“As you know,Puddin’ was taken from us a little over a year ago, and we lost one of thegreatest musicians and even better humans. I am so honored to have a fewspecial guests here tonight. All the way from London.” I turned stage left andsmiled at Puddin’s daughter, standing in the wings. “I’d like you all to meetElli Daily, Puddin’s daughter.”
Elli walked ontothe stage, waving as the crowd went wild.
Before I couldintroduce her kids, Elli’s four-year-old daughter, Pippa, decided to run afterher, curtsying and blowing kisses as she did. Instead of running to her mom,however, she ran to me, so I scooped her up and she wrapped her arms around myneck and kissed my cheek.
The crowd wentwild and let out a collective, “Awww.”
Herseven-year-old son, Mason, walked out once I waved my arm inviting him onstageand I grinned. “These are Elli’s amazing kids. This is Pippa, and this isMason.”
The crowdclapped again. I met Mason’s eyes and he nodded so I set Pippa on her feet,grabbed my microphone, and led Mason over to Jimmy.
“We have aspecial treat for all of you,” I announced. “Mason has agreed to sit in on basswhile we play one of Puddin’s songs for all of you!”
Jimmy’s basstech handed Mason a bass and helped him get set up with monitors as I continuedto talk to the crowd.
“This song has aspecial place in my heart,” I said. “It’s one of the ones we all played withTrain when he first started with us.” I made my way to my man, and he grinnedat me, leaning down to kiss me quickly as I patted his chest with my left hand,now sporting a giant rock.
Train had infact proposed, in a huge way, after he signed every fucking piece of paper mylawyers put in front of him. It was at our rescheduled concert in Chicago, onlive television in front of millions of people. It had been perfect.
Of course, Imade sure Lyric read everything before he even saw them because there was noway in hell I wanted him ripped off in the prenup. My man wasn’t an idiot andhad his own legal counsel go through them, making a few changes of his own,which meant, we were starting our marriage on very solid ground.
Pippa walkedback over to me and tapped on my leg. The crowd laughed as I hunkered downbeside her. She had little protective earphones on, so I pulled one gently offher ear. “Yes, baby?”
I pointed themicrophone toward her. “Can I sing Grandad’s song, pwease?”
“You bet,” Ipromised, standing, and talking into the mic. “Can we get Elli and Pippa mics,please?”
“Oh, I’m fine,”Elli argued. “I’ll just wait over here.”
“Are you sure?”I asked. “The more the merrier.”
But she wasalready behind the curtain waving her hands. I glanced back at Mason. “Are youready?”
He nodded, and Igrinned.
“She’s a Thief,”I announced, holding my hand out to Pippa. “Can you count us in, baby?”
She put themicrophone to her mouth and counted, “One, two, free, four,” just like hergrandpa and I nearly burst into tears as the band started up the song.
As we sang thesong, my mind seemed to wander to the past year.
Mama and herentire meth enterprise had been taken down by the feds. It was probably a dropin the bucket because the skin trade was an epidemic, but at least she and hercohorts were off the street.
I had arrangedfor Carrie to get some help and she was now in a facility out in Maine, gettingheavy duty counseling, and with a foster family that Train had personally hadvetted. How he did that, I don’t know, but I’d found asking fewer questionssuited me just fine when it came to him and how he got shit done.
My contract hadcome to an end with Red Banana Records, and rather than renewing, Train hadencouraged me to go out on my own. Something I’d never done before. Together wehad cowritten the entirety of my new album, with Train pushing me to dig deeperand explore my personal feelings more than I ever did before. His encouragementas a producer not only garnered the best album I’d done to date, but Train wasnominated for a Producer of the Year Grammy. Unfortunately, he lost to JensBjornsson, Swedish pop wonderkind who produced Stracey’s last album. So, if wehad to lose, at least, we lost to a friend.
Ant had wormedhis way deep into our lives. In fact, he had decided not only to continue toroadie for me, but he’d also asked to prospect for the Dogs of Fire. Train tookhim on, and he was now a constant part of our world.
Our first dateback after Chicago, Train had finally gotten his revenge on the rest of theband. He’d worked with Jerry from Centaur Guitars to replace everything on thestage with white instruments. We’d done sound check, then when we’d headed backto get ready for the show, the band’s techs had done a quick replace of everyinstrument, microphone, cord, stand, cymbal, anything on the stage… exceptTrain’s guitar.
It waswell-executed, well-played, and the rest of the band didn’t know what the hellto do with themselves as they gathered up their instruments for the show. Butit garnered Train street cred, and no one ever fucked with him again. Even Rodfinally thawed and accepted him into the fold.
Puddin’ wouldhavelovedit.
The Pelham blueguitar was now Train’s. I’d surprised him with it the night he’d proposed.Jerry had in fact had a price, and that price had been advertising. I was happyto comply if it meant my man got the guitar of his dreams.
As the finalline of the song was about to come up, I covered Pippa’s ears with both herearphones again and yelled, “Everyone sing!”
