Chapter 25 #2
Ray grabs the notebook from Gene’s suitcase and sits down next to him on the bed.
Gene strums his guitar, the notes coming to him easily, as Ray hums a tune that matches.
His riff becomes more aggressive as he lets his emotions out.
Ray finds the words, singing a song with force, frustration, determination, and next thing they know they’re jamming out some original rock-’n’-roll.
The tension in Gene’s chest unwinds as the music takes hold.
Ray’s voice is a remedy for his soul, the sound of it so soothing, something he wants to hear for the rest of his life.
He sings the harmony with Ray, and in no time they’ve written another song.
It’s hard to believe it’s already the second-to-last show of the tour, on Devil’s Night at the Hollywood Palladium.
Well, the Californians don’t call this night ‘Devil’s Night’, but Ray surely does as a Michigander, dancing away on stage like a crazy devil himself.
He struts around, shaking his hips, clapping to the beat as the Dusty Brooms rock out behind him.
The audience doesn’t know his relationship with Carol is crumbling—no, and likely, they wouldn’t care.
They’re here for the music. The crowd jumps to the intensity coming out of the speakers, to the rhythm coming from Pat’s drums, to the sway and sound that moves them all around.
They come for an experience that you can only get from a live performance—the atmosphere, the excitement, and adrenaline that Ray himself feels every time he steps foot on stage.
It’s a mutual feeling of delight, for both performer and audience.
They also don’t know how close Ray and Gene have become.
Even as Gene struts next to Ray and sings with him on the same microphone, coming together so close, faces nearly touching, the audience doesn’t see anything past that.
Well, maybe there are a few fans that have theories, but Ray personally hasn’t heard any rumors.
It’s not like how he overheard people talking about David Bowie and Iggy Pop—no, as far as he knows, the public doesn’t see anything gay between him and Gene.
He needs to maintain that facade if he wants the Dusty Brooms to keep growing. Sure, David Bowie is popular despite the rumors, but he’s still married to a woman. Which is why Ray is hesitant to truly break things off with Carol, and didn’t push Gene further when talking about Toshiko.
Last night, Gene seemed touchy with the subject of Toshiko, almost as if he’d completely forgotten about her.
It confused Ray, baffling him that it could even be possible, but at the same time it makes sense.
Gene’s been drinking often and smoking every day, so maybe that all has been messing with his memory, and his priorities.
She’s not traveling with them either, so out of sight, out of mind.
But it makes Ray worry about Gene. Last night, he was glad Gene asked him to write a song.
It felt like the right thing to do. Instead of diving head-first into mind-blowing sex, they took it easy, making music sprinkled with kisses and cuddles.
Ray still returned to his own room for sleep, though, worried about angering Carol further if he stayed overnight in Gene’s room again, even if she’s staying in Pat’s room.
Right now, Gene dances with him on stage, strumming the rhythm on his Telecaster.
Behind them both is Pat hitting the downbeat with her bass drum, guiding the band, keeping time.
Ray follows her lead as the instrumental continues.
He hasn’t had much of a chance to talk to her after the whole ordeal with Carol—mainly because Carol herself has been occupying Pat’s time—and he wonders what all she knows.
Did Carol tell her that I cheated? She wouldn’t say it was with Gene, but Pat would at least know that Carol is mad at me for something.
Despite that, Pat has been friendly with Ray.
They technically are business partners after all, being in a band together.
But she also hasn’t shown any hostility towards him, which is a good sign.
Stefan rolls the bassline underneath, standing to the left of Gene, jamming in his own little spot.
Honestly, Ray wonders if Stefan would care one way or another about Ray cheating, or sleeping with Gene.
Stefan always minds his own business. I bet even if we did tell him, he would just shrug it off.
Santiago, on the other hand, cares about him and their friendship deeply.
He plucks the lead melody, sliding on the strings, walking toward the edge of the stage to rile up the crowd.
He’s always so good at that. So much so that Ray has noticed that Santi, out of everyone, receives the most fan mail.
While Ray might be the frontman, Santiago has won an abundance of ladies’ hearts.
Santi is single, after all. But fan mail isn’t the same as true love—which is what Santi wants.
He deserves someone who’ll treat him right.
I don’t think I could bear the thought of someone breaking his heart.
I hope he strikes gold and finds someone worthy of him.
But what about Ray’s own heart?
Has he already found true love, sitting right under his nose?
That brings his attention back to Gene.
The stage lights shine down on Gene, glittering off his necklaces that dangle over his hairy chest, showing through the opening of his button-up shirt.
Ray can’t help but stare. Seeing his best friend performing so beautifully gets his blood pumping.
His heart beats even faster when he catches Gene smiling at him.
Electricity sparks between them, and he smiles back.
“Play guitar, boy!” Ray says into the mic, looking at Gene.
And so, Santi passes the lead melody to Gene, who takes off in a solo of his own.
Gene’s guitar roars throughout the venue.
He moves to the beat, throwing his strumming arm up with a long note, even kicking his leg out to add to the dance.
The crowd goes wild, clapping and cheering him on, Ray joining in with them.
He dances around Gene, coming closer while holding the mic, preparing for a repeat of the chorus.
Ray leans backwards against Gene’s shoulder, holding the mic up for them both to sing into it 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.”
The warmth of Gene’s body and the feel of his breath is euphoric; Ray’s cheeks feel like they’re on fire. He always does this on stage with Gene, getting close, testing the limits, singing together like this. His heart feels so full as the song they wrote together fills the air all around.
With Gene holding his guitar and Ray holding the mic, there’s no place he’d rather be.