“The Bee Gees.”
“You must be kidding me. You know I don’t do commercial disco. Bleh!”
“I just saw this killer documentary on them and I want to hear a Bee Gees song. Take it or leave it.”
“If you want disco, I’ll do vintage Diana Ross or something.”
“No, I want to hear the Bee fucking Gees. Take it or leave it, Bird.”
“This better be juicy information you’re giving me. Singing this might just damage my soul.”
“It’s juicy.”
“Fine.”
The stage is empty, so I ask the deejay if he has anything by The Bee Gees on the playlist. He does, of course, so I pick the only song I can actually stomach,How Deep Is Your Love. After a few notes, my muscle memory kicks in and I remember most of the words and the flow of the ballad from years of listening to my Grandmom’s music collection.
I keep my eyes closed for most of the song, but when I pop them back open, Rush is staring at me with the oddest blank look as I finish belting the classic out.
I’m not sure if he pities me or is in awe of my improving singing skills.
It’s always hard to tell with him.
Eight
RUSH
Mia might beone of the bravest women I know. The woman is practically tone deaf but has patrons in the grill entranced, especially the oddball at the table directly in front of center stage. From this view, I can see him practically foaming at the mouth as he watches her sing with her eyes closed and her long braided ponytail swaying back and forth.
She alternates singing between hushed notes and then belting out the chorus. By the third time the chorus comes around, the entire bar is singing with her and I’m quietly tapping my heel to the melody.
It’s probably one of the corniest love ballads of all time and Mia is no Olivia Newton John, but there’s a measure of truth you can feel from the notes when she sings them. You know she means every single word.
As she takes a theatrical bow in front of her new adoring fans, the man in front eagerly claps for her the loudest and a realization hits me like a thunderbolt. I suppose I’ve always known but ignored it because it had nothing to do with the relationship between us. Men don’t just stare at Mia because she’s a force of nature. They stare at her because they desire her. And for a split second I second guess everything I’m about to tell her tonight.
It would be like putting a drop of water into a hot frying pan.
“That was so much fun!” She plops back down in her seat.
“You were supposed to hate every minute of it,” I lie, knowing full well that Mia could never hate singing in front of a crowd regardless of the song. She’s too much of a performer.
“That wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.”
“You looked like you were having fun.”
“Did you like it? Did I hit all the notes? I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but that song was pretty good. I guess it was one of their better ones.”
“The Bee Gees are legendary. All their songs are excellent. Put some respect on their name.”
She emits a genuine laugh for the first time tonight, and that’s when I know I should go ahead and share my news. If it will put more smiles on her face, then it’s worth the chance I’m taking.
“So… I had a brief conversation with one of the Human Resources directors for the Nighthawks, and she confirmed that there’s an open position available in the therapy department.”
“You must be kidding.”
“My guy Beacher is retiring.”
“The therapist you love?”
