Anything For Love, we need a little of the other side,” Peace replied.
“And that would be?” Syl asked.
“Why, The Blues In The Night, of course,” Pease answered, swinging the trumpet up and launching into a heavy riff of the melody, with Syl laughing and bringing in the rest of the band one at a time.
By the time Peace started singing ‘My Momma done tol’ me’, the whole crowd was swaying. The song set in motion a string of old Armstrong hits ending with Laura singing Au Vie En Rose and Peace playing the trumpet solo. Couples began to fill up the dance floor as the band played their requests. Holly leaned over towards Jill.
“Peace never mentioned having a steady girlfriend,” Holly said, her eyes appraising Jill.
“We only met six months ago, and I really didn’t see him again until last night,” Jill answered truthfully. “Have you been dating him?”
“He’s had a beer with me a few times,” Holly replied. “I guess then you’re really not all that serious yet.”
“Very serious,” Jill said, before smiling to take the edge off her words, “at least I am.”
Holly laughed. “Yea, I know what you mean. Peace plays around, but he never gets close. He could be a singer or a musician or anything. Did you know he has a Master’s Degree in computer engineering from Berkeley?”
“He did mention that,” Jill replied, surprised a little Holly knew it too.
Holly shook her head, grinning as she looked at the stage, where Peace was playing background for Syl’s clarinet solo on a big band number from the Forties. “Instead, he wastes all that talent messing around in the military.”
Jill smiled, suddenly assured she had no rival here. “Peace loves what he does, and he can still play his music anytime he wants.”
Holly turned back to Jill, looking a little unsure for the first time. Her friends were on the dance floor, so the two young women were alone at the table. They sat in silence for a long uncomfortable moment before Holly spoke.
“You really like him, huh?”
“No,” Jill replied, surprised at how sure she was about what to say,
“I’m in love with him.”
Holly nodded. “Yea, I see that.”
A bass voice surprised Jill from her other side.
“Hi, Jill.”
Jill turned around quickly to see Bull smiling at her as he leaned down. He looked over at Holly, recognition on his face. “Oh, hi Holly, long time, no see.”
“Hi Bull,” Jill said, returning his smile, and holding her hand out to shake his hand.
Holly gave Bull a little wave. “Hey, big boy, where have you been lately?”
“Here and there,” Bull replied. “I don’t get into this oldie, smoldie, stuff much, but I get a kick out of hearing my boy Peace sit in.”
“I talked Peace into bringing me tonight to hear him play,” Jill added.
“I doubt it took much talking,” Bull laughed. He looked up at the bandstand as the first strains of Lady in Red brought a rush of couples to the dance floor and a smattering of applause. “The boy can sing. I like this number.”
Bull looked at Holly. “Holly, dance with me.”
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Holly nodded, and stood up, letting Bull take her hand. “Just don’t step on my toes, you big ape.”
Bull laughed in appreciation, as he led her out to the dance floor.
Peace did the vocals for the number while Laura played piano. He looked right at Jill throughout the number. Jill knew she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. No one had ever surprised her so completely, or so often, in so short a time. When the song ended, the crowd applauded for many moments. When Syl announced a short break, a groan ran throughout the room. Jill watched Peace get off the stage and move smoothly towards her. Bull intercepted him at the edge of the dance floor. Peace’s face lit up when he saw who had grabbed his shoulder. They shook hands and Bull put Peace into an immediate headlock for a moment, pointing his finger in Peace’s face, as if instructing him on something. Peace nodded, as if hanging on his every word, while bursting into laughter every few seconds.
The two Seals, and Holly, made their way to Jill’s table. Neither of Holly’s friends had returned to the table. Bull led the way, still holding Holly’s hand. He helped Holly into her seat, and then sat down next to her, as Peace eased in next to Jill. Jill took his head in her hands, and kissed Peace lingeringly. Bull smiled, but surprise showed plainly on his face. He looked over at Holly, who he knew to be a Peace groupie, with compassion. Holly realized Bull was looking at her, and smiled at him crookedly, gripping his hand with both of hers.
Jill pulled back a little. “That was incredible.”
Peace, a little taken aback at the intensity in Jill’s voice, just kissed her back gently. He took her hands in his, smiling. “I’m glad you liked it. Want to meet Syl, and the rest of the band? They’re in our little break room in back of the main bar.”
“I’d love to,” Jill whispered.
Peace helped her to her feet, as Jill used her cane to steady herself.
“Are you playing anymore tonight, Peace?” Bull asked, still a little shaken Holly was still holding his hand.
“Syl said they’d handle the rest of the evening without me. I told him it was Jill’s last night in town. Jill and I will be right back. Hang on to our seats, okay?”
“Hoo-ya,” Bull answered, evoking another laugh from Peace with the Seal response. “Will there be anything else, Sir?”
“You two want me to bring you back a beer?” Peace asked.
“If you’re buying, I’m drinking,” Bull replied, as Holly laughed and nodded.
“Okay, we’ll be right back.”
Chapter: Extras
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Sotello: Political Action
American Mutant
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PEACE: A Navy Seals Novel
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Cold Mountain: CIA Assassin
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DEMON the Paranormal Dog Series
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