She’s right. If I see her name on anything I stop to read it. And last week I saw an article about the most recent management company she fired. At the end there was a line that stood out to me:Is this a sign that we should brace ourselves for the return of the old Avery Sloane?
I sure hope so.
“So you two are back to talking?” I ask.
Avery parted ways with Lydia after what happened between us, so I don’t know the specifics. But I do know it had to be rough because of how close they used to be.
“I told her that I would buy her whatever meal she wanted if she gave me fifteen minutes to talk.”
“I hope things work out. You deserve to have good people in your corner.”
“Like my number one fan? Nice hoodie, by the way.”
Though she’s acknowledged it over text it hits differently in person, the earnest gleam in her eyes is a stark contrast to the light humor in her voice. “Yeah, no problem. I just had the sweater sitting around.”
“You didn’t.”
“Try me.”
She flashes a smile. “Enough about me, how are rehearsals?”
“I got my hopes up that time would make things better. But it didn’t.” I swirl my diluted drink and consider tasting it. It feels like a test. Can I be anything like my old self? Sober and reliable. “I miss how things were. Sometimes I wonder if they were as good as I remember or if I need to remember them that way. Like, if life is so shit now, at least we had a few good times in the process.”
“They were the best.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot actually. Talking about it too. There’s this director, Kendal. You met her for a second at the premiere. She wants to make a documentary about us, all of us.” She hesitates. “And I’m producing it. I’m fucking tired of people coming up with their versions of what happened. I want to put the past to rest. And it’s nice to have control over something again.”
“Were you ever planning on asking me to be a part of it?”
“You are part of the story, aren’t you? It’s not like it would make sense if I cut you out of it. It would be just a few interviews. Well, that, and we’re thinking of including parts of the tour in it too, so you’d be in those clips.”
There’s this thing she does when she’s really thinking, her eyes catch on a spot in space, and she explodes with ideas. It tells me that she’s really passionate about this and I know if there’s anything I can do to make it happen I will.
Money. Time. Even the truth.
“Ask me, Avery.”
“Tell our story with me?” And there’s something in the way she says it. Our story could refer to so many things, the band, and everyone else too. But as her stare holds mine, her eyes tinged green with emotion, and I know she’s talking about the two of us.
“Yes.”
10
Avery
January 2025
The next day, Kendal comes to Atlanta to film shots of the reunion’s venue for the documentary, since it’s the first place Fool’s Gambit headlined. It’s nice to have her around. Frankly, she’s become something like an assistant for me since she’s the only person I’ve been able to consistently work with without firing.
We spend our time in the city brainstorming ideas about the story. I knew from the start that it wasn’t just going to be about me—it’s a tangled thing. But the biggest knot, always and forever, will be Wes and me.
Which is probably why Kendal asks, “Why then? Why do you think this needs to start when you get to Caper? You obviously started playing music before then. You had your CDs, and from the sound of it, you and your dad went on all these adventures, so why not talk about those?”
She’s seated on the floor of my hotel suite with her notebook. I’ve considered finding another place to stay, but I like the sheets here and it would be a hassle.
“Things changed when I met Wes. Before him I enjoyed listening to and playing music, but never considered performing,” I say. A cop out that’s close to the truth.
