Page 64 of Solo

“Holy fucking shit…”

My expletive makes him laugh, but I’m dead serious. The implications of this are huge. Russell conducting publicly for the first time in years is going to cause a major stir in the classical music world. Add to that any curious lookie-loos who’ll come to get a look at Tucker the Fucker’s daughter…

“I can’t,” I say, shaking my head resolutely. “No way.”

Russell puts his hands on my shoulders and gives them a squeeze.

“This is it, kid. This is your chance to blow them all away and shut their mouths once and for all.”

But I don’t look convinced. Probably because I’m not.

“And hey, you can invite your new guy. That is, if you haven’t kicked him out of bed for eating crackers by then.” He grins.

“What? What do crackers have to do with anything?” I ask, head spinning with everything that’s just happened.

He throws back his head and laughs, but I have no clue why. Clearly I’m missing something.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s just an old expression.” He chuckles, then reaches behind him for something on one of the chairs. “Here,” he says, handing me a score for Dvořák’s Symphony Number Nine. “Come on, get back up on stage. We’ve got work to do.”

I take the heavy manuscript from him and run my hand over its smooth paper surface. When I look up at him again, his gaze tells me everything I need to know. I can do this. I will do this.

“All right,” I agree finally. “I’m in.”

I get back up onstage and take my place on the podium. It feels good. It feels right.

…

Wednesday March 29th 11:35 p.m.

K: OMG OMG OMG!!! I’M going to conduct the Dvk9 with ShepU Orch!

D: Doesn’t Gabe Giovanni conduct that concert?

K: He tripped on the ice and broke his leg :)

D: Umm… Schadenfreude much?

K: Didn’t mean it like that!

D: You didn’t “help” him fall did you?

K: What? No! I’m just PDH because he wants ME to conduct in his place!

D: PDH?

K: OMG buy a glossary or something. Pretty Damn Happy. UR the 1 who wanted to text!

D: IKR?

K: Oh-Ho! Look at you, Mr. TextyPants :)

D: I miss you.

K: Me, too.

D: I’d like to see you.

K: You will. In class on Friday.