Addie
I roll over and blindly search the bedside table for my phone. Cracking one eye I hit the home button to check the time, which is helpfully still set to GMT and is no help to anyone whatsoever. I groan and prop myself up on an elbow, turning the alarm clock to face me I'm shocked when I realise I've managed to sleep thirteen solid hours since my head hit the fully plumped, luxuriously soft, ridiculously comfortable pillow.
I flop back and grin up at the ceiling. I guess there are worse ways to wake up, than in a king size bed in a McMansion in Nashville, when your used to waking up in a shared flat, on a crappy street in Scotland's "friendliest" city - Glasgow - air quotes intended.
I look around the room from my spot on the most comfortable bed known to the human race. I spent the night in the White room, my aunt's housekeeper called it that when she showed me to it yesterday afternoon and left me to get settled - or as it turned out pass out in a coma-like sleep. The vaulted ceiling and bare walls are painted a pristine white, matching the crisp white bed sheets that are twisted across the bed. The room is accented with light grey curtains and a plush armchair in the corner. This is by far the fanciest room I've ever had the good fortune of sleeping in and I feel like a blot on this pretty white landscape.
I sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. My toes sink into the carpet as I stand and stretch my arms above my head. After brushing my teeth and freshening up, I grab a hoodie from the top of my suit case. I open the door to the dream suite and wander out into the hallway. Looking left and right, with no recollection of which way we walked last night I opt for right and head down the hallway in search people.
I reach the staircase and head down hoping to find the kitchen. When I reach the bottom of the stairs I hear a radio playing country music and head towards it finding my uncle Sean sitting at the breakfast bar tapping on his laptop.
"Hey Ad," he greets me smiling brightly. "How did you sleep?"
"Well! Too well almost I feel like I've been dead to the world for a day straight," I reply pulling out the bar still beside him and hopping up. Hooking my foot around one leg of the stool I turn to my uncle. "Thank you so much for having me to stay for the summer. And for letting me stay here last night, the room and this house are to die for," I exclaim.
He smiles, "The decor is all your aunt's doing. The apartment above the bar where you'll be staying isn't quite the same level but Kelly decorated there too so you should like it plenty. I'll take you by the bar this afternoon and introduce you to everyone. You can drop your stuff off there later in the week when you start for real."
"I'm looking forward to it," I say. At that a short, older woman bustles in to the kitchen.
"Addie, this is Mrs Curridge," Sean said as he re-introduced us.
"Ah, Miss Addie. What can I get you for breakfast?"
I'd met Mrs Curridge the night before when she showed me to the White room. My uncle nudges my elbow encouragingly and I return Mrs Curridge's smile before asking for some tea.
The bar I'll be living above for the summer is called Black Hart and is owned by my uncle Sean. Sean and my father were born here in Nashville, but this is the first time I've visited that I can remember, the last time I was here I was 3 years old. Sean had stayed with my dad in Glasgow at the start of the year and had told us all about my aunts tour plans for the summer. She is a famous country singer here in Nashville, as a solo artist and as part of the band SugarLove. She setting off on a 36 stop tour next week and Sean will be joining her on the road for most of it. He had mentioned needing to find someone to help him out with the bar whilst he was gone and that's when it occurred to me that my summer plans didn't need to involve staying in Glasgow, too skint to go on holiday. Two birds, one stone.
I'm going to be working at Black Hart May through July, four years of bar experience being put to use as shift manager. I love country music and being in the heart of it, working in a live music bar is going to be an amazing experience. Sean and Kelly are well connected in the music industry, Sean has has own home studio where he helps some local bands to lay down demos. I'm going to be able to fully immerse myself into the country life style that some of my friends back home give me grief over. Give me Dolly Parton and and a pair of cowboy boots any day!
Mrs Currdige brings my tea over and sets it down with a jug of milk and a bowl of sugar in front of me. Sean and I make plans to head into the city later today so I can meet some of the bar staff I'll be working with this summer, see the apartment I'll be staying in and get a whistle-stop tour of the city with my uncle playing tour guide.
