Chapter 25
During their time at the Hyatt House in California, Gene went to stay in Toshiko’s room.
And… Well, more than simply listening to records happened.
He had a wonderful time being intimate with her, delighted by the fact she was so open and willing to do everything and anything with him.
But honestly, he couldn’t shake the strange feeling that something was off.
While physically he felt pleasured, his mind was still whirling around other topics.
Merely a few days prior to meeting Toshiko, Gene was intimate with Ray in the bathroom of that Phoenix motel.
During their show in Long Beach, and the one in Inglewood, every time Gene sang on stage with Ray, every time they danced around each other and were so close in proximity, faces nearly touching by the microphone, it stirred up that fluttery feeling again.
Even after sleeping with Toshiko a second, and a third time, Ray wouldn’t leave the back of his mind.
It’s kind of hard to let go when he spends a majority of his time with Ray and the band, playing music or simply hanging out.
Ray is still his best friend, after all.
But despite how he feels, the reality is that he and Ray cannot have a romantic relationship. No matter how much he would want it, it can never be.
So Gene wanted to do right for Toshiko. She was so excited to spend time with him, sharing her interests and music with him.
She only has one album and a few singles out so far, but they sounded phenomenal—a beautiful style Gene had never heard before.
Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he’d heard much spoken Japanese at all in his life, which only added to his fascination with it.
Toshiko’s style of music is actually influenced by a Brazilian genre that had become popular in Japan: Bossa Nova.
In fact, Toshiko’s first single was a Japanese-language cover of the song ‘The Girl from Ipanema’, originally sung by Brazilian-native Astrud Gilberto.
Astrud herself sang a Japanese version for a live album a few years prior, but Toshiko’s studio version catapulted into the Japanese charts.
Gene could understand—Toshiko’s voice is out of this world.
Although Toshiko is the one singing on the album and is billed as a solo artist, the true mastermind behind her music is her friend and producer, Yasuhiro Nakajima.
Toshiko only wrote lyrics to two songs on her album—the rest of the originals were all composed by Yasuhiro.
But from what Gene can tell, Yasuhiro is a man who likes to work in the shadows, doing magic behind the scenes to lift up others instead of putting himself in the spotlight. Gene can respect that.
“Yasuhiro has told me that he treats music like a canvas, and that my voice is the brush he paints with,” Toshiko said to Gene one night while listening to her music in her hotel room, both smoking weed and sitting on the edge of her bed.
“The resulting artwork is a collaboration from both of us. Yes, he can create art with other paint brushes too, as he does produce music for other artists aside from myself, but what he creates with me is unique—it could not be replicated with any other brush.”
“Wow… I dig that,” Gene replied, nodding his head.
It made him think about how he writes his own music with none other than Ray.
He and Ray have been doing this for years now, and he’s known from the beginning that he could never create music the same way with any other person.
Perhaps he could collaborate with other artists—he doesn’t think he’d be opposed to that—but what he creates with Ray is special, unique.
Their band the Dusty Brooms wouldn’t be the same if they didn’t have each other; in fact, it wouldn’t be the Dusty Brooms at all.
After their final show in California, unfortunately Gene had to say goodbye to Toshiko.
At least for now. He’d actually spent every night during their stay with her, abandoning his old room with Ray and Carol.
But he figured it was for the best, so Ray could have alone time with his girlfriend and Gene could explore more with the Japanese beauty who’d captivated him.
Ray seemed annoyed, but why should he be?
It only frustrated Gene more. Ray shouldn’t be fucking jealous.
He doesn’t own me. He shouldn’t act like he does.
Gene gave his phone number and address of his Michigan home to Toshiko, in case she ever wanted to reach out and see him again.
She gave him a copy of her album as a gift to remember her by.
They hadn’t discussed properly dating or going steady, but Gene figured it was a bit too soon to think of that.
They’d only known each other for a week, anyway, not to mention living miles and miles apart—Toshiko’s place of origin being on the other side of the world.
But he has an inkling that she will contact him sometime soon, with how well they hit it off.
Perhaps sometime in the coming months, once the Brooms are back home, he’ll be expecting a call.
Presently, the Dusty Brooms are on stage at the Las Vegas Hilton.
This crowd isn’t as big as the ones they’d seen in California, but it’s still rather large—comparable to those in Detroit.
Gene’s purely excited to play to any crowd of people, big or small.
While he does appreciate more people hearing the Brooms and their success, what’s always mattered to Gene is the music itself.
He’s not playing for the fame, and honestly, the enormous crowds still make him nervous sometimes.
At least he’s got whiskey to help him mellow out.
He sees the Brooms as messengers of the blues, spreading their music far and wide, minstrels performing their craft.
“How is everyone here tonight?” Ray says into the microphone, addressing the audience.
The reply is a sea of screams. “This is our first time here in Las Vegas, and we’re hoping you all give us a good first impression.
” The screams become more intense. “What was that? You say we’ll love it here?
” Ray puts a hand to his ear, and the crowd goes even wilder. “That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout!”
Pat kicks off their set with a bang—and the Dusty Brooms start with their first single: ‘Fly High’.
This is the first song Gene and Ray had ever composed together, three years ago in Gene’s old bedroom.
He was close to Ray then and still close to him now.
But little did he know that his friendship with Ray would evolve into the utter nonsense it is today.
He can’t let it overwhelm himself. He needs to take control. Easier said than done, though.
He tries to think of his nights with Toshiko, remembering her music, the warmth of her touch.
But being next to Ray on stage erases all of that in an instant.
The feelings he’s held for Ray come rushing back, filling up his chest, fluttering around like butterflies.
He gazes at his best friend while he sings the verse, admiring his fluffy, curly blond hair, his sparkly blue eyeshadow, his sheer, glittery shirt that hugs tight around his slim torso, those sexy striped pants, and a flowy scarf thrown around his neck to match.
Gene is mesmerized as he watches Ray shake his hips, clapping to the beat and riling up the audience.
His heart nearly stops as Ray turns his head and smiles at him.
It’s as if nothing awkward had even happened between them, no, it’s simply two guys with a love for music sharing a moment.
Gene plays around with that, smiling back, throwing his strumming arm out after it rings a long note on his guitar.
He does it again, and again, eyeing past Ray and giving a wordless cue to Santiago to take over the rhythm, weaving it around.
Gene pulls an impromptu solo, wailing a tune that is definitely not on the studio version of the record, but he’s simply having fun with it.
Ray dances, throwing his hands up to the beat of Pat’s drums, the groove of Stefan’s bass, music all-encompassing.
Meanwhile, Gene has eyes for none other than Ray.
He steals his focus, and he needs to end his solo—so he weaves with Santi again to retake the rhythm.
Ray catches on, stepping back up to the microphone, and Gene does as well so they can sing the chorus together:
“She flies me up like a plane, higher and higher.
There ain’t no way I can deny her.
‘Fly high, baby, fly away with me.’
She’ll be the star of all my dreams.”
Gene’s cheek brushes against Ray’s as they sing, mouths nearly touching—a hair away from being a kiss.
None of the audience can probably tell with the microphone being in the way, or them simply being too far away to notice.
But Gene definitely feels it—Ray’s breath against his face, and that handsome grin he gives him when they pull away.
Something electric passes between them. Every time, every single time, Gene’s heart feels like it’s flying on the clouds, just like the lyrics of their song. He can’t get enough of it.
This might be the last show of the tour, but their journey is far from over.