Page 6 of If Not for My Baby
“That’s amazing!” I cheer.
“I know! Gabby’s having me come to Chicago and SanDiego, too, and they’re letting me hire a backing band and design my own lighting and everything.”
“Holy shit, Everly, I want to see every single—” A realization dawns on me. “Wait, what about Halloran’s tour?”
She takes a breath on the other line. “That’s the other reason I’m calling.”
I wait for more, my heart still thumping for her. This opportunity is going to change her life.
“I spoke with Halloran’s tour manager, Jen. They need a replacement singer ASAP, and someone that can leave in forty-eight hours for an eight-week stint. She said if I can find someone who can sing, she’ll let me out of my contract to take the gig with Gabby.”
“Where do we start looking? Anyone from school? Didn’t you say that girl from your music theory class—”
“Clementine,” she cuts me off. “I told heryoucould do it.”
Everything in me rolls to a halt. “Me?”
“You what?” Mike asks, drawing nearer.
“Yes!” Everly screams from the other side of the phone. “Jen and I are close. This is the third show I’ve done with her. And it’s pretty last-minute even to find a backup of a backup. So I showed her that video of you singing ‘Something’s Coming’ the other night.”
“You didwhat?!”
“She was totally blown away. I told her how you have perfect pitch, a massive range, and the quickest memory of anyone I know. You can learn his set in two days, easy. I also told her you were already a big Halloran fan…”
“I’ve only heard that one song!”
Why am I even engaging in this? I’mnotqualified to join a superstar on tour. I can’t leave Cherry Grove for eight weeks. I can’t leave my mom.
Mike is still mouthing,Tell me what’s happening, but I ignore him.
“You’ll make it work,” Everly says. “Clementine, I need you to do this. If I can’t replace myself, I can’t open for Gabby. I signed a contract.”
My skin prickles at the position she’s putting me in. Mike grabs for my arm in desperation, but I swat at him with my dirty dishrag.
“Ev—”
“Wait,” she interrupts. “Have I told you what it pays?” When I don’t respond, she takes the opportunity to do so. “Three grand a show, eight weeks, twenty-seven shows.”
Quick mental math that I credit to my valedictorian title results in me screaming, “Eighty-one thousand dollars?”
Mike practically has a conniption. “What is going on?!”
“I’ve got to go,” Everly says. “Jen’s calling me in to discuss logistics. Please think about it, okay? Please? I need to know by tonight.”
When Everly hangs up, I stand completely still, mind reeling.
Mike sighs. “If you don’t tell me what’s happening I’m going to puke.”
“Everly got the gig opening for Gabby Robinson at her Nashville show. She needs to find someone to take her spot singing backup in Halloran’s tour, which starts the day after tomorrow in Memphis and goes for eight weeks. She showed them avideo of me from the Ladybird theater a week ago.” I run the dish towel through my hands in thought. “Isn’t that insane?”
Mike shrugs, eyes a little wide. “I don’t know, Clementine. Whole town knows you can sing. I reckon you’d be great at it.”
It’s so supportive, I’m shaken from my daze. “Thanks.”
His smile is sincere and it kind of breaks my heart. “I didn’t know you still went to those open mic nights.”
“I didn’t really want anyone to know.” I twist the dishrag tightly in my hands, the wordsthree grand a showplaying on a loop in my head. “I should call her back and decline. I can’t abandon my mom.”
