Vic and I sat there in silence for a little while longer. He shifted in his seat before he broke the silence. "I know it seems easy to run away from what's hurt you, but sometimes you need to face it," he started, but I quickly cut him off.
"I have faced it, Vic! I faced it my whole childhood, I faced it the last few years with Mason, I'm facing it now letting Tony back into my life!" I argued. I didn't mean for my tone to become so harsh, but I needed to let my frustration out somehow. "I'm a grown woman, Vic," I stated, a little more calmly. "I can take care of myself. Look where the handouts got me last time..." I trailed off, fixing my gaze down at the floor. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here."
It felt good to let out how I had been feeling. Sure, I was grateful for their willingness to help me, but I was right. I had to do this on my own. The last time I stayed with a guy who offered to help me out, that didn't turn out so well...
"Do you really think we would treat you like that?" Vic interrupted my thoughts.
I shifted my eyes and peered into his. "I mean, I hope not. But, to be completely fair, Mason didn't seem like the type to either. I'm not very good at reading people."
Again, we sat in silence for a minute or two, before Vic stood up and reached his hand out to me. "Come with me,"
I hesitated but there was no point in arguing. I stood up and took the hand he offered and followed his lead. We walked out of the living room and eventually into the studio. I studied the room. About 8 different guitars lined the back wall, Mike's drum set below them. There were posters and awards, and album covers of theirs next to them. Ornate carpets lined the floors, and in the far corner, a chestnut baby grand, the ivory keys beginning to turn slightly yellow and show their age. Vic gently ushered me to the right hand side of the piano bench and took a seat next to me on the left. "Sing or play," he stated.
All I could do was stare at him wide eyed. "What?"
He smiled and chuckles softly. "I know you can play, and Tone says you can sing. You don't have to do both, if you don't want to,"
For a moment I hesitated. I was nervous, of course, to play in front of an established musician. But it had been so long since I played, and I really missed it. After taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I positioned my hands on the keys and started playing. I could play by ear, so I just played the first thing that came into my head, a song I liked to play a lot after Tony had left. My fingers seemed to speak for themselves, gliding across the keys and making beautiful music. And after a few seconds, I heard Vic start to sing.
Waking up your neighbors, downstairs
I've been inside this bedroom a thousand years
And as you tie me to the bed for good I say
That I want you in the most unromantic way
I managed a soft smile before joining in.
Louisiana, you're torturing me with a beautiful face
Ana come on I thought we had a damn good thing,
A penny in the couch and a diamond ring...
As we sang, I felt myself let go. I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders and just gave into the music. I didn't open my eyes until we were about halfway through the song, to see Vic still singing, but with a smile on his face.
But you don't know what it's like
To wake up in the middle of the night,
Scaring the thought of kissing razors
This blood evacuation is telling me to cave in
Stay Away
Oh no
Just stay away from my friends
As i played the final notes of the song, vic wrapped an arm around my side and gave me a squeeze. "Just because you can do something alone, doesn't mean it's not better with someone who cares about you by your side," he smiled.
I couldn't help but giggle at him using the song as a reference to my current situation. He was right. They were here to help me, not hurt me.
