The roar from the crowd washed down on us and made me proud.
“Cash hates the spotlight, so I’m going to need your help convincing him to come up and play a solo,” Riot said. “Who wants to hear that?”
The crowdscreamedfor me. Riot looked back at me and gestured for me to come to the front of the stage.
“You bastard,” I said when I was next to him.
“Shut up and give the people what they want.” He clapped me on the back, presented me to the fans like he was Vanna White, then backed away so I had the front of the stage all to myself.
Milo played a simple beat for me. The intro toSunset Regret. I nodded along with the drums, waiting for the right moment, then bent over my bass.
I liked playing bass guitar because it meant I was always in the background. That’s where I preferred to be. Some men—like Riot—were born to be in the spotlight, but that wasn’t for me.
Still, it was nice to get a small fraction of attention while I played my solo. My fingers plucked away, the melody growing more complex as I weaved new notes into the solo. Really hamming it up for the crowd.
And they ate it up.
When the solo was done, and Milo startedreallyplaying the drums to signify the start of the actual song, Riot gave me a big hug. Then he gestured at me one last time, convincing the crowd to give me another round of applause while he stepped back and bowed his hands toward me in worship.
I gave a little wave to the crowd, then resumed theactualbassline of the song while retreating to my corner of the stage by Violet. She blew me a kiss while playing her keyboard.
Okay. I guess it was nice to get a little special attention every once in a while.
It was easily our best show yet, a sentiment which my bandmates confirmed when the encore was over and we finally walked off the back of the stage. “Holy fuck! Detroit rock city is right!” Milo said.
“Gonna be tough to beat this crowd,” Violet agreed. “Though I hope my Portland brothers and sisters come out for that show.”
Roxie was waiting in the wings with a huge grin on her beautiful face. “You were so good! Wow!”
She hugged me first before moving on to Milo, then Riot.
“I’m fuckingjacked upright now,” Milo announced. He was practically bouncing on his feet. “This feeling is better than any drug. I could run through a brick wall right now if you dared me.”
“I dare younotto do that,” Violet said. “If you dislocate your shoulder again, we’ll need to find a new drummer.”
“Now, hold on,” I teased. “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.”
“Here’s a good idea for you.” Milo shoved his middle finger up against my nose.
I pushed him away and turned to Riot. “I worked a concession stand here when I was a teenager. The roof access is on the stage’s left side, hidden behind a set of backup speakers. But once you find it, it’s an easy climb.”
“Your mom’s an easy climb,” Milo said.
Everyone turned to him. “Jackass…” Violet whispered.
“Fuck. Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring up…”
“I’m not fragile, you guys,” I said. “You can bring up my mom without me bursting into tears.”
“Bring your mom up about what?”
The voice was more familiar to me than anyone else in the world, but it still felt foreign for me to hear them here, and now. I turned slowly, afraid of what I might see as if it were a monster or a ghost.
There, at the edge of the stage next to a confused-looking roadie, were my parents.
Roxie gasped. Violet said something to Milo, but I barely heard them. I was too shocked to say anything, too surprised to even move. The arena could have caught fire and collapsed around us at that exact moment and I still would’ve needed a few moments to collect myself.
“Mom? Dad?”
