19. Jessica
“He asked you out on a date?” Gina’s voice chimes on the other end of my phone, and I am forced to pull it from my ear for a moment.
“Okay, calm down. It’s not a date, or I don’t think it is.”
“Really? Then what in the world is going on?”
“Uhm…we kissed.”
“What!?”
I stumble to get my words out. “It was just in the heat of the moment. But it’s nothing serious, really. I’m not interested in him like that. We’ve just been talking a little more lately. It’s nice to have someone to talk about writing with, aside from you, of course.”
“Uh-huh. So, tell me, if a man taking you to a bar to see his band perform is not a date, then what is it?”
“A celebratory dinner.”
Gina peals in laughter. I don’t blame her.
Brian’s words do taste like ash on my tongue as I repeat them. I don’t know why that particular statement pains me so much. It’s not like I expected him to ask me on a date out of nowhere. I said it jokingly.
Things have been weird lately, and I’ve been trying hard to break the ice, but I can’t even get past my own complicated feelings for him, especially after he walked out on me the last time we were together. I felt stupid, and since then, I’ve just been trying hard not to do ridiculous things anymore. But a night out celebrating something separate from our entanglement seems like the best icebreaker.
I wouldn’t mind him returning to being my annoying neighbor at this point. At least then, I would know what to feel. Now, I’m just lost.
“That is the second most stupid thing you’ve said all evening.” Gina’s voice jolts me back to the present.
“What’s the first?”
“When you said you’re not interested in him like that.”
I snicker, rolling my eyes. I knew she would read through my lie, but it’s not like I put much effort into it. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to mask whatever this situation is with Gina asking so many questions.
“I don’t. He’s just my neighbor, and we may have had our differences at first, but we’ve warmed up to each other, and it’s obvious that a relationship is not something either of us want.”
“Strike three.”
“Besides, I can’t leave Lily home without anyone watching her. It’s a Friday night.”
“I thought you had a babysitter for her…the high schooler.”
“It is a Friday night.”
“Ah.”
“See, I think I’m just gonna have to call him back and cancel.”
“What? But you were so excited until just now.”
“Yeah, before you made it all weird, and I started overthinking things.”
I can practically feel the exasperation of her eyes swiveling. “Fine, if this is about Lily, I’ll happily make time for her. I’ll come to take her. We have some catching up to do anyway.”
I pause. “Can you take her for the weekend? I can use the time to sort things out.”
She chuckles. “Riiiight. It’ll be the longest date of your life.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yeah, girl. I’ll see you in a few.”
“Thanks. I’ll pack a few clothes for her.”
“Hmm. Actually, don’t. I’ll take her shopping tomorrow. Girls day out.”
“Lucky, Lily. Why don’t you ever spoil me like that?”
“Because the man next door is ready to spoil you.”
“See you later, Gina.” Smiling, I end the call and toss my phone on the bed. There’s no time to waste.
I call Lily into my bedroom, a sudden giddiness bubbling in my voice as I begin to fill her in on the plan. She squeals with enthusiasm and leaps onto the bed, her energy infectious. Her eyes widen with joy, a grin spreading across her face as the details unfold. Together, we dive into my closet, her hands flying from hanger to hanger, offering playful commentary on each option. Finally, we settle on an outfit.
I stand in front of my mirror, wearing a black off-shoulder top tucked into a pair of dark blue Levi’s jeans that are ripped at the ends, allowing the soft glow of light to fall on the skin above my ankles, which are strapped in black heels.
My hair is styled into a neat bun, two silky strands falling down the sides of my slightly made-up face.
There are dark circles around my eyes, which make my fair skin even fairer, and my dark red lipstick pops. A slim necklace with a diamond pendant rests on my neck, matching the studs on my ear.
Gina arrives just in time and Lily runs down to let her in.
“You look beautiful, Jess,” she observes, entering my room.
I lean in for a hug. “Thank you.”
She turns to Lily.
“See, Lily. If there’s something your Mom knows how to do right, it’s get ready for a date. Just like old times.”
“It’s not a date.”
The both of them exchange knowing looks before bursting into laughter. Gina is the only person in this world capable of turning my daughter against me.
“When Brian’s my Dad, will I be a real celebrity and go to celebrity school?”
I can’t help but join in on the laughter. “First off, Brian’s not becoming your Dad. Stop listening to Gina. Secondly, you’re already a celebrity. I’m a really famous writer, you know.”
“Obviously not the kind of famous that gets you into celebrity school,” Gina quips, winking.
“The both of you are unbelievable.” I turn around and release my hair, allowing it to fall in wavy lengths down my shoulder.
“Just make sure you guys don’t get into trouble while I’m gone.”
“Yes, Grandma,” Gina retorts.
The doorbell suddenly rings through the house.
“OMG. That’s him!”
Gina jumps up from the bed and begins to arrange her clothes, and to my greatest surprise, so does Lily.
I grin. We’re all just ridiculous.
We head downstairs in a line, with me at the front and Gina at the rear, making a beeline to the door. I open it to find Brian on the other side of the door.
He’s dressed in a pair of dark jeans and an oversized T-shirt.
“Hey,” he says, flashing his bright white teeth at me.
“Hi.”
“Are you ready?”
I nod.
“You look beautiful.” My cheeks glow crimson as I slip my hands between us, and he leads me to a car waiting for us in my driveway.
The journey to the bar is too quiet, and I’m beginning to wonder if it will be like this throughout the evening. But as soon as we get to the bar, he takes me backstage to meet the rest of the band, and then the stillness vanishes immediately.
“What’s up, guys? How are we doing this evening?”
“I’m having issues with this key. I think it might be stuck-”
Brian walks over to the man who sits behind the piano, not even waiting for him to finish before he crouches down, and they talk for a short moment. He searches blindly under the keyboard before pulling out a beer bottle cap.
He flashes it around for the rest of us, and the waves of laughter that sweep through the room are so contagious that I find myself in a trance of relief and happiness, my hands over my mouth as I laugh.
“You’re gonna wanna stay off the alcohol, Phil.”
Quirking an eyebrow, Phil snatches the cap from him. “You wish.”
Brian laughs before standing to his feet. “So, how long do we have?”
“We’re on in ten…” a voice wafted between them.
“And how ready are we guys?”
“We’re gonna kill it,” another voice cheers, pride and confidence swelling in her voice.
It’s a truly mesmerizing sight, the way they harmonize their souls before tending to their instruments. It’s as if I’m watching a close-knit family get together to carry out an age-old tradition, one that each of them knows very well.
As I watch them fine-tune their instruments and exchange playful banter, a surge of excitement builds within for their performance.
He returns to my side, and a wave of warmth rushes through me as his hand finds its place on the small of my back.
“Guys…remember my neighbor, Jessica?”
The band members look up with curious smiles.
“Hey, Jessica!” Phil grins, waving. “Nice to see you again.”
“Hi, everyone,” I say, feeling shy but smiling, nonetheless.
“Is she here to yell at us for playing again?” Greg jokes.
I feel the heat rising to my cheeks. “Look, I’m really sorry about that,” I admit. “Brian told me all about you guys, and I’m excited to get to know you better.”
“Oh, did he now?” Sabrina smirks. “All good things, I hope.”
“Mostly.”
Everyone laughs, and I already feel more at ease.
“I also told them about your book,” Brian says, his eyes twinkling with pride. “Jess is about to publish her next novel, and it’s already getting great reviews.”
“Wow, that’s amazing!” says Georgie, stepping forward to shake my hand. “Congrats! What’s it about?”
“It’s a romance novel,” I explain, feeling a bit more confident.
“I bet it’ll be a bestseller,” says Greg.
“Thank you, that means a lot.” I’m genuinely touched by their interest. It’s easy to feel like part of their team. Their aura was familial and very welcoming. And I don’t know why, but I can tell that Brian has everything to do with how close they are.
Once again, I’m entranced by his innate ability to connect with his band, a quality that radiates effortlessly despite his gruffy exterior. His soul shines brightly in places like this, drawing people in.
‘I’m good with people.’ His words echo through my mind. It wasn’t that long ago when he and I didn’t see eye to eye. But here we are now, sharing a moment of appreciation.
After a while Brian gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze and turns to his bandmates. “Alright, team. We’re on soon. Let’s give the audience a show they won’t forget.”
The room buzzes with a renewed energy as everyone prepares for the performance. Brian turns back to me, his eyes softening. “Do you want to watch from the side of the stage or join the crowd?” he asks.
“I think I’ll join the crowd,” I respond, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. “I wanna experience the full effect.”
A smile tugs the corners of his lips. “You’re gonna love it. We’ll catch up after the show, okay?”
I nod, feeling a flutter in my chest. Walking out, I yell, “Break a leg out there.”
His voice stops me in my movements as he calls out my name, and I turn to him. His eyes are full of gratitude as he speaks, “Thank you!”
As I make my way to the audience area, I steal a glance back at Brian, already engrossed in his preparations. His passion and dedication are palpable with every move. A swell of admiration floods through me, and for the first time, I allow myself to let go and enjoy being here, supporting him, fully immersed in this shared moment.