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Author's Note: Picture used with permission from *lavonia on deviantart.

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Chapter 110
 

Jem… Chapter 110

Chapter 110

*Before…

Y’know you’d have thought that I’d starved them all day and stuff at the rate they all drop everything and head to the kitchen.
Except Molly who looks at me and I grin at her. “You’re staying?”
“I won’t wear out my welcome?”
“Never, you’re part of the band.”
Kimmie gives her a shove towards the kitchen. “Yeah, and band is family.”
I can’t help but hug myself and smile because of that and I watch then all doing their thing and getting something to eat and yeah…just yeah.
I follow them into the kitchen. “And…”
The rest except for Carmen and Molly chime in and say. “Family is everything.”
(Inside-sniffle.) Yeah…

*And Now…

Sometimes something simple that you whip up is one of the best things that you can make. Some people call it goulash and some people called it just macaroni but home we called it macaroni hash.

But the secret to me is the ground beef; you get it really, really browned off and hard even but see when you add the canned tomatoes and the cans of tomato soup it soaks into the brownness and sops up some of that liquid and makes it all really nummy.

I will take this over Hamburger Helper any day.

But aside from the food being good the meal is good too with all of us just hanging out and eating together and passing stuff back and forth and we’re all in the kitchen some of us are sitting and some like Mike are standing and eating…but we’re all in the same room and having a meal together.

I know it’s still nice for me and the girls but Mike, he’s a latch-key kid and Molly I think’s been by herself awhile and stuff and Carmen’s from one of those families where a real family dinner sometimes happens on the holidays. I’m saying sometimes because she was very non-commental about stuff like that in her house.

I know it’s kind of hokey and stuff but I really am seeing the whole sit down and have a meal family thing and why it’s actually important.

And it really is kind of a shame that we’re too bust in this age for doing that kind of thing so often.

Y’know there is a certain pleasure too from cooking a supper and having no leftovers every single one of us had two bowls of it and Mike ate four cleaning the rest of it up and the last he ate actually right out of the pot.

And with as many hands as we have we get the dishes done in no time flat and then it’s a cookie or two and an after supper coffee and then we all head out to the living room and start rehearsal.

We go through the usual stuff and do a quick run through of our stuff and signals and then we pretty much just do the couple of other songs that we’re planning on playing tonight and it’s a little more fun this time with Molly and Carmen there and Mike too so we sort of have a mini-audience that’s moving with the tunes and in Carmen’s case actually dancing to some of it.

That was kind of cool actually to have that mini-audience there.

Mike and them start doing their thing as we do quick wipe downs of our instruments and we head off after that while they’re packing things up and it’s time to get ready for the show.

The bathrooms are busy and Rayne and I commandeer the downstairs one to get ready and so that I can get my full look on in privacy and do the Jem thing.

I’m going it simple tonight comfort and cool and stuff to play so I actually go with my corset top because it’s hot and I do like the red satin and black lace look and I really make sure that everything is well attached and concealed but at the same time having some really excellent cleavage going on and I wear jeans with that and my canvas sneakers and over the corset I go with one of the band tee-shirts.

Rayne’s doing sort of the same thing with a smaller band tee that if tucked in and really tight and hugging her breast and that’s just…Yay.

I love the fact that no matter how much that I’ve seen her naked seeing her in something sexy like this is still awesome.

Black Raven band tee and a vest to go with it that will very likely push things up if she fastens it and that whole Stevie nicks style with the hat and sexy black club pants with the boot cut and a thick wide belt. There’s still just enough gothy-Raven look to her make-up and her bangles and stuff to go with her fingerless black leather gloves.

And just adding those three inch chunk heel boots and she looks hot.

Brooklyn’s going for something else and maybe a shout out to some of the geeks and geekette tonight not doing the band-shirt but instead she’s wearing black jeans and this old vintage black tee shirt with Brooklyn from Disney’s Gargoyles on it and she’s got her hair all loose but with an Ash from Pokémon ball cap on and it looks actually geekette chic and styling and her red canvas running shoes but she’s actually got make-up on and a really sort of hot shade of red lipstick on that goes wither shirt’s decal and works with her hair.

Then there’s Kimmie who’s going with the messy sexy loose hair and leatherette ankle boots and thigh high stockings and a little black dress all off set with a stuffed moogle on a neck chain. She’ looks really great and she’s def wearing good underwear and an assist me bra and I’m pretty sure that Max might be there again tonight.

We’re doing the final touches and Mike and Molly and Carmen are off getting spruced up too and Mike’s in his black t-shirt with Security printed on it in white but the letters are actually above the band’s logo.

Molly’s in different clothes but she’s still rocking the gothy Velma from Scoobie-doo thing and Carmen.

Wow she looks different, she actually looks…well she’s got her hair loose and just casually styled instead of the usual and she’s wearing regular jeans…not the sprayed on stuff or the club style dress pants but just jeans and ones that fit and she’s wearing one of the band tee’s and a hoody with a zip front and she doesn’t look like her usual self like she does in school and stuff.

“Wow…you look good?”

“Really?”

Rayne nods. “Actually yeah, before was like you were performing Carmen according to what other people said and thought you should be. Tonight you look like yourself.”

Molly gives us a double-take because we said something feminist and I think that since we met that she thinks I’m nice and stuff but she didn’t think that I or Rayne was into that stuff. I’m not…not really with all the fancy feelings and big words and books and books of theories but just trying to be who you really are, how important that is. I mean everyone should get that actually.

I just grin as both Molly and Carmen blushes for different reasons and we start getting loaded once Dad and the guys pull in. There’s this thing that happens when all my girls and Carmen all hug him and he hugs them back.

And just for that I give him an extra tight that’s my Daddy hug.

“What was that for?” He’s grinning.

“You just being you…you’re a hell of a guy Dad.” I kiss his cheek and he blushes and he smiles some more.

“You remind me of your mom so much when you do that stuff.”

We share a look and then another closer smile and a hug and then we’re getting stuff and putting it the van and Dad’s talking with Carmen some and so is Mike and she takes a pair of gloves from Dad and she starts carrying stuff too.

We actually do have a whole lot of stuff when you take everything that we bring to a gig into account. Instruments, back up parts, cords, pedals, Amps, the computers, coolers, folding chairs…it’s a lot really it’s hard work.

But honestly I love it.

We divvy up into our rides and I’m with Rayne and Molly and Carmen then there’s Mike in his with his Dad and Brooklyn with Kimmie in their car and as we pull out there’s Billy and Davey with us now too on their bikes.

I wonder how that must look to people seeing us go by and stuff with our band painted van and two sort of muscle cars and Dad’s truck along with two very obvious bikers.

We get at The Amsterdam and Josie’s there waiting for us at the back doors with her truck and a grin on her face and she looks smoking hot too. She’s wearing this nice set of calf high reddish brown leather boots and a leather jacket that just comes down to around the same length of this very sexy little red dress.

“Wow! You look awesome!”

“Really!? Good I wanted to.”

I nod. “Jake’s so gonna like.”

She looks at me and there’s a little blush but more of a grin there. “Honestly I was kinda hoping for that.”

“You seriously do, and it’s not trying either.”

And she’s not…and by trying I mean that she’s got just enough make-up and her hair is nice but easy to deal with and she has that older fortyish looking hot woman thing going on that isn’t trying to be a hot twenty something and her glasses actually help make her look too.

I’d love to look that put together and just good and stuff when I’m her age.

We’re all here early enough for set up and the staff’s doing its thing and Josie has stuff made up for our orders since we ran so low last time and she also has several of these awesome posters enlarged and in frames for Jake.

A few billboard signs that were leaflets of bands that played here blown up but some of the pictures and stuff that we got from before too. We all oooh and aaah over them before she’s showing them to Jake and she takes him off to find places for them while we set up.

Mike’s got Carmen helping be a roadie actually and showing her how and where to tape and what to do with the cords and stuff and once her shows her he leaves her to do it while he’s doing the lighting and sound checks and Molly’s actually doing all of the video stuff herself and Dad’s setting up shop with our merchandise and we’re doing really awesomely.

Heck we actually look like a professional band.

And technically we are at that really.

We’re just doing another run through of our songs and the playlists and the changeovers when the doors start to open and people start to come in.

Saturday night…no school, people don’t have to work the next day, it’s the most free night of the week actually if you want to come out some place and cut loose and party. Lots of the townies and some of the college kids from the business college and the community college and just a whole bunch of the locals and the regulars plus a lot of our own regular fans too.

I love a packed house.

I guitar up and I do a grin and a fingerwave to the crowd.

Adjust my guitar…grin at them again and there’s some laughs, a few whistles too.

I signal and Brooklyn starts the opening riff and I join in for a few chords just to get things going loud and I work them up by letting go of my guitar and clapping.

And they’re clapping with me because the song is just universal, it’s rock and it’s powerful and it’s girl anthemy stuff.

“Saw them dancing there by the record machine….!”
“I knew that they must have been about seventeen…!”
“The beat was going strong…!”
“Playing my favorite song…..!”

“And I could tell it wouldn’t be long before he was with me…yeah me!”
“And I could tell it wouldn’t be long before she was with me…yeah me!”

And right now is when I sing really loud but I lean forward and mic the crowd who’s come out in the span of just these few lyrics and are filling the dance floor and the whole place booms with voices.

“Singin…I love rock and roll!”
“Put another dime in the jukebox baby…”
“I Love rock and roll…!”
“So come and take your time and dance with me!”

I’ve said it once and I’ll keep saying it there some songs and some rock that just goes through the different generations and when it has that just right magic it has that magic and this is one of them and right from the get go we’re rocking the joint.

Which is the next song. *Rock this Joint.* By Alanna Myles.

The we slide into *Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo* By Rick Derringer that’s a real fun song to play and we go from that fun song into another one *AC/DC* By Joan Jett yes more Joan Jett there will always be a good night to cover with a Joan Jett song.

*Come On Feel the Noise.* By Slade is another one and then we go into one of ours and play *Raise your Fist* By SLB….that us by the way and we hit them with our *Who’d ever think?* right after that. That’s two of ours and an blast of good old rock and Canadian rock with *Rockin in the Free World* by Neil Young after that…that’s important to me, I want us even if we only go so far…I want us to be a Canadian band. Not like exclusively but like respectfully.

And back to some more fun dancing stuff with. *What I like about You* By the Romantics I really like this song because it’s fast and fun to do vocally.
Tonight we’re stealing some from our other shows too because this song flows right awesomely into us doing *LoveShack* By the B52’s and Loveshack’s a great segue into us doing *Don’t Wanna* By SLB and then we hit them again with *Magical Power-Panties.*

Our fans really appreciate hearing that one again and it’s a great thing for Kimmie too since it’s hers and stuff and it’s just a fast paced high energy song that the twenty somethings are dancing and enjoying the hell out of it.

And more for the mix of the crowd and a bit of a novel idea is us doing *Land of 1000 Dances* By Wilson Pickett but I’m actually in my head going with what we came out with during rehearsal and I’m singing it the way that I think that Pink or Jessie-J would sing it.
And it’s a pretty good darned cover if you ask me because all of the over thirty crowds going along with the “Na…na, na, na’s” and they dance. And I mean they dance hard and in those “mashed-potatas and doing the alligata…”

Dad’s got Molly up and dancing to her show and embarrassment and at the same time she’s got that holy shit this is actually kind of fun look on her face and stuff.

And of course with the older people up and having such a great time it’s almost egging on the younger crowd and stuff to dance too.

But seeing that reaction for Jake’s older regulars up I toss in a signal from our other stuff and slip in some off the schedule for tonight and we do *Twist and Shout* By The Beatles and *Start Me Up* By the Rolling Stones…both good dancing in a crowd and singing along with tunes.

We get to where we’re going to take our first break and we hit that sweet conversion point with fun and the older rock sort of softening sing along tone as we cover. *Soul Sister* By Train.

I step up to the Mic. “Hey Everybody!”

The crowd cheers and there’s some. “Hey Jem’s”

Someone was on the ball though and yelled out. “Hey Doctor Nick!” I have a general idea of where so I ship a thumbs up out that way to whoever said that.

“You all having a good time!?”

More cheer’s and whistles.

“Me too! I gotta say we really love coming here and getting to play for you all here at…”

Mike tosses me a can of club soda. We actually came up with that during supper and the fact that it’ll be shaken from the toss and that it’s Canada Dry club soda means it had a pale blue can that kind of looks like a drink will kind of get drink in people’s heads and I hook my index finger into the tab and hold it in one hand and I raise it out towards them like a toast.

“It’s our neutral country…”

And this is the second weekend that we’ve done this like four shows and it’s been online and as I’m doing “The Amsterdam.” Thing a whole lot of the people and all of the staff are saying it out loudly and proudly too and there’s drinks being hoisted from those that already have them and I can see the bartenders with lines of shot glasses all in a row and stuff being filled as we say it and when it’s done I pop the tab and the can sprays and foams and they all cheer and they’re drinking as I’m drinking and I give them all a thumbs up as I’m doing that.

I finish and do an off mic burp and then lean in. “We’re taking a break to get ready for more and I highly recommend having a few or some of the kickass food they’ve got coming out of the kitchen before we make you all dance it off.”

There’s some more cheers and I hoist my can and head backstage with the girls.

Wow…just amazing how that Red bull stuff makes you need to go and pee. We do our business and I sneak out to take a look at the crowd.

I’m watching the mood and the flow just trying to get an idea of what to play and I’m kind of watching the sales too. My toast got them drinking but the bartenders are actually still doing stuff with the women and the shots. “The Amsterdam!”

Everybody wants to go, where everybody knows you name.

It’s going to be fairly exciting tonight or at least for the people here. Like I said it’s Saturday night and they look like they’re cutting loose.

I lean back. “Hey Kim, you still want to do those songs?”

“Yes!” She’s all excited.

“What songs are those?” I’m not used to the voice but recognize Max as he’s sort of knocking and peeking around the curtain.

Kimmie doesn’t actually squeal instead she’s quiet. It’s kinda cool actually because along with the quiet she has this great big huge smile on her face and she does this sexy slide off of the chair and she does that LBD invoked walk over to him.

Max does this small shy smile mixed with this head tilt and this expression on his face that just says. Is this really happening to me?

And with the way he looks with the open plaid shirt and the white clean classic t-shirt and old Levi jeans. I mean all this country boy is missing is the hat…then add those glasses. He’s handsome, nerdy, built, sweet and shy all rolled into one.

And then they’re hugging each other and Kim squeaks as it’s a pretty great hug and he kinda picked her up with it. I’m getting Rayne’s arms slipping around me as I hear him tell her. “God…you look great.”

Kim… “Thank you, I did dress up because you were coming.”

“God that what I really like about you Kim?”

“That I dressed up for you?”

“Yeah…it’s makes a guy feel special…and you actually do stuff like just sayin it. No games.”

“Nope, I’m Roxy-Moogle what you see is what you get.”

“Yeah, and that’s awesome.”

I smile and lean back into Rayne and she’s rocking us back and forth and then it’s me slipping around and leaning back onto the wall and her doing that sort of pin me there thing and we kiss and do some light making out.

It’s just the mood and stuff.

We break apart after our break and Brooklyn goes past us and Max and Kim muttering fuck this and we’re coming out on stage and she goes right to the edge and leans over and grabs Mike and kisses him.

The crowds cheering as she is giving him this really passionate over and over again kiss and Mikes arms went from the surprised flail to slowly stopping and then raising up over his head and he pops the double thumbs up.

The crowd loves it.

And she goes right from that to her guitar and she starts cranking out the really well known start of *Keep Your Hands to Yourself.* By The Georgia Satellites. Now of course we’ve played with the words being a girl band and all….oh yeah since we’re still playing their music we still have to pay but at re-mixing rates. But I still love this song.

I hear the little change in his pockets going jingle lingle ling…
He says…Want to call you on the telephone, baby, I give you a ring.
But each time we talk, I get the same old thing…
And I tell him no huggin', no kissin' until I get a wedding ring

And he says…

My honey, my baby don't put my love upon no shelf…
An I say don't give no lies and keep your hands to yourself…

(The girls in the crowd are loving the switch so when I hit the Don’t give me no lies part they’re right there shouting and singing along.)

And he says…

Cruel baby, baby, baby, why you want to treat me this way?
You know I'm still your lover boy, I still feel the same way
That's when I try to tell him a story 'bout free milk and a cow
And there’s no huggin', no kissin' until I get a wedding vow….

And he says…

My honey, my baby don't put my love upon no shelf…

And I say don't hand me no lies and keep your hands to yourself…

(They’re so loving this and yelling along and we slip into a bit of the rocking just play through which has them all dancing to.)

You see I he wanted me real bad and I was about to give in…
That's when he started talkin' true love, And I started talkin' about sin…
He said honey, I'll live with you for the rest of my life…
And I said no huggin', no kissin' until you make me your wife.

And he says…

My honey, my baby don't put my love on no shelf…
I say don't hand me no lies and keep your hands to yourself…

We go right from that into *My Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.* From Timbuk3

Fun song a really fun song and great drums to start it off and guitar work and Raven subs in our harmonica for the horn in the song and as cool as it is to play instrument wise it’s anthemy in that good times way.

Kimmie had the idea to do both of these last two songs. I think they’re awesome and a lot of fun and it’s also great that she thinks it’s cool to be able to step up in the band and make song selections and stuff too.

Then still keeping with the fun we hit them with *Talk dirty to Me.* By Poison a really good cover song that’s both really fun and not too much of a problem to shift over to being sung by an all-girl band.

And then I lead up into *Keep the faith* By SLB and it’s really great that they or well mostly our fans sing along with the chorus. It means that we’re getting enough listens with our stuff that people know our songs.

We follow that one up with *Forever and Always* By SLB and we’re getting the same thing.

And a song that Brooklyn that Brooklyn had found for a good cover for her is next *Mr. Jones.* By Counting Crows is next and the crowd likes it and they’re still dancing but they’re singing along with the “Shalalalalala…” I really like singing that and it has this kinda cover taste for me that’s just kind of us too.

And then we go into *Raise a Little Hell* By Trooper and then we do *Turn up the Radio* By Autograph but we play and we sing it like Heart was covering the song.

I love Heart…seriously powerful band and the song is a really great dancing and singing along with tune as well. I mean I usually sing along with the sing along with it and there’s this part when I’m singing that last parts over and over and mixing it up where I’m doing the clapping and keeping the beat things and some of them are doing it right along with me.

And some more Poison for them as we get them going all over again with that dancing party anthem. *Nothing but a Good Time.* Such a really good tune and another great cover tune it’s a very under rated band and it’s one of the older “hair bands” but y’know this is The Amsterdam…and at least a third of it’s a hair band generation crowd.

And we go from that into ending the set with some classic stuff *Life is a Highway* By Tom Cochrane and *Fortune Favors the Bold* By SLB

We play to a finish and I step up to the mic and… “And it’s halftime everybody…get some eats. Have some drinks, get happy, have fun and we’ll be back to let all of you into the hold them close music get to hold someone close and have some Saturday night special moments.”

I wave to them all as we head backstage and I look at Rayne. “That kind sounded like I was D.J.ing right?”

She nods. “I think it’s a good thing I mean you do the talking and stuff way more than I ever did or Summer ever did and you kind of set like the mod for stuff hon it’s actually kinda cool.”

“Hon…I love it when you call me Hon.” I lean up and kiss her.

“Mmm…you’re easy to please.”

I Mmmm around the kiss too before breaking it. “Just remember that.”

I take her hand and we slip off with the other to the bathrooms.

I really like this part of stuff the semi-cool down and cleaning up…the face cloth being shared between Rayne and I as we de-sweat ourselves and we touch and kiss between it all and we have time so no make-up yet since as always Jake shows up with food but this time with Josie in tow.

I like both of them so it’s kind of a happy thing to see.

And the food here is actually pretty decent.

Potato skins which are kind of growing on me because they’re fried but they come with a bowl of dip that has all the fixings for a baked potato…sour cream, chives, some grated cheddar and bacon bits.

Onion rings and like a lot of smart places they make their own. Lucky’s has a thicker ring with a batter crust on theirs and here they’re more like tempura fried and really crispy and a lot lighter.

Hand cut fries and with all of that is the House Specials for the Amsterdam…a griller bacon cheese burger but the cheese is actually a sauce here and there’s beer in it so it have this kind of a really pub taste…well give it is a pub it makes sense. Then there’s fresh battered fried fish and it’s a really, really good deal here since it’s local pickerel right off the lakes and stuff and then there’s the Stouty which is a bratwurst hot dog that has beer in the sausage and it has hot German mustard and a red cabbage sauerkraut.

It’s all like super good and there’s a lot of it and instead of eating here and pigging out I look at the girls. “Let’s go out and eat at the stage with Mike and Molly and Carmen and the Dad’s.”

The Dads are mine and Uncle Mitch it’s just kind of been something that I’ve sort of started to call them when they’re together.

Kimmie nods. “And Max.”

I laugh. “And Max definitely.”

There’s a little bit of a look between us and yeah we take the food and we go out front to the part of the bar where everyone’s all set up in front of the stage and we wave and stuff with the crowd and we do it without putting our make-up back on.

There’s still these looks of being surprised by Carmen and Molly at being included and Max gets called over by Kim and Brooklyn and Mike open seeing each other with some more kissing and that gets a few cat-calls and stuff.

It’s kind of chaotic too, we’re eating and talking and max is showing us pictures of Janey his little one and there’s fans coming over to buy things and I go and do a few personal sales and shaking hands and signing some things and just talking to the fans and stuff and the girls doing it too as we take turns and we trade places and some of them sign their stuff.

Okay…I might do this more often since while it’s not really a break, break there’s more people buying merch and there’s a ton of them saying keep the change. And the tip box is piling up pretty quick with actual change so much so that tonight I hear the chink of coins on coins and not them hitting the cardboard box.

And more from fans too as we do some Instagram shots and text in our own captions and talk a bit about requests from some and there are drinks to be bought.

Seriously…there are guys offering to buy us drinks and we accept…not actually having the drinks but…

I look at one guy and he’s not like hitting on me really but he might be a little and he’s like.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

“Sure you know I’m not legal to drink right?” The Dads and Davey and Billie are looking at us…him and I wave them off.

“Uhm…” He looks embarrassed and at the same time… you know when a guy thinks that a girl is going to freak on him for being a dick? Well he’s kinda got that look.

And here’s the thing…I could freak, I could be one of those girls that gets on her high horse and stuff and takes this stuff personally. Did he mean to get me drunk? Probably…Did he know I’m not of drinking age? Maybe and maybe not there’s a zone here with us playing here.

So I…

“Tell you what…”

“Kent.”

“Tell you what Kent I think it’s awesome that you want to buy me a drink and I accept but I’m going to take that drink that you’re going to buy me and I’m going to give it to the crowd.”

“Huh?”

“Well…” And I motion to one of the waitresses to come over.

“Holly this guy’s going to buy me a drink but just take the drink and make sure someone who looks like they could use one gets it?”

“Uhm…” She looks at Jake nods. “Just use your slip book to write out a drink credit and say it’s from the band.”

“Sure thing Jake.” I call her over to explain what I mean by someone who needs it.

Holly gives me a hug for the idea.

Kent pays and she writes it out and heads off to give someone who needs it a free drink on us. And you know that happens…there are people that still go out to have a good time but aren’t really dating or with anyone and might get overlooked compared to the others there.

Wallflowers and introverts and the shy…sometimes the ones there that aren’t all that handsome or all that pretty but some people’s standards.

And while I’m not an expert on clubs and bars I do know lonely.

And if I was in that same place and someone was just nice to buy me a coffee or a hot chocolate it’s have meant a lot.

I look at Kent. “Thanks that made my night a bit cooler and maybe someone else’s too.”

And y’know he has this look on his face that has him being thoughtful about it even if he was trying to pick me up.

I didn’t freak, I didn’t call him stuff and he’s looking at stuff maybe a bit differently.

We actually shake hands and I give him a peck on the cheek and he looks very surprised and I smile. “Y’know Kent if you and some other guys got together and pooled some money and had all the guys at the bar buy shots for the ladies at the bar it’d be really cool and non-pressuring.”

He shakes his head but in a good way. “I’ll go and ask them…and Jem?”

“Yes Kent?”

“I’m definitely going to buy you another drink.”

“Just pay a decent tip too.”

He smiles and heads into the crowd and Jake’s looking at me and Josie’s laughing.

“What?”

Jake… “You really don’t have to do that….and you just passed on a drink without offending someone?”

Josie… “She’s good with people, and she’s also giving the band good rep by buying or sending drinks out to people.”

Molly… “But can you do that? I mean you’re all under aged?”

Carmen points to Molly’s beer. “Buy you’re not and you’re part of the band.”

Molly… “Oh…okay I’m cool with that but he was older Angel and that’s kinda creepo guy sneaky crap.”

I look at Molly and she’s still one of those very leery of guy’s lesbian girls and she might have some really good reasons for it too but… “He asked and yeah he’s older than me but he’s maybe early twenties and that’s college aged, and we’re playing in a pub so there’s a grey area with that too. I just gave him the whole option…it was a nice gesture and we as a band can use that to make someone’s night here a little better.”

“But it was just…I mean everyone knows that You and Raven are a couple. It was just…”

I can see her struggling with it; she’s thinking stuff on reflex.

“Molly…you’re right he might have been but he might have not been and the thing is that there’s a lot of perfectly nice guys that get lambasted for trying to buy a woman a drink it’s scary. It’s as scary as accepting a drink from a guy that you don’t know. But I’m just looking at it like give everyone the benefit of the doubt and even if he was…he still got treated like he wasn’t…some of those douche guys get that way after getting treated like that a lot…and anyone knows that after a while when people treat anyone badly long enough they either believe it or they start getting defensive.”

I go over and hug her. “Just think if he was now he didn’t get blasted for it even if I sorta did have the chance too and maybe he’ll actually try and be a nicer guy?”

She’s so giving me this doubtful look. “You have way too much faith in them…I swear someone’s going to revoke your lesbian card.”

Rayne nods. “Honestly Molly before Angel and meeting the powers family I’d be right there with you. I’m not saying that there aren’t assholes and stuff out there but…but I’m kinda more looking to give someone the benefit of the doubt first…besides look at my ex…being an asshole is not gender specific.”

Molly rolls her eyes. “That’s it…I work here any longer and I’ll lose my free toaster.”

We all kind of laugh well except for Mike and Max and the rest of the guys who didn’t get the joke and then we finish our drinks and slip out back to use the bathroom and de-food grease and touch ourselves up.

We come out onto the stage and there’s some cheering and stuff and Mike’s showing Carmen how to dim the lights for us and I can see a large number of girls and women at the bar getting served a bevy of what looks like free drinks or drinks paid for then by a bunch of anonymous guys and some of them are actually talking to guys and stuff and we start things up with Raven stepping up to the mic and she starts the second half by belting out.

*One and Only* By Adele… She so good at those deep and smoky vocals.

Rayne continues on with. *Billy Holiday.* By SLB and then I take over with one of my favorite slow dancing songs *Open Arms* By Journey and I follow that up with *Washed Away* again By SLB and then just another really great old rock bunch of slow tunes great for dancing like. *Sunshine* By Nazareth and that’s a good one for the older set as it’s a song I thing for some people out there and I follow that up with *Just A Matter of Time.* By John Cafferty.

I really, really love his stuff and the whole vibe of that song just leads me into turning to Raven and singing *Carousel* By SLB to her.

It’s hard to sing and not get choked up by the feelings on stage with the adrenaline and all the feelings that come up inside when she looks at me this way. I smile just for her and I swallow that yay happy lump and single the changes as we start going into. *Everything* By SLB

And then we do another bit of sweet dancing stuff with some Canadiana and *Heaven* By Brian Adams and one of my other faves of his *Everything I do, I do it For You.*

And that’s ten songs and that’s pretty much an hour of slowdancing and stuff…it just seem to go so fast but the first part was an hour and a quarter to a half and the second part the same if a little longer then the half time break went long so we’re right on schedule as filling up the night goes.

I step to the Mic again. “We’re going to take another break and let you all get happy and ready for the concert part of the show. Have fun everyone.”

There’s some applause and this time we do go right to backstage and stay there catching our wind and de-sweating and I’m having a hot green tea just as a voice soother. And watching the bar and everything we’re still doing well. Molly’s signing the slips for the drinks that are bought for us and sending them out to the crowd and stuff from the band and there’s still what looks like some more drinks being bought as a sort of group thing too but in a more casual manner since the mood from our slow dance stuff has relaxed people into having fun but a more mellow way.

Partly though I think it’s the older regulars actually having a good time and their attitude’s rubbing off on the younger set. Food getting bought and a really good mingling vibe.

I head out with the girls and we get our instruments ready and we run through a short little re-tune and Max is actually with Kimmie sitting behind her drum set on a folding steel chair and I move my keyboard up and I start to play and the house lights dim and little bit more and the stage lights fall on me and there’s some whistles from the crowd and just from it starting and them knowing this song people are gathering closer to actually do the concert gathering crowd on the dance floor.
I start solo into *Arms of an Angel* By Sarah McLaughlin now this is that one where Raven and I do a duet and I do the first two versus and just when I’m going to hit the chorus Raven kicks in joining me with all that power in her voice and we raise hairs with it.

I stole this actually from You Tube where there is a performance of this and pink joins her for the duet. It’s one of my favorite ways to listen to this song actually.

We actually are keeping to the duet for the next one as we cover *Faithfully* By Journey and Raven’s starting it lending her smoky tones to it while I do the piano thing on the keyboard and then join in with her on the chorus too and back her up and after that I go from the keyboard to still sitting but taking up my guitar up and playing it that way as we go into *Invisible* By SLB.

There’s that powerful rush too when they start to move and the fans that come here are singing along with it. I look out and I can see faces, people that this song just might perfectly fit really…there’s a whole lot of us that are just that we live day to day holding on wanting to be like everyone else…we just want to be seen…

Raven actually answers me singing Invisible with a song that just fits if you were going to sing something to someone as an answer… *Beautiful* By Christina Aguilera fits this so well.

Then we both duet *Forever and Always* again but a slower version and we do that singing to each other thing some more.

Then I do or rather start *All for Love* By Bryan Adams and when we hit the chorus it’s Brooklyn that steps up to the mic with me and joins me and we do some pauses at the other times of the chorus for Raven to mic the crowd. It’s a cool thing because we’re switching it around and people are doing stuff all around in the band and it’s Brooklyn actually that takes over in playing the guitar lead and singing *Lover of Mine* By Alannah Myles to Mike and when she’s done she goes to the edge of the stage and she gets lowered down by Raven holding her guitar strap and Brook holding her guitar and kisses him again.

We actually tried that out at the last break backstage and while Brooklyn’s not small and they’re sort of doing this lever thing too it really shows how strong Raven is too.

I think I saw Molly have that stare at Raven with this little “Oh.” Moment.

And there’s another “Oh” moment for the crowd as Brooklyn starts to play the opening notes as she’s breaking the kiss with Mike and Raven’s pulling her up and the crowd does a lots of whistles and cheers and she leads up into the opening of us doing another play through of *Keep the Faith* By SLB and we play this a bit slower and more drawn out that the rock version and I sing it in a softer register.

I fade out vocally and Mike downs the light on me and raises the light on Raven and the lighters…a lot of lighters and maybe some of those electric candles are flicking to life and there’s not cheers but light almost respectful applause as she goes into *Oncology* By SLB.

It just chokes me up still those words and the fact that she wrote that for me. The fact that it means so much to me and that there’s almost as many smartphones being held up to record this as lighters and candles.

We finish that and Raven keeps the mic and she’s smiling at them and I’m the one just playing to keep the flow in the background as she’s asking. “Bonsoir toulemonde, we’re getting nearly done but we’ve a bit more time to take some personal request from the crowd how does that sound?”

There’s whistles and stuff and I think she’s so charming when she does that because Rayne is French Canadian she’s like out west metis French but she can speak it and sound it and with her voice it’s just…

It’s so Tish.

We take requests and we do *Drops of Jupiter* By Train, *Only when I sleep* By Adele and we do *I Believe* then *Billy Holiday* along with *Invisible* and *Oncology* All over again too and yeah there’s a lot of Raven vocals with that list, I only actually only do half of the vocals and stuff for all of those songs and we do our bows and Brooklyn starts us on our way to the finish by playing us out with *One for The Money two for The Show.*

It’s been a really good night even as tired as we all are and stuff and I think that we pulled off one of our better shows and the pub had a really good night too I think because even as tired as they all look they look happy actually and we don’t unplug or stop playing until the last of the customers are out of the pub and the bouncers close the doors.

Rayne and I get Dad lifted/caught off the stage and that’s so cool that she’s letting him. I know it’s just us sitting and him lifting us clear and setting us on our feet but still. Seeing her okay with that and hugging him afterwards is awesome.

To me, Dad’s being dad even though it feels good to get the daughter girl treatment from him.

More looks from Molly and Carmen with it.

So maybe I should say getting the Dad treatment from a good dad. I can nearly feel the damage done there. (Sigh)

Mike just outright catches Brooklyn who jumps off sideways into his arms showing a huge trust issue leap but then they’ve been on fire tonight with couples chemistry and Max jumps off the stage and does the lift for Kim who I thing got in an underwear flash doing it.

I give her raised eyebrow and she grins and blushes.

Then it’s pulling some tables together to work at all as a big team and it’s really reminiscent of what a Thanksgiving table looks like.

I catch Dad’s eye and he nods. “Molly you’re coming tomorrow?”

She blinks. “Uhm…sure…if that’s okay?”

She still looks surprised to get the offer. I smile and nod at her then. “Carmen?”

“Definitely, we don’t really bother with each other at home with these things anyways…I’d love to see what a real one’s like.” Kimmie actually reaches over and rubs her arm.

I look and Josie and Jake. “You two have plans?”

Jake nods. “I’ll be right here actually, we do an in house Thanksgiving supper for the staff and guests every year.”

Josie… “And I’m going to stick around and help him and stuff this year but thanks for the invite.”

I grin, they’re so getting there.

We start getting to work doing the books and Billy and Davey and Max and The Dad’s are helping with stuff so me can get out early like moving the tables and chairs for cleaning and stuff and Mike and Molly joined by Carmen are doing the stage clean up and stuff and Rayne and Kim and Brooklyn and I are doing the books. Brooklyn the Tips and Kimmie and Rayne the sale stuff for our Band Merch and we’re all doing our stuff and pooling resources.

We’re getting out hopefully in an hour with everyone helping. Max is a huge help because he actually does janitorial half the time up at the mill so he can clean like for a living fast. And he’s willing so that’s a big help.

We did good…between the tips I think from the break we took down with people at the half and stuff with the others there’s a lot of money for everyone once it’s counted and pooled and Jake buys the rolls of change.

Us, the entire bar staff and Mike and Molly we total out to $74.60 each…that’s a huge take in with tips and it’s a big deal. You ever see the kitchen staff hugging each other or the bus boys and stuff?

Mike’s even smiling as he takes his and Molly looks stunned as she still might have money from last night.

That’s not counting the merchandise sales which is just over a hundred of actual profit as I take the invoice that Josie had done up from the batch she brought with her tonight and I pay her right there and then for the full order. Which I’m pretty sure she did herself given it’s the weekend so she’s got cash in her pocket…well purse right now too.

Then Jake passes out the check for the band and it’s got all of us plus Mike and Molly on there by the numbers with a little extra there too.

“Jake?”

“It’s an above and beyond bonus.”

I don’t argue but lean over and kiss his cheek and we hug and we end up hugging some of the staff too fifty last night almost eighty tonight plus wages…yeah we had a Lot of tips in our box and from the merchandise but I’m not sure I’m ever trade an extra fifty bucks each for the hugs.

We get packed up and we head out and Max is driving Kimmie and they’re going out even at this hour for coffee I think and we drive Molly home and I give her a hug.

“Good night?”

She nods. “Yeah really good….I had fun.”

“You want to just grab a bag and come with us?”

She looks at me.

“We’re going to go to our place gets some stuff and head over to the house you wanna come?”

She looks at her place and then at us and Carmen says. “C’mon I’ll be there too you’d be helping me out as the other new girl.”

“Uhm….okay…” She bites her lip but smiles.

There’s something so pretty about shy goth girl smiles.

We let her out of the van and I’m like… “Molly?”

“Yeah?” She’s looking at me.

“Grab your laundry.”

“Really?”

“Yeah really it’s free.”

Her eyes light up. Yep…I knew her place didn’t have a built in laundry.

She heads inside, I look at Rayne and she kills the engine and we all get out Rayne saying “We’ll help, grab your blankets too.”

The shy smile, the bunch of us getting out of the van doing this at like four-thirty in the morning all together after a gig.

This, I think I love all of this.