Page 262 of Back in the Saddle

We all turned to where the drums and amps were set up only to see Stella freaking Gunn at the piano with Buzz, the Blue Moon Gypsies’ bass player standing at a microphone ready to sing.

“Holy fuck,” I said.

“Holy shit,” Raye said.

“Oh my goodness,” Alexis said.

“Fucking hell,” Jacob said.

“Good Lord,” Shanti said.

Cap and Eric had nothing to say.

But Eric threw his arm around my shoulders, and when I tore my gaze from the makeshift stage to look at him, I saw his eyes on Stella and a huge smile on his face.

It only got bigger when Buzz began singing.

The rest of the band—Pong, Hugo and Leo—showed with their instruments and started playing just before Stella jumped in on the Kirsty MacColl part.

The Blue Moon Gypsies—all of them—were playing an apartment complex Holiday Extravaganza.

This wasinsane.

It was also insanely beautiful.

Man, Stella totally was the shit.

We all wandered closer to them as if pulled by an invisible rope.

As for Raye, Alexis, Shanti and me, we were swaying, dancing and singing with them.

Tex sat on top of one of the outdoor tables, a bottle of beer in his hand held up high swinging back and forth, his head bowed, his torso moving with his hand. Linda was clapping with the beat. Bill and Zach were whirling around with arms hooked at the fast parts, and swaying side to side in each other’s arms on the slow parts.

When the song ended, Hugo went to the keyboards, Stella got up from the piano, grabbed her guitar and moved to an unused mic.

“This one is for Kai,” she said to someone offstage.

I looked that way to see Mace standing close to the bar, arms crossed, shaking his head but smiling, his eyes locked on his wife.

This happened before the band dropped right into Stevie Wonder’s “What Christmas Means to Me.”

That did it.

I handed my drink to Eric, and Raye, Shanti, Alexis and I gave up on the swaying and went into straight up dancing.

Within seconds Luna and Harlow had joined us.

So had Martha, Linda, Rhea, Patsy, Bill, Zach, Jenn, half the other Oasis residents and Tallulah and Walsh, Stella and Mace’s two kids.

And just to say, Walsh was barely out of toddlerhood, but the kid could cut a rug.

“Angels get up here,” Stella ordered after “What Christmas Means to Me” was over.

We all glanced at each other before we headed up.

I mean, when Stella Gunn, multi-platinum artist and Rock Chick, tells you to get onstage, you do it.

Right?

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