Harrison winces and rotates it again. “Bad enough. Doctor says if I keep the pace I’ve been keeping, I’m getting the surgery.”
“And if you don’t keep the pace?”
“Then I don’t get the surgery. I’ve been doing physical therapy with Xander three days a week. It hurts like a bitch, and I think he’s a sadist.” Xander is Harrison’s brother-in-law. He owns a gym in Los Angeles and has helped so many of us recover from ailments. Mostly, he was vital in making sure Peyton could walk again after her accident years ago. “My mind reminds me I toured all summer on it. My body says figure it out before I can’t use my arm anymore.”
We are quiet and likely thinking the same thing. We’re aging, our bodies are aging, and we sure as shit had a hard time selling out venues.
We head downstairs, check in with our wives, and head down to the studio in my basement.
“You know, it’s funny, when I look at that kit and think it’s been there for twenty-some years.”
“I know,” I say. “This was the first modification I did to the house when I bought it. I needed a place to play. I never thought in a million years I’d get you and JD to move here.”
“Yeah well, you really didn’t.” Harrison looks at the ceiling. The kitchen is above us, where Katelyn is. “It was all her.”
“Thanks, man. That means a lot.”
Harrison laughs and picks up the sticks left on one of the drums. He plays for a minute, winces and then puts the sticks down. “This is who I am. This is who I’ve been since my dad was killed. I don’t know the me without these sticks in my hands.”
His words give me pause. So much of our lives have been defined by our instruments. I remember when I really started playing my acoustic and started putting words on paper. They made sense to me. I could express myself without having to actually say the words to someone. If I didn’t have my guitar then, I’m not sure where I’d be today.
“For the last few months, I’ve been giving advice to people, but if you called in, I’d have no idea what to say to you. I’m at a loss. You’re my best friend, my bandmate. There’s no me without you and I wouldn’t ever think of performing unless you were on stage with me.”
“What about JD?”
I sigh and run my hand through my hair. “JD’s ten years younger than us, and I think if presented with a chance to tour with another band, he’d take it. Sure, he’d ask or tell us, but he’s still in his prime. I get that right now, he’s busy with Eden and her surfing career, but that’s going to change soon, and then what’s he going to do?”
“He’s definitely not ready to hang it up,” Harrison says. “They came over before they left for Australia. He asked if this radio gig was long-term because Eden has a break coming up and he wanted to know what our plans were.”
“And he wasn’t talking about a tropical vacation somewhere?”
Harrison shakes his head.
“Damn.” I sigh heavily. “I’m going to start the 4225 West satellite channel and I really want you both involved. It can be remote, but I think it would be nice to have all of us in the studioat the same time. Fans would definitely go for it. Bex is just waiting on the permits to be finalized.”
“JD and The Love Line, he’ll totally be game.”
“Hey now, I don’t know about him taking over my show.” I laugh. I already told him he could take over anytime he wanted.
“Like I said, I’m in on the station thing. I think it gives us sustainability.”
“It absolutely does. Later, I’ll take you over to the studio and you can see the new additions. Elle’s mad we didn’t think of this sooner, size wise. More recording space, newer and better equipment, and one wall is nothing but windows. Elle wants to start a summer concert series in the park now.”
“Gotta love her ambition.”
There was a time when we questioned why she wanted to go into the music business. It’s a nasty industry and will eat you alive. Our first manager taught us that and it took ten years to get out from under her thumb. Of course, I exacerbated the situation by sleeping with her. I was young and dumb. Elle vowed to never be the type of manager we had and so far, she’s proven that.
“I’m taking Harrison over to the studio to show him the new additions,” I tell Josie and Katelyn when we come up from downstairs. “Do you need anything while I’m out?”
Josie shakes her head. “I think most of the stores are closed. Don’t be long.” She gives me a kiss and tells us to have fun.
“It’s too bad you don’t have your bike here,” I say to Harrison when we climb into my truck. “I haven’t ridden in a long time.”
“I could always ride in your sidecar,” he says, laughing.
I shake my head. First off, I don’t have one, and second, no.
When we get to the building, I’m surprised to see Bex’s car still in the lot. She’d mentioned going back to New York for the holiday. Inside, I walk Harrison through the new construction,the live rooms, Elle’s new office, a social media room for Paige, and where the 4225 West station will be.
