"Hello?"
"Lucky, it's Richard Black. I've scheduled you on Friday to start recording your nextalbum."
"Friday? But that's in a couple of days. I justgothome."
"Be glad you're getting a couple of days. Normally you wouldn't even get that. We need to get something out there while they still remember you,"hesaid.
"Okay, okay. At least I liked working with Chuck. It'll be good to see himagain."
"No, no Chuck this time. I did even better. Black Dog has entered an exclusive deal with Eel PieStudios."
"Are you kidding me? You really only care about the money, don't you? I've never even heard of Eel Pie. He better be good. I did a lot of work on these songs on the road. They're reallypersonal."
"He's already heard them. Thinks you've got a lot of talent and is looking forward to working with you. He even pointed out some problems with your first record, and he knows how to fix them. I'm telling you, he's the best. You'lllovehim."
"Alright, alright. He better be the best. Not that I have a choice,"Luckysaid.
"Your flight leaves Friday morning. I'll have a carmeetyou."
Lucky hung up the phone and went downstairs. She hoped to get some downtime so she could get over Jude. Having to head right back into the studio to sing those songs wasn't goingtohelp.
She found her parents in the living room, her father in a brown zip-up sweater he wore when he was cold, which was always, and her mother in a white sweatshirt from a vacation Lucky was sure happened before she was born. She almost turned around and went back upstairs. She couldn't though. She knew she needed to talktothem.
She stood on the landing just before the last step and watched her parents for a moment. Her father wore his reading glasses as he thumbed through the newspaper, and her mother knitted another blanket. Today could have been any day for them. Nothing ever changed. Seeing them like this, Lucky knew even more what she neededtodo.
"Mom,Dad?"
"Oh hello, dear. Was that the label guy?" her momasked.
"Yes, he wants me to go out to LA Friday. He's taken care of the flight arrangements andeverything."
"So soon? You just got home. We thought you'd be home for awhile."
"I need to record my next album while people remember who I am," she said, echoing Richard'swords.
"Alright. Well, do you know when you'll be back? We're trying very hard not to interfere, but you are ourdaughter."
"Mom, please. Don't make this any harder than it already is. I'm a woman now. I'm not a baby anymore," Lucky said as she took a deep breath. "While I'm out there, I'm going to look for a placetolive--"
"But you already have a place to live. Here, your home," hermothersaid.
"I know, but I need the two of you to understand. I'm twenty-one. Think of everything the two of you had already done by the time you were my age. I haven't done any of that. I need to live my own life now, and I think that life is in LA. I'll be near the recording studio and Jordan's going to move outthere,too."
Her mother sighed and looked sad. She watched as her father reached over and gently rubbed her mother'sshoulder.
"We know," her father said with a sad smile. "We knew this time would come. I guess we weren't ready for it. We know we've been very protective, but it’s just that we love you so much. We're both so proud of you, Olivia. Angels were smiling upon you when you were born, and they'll take care of you while you're away. Just remember that we're here, and we'll always be here, if you ever needanything."
Lucky swallowed hard to keep her tears back and hugged her parents tightly. She smiled as she realized that just a couple of months ago, she wouldn't have been able to talk to them like she just did without feeling a lot of guilt. For the first time, Lucky realized how much she had changed while she was away, and she knew it was for thebetter.
* * *
Dressedin grey yoga capri pants and a midnight blue t-shirt, Lucky stepped off the plane happy to be dressed so comfortably. If there was one thing she learned from being on the tour bus, it was that comfort in travel wasnecessary.
Pulling her wheeled travel bag behind her, she swerved in and out of the crowds until she passed the gate check and noticed several men in dark suits holding signs. Spotting one with Olivia Saldano written on it, she went overtohim.
"Hi, I'm Olivia Saldano," Lucky said, surprised to see herrealname.
A small group of people standing nearby waiting for their luggage turned around andapproachedher.
