“No pressure, but this is all I wanted today.” Daniel hands me his phone, and I assume he wants me to pull up the lyrics. The last message from me is still on his screen.
I smile at my name saved as "Punk" in his phone—down to the hearts and hang loose emojis I use most.
He’s not the first person to call mePunk, but it’s one reason I’ve tried to lock him securely in the friends and family section of my heart. It sounds like something a guy would call his sister.
I’m going to miss this.
It’ll hurt like heck when we can’t hold this place in each other’s lives anymore.
I try to give him space so I don’t bump his arm while he plays, but he pulls his guitar to the left and reaches for my stool, sliding me close so he can see the lyrics on his screen.
“Okay.” He runs his hand over my back, giving me tingles before squeezing my shoulder. “‘Hanging by a Moment’ won’t be any easier, you know?” he says quietly with zero playfulness. “It’ll be worse. But I can hear it in my mind, and I have to sing it …with you.”
Zero double meaning.
Zero flirty ambiguity.
Does he feel this too?
I just nod. The day that’s going to hurt like heck feels like it’s getting closer.
He nods to the guys, and Sam counts us in.
He’s mesmerizing on the lower first chorus. I sit back and watch him in awe before I come in on the second verse, thinking about harmony and timing and anything to keep my stupid emotions under control. The angst sounds good though, and we’re killing it.
Or it’s killing us.
Same thing.
Jace watches us with a pained expression.Great. He’s the only person I know with a more scathing tongue than I have myself, and I’m probably going to be on the receiving end again very soon.
Sam’s got us. As soon as we finish the song, he pulls out something loud and fun, and we go right into it withoutoverthinking. Bless that beautiful man-cub for breaking the heavy mood.
After Sam leads “The Boys Are Back In Town,” Jace sings “Wonderwall,” because you can’tnotsing “Wonderwall.” Drawing from the mug is replaced by bits and pieces of whatever strikes them in the moment.
Once they laugh more than sing “Ways to Say Goodbye,” the audience knows they’re wrapping up, and most begin to head out. Plates of pie have been set out along the back of the counter next to a tray of cake pops for the regular customers and friends who remain.
Jace starts the Beatles’ birthday song, and Sam pops up from his stool to announce it’s time to sing to the birthday boy. Daniel plays right along on the bass, and everyone who knows it sings.
Sadly, that’s only about eight of us. It’s baffling how many people don’t know the Beatles.
They play through the song once before Sam yells, “Tell everyone what you want for your birthday!”
Yikes… do I want to hear this?
Daniel has switched to guitar, and a devilish smile appears on his face. He raises his chin at Sam and starts playing a familiar riff.
Oh no. OH.NO.
He doesn’t sing it, but Sam catches on and begins to pound out “Cherry Pie” on the drums.
I amdeceased.
Not mostly dead.
Completely dead.
Jace belts out the entire chorus before they burst into laughter.
