Page 70 of Feuds and Interludes
“Good. It’s nice to see him happy. I just wish he’d told us about his illness. Damn. That’s scary shit. I knew something was wrong, but he’d just blow off our questions. He can be a moody fuck anyway, but when he doesn’t feel good and his body doesn’t cooperate, he’s inconsolable.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
He nodded. “I better get him his tea before it gets cold. Thanks, man,” he said.
“For what?”
“For taking care of him when he wouldn’t let us.”
Bran went into the sound room and handed Boone his tea. The three of them were super tight-knit. I was happy he had that. It made me want more, too. Whatever I decided to do next, Idefinitely wouldn’t settle for less than true bandmates, people I could trust to have my back.
Guess that meant getting used to letting people in.
Fuuuck.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out. “Hey, Pops. You good?”
“Sure, I’m great, only I had to hear the good news from Vera Jean. You and Boone, huh?”
“Yeah, it just sort of happened. Hadn’t had a chance to talk to you about it. I was going to talk to you about it tonight when you two get here.”
“And we kind of sprang our news on you last night without asking about you.”
“Yeah, you did,” I said, glad he realized it. “But we understood.”
“Well, it’s going to make for some interesting holidays, then, innit?”
“God, don’t make it weird, old man. Weirder than it already is.”
“I’m only taking the piss. I’m sorry about your band, son. What are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure. Right now I’m hanging out in the studio with Boone.”
“Those ungrateful bastards. I’m sorry, son, but yer much better off without ‘em.” I loved when his Irish came out. I could tell he was truly pissed off then.
“It’s all good. Boone and I…we’re talking about doing some more stuff together. He asked me to join one of Stellar’s songs. Pops, he’s brilliant. He’s stunning in the studio. I’m more excited about this Rocktoberfest gig now that I’m playing with him and his band. We gotta decide which California and Brothers tunes to add to the setlist. What do you think?”
The old man chuckled. “I think it’ll be perfect whatever you lot decide to play. Ye’ll make this old man really happy.”
And when it came down to it, that’s all I wanted. To make him happy, and to make Boone happy. If that meant going beyond my comfort zone, so be it. The Metal Menace was on hiatus.
Twenty-Four
Boone
Adulting sucks, especially when it means listening to medical professionals.
After the frustrating end of the vocal session with Shane, I made the decision to listen to my body. I told everyone I needed to call it a day and that I’d call and make a telephone appointment with my ENT.
They were shocked. And relieved.
Shane stepped out to take care of some more phone calls regarding his band’s implosion, and I immediately felt his absence.
“I hate this.” I stood before my band feeling like I failed them. The twins swooped in and hugged me.
“It’s going to be all right. We have plenty of stuff we can get done that doesn’t require you to sing. We need to record the rest of the instrument tracks and then we can start learning the songs for the Rocktoberfest show.”
“Good point.” I still hated it.
