Chapter 35
Four Days Ago, Milwaukee
Selene: Please tell me you’re somewhere with reception.
Dante Baker: We’re in port. How are you?
Selene: Shitty. Any chance you can leave?
Dante Baker: What do you mean?
Selene: I mean we need you
Dante Baker: What happened? Is El OK?
Selene: No. We’re here in Milwaukee and everything’s gone fucking shitty. Not that it was perfect before, but she’s in total meltdown mode.
Dante Baker: What? Shit, sorry. Woke my bunkmate. What happened?
Selene: Idk. She held it together before now, barely. She’s like a zombie up there. You would barely recognize her, but people lap up the story they believe and they don’t know how amazing she really can be. They never saw her before, so they think this level of “good” is all she can do. Idiots.
Dante Baker: Selene. What about today?
Selene: We were going on stage, and she was shaking so badly. Honestly. I’ve never seen anyone tremble like that, I thought we were going to have to take her to the hospital.
Dante Baker: Did she take something?
Selene: No, I don’t think so. Lo and I have been checking, and there’s no drugs or anything. I think it’s just being here, being back in Milwaukee… The memories, you know?
Dante Baker: shit.
Selene: yeah. She almost dropped Jasper.
…
Selene: Look, I don’t really know what happened between you two. Whether it was Logan or something else, but she needs you
…
Dante Baker: She chose Logan.
Selene: Logan is an asshole. Ok. Yes. But maybe back then she needed an asshole. Maybe back then she needed someone to make decisions for her. But she doesn’t need that now.
…
Selene: Don’t be an asshole too. I didn’t think you were like that.
Dante Baker: I’m not, I just… I can’t do this. I can’t swoop in when she doesn’t want saving. I can’t keep having her pick someone or something else over me. Isn’t she dating some movie star?
Selene: OMG, seriously??? You are kidding me with this right now. It’s totally fake. Logan engineers the whole thing, photo shoots, everything. He even tried to get her back together with Tyler.
Dante Baker: Wait what?
Selene: Yeah. She’s lost. She needs you. You understand her.
…
Selene: Please. Don’t make me beg. I hate it.
Selene: Now you’re being an asshole. I know you have service.
Dante Baker: I’ll think about it. I’ve gotta go. Muster
Selene: Liar
* * *
Three Days Ago
Casper: Hey. You talked to Ellery lately?
Dante: No. Not really. What’s up?
Casper: How’s cruise life?
Dante: Fine. Aren’t you on some vacation with your fiancée?
Casper: So? I can’t text my little brother?
Dante: Right, right. Five minutes late and I’m forever the little one.
…
Casper: Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.
…
Casper: Besides, it was twenty minutes, but who’s counting
Dante: It’s ok. I’m just wired. Been a long cruise. Twenty passengers had to quarantine and it’s all—a lot.
Casper: Yeah.
Dante: so what about Ellery?
Casper: Oh. Right. I mean, it’s probably nothing.
Dante: OMG just tell me, Cas.
Casper: OK ok. So Paula and I are in Milwaukee, right? A little pre-wedding trip, drink some beer, whatever. And she’s a HUGE fan of Elvie. I mean, like, supernova fan. When I told her my little brother used to play with her, she nearly shat the bed. No joke
Dante: Great thing to say about your fiancée
Casper: whatever. So I surprise her with these tickets, right? And I think maybe we’ll go up afterward, wave hi, give Paula something monumental.
Dante: You could literally have asked me and I would have texted her you were coming.
Casper: I thought you guys weren’t talking?
…
Dante: Fine. I would’ve texted Selene. What’s the point?
Casper: The point is, Ellery looked awful, man. Nothing like she used to. She was so bright, so vibrant.
Dante: You already have a fiancée.
…
Casper: Dude. You know I never wanted Ellery, right?
…
Casper: Dante. Seriously.
Dante: It’s just—everything’s always been so easy for you.
Casper: Is it easy to stand in your shadow? Hardly.
Dante: What?
Casper: Dante, you rock. You’re an amazing musician. You travel the world. You know incredibly famous people. You’ve never been anyone other than completely yourself. I’m just plain old Casper Baker, and it took me way too long to realize that. I’m a future electric minivan owner, dude.
Dante: there’s no shame in that.
Casper: I mean it, though. I try my best not to compare myself to you and your success. We’re family. We have each other’s backs.
…
Dante: Thanks
Casper So about Ellery. Talk to her.
Dante: I don’t know what to say. She lost everything. She’s changed. She doesn’t need me anymore.
Casper: Bullshit. She didn’t lose Selene and Lorraine. She didn’t lose you. She didn’t lose us. All families look different, right? She still has one. And it’s ok to miss the one she had. But you need to be the one that’s still there.
…
Dante: Fuck, man, that was beautiful.
Casper: And about her changing, I mean, we all change, Dante. Even you. You might think you haven’t, but are you really the same person you were when you were twenty-one? Please.
Dante: I haven’t changed that much
Casper: don’t get defensive. It happens to all of us. We grow up. We move on. We live through tragedy and it scars us and we heal and try again tomorrow. It’s ridiculous to believe none of that alters you.
I mean, look at me and Paula. We both went through a lot of bad relationships before we found each other.
Now we can learn and grow together. You have to find the people who roll with you when you change, who will love you even when you’re not likable.
You find a love like that, Dante. One that builds you into a better person.
Or a future electric minivan owner.
Dante: When did you get so smart?
Casper: It’s the extra twenty minutes
Dante: *eye roll emoji*
Casper: Now, about that autograph for Paula…
* * *
Two days ago
One and Only Ellery:Are you there?
…
Dante Baker (rock god): El? What’s wrong?
One and Only Ellery:Where are you?
Dante Baker (rock god): Southampton. What’s going on?
…
Dante Baker (rock god): El? Where are you? What’s going on? Please talk to me
…
Dante Baker (rock god): El?
Dante Baker (rock god): El?
Dante Baker (rock god): I’m coming. Don’t lose hope. I’m coming to you.