Mike was lying in bed, phone in hand, waiting for dinner to be ready. He scrolled through his family's accounts, missing them. He watched as they kept posting missing posts about him, but they were becoming very few in time. They were moving on. Slowly but surely, they were. He didn't know how to feel about that. He didn't want them to be stuck on his disappearance forever, but was it selfish of him to think they were moving on too fast?
Mike's door opened, and he hurriedly closed his phone, tossing it to the side. Went stood in the doorway awkwardly as he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I thought this was, um. I'm not interrupting anything, am I? You are a teenage boy and need his priv-"
"No! No! Nothing like that. I was just scrolling through Facebook. You scared me, is all."
He nodded, not seeming convinced. "Good, good."
Mike spotted the guitar behind him, and his interest was piqued. "You play?"
Went looked down and proudly smiled. "Sure do. Richie does, too."
"Really?"
"Taught him everything he knows," Went nodded, "I was just looking for the studio room."
"Studio room?" Mike asked, confused. He's gotten lost in this house countless times and has never encountered any room resembling a studio.
"Richie never showed you?" Mike shook his head as Went chuckled. "I guess he wouldn't, huh? He's not much of a fan of his old radio show."
"Richie had a radio show?"
"Back in his heyday." Mike followed him down the hall as Went kept talking. "He was quite famous, constantly making jokes, playing music. The usual stuff you would do on a radio show. But, for some reason, he's embarrassed by it."
"Why?"
"Don't know, but if you want to listen to some of his episodes, I'm sure you can find some tapes lying around here somewhere. Or, better yet, you might be able to find some on that little device. Um, what's that app called? The music app? Youtube! Yea, you could probably find some of his old clips on there and listen to them." Mike nodded his head enthusiastically as they stopped in front of a door. "I think this is it!" He twists the knob, letting himself in like he did back in Mike's room. Mike's jaw dropped at the sight as Went started coughing. "Must never clean this room. It's way too dusty in here."
"This is his studio room?" It wasn't nearly as fancy as the rest of the house. A long, single desk sat off to the side, multiple recording devices and speakers covering the top. Mike would love to see if any of it still worked. They looked to be in good condition. They were just dusty. A long white couch sat in the opposite corner, more mics above each seat as if one were to have guests over. Beside it was a lonesome keyboard, dust gathering on the keys.
Mike goes over, pressing a few keys in interest as Went chuckles, watching his reaction and finding his curiosity amusing. "You have to plug it in for it to work first."
Mike blushes as he watches him sit on the couch, just now noticing the guitars lined up on the wall. Went had placed his guitar up in the vacant spot before pulling out an old, beaten one. The neck looked a bit cracked along with the body. A few strings are broken or completely missing. Even one of the tuning pegs was gone. All in all, that guitar has seen better days.
Went chuckled, "this was Richie's first guitar. I got it for him when he was 16, and he wanted to be a musician."
"What happened to that?" Mike asked, taking a seat beside him.
"Don't know," Went spoke, "but afterward, he decided he wanted to be a radio show host back in college. Next thing we knew, he was getting gigs at local pubs as a stand-up comedian, which we knew nothing about, then wham! He's famous. Then it went downhill."
"He's, He's trying to get his job back." Mike defended.
Went smiled, finding it endearing over his protection. "So I've heard. Say, tell me. What do you want to be when you get older?"
Mike blushed, not used to the question. Neither his parents nor his sister ever found the time to ask anything about him. The only people who ever seemed to care or act interested in what he wanted to do or be were the party or Joyce. "it's nothing cool or fancy or anything."
"I'd hope not. I don't think my heart could take much more action than it already has."
Mike snorted, "I want to be a writer. Sell my own books. People say it's the 21st century, that people don't read books anymore, but." He shrugs indifferently as Went smiles at him.
"I can't say anything 'cause I myself aren't much of a reader. But Maggie sure is. Anything with words written on it, she'll read. I think you'll do just fine making your dream come true. And hey! You're already friends with a famous author. There ya go. You got your starting point."
"That's what Richie says, too."
"Well, he's right. And he's usually not." Mike laughed as Went put the old guitar up, picking his back up off the stand and another similar one. "You play?"
"No, my par-my mom wanted me to learn violin instead, but I refused to do that."
Went plucked a few strings, "violin isn't all that bad. Maggie plays the cello, and Richie plays both the piano and guitar. I myself play guitar, if you haven't noticed." Mike hummed, watching Went tune the guitar before handing it to him. "Want to learn a bit?" Mike eagerly accepted the guitar, nodding as he tuned his guitar up next. Once finished, he got into position before playing a few cords individually. Mike was confused as he stroked one cord at a time, making noise but not music.
Went stopped playing, leaned back, and threw Mike a wink before playing a song Mike recognized as Africa by Toto. "This was Richie's favorite song for me to play. It was the first song he learned, too."
"That doesn't look beginner-level."
"Do you think Richie cared?" Mike smiled at him, watching his fingers fly over the strings effortlessly. Mike was so amazed that by the time Went reached the song's end, Mike was already in position with his guitar. Went let out a belly laugh as he saw Mike's expression. "Boy, you sure are your father's son. He was just as eager to learn." Mike blushed, hunching in on himself at Went's words. "Now," started Went, "place this finger here and this one here. I'm just starting you off with a few basic cords unless you want to learn any particular song?" Mike shook his head, "didn't think so."
An hour later and they were so absorbed in their work that they didn't realize when Richie leaned up against the doorframe, smiling as he watched the scene. He turned his head to see his mother approaching, quickly touching his lips to silence her. She took cautious steps toward the room, peeking in from behind Richie to see Went adjusting Mike's hands again on the guitar.
She smiled, looking towards Richie, who silently asked if they should bother them. Maggie pulled out her phone, quickly snapped a pic, and sent it to Richie and Went, leaving Richie's question unanswered.
Went pulled out his phone at the ding, quickly looking at the door to see their two extra guests. "Well, hi!" He yelled, waving them in. "What can we do for you two?"
"Dinners ready," Maggie said, taking a seat beside Went. Richie pulled up a chair, sitting across from them as Went turned toward Mike.
"I guess we can stop here."
"Oh, come on," Richie complained, "I want to see Mike's progress. I didn't know you wanted to learn the guitar?"
Mike shrugged, "when I was younger, but mom and d-mom didn't like the idea. Wanted me to take up the violin, but I didn't."
Richie nodded, humming to himself. "Well, better late than never, I do say."
"Oh, do you now?" Maggie teased. Richie shrugged innocently as Went nudged Mike, gesturing toward Richie.
"Say, Rich. Why don't you and me play a song? For old time sakes."
"I don't know," Richie declined as Maggie begged him. "I haven't played in years. I honestly forgot this room even existed."
"Come on," whined Mike, handing the guitar over to him. "One song."
"We have dinner-"
"Please." Mike gave him the puppy dog eyes, and Richie sighed in defeat.
"Alright." He gave in instantly, pretending to be annoyed for the dramatics. He was going to agree regardless but was hoping to have a bit of fun first.
Maggie clapped for joy and Went patted Mike on the back in approval. "Richie got me with that look all the time. That's why I always sent him to his mother when he tried that trick on me."
Richie scoffed, "yea, I remember that. Ma, how did you do it?"
"I'm not telling you my tricks," she gestures toward Mike, "you have to figure that one out all on your own. And you can't send him to me because, as his nana, I have to spoil him in ways I didn't spoil you. It's the nana code."
"Harsh," Richie said before clapping the guitar, "alright. Mike, since you wanted me to play so badly, you pick the song."
"Any song?"
"That's what that means."
Mike didn't need to think too hard about it. His mind was already made when Went started teaching him. "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" It was still Will's favorite after all these years, and in this moment, he wanted to feel close to him. Thanksgiving was always a special day. Hell, November, in general, was special. With each day, the party came up with something new to do. Something new to eat. He wonders if they're still keeping that tradition up.
"Another classic!" Richie cheered, knocking him out of his thoughts. "I love this song." Richie started the song strong, his dad joining every few cords. Mike bobbed his head to the beat, tapping his hand to his lap as they joined together. By the time the chorus came up again, Mike had started mumbling the lyrics under his breath, lost in thought and eyes closed in bliss.
Richie and his dad made eye contact and Went gestured toward Mike with his eyebrows raised in a silent question that Richie answered with a smile. Both the Tozier men started playing louder in hopes that Mike would also pick up the volume, and they weren't disappointed.
Mike started singing his heart out, shocking and impressing Richie with his strong vocals, as both Tozier men played their guitars like they'd never played before. Maggie sat back in her seat with a huge smile and a few tears brimming her eyes. She now knew Richie would be ok as she watched him watch Mike with pride in his eyes. Much like the same look, Went was giving Richie without his knowledge.
That night, dinner went cold for once; instead, they just ordered pizza for the night. But not until a few more songs were played.