Catch 22

1

The sound of a vibrating phone wakes me up from a fitful night of sleep. I blink furiously, rubbing the crust from my eyes and sitting up, as my room slowly comes into focus.

"Hello?" I ask into the phone, my voice sounding dry and far deeper than my usually feminine tone.

"I'm looking for a Ms. Mires?"

"Speaking." I reply after a light cough, attempting to clear my throat.

"Ms. Mires, my name is Matt Emsell and I'm the tour manager for 5 Seconds of Summer on the upcoming World War Joy tour. I was wondering if you would be available to come in and speak with me? I've received your application for the live audio engineer position and our previously hired candidate has fallen through. Are you available?"

"Yes, yes, I am!" I rush out hoping I don't come off as eager to him as I sound to myself.

"Great, can you drop by this afternoon, maybe around three? I can email you the address of the office."

"Three sounds perfect. Should I bring anything with me?" I ask, not wanting to show up ill prepared.

"Just yourself will be fine, Ms. Mires. I look forward to meeting you."

"You as well." I reply, waiting for him to end the call before letting out a small squeal of excitement and falling back against the covers on my bed.

After a moment of letting the excitement of the opportunity settle, I spring myself off the bumpy mattress and exit my bedroom. I curse as my foot slams into a child's plastic toy that was left sitting in the hallway.

I roll my eyes and walk into the kitchen, finding my big sister already awake and preparing breakfast.

"If you're gonna be yelling while you finger yourself, can you at least turn some music on." Katie says with a smirk as I nearly choke on my orange juice.

"I was not masterbating!" I yell back at her.

"Uh-huh so you just scream 'YES' when you wake up every morning? Okay, sure."

"Actually, I got a job offer. You heard me getting off the phone."

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" She laughs and I smack her shoulder.

"Seriously. It was a tour manager, they had an audio tech pull out of a tour that starts next week and they want to give me an interview."

"That's amazing, Sagey!" She cries, sweeping me into a hug.

"Yeah, but like, would you and Copeland be okay?" I ask, my gaze traveling over to my niece. She's only eight months old and the light of my life.

"Sage, we will be fine. Cope is on a better schedule now, she likes her day care, I'm back at work. The best thing you can do for us is live your life...and help pay our bills." She jokes.

"I don't know Kate," I start but she holds her hand up, stopping me.

"No. Miller died over a year ago, Sage. You've done more than your fair share to get Copeland and I through this. I'm supposed to be the big sister here. I'm supposed to tell you what to do, and I'm telling you to go to this interview."

"I owe it to him though, Kate." I add, my eyes becoming glassy as we both dive into thoughts about Miller. Kate's husband, Copeland's Dad.

"He loved you like you were his own little sister Sage. He wanted you to live your life, to go and get everything you dreamed of. If he had known the way it would end, he would have still wanted those things for you. You just have to live for the both of you now, okay? Please go to the interview."