So I told her exactly what happened, all the details of the ‘ludes night.
“Anyway,” I finished, “it was no big deal. We’re cool.”
“He better be cool or I’m going to come down there and kick his ass. Speaking of coming down there…I’m coming down there!”
I was stunned. “What?”
“I booked a flight for the San Antonio show. I have a cousin down there I can stay with, he’s cool.”
“Oh, Mel…”
“What? Don’t you dare tell me you don’t want me there, bitch. Because I will cut you. After I hug you first, of course.”
I rubbed at my forehead.
“No, it’s not that. Of course, I want you here. I want more than anything to see you. But, I don’t know, it’s really not as fun as you’d think, Mel.”
She laughed. “Look, I’m not looking to hang out with the band. I’m not trying to be all cool. I just want to see you and see the show. That’s it.”
“Have you heard what happened?”
“Yeah, I fucking heard. It’s all over the radio here. A chick dies, now Noelle’s ill? What even happened with her? The press just says she’s sick but they won’t say what with.”
Demonfever, I thought to myself.
“We don’t actually know. Things are pretty heavy here.”
“I bet they are. That’s why you need me there. I know how you get, Dawn when other people are hurting. You turn into a mother, always taking care of everyone else, sticking around, making sure everyone’s going to be all right. That’s what you’re doing, isn’t it?”
“Not really.” And that was true. I couldn’t take care of those boys if I tried.
“Bogus, Dawn. You totally are. And what’s my job as your lovely African princess sidekick? It’s to kick your freckly ass.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew there would be no convincing her. Mel was coming to join me on tour, and there was nothing I could do about it. I tried to be happy.
“All right, there’s no stopping you,” I relented.
“You got that right, sister. Now I better go before my ma kills me for the phone bill. I love you, lady.”
“Love you too,” I said sadly.
“See you in Texas. Yeee haw!”
We hung up and I heard her voice still in my head. I sighed and got off the bed. I looked at myself in the ornate mirror that hung above the polished desk. I looked hardened, my hair resigned to the eternal fuzz of humidity. It seemed like every time I got a glimpse of myself, I was looking less like Dawn and more like some other girl. No, not a girl. A woman.
Whoever I was turning into, I had to be brave and I had to be strong. I wasn’t about to let some scary groupies and superstitions stop me from doing my job. I still had an article to write, one that would finally garner me the respect I craved, the importance I needed, and I had to stop getting sidetracked. Yes, Emerrita was a tragedy and Noelle’s condition was sad, but I had to find that thread of journalistic hardness somewhere inside me. I needed to stop feeling with the band. Mel was right, I was becoming too focused on them and how they were feeling. I was getting too close. I needed to become that impartial player once more, and I’d start by treating Sage like a subject and not a friend. And certainly not someone I constantly thought about getting in the sack.
Even though from the way he handled me and the feel of his cock on my thigh, he promised to be a very passionate, rough ride.
“Snap out of it!” I yelled at my reflection. “Do your damn job.”
The Dawn in the mirror looked surprised. I took that as a good sign.
***
The first show in Nashville went off without a hitch. Hybrid played at a tiny venue right downtown and the place was packed to the doors. Robbie started off the set by saying some heartfelt words about Noelle, though Jacob made sure that any mention of Emeritta was zipped. Then the band launched into one of their most powerful and energetic shows yet. It was good to see them back in the game, and I could tell they needed the show to let out all that they’d been feeling since the festival performance. It was raw and emotive and the crowd called them back for three encores. They played until they were absolutely exhausted.
Even Fiddles, the new bassist, kept up nicely and had a nice presence without being too flashy. Jacob looked pleased to the gills, and I could see the money signs dancing in his head as concertgoers stuck around after the show, snapping up Hybrid t-shirts and albums until they were all gone. Everyone likes a sob story and any press was good press. Jacob was right about that.
The next day in Nashville we were set to play at an outdoor venue just outside of town, headlining for a psychedelic band called Electric Duck Bath. We had the whole day free for exploring or doing whatever, so I chose to accompany Bob on his personal tour around the city. He’d been to Nashville with musicians so many times it was like his second home, and he was a very enthusiastic host.
To be honest, I also went with Bob because I wanted to distance myself a bit from the band. After the show last night, I went straight to my hotel room to compose a review and then I went to bed. I didn’t want to party and I didn’t want to socialize. I wanted to be the journalist, and who better to hang around with than the only other person who wasn’t part of the band?
Between old guitar shops and tiny cafes where we scooped up Moonpies and RC Cola, Bob and I danced around the topic of curses. I asked him if he thought Sage knew something about all of it.
“Assuming what you say is true,” I added, licking the sticky marshmallow off my fingers.
“I would think so,” Bob reckoned. “But I don’t know. If we’re talking about Jacob though, I’d say yes.”