Dearest Kit

Chapter Sixteen

   “He is a dick to women,” Freddie agreed. “But he’s the best,” he sounded regretful, “I have to say, Lana, he is the best bass player I’ve ever met; better than me.” 

   “I don’t know if I could stand it, I don’t know if I could bear to be in that close proximity to someone with such an enormous ego.” 

   “Give him a call,” Fred said tactfully, “talk to him, lay out the law, see if you could work together, become friends again.” 

   “Do you go to college with him?” 

   “Yeah, he’s an idiot,” Freddie said truthfully, “but a lovable idiot.”  

   “Fine, I’ll give him a call,” I gave in, rolling my eyes. 

   “Great, just talk to him straight, he’ll get the message.” 

   “I think I’ve learnt how to deal with him all these years, just last time it was me breaking up with him,” I pouted at Dahlia and she grimaced, probably hearing most of our conversation. “And a drummer, do you know any?” 

   “What about Laurie?” He said, pointing out the obvious. 

   “Jim said they’ve been spending too much time together, they need time to just be brothers, not best friends and bandmates too,” Laurie had been the drummer in The Bones and had attended the same school as Jimmy and I, but he was a couple of years above us and so I hadn’t talked to him as much. He was nice, but I wasn’t as close to him as I was Jim, and I totally respected his decision to take a break from working with his family. 

   “Umm, there’s Seb Cohen, I don’t know if you’ve met him, he moved from Bristol beginning of Year 10 I think, friends with Jake and that group?” He tried to jog my memory by mentioning other people whom I may have met or heard of through friends. 

   “Oh, I think I’ve met him once before, tall? Light brown hair?” 

   “Yeah, that’s the one,” Freddie said in concurrence, “really nice, you’d get on with him.” 

   “Could you text me his number? I’ll call him now.” 

   “Sure thing, hot stuff,” he said charmingly. “I’ve got to go, come to our show on Friday, you could bring Jimmy, Seb and Patrick, get some inspiration from the masters.” 

   “You’re hilarious,” I said sarcastically. 

   “I know, babe,” he laughed, “see you then, I’ll come get you by the front.” 

   “Okay, I’ll see you then,” I nodded, “text me the numbers!” 

   “I will! Bye,” he blew me a kiss before cutting off the call. 

   “What did he say?” Dahlia asked eagerly, the second I had placed my phone down on the table. 

   “He knows a few people,” I nodded, “one of them just happens to be my evil ex boyfriend.” 

   “You can’t have Patrick, ‘Dick of the Year’, in your band!” Dahlia exclaimed. 

   “I know! But Freddie’s right, he is the best bassist, he’s pretty fucking incredible.” 

   “Call him, but I know how much of an arse he’s going to act,” she warned me. 

   “Who’s an idiot?” Mina called over from the sofas at the back of the classroom. 

   “Patrick?” Dahlia answered, looking at her over her shoulder. 

   “Patrick, the fucking hugest dick hole in the universe?” Mina raised her eyebrows and I rolled my eyes dramatically.