“A surprise is coming right up.” Dad turned to me while grabbing bottles out of the speed rail. “Should I grab your old guitar from the back?”
“I got it.” Grabbing the Knob Creek off the back shelf, I handed it to one of the best bartenders I had ever known. “Just make two of whatever it is you’re concocting, but make it with this.”
My dad tossed a clean bar rag over his shoulder. “As you wish.”
“Well well well,” a familiar voice cackled from across the bar.
“Jack Robertson, as I live and breathe. It’s been a while, man.” I leaned over the bar to high-five one of my regulars from when I was putting myself through college slinging drinks behind that very bar.
“How’ve you been?” he asked before sipping on his usual old fashioned.
“Can’t complain now that this little lady surprised me today.” I winked at Cali as a light dusting of blush deepened to dark crimson. “Where’s the ol’ ball and chain?” I asked Jack.
“Work trip, like usual. Figured since the wife’s away, might as well play a bit and belly up to this bar for a long overdue tasty treat.”
“Sticking around for the show?” I asked him.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Seems like I picked the right night to stop in.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Dad added in with a little wink.
“Cali? Wanna grab a table by the stage? I’ll be right back.” I pecked her cheek as light strawberry sprinkled over her high cheekbones.
“Sure.” She smiled sweetly as she made her way to the back of the restaurant.
Turning to me, my dad’s eyebrow raised. In a hushed voice, my old man stated, “I thought she lived in Florida.”
As I started to make my way to his office, I glanced back at him. “She does. It was good to see you again, Jack.” I waved goodbye to my old patron.
“Same to you, Mav.” Jack raised his glass to me.
Taking the first guitar I’d ever owned off of the wall, I stared at all the pictures lining the walls of the small back office I had spent more hours in than I could count. There were pictures of Dane and me working behind the bar, group shots of the band playing our first shows on the tiny stage we had built at Mountain Breath, pictures of the first and only dance I ever took Leilani to. My heart exploded with every feeling possible: happiness, sorrow, joy, pain, love.
By the time I made it the table Cali had secured for us, the guys had already joined her. Taking my seat, I grabbed her hand.
“If you want to leave at any point, just say the word,” I whispered in her ear.
“I think this unplanned distraction is just what I need right now,” she responded before kissing me on my unshaved cheek.
Right as Dane was about to ask Cali a question, a shrill came from a woman sitting at the table next to us.
And so it begins.
“Holy fucking shit! You’re The Hysterics!” She leapt up from her chair, nearly knocking over the table in front of her.
The rest of the customers started speculating loudly around us as girls started to rush around, jumping and hyperventilating as they realized the woman who was now nearly in tears was correct.
“We’ll be back, sweetheart.” I squeezed Cali’s hand quickly, slinging the strap of my guitar over my shoulder.
Rodney was the first to jump on stage, grabbing the mic as the rest of us pushed through the horde of gushing fans, smiling and shaking their hands as they pulled at our clothes and arms like ravenous beasts. I wasn’t used to the outpouring of fan love yet. It was weird to me that we’d gone from a garage band barely making ends meet to an overnight sensation and nearly being household names. I felt like a regular guy with a really cool job most of the time, not someone’s celebrity crush or a teenager’s wet dream come to life.
“Sorry for crashing open mic night. We promise to not take up too much of the stage time tonight,” Rodney began as Dane fixed the drum set that was already waiting for him while Colt and I tuned our acoustics quickly. “We’re The Hysterics. We got our start in this bar, and I hope after we play a couple quick songs for you, everyone will stick around, get sloshed, and listen to the rest of the talent lined up for you this evening. What do you want to play boys?”
I shrugged. “Guess we should have thought about that before we jumped up here. Any requests?”
I looked out into the crowd and heard one of the fan-girls yell out, “An Unnamed Longing!”
“Sounds good to me,” Dane responded before starting to count us off.
