Page 38 of Served
“Okay, let’s go grab a bite and then we can meet Amy at the club. I gotta stay on her good side.”
We went out closer to home this time and had a casual meal but still a great time together. We told stories from college, our childhood, and he told me about his best friend, Mikey, from college.
“We talk occasionally but he got a great job offer in California out of college and has been out there ever since.”
“So, your mom passed, your dad got sick and passed, then your best friend moved away?” He looked down briefly but forced a smile as he looked back up at me. “Wow. I haven’t ever thought of losing my parents. And I can’t imagine not having Amy in my life. She’s a mess but she’s my person.”
He cocked his head. “Oh wow, tough competition.”
“Oh sorry, no competition. She’s my person. But you’re something different. Still important.” I smiled across at him.
“Fair enough. So, what do you do with those notebooks I see you with at the club all the time?”
“Well, I write songs. And poems, I guess. I love music and I wanted to be a songwriter. That’s why I got a job at the station. And why I auditioned for the house band. I hoped to eventually somehow get my songs played.”
“Wanted to? Do you not still?” He had a brief look of concern on his face.
I thought on that for a minute. I hadn’t written any new music in weeks, maybe longer, even before all of this. I had been so focused on ways to get in front of people I stopped making new stuff.
“Well, I don’t know. I love my job at the station. And I have a lot of songs already written. I just haven’t had any new work come to me. It’s a weird thing. I mostly just love working in music. I always said I wanted to be a songwriter, but maybe I just keep saying it out of habit. Know what I mean?”
He smiled and the check came so we left and started walking to the club.
Amy came not long after we arrived. Jason left us to go talk to Jaz and check in with the new guy to let us catch up.
“So, you guys seem serious. Wanna talk about it?” She tipped her beer up towards Jason.
“Not sure what there is to tell. It seems soon, but I’m crazy about him. And I could be delusional, but he seems to be crazy about me.”
“You’re not delusional, I told you he had been pining over you. When will you learn I’m always right?” I laughed at her, but she looked dead serious.
I looked down the bar and watched him. Maybe it wasn’t crazy. Maybe it was just right.
Chapter 19
Lucy
“Lucy oh my God!” I heard Amy yell across the club. I turned from the bar, and she was running to me and she was no runner.
“Are you alright? What’s wrong?” I asked as I stood from my stool. She only called me Lucy when there was a problem.
“I got it! I did it!” She was still holding her bag when she grabbed my shoulders and was beaming with a smile from ear to ear.
“Holy shit, the Curator position? You got it?” I felt pressure building behind my eyes. I wanted that for her almost more than she wanted it.
She was shaking my shoulders and she may have been trying to squeal through her teeth but nothing was coming out. I grabbed her arms and we both started jumping around and I did squeal.
Jaz hustled down the bar and asked, “What’s up ladies? What’s going on?”
“Jaz! Get her a Blue Moon on me, this is cause for celebration!” I shouted across the bar.
Jaz popped one open and pushed it across.
“I got the job, Jaz! You are looking at the newest, and youngest, Curator of the Midtown Gallery of Fine Arts.” Amy was about to jump out of her skin, and I was right there with her.
“Honey, that’s amazing!” Jaz shouted across the bar.
“Hey, what’s all the racket?” Jason asked as he popped over to the bar from the kitchen.
