"Lie a Little More, Try a Little More"

The time was three-thirty in the morning. She had just turned off the light in her bunk to settle in and possibly get a little sleep before the tour bus rolled into the next stop around 9am (if they were lucky. Luck had not been on their side on this leg of the tour.). In the dark, even above the mechanical hum of the bus motor, the multiple refrigerators and the light snoring of one exhausted drummer, she could hear someone singing softly. The stylist pulled her curtain back just a bit, wondering if she could hear a little better. 

Closing her eyes, she tried to place the song. A radio? Was the bus driver listening to something way up front that she could hear even with the door to the front lounge closed? A few seconds later, she decided that no, it definitely wasn't a radio, but the song WAS very familiar. She was sure she recognized it. Just as the melody was starting to form in her head, the tune switched to something different but equally haunting. There was only one person on this bus who could sing like that and it had to be Josh. 

No wonder it had sounded so close. He slept in the bunk beneath hers. Due to his insomnia, it seemed like a better fit than having him climb over someone multiple times a night. She must have been more groggy and sleep deprived from the night before than she originally thought. She should have figured that out much more quickly.  

She listened for a few more moments before the song he was singing quietly to himself switched back to the original. This time, it was slower and more mournful than before. And it certainly hadn't been a happy tune the first time around. 

She twisted herself sideways after freeing herself from the blankets and slid the curtain of her bunk back even further. Grabbing the side of the bunk, she hung herself over the side upside down. Carefully letting go with one hand, she tapped lightly on the curtain of Josh's bunk and whispered, "Knock knock." 

Immediately the singing stopped and it was quiet. The blood was beginning to rush to her head, so she tapped again. This time, the curtain was pulled back and Josh turned on his light. All he could see was a tangled mess of curly hair as she turned her head to avoid being blinded by his light. 

"Do you know what time it is?" he whispered. 

"Yes, do you?" 

"About three, I think. What is it?" 

She grabbed hold of the bunk with both hands again and turned to throw her leg over the side. Shimmying out of her sleep space and dropping to the floor, she sat on Josh's bunk near his feet. "I could hear you singing. I know you don't sleep well, but you're usually quiet at this time of night." 

He looked a little...what? She couldn't tell. Guilty that he had been caught singing to himself? Worried about disturbing her? "Sorry," he said quietly. It seemed that the look he had thrown her had been apologetic more than anything else. 

"Don't be. It's not often I actually get to hear your concerts, despite traveling with you to gigs. And despite what you might believe, I do enjoy listening to you sing." She smiled at her joke but he didn't even seem to be listening. 

"Could you tell what the songs were?" he asked. 

"No. I couldn't spy well enough to tell. You really were very quiet. I never would have heard you had you not been in the bunk under mine."  

"Can we keep this just between us?" 

"Of course. You know I don't spill secrets," she said, slightly offended.  

"You forget...I don't know you that well yet. Mike, Ian and Matt have spent more time with you than I have so far." Josh sat up a little further against his pillows and pulled his long legs up to his chest, giving her room to scoot back.