“Don’t bother. I have her number.”
There came a noticeable pause. “You have her number?” Eustace asked.
“Yes. She gave it to me this morning. I know you guys are busy now, so tell her I’ll call her later on this afternoon.”
“No problem. Congratulations, professor. Or should I say maestro.”
Gage laughed. “Neither.”
“I gotta hang up now and get back to the kitchen because my girls are giving me the stink eye.”
Gage ended the call, smiling. Tonya had appeared on the scene like a fairy godmother. When she left New Orleans following his cousin’s wedding, Hannah had mentioned Tonya planned to return at the end of January. But by some miracle she had come earlier than predicted. Circumstances could not have been better if he had planned it. Eustace could continue to work out as recommended by his doctor; Tonya had volunteered as a baker and sous chef for the restaurant; while he was stepping in for a fellow musician who had selected Gage to become an artist-in-residence. Although he and Louis Murdock had grown up in the same Tremé neighborhood, they rarely saw each other. By the time Gage entered grade school Louis had left New Orleans for Potsdam, New York, to enroll in the Crane School of Music. They were reunited years later when Louis returned to his hometown after three decades of teaching music education in various New York City and Washington, D.C., public schools.
A reply to his email appeared on the monitor. It was from the director of the marching band. Like Gage, he was paid from a discretionary budget to rebuild the band after the former director had been fired the year before. He indicated the days and times he was available to meet with Gage to discuss the plans for the concert. By the time he left the office to pick up lunch from the faculty lunchroom, he had received two more replies.
He had a jazz band class at two, followed by an hour of practice, and then he planned to call Tonya to update her on his teaching schedule and ask whether she would be willing to cover for him.
