6. Callum
6
CALLUM
“ T hank you, Maplewood!” I said, smiling across the theater. “I can’t tell you how good it feels to be back home.”
I took a deep breath as I looked out to the crowd. So far, I had played some of the Horizon’s most successful singles. Members of the audience sang along, excited to know every word. But I was at the point in the concert where I planned to debut some of my new music. I felt overwhelmed with nerves as I began, momentarily wondering if I should abandon the idea entirely. But I made myself push forward.
“I’m going to do something a bit different if you’ll allow me,” I said. I swallowed hard and tried to ignore my heart beating out of my chest. “I’ve been working on some new music. And I thought I would share some of it with you all tonight.”
I was grateful the stage lights blocked most of their faces. I could only see people in the first few rows of the theater. I looked out, a tense moment of silence, as I listened to see how they would react to this news. And then, thankfully, the crowd cheered from their seats in the old theater. Thank God they were still with me. I just hoped they would still be cheering when the new songs were finished.
I had a simple setup onstage: just a microphone, my guitar, and a stool. I sat down now and brought the microphone closer to my mouth. And then, I started to play.
This is crazy , I told myself as the first line of the lyrics flowed out of me. You haven’t let a soul hear this song. And now you’re debuting it in front of a crowd of 500 people.
But as I sang, the song overtook me. I lost all sense of self-consciousness or fear. There was something about singing a song you had created. Something about performing something that had come from inside of you. It was a feeling I would never get over. I could only hope the crowd would feel the same love and embrace the songs I was sharing with them.
Is she out there?
Even with all the nerves coursing through me and the adrenaline of performing a new song, my mind drifted to Darcy. The question of whether she would come had been running through my head all evening. Was Darcy Stevens in the crowd? Performing in my hometown meant I had tons of friends and family here, but there was only one person I cared about right now.
Earlier, when I arrived at the theater, I was so distracted I barely made it through sound check. The audio engineer kept asking if I could hear myself in the monitors and if I needed the levels adjusted. But it wasn’t any technical challenges that had my thoughts floating out into space. It was Darcy.
I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss in the supply closet and the way her warm lips pressed against mine, eager for more. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel the desperate way she held my shirt in her fist and pulled me closer. I could still feel her whole body pressed against mine as I struggled to be closer to her. And yet, she had pushed me away.
What made her stop? I asked myself.
Despite these distractions, I made it through my set. I felt a flush of pride as the crowd gave a standing ovation and even asked for an encore. Maybe this new music had been alright. After the show, I stood in the lobby to thank the audience. I hadn’t done that since some of the earliest concerts the Horizon gave. But I wanted to thank the people of my hometown for coming to see me, and I knew there would be plenty of friends who wanted to say hello.
“Oh my God, Callum, it was amazing!” Liz cried out, wrapping her arms around me. I had been talking to a fan, someone who insisted we knew each other in high school, though I had no memory of the guy. So I was grateful when Liz launched herself at me to hang her arms around my neck. It was just the hint the talkative fan needed to excuse himself.
“That new music!” Liz cried. “I think it’s your best yet!” She released her arms from my neck and nearly stumbled as she stepped away from me. I had to laugh at her.
“Someone’s having fun,” I said. I didn’t miss the strong smell of alcohol on my sister’s breath.
“Oh, hush,” Liz said, swatting my shoulder. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been out without the kids. I’m allowed to relax a bit.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” I smiled. I felt a sudden burst of warmth toward Liz. We had been distant for several years while I pursued music and toured the world. But after only a few days with Liz, I was realizing just how much I had missed her.
Another person came up to shake my hand, and I spent a moment with her. As I posed for a selfie with the girl, I couldn’t help scanning the room, searching for someone.
“She’s here,” Liz said, giving a smirk that told me she knew exactly who I was looking for. “She got trapped by this client we have who has insane requirements for her house. I swear she has no intention of actually buying a home. She just likes talking to us.”
“Who do you mean?” I asked, playing dumb, but Liz wouldn’t even entertain my question.
“I can’t believe you kissed her!” Liz whispered. But in her slightly intoxicated state, this whisper was closer to a full-blown conversation.
“ Liz! ” I scolded. Luckily the people around us seemed occupied with their own conversations. But there were too many people milling about the lobby for Liz to be spreading something like that around. I knew firsthand how rumors could explode into problems very quickly.
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about!” Liz said.
“ I’m not embarrassed,” I said. “But I’m not sure Darcy wants it talked about all over town.”
“That’s just Darcy,” Liz laughed. “Always second-guessing her decisions. I love her, but the girl doesn’t know what’s good for her!”
Just then, I caught sight of Darcy pressing her way through the crowd. I felt a jolt in my stomach at the sight of her. She wore tight black jeans and a sequined tank top that gave her a rock-concert edge I wasn’t expecting. With her dark eyeliner and heeled boots, she would have fit in at any Horizon concert. My eyes dropped down to those soft lips, and I was once again in the supply closet, hearing Darcy sigh as I kissed her.
“Doesn’t she look amazing? ” Liz squealed as Darcy joined us. “We went shopping!”
“It’s a good look,” I agreed, enjoying the invitation to stare. I caught Darcy’s eyes and smiled at her, but she looked away and focused on Liz.
“She was so excited about putting together ‘a look’,” Darcy said.
“You have to have the look !” Liz protested. “Ask any of those groupies who follow him across the world. You have to dress right for a Callum Jones concert.”
“I don’t have groupies,” I said, shaking my head. The last thing I wanted was Darcy to think I went around sleeping with women and taking advantage of my fame.
“Oh! Who wants drinks?” Liz asked. She had caught sight of the bar in the lobby and clearly wasn’t ready for the evening to end.
“Liz, they’re trying to clean up,” I said, taking hold of my sister’s arm before she could float away. “Come back to my dressing room and we’ll have a drink.”
This solution seemed acceptable for Liz because she took off back into the theater, expecting us to follow her.
“I think your sister needs to get out more,” Darcy laughed, raising her eyebrows as Liz practically skipped down the aisle.
“I think you’re right,” I agreed. I was glad to share a smile with Darcy and glad to walk so close to her. Our shoulders nearly touched as we walked down the aisle and ducked into an alcove at the side of the stage.
“This way.” I held a curtain aside for Darcy and let her cross in front of me. I called Liz over from where she was dancing on the stage and nodded toward the staircase. Soon, we were all heading down the steps toward the dressing rooms.
“Watch your head,” I warned as we descended the old theater staircase. The architecture of this place meant that I had to duck to avoid a pipe that cut across the ceiling.
The theater was a historic space, built sometime in the 1800s and, despite numerous renovations, it didn’t have many of the amenities I had become accustomed to on tour. Not that I minded. I didn’t need much. They had given me the largest dressing room available, but the place was tiny compared to the large and sometimes multi-room spaces I was often given. But this place had charm, and I found it more comfortable than some of the famous arenas I had performed in.
“Go ahead,” I said, letting Darcy into the space. It had a counter along one wall with mirrors running across it. The other side had a couch that someone had decorated with colorful throw pillows to try to brighten the room. The only other thing in the room was a small sink tucked into a corner and a doorless closet space for costumes and clothing.
“Sorry for the tight fit,” I said as the three of us squeezed into the space. The venue had left me a bottle of scotch (likely something Brady had written into my contract), and I unstacked three plastic cups onto the counter so I could pour.
“The songs were wonderful, Cal,” Liz declared again as I handed out the shots.
“They really were,” agreed Darcy. My head whipped around at Darcy’s compliment, and our eyes met as I smiled at her.
“I’m glad you liked it,” I said. I was surprised by how true those words were. Hearing Darcy approve of the new music felt more important than any future record executive’s opinion.
“To a good summer,” I said, lifting my plastic cup in the air.
“To a good summer,” Liz and Darcy repeated. We knocked our cups together and we all drank. I felt the scotch warm and harsh as it burned its way down my throat. Next time, I would ask Brady to specify something a bit closer to the top shelf.
“It’s past my bedtime,” Liz announced, slamming her cup onto the counter.
“I thought you wanted to drink!” I laughed. I was often amused by Liz’s whims, floating from one thought to the next.
“We drank!” she exclaimed, gesturing to the scotch. For the second time that night, Liz wrapped her arms around my neck. “Congratulations,” she said. Her hug was warm and genuine, and I hugged her back firmly. I was trying to thank her for all the support she had given me since coming home.
“I’ll drive you home,” Darcy said, gathering her purse, but Liz shook her head.
“Eric’s outside for me.” I didn’t know Liz’s husband well, but from everything I knew, Eric was a devoted husband who cared about Liz. That made him good in my book.
Liz gave Darcy a hug before putting a hand on her cheek in an affectionate gesture.
“Stay and have another drink,” Liz insisted. Something seemed to pass between the two of them, but I couldn’t work out what it might mean. All at once, Liz was bouncing out of the dressing room, leaving Darcy and me alone in the small space.
“Well,” I said, shaking my head. I felt like we had just survived a Liz-shaped tornado, quickly touching down before evaporating just as quickly. “Another drink?”
“Why not?” Darcy replied, and her laugh was relaxed and friendly. I had expected her to excuse herself politely and slip out of the room. Instead, she had opted to stay, even taking a seat on the couch. I wasn’t about to question it. I poured a new round of drinks and walked them over to her.
“Thanks.” Darcy’s hand reached up to take the cup. She looked at me carefully as our hands touched in the handoff. What was she thinking? I sat down on the couch beside her and sipped the cheap alcohol, waiting.
“How do you feel?” Darcy asked. She pulled a leg up onto the couch so she could turn to face me.
“About the show?” I turned to her as well, settling into a more comfortable position. The couch was so small our knees almost touched. What would happen if I shifted forward a bit? If I allowed my knee to touch hers?
“Yeah. After a show … do you feel excited? Or more of a letdown?”
The cheap alcohol was already going to my head. I felt warm and relaxed as I rested my arm along the back of the couch. I always felt both satisfied and eager after a show, filled with a buzz unlike any other.
“Depends,” I shrugged. I took in the slight smile on her face and the pink flush on her cheeks.
“On what?”
I swallowed, downing my cup. Was there an invitation in her eyes? I took a breath and considered her carefully before answering.
“It depends on how the show went. And, once the show’s over, if I have someone special to celebrate with.”