I ducked into the car, slammed the door, and Brett took off. I breathed a prayer of thanks that he'd always been a bit of a wild driver.
My seatbelt clicked and I leaned back, trying to calm my beating heart.
"What'd you do?"
"What?" I looked at him. "Oh. Nothing. I... I've sort of been helping Casanova and they found out."
The car swerved to the left, and I grimaced as Brett nearly overcompensated straightening out. "THE Casanova?"
"THE Casanova is long dead. He's just taken up the mantle."
Brett sputtered. "What do you mean you didn't do anything? That's all kinds of illegal!"
I glared at him. "I have done absolutely nothing illegal. I don't even know his identity."
"How'd they find out?"
"Not sure... but I have an idea." I glared out the window, thinking of snide front-desk lady.
Brett shook his head. "That's a crazy story. So you're off the hook, then? Are they gonna find him?"
"No." I said, sounding confident. But I couldn't be sure. "I hope not."
We neared the V-Bar, and I unlatched my seatbelt. But when Brett screeched to a stop in front of the door, nearly throwing me through the windshield, I wished I hadn't.
"You're welcome to stay," I said as I threw open the door and jumped out. I looked back at him for a moment. "Brett... we wish you were with us tonight." And it was true.
Brett looked as if he might cry or break into a smile, I couldn't tell which. But the moment passed and he waved a hand. "Go," he said. "The guys would hate you forever if you could've made it on time and didn't."
I smiled and ran, yanking the door of the V-Bar open and pushing my way inside. I blinked in the dim lighting to see my boys already onstage. I practically sprinted through the room and dove for the stage, and Jared's face made all of it worth it. Almost.
"Where were you?" He hissed, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me like a rag doll. He pulled me to his chest in a crushing hug. "It doesn't matter, you're here and LET'S DO THIS." He shoved me towards my mic and guitar, and I strapped it on as quick as I could.
"Glad you could make it." Davey grinned at me from the drumset. Classic calm, understated Davey. I laughed, my fried nerves making me a little hysterical.
"It sounded fun," I said with a shrug, plucking my strings to check the tuning. Perfect. I turned to face the crowd and felt the familiar thrill in the pit of my stomach. There, stage-right, just where I always imagined him, was Dad. Lana and Bennie waved from beside him, and Mark was next to her, scowling. I grinned. That girl knew how to get what she wanted.
The label rep was in the back with Miss Legs again, nearly obscured from my view because of the bright lights shining into my eyes. Otto grinned at me from the bar, and Ian waved from the sound booth. Then, in the very back of the room, the door opened and a smile tugged at my lips at the form in the doorway. Brett had stayed.
"Ready?" Davey's soft voice came from behind me. I bobbed my head. I was absolutely ready. And we began.
We started with our newest song, an upbeat crowdpleaser. Dad beamed at me the whole time, and I could've sworn I saw tears in his eyes. Space Lovers was next, and my heart squeezed when I heard people singing along. Another few new songs, played flawlessly, and then we were on to Roses Red. The room was silent as I sang the words about my baby brother, but they didn't rub me raw as before. A quiet ache pulsed in my heart for my Sam, but I made it through. Dad and I shared a special smile after that one. And then we were ready to close it out.
I had rewritten the words to our closer. Jared was a little dubious, but I knew there was no way I'd forget them. Davey counted us off, and over the driving beat, I sang about my Casanova.
It wasn't a sad song. No "you broke my heart" lyrics, no "I still want you" refrains. It was almost a tribute to the strange relationship we had shared-- a thank you for the inspiration he had given to me. If he heard it, if somehow he was here tonight, he'd understand.
Our last notes rang out, Davey driving them home with a trash-can crash. All three of us were giddy and sweaty, grinning madly at each other.
Jared thanked the crowd, and we swept offstage for our traditional sixty-second debrief. This time it was a giant Claire-sandwich-- a sweaty, giggly group-hug that nearly toppled to the ground.
"Guys," Jared said, breathless. "That was the best we've ever been." And it was true.
I spotted a figure waiting at the doorway leading backstage. "We were missing something, though," I said, watching the figure. The other two guys followed my gaze and froze.
Brett's hands were shoved in his pockets, shoulders hunched. He waved when he saw that the guys were speechless.
"That was really good," he said. Even I was gaping at that point.
Jared finally spoke up. "Not as good as it could've been. We need you back, man."
Davey nodded. I gaped wider at Jared. Maybe it was the endorphins, but he wasn't nearly as angry as I thought he'd be at seeing Brett.
Brett shuffled forward. "I'm always willing to help out," he mumbled. "Just let me know."
Jared snorted. "We just did, bonehead. You're in." And just like that, it was a Brett-sandwich. Poor guy was slimed, but he was grinning.
"Now," Jared said. "Let's go talk to the label rep." All four of us exchanged nervous glances, but we nodded and filed out. Whatever happened, we were ready.
We were swarmed as soon as we stepped out, Bennie attacking all of us in a hug (except Brett-- she glared at him. We'd work on it.) Dad shook Jared and Davey's hands and pulled them into man-hugs, and then wrapped me in a bear hug of my own.
Lana was Lana. She spotted Brett trailing after us. "Another one?" She looked at me, then back at Brett appreciatively. "You go, girl. Keep up the good work." She winked at Brett and he turned beet red.
We excused ourselves from our number-one fans and headed for the label rep. He met us halfway and gestured to us to sit at a vacant table-- which looked to be the only one. The room was full.
We sat, Davey taking the seat next to the rep and Jared and I across from him. He folded his hands on the table. He paused, and we held our breath.
"Vast improvement," he said. We all sighed and glanced at each other in relief. "But your full sound comes from loops. You need another guitarist."
"We agree," said Jared.
"Well, if you signed with us, that would be arranged. We would find you one."
Jared looked sideways at me, and I nodded. He cleared his throat. "Actually, we already have one."
The rep arched a brow. "Oh?"
Jared beckoned Brett who had been hanging back. "Brett has been playing with us for a few years. He broke his finger and has been out for the last month."
The rep eyed Brett, but nodded. "We'll need to hear him play, but if he meshes well, we'll accept him." He turned back to us. "We'll need to meet further to talk contract and there are always stipulations and changes to be made, but I think there's a place for you at Unity."
We couldn't do anything but exchange looks, eyes shining. "I think we'll be able to come to an agreement," Jared said.
The Unity rep left us with his card and a meeting scheduled for the next week, which called for another round of group-hugs, this time Dad was squashed in the middle. Otto came to congratulate us and pulled me aside. He gripped my hand in both of his and peered into my eyes, very uncharacteristically serious. "You sang from your soul and you gave it your all. Proud of you, Clairity." He crushed me in a hug.
Ian came down from the sound booth but hung back, seeming shy. I grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. "Thanks for making us sound good! Watch out, Otto," I warned him, "We might convince Unity to help us steal Ian from you and take him on tour with us!"
Otto threw up his hands. "Take anything, but not Ian. He's the only reason females come into my bar." He nudged Ian, who blushed a little. "When I'm not here, of course." Otto winked at me, and I grinned. He wasn't wrong, Ian was sort of beautiful.
We mingled, and when it grew late, we headed backstage to pack up our stuff. Jared approached me as I was putting my guitar away.
"Claire?" I turned. Davey was behind him. "We have a question for you."
I snorted. "Deja vu." This was how it had all started-- the guys approaching me with the label rep's demands. Look how it ended. I smiled and leaned back on the wall. "What's up?"
"We were thinking..." Jared started, looking at Davey. "We'd like to ask Reese to be our manager. But we thought we'd run it by you first."
For a second, my heart soared, but just as quickly, it plummeted. "Guys..." I looked down. "Well, Davey." Jared already knew. Why would he suggest it if he knew? I looked at Davey. "My dad has Alzheimers."
Davey nodded. "I know."
I blinked at him. "You know?"
"Yeah. He told me." Davey smiled, a sad, understanding quirk of the lips. "We were drumming together and he was having trouble remembering... It was rough on him. But he's ridiculously strong."
I was close to tears. No, I was definitely crying. "Yes, he is." Both guys moved to hug me.
"So are you, Claire Bear," Jared whispered. "It's a family trait. Which is why I think he could do it."
Davey pulled back to look at me. "We could help him. And when it gets bad, we'll get an assistant. But," he shrugged, "I wonder if it'd be good for him. Being in that environment, the music industry? Touring and traveling? Maybe it'd help him remember."
I was sobbing then, the guys holding me up and stroking my hair. I finally knew-- this was what I was meant to do. This was what I would do. And this was my family.
"Aaargh!" A scream pierced the stillness of the empty bar, and all three of us jumped up and dashed towards the sound, me wiping tears from my eyes. We stopped short when we found Otto covering his eyes in the doorway leading to the alley, trash bags dropped at his feet. "My eyes," he moaned.
We peered through the door-- only to see Bennie and Mark relentlessly attacking each other's faces... with their mouths. I doubled over laughing, the weight of everything that had happened today crashing over me. It felt good, and I was happy, so I let myself laugh.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER. Only an epilogue left, lovelies, and I'll have that posted within the week! Hit that star and let me know in the comments if you can't wait, and I'll see what I can do about posting it tomorrow.... ;)
Chapter song is Alive by The Daylights