26. Chapter Twenty-Six #2
“I wanted to personally thank you for performing in my place these last few months,” Bronx said.
“I know it wasn’t easy for you to jump into the schedule we were already locked into, especially while dealing with the MS, but you really stepped up and saved my ass.
I appreciate this more than you know and if you ever need help in any way, I’m here for you, too. ”
“It was a blast for me to stick my toes back into the performance pool again, but physically I can no longer do the rigors of this job full-time,” Lincoln admitted.
“This gig was sweet because it was short-term but I’m relieved you’re back.
Now I need to slip back into retirement so I can rest my weary bones.
Just know that if you need me, I’m happy to come back for a few shows—but only if you really need me. ”
“I hear you, man,” Bronx said. “After the show tonight I’m sure I’ll be needing to rest my body and my brain.”
“How is your head?” Lincoln questioned.
“That seems to be the question of the night,” Bronx said, “and to answer you, it’s healing slowly but I’m still seeing progress, so I guess I’m on track.
The doctors said it would take a year before I see a hundred percent again but I’m working hard to expedite it.
My hearing is pretty much fully restored but I’m still getting headaches now and then.
At least they’re sporadic versus every day, all day, like they used to be. ”
“Well, slow and steady tends to work best with these things,” Lincoln said. “Rushing recovery works for no one. Just give yourself the time to properly heal. You’ll be better off for it.”
Trays of food were brought into the room and set up on a table against the back wall.
Once the catering crew finished, the guys grabbed plates and began to fill them with assorted sandwiches, two different pasta salads, a tossed salad, and a baked vegetable casserole that looked delicious.
The rich smells in the room were enough to make Bronx put a few food items on his plate, too, but none of them would overeat at this meal.
Going on stage with a bloated belly was nothing any of them would recommend.
“Listen up!” Dagger yelled to get everyone to turn his way.
“We’ve got a few minutes left to chill here while Artillery Fire finishes their set.
Our new backup band is kicking ass, so I want to be sure we give them every minute they’re contracted for.
Far as I know our special guest tonight still hasn’t been officially leaked to the press which will work well for us later in our performance. ”
“Who’s the special guest?” Ashton asked with a chuckle.
“Don’t be a dumbass,” Dagger scolded Ashton. “You know damn well who is headlining our set.”
A knock at the door followed by the announcement, “Five minutes!” came next.
Dagger pulled them together in the center of the room to do a final pep talk that concluded with a group hug.
It was just like the old days, yet so many things had changed.
The guys began to head for the doors to leave but Bronx stopped them.
“Hey! I wanted to tell you how grateful I am to have each of you in my life,” Bronx said. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your support, and I love you like brothers.”
“Brothers from other mommas,” Ashton said. He twirled his drumsticks around over his head and snickered at his own comment.
“It feels real to me—like we are biological brothers,” Bronx said.
Dagger approached and laid his arm around the back of Bronx’s neck. “We will always be connected like brothers,” Dagger said in agreement, then the stage manager returned to pull the members of Black Ice out into the hall to line up.
Their set would begin with Dagger, Dante, Ashton, and Lincoln standing in for Bronx.
After a few songs, Bronx would walk out to play alongside Lincoln for a bit, and then Lincoln would take a bow and walk off to leave the role of playing bass in Bronx’s very capable hands.
They had special lighting planned to make the transition of Lincoln passing the torch to Bronx more dramatic, and honestly, Bronx was quite excited about every last detail of his return to the stage.
“See you shortly!” Dante yelled across the room at Bronx as he stepped into the hall.
“Break a leg!” Bronx shouted to them. They turned to wave at him and then appeared to be swallowed up by the team of guards protecting their asses.
Dagger offered one last salute to Bronx while Ashton bent over and slapped his own ass.
Bronx laughed heartily and watched the guard standing outside shut the door behind the chaos and the room once again fell to silence.
A few minutes later Bronx felt the building begin to vibrate from the roar of the audience.
He knew without a doubt that Black Ice had taken the stage.
Tony filled a plate with food and joined Bronx on a couch to eat his meal. They had about an hour to kill before Bronx joined his band on stage. An hour that Tony knew would feel like a hundred hours to Bronx. The trick would be to keep him distracted and thinking positively.
“Hanging in there?” Tony asked Bronx.
Bronx leaned over and bumped his shoulder into Tony’s. “I am and I have you to thank for that,” he answered.
“I’m happy to play the role of supportive partner to you,” Tony said and grinned.
Bronx squeezed Tony’s thigh. “You’re so much more to me than just that,” he said softly.
“Thank you, babe,” Tony replied. “But listen to me. You’ve worked your ass off to get ‘stage ready’ tonight and I am so confident in your abilities to perform, it isn’t funny.
Don’t underestimate your talent. You will sail through this performance like you’ve been part of the Vegas residency since the beginning. You’ve got this—I know you do.”
“Have I told you lately how lucky I feel to have found another horny, vers lover to keep me warm at night?” Bronx teased with a glint of mirth in his eyes.
“I think we’ve christened every room in my leased house,” Tony laughed. “Ventura better not come through that place with a forensic blacklight or I’m screwed.”
“You’re going to be screwed either way,” Bronx affirmed with pure joy in his voice. “We’ve done a fine job of leaving our marks—and smears—on every flat surface, shower, hot tub, every bed, couch, and even your deck with Los Angeles in the distance.”
“Believe me, it was my pleasure,” Tony said and winked.
“Christ, I love you so much,” Bronx said on a long exhale.
“And I love you,” Tony added. “It’s still a rush for me to be the one who gets to say that to you.”
There was no warning knock on the door, just Fizzbo barging into the room. “How’s my favorite bass player?” Fizzbo hollered into the room, startling Bronx and Tony.
“I’m all warmed up and ready to blow the roof off of this arena,” Bronx said.
“You good, Tony?” Fizzbo asked.
“I’m great,” he answered. “Happy to be here.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Fizzbo replied. “Any pain tonight, Bronx? I can have an EMT take a quick look at you before we walk down front if you feel you need it.”
“I don’t have any pain. I’m good to go,” Bronx replied with pride.
“Dizziness or dexterity issues with your fingers?”
“Nope, none of that, either,” Bronx answered. “I’m feeling pretty fucking good and I’ve never been this ready to rock the house.”
“Okay, but you know the drill,” Fizzbo said.
“If you get fatigued or dizzy, Lincoln will be in the wings to take over or help you finish. All you have to do is signal Tony or one of the other guards and we’ll be there to help.
” Fizzbo clapped Bronx on the back, “And above all else, remember we’ve always got your back. No matter what.”
“I sure as hell hope you do,” Bronx said and chuckled half under his breath.
“Enough of the formalities,” Fizzbo said. “Are you ready for your personal escort to the stage?” Fizzbo asked.
Bronx thought about Fizzbo’s question for a long moment and absorbed the meaning behind the words.
He’d fought his way through many difficult months for this comeback and more than earned the right to play side-by-side with this band.
His doctors said he wasn’t ready to perform a full ninety-minute show but the short, thirty-minute encore would be fine.
Bronx was happy to settle on doing the four to five song set, in fact, he was grateful that was an option at all.
Tonight was about celebrating the healing he’d done and regaining everything he thought he’d lost forever. This show would prove he was still a force to be reckoned with to everyone who said his career was over. They could all kiss his ass.
Bronx nodded at Fizzbo with confidence. “Take me out front,” Bronx said. “I’m ready to do what I was born to do.”