Then she arrived at Chez Monique and shoved her blues away. There was a sign on the door that read:CLOSED FOR PRIVATE EVENT AT 6:00. TICKET HOLDERS ONLY.With a grin, she headed to the greenroom to see if any of the performers had arrived and was surprised to see the little room was packed tight and lit with energy. When she wriggled inside, a dozen musicians and poets all cheered.
“Thank you all for being here!” she said over them. “This means so much to me.”
“We’ll get your bro back, Sass,” one called, and they all cheered again.
Stepping out of the room, she spotted Davey standing by the bar and went to see how she could help. She slipped off her winter coat as she walked.
“Look at you! You look like a piece of Dubble Bubble! Outta sight, Sass!” He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost showtime.”
“Can I do anything?”
“Why don’t you go stand by the entrance? Tonight’s all for you, so everyone’s gonna want to see you.”
She was happy to oblige, though the cold night seeped through her little dress every time the door opened. Then Tom walked in, and she felt warm all over. She watched him slip off his brown leather coat, revealing a cream-coloured Irish knit sweater over a pair of jeans. He scrubbed his fingers through his hair, brushing off snow, then he spotted her and gave her a gorgeous smile.
“I’m so glad you came,” she said. She pointed. “That’s Davey. He’s the one who put this all together.”
“We’ll thank him later,” Tom said, holding her with those Sean Connery eyes. “He looks pretty busy right now, and these tables are filling up fast. I should grab a seat before they’re all gone.” He leaned down so she could hear him better. “I’m looking forward to hearing you sing, Sass.”
Her heart did a little jump. “I’ll sing one just for you, boss.”
“Maybe you and I could go out for a drink after,” he suggested carefully. “We could pretend I’m not your boss.”
Tom was about ten years older than she was, and he was a dyed-in-the-wool capitalist—but she didn’t mind that so much anymore. He was smart, funny, and thoughtful, never mind that he was movie-star handsome. She’d learned about business from him, and while she was still bothered by the fact that the poor did not benefit from gentrification, she judged the concept less harshly now that she understood the reasons for it. Most importantly, Tom had been there for her when her father died. She would never forget that.
Any other time, she would have beamed and agreed effusively to his invitation, but something had changed. No matter how happy she was at that moment, she was not the carefree girl she’d been before. She’d grown up. His invitation, combined with the cautious sparkle in his eyes, didn’t feel like just a drink. It felt like it could be the next step into her future. She let that feeling rush through her then shine onto him.
“I would like that very much,” she said. She stayed with him as long as she could, enjoying the performances and his subtle reactions to them.
Ernie Molnek was just finishing his recitation when Sassy realized she was on next. Her heartbeat quickened.
“I gotta go,” she said breathlessly.
“Knock ’em dead, Sass,” he replied with a smile.
She stood by the stage, waiting for Ernie to finish and getting her nerves in order. The lights overhead prevented her from making out individual faces in the audience, but even so, she thought she saw Tom’s profile. Was he looking at her or simply enjoying the poetry? Then he turned his head and held her gaze for a good ten seconds, only breaking it off as Ernie finished speaking and the audience applauded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming the urgent desire burning in her chest.
Davey went to the microphone next, holding his fingers up in Vs. “Hey,” he said, a proud smile on his face. “I’m Davey, and I’m amped that you’re all here. We have one more performer for you, and you know she’s the grand finale! She’s gonna blow your mind. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for my best friend in the world, Sassy Rankin!”
Beaming, she walked toward the stool he’d put out for her and pressed a kiss on his cheek. “You’re too much, Davey,” she murmured into his ear. “Thank you.”
“I’m guessing,” he whispered back, “that we’re closing in on a thousand bucks. That ought to cover some expenses.”
“Amazing!”
“Yeah,” he said, pushing her away. “Now it’s your turn. Go wow ’em, Sass.”
Settled on the stool with the guitar on her knee, Sassy leaned toward the mic. Her gaze went to Tom, and for just an instant, she saw her father sitting with him. Emotion rushed in, so she took a beat to calm herself.
“My brother Joey made a mistake,” she said to the crowd when she was ready. “When he went to Vietnam to fight, he believed he was doing the right thing, but I never agreed.”
Beyond the lights, she saw slow nods. These people understood.
“None of that matters now. He’s my brother, and he is all that remains of my family. I love Joey like I always did. Part of me died when we heard he was missing.”
She paused, recalling Marion’s voice when she’d told Sassy over the phone about her plan to go to Vietnam. Sassy hadn’t known whether to cry with disbelief, fear, or gratitude. In the end, it had been all three.
“The toughest thing for me has been coming to terms with the fact that there’s nothing I can do for him. He might never make it back. But my friend Marion saw I needed help, and she showed me what it means to be a true friend. She’s a doctor, and she has gone to Vietnam for my sake and to help those in need of medical care. I don’t expect her to find Joey. That would be impossible. But no matter what, she’s my hero just for going. Every penny you paid to get in here tonight, any extra donations you feel like dropping into that box on the bar, and half of the proceeds from your coffee and food are all going to the Canadian Red Cross to help cover expenses. Marion has gone to help men over there who might die without her. So on behalf of all of them, thank you.”
