Lindsey adjust the shoulder strap of her backpack. She couldn’t believe that this was her fourth school in the last six years. She has been bounced from one foster home to another since her aunt put her in foster care. Her aunt had a drug problem and had been using the money the state gave her to buy drugs. Her parents had died in a car accident when she was just six years old. The state gave her to her aunt to be raised. Her aunt didn’t take proper care of her, which caused the school to call child services.

The first foster home she had been placed in was heavily religious. When she refused to play with boy toys and wear clothes meant for her birth gender. They couldn’t handle it and asked if she could be placed with another family. The next couple she had been place with at first didn’t have a problem with her being a transgender child, but they weren’t prepared for the social pressure of having a transgender child. Not only that, her foster father molested her when her foster mother was at work or late at night.

Her third foster home was a group home. She got teased and beaten up by some of the older boys, because she refused to dress as a boy. One of the boys made her give him oral sex. One of the other boys, accused her of stealing and planted the evidence to prove what they accused her of.

So, now she was placed with her current foster parent. She was a single woman who worked as a real estate agent for a small realtor company. She was in her mid-forties and recently widow. Her husband had died overseas from an ISIS attack. His convoy had been ambushed and he took a bullet to his head.

She had come up to the school yesterday with her foster mother and shown around. She already had her class schedule and picked out her locker. She got her school books while she was at the school yesterday.

The school principal was an older gentleman that had a bald spot in the middle of his head. Her foster mother had told her he used to be the vice principal. The current vice principal was a lady a little older than her foster mother. She used to be a police officer, before she was forced to retire.

She was the school’s first transgender student and certain arrangements had to be arranged for her. Not only was she their first transgender student, but she was also the youngest high schooler they had. She was just twelve years old and had been skipped a couple of grades.

The school had an indoor swimming pool and she would be required to take swimming lesson with the rest of her class. The female instructors had been informed about her and given a locker near the instructor’s office. That way they could watch and protect her.

Lindsey heads towards her first class, which happened to be English. She sat quietly and watches as the other students came into the room. Some of them paid her no mind, but a few did wonder who she was.

She noticed that the clothes she was wearing were a little out of date. The only new items she owned, was her backpack and her tennis shoes.
Her old pair had developed a hole in the sole of them and had to be replaced. She only owns two pairs of shoes. One pair of black Mary Jane dress shoes and the tennis shoes she was currently wearing. The rest of her clothes came from the thrift store. What she had on today was a faded pair of blue jeans and a nice blouse that went with her jeans.

She had taken a seat in the front row. She hopes they didn’t have assigned seats. She sat up front in class, because of the glasses she wore. They were a cheap pair of reading glasses from dollar tree. She was near-sighted and had to wear her glasses to read.

As she sat and waited for her teacher to show-up. She jotted down some notes to a song that had been forming in her head. She knew how to read and write music. She learned by spending time in the public library watching YouTube videos and checking out music books. She looks up when she hears the clacking of her teachers shoes as she entered the room.

Her teacher had shoulder length black hair that framed her face. She looked to be in her late thirties. She was dressed in a nice dress.

“Good morning, you must be my new student Lindsey Sabberton. Welcome to Spring Hill High.” Mrs. Wheeler had been informed yesterday during the staff meeting she was getting a new student in her English course. She was told that the student was rather young, but very bright.
She was amazed at how young Lindsey looked. The girl had long straight dark brown hair that was tied back into a pony tail. It was held together with a rubber band. Her pony tail only came down about a foot or two past her shoulders. The blouse she was wearing was a little faded and a few years out of style. She noticed the glasses Lindsey was wearing were the type you could get almost anywhere.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Lindsey gave her teacher a pleasant smile.

Lindsey takes her notebook out along with a pencil. She was ready to start writing whatever Mrs. Wheeler put up on the blackboard. She glances around and notice only a few other students did what she did.

Mrs. Wheeler goes through her roll call and notice the same students that were always absent weren’t there. She informed the class that they had a new student and had Lindsey stand up. Once that was done, she turned around and started writing that day’s assignment on the blackboard.

Lindsey writes the assignment down and then open her book. She looks over the pages her teacher was assigning them. While she made notes on what Mrs. Wheeler was saying and writing on the board. She worked on the assignment. It seemed easy enough for her to do and get done before she switched classes.

The bell rings and she pack her things up to head towards her homeroom. As she walks in, she notices her homeroom teacher erasing the blackboard. She walks up to her homeroom teachers desk.

“Hi Mrs. Jones, I’m Lindsey Sabberton and I’ve been assigned to your homeroom.” Lindsey shows her class schedule to Mrs. Jones.

Nora had been informed that she was getting a new student today. She had also been informed that the new student was transgender. She looks at the young girl standing before her. She couldn’t see any features that would give her away as being a boy. She did notice the clothes she wore and her light blue eyes through her cheap reading glasses.

“Well, welcome to Spring Hill High. If you have any problems or questions, please feel free to come to me.” She smiles at Lindsey.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Lindsey goes over and sits down at a nearby desk.

Lindsey listens as Mrs. Jones gives the announcements the office gave her this morning. Homeroom wasn’t very long and by the time the bell
rang. Lindsey was ready for her next class, which happened to be a math class.

The first half of the morning, she introduces herself to her new teachers and take part in class. By the time lunch time arrives, she was hungry.
She hadn’t had breakfast before she came to school. When she checks her purse for her lunch money, she doesn’t find any. She forgot to ask her foster mother for lunch money. She enters the cafeteria and finds a table out of the way and sit there. She opens her backpack and pull out some peanut butter and cheese crackers she keeps for emergency and a bottle water to drink.

She learned a long time ago, while living with her aunt to keep a package of crackers and a bottle of water in her backpack. Lindsey pulls out her notepad of blank music sheets and work on the piece of music she started. She hums to herself as she writes the notes down. After twenty minutes, she stops working on the piece. She pulls out her class schedule to see what her next class was.

She lets out a sigh as she realizes that she has gym class next. According to what her teacher told her yesterday when she went on the tour to her different classes and to meet her teachers. This week was gym week and they were in the pool. She doesn’t know how to swim. She never bothered to learned how.

The different elementary schools she attended didn’t have a pool. She packs up her music notepad and throw away her trash. As she heads towards the girl’s locker room. She felt a little nervous as she stepped through the door. She’s has never undressed before in front of other people. She heads down towards the locker that had been assigned to her next to the coaches’ office.

She stows away her backpack, after pulling her school approved swimsuit out. She ignores the other girls around her as she undresses. Her birth defect was extremely small, because she was on hormones. She had a birthmark in the shape of a crescent moon on her back right shoulder. She slips her swimsuit on and carefully tuck away her birth defect as she adjusts her swimsuit, so it was smooth. She grabs her towel and flip flops and head out to towards the pool behind a few other girls.

She sits on the bench waiting for the other students to arrive. She notices that the boys were loud and tried pushing each other into the pool. As they walked down to the shallow end. Once their instructor took roll. All of them were told to get into the shallow end and line up against the wall of the pool. She had to be careful. She was only 4 feet 4 inches tall and the pool was 3.5 feet deep, almost 4ft. She held onto the side of the pool with a few other girls that were as short as she was.

Her instructor taught them how to kick and float. She also taught them how doggy paddle. By the time class was over, she could doggy paddle if she ever fell into the pool or large body of water. When she heads back into the girl’s locker room, she rinses off still wearing her bathing suit and slip off the suit after she dried. She copies some of the girls and twist her suit out in the showers, while wearing her towel tied around her body.

She heads back to her locker and slip her panties on under her towel and her training bra. She tries not to look to much, but some of the girls were already developing breast. She gets dress without any of the girls seeing her birth defect. She only had two more classes to go and she could go home.

She looks at her schedule and notices she had Earth Science and music class next. Her Earth Science teacher was a huge guy that resemble Clark Kent from the old Superman movies. She has fun learning in his class. He may be big and looked like Clark Kent, but he knew his Earth Science and was a wonderful teacher.

When she goes to her music class. They didn’t have a piano for her to play. So, she said she would like to learn how to play the saxophone instead. It took her awhile to learn how to place her fingers for the saxophone and to blow properly through the reed. Reading the music, they were practicing was easy for her.

By the time class ended, she was ready to go home. She a lot of homework she needed to get done, on top of learning how to play the saxophone. She wishes she had a piano or electric keyboard to play. By the time she gets home, there is a message for her.

Lindsey,

I have to work late tonight. Here is twenty dollars for you to order yourself a Pizza, Sub or Chinese. I won’t be home till you go to bed. If you have any problems, the Jackson’s next door can help you out. Here is my cell number 803-215-5587.
Luv

Lindsey orders a medium combination pizza from Domino’s and fixes herself some tea to drink while she waits for the pizza to be delivered.

Lindsey couldn’t believe her foster mother had her cutting and clearing the yard of the property the real estate company just bought. The yard was a jungle here. She was outside in a pair of shorts and her old tennis shoes cutting the grass with a hand push mower. Sweat was sliding down into her eyes as she pushed the mower through the tall grass. She had a tank top shirt on as she pushed the push mower through the tall grass.

Her foster mother was inside painting the walls and plastering holes that had been left from pictures that had been hung on them. She wipes the sweat from her eyes as she continues cutting the grass. Once all the grass is cut, she rakes it up and bag it for trash pick-up. By the evening, she is sun burned and tired from all the raking and bagging she did. Her foster mother takes her by Arby’s for dinner before heading home.

She was almost asleep by the time they pulled into the drive way.

“I appreciated your help today Lindsey. You did a good job on cutting the grass and making the yard look presentable.” Barbara looks over towards her foster daughter.

She was curled up against the passenger side door and was as red as a lobster. She had on a green baseball cap that she wore to shield her eyes from the sun. It was an old Cat Tractor cap she found at the house down in the garage.

Lindsey looks at her foster mother “your welcome.”

She covers up a yawn as she snuggles closer against the seat. She was tired and couldn’t wait to get back home and into a nice relaxing bath.

Her hand had blisters from using the push mower.

By the time they pulled into the driveway, Lindsey was dragging her feet as she made her way to the main bathroom and filled the tub. She adds some of her favorite bath beads her foster mother bought her and strip out of her tank top and shorts. She had already taken off her shoes when she walked into the house. She hated her birth defect as she slowly lowered herself down into the tub. There have been a few times where she had thought about cutting it off herself.

One time, she almost came close to doing it. She had the knife in her hand and was standing naked in the kitchen looking down at it. She wanted to take it off so much, but she stopped at the last minute, before she did it. That’s when her second foster mother came in and caught her. That’s was the real reason, beside the pressure of having a transgender child.

She rests her head against the back of the tub as she closes her eyes and let the soothing bath oils penetrate her body. She looks at her hands and could tell she had about four blisters. One was the size of a quarter. She’ll drain them later when she gets out of the tub.
She had one report that she needed to get done by Tuesday for her science class. It was already three quarters of the way written. She still had the one piece of music to practice that they were going to perform for the school next Friday. She really didn’t like the saxophone, but she played it pretty good. She was already second chair. She beat the former second chair after a week of practice.

When the water in the tub starts getting cold. She drains the bath water and use the hanging shower head to wash her hair. She saw her counselor about her gender issue and had her blood tested, so she could start taking a higher dose of estrogen. She just wanted her breast to start growing. All the other girls in her gym class had theirs or were growing theirs already.

She dries herself off and heads towards her bedroom. Her sunburned hurt. She slips her Hello Kitty night shirt on and head towards her foster mother’s room to see if she had something to put on her sunburn.

She knocks on her foster mother’s door “Barbara, do you have any solar cane?”

Barbara opens the door when she hears Lindsey’s voice. She sees Lindsey standing there.

“Come on in Lindsey. I think I have some in my bathroom.” Barbara escorts Lindsey into the bedroom.

She takes her into the bathroom “take your night shirt Lindsey.”

Lindsey takes her nightshirt off. She was only standing there in her white teddy bear panties.

“This is going to sting a little.” Barbara sprays Lindsey’s shoulders, arms and then her legs.

Lindsey shivers a little as she is sprayed with the solar cane. It did sting for a second, before she started feeling a little better. She does glance around in her foster mother’s bedroom. She’s only been in the bedroom a few times since she moved in. she notices her foster mother had a collection of stuff animals and pictures of her family and friends.

“There you go, Lindsey. All done.” Barbara looks over her foster daughter’s back and shoulders. She sprayed all the areas that had been sunburned.

“Thanks Barbara.” Lindsey slides her night shirt back on.

She turns around and gives her foster mother a hug before heading back to her bedroom to work on her report for a little while. Barbara had given her one of the old laptops from work.

It still had Windows 7 with service pack 1 on it. The battery had to be replace in it and Microsoft Office had to be upgrade 2016. The one piece of software she did purchase for the laptop was a program called Magic music, which turns her laptop into an electric keyboard or piano, so she could compose music.

She heads into her bedroom and work on her report for awhile and then, when it is done. She turns the lamp off on her night stand and snuggle deep under her blankets. Barbara had gotten the whole Hello Kitty bedspread kit for her. She plugs her pre-paid cellphone in before turning off the light. Lindsey falls asleep instantly.

Her alarm clock goes off 6:00 a.m., because she forgot to turn it off. She cuts it off and goes back to sleep. By 9:00 a.m. Lindsey drags herself out of bed and heads towards the bathroom. She walks into the kitchen and her foster mother was in there drinking her coffee and eating a grapefruit.

“Morning sleepy head.” Barbara spots Lindsey coming into the kitchen.

Lindsey waves hello to her foster mother as she stumbles into the kitchen. She grabs a bowl from the cabinet and the box of Fruit Loops. She sits down across from her foster mother and pours herself a bowl.

“I was thinking we might go to the mall today and pick-up a few items. I notice that when you moved in, you didn’t have much stuff.” Barbara had seen that Lindsey only had a small battered suitcase and the backpack.

Lindsey looks at her “the group home I was sent to threw most of my stuff out, because it was girl clothes.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Barbara didn’t know what to say after what she was told.

She knew transgender children were hard to place and many couples couldn’t accept the fact that a child would rather be the opposite gender of how they were born. She had thought hard about being a foster mother and taking Lindsey in. She had asked Lindsey’s case worker what would had happen, if Lindsey didn’t come to live with her. She was informed she would had been transferred to another group home.

“Barbara, can I get my ears pierce, please?” Lindsey has been wanting to get her ears pierce for a while.

“I don’t see why you can’t get them pierce. Why don’t you finish your breakfast, brush your teeth and get dress and we’ll go do a little shopping?”

“Thank you, Barbara.” Lindsey finishes up her breakfast and heads towards her bedroom to get ready to go out and do some shopping with her foster mother.

An Hour Later (North side Mall):
Lindsey couldn’t believe she was out shopping for clothes with someone who cared. She was loving the fact that Barbara was helping her pick out dresses, skirts, pants and blouses. The first place they stopped was one of the ear-piercing kiosks and Barbara allowed her to pick out several different pairs. The next place they went to was TJ Max and the Dress Barn. They picked a few items up there. The store they were at now, they were picking out some more clothes for school and going out.

When they passed a music store, she wanted to see how much a used keyboard would cost. Barbara didn’t mind letting Lindsey browse the music store. She watches as Lindsey heads over to the used instruments and spotted a Used Casio CTK4400 61-Key Portable Keyboard for only $60.00 dollars.

Lindsey got permission from the store clerk and played a simple tune she had been practicing on her laptop. Lindsey liked how the piece sounded and played a little bit more of the piece she composed. She stops after a few minutes.

“That was lovely, Lindsey. Did you learn that in school?” Barbara was curious.

“No ma’am. I composed that myself. I’ve been working on it, since I came to live with you.” Lindsey looks at the synthesizer and wishes she had the money to buy it.

Barbara could tell how much Lindsey wanted it. She could tell how much she loved playing music. Barbara looks at the price tag and saw it had been marked down several times.

“If I buy this for you. Will you practice on it like you do your saxophone?” Barbara looks at Lindsey with a serious look on her face.

“Yes ma’am.” There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

“Alright, I’ll get it for you.”

Lindsey hugs her “thank you, Barbara.” Tears were sliding down her cheek.

“Your welcome, Lindsey.” Barbara just held her.

She could see that this meant a lot to Lindsey. After they buy the synthesizer, which came with its own case and stand. They carried all the packages they had out to the car and went to Olive Garden for lunch. After lunch, they make one more stop at Payless Shoe store since they were having a buy one, get one sale going on. They get several pairs of shoes for Lindsey and for Barbara as well.

On the way home they stop at the grocery store and pick-up some items for dinner. Lindsey was on cloud nine with all the shopping they did and with buying the synthesizer. Plus, Barbara took her to have a make-up session at one of the make-up counters.

When Lindsey gets home. She takes all her clothes, shoes and the new purse they bought into her bedroom. She makes room for the Casio and sets it up. Once she has everything hung up and put away. She heads into the kitchen to help with dinner.

Lindsey couldn’t believe Christmas was already around the corner. She’s been so busy settling in and adjusting to her new home. That she lost what month it was. Her foster mother took her to a Christmas tree lot and bought a fresh cut fir tree. They took it home and set it up in a home-made tree stand.

Barbara stands back and look at the tree after they decorated it.

“My great, great, great grandfather built that Christmas tree stand a long time ago. It was a gift to his little girl. They had just moved here from Sicily, Italy.” Barbara couldn’t believe her family use to be part of the mafia in the early 50’s. They had been part of the DiGiovanni brother’s family.

Later that day, Barbara had to go and meet a potential client. So, she left Lindsey at home in her bedroom practicing on the Casio. She has seen a major change in Lindsey since she bought the Casio for her. If she wasn’t doing her homework, she practiced the saxophone. When she wasn’t practicing the saxophone, she was playing and composing music on the Casio.

The music she heard coming from Lindsey’s bedroom sounded a little jazzy. She knew Lindsey has been enjoying herself on the synthesizer. She had listened as Lindsey mixed sounds or cords from the synthesizer and the saxophone together.

Lindsey records a few series of cords she did with her saxophone and then added in the cords from the synthesizer. She had to tweak the cords some, but it blended nicely. She listens to what she recorded, and a smile appears on her face. It sounded, like she imagines it would. She takes a break and heads into the kitchen to make a sub for lunch. After she makes her sub, she sits down in the dining room and eat her lunch. So, far things have been going good for her. She’s worried something bad is going to happen soon.

She takes a bite of her sub and just watches the lights on the Christmas tree blink on and off. This will be her first real Christmas with a person who cares about her. After she finishes her lunch. She goes back to her bedroom and record a few more tracks with just her saxophone and synthesizer. By the time she stops to take another break. It was dark outside and her foster mother wasn’t home yet.

Lindsey pulls her cell out and dials her foster mother to make sure everything was okay.

Restaurant:
Barbara was having a nice dinner with a few co-workers when she hears her cellphone ring. She looks at the screen and notices it was Lindsey calling her.

“Hi Lindsey.”

“Hi Barbara, I was calling to see if everything was okay?”

“Everything is fine, Lindsey. I’m here having dinner with a few co-workers. Why don’t you fix yourself some dinner or if you want? I can call any place you like and place an order for you.”

“I’ll fix here Barbara. Just be careful and have fun.”

“I will Lindsey and make sure you, clean-up after yourself. I’ll see you when I get home.”

Lindsey disconnects from Barbara and heads into the kitchen to fix herself some dinner. They had gone grocery shopping two days ago, so there was plenty food to choose from. She grabs the box of Steak-Umm, onions, mushrooms and cheese out of the refrigerator. She makes herself a foot-long Philly Cheese steak sub. She found a recipe on the internet and follows it. The last one she had, she loved. She didn’t care for the ones they had at Subway. Those weren’t real Philly Cheese steaks.

Lindsey cleans up after herself as she sits down and eats her sub. When she is done eating. She heads into the bathroom and takes a nice relaxing soak, while listening to waves crashing against the shore. She had scented candles burning as she closes her eyes and enjoy the warmth of the water and smell of the candles. She never got to enjoy doing this when she was at the boys group home or at a few of her past foster parents.

She closes her eyes and just let herself drift and relax. Let all the emotions she has held back come out and drift on the air. She hears the start of additional tracks of the piece she is working on in her head as she relaxes. She hums the tune as it appears in her head. She grabs her note book she brought her into the bathroom and writes the start of the tune down. She’ll go and play it when she gets out of the tub.
She closes her eyes after writing the notes down and stay in the tub, till the water gets cold. Once she gets out, she slips on her nightgown. She plays around with the notes she heard in her head and see if it sounds better with the Casio or with the saxophone. As she plays the music, it sounded better with the saxophone.

She glances at the clock in her bedroom and it showed it was almost 10:00pm. She wonders how much longer Barbara was going to be? She continues to play with the cords to see if maybe it would better in a different key. By 11:30pm. She hears the front door open. She stops playing and head towards the living room to make sure it was Barbara.

As she peeks in, she notices Barbara kissing some guy as they head towards her bedroom. She heads back towards her bedroom and lock her bedroom door. The last time she stayed with her aunt. There had been a man that stumbled into her bedroom and thought she was her aunt. She wasn’t taking that chance any more. She crawls into bed and falls asleep.

Since she didn’t have school in the morning. She sleeps in and is woken-up with Barbara knocking on her bedroom door. Lindsey stumbles out of bed and walks over to the door and unlocks it.

She sees Barbara standing at her door in her nightgown.

“Good morning sleepy head. Greg and I were talking about going out for breakfast. So, why don’t you get dress and come along with us.”

Barbara could tell Lindsey was still waking up.

“Okay Barbara.” Lindsey shuts her door and check the temperature outside.

She dresses warmly, since the temperature outside was in the low thirties. She follows Barbara to her car, while Greg drives his. They headed to a Golden Corral for breakfast. Lindsey didn’t mind the buffet style breakfast place. She starts off with a fruit bowl and then go back and get scramble eggs, bacon and a lot of sausages.

She finds out that Greg works for the local news company. Him and Barbara had been seeing each other for a while. They were old High school sweet heart. After everyone was done with breakfast. Greg had to go back to his place to get ready for work, while Barbara took her home. Barbara was meeting a couple about a house right around the corner from them.

Once Barbara drops her off. She goes inside to work on her music. She didn’t have any friends to hang around with and with the temperature being like it was. She couldn’t do anything outside. She wasn’t into video games or spending a lot of time on Facebook.

Since she had such a big Breakfast, she decided to skip lunch. She practices the piece they have to play for a concert in Spring. Her music instructor gave it to them to practice over the Christmas holidays. She practices the piece on her Saxophone and on her Casio.
By the time evening comes around. Barbara shows back up and starts dinner for them. She informs Lindsey that Greg won’t be around tonight, but he has invited them for lunch tomorrow. Barbara tells her about the couple buying the house right behind them. How they have a son that will be going to her school after the Christmas holidays. Barbara wants Lindsey to get to know him and make him feel welcome to the neighborhood.

Lindsey couldn’t believe the gifts she got on Christmas. She had gotten a Hammond SK2 synthesizer, along with a keyboard stand, a full audio recording equipment and 200watt, 15’ speaker for her synthesizers. The package she got that came with the speaker included a mic, microphone stand and the cables she would need. She received a JamTec "Slim Daddy" Keytar body including Gig Kit for CME xKey37 2017 Gloss Black. Plus, a brand-new saxophone of her own. This way she could return the school’s saxophone she has been playing.

On top of all the new musical equipment she received, Barbara and her new relatives bought her clothes. Dresses, skirts, blouses, shirts, jeans, shorts, night gowns and so on. She has never received so many gifts on Christmas. Barbara did give her a pair of headphones so, she could listen to her music without background noise interfering with the music.

Lindsey gave Barbara a handmade quilt she had done in her home economics class. Her teacher had been impressed with her work on it. She had taken small squares of cloth and made a design in the middle of the quilt.

Barbara had asked if she would be willing to play the piano at her nieces wedding. The woman that was going to play, had to be rushed to the hospital. She knew how talented Lindsey is and how hard Lindsey practiced. Both on her synthesizer and on her saxophone.

On the day of the wedding. Everyone that is going to be in the wedding or part of it, is taken to a Spa. Lindsey was invited to come along. She is nervous when she goes, but she meets a person named Dalia Thompson. She was a post op woman and knew how Lindsey felt about being at the Spa. She takes really good care of her while she is at the Spa. When she leaves the Spa, Barbara takes her home and has her wear one of her new dresses she got for Christmas during the wedding.

Lindsey plays the piano during the wedding. She was nervous at first, but she managed to relax and concentrate on just playing. She stops when the bride and groom stood before the Preacher and the wedding vows are exchange. Afterwards, she plays again after they are announced as man and wife.

Barbara lets Lindsey have half a glass of champagne at her nieces wedding reception. Several people come up and congratulates her on her playing. They stay, till the bride and groom head off to start their honeymoon.

While on the way home “you played very well Lindsey. How long have you been playing the piano?”

“Since I was ten years old. One of my foster parents had a piano they didn’t play in their living room and I started playing on it. At first, I didn’t
know what I was doing, till I started watching some YouTube videos. I really didn’t learn till you bought me that Casio to play.” Lindsey was thankful for that gift.

“How could I say no to you. I saw how your eyes lite up when you saw it.” That was the first time she saw Lindsey happy.

They make their way home safely and Lindsey gets ready for bed. Her room was getting crowded with all the new musical equipment she got for Christmas. Barbara comes in and gives her a hug. She looks at the musical equipment in Lindsey’s bedroom.

“We might have to place your synthesizers and speakers in the spare room. That will at least give you some room in here to move around.”
She kisses Lindsey forehead and turns the light off as she walks out.

Lindsey hugs the teddy bear close to her as she falls asleep. During the night, she dreams of walking down the aisle with a tall gentleman by her side dressed all in white. The piano she played earlier today playing the same wedding march, she played.

When she wakes up the next day. Barbara was already dressed and getting ready to head out the door. She had to show several houses today.

“Lindsey, go ahead and move your synthesizers, speakers and everything else into the other bedroom. Also, I need for you to run some keys over to the Smith’s for me as well.” Barbara digs in her purse for the keys that the Smith’s had asked about.

“Okay.” Lindsey takes the keys and slip them in her purse. That way, she doesn’t forget about them.

Lindsey watches as Barbara heads out the door, after placing a kiss on her cheek. Lindsey pours herself a bowl of her favorite cereal. When she is done eating breakfast, she slips on a pair of blue jeans and a tie dye t-shirt she picked up from a thrift store. She moves her synthesizers, the speaker and everything else out of her bedroom into the other room. She moves her music stand in there as well, so she could practice on her new saxophone. She hooks everything back-up and checks to make sure everything was working right by playing a few cords on her Casio and on her new Hammond synthesizer.

She looks at her Keytar and tries it out. She’ll have to find some YouTube videos to show her how to play it. She did like the fact it made her look like a guitar player, except with a keyboard instead of strings.

Around noon time, Lindsey leaves the house to walk over towards the Smith’s house, which right behind her house. She could had jumped the fence separating her backyard from theirs, but it would had been improper. As she approaches the house, she could hear someone inside playing the drums. She stands and listens for a few minutes. Whoever, was playing wasn’t half bad. He wasn't in the league with Buddy Rich or Gene Krupa, but his playing was good.

Lindsey presses the doorbell and wait a few minutes for someone to answer. She tries the doorbell again and waits. She hears the drum playing stop and a few minutes later a tall short black hair teen answers the store. He stood a good foot and a half taller then her. He also looked like he lifted weights. His hazel eyes are what caught her attention the most.

Ian Smith had been practicing on his drums when he heard the doorbell ring. He missed playing with his friends in their garage band. They were finally starting to come together as a band, when his father got a promotion and he had to moved. He was so mad at his family for having
to move. He tucks his drum sticks in his back pocket and in his sweat soak muscle shirt heads downstairs to answer the front door.

When he opens the door, he notices a petite, short, long brown hair girl standing at the door. He had seen her a few times when he looked out his bedroom window into the backyard. She looked like an elementary student.

“What can I do for you?” Ian just wanted to get back upstairs and play some more on his drums.

“I’m Lindsey Sabberton, my foster mother asked me to drop these keys off.” Lindsey reaches in her purse and pull out the keys that were in there.

She hands them to Ian.

“Thank you.” Ian accepts the keys.

“That was pretty good drum playing. You might want to try a slower tempo though. The one you were beating out, is too fast for most people to follow.” Lindsey knew, even she would have a hard time keeping pace with him on her saxophone and with her synthesizer.

Ian stood their stun that this girl knew what tempo he was playing.

“Let me guess, you play the drums as well?” Ian was a little snotty.

“Actually, I play the saxophone and synthesizer. I play the saxophone in my school band and the synthesizer at home.” Lindsey didn’t see any harm telling this boy what instruments she played.

“Aren’t you a little too young to be in a band?” Ian couldn’t believe this young girl was in a school band.

“I’m in my high school band. The same one you’ll be going to. When Christmas vocation is over.” Lindsey wonders if he was going to join the band.

She knew they already had two drummers in the band. Neither one had his talent from what she heard. The guys they had, was barely able to keep the right tempo for them to follow.

“Well, thanks for the heads up. I need to get back to practice.” Ian wanted to get back to playing his drums.

“Okay, have fun.” Lindsey heads back home.

When she gets home, she does some practicing of her own on her saxophone and synthesizer.

Lindsey couldn’t believe how bad her classes were. The teachers were giving them a bunch of homework that was going to take hours to do. Her home economics class assignment was making a gown for the Spring dance. She knew she wasn’t going to it. Because no one has asked her. She couldn’t wait till this afternoon for her last class. She had band practice and the new guy she met was going to be coming to the class.

As she walks into class, she takes the second chair in the saxophone section. She wishes she could bring her keyboard or even her keytar.
She was getting good with it. She wanted to bring it here and play it in the band. She gets the music sheets out and set it on the stand. She prepares her new saxophone and wet the reed.

As she is preparing her saxophone. She spots the new boy she met over the Christmas holidays walking in and over towards the band teacher. She continues to watch as they talked. The band teacher motions for the other two drum players to come over. The four of them talked and once class began, the teacher introduces the new guy as Ian Smith.

Like the rest of the sections, they have a position playoff to see who was to be first position. Lindsey wasn’t surprised that Ian beat the other guys, because she heard him play. He had the same passion for music and the drums, like she did for her music and instruments.

Their teacher passes out new sheet music he wanted them to play. The annual school band competition was coming up and this year their school was going to take part in it. The music sheet her teacher was passing out, was one of the songs that was approve for the competition. Her teacher wanted them to learn the piece. The first time through, the band did okay. They were going to need practice with the piece. For the rest of the class they practice the new music. By the time class ended, her lips were sore from playing. She packs away her saxophone and head towards her locker to grab what school books she was going to need to take home to complete her assignments. As she was locking her locker.

One of the guys in her band class stops by her locker.

“Hey, Lindsey. Do you have a couple of minutes to talk?” Jamie has been wanting to talk to Lindsey.

He found out from his friend up at the music store. That Lindsey played the synthesizer. He was working in the back of the store the day her and her foster mother had stopped in. They had bought the Casio. He had heard her play it, before they purchased it.

“Sure, what’s up?” Lindsey normally took the school bus home in the afternoon.

“Do you really know how to play the synthesizer?”

“Yep, I can play the synthesizer, just like I can play the saxophone.” Lindsey was curious why Jamie would want to know if she could play the synthesizer.

“Cool. Look, me and my brother are putting a band together. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind stopping by and join us. That is if you’re not doing anything.” Jamie figures she might be a good addition to add with his brother and himself.

“Sure, I don’t mind. What day would you want me to stop by?” Jamie normally had her afternoons free.

“How about this weekend?” Jamie knew that him and his brother didn’t have anything they need to do this weekend.

“Okay, hey, do you guys have a drum player yet?” Lindsey was curious if the new guy would want to play with them.

“No not yet. The guy my brother was going to ask, hasn’t gotten back to us or come over.” Jamie really wanted to get this band going. There was a band contest coming up.

“You might want to talk to the new guy. I heard him play over the Christmas holidays. He’s pretty good.” Lindsey figures he might enjoy being in a band.

“I’ll talk with him. Look, here’s my cell number. Call me later.” Jamie hands Lindsey his cellphone number on a piece of notebook paper.

“Okay, thanks.” Lindsey watches as Jamie runs off towards the buses.

She heads for her own school bus. Normally, in the morning Barbara gives her a ride to school. She only catches the school bus home in the afternoon. She shares a seat with a girl that gets off before her. She was in tenth grade and played on the girl’s field hockey team. The guy sitting in the seat in front of her was gay. He was big time flaming about it. His boyfriend went to a different school.

Lindsey was the next to the last stop. The bus stop wasn’t too far from her house. As she approaches, she notices Barbara hasn’t gotten home yet. She fixes herself a snack and sets her backpack down at the dining room table. she walks into the living room and goes through Barbara’s record collection and chooses a few she wanted to listen too.

Once the record starts playing. She fixes herself a snack and sit down at the dining room table and start on her homework. Her cellphone beeps, letting her know she had a text. It was from her foster mother. She was going to stop at Taco Bell and she wanted to know what Lindsey wanted. Lindsey sends her what she wants and goes back to writing a report she had to turn in by the end of the week.

She knocked her math out in no time and double checked her answers. She doesn’t hear her foster mother when she comes in from the garage. Lindsey was to absorb in researching sources of information for her report.

Barbara walks in and hears the stereo playing Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit. It wasn’t from her CD collection, but from her husband’s old record collection. She walks into the dining room notices Lindsey hard at work. She had all her school books scatter about on the dining room table. Lindsey was busy typing away on her laptop.

“Are you home kiddo?” Barbara walks into the dining room and hang her purse off the back of a nearby chair.

Lindsey hears Barbara’s voice and looks up. She notices she was standing at the other end of the table with dinner in her hand.

“Sorry, Barbara. I was focused on this report that is due at the end of the week.”

“That’s okay. I got what you wanted from Taco Bell.” Barbara sits down in a chair near Lindsey.

She pulls out what Lindsey wanted and what she got for herself. She had gotten drinks for the two of them.

“So, how was school today?” As she takes a bite of her burrito.

“Ian Smith took fist chair in the percussion section. Our teacher gave us some new music to learn for the band competition he is entering us in this year. According to some of the other band members. They didn’t compete last year. So, this year our teacher and the principal decided to enter our school.” Lindsey never did find out why they didn’t compete last year.

“Anything else happen?”

“I was asked to come over to one of my schoolmate’s house on Saturday. Him and his brother want to start a band and invited me to come over and try out for it. He works up at the music store where you bought the Casio for me and heard me playing.” Lindsey takes a bite out of her taco.

“Do you want to go and try out?”

“I don’t know. I guess I could see how good they are and if they are serious.” Lindsey grabs another taco and put some sauce on it.

Lindsey and Barbara finish up dinner. A couple of hours later, she finishes her homework. She puts all her school stuff back in her backpack and takes it to her bedroom. She plays on her synthesizer for a while to relax and continue a piece she was working on. The new song was a pop-rock tune.

“Alright Lindsey, bed time.” Barbara sticks her head into Lindsey’s bedroom.

Lindsey looks up at Barbara “let me finish this last cord up, please.”

“Alright, you have fifteen minutes.”

“Thanks Barbara.” Lindsey goes back to work on the piece she was working on.

Once it sounded the way she wanted it too. She head into the bathroom and takes a bath before heading to bed.

Lindsey had asked Barbara to drop her off early at school. She wanted to speak with the band teacher and get his opinion about the song she had just finished. She had put it on a thumb drive so, he could listen to it when he had a moment.

She heads down to the band room to see if Mr. Simmons was in. She knocks on the door as she enters the band practice room.

“Mr. Simmons, are you in?” Lindsey looks around for her teacher.

“I’m in here Lindsey.” Mr. Simmons was doing an inventory of the instruments that needed to be taken to be restored or replaced.

Lindsey looks in the storage room and found her teacher checking instruments. She notices the instrument she turned back in was placed on the repair self.

“Did I damage my Sax, Mr. Simmons?” Lindsey was always careful and cleaned it after she used it.

“Oh, no. I’m sending it out for cleaning. You did a good job of maintaining it, but it's school policy to send return instruments out for cleaning. Some students don’t maintain their instruments as well as you do. What brings you in this early today?” Mr. Simmons liked Lindsey.

She could read sheet music and had a love for music. He had seen and heard it when she played. He had spotted her a few times when he went to the cafeteria to get his lunch, sitting with her eyes closed and tapping away to a beat in her head.

“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind listening to a couple of songs I compose. They are mostly instrumental, but I think you’ll like them.” Lindsey holds out a thumb drive to him.

“What other instrument do you play Lindsey?” Mr. Simmons accepts the USB drive from Lindsey.

“The synthesizer. My foster mother bought me a Casio. I was given a Hammond SK2 synthesizer, a JamTec "Slim Daddy" Keytar and my new saxophone for Christmas. I’m still learning how to play my keytar properly.” Lindsey liked it and had downloaded many YouTube videos she could find on how to play one from the internet.

“Who is your music teacher, other than me?” Mr. Simmons was impressed that Linsey could play an additional instrument.

“No one, I go on YouTube and try to find videos on what instruments I am learning. I learned how to play the piano from the internet and from music books” Lindsey had to teach herself how to play.

“So, you're self-taught?”

“Yes, sir. Music just seems to come easily to me. I can see the music in my head and play it as I see it.” Lindsey had a smile on her face.

“Interesting. I’ll listen to what you got and give you my opinion about it.” Mr. Simmons was very interested to hear what Lindsey composed.

“Thank you, Mr. Simmons.” She turns and heads towards her first class.

The rest of the day things are as usual. Gym class this week was in the gym. They were doing indoors volleyball. The ground outside was still wet from the heavy rains they had. She was the last picked for a team.

During class, some of the girls on her team that didn’t like her, would push her or trip her. She wasn’t going to allow their slight bullying to bother her. One of the older girls in her class slams into her so hard, that she falls hard on her right knee.

Coach Jerkins had seen Christy Warren latterly push Lindsey aside, causing her to fall hard on her right knee. She blows the whistle to stop the game and walks over to check on Lindsey. She tries to help Lindsey stand up, but Lindsey couldn't without crying out in pain. She notices that Lindsey’s knee was starting to swell. It was already red and bruised.

“Let’s get you to the nurse.” Coach Jenkins helps Lindsey down to the nurse’s office.

Nurse Sumner looks up as Coach Jenkins brings one of her students into her office. She recognized the student as being Lindsey Sabberton.
She had been at the meeting the principal had held about her.

“What happened?” As she helps Coach Jenkins with Lindsey.

“It happened while she was playing volleyball.” Coach Jenkins wasn’t covering for Christy Warren.

She would handle Ms. Warren herself. She had nothing against Lindsey. She was a good student and tried hard to keep up with her classmates.

Lindsey was in too much pain from her injury to tell the nurse the truth. She had tears sliding down her face. She grits her teeth and as the nurse probed her knee.

Nurse Sumner probes Lindsey’s knee carefully. Just from what she was seeing and could tell without an x-ray machine. She thinks that Lindsey might have fractured her kneecap.

“She needs to go to the hospital. Her kneecap might be fractured and without an x-ray. I can’t be sure.” Nurse Sumner looks up at Coach Jenkins.

“Alright, I’ll call her mother. You go ahead and call the paramedics.” Coach Jenkins walks over to the nurse’s desk and calls the office to have them call Lindsey’s mother.

Barbara:
Barbara was at the office working on the paperwork of a house she had just sold. When she receives a phone call from Lindsey’s school.

“Hello, Mrs. Weathers. This is Carol Highstreets from Spring Hill High. I’m calling to inform you that Lindsey hurt her knee severely during gym class and is on her way to the hospital.”

“Do you know how bad the injury is?” Barbara was already gathering her stuff to head to the hospital.

“Nurse Sumner thinks she might have fractured it. She can’t be sure without an x-ray.” Nurse Sumner had given her best guess to Lindsey's injury.

“Is she being taken to Fairview General Hospital?” Barbara was up and out the door.

She drops a note off at the receptionist desk informing her where she was heading. She heads over to her car and unlocks it. She switches the call to her earpiece and starts driving towards the hospital.

"Thanks, Ms. Highstreets.” Barbara disconnects.

When Barbara pulls into the parking lot and head to the emergency entrance. She is taken to examination room 1 where she see’s Lindsey still in her gym clothes on the examination table. Barbara could already tell how bad Lindsey’s right knee was. It had swollen up to the size of a soccer ball.

Lindsey:
On the way to the hospital, the paramedics had straightened out her leg and immobilized it. They had given her a shot of morphine for the pain. She wasn’t feeling any pain at all right now.

Once they brought her into the emergency room. They had her fill out some paperwork till her mother could arrive. An emergency room doctor and a female nurse had come in and took her vitals They checked her knee. The Doctor on duty said she was going to need an x-ray done so they could see how bad the fracture was on her kneecap.

She had been waiting for about fifteen minutes when Barbara comes walking in with a nurse.

“How are you feeling Lindsey?” Barbara could tell Lindsey was a little scared.

“Scared.” Lindsey holds her hand out for Barbara.

Barbara holds her hand to try and calm her down. She could tell that Lindsey was trying to be brave.

“So, how was the rest of your classes today?” Barbara was trying to distract Lindsey.

“They were fine. I managed to talk with Mr. Simmons before my first class. I gave him a thumb drive with some songs I recorded to see what he thought about them.” Lindsey hadn't shared any of her music with Barbara yet.

“You know, I wouldn’t mind hearing what you have recorded.” Barbara felt a little hurt that Lindsey hadn’t shared her music with her.

“Really?” That had surprised Lindsey.

“Of course. I know how much you enjoy playing and making music. I would love to hear some of your work and give you some feedback on it.” Barbara squeezes Lindsey’s hand.

A female Doctor comes into the examination room and introduces herself as Dr. Sheilah Hollander. She has Lindsey taken to x-ray and have an x-ray of her knee taken. The x-ray showed that Lindsey had a Displaced fracture break that went across the kneecap. She was going to need surgery to pull the two pieces together, so they would heal properly.

It was 9:00 pm by the time Lindsey and Barbara got home. The doctor performed an open surgery and wired the kneecap back together. Lindsey was going to have physical therapy once her kneecap was completely healed. She wasn’t feeling anything from the pain pills they had given her.

Barbara was going to let her stay home from school tomorrow. She’ll go up to the school and get any assignments Lindsey will miss tomorrow.
She is going to work from home tomorrow and take care of Lindsey. She helps Lindsey to bed and tucks her in. She places a kiss on her forehead.

“Sleep, tight sweetie.” Barbara backs out of the bedroom and turns the light off.

Lindsey wakes-up the next day with her knee throbbing and swollen. She rings the little brass bell Barbara gave her last night before she was put to bed.

Barbara comes walking into Lindsey bedroom and could tell she was in pain just from the look on her face. The doctor had informed her for the first few days. That the bandages around Lindsey’s knee were going to need to be changed and that she will feel intense pain during that time.

She walks into Lindsey’s bedroom with everything she would need to change the bandages. She had a glass of water for the pain pill Lindsey was going to need.

“How are you feeling this morning sweetie?” Barbara sets the tray down on the bed.

“In pain.” Lindsey was gritting her teeth from the pain she was feeling from her knee.

She had tears sliding down her cheek from her eyes. Her knee didn’t feel this bad when she first hurt it. She just wanted the pain to stop.

“Take this pain pill your doctor prescribed for you.” Barbara hands Lindsey the pain pill and the glass of water.

Lindsey pops the pain pill in her mouth and drinks some water to help it go down. She hands the glass back to Barbara.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Barbara places the glass back on the tray.

She was going to wait till the pain pill kicked in, before changing Lindsey’s bandages. She does take a quick look at the bandages. After a few minutes of waiting, she notices Lindsey's eyes start to sag.

After a few minutes, Lindsey starts feeling sleepy from the pain pill. She tries to concentrate and force herself to stay awake, but she couldn’t. She was feeling less pain from her knee.

Barbara moves quickly changing Lindsey’s bandages. The bandage was soaked with blood as she carefully took it off and cleaned the area. The doctor said that for the first few days that Lindsey’s knee would bleed a lot while her knee started healing.

Once Barbara was done changing the bandages. She tucks Lindsey’s back into bed and walks out of her bedroom. The action the school took against Christy Warren for bullying Lindsey. Were harsher than the actions her parents had taken against her. Her parents had been called to the school and told about her actions. They were willing to cover Lindsey’s medical cost.

The school gave Christy a week of out of school suspension and a week of in-school suspension. She would be barred from joining any clubs for the rest of the school year and must maintain a 3.0-grade point average in all her classes.

What her parents did to her was worse. She was to stand on a street corner near the school during her suspension wearing a sign claiming to be a bully and serve community time. Her parents didn’t raise their daughter to be a bully and didn’t tolerate that type of action. Her personal devices like her cellphone and iPods would be taken from her. Any social interaction she had on the web would be monitored closely.

Barbara couldn’t believe it when she heard what they were making their daughter do. It was kind of embarrassing to a child’s ego to do what they were doing, but if Lindsey was the bullying type or stole something. She might use the same treatment.

Around noon, she checks on Lindsey and notices she was still out of it. She walks into her bedroom and checks on her. While she was gone to get Lindsey school assignments and her saxophone from her school locker. Lindsey must have woken up because she was cuddled up with her battered Serbian Husky plushy. Lindsey had told her that she has had that plushy since she was a baby. She called it Shadow and he has always been the one thing constant in her life.

Barbara notices Lindsey music notebook and looks through it. She flips through it and notices that Lindsey was a busy person writing songs. Some were completed, and others only had a few notes to them, while others were still being worked on. Lindsey had made side notes in the margins of what she was thinking about the piece or what category they would fall under and would sound better in.

Barbara looks down at Lindsey as she slept. She couldn’t believe how talented she was. She knew Lindsey was extremely smart and talented. She should had been in seventh grade but had been skipped to ninth grade and was taking AP courses in five of her eight subjects.

Barbara puts her music notebook back where she picked it up from and heads into the living room to finish some work. Around 2:00 pm. She hears Lindsey’s ring the brass bell. She gets up and heads into her bedroom.

When she walks in, she notices Lindsey sitting on the edge of her bed. She had the crutches near her.

“Need to go to the bathroom?” Barbara walks over to Lindsey.

“Yes, ma’am.” Lindsey still felt tired and sluggish.

“Here, let me help you.” Barbara helps Lindsey to stand up and carefully help her limp to the bathroom.

The doctor told her she couldn’t put any weight on her leg and had put a brace on her leg to immobilize it. Barbara carefully helps Lindsey to the bathroom and steps outside to give her some privacy.

“You okay in there, Lindsey?”

Lindsey was thankful she was sitting down to pee. She didn’t think she could have done it standing up.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m okay.” She was thankful she had gotten to the bathroom when she did. Her bladder was ready to burst.

She finishes up in the bathroom, using the sink for support. She opens the door and notices Barbara waiting for her.

“Are you hungry, kiddo?” Barbara figures Lindsey might be hungry.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Come on. Let’s get you into the living room and get you settled in. I’ll go fix us some lunch once your settle.” Barbara helps Lindsey to the sofa and prop up her leg.

Once Lindsey was nice and comfortable, Barbara heads into the kitchen and begins fixing them some lunch. Lindsey saw her backpack and saxophone sitting in the living room. She figures Barbara went up to her school to get her things while she was asleep.

She pulls her backpack up on her lap and pulls out an old mp3 player. She had acquired it before she came to live with Barbara. She had bought it at a thrift store and it still worked. It had some music already stored on it when she bought it.

The music was mostly, classical, country and some old-style blues. Most of the artist she had no idea who they were, but she liked what they played She pulls her cheap dollar store headphones out. She puts her backpack back down on the floor and listens to some music while Barbara makes them some lunch.

Barbara fixes them some chicken sandwiches for lunch with potato salad on the side. When she walks back into the living room, she spots Lindsey listening to some music. She had asked Lindsey what type of mp3 player she had. She knew it was an old one from the design of it.

Lindsey spots Barbara carrying a tray into the living room and shuts her mp3 player off. She sits up straighter, so she could eat without getting any on herself. She accepts the plate Barbara fixed for her.

“Here you go.” Barbara hands Lindsey her plate.

She pulls the living room table close to the sofa. That way Lindsey could set her plate on it if she wants to. She places her drink on the living room table after placing it on a coaster.

“Thank you.” Lindsey’s stomach growls when the scent of the chicken hits her nose.

“You’re welcome.” Barbara sits down next Lindsey.

The two of them eat their lunch. Barbara looks over towards Lindsey.

“I look through your music notebook. You’re talented. How long have you been writing music?”

“I started in fifth grade, but the different foster homes I was sent too. Some of them encouraged me to write, while others didn’t understand me.” Lindsey takes a bite of her sandwiches.

“It’s a shame the other foster families you went to didn’t see your potential. I think you do need to interact with other people. That way you’ll have a life outside of music.” Barbara has been thinking about it.

“What do you recommend?” Lindsey wouldn’t mind trying something else when her knee heals.

“Well, since your knee will still be a healing. I was going to recommend maybe ballet, dance or gymnastics. However, since you need time to heal. How about if I sign you up for swim lessons? I know you already take them at school, but this will give you a chance to exercise your legs as well.” Barbara knew a few people who taught swimming.

“Could I take singing lessons instead?” Lindsey thought that might help her.

“How about this? I’ll sign you up for both. I know a lady that teaches opera and gives singing lessons. You’ll like her.” Amanda was a good friend of Barbara’s.

“Can I still try out on Saturday?” Lindsey wanted to try out for the band.

“We’ll see how your knee is in a few days before I give you permission.” Barbara didn’t want Lindsey to hurt herself further.

They finished lunch and Lindsey just takes some Aleve for the pain in her knee. She stays in the living room with Barbara and works on a song in her notebook.

Lindsey stood in her bedroom looking at the dress she has on for the audition today. Jamie had called her last night to see how she was doing and to see if she was still coming over and auditioning on Saturday for the band. She had gotten permission from Barbara after the third day of
staying home. Her knee wasn’t hurting her as much as it did for the past two days. If she took it easy while auditioning, Barbara would allow her to go. She told Jamie she was going to need a stool to sit on while she played.

She did ask if he had a synthesizer or will she have to bring her own? He told her that she would have to bring hers. So, she had her Casio packed up and was taking the small speaker to go with it. The speaker was the one that she got as a Christmas present with her other synthesizer.

She knew Ian was going to be trying out at the same time she was. He had stopped over after school on her second day home to see how she was. He had heard what happened to her and what happened to Christy Warren. He felt that her punishment from the school was a little light, but she informed him that she won’t be able to join any after school activities. He also thanks her for suggesting to Jamie to invite him to try out.

“Come on sweetheart. You’re going to be late if we don’t leave now.” Barbara sticks her head into Lindsey’s bedroom to see if she was ready yet.

She couldn’t believe how cute Lindsey looked in the dress she had on. She was wearing a pair of flats, till she got the okay from her doctor about wearing heels. The brace she had on, prevented her from bending her knee.

“You look cute, Lindsey.” Barbara takes her cell phone and snaps a picture of Lindsey.

“Thanks.” She blushes at Barbara’s comment.

Barbara snaps another one and put her cell phone away. She grabs Lindsey’s backpack and helps Lindsey out to the car. Lindsey grits her teeth as she gets into the car and unlocks the brace, so she could sit down on the seat.

“So, how long do you think you’ll be, Lindsey?” Barbara had spoken with Jamie’s parents.

Jamie and his brother Terry were 15yrs. old and 17yrs. old. Where Lindsey was only 12yrs. old. Terry was a senior and was about to graduate. Jamie was a junior in high school. However, the boys wanted to start their own garage band and only knew a handful of people who played.

When Barbara arrives at Jamie’s house. Ian was already there and had just finished his audition. Lindsey had caught the last bit of what he played, and he sounded good. Ian was staying around to hear how Lindsey played and to help her set her gear up.

A bar stool had been brought out of the house for Lindsey to use. She checks her synthesizer and adjusts the speaker settings. She plays a quick scale and it sounded on key.

Terry looks at Lindsey. His brother had told him about her and how well she played the saxophone at school. He also had informed him how well she sounded when her foster mother bought her the Casio they had on sale. The same one she brought with her.

“You ready, Lindsey?” Jamie looks at her.

He and his brother were going to let her start and then jump in to see how she blended with them. They had asked Ian to play the drums when they do this since they liked the way he played.

“I’m ready.” Lindsey starts playing the piece she was asked to play.

She knew the song Won't Get Fooled Again by the Who well. She starts off playing the intro to it and as she continued to play the piece, Terry and Jami jump in, followed by Ian on the drums. She could hear that Terry was an off on some of his cords and so was Jami. Ian was a little fast in certain parts of the song. As for her, she was on key and her timing was perfect. She continued to play till they got to the end of the song.

There were clapping noises coming from the doorway from Barbara and Jami’s mother. They had come out to see how Lindsey and the boys were doing. When they heard them playing a song from the Who. They had stayed to listen and loved what they heard.

“Dam! You are good Lindsey.” Terry had been impressed with Lindsey’s playing.

“Watch your language, Terry.” Carol didn’t like for her sons to use profanity around the house.

“Sorry, mom.” Terry had looked towards his mother when she called him on his language.

“Thanks. You guys weren’t half bad.” She smiles at all three guys.

Ian was curious “what did you hear, Lindsey?”

Lindsey wasn’t sure if she should say something or not.

“Come on Lindsey, we’re not going to bite your head off.” Terry was curious and so was Barbara and Carol.

“Well, you and Jami were off on some of the cords and for you Ian. You rushed the tempo at certain times. Instead of keeping it sounding like this.” Lindsey plays the tempo on her synthesizer.

“You played it like this.” Lindsey plays the tempo the way Ian played the piece.

He just looks at her. He couldn’t believe she had picked up on his tempo changed. He smiles at her.

“You heard all that?” Both Carol and Barbara were impressed.

“Yes, ma’am.” Lindsey heard all of what she pointed out to the guys.

“Man, you are good. Out of all the people we have asked to join our band. You are the first that has impressed us. So, would you and Ian like
to join our band?” Terry and Jami look at Ian and Lindsey.

“What type of music are we going to play?” Ian was curious.

“I thought we would do some classic rock and then some of our own music.” Jami had a bunch of music he had written that he thought the band could play. He knew his brother did as well.

Ian looks towards Lindsey “I’m game.”

Lindsey looks towards Barbara “can I, please?”

Barbara stands there and thinks about it. She looks at the guys and wonders if a 12yr old will be safe with them.

“Only on a few conditions. You don’t let your schoolwork slip and you carry through with what we talk about.” Barbara really did want Lindsey to have a life outside of music.

Lindsey walks over “I promise.” She hugs Barbara.

Barbara returns the hug.

“Well, I guess you guys are a band now. I think before you take any gigs. You should practice together as a single unit. Plus, you’ll need a name for your band.” Carol looks at all of them.

“How long should we practice and how often?” Terry wasn’t sure.

“Well, individually you guys should be practicing every day you come home from school two to three hours or more a day. However, you need to spend time doing none musical things as well. As a group, you should practice two times a week for 3-4 hours.” Barbara knew someone that uses to be in a band.

That was before he started to use drugs. One night he ended up in a car accident damaging his hands and seriously injuring the person he hit. After he got out of jail, he started working as a freelance disc jockey.

“Mom, can we still use the garage?” Terry knows they need to get their own studio to practice, but they were just starting off.

Carol looks towards Lindsey and then towards her mother, Barbara.

“I don’t see why you can’t. However, once you guys start making money. You should think about having your own practice studio.”

“We will mom, Thanks.” Terry gives his mom a hug.

“Ian, why don’t you call your parents and let them know we bring you home.” Barbara figures since Ian lives right behind them. They could take him home.

“Thanks, Mrs. Weathers.” Ian calls his mother and informs her, he was catching a ride with Lindsey’s mom.

Ian helps Lindsey with taking her synthesizer down and putting everything in the car. He also helps her to the car. She sits in the back, so she could stretch out her leg on the back seat.

Barbara swings by a McDonalds and treats Ian and Lindsey to lunch. Barbara drops Ian off first.

“Thanks for lunch and the ride, Mrs. Weather.” Ian walks up to his front door.

“Thanks ma, for letting me audition for the band and giving Ian a ride home.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie.” Barbara pulls into the driveway and helps Lindsey out of the car.

Barbara helps Lindsey to unload her Casio and speaker. Barbara helps Lindsey set her synthesizer and speaker up in the spare room that
Lindsey uses to play her instruments.

“Thanks.” Lindsey’s knee aches some.

She pulls a bottle of aspirins from her backpack and pops a few in her mouth. She didn’t like taking the pain pills the doctor gave her. She woke-up because of a nightmare. When she looked around her bedroom, she thought she was seeing monsters. The pain medicine was playing tricks with her mind and she thought she was seeing the shape in the shadows. Even the stuff animals and Barbie dolls Barbara had given her, scared her.

For the rest of the day, she practices on her saxophone and records some new music. While she is playing her synthesizer. She thinks about the guitars Terry and Jami were playing. If she was going to write music, maybe she should learn how to play guitar so she could write music for it. She’ll talk with Barbara about maybe getting a cheap one to use.

She goes back to practicing.

Lindsey couldn’t believe her foster mother was willing to buy her a guitar. She bought her an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro electric guitar, it was alpine white color. Her schedule was busy during the week and on the weekend. She was taking vocal lessons, swimming lessons, and practicing with all her instruments. She was writing music and practicing for four to five hours on the weekend. Plus, on top of all that, was her homework for her advanced classes.

She had the band competition coming up in the next few weeks. They made a couple of music videos playing some of their own written music and got a mediocre response from the videos. The critics were on everyone’s playing and music. One of the comments was that their band had a twelve-year-old keyboard player. That they must be desperate to recruit someone so young to play.

The comments didn’t bother her. She was getting comments in school as well. A lot of the older students couldn’t understand how a twelve-year-old could be in high school. As for the music they played, most of the comments had been directed towards what Terry and Jami had written. The music she wrote wasn’t too bad, and neither was Ian’s. Some of Terry’s and Jami’s music sounded like another artist music.

There was some similarity to another artist they stole from, but it was their music. It could use some tweaking, but if they had done it before they posted the music video. The comments might have been better. Lindsey concentrates on her school work.

“Lindsey, Lindsey, wake-up baby or you're going to be late for school.” Lindsey felt her shoulder being shaking gently.

Lindsey looks up and tries to figure out where she was. It takes her a few minutes to realized she had fallen asleep and was at the dining room table. She had burned the midnight oil finishing up her homework. She gets up and rushes to the bathroom to get ready for school. She rushes to her bedroom and gets dress. She grabs her saxophone and rushes back into the dining room to grab her school books.

Barbara was heating up a couple of refrigerated sausage biscuits for Lindsey to take with her. She could eat them on her way to class. They head out towards her school.

“Lindsey, you're burning the candle at both ends again. You need to manage your time better.” Barbara glances at Lindsey as she munches on a biscuit.

“I know mom. I stayed up learning more about my guitar. The lessons took longer than I thought. I took my guitar apart and was learning how to restring it and tune it properly.” Lindsey has some of the basic beginner cords and songs down.

She could play them on the guitar, her synthesizer, and her saxophone. She covers up a yawn as Barbara drops her off at school.

“Have a good day, sweetheart.” Barbara watches as Lindsey gets out and heads into the school.

Lindsey makes her way towards her first class. She hobbles in and takes her seat. She has gotten used to hobbling along with her kneecap still healing. As she is sitting in class a student comes in and talks with her teacher.

Her teacher turns around and looks at Lindsey “Lindsey, your needed down at the office. Take your backpack with you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lindsey picks her things up and heads towards the office.

When she arrives up at the office. Lindsey notices her mother’s co-worker Stephanie Warner was waiting for her.

“Lindsey, your mother was involved in a car accident. She’s in serious condition, do you have all your school books and your saxophone?” Stephanie looks at Lindsey as she comes hobbling in.

“Yes, ma’am. How bad is Barbara?” As Lindsey follows Stephanie out of the school and down to the parking lot.

“She’s being rush to the emergency surgery right now.” Stephanie starts the car and drives them towards the hospital.

Lindsey had tears streaming down her cheeks as Stephanie takes her to the hospital. Lindsey leaves her books and Sax in the car. She follows Stephanie towards the waiting room. Barbara was still be operating on.

Stephanie comforts Lindsey while her foster mother was being operated on. They sit for hours as Barbara was being operated on. Lindsey wonders how bad her foster mother was. No one besides Stephanie has told her anything.

After four hours, a doctor finally comes out. He spots Stephine and Lindsey and walks over towards the two of them.

“Mrs. O’Rourke, your friend is going to live. We managed to stop the bleeding and she is going to pull through. We’re going have to keep her here for a few days before we can release her.”

“Oh, thank god.” Stephine was happy her friend was going to be okay.

“What happened to my mother?” Lindsey looks at the doctor.

“Your mother had a rebar that went through her windshield and straight into the shoulder, nicking one of her main arteries. She sustained neck and head injuries from the impact of the accident.” Doctor Hawking was looking at Lindsey when he spoke to her.

“Can we see her?” Lindsey wanted to see Barbara make sure she was okay.

“She’s resting right now. You’ll be able to see her tomorrow.” Doctor Hawking knew she was still out from the operation.

“Doctor, I want to see my foster mother. I promise I bother her.” Lindsey didn’t want to lose Barbara. She’s been the only foster parent who has shown any interest in her.

“Okay, come with me.” Doctor Hawking escorts Lindsey and Stephine to where Barbara was resting.

Lindsey walks over to Barbara and holds her hand. She doesn’t want to lose her foster mother. Barbara has been the best foster mother she
has had so far. She and Barbara had been talking about adopting her. She places a kiss on Barbara’s cheek.

“Please get better mom.” She hugs her.

Stephine takes her to her house, after stopping by home to get a change of clothes.

Lindsey was happy that her foster mother’s injuries weren’t as serious she had imaged. Barbara was back home taking it easy. She had spent three days in the hospital. The construction truck that had caused the accident. Barbara’s lawyer was suing them. The driver had been texting while he was driving and wasn’t paying attention to what was going on around him.

The lawyer Barbara had hired, was the same lawyer that handles all the legal matter for the real estate firm. He was handling the lawsuit against the construction company and the driver. Barbara was working from home, while Lindsey was at school.

The band practice on the weekend was going well. Each of them was blending beautifully with their sound and music. She wrote a few songs for the band that they liked. Terry had gotten them their first gig at a social event that was taking place in two weeks. So, they were putting in extra hours in to practice for it.

She and Ian were practicing together during the week when she didn’t have the vocal training or swimming lessons. She would record their jam session and give him a copy. She also gets his permissions before she does anything with the recordings.

Her guitar playing was getting better. Terry and Jamie had made a few suggestions when she brought her guitar to practice one day. They had her play and corrected a few things she was doing. They suggested that if she wants to play rhythm guitar, that they should get another player that could play her synthesizer or could play rhythm guitar as well.

Lindsey suggested that she would stay on the keyboard but having a person who could bounce between the two was a good idea. Because a few songs she wrote included her saxophone as well. Her singing was improving and when she added her voice to Terry, Jamie, and Ian. They sounded extremely good.

One day while Lindsey was at band practice “Lindsey, could you stay after practice for a few minutes, please? I won’t keep you long.”

“Yes, sir.” Lindsey was curious why Mr. Simmons wanted her to stay after class.

When class ends. She puts her saxophone away and walks over to Mr. Simmons desk.

“Lindsey, the drama club is going to be putting on a show for the school and the music they want us to play. It requires a piano. I know you play the synthesizer and you play it nicely. Would you mind playing the piano for the drama club during their practices and their performances?” Mr. Simmons knew a few other students he could ask, but they didn’t have Lindsey’s talent.

Lindsey wouldn’t mind doing it, but she already had things on her plate.

“What days do they practice Mr. Simmons?”

“They practice on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday Morning for four hours.”

Tuesdays, Lindsey had vocal lessons. She had her swimming lessons on Thursday after school and band practice on Saturday afternoon and sometimes Sunday as well. On top of that, she spends two to three hours a day practicing her instruments.

“I’ll have to get the okay from my mother, but I don’t see why I can’t Mr. Simmons.”

“That’s all I can ask, Lindsey. Now, you go and catch your bus.” Mr. Simmons watches as Lindsey head towards the front of the school.

He was still waiting to hear back from his friend who he had shared Lindsey’s music with. He had listened to her playing and was impressed with it. She had blended her saxophone and synthesizer together and produces a nice easy listening melody. His friend was the director of the Columbia orchestrate.

As Lindsey walks through the door at home. She spots her mother sitting on the sofa with the coffee table covered in forms and faxes. The fax machine had been set-up on the end table, so Barbara could get to it easily while she was on the cellphone.

“Hi, mom.” Lindsey walks in and gives her mother a hug.

Barbara returns the hug “how was school today?”

“It was alright. The bullies didn’t bother me today. Oh, Mr. Simmons asked me if I wouldn’t mind playing the piano for the drama club during their practices and when they perform.”

“Do you want to and how often would you need to stay after school to play for them?” Barbara was curious about how much Lindsey would be stretching herself.

“They meet three times during the week. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday Morning for four hours. Band practice isn’t till later in the
afternoon.”

Barbara looks at Lindsey and knew she loved playing music, plus she would be meeting other students her age in the drama club. She also knew it might cut into her school work and practice time.

“I have no problem if you want to do this. However, you can’t let your school work slip either. Also, remember you have your band practice and that function coming up. Have you guys talked about how you are going to be dress for that?”

“No, ma’am. I’ll bring it up this weekend with Terry and Jamie.” Lindsey didn’t know what the boys had in mind.

“Alright, you may join the drama club and play for them. However, if you feel you're overextending yourself, please let me know.” Barbara would allow Lindsey to play for the drama club.

“Thank you, mom.” Lindsey hugs Barbara.

“You’re a welcome, sweetheart. What would you like for dinner tonight?” Barbara was about to stand up and head into the kitchen to make dinner.

“I’ll cook tonight mom.” Lindsey takes her backpack and drops it off in her bedroom.

She heads into the kitchen and starts pulling items out to make tacos for dinner. She places the frozen hamburger in a plastic bag and submerges it in cold water. She chops the lettuce, some onions, and tomatoes up. She shreds some cheese for the tacos.

As she is working in the kitchen, she plays the recordings of the music her band had played. She notices there were a few places where they could change the notes to make it sound better. She makes a mental note to try it later. As she is dancing to one of their tunes, her cellphone stops playing music and rings instead.

She picks it up and notices it was Terry’s number “Hi Terry, what’s up?”

“Hey Lindsey, remember what we talked about having another person who can play the synthesizer, so you can play rhythm guitar or your saxophone or vice versa?”

“I remember. Did you find someone?” Lindsey didn’t think they were going to do it.

“Yes, he’s a guy that Jamie knows that drops into the store occasionally. The last band he was in broke up. He’s looking for another one to join.
I asked him to come to practice on Saturday. Do you think you can come over a little earlier and see how he sounds?” Terry trusted Lindsey’s judgment. She’s been a big help to their band.

“Sure, it’s my mom’s turn to bring me and Ian. I’ll let Ian know if that’s okay?”

“It’s fine. I’ll see you on Saturday.”

“Okay, bye.” Lindsey ends the call.

She goes back to listening to music while she continues to get dinner ready. She wonders what musical the drama club was putting on that they needed a piano player. She checks the hamburger to see if it was defrosted yet. It was partially defrosted. Since the meat was the last thing she needed to cook. She heads back into the living room to ask her mother to drop her off early on Saturday.

Lindsey, Terry, Jamie, Ian and the new guy Dan were all sitting around Terry and Jamie’s dining room table. Dan had done well in the interview and was asked to join the group. He would switch out with Lindsey when she needed to change musical instruments.

“So, what name are we going by/calling ourselves and where is the gig?” Lindsey was curious because Terry was the one to arrange this gig.

Terry takes a deep breathe before he speaks “were registered as Dusty Gasket and the gig we are playing at, is a Steampunk convention. They had a band cancel and needed to fill the spot. I accepted the gig for us.”

Lindsey tries to remember what genre steampunk music was. She uses her cellphone to look it up and finds a few examples of the music. As she listens to a few examples while the guys talked about other things. She mentally goes through her list of music they have composed and rehearse. They only had four songs they could use.

“Guys, we have a problem. We only have four songs we can use for this performance. Most of our music is constructed towards pop rock or soft rock. I know we have some hard rock and country pop songs, but we only have four songs that sort of fit into the steampunk genre.”
Lindsey looks at all the guys.

“How much of a hassle, will it be to convert some of our songs over to steampunk?”

“Not much work. Just a little rewrite. We have four, maybe five songs we can do that too. The others would require a major rewrite and we would have to practice them. We only have until next weekend to have our songs ready.”

“Which of our songs would only need a few tweaks to them?” Terry needed to know.

“Gypsy Wisp, Dragon Woman, Black Clouds Blowing, Atomic Storm, Love the Dust” Lindsey knew she could change a few cords for the guitar
players. She could add a little more keyboard and drums.

“So, that gives us a total of nine songs?” Terry looks at Lindsey since she was the major songwriter among them.

“That’s about right. I have a few more that I have been playing with, but they aren’t ready yet.” Lindsey had four more she has been working on during the week.

“What are they?” Jamie was curious now.

“Electric Blues, Hammer and Anvil, Drum Storm, and Hollow Cat. Drum Storm is heavy on drum solos. Hammer and Anvil are heavy on Bass and Keyboard playing. Electric Blues is mostly for all the guitars, starting with Jamie and ending with Terry. Now, that we have Dan. He can do the rhythm guitar in the song. Each instrument has their own cords in it, that sounds like an electric storm.” Lindsey was having fun with it.

“So, that will give us a total of twelve songs? Do you think you could have them finishes by Wednesday and send a copy to all of us to play?” Terry really needed to hear those other songs. He liked what Lindsey has told him so far.

“I'll try to have the rewrites to you by Wednesday.I do have a question. Why am I the only one rewriting the songs?” Lindsey thought they were going to help.

“Because you wrote most of the songs. You know how to adjust them to make them sound more like the genre were playing in, then any of us would.” Terry looks at Lindsey with pleading eyes.

Lindsey sighs and mentally go over her list of things she needs to do. She knew she could move a few things around and try to get as much of her homework done at school.

“I might be able to have the unfinished songs by Thursday, Terry. There’s no way I can get them done any sooner.”

“Thanks, Lindsey. I’m sorry for putting you in this situation. As for our performance costumes. I figure since it’s a Steampunk convention, that we all could wear costumes of that genre. Most of the costumes we can either make from what we have around the house or go to party city.
The costumes aren’t that expensive.” Terry had done some research on the cost for them.

“Okay, we have the name down, the costumes down and the music as well. However, we have one major problem. How are we getting there and the equipment we are going to take with us, other than our instruments?” Lindsey was curious about that.

“If you guys can cover the gas, we can use my SUV and rent a trailer to pack all our instruments in. Also, I know a part-time DJ, that can handle our soundboard.” Dan has done this with his other band.

“Do you know if he will come?”

“I don’t see why he wouldn’t. He owes me a favor.” Dan had done a favor for him.

“If he doesn’t I know someone from the music store that can do it.” Jamie knew a girl at the store that was a real whiz.

“That still leaves a few things we will need. I was thinking if we want to make some money for the band, we could have a stall and sell CD’s, Shirts, and things along that nature.” Terry had done some research and was going to see if they could make some money as well.

“How are we supposed to afford this and what music are we putting on the CD’s?” Ian was curious about this.

“I was thinking maybe asking the companies our parents work for, to sponsor us. I know my dad has said he would front us some money. His company said they would match what he gives us.” Terry had gone to his father asking if he would invest in them.

His father said yes and had gone to his boss to see if they would sponsor the band. The owner had promised to match what he was willing to spend on his kid’s band. So, they had come up with a contract between his father and the owner.

“Who’s doing the artwork for the CD’s?” Lindsey didn’t know anyone, but maybe the instructor who was handling the drama club might.

“An artist I found online said he would do it and copyright it, just for us.” Jamie knew a person online that was good.

“You never said what music we are putting on the CD.” Ian looks directly at Terry since he was acting as their leader.

“The songs we do at the convention. We can record it before we go and sell the CD.”

“So, that means I need to have the music finish by Thursday, so we can practice and record it Saturday. So, we can send it off to be burned on CD’s?” Lindsey just shakes her head.

Terry could see the frustration on Lindsey’s face. He felt sorry that he was putting all their music on her.

“Lindsey, I’m sorry for doing all this to you. Next time I promise to be better prepared and more organized.”

“Maybe we should find someone to be our manager?” Lindsey was thinking that maybe someone could handle most of the arrangements.

“I know someone. She’s going to school to be a paralegal and could handle all our legal problems as well.” Dan’s older sister would be perfect for this.

“Alright, let's practice some of these that need adjusting first. Then hear what you got for us so far.” Terry gets everyone a drink before heading out to practice.

The practice runs longer than normal because of some of the changes to the music. Also, she plays what she has for the new songs. They play around with some of the lyrics and adjust the cords to the music. Lindsey made sure to send a text to her mother letting her know what was going on.

Instead of playing for four hours like they normally do. They stay and works things out till almost 8’o clock at night. Terry and Jamie’s parents order dinner for the group.

When Barbara comes to pick Ian and Lindsey up. Lindsey tells her everything that they talked about, including looking for sponsors for the band.

“Me and my partners will sponsor the band, Lindsey. As for your costumes, we can go out tomorrow and see what we can find. Your welcome to come with us, Ian.” Barbara looks in the rearview mirror at him.

“Thanks, Mrs. Weathers, I’ll let my mother know.” Ian didn’t mind spending the day with Lindsey and her mother.

Barbara drops Ian off first. Ian had gotten a second drum set from helping his father. He kept the newer set over at Terry’s place. Lindsey carried her musical instruments back and forth with her. Jamie had hooked her up with some traded in speakers for her gear. A guy had come into the music store and upgraded to a newer set of speakers, so Jamie had gotten a discount on the trade-ins. This way, Lindsey didn’t have to transport her speakers all the time.

On Sunday they pick-up Ian at 9’o clock and go out shopping for their performance costume. They do Ian first, since men were easier to find than women. Barbara had done some internet searching after Lindsey had gone to bed for idea’s and found a few she liked. They decide for Ian to go shirtless with a strange top hat, leather pants and overcoat or shirtless with goggles, leather pants, and no overcoat.

They find a cute outfit for Lindsey at party city. Barbara was thinking after they bought it, she would talk to a person she knew that owns a tailor shop. She could have a few different ones made in different colors for her.

For the next two weeks, Lindsey is busy redoing the music and finishing up the new stuff, so they can practice it. She meets with the drama teacher and is given the music that she was going to need to play. She plays the first piece of music and it sounded fine on the piano. But it would sound better coming from her synthesizer.

She also meets all the people in the drama club. She does ask the drama teacher if she knows of a person who could do the graphics for their CD cover. So, far they haven’t heard back from the artist that Jamie knew on the internet.

The teacher calls over a student named Kaja. She oversaw set construction and design in the drama club.

“Hey Kaja, I’m Lindsey and I’m in a band called Dusty Gasket. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind designing our CD cover and logo we could put on t-shirts?”

Kaja had heard their teacher talk about getting a person to play the piano for their play. She has seen Lindsey around the school and was nice to people. She wonders if they were willing to pay for the design?

“Would your band pay for the design, if I came up with one for you?” Kaja wouldn’t mind earning a few dollars for a new graphics software she wants to buy.

“If they don’t, I will.” Lindsey could get the money from the donation her mother’s company was giving them.

“Okay, I’ll do it for you. When do you need it?”

“In a few days. Is that too short for you?” Lindsey wanted to have something to take to the guys.

“I can have an idea for you by Thursday.”

“Great. Just let me know how much it will cost.” Lindsey will send an email to the guys informing them.

On Thursday, Kaja shows her a few ideas she came up with for their logo and a picture they could put on their t-shirts. She had given Kaja a sample of their music and she created a CD cover for the band as well.

She sends the picture to Terry and since Jamie hadn’t heard back from his source and their time was getting short. They go with Kaja’s pictures, because her pictures were inspiring.

Barbara has a photographer that takes pictures of the homes and property they sold. She hires him to take the band’s picture while in costume.They do group one and then individual ones.

By the time the Friday before the gig arrived.They pack up the trailer with all their gear and arrange to meet at Terry and Jamie’s house. Both of Terry’s parents were coming with them and so was Barbara. The adults had gotten into character with wearing the same clothes they were performing in.

Lindsey rode with her bandmates and their sound engineer. Dan’s friend Troy had come through on his promise to handle their soundboard. He was traveling with them. He had listened to their music and made a few suggestions that Lindsey made notes of.

Dan’s older sister Brenda jumped at the chance to be the band’s manager. She had registered their band name and copyrighted all their music so far. She had taken over the merchandise the band wanted to sell or have made. She handled the money they got from her parents and from the realty company Barbara was a partner of.

She was riding with her parents and Barbara. Barbara was riding with Terry’s and Jami’s parents. Ian’s mother had come along as well and joined the other parents.

Kaja had asked to come along and was riding with the band. She would mind their stall. She wanted to see if maybe she could drum up some business for herself or get some ideas on what Steampunk people like.

Dan’s sister Brenda was going to see if she could talk with people at the convention to get more venues for the band. Maybe talk with the organizers of the convention to see if there are more possibilities for the band to play.

The ride to where the convention was taking place, took about an hour. Since, all the band members were under the age of 18yrs old, except Dan’s sister Brenda. They needed to have an adult present.

They are told where to park and unload their gear. They are assigned a time slot for them to do a sound check and when they are to appear on stage. They were listed as third in line to appear. Since they were a new band, they had twenty minutes to play their songs.

That shocked Lindsey and the other members. She looks towards Terry since he was acting as the leader of the band.

“Which songs do you want to play?” That would tell Lindsey if she needed to unpack her Sax and guitar.

Terry looks back towards Lindsey “which songs do you think will be our strongest?”

“Gypsy Wisp, Love the Dust, Electric Blues, Drum Storm would be our best bet. Start with Gypsy Wisp, then go with Electric Blues, Love the Dust and finally Drum Storm where Ian can cut loose and end us on a high note.” Lindsey figures those songs would fill the twenty-minute slot and give the crowd an idea of their playing.

“Okay, let’s go with that set-up.” Terry knew the tempo of the songs would show how they play.

Barbara comes over to see how Lindsey was doing. The guys had helped her set her synthesizer and speakers up because of her knee. It was doing better, but she still had a few more weeks before they were going to go in and remove the hardware.

Lindsey notices Barbara coming over towards her. She could tell Barbara was a little concern about her.

“How are you holding up, kiddo?”

“Scared, I’ve never stood in front of a lot of people before and performed.” Lindsey felt like she wanted to throw-up.

“I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I first step foot on stage and performed with my dance class.”

That got Lindsey’s attention “you use to dance?”

“Yep, when I was you’re age. I took ballet, tap, and modern dance. We used to put on a show every year.”

“How did you overcome your fear?” Lindsey really wanted to know.

“I block them out and did my routine. Just concentrate on your music and let it fill you. Don’t worry about the crowd. Just do what you do best and play.” Barbara hugs Lindsey.

“Thanks, mom.” Lindsey returns the hug.

They stay like that for a while. Barbara releases Lindsey and holds her at arm’s length.

“Go and have fun on stage.”

Lindsey goes and does a sound check with her bandmates. She watches as Shannon; Dan’s DJ friend makes an adjustment to their soundboard. He comes over and adjusts the speaker settings. He checks everyone’s stomp boxes and has them do a second run. By the third try, he has everyone sounding perfect.

They mingle with other bands and learn a few things about them. They learned that if they want to get their name out there, that they should do a few music videos. The band finds out that a few places were looking for new bands to play at their places and were willing to pay good money.

While they waited backstage for their turn to go on. They listen to the songs that were being played. Some of them were their style, while a few weren’t. She also learned that there was a long list of different Steampunk genre’s they could play in.

When it was their turn to perform. They take their positions and start off slow with the Gypsy Wisp and build up to the main chorus of the song. Lindsey concentrates on playing the synthesizer and singing the vocals for the song.

As soon as Gypsy Wisp is finished, they slide right into Love the Dust. That song has more energy to it and tells a sad story of the Earth turned into a dust bowl. The crowd had responded so well to their songs. Once they were finished with Love the Dust, comes Electric Blues. It goes over extremely well with the crowd. Dan, Terry, and Jamie playing the cords that sounded like an electric storm was going off on stage. At the end of it, the crowd was energized from the guitar work from all three players.

When they start playing Drum Storm, Ian steals the stage with his playing. The energy Lindsey felt earlier during Gypsy Wisp and Electric Blues, was twice as strong as Ian played. The whole entire time the energy kept building and when they came to the end. The crowd exploded in applause. All of them had sweat sliding down their bodies. She looks over towards Ian and he was soaked in sweat.

“ONE MORE SONG! ONE MORE SONG!”

Lindsey looks over towards the stage manager and he nods his head yes to her unspoken question. He was giving them the go-ahead to play one more song.

“Hammer and Anvil.”

“Gotcha”

Jamie starts with his bass and after he plays for a few minutes, Lindsey jumps in with her synthesizer. At certain points in the song, it sounds like a hammer striking an anvil. Lindsey glances towards the crowd to see what they thought of the music. She notices they were memorized by their song.They get to the end of it and the crowd breaks into a loud applause.

They were about to chant again, but Terry stops them before they could get started. Terry had glance towards the stage manager and they couldn’t allow them to continue.

“We have a CD with all the music we just played at our stall for sale.”

“DUSTY GASKET, DUSTY GASKET, DUSTY GASKET!”

Lindsey loved hearing their bands name being chanted as they broke their gear down and left the stage. Lindsey grabs an ice-cold water and drinks it. She wanted to pour it on her head, but she didn’t feel like redoing her eyeliner and mascara. All the guys surrounding her were sweating like pigs.

“You kids did great.” All four parents surround the kids and give them hugs.

Brenda comes walking over to them, while they were packing up their gear. She had a pleasant look on her face as she approaches them.

“You guys won’t believe this, but I just had four different owners of Steampunk theme restaurants approach me, asking if you guys wouldn’t mind playing on the weekend for them.”

All the members look at each other. They wouldn’t mind doing it.

“Before you guys and gals make a decision. Let’s find out what they are willing to pay and get a contract drawn up. Also, as you know, Lindsey has other responsibilities as well. So, let’s talk about this first and as a group decides.” David looks at all of them.

“Your father is right, Terry. We need to discuss this and have contracts drawn up. I’ll handle that part, but as a group, we need to talk about it.”
Brenda knew things might be complicated because all the members, besides her brother, were underage.

“Alright, let's talk about everything. How well did the stall do?” Terry was curious.

“I’ll check on that, you guys need to go out and sign autographs.” Brenda hands several sharpies to the group.

Dusty Gasket Stall:
Kaja was bored watching the stall. She had a few sales, but nothing big. Which gave her a chance to talk with some of the other vendors. She found out anything dealing with old-style Victorian gadgets or wear were hot items at these conventions. She knew a few artists at school that could make some money selling their old gadgets and art.

It didn’t start to get busy till after the group went on. Out of the two hundred CD’s they made to sell. She sold all but twenty of them. The T-shirts and other odds and ends were nearly sold out. She was asked if the band was going to make a second album and how to get in touch with them.

Kaja notices Brenda walking over to her. As she gets closer to the stall.

“How are sales going?”

“Slow at first, but after the band went on. We got swamp by people buying a lot of our items. I got about twenty CD’s left, a few shirts,a few key-chain USB drives, and bumper stickers left.”

“Wow!” Brenda couldn’t believe they had sold a lot of the items. I’ve had a few people sign-up that want their second CD if they make one.”

“I’ll let Lindsey know. She writes most of the band’s music.”

The band spends the rest of the day at the convention interacting with their fans and finding out more about the Steampunk culture. The guys help take down the stall and promise to show up the next day. The band wasn’t playing, but they wanted to learn more about the culture.

The weeks following the convention performance were extremely busy for Lindsey and the band. Lindsey had her after school activities that kept her busy during the week. The way Brenda arranged the performances for the restaurants were Thursday and Friday nights they played at one restaurant. Then Saturday and Sunday night they played at the other restaurant. They normally didn’t go on stage at either restaurant till 8 o’clock and played till midnight.

They would switch up the schedule, so the place they played Saturday and Sunday. Would have them Thursday and Friday and vice versa. The owners and managers didn’t have a problem with that arrangement.

As for the school band competition, the school took second place. The only reason they didn’t take first place, was because of how outdated their band uniforms were. Also, because some of the players in their band made mistakes that weren’t too subtle.

Lindsey and Ian did everything they could to make sure the band sounded good. When they arrived back to school from the competition, Mr. Simmons pulls them aside.

“Lindsey, Ian, you guys did an amazing job and I want to thank you for the hard work. If it wasn’t for the two of you giving a little extra like you did. I don’t think we would have taken second place.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Simmons.” Lindsey looks towards Ian and knew he had put a little more in his drum playing.

Ian just smiles back at Lindsey. He didn’t think he would be friends with a smart person like her. He had heard the rumors about her being trans and when he asked her in private. She didn’t lie or deny the accusations.

“Oh, one more thing, your band sounded awesome on Friday night at The Airship.” He had a smile on his face as he walks away from them.
Ian and Lindsey watch as their music teacher walks away. Lindsey turns towards Ian.

“You know something? I didn’t even see him out in the crowd.”

“I know I didn’t. I was more focus on playing than watching the crowd.” Ian carries Lindsey’s sax for her.

She was still wearing a brace on her injured leg. They had taken out the hardware in her knee, but she still had to be careful with it. The brace made sure her leg was kept safe.

“Hey, there’s your mom, Ian.” They walk over towards Ian’s mother.

Mrs. Smith told Barbara that she would come by and pick the kids up when they got back from the band competition. Since Barbara had a late showing and wouldn’t be able to make it herself.

“Where would you kids like to stop and pick dinner up at?”

“Arby’s please Mrs. Smith.” Lindsey was craving a roast beef sandwich with Arby’s sauce.

“How about you Ian?” Mrs. Smith didn’t mind Arby’s either, but she wanted Ian to say what he wanted as well.

“Arby’s is fine with me.”

While Mrs. Smith drove the car towards the Arby’s near their house. Lindsey’s and Ian’s cellphone go off at the same time.

“Emergency band meeting tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Terry.”

“I wonder what he wants?”

“What who wants, Lindsey?” Mrs. Smith pulls into the Arby’s parking lot.

“Terry, he called an emergency band meeting tomorrow at 7.” Lindsey had Drama practice till almost 6:30 pm.

“We’ll find out tomorrow.”

Ian helps Lindsey out of the car and inside Arby’s “so, what are you getting?”

“I was thinking about a number two. A medium roast beef sandwich, three potatoes cakes instead of curly fries and a medium sweet tea.” Lindsey was hungry. She ate very little lunch while they waited to play.

Ian just smiles as he orders for them and his mother, when they are next to order. He orders a Greek gyro and sweet tea for his mother and the same thing Lindsey was having. He was as hungry as she was.

“So, what have you been doing with the money you have been making with the band?” Ian was curious.

He knew Terry and Jamie were putting what they got paid towards their own cars. He was saving his for college and a special trip for his parents.

“I’m reinvesting the money back into the band. I know we only need to give five percent of our earnings to the band but I’m giving a little more. I’m only asking for forty dollars in return. I figure during the summer months we could do some touring.”

“That’s a smart idea.”

“I figure we could either rent an RV or buy an old school bus and fix it up for traveling.” Lindsey had seen a documentary about a band that had done that. It cut down on their touring cost.

They finish dinner and Mrs. Smith drops Lindsey off first. Barbara wasn’t home yet, but she did text Lindsey saying she’ll be home by 9:00 pm.

“Thanks, Mrs. Smith.” Lindsey heads into the house and starts getting ready for bed.

Her lips were sore from playing her sax earlier. She takes a nice hot shower and sits down at her synthesizer and work on a few new tunes she has been toying with. So, far they had their second CD planned out and decided to produce it themselves.

Barbara pulls up into the driveway and notices the spare bedroom lights were on. She knew Lindsey would be in there working on her music.
She also wants to know how the band competition went.

As she walks in “Lindsey, I’m home.”

Lindsey gets up and walks into the living room “welcome home, mom.”

“Thanks, sweetie. How was the band competition?”

“Our school came in second place. They dinged us for our outdated uniforms. They also dinged us for some of our players. They either played
the wrong note or wasn’t keeping up with the rest of us.”

“Well, second place isn’t bad for a school band that hasn’t taken part in the band competition in a while.”

“Well, Ian and I got congratulated by Mr. Simmons. He noticed that the two of us had done what we could to make our band better.”

“That was nice of you two and of him to do.”

“Thanks, mom. Oh, tomorrow I need to go over to Terry’s and Jamie’s house at 7:00 pm. Terry is calling an emergency meeting.”

“No problem. I’ll be there to pick you up from drama practice. Do you want me to pick you up some dinner?”

“Yes, please. Some cheeseburgers from McDonald would be nice.”

“Okay, I’ll get you a cheeseburger meal tomorrow. Now, go ahead and go to bed.” Barbara gives Lindsey a hug, before sending her to bed.

Spring Hill High (Around Lunch Time)
Kaja spots Lindsey sitting outside during lunch reading a book. It was rare not to find Lindsey working on some music or practicing some cords or something on her laptop.

“Hey Lindsey, do you mind if I bug you?”

Lindsey looks up from a novel she had checked out of the library. She decided to follow her mother’s advice and take some time to enjoy life.

“Not at all. Pull, up a patch of grass.” Lindsey marks her place and put her book down.

“Thanks.” Kaja sits down across from Lindsey and pulls out a leather-bound three-ring notebook.

“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind looking at these pictures. They are for the bands next album and for T-shirts and such.” Kaja hands the
notebook to Lindsey to look at.

Lindsey accepts the notebook and looks at some of the drawings. Some of them were the newest album covers. They were putting out two different albums. One had non-steampunk music on it, while the other one was strictly steampunk music.

“They look nice Kaja. You should put some of your artwork up on the band website to sell.” Lindsey looks towards Kaja.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you think the guys would mind if I put some of mine or a few artists I know artwork up on the website?”

Lindsey thinks about it. She wasn’t the one Kaja should talk too about it, but she would back her.

“I don’t mind if you or any of the artist you know want to advertise your artwork on our website. However, you need to ask Brenda for permission. She handles all the business deals now, besides Terry.”

“Will you back me if I ask her?”

“Yes, I will. I think you and your friends do good work. Look, tell Brenda you’ll give the band ten percent for every sale you guys make. That way the band makes some money and you make some money.”

Kaja thinks about it for a second “that sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Lindsey.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you in drama practice.”

“Okay.” Kaja puts her notebook away.

“Need a hand?” Kaja reaches out to help Lindsey up.

“Thanks.” They head inside to their various classes.

7:00 pm Terry and Jamie’s house:
Lindsey was the last to arrive. Drama practice had run a little longer than normal and Lindsey had to rush to get to her mother’s car while carrying her Saxophone and backpack. Then they had to stop at McDonald to grab a cheeseburger combo for Lindsey.

Terry looks at everyone gathered around the dining room table. He was a little excited by the gig the group had been given.

“I bet you all are wondering why I called you all together tonight. Brenda informed me that she was contacted by the staff that handled the convention we played at. They want us to come and play again, but this time as our own act. There’s another event taking place in three weeks and they would like for us to play. Instead of going on for twenty minutes like we did. They are giving us an hour to play.”

“An hour?”

“Yep, a whole hour to play, since we got such a huge applause last time. It’s going to be a three-day event and we will be taking a Saturday slot. We’re still going to meet our evening event.”

“How much are we getting paid for this?” Dan was curious.

“$2,000.00 for the whole hour.”

“Can we still set-up a stall and sell our merchandise?”

“I don’t see why not. I’ll speak with Brenda and see what we will be allowed to do. Also, our music is selling well on all the sites we have put it on.”

“That’s good to hear. I do have one request. Kaja wants to know if she and several other artists that she knows can sell their artwork on our site? I told her she needs to speak to Brenda about that, but if we allow it. They would be willing to pay us ten percent of the profit.” Lindsey was hoping Terry wouldn’t mind.

Terry thinks about the request “I don’t see a reason why they can’t. Kaja has been doing a nice job on designing our album covers. Speaking of which, does she have the next one done already?”

“Yep, she was going to send it to Brenda. She showed me both covers, and I like them.”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing them before we print them.” Jamie wanted to see what Kaja have come up with this time.

“She’ll be in school tomorrow. Is there anything else that needs to be covered?” Lindsey covers up a yawn.

“Nope, that’s all.” Terry had a major test in the morning.

“Good, I’m going home and getting some sleep.”

“Come on sleeping beauty.” Ian escorts Lindsey into the living room where Barbara was waiting for her.

Barbara takes both kids home. She drops Ian off first and then takes Lindsey and help her to bed.

“Sleep tight.”

Barbara turns the lights off and heads to bed herself.

“Come on Lindsey, give me ten more laps.” Coach Karr watches as Lindsey tries to keep up with the rest of the female and male swimmers.

Even though her knee had been injured, she was doing fine using the swim board and kicking. The brace she currently had on her injured leg.
Was made for the water. She still couldn’t get over the fact that Lindsey was a transgender girl.

Coach Karr knew that some of the girls had been a little nervous about Lindsey using the same shower and locker room with them. However, Lindsey acted like any other normal teenage girl would. She took her showers with her suit on to rinse the chlorine off the suit and off her body.
She had seen Lindsey nude once and you couldn’t tell she wasn’t a girl. When she asked Lindsey privately how she managed to hide it. She told her that her doctor knew a technique to hide it, so she could pass. He had used medical glue and a little tucking to hide her birth defect.

Lindsey takes it easy as she kicks the water. Her doctor told her the swim lessons she was taken was helping with keeping her muscles fit.
She would have to have physical therapy anyway to build the strength back up in her leg. He had recommended she get a second brace to wear while she was swimming.

“Alright, people hit the showers.”

Lindsey swims over towards the nearest ladder and slowly climb up it. She was in the deep end when coach Karr called it quits.

“Hey Lindsey, when are you going to stop milking your injury?”

“When you pass your math test, Harry.” Lindsey knew Harry wasn’t doing so well in math.

“Well, if you weren’t such a know it all, some of us normal kids could skate by.” Harry and a few other students hated the fact that Lindsey always set the grading scale.

There were only two other people in their advanced math class that were as good as Lindsey. Lindsey heads into the girl’s locker room and towards the showers. Some of the girls around her were already developing breast bigger than her grapes. She hopes she will be as big as some of them. She stops by her locker and grabs a towel as she heads towards the showers and rinses off. She’ll take a full shower when she gets home.

Courtney spots Lindsey and walks over towards her. She was curious about Jamie and wanted to know more about him.

“Hey Lindsey, how’s your knee doing?”

Courtney had gym class at the same time Lindsey did and had witnessed the attack from Christy. She had been bullied once by Christy when
she first came to the school.

“It’s doing better. The doctor told me I should be able to start walking around without my brace.” Lindsey looks down towards her knee and where they had cut into it. There was a slight scar from the stitches.

“Cool, hey I was wondering if you knew if Jamie is seeing someone?”

“Not that I know of. Jamie normally sticks with his cliques of friends when we're at school. You could always come to one of our gigs to speak
with him or talk to him in school.” Lindsey was drying off while she is talking with Courtney.

“Where do you guys play at?”

“Thursday and Friday, we play at The Airship. Friday and Saturday, we play at The Station.”

“What’s the Station?” Courtney was curious.

“It’s an old converted train station that was turned into a Steampunk style restaurant. Thursday and Friday, they have a jazz band there called Sapiman.They switch with us every other weekend.”

Lindsey liked the jazz players. She especially liked the piano player. He was an old African American guy in his late fifties. He suggested a few tricks to her playing on her synthesizer and sax. The type of jazz they played was like you would find in New Orleans.

“I’m surprised the restaurant owner doesn’t say anything about your age. Aren’t you like twelve or so?”

“Yep, but our manager is twenty-one and sometimes, one of our parents will be there with us. So, if we have someone that is 18 or older with us, everything is fine. We just can’t go near the bar. Plus, I fall under the entertainment clause of South Carolina work law. Since, I'm an entertainer, I have special permission to work at my age.”

“I’ll have to come and check you guys out.”

“Here’s one of our Cd’s.” Lindsey pulls out one of the several CD’s she carries with her and hands it to Courtney.

“Thanks, Lindsey.”

“You’re welcome.” Lindsey finishes getting dress and heads outside to see if Barbara had arrived to pick her up.

She spots Barbara waiting for her in the parking lot. Lindsey walks over carefully to the car and gets in.

“So, how was swim practice?”

“It was alright. My knee is throbbing some, but other than that, I had fun.” Lindsey digs through her purse for her aspirin. She didn’t like the pain pills her doctor prescribed.

She finds her Aleve bottle and pops two pills into her mouth. She doesn’t mind taking pills without water.

“Well, I hope you remembered to bring your towel and swimsuit with you. The last time you forgot, I had to rush your spare suit to you.”

“I got my swimsuit and towel this time, mom.”

Lindsey sits back and enjoys the ride back to the house. When they arrive home. Lindsey heads towards her bedroom and separates her clothes to wash. Once her laundry is going, she helps Barbara with dinner. She practices a few songs before heading to bed.

The next morning when she arrives at school, she is approached by the drama teacher Mrs. Carolann Whitney. They head towards her classroom to talk.

“Lindsey, I don’t know if you heard yet, but leading guy Kevin Swanson was in a car accident last night and we have no one to fill his role. I was wondering if maybe one of your band mates might consider filling the role.”

“Which of my band mates would you like for me to talk too?”

“Do you think your drummer Ian Smith and maybe Terry might be interested?” Mrs. Whitney could use both guys in the production.

“I know Terry won’t be able to help. He has a part-time job at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Jamie might be willing to do it and Dan doesn’t go to our school.”

“Can you speak to Ian and Jamie and see if they wouldn’t mind helping us out?”

“I’ll talk with them and see if they’ll be willing to help out.”

“Thanks, Lindsey.”

Lunch Time:
Lindsey walks into the cafeteria and spots Ian and Jamie in line. She sends a text message to them to meet her at the table she normally sits at. While she is waiting for them to show, she pulls her lunch out of her backpack and set it up. She brought a homemade cobb salad and leftover fried chicken Barbara made the other night.

“Hey Lindsey, what’s up?” Ian sits down across from Lindsey.

Jamie sits down next to him. Terry comes over and sits with them as well. He was curious about why Lindsey wanted to talk to Jamie and Ian.

“Hey guys, thank you for coming over here. I was approached by Mrs. Whitney this morning and she was wondering if the two of you wouldn’t mind helping the drama club out. Their leading guy Kevin Swansong was injured in a car accident.”

“Did she tell you which of us she wanted?” Jamie was curious.

“Originally she wanted Ian and Terry, but because you have your part-time job at O’Reilly, I suggested you, Jamie.”

“Who’s playing the leading lady?”

“Charlotte Winters. She’s the leading lady. I just play the piano for the performance.”

“What type of production is it?”

“A musical call The Music Man. You’ll both be playing characters in it.”

“But who is playing the main character?” Jamie looks at Ian for an answer.

“Well, we could ask Mrs. Whitney who she wants.”

“Now that is taken care of, how're the songs coming along?” Terry knew Lindsey’s been working hard on a special piece for them.

“It’s coming along well. The special piece I have been working on is missing something. It’s three-quarters of the way done, but it needs something special and I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Is it some instrument we don’t have or a vocal piece?”

“I think it’s an instrument we don’t have in our band. I was going to go to your work and look around.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you after class today.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

After school:
Dan shows up and picks up Ian, Jamie, and Terry and take them to the music store Jamie worked at. Jamie’s job was more flexible, then Terry’s job. O’Reilly’s was already giving Terry a hard time about the hours he was available to work.

The manager Andrew loved it when they came into the store. They always bought their supplies for their instruments and their instruments at the store. Lindsey walks around picking up random instruments they didn’t own. She comes to a Gretsch G9200 Boxcar Round-neck Resonator guitar.

“Hey Andrew, do you mind if I play this Gretsch?” Lindsey shows him which one she was talking about.

“No, I don’t mind. I have an amp and everything over in the corner sent up. Go ahead and plug in.”

“Thanks.” Lindsey walks over and plugs in and tunes the guitar.

She plays the tune she is working on and the resonator sounded wonderful. It was exactly what she was looking for. It had a nice deep mellow sound to it and it resonated nicely.

The guys listen to what Lindsey was playing and they were loving the sound the Gretsch was making as she played.

“You have to try this Dan.” Lindsey hands the Gretsch to Dan.

Dan plays the same tune Lindsey just played and he had to admit it sounded good. He tries a few tunes they wrote, and they sounded better on the Gretsch, then the guitar they played them on.

“Hey Andrew, how much is this Gretsch?” Lindsey walks over to pay for it.

“It’s $359.00, but with your bands discount. It comes to $287.20.”

“Cool.” Lindsey hands her personal debit card to pay for it. She could have used the band card, but this was going to be hers.

“Let me get the case and everything that goes with it for you Lindsey.”

“Okay.”

“Is your mother going to be cool about this, Lindsey?”

Ian was curious because he knew Lindsey already had four other instruments.

“My mom doesn’t mind. If I wasn’t spending my money on instruments or music, I would be spending it on fancy clothes and a bunch of shoes. You know how girls like to shop.” A playful smile appears on her face.

The guys just shake their heads as they look around some more and pick up items for their guitars or sheet music. They stop at The Hangar to have dinner since they were close to it. Dan drops everyone off. Ian gets out Lindsey’s place since his place was directly behind hers.

“Okay, spill. Did Mrs. Whitney really ask for me and Terry originally?”

“Yep, she really did. She asked for you and Terry first, but when I told her Terry couldn’t do it. I suggested Jamie. I think Jamie would be good
at acting and I think you would as well.”

"Thanks Lindsey."

“You're welcome Ian.” Lindsey places a kiss on his cheek before heading into the house.

Ian just watches as Lindsey walks into her house. Once she was inside, he cuts through her backyard and jumps the fence to his yard.

Lindsay was nervous as everyone got ready to start the performance. Jamie and Ian had worked out perfect for the roles Mrs. Whitney needed them for. Jamie had gotten the lead part, while Ian had gotten a supporting role. The leading lady when they weren’t practicing cornered Jamie and was trying to seduce him. Ian, on the other hand, had to fight off the other girls in the production.

“You ready Lindsey?” Ian stands next to her.

“As ready as I’m going to be.” Lindsey walks over towards the piano and starts playing.

She was playing the bratty piano student. Lindsey plays her part without any mistakes. She studied her lines and knew what to do and when to do it. By the time the play was over, she was so happy.

She glances towards her fellow bandmates and could tell they were happy it was over as well. Ian and Jamie were enjoying the attention they were getting.

“You did good tonight, Lindsey.” Barbara comes walking up to Lindsey with a bunch of flowers in her hands.

“Thanks, mom.”

“You’re a welcome, sweetie.”

For the next hour, the cast and parents of the cast mingle and get to know everyone. Mrs. Whitney was happy as a clam with how well the play went. There were some mistakes, but they were so minor. Unless you knew what to look for, you would miss it.

By the time Lindsey gets home, she is tired and ready for bed. They had another performance for the students tomorrow and then several performances on the upcoming weekend. She wasn’t looking forward to the following performances.

Once Brenda their manager explains everything to the restaurant managers, they understood. If nothing else, the managers of the restaurants were planning to show up to see how good they were. The managers have come to think of the band members as valued employees of their restaurant. Since they have been playing there, business has increased.

“You alright Lindsey?” Barbara notices how tired Lindsey was.

“Yes, ma’am. I can’t wait for Spring break to arrive, so I can take some me time.” Lindsey steps into the bathroom and takes a nice relaxing shower.

She enjoys the shower and when the water starts getting cold. She steps out, dries off and slips her nightshirt on. She makes sure her alarm clock is turned on, just before she turns her lamp off and fall asleep. Once she closes her eyes, sleep claims her fast.

Barbara checks on Lindsey just before she goes to bed. She could hear her lightly snoring. She was proud of Lindsey. She never thought that when she agreed to become a foster parent, that she would fall in love with a child that wasn’t hers. She couldn’t believe that all the bad things that had been written about this girl were true. Now, she knew that Lindsey was a sweet, smart, caring and loving person. She heads to bed herself.

The next morning when Lindsey gets up. She stumbles into the kitchen feeling extremely tired. She sits down at the kitchen counter and rests her head on her arms.

Barbara comes walking in and notices Lindsey with her head down on her arms resting at the counter. She has never seen Lindsey like this before. She also notices that Lindsey is a little paler than normal.

She walks over and places the back of her hand against Lindsey’s forehead. Lindsey was a little warm, but nothing too bad.

“How are you feeling baby?”

“Tired.”

Lindsey just wanted to go back to bed and stay home, but she couldn’t because they had the performance for the school today. She was the only one among the cast that could play the piano.

“What time is your performance for the school?”

“After lunch. They are cutting afternoon class, so everyone can come and enjoy the performance.”

“Alright, I’ll call Mrs. Whitney and let her know you’ll be there after I take you to see Dr. Alden.”

“Thanks, mom.” Lindsey heads back to her bedroom to get dress.

She started feeling run down a couple of days ago, but figure it was because she wasn’t getting enough sleep. Now, she just didn’t have the energy to stay awake and concentrate on what she was doing. She brushes her teeth and put on one of her favorite dresses. It will be easier for her to change out of it and into her costume for the play later.

Lindsey walks into the living room, to see if her mother was ready. She wasn’t there, so she sits down on the sofa and waits for Barbara to come out of her bedroom.

“You ready, kiddo?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lindsey follows Barbara out the door and to the car.

The ride over to Dr. Alden’s office wasn’t too bad. Dr. Alden has been the doctor that Lindsey has been seeing for her hormone levels and monitoring her body development.

“Good morning Barbara, what brings you and Lindsey in today?” Alice had been informed by one of their interns that Barbara had called to make an appointment for Lindsey.

“Lindsey’s feeling a little run down. So, I figure I would bring her in and get her looked at.”

“If you’ll follow me to the back. We’ll get the boring stuff done first.” Alice grabs Lindsey medical file.

Lindsey and Barbara follow Alice to one of the examination room. Alice gets the basics down and notices Lindsey’s blood pressure was low. Her height was below normal for a girl her age. She was coming in at 4 foot, 8 inches tall. Her body weight was a little below normal. She weighed 78 lbs. Her breast development was placing her at about an A cup.

Alice takes several vials of blood to test her estrogen levels and her Iron level. She writes everything down so Dr. Alden can look at it.

“Well, now that all the boring things are done and out of the way. Your body temperature is a little low Lindsey. Your temperature is 94. F. are you cold?”

Lindsey nods her head yes.

Alice checks the temperature in the room and notices it was set a little lower then it should be. She adjusts the temperature.

“Sorry about that. Someone reset the temperature. Now, I’m going to leave you and Dr. Alden will be in here in a few minutes.”

“Okay, thank you, Alice.”

Lindsey hated sitting on the examination table in the cloth gown. She felt naked with only the gown on.

“What’s wrong Lindsey?” Barbara noticed how uncomfortable Lindsey was.

“This paper gown, mom. It makes me feel exposed.” Lindsey always disliked going to the doctor.

“I think all of us feel like that Lindsey. You won’t have to wear it for long. Dr. Alden will get you out here soon.”

After a few minutes, Dr. Alden comes walking into the examination room. Two of her favorite patients were waiting for her. Dr. Alden has been Barbara’s doctor since she moved to Warrenton, Georgia. When she brought Lindsey in and had gone over her medical record. She was surprised that she had a transgender patient. She didn’t mind that Lindsey was transgender. She liked the young girl.

“How are we today ladies?” Dr. Alden walks over towards Lindsey.

“Okay, I guess.”

“Only okay? So, what seems to be the problem?”

“I have been feeling run down and tired for the past few days, Dr. Alden. I’m also having problems concentrating on my school work and music.”

“Oh? I didn’t know you played. What instrument do you play?”

“I play the saxophone, synthesizer, and guitar.”

Dr. Alden was impressed “when do you get a chance to practice all those instruments?”

“I play the saxophone at school in the school band. The synthesizer and guitar, I play in a band call Dusty Gasket.”

“What style of music does the band play?”

“Steampunk, pop, hard rock, Industrial, some country and we’re experimenting with jazz and hip-hop.”

The Hip Hop was new to Barbara “why are you guys experimenting with hip-hop?”

“Dan and Terry like Hip-Hop and Rap. So, we are experimenting with it. We’re also experimenting with J-pop and J-rock.”

“I’ve never heard of j-pop or j-rock. What is that?” Barbara and Dr. Alden were curious.

“Japanese music. It’s popular over in Japan and Thailand.”

“Oh, well you sound like you stay rather busy.”

“Yes, ma’am. I have AP classes in school, vocal lessons, swimming and I'm involve in my school’s drama club.”

“Well, that explains a little of why you feel run down and tired. However, it doesn’t explain everything. I’m going to recommend an iron
supplement and diet for you, till I get the results from your blood test back. How is your tucking? Is everything staying where it is?”

“Yes, ma’am. The fake vagina look, you gave me works nicely. My gym teacher was curious about how it was done.”

“Well, as long as the girls in your gym class feel comfortable with you. Are all the thanks I need from you?”

“On top of the iron supplements and diet, I’m putting you on. I want you to take a multi-vitamin as well.”

Dr. Alden does a physical on Lindsey. She discovers that other then the low iron, Lindsey was in perfect health.

“I’m going to write your a prescription for an Iron supplement and Alice will have the type of diet I want you to follow. Also, remember to take a multivitamin as well.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lindsey gets dress, while Dr. Alden and Barbara leave her along.

Once Lindsey is dress, Alice pops in and leads her towards the front where Barbara was waiting for her.

“We should have the results to your blood test in three days, Lindsey. We’ll call your mother and inform her.”

“Thanks, Alice. Bye Doctor Alden.”

“Bye Lindsey.”

Barbara and Lindsey leave the doctors office. They get in the car and start heading towards Lindsey’s school.

“I’ll have your supplement and vitamins for you when you get home.”

“Thanks, mom.”

Lindsey stretches when she gets up. It was the first day of Spring break and she didn’t have to be at school. Her mother had already left to go to work and she didn’t have anything planned for today, except to work on her music. The guys had talked about maybe coming by later and going out for lunch.

She heads towards the bathroom first and does her morning business. Doctor Alden said her blood test had come back as showing she had Pernicious Anemia. According to Doctor Alden, the genetic test he performed showed that she had inherited it from her birth mother. So, he had her on a B12 regiment and iron diet.

She heads into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee and to have breakfast. She makes herself a sausage and egg breakfast and turns the television on to see what the weather was going to be like. As she is sitting there, enjoying her breakfast and watching television. Her band appears on television. They were showing images from the restaurants they played at and the festival they had played at.

Lindsey calls Terry and the guys “hey guys, were on tv. Turn your tv to channel 26. They are showing us playing at the restaurant and the festival. Also, clips of us performing at school as well.”

Lindsey sits there and couldn’t believe they had been captured on camera. She had no idea they had been filmed, not that she would know. When she was up on stage, she concentrated on her performance. She had to admit to herself that this was the first time she has ever seen herself as she was playing. Most of the time, she was hiding behind her set-up of synthesizers. Being careful not to trip over her saxophone and guitar.

“This is going to up our popularity.” Terry and Jamie were excited. Ian and Dan were quiet.

“Has anyone spoken with Brenda yet about our next gig or appearance?” Brenda was their manager.

“She’s been swamped at work helping the partners with a big case. I’ll get with her and see what she has. Thanks for letting all of us know about the broadcast, Lindsey.”

“Your welcome. I’ll talk to you guys later.” Lindsey ends the call and finishes her breakfast. She cleans her mess up and heads back to her bedroom. She slips on a pair of purple shorts and a light purple color blouse. As she heads into the spare bedroom to record a tune that has been bouncing around in her head. She promises her mother that she wouldn’t lock herself away in the house playing on her instruments or recording.

Lindsey decides that she needed to take a break. She heads into the backyard to get her bicycle. Barbara had bought her a nice mountain bike at a yard sale. She could hear Ian practicing on his drum set. She just smiles as she heads down the road towards town. She could stop by her mother’s office to see how she was doing.

Lindsey was enjoying the weather and the ride. She had her iPhone playing music while she rode her bicycle. It was a nice day out and it was Spring break. Once she arrives in downtown. Lindsey heads towards one of the many old fashion stores that cater to teenage girls. She pulls her bicycle up to a post and locks it up.

It’s been a while since she has had money of her own to buy things. Her closet was almost full. She looks at a few blouses, camisoles and tank tops. There were a few Bohemian dresses, slip dresses and Chiffon dresses that were on sale. She spotted some shoes that that would go great with the dresses. She leaves that store and visits a few more stores.

She wasn’t looking for anything, she was just killing time and keeping her promise. She stops at an antique store to browse through some items they had. There were a few that could be used for costumes. She buys them and continues shopping. She heads home and just as she pulls up in the driveway, the guys pull up behind her in Dan’s SUV.

“Hey, guys.” She stands there with her bicycle.

“Hey, Lindsey. Why don’ you go and put away your bicycle and bags, so we can go out to lunch?”

“Alright, give me five minutes.” Lindsey drops her bags off by the back door and put her bicycle in the storage shed. As she heads back towards the front of the house, she stops and takes her bags to her bedroom.

She heads back outside to the SUV and climbs in with the guys. If there were any other guys, she wouldn’t be getting in, but since these guys were her bandmates. That meant they were safe to be around.

Once they were on their way. Terry turns around in the passenger seat to look at Ian, Lindsey, and Jamie in the back seat.

“I heard back from Brenda and we have several gigs lined up. We’re scheduled for a Pirate Festival in Charleston, South Carolina on June 15-17th, Haborfest in Norfolk, Va. From June 8th to June 10th. A Renaissance Festival in Covington, Tennessee at the end of May 25th-27th. We have also been invited to Los Angeles, California by the Steampunk community out there for two of their festivals to perform June 22nd-24th and June 29th-July 1st. I’ve also entered our music in a songwriter contest taking place in Nashville, Tennessee. Grand Prize is $5,000.00 dollars and to perform the song in Nashville. All accommodations and travel expense are paid for.”

“Terry, how are we suppose to afford the California gigs?”

“With the money, we already have from the few gigs we have performed and from the money, we make from the gigs coming up also, the
money we have made while working at the restaurants.”

“Okay, but we will need accommodations for a few of the gigs.”

“We are renting hotel rooms for the South Carolina and Norfolk gigs, the Renaissance Festival, we are camping out, as for the California gigs,
we are renting hotel rooms. The community out there is arranging it for us. July, we have several more Steampunk events and another Pirate Festival to go too. That’s not counting Brenda is in the process of setting up a road trip for us. She couldn’t speak long and will send the rest of the gigs and such by email. We need to get together and select our performance costumes for the Pirate and Renaissance Festivals.”

“How much is it going to cost to ship all our equipment to California or are we going to rent?” Lindsey prefers to take their equipment.

“We’re taking our equipment with us.” Terry hopes they weren’t getting in over their heads.

“Are you driving us for the other gigs, Dan?” Lindsey towards Dan while they traveled down the highway.

“Yep, we’re taking my SUV for the other gigs. I also have all the camping equipment were going to need for the Renaissance Festival.”

“Oh, poor Lindsey. She won’t have access to a hairdryer during that time.” Ian looks at Lindsey with a mischievous smile on his face.

Lindsey sticks her tongue out at him. She wonders how the guys are going to handle not having showers. She’ll have to remember to pack a lot of baby wipes. She does wonder if Barbara is going to let her go with the guys.

“Guys, we do have one problem. Unless the Renaissance Festival has power. We’re going to have to play our acoustic instruments. My keytar and my Casio run on batteries. However, our amps and speakers don’t.”

“Don’t worry Lindsey. We have some at the music store we can buy or rent that run on batteries.”

“How about soundboard?”

“We have a few around the shop.”

Dan pulls the SUV into the parking lot and parks. Lindsey hangs her purse off her right shoulder and follows the guys inside the mall. They head towards their favorite restaurant. Lindsey sits next to Ian and orders a nice huge burger with free French Fries refills. Everyone else places their orders.

“So, did Brenda know anything about us being on television?” Lindsey was curious if she set everything up.

“Nope, but she’s checking into it to see if they want to interview us.” Terry had found out that Brenda didn’t even know anything about them being video recorded.

George was on his lunch break when he walked into Acadia. Normally, he didn’t pay that much attention to who was in the restaurant, but as he was being escorted to his table. He walks right past a group of teenage boys and one girl. As he looks at them, something about them seems so familiar.

He keeps looking at them as the hostess shows him his table. As he waits for his lunch. He keeps looking over towards the teenagers. There was something about them as he takes his cell phone out and starts looking at the news. When he gets to the article about a High school putting on a play. He spots several people who were in the play and notices three members of the group had been in there. Then he comes across a video of them playing at a Steampunk theme restaurant someone had recorded.

He comes across another news article and shows them playing at a local festival. That’s where he recognized them from. One of the local television stations had broadcast a performance they had done at a local steampunk festival. He’ll have to have them come in for an interview on his radio station.

He gets up and walks over towards them “excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt your meal, but I was wondering if you were the ones that had been shown on channel 26 this morning?”

“Yes, sir.” Lindsey looks at the guy and he sounded familiar to her. She normally doesn’t forget a voice.

“Your Good Morning with George Burstock on WNNX Radio.” Jamie knew who he was. He couldn’t believe they were talking to George
Burstock. He was a famous morning radio jock.

“That I am. If you don’t mind me asking. What is the name of your group?”

“We’re Dusty Gasket. I’m Jamie Knotts, Bass guitarist, this is my older brother Terry Knotts, lead guitar and lead singer, our drummer Ian
Smith, Lindsey Weathers, she plays the synthesizer, saxophone and writes most of our music and our rhythm guitar player Dan Welles.”

“Why don’t you guys come down to the station on Thursday morning around 8:00 A.M., so you can get some air time. Bring a demo of your music so I can play it for our listeners.” George pulls his wallet out and hands Terry a business card.

“We will do that Mr. Burstock.” Terry hands George one of the bands business cards.

George spots his food on its way to his table. “well, it’s been nice talking you and hopes to see Thursday morning.” He walks over towards his table.

“First we’re on the local television station and now we’re going to be on the radio.” Lindsey couldn’t believe their luck so far.

They finish their lunch and do the typical teenage thing of walking around the mall. Lindsey felt special walking around with four guys. She knew Terry and Dan were looking at the older women with curvy figures. Jamie was dating one of the girls from the drama club. She and Ian were friends and enjoyed each other’s company.

They spend the rest of the day at the mall. Later in the afternoon, Dan takes everyone home.

April 5, 2018, 8:00 am. WNNX Radio Station,
Lindsey and the guys show up for the morning interview by George Burstock. They are escorted into a room with an octagon table. At each seat was a pair of headsets and microphone. They could see the control room through the glass windows.

Once they take are seated. George Burstock joins them at the table and give them a little run down on what he is going to talk about. He had already given the demo that Lindsey brought with her to play.

“Good Morning, Warrenton. I have in the studio with me this morning one of our own local bands. Their name is Dusty Gasket and you might have seen them on channel 26 performing at one of the local Steampunk conventions. We have the talented Lindsey Weathers who plays the synthesizer and saxophone, The famous guitar players of Dan Welles, Jamie and his older brother Terry Knotts. Last, but not least their killer drummer Ian Smith. Welcome to the show guys.”

“Thank you, Mr. Burstock, for having us this morning.” Terry had been selected as the speaker for the interview.

“So, tell me, Terry, how did you guys come together as a band?”

“I and my brother have always been into music. We both loved the guitar and our parents suggested that we should think about forming a band. Our father had his friends had one while they were in High school like us. So, like most bands do, we held auditions. Jamie heard the music written by Lindsey while her and her mother were in the music store he worked at. She suggested to us Ian Smith and he was killed on the drums. We asked Dan to join us because Lindsey suggested we should have someone who could play the synthesizer, while she switched to the saxophone on a few of our songs.”

George looks over towards Lindsey “how many instruments do you play, Lindsey?”

“I play four instruments, George.” A pleasant smile appears on her face.

He turns to face Dan “I take it, that you Dan play as many instruments as Lindsey?”

“Yes sir, I play as many instruments as Lindsey does. I’m not as proficient on all of them as she is, but I come in a good second.” Dan knew Lindsey was very talented and dedicated to what she did.

“Do all of you write songs or is it just one person in your group.”

“Well, actually George we all write songs for our band, but Lindsey is our main songwriter. She goes over all our music and makes corrections.
She suggests different notes or how we should approach a particular piece.” Terry looks over towards their youngest member.

George looks at the clock on the wall notices that they were running out of time.

“Well, Warrenton you heard it here. You can catch the Dusty Gasket on the weekend down at the Airship restaurant on Thursday and Friday nights and at the Station on Saturday and Sunday night. I have it on good authority that Dusty Gasket will be playing at the Covington Let’s how traffic is.” George clicks over to Channel 35 weather chopper. He turns to face the group.

“I want to thank you guys for coming in this morning. I may have you come in again.”

“Well, you know how to get in touch with us.” Terry stands up and shakes his hand.

Lindsey lets out the breath she had been holding. She had been nervous and excited during the interview. As they are leaving the studio “hey guys, I and Brenda have been checking into the legal aspect of playing other artist songs and we came across the regulations we have to follow to do it. So, if there is a song we want to put on our cd’s or perform. We can get permission for it.”

“I didn’t know you and Brenda have been researching this.” This was the first Terry had heard about it.

“Well, you guys had talked about doing some of the popular songs from the 80’s and such. I figure it would be good to check into it. I figure if the rules allowed us, we can add a few familiar songs to our repertoire.”

“Has anyone given any thought to what we are going to be wearing for the Renaissance Festival?” Dan and Ian had been wondering what their outfits would be.

“I have some ideas. Why don’t we go and visit a few shops for our costumes?”

“You and shopping.” Ian just smiles at Lindsey as they start hitting a few costume shops for the Renaissance Festival and Pirate Festival as well.

For the next six weeks, the band practices and learn new songs they plan on playing at the two festivals. Ian’s mother volunteered to go and chaperone the band members for the two festivals. As for the California gigs, Barbara and the parents of Terry and Jamie have volunteered to accompany the band member. Brenda was coming along as well to network with the organizers there.

The guy they used before has become swamp by his business, that he recommended a person he knew, that was trying to break into the music business. Her name was Beat Box Maxine and she had her own Yahoo website. She has helped him out on a few gigs of his own.

Maxine handled the sound systems and special effects. A friend of Dan’s name Krist Cobain was looking for work. He was hired on to load and set-up the equipment.

The last week of May, before the Renaissance Festival band practice and everything else is put on hold. Finals were that week. Lindsey and the band members needed that time to study for the test. Dan’s SUV was put in the shop to make sure everything was okay. All the fluids were changed, and new tires were put on the SUV.

May 25th was the last day of school for everyone. Maxine and Krist showed up at the Knotts house Thursday night to load everything. Maxine made sure all the special shipping/transport boxes the band bought for their equipment fit properly.

Two new members were added to the band. Maxine was hired to handle the sound systems and special effects. A friend of Dan’s name Krist Cobain was looking for work and was hired to move and set-up the equipment.

May 25th-27th, 1600hrs Covington Renaissance Festival Grounds:
The band arrives and is shown where they can park to unload their equipment. They also are shown where they could set up their tent and such. They weren’t scheduled to go on until tomorrow, so they had time to get into character and get set up.

Maxine looks at the clothing that she and Lindsey were wearing. Lindsey had picked out a minstrel outfit for herself, while Maxine looked like Maid Marian from Robinhood. Terry was dress as Robinhood, while the rest of the guys were dressed as his merry men.

Ian’s mother was dress as a Royal lady with the band members being her children. She looks over at all the kids.

“Well, how do I look?” Mrs. Smith looks at all the kids.

“Mom, you look unbelievable.” Ian couldn’t believe how his mother looked dressed the way she was.

“I have to agree with your son, Mrs. Smith. You look like someone from the past.” Lindsey wonders what her mother would look like.

“Thank you, Lindsey.”

“Well, let’s go and see what we can find for dinner.” They leave their camp area and mingle with the other people.

Jamie’s girlfriend had come along with them. Her parents had given her permission since Mrs. Smith was with them. They had set-up three separate tents. The girls were sharing one tent, the guys were sharing another tent. Their instruments were locked up in their trailer.

Lindsey, Ian, and his mother were exploring the different vendors and watching some of the mock combat that was going on. Maxine ran into a few people she knew and joined them. Jamie was spending time with his girlfriend. She wanted to talk with some of the other performers that were at the festival. Terry, Dan, and Krist went off to have fun. They were warned not to do any drinking either.

Lindsey was the first to wake-up. She heard movement outside their tent and slowly made her way outside. She managed to move outside without waking Mrs. Smith, Maxine or Christy, Jamie’s girlfriend.

She notices Ian was fixing coffee. She saw the old-style coffee pot on the one burner propane burner.

“I'm impressed.” Lindsey walks over and sits down in the lawn chair they brought with them.

“I and my parents use to go camping a lot before my father died.”

“This is my first-time camping.”

“Your parents never took you camping?”

“Nope and neither did any of the foster parents I had.” Lindsey picks up an apple out of the cooler and starts cutting it into pieces.

“I’m sorry to hear about that.”

“It’s okay. I have Barbara now and she’s been the best mother I’ve had so far.” Lindsey offers a slice of apple to Ian.

“No thanks.”

Lindsey takes the slice and bites into it. She has gotten into the habit of eating fruit first thing in the morning. Ever since the doctor told her that her iron levels have a tendency to drop, because of a disease she inherited from her mother. She had a strict diet that she kept to.

“So, what’s for breakfast and is there anything I can do to help?”

Ian pours her a cup of pineapple and apple juice mixed together.

“Do you know how to make pancakes?” Ian was getting the box of pancake mix they brought with them.

Lindsey saw the box “using that, yep I can.”

She digs out the hot plate and the measuring cup, along with everything else she will need. Lindsey starts making the pancake mix, while Ian brought the other propane stove out and set it up. Lindsey watches him as he moved about their camp. She was enjoying the camping experience.

Once the stove was set-up. She makes pancakes and sausage links for everyone. By the time everyone was feed and fully awake. They were going to need to get set-up and ready to perform.

After breakfast, she and the rest of the band get dress for their performance. Maxine and Krist head to the stage where they were going to perform and set-up the sound systems and such. Krist knew how to play a few of the instruments, so while Lindsey and the guys were getting ready. He helped in doing a sound check.

After the sound check. The band gets on stage and does another sound check. Once they are done doing the soundcheck, they put on a show for the crowd.

Lindsey was happy being back home. She had fun at the Renaissance Festival and made a few friends she keeps in touch with by email. Barbara had given her permission to play during the week while she was on summer break. They were playing three times a week.

The two weekends they were going to be in California, Barbara had spoken to the rest of the band families and they agreed that a week in California would be better. Then coming back home and flying back out again. So, they were going to spend a week on vocation in California and there were a few places she wanted to go too.

She goes to check on the mail because she wanted to see what her report card said. She spots the envelope that had her report card in it. She opens it and couldn’t believe she got a 4.0-grade point average. She passed all her classes with straight A’s. She knew Barbara will love to see her report card. She posts it on the refrigerator for Barbara to see.

After, putting her report card on the refrigerator. She slips her swimsuit on and head out to the swimming pool Barbara bought for them. It wasn’t very big, but it was deep enough and long enough for her to do a few laps in. The chilly water felt nice against her skin as she lowered herself into the water. Ian’s mother had taken him to get his learners permit. He just turned sixteen years old on Tuesday.

The band threw him a sweet sixteen party. Lindsey got him a nice set of light up drumstick that pulse each time he hit the drums a few nice t-shirts, with one showing the evolution of a human being to a drum player. A nice pair of shades and an ultimate drummer tool.

Lindsey climbs up on her lounge floater and just drift around in the pool. The radio station that interviewed them, played their demo disc
several times a day. Lindsey closes her eyes and just relax in the backyard.

Barbara arrives home “I’m home, Lindsey.” She sets her purse where she normally keeps it.

When she walks into the kitchen to grab a bottled water, she notices Lindsey’s report card on the refrigerator. A big ole’ smile appears on her face when she read her grade. She’ll have to do something nice for all the hard work Lindsey did to maintain her grade, while she was playing.

Barbara pokes her head out back and notices Lindsey in the above ground pool, just floating around. She had her portable radio playing.
Barbara has been hearing Lindsey’s band’s music being played on the radio on her way to work, since their interview last Thursday.

Barbara turns around and heads back into the kitchen to start dinner. She listens to the news while cooking. She knew the kids had a gig coming up in June for Haborfest. They already made a reservation at Norfolk Waterside Marriott for the weekend. Jamie’s girlfriend was coming again with them. This time they got three rooms. The girls were going to share a room and the guys were going to share a room with one set of parents. She would go with Lindsey, but she had a convention she and another member of their realty company were going to.

Lindsey wakes-up when her alarm clock goes off. It was set to remind her that she needed to head inside. She slides off the lounger and climbs out of the pool. She dries off before heading inside.

“Hey, sweetie.” Barbara watches as Lindsey comes walking into the kitchen through the back door.

“Hey mom, how was your day?” Lindsey stops to talk with her mother.

“It was okay. The Williamson is going to buy the house I showed them today.” Barbara has been working hard to sell this one house that has been on the market for a while.

“You mean they finally found a house they like?” Lindsey grabs an orange and sits on a stool to watch her mother cook dinner.

“Yep, they liked the one house that has been on the market for a while.” Barbara stirs the rice and meat dish.

Once Lindsey finishes her orange. She grabs some plates, silverware and starts setting the dining room table. She walks back into the kitchen
to grabs some glasses and fills them with ice.

“Foods ready.” Barbara puts the food into a serving bowl and carries it into the dining room.

Lindsey comes walking in and takes her seat, after setting the glasses filled with tea at their places. She inhales the smells drifting off the cooked food.

Once Barbara serves herself “have you and the guys decided what you are going to perform in, yet?”

“Yes, ma’am. We have decided to wear our pirate’s outfits. Terry is dressing up as Captain Kidd, Jamie is going as Captain Jack Sparrow, Ian is dressing as a deckhand, Dan is going as a Pirate Captain as well. I’m dressing as a female pirate as well. It is the same outfit I’m going to wear at the Pirate Festival in South Carolina.”

“You guys should settle either on a group costume for your band or just perform in your street clothes.” Barbara figure sit might be more cost efficient for them.

“We talked about a group costume, but we haven’t decided yet on a design.” Lindsey liked her Steampunk outfit.

“Have you guys decided what you are going to do, now that Terry has graduated?” Barbara knew Terry had graduated, which left Jamie and Lindsey still in school.

“We haven’t talked about it yet, mom. I do know that he wants to stay with the band. Just like Dan does.” Lindsey knew Dan had talked about taking online courses.

“Well, that leaves you, Jamie and Maxine still in school?”

“Yes, ma’am. Krist lives near Dan and has a driver’s license. I’ve been thinking it might be a good idea for us to get a touring bus.” Lindsey had seen a YouTube video about a band converting an old school bus into a touring bus. She figures they could do that with an old Greyhound bus or something.

“Why don’t you see how much a used one is? You might get a good deal on one.”

“I’ll see how much we have in our account. I know Brenda normally handles it.”

“I’ll talk with someone I know and see if we can find something for you. You might have to send Krist to a truck driving school to get his license for it.”

“The next band meeting we have, I’ll bring it up.” Lindsey makes a mental note to talk to Brenda and Terry about everything. The last band meeting they talked about Krist and Maxine’s pay.

That got Lindsey thinking maybe she should take a business course. She’ll have to think about it later. She finishes her dinner and cleans the table. Once the leftovers were put away and the kitchen cleaned up. She heads towards her bedroom and checks her emails.

There was an email in her band email folder from Brenda. She had sent them a new schedule:

GEAR Con 2018 July 7-8, 2018 University Place Hotel & Conference Center, Portland, OR

Motor City Steam Con 2018 July 13-15, 2018 Sheraton Detroit Metro Airport, Romulus, MI

Ama-Con 2018 August 4-5, 2018 Amarillo Civic Center, Amarillo, TX

Railway to the Moon Steampunk Festival 2018 August 18, 2018 Mount Washington Cog Railway, Mount Washington, NH

Dragon Con 2018 August 30 - September 3, 2018 Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta Hilton, Sheraton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, Atlanta, GA

The two out of states ones concern her the most. They would have to fly to Oregon and Michigan. Texas, New Hampshire they could drive to.
Lindsey prints it out and takes it to Barbara.

“Mom, Brenda just sent out our new schedule and we have two that we will have to fly too.” Lindsey shows Barbara the schedule.

Barbara looks at them and notices they were only for 1 and 2 days. She starts typing on her laptop to see how much airfare will be on those dates. They were looking at close to $2,000.00 for everyone and hotel room. That isn’t taking in account for food and the cost of shipping their instruments as well.

“The Oregon and Michigan gigs you guys will burn your money flying there and back. You might want to think about those two. As for the others, you can drive to those gigs.”

“I was worried about that. I’ll get with Brenda and see how much we are going to get paid for those gigs.” Lindsey pulls her cell phone out and calls Brenda,

Brenda had just gotten off the phone with Terry when she notices Lindsey calling her. She wonders what Lindsey wanted. She picks her phone up and answers it.

“Hey Lindsey, what can I do for you?”

“Hey Brenda, I was just going over our schedule and the two out of towners you have us down for, is going to cost us money.”

“You and Terry must have been talking to each other. You’re getting paid a $1,000.00 for each gig. Plus, I’ll have more gigs for you before then. I’m in contact with a few people who have heard your music on the radio and want you guys to come and perform for them. Hey, do you guys do Jazz?”

“We can, but we normally don’t. Why?”

“There’s a new Jazz club opening soon, and they were wondering if you guys could play Jazz.”

“We might not be able to do that one.”

“Alright, if you guys can perform well at some of these gigs. I might have a big opportunity for you guys as an opening act.”

“Cool! Oh, also. How much money do we have in our bank account?” Lindsey was curious.

“You guys currently have $25,000.00 in your account and most of that is from the money you put back into the band. As for what I have put in
your account, you have $3,000.00 dollars.” Brenda figures Lindsey might want to know that.

“Thanks, Brenda.”

“You’re welcome.” She ends the call.

Lindsey puts her cell phone away “we are getting paid $1,000.00 for each gig. That’s not counting how much we will make from the items we sell, which we make $2,000.00 -$3,000.00 on those sells.”

“Well, you guys will make more in merchandise, then you do while your playing. How much do you spend on the merchandise?”

“The shirts we pay $6.00 dollars per shirt, keychains, and USB drives $2 and $5.00 dollars. Are CD’s $10.00 and we get money from our music on Apple and Amazon.”

“It sounds like you guys make a small profit.” Barbara was impressed.

“Yes, ma.” Lindsey sits down next to her mother. “So, are you going to come with us on some these other gigs?”

“I’ll see what I have going on during those times. I might be able to come with a few with you.”

Lindsey gets up and heads to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Lindsey had gotten up and did her morning routine. She had some packing she needed to do. The guys were going to come by later and pick her up and Ian up. They packed up the drum set that Ian left over at Jamie and Terry’s garage. They still needed to get a place to practice, so
Mr. Knotts could have the garage back.

Barbara sticks her head into Lindsey’s bedroom to check on her. She spots her packing for a few days.

“You almost ready?” As she walks in to help Lindsey.

“Almost, mom. Do you think I packed enough?” She had her suitcase filled with four days of clothes, her make-up, shampoo, and conditioner.

She had checked the hotel out online and found out they had a gym and an indoor swimming pool. So, she packed her swimsuit and workout clothes as well. Her other bag held the shoes she was going to wear on stage and if they were going out anywhere for dinner and such.

It doesn’t take long with Barbara’s help to finish up packing and getting her instruments ready. She was taking all her instruments this time around because they were planning on playing some of their own music.

“Let’s go and get some lunch, my treat.” Barbara grabs her purse, while Lindsey grabs hers.

“I wish you were coming with us on this one, mom.” As they walk out to the car.

“Me too, sweetie, but I got several houses I can’t reschedule. Besides, Ian’s mother is going to be with you guys along with Mr. and Mrs.
Knotts.” Barbara wanted to go, but she had no choice in staying behind.

Barbara takes Lindsey to Charlotte’s Grill to have lunch. She wanted to treat Lindsey to a nice meal before the band members showed up to pick her up.

“Mom, this place is High class.” Lindsey looks at her mother.

“I know. I normally bring clients here, just before I close on a house. I thought you might like it.” Barbara parks the car and the two of them head inside the restaurant.

The Hostess of the place greets them “Mrs. Weathers would you like your normal table or a different one?”

“A different one would be nice. Oh, Chasity, I want you to meet my daughter, Lindsey.”

Chasity’s eyes get big when Barbara mentions her name.

“Your Lindsey Weathers from Dusty Gaskets?” Chasity couldn’t believe it. She had a member of Dusty Gasket standing before her.

“I’m just the keyboard player.” A smile appears on Lindsey’s face.

“Your group sounds really good. I downloaded some of you guys music from Apple music store.” Chasity shows Lindsey and Barbara to an empty table.

“Thank you. Here...” As Lindsey reaches into her purse and pulls out one of their thumb drive that has all their music on it. She hands it to her.
“it has all our music on it.”

“Thank you.” Chasity slips it into her pants pocket.

Their waitress shows up and takes their order. The place was busy with the lunch crowd.

“So, are you guys going in two cars or one?”

“Two, the Knott’s, Brenda and Mrs. Smith are riding in their car, while us, Jamie’s girlfriend, Krist, Kaja and Maxine are riding in Dan’s SUV with
a trailer with our equipment and merchandise in it. Brenda is coming with us to do some networking.”

Their food shows up, along with their drinks. Lindsey had ordered a nice Gyro plate, while Barbara got a nice fish and shrimp plate.

“Just remember while you are there, that you are not to go anywhere by yourself without either one of the Knott’s, Mrs. Smith or a band member with you.”

“I promise mom, I won’t explore the area without someone with me. The band was told there would be Norfolk police officers there along with armed security officers as well.

“How many days are you guys playing?”

“We’re playing Saturday from 4:30pm-5: 30 pm and Sunday from 11:30 am-12: 30 pm. We’re hoping to be home by midnight or leave Monday morning.”

“Why don’t you guys leave Monday morning.” That way you can rest and recover some.

“Okay, I’ll tell Terry when he comes to pick me up. Actually, I’ll text him right now.” Lindsey sends a text to Terry. She figures he could tell everyone else before they left.

After lunch, Barbara takes Lindsey shopping, till they had to head back home. The guys were already at the house waiting on them. Ian and
Lindsey brought her stuff out and gave it to Krist to load up in the trailer. Everything was loaded nicely and fit perfectly in the trailer.

“Be careful sweetheart and have fun.” Barbara gives Lindsey a hug.

“Bye, mom.” Lindsey gets in the SUV with everyone else.

This was going to be her first time leaving the area, besides the trip to the Renaissance Festival. She watches Barbara wave to her as they pull away. They start heading towards the Highway and then the Interstate.

“You might as well make yourself comfortable. We have a seven and a half an hour ride ahead of us, ladies and gentlemen.”

“Are we driving straight through, or are we stopping for a break?” Lindsey was curious.

“Well, if we want to get there by eleven o’clock. We will be driving straight through. There’s a cooler in the back if you get thirsty.” Krist was driving.

Dan was sitting up front in the passenger seat. He was the navigator and in charge of the radio. Behind him was Terry, Jamie, and Christy. The next row had Ian, Maxine, and Kaja. The last row she had to herself along with a few pillows, bags and a few boxes of their merchandise.

For the next seven hours, Lindsey just listens to her iPhone. They do make one rest stop for everyone to use the bathroom. Lindsey switched up with Jamie and Christy, so they could have the back seat to themselves. She shares the front with Terry.

“Lindsey, wake-up.” Terry was lightly shaking Lindsey’s foot. She had curled up on her side of the seat.

Lindsey slowly opens her eyes and look around and then at Terry “are we here?”

“Yep, we’re here. Come on and let’s check in.” Terry gets out and helps a sleepy Lindsey out.

The first room is given to Maxine, Kaja, Christy, and Lindsey. The second room goes to Terry, Jamie, Krist, and Ian. Brenda and Dan share a
room since they were brother and sister.The Knotts and Mrs. Smith share another room. They unload their bags but leave the equipment locked up in the trailer.

Friday Morning:
Brenda and the group report to the organizers of Haborfest. They are told what stage they would be performing at and given discount tickets for some of the restaurants in the area. Around noon is when the festival starts. Mrs. Smith, Ian, Lindsey, and Kaja form one group and explore. They enjoy the music and wares that are on display for sale. Kaja was going to set-up their merchandise tomorrow before they start playing. Maxine, Krist, Terry, and Dan formed another group and was exploring. The Knotts, Jamie, and Christy formed another group and were exploring inside Waterside. Brenda was busy talking with a few people.

Lindsey had her camera out was taking pictures of all the ships sailing towards Waterside. She was having fun.

“Where are you setting up tomorrow, Kaja?”

Kaja looks around till she spotted where she was told they could set-up their stall “over there.” She points out the direction and spot. They have lunch at one of the vendors.

For dinner, they go down to the Freemason Abbey restaurant. It is a 144-year-old renovated church. Lindsey loved the place. The atmosphere was a combination of old and new. It had stain glass windows and the old fashion layout of the church.

After dinner, they headed back to the Marriot. Lindsey changes out of her clothes and put her swimsuit on. She picks up her cellphone and calls Ian to see if he wanted to join her down at the pool.

As the two of them are heading downstairs “so, are you having fun?”

“Yes, I am enjoying this trip. How about you?”

“I would enjoy it more if my mother wasn’t with us.”

“I like your mother Ian. She’s a nice woman.”

Once they arrive down at the pool, Lindsey just jumps in, after tossing her towel on a nearby lounge chair. A few seconds later, she is joined by Ian. She does a few laps to relax and burn off some energy. Tomorrow they did their first gig.

Ian chases after Lindsey as she swims the length of the pool. He liked her, and she was fun to be around.

“I was thinking about joining the wrestling team when we go back to school.” Ian has been seriously thinking it might be a good idea to have another occupation outside of music.

“That should be fun.” Lindsey does a lap and stops in front of Ian.

“My mother suggested I should find something other than music to pursue.”

“She must have been talking to my mother. She thinks I should have a backup occupation, just in case our band falls apart.”

“I doubt that is going to happen. We have too much stuff as is lined up. Brenda said we might open for a popular band.”

“I know, but Dan and Terry are 18years old and might decide to move on.”

“I doubt it. Terry likes music and is planning on playing if he can. As for Dan, he might move on. Me, I enjoy music and am thinking about continuing my education in it and learning to play additional instruments.”

“That I can see about you, Lindsey. Music is in your blood. It’s what makes you, you.” He splashes Lindsey and swims off.

Lindsey chases after him. She manages to finally catch him and dunk him underwater. She hears the alarm on her cell phone buzz, letting her know she needs to head back up to her room.

Ian and Lindsey get out of the pool and dries off, before heading up to their room.

Saturday Morning, June 9, 7:00 am, Hotel room 633, Marriot Hotel Waterside:
Lindsey wakes-up early and looked around the room she was sharing with the other girls. Her and Kaja are sharing a bed. Maxine and Christy shared the other bed. The other girls were still asleep, so she gets out of bed quietly and walks over towards the window. She looks out towards the water and Portsmouth’s riverfront on the other side of the Elizabeth River.

Last night everyone talked about going to MacArthur Mall and MacArthur Memorial since they didn’t go on till 4:30 pm. They weren’t going to have time to do a sound check. The stage manager for the stage they were playing at, was going to handle it. Maxine was going to spend time with him to help with their sound needs. She knew all their music, the sound and special effects they were going to need.

She turns around when she hears someone moved. It was Christy and she was sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She had gone to bed in a light green baby doll outfit last night.

Jamie and Christy had been spending some along time with each other. Jamie’s parents didn’t mind them spending time together.

“Good morning, Christy.”

Christy waves hello as she heads towards the bathroom. She stumbles into the bathroom and shut the door. She sits down on the toilet and does her morning business.

While Christy does her business, Lindsey grabs her robe and slip her key card in her pocket. She heads out of the room to check on the guys.

She knocks on their door but doesn’t hear any movement. She knocks again “who is it?”

“It’s me, Lindsey.”

“Give us a second.”

Lindsey hears movement as the guys straighten up some. The door is finally opened by Ian. He steps aside to let her in. As she walks in, it looked like the guys had a little party last night.

“Boy, you guys looked like you had a little party.” She looked at the mess they made of the room.

“No, we will clean it up before we play today. What brings you down here?” Ian was curious why Lindsey came down to see them.

“I was thinking after seeing some of the performers yesterday, it might be better if we change our costumes up a little. Maybe it would be better
if we wear our Steampunk costumes or a combination of both?”

“Considering how warm it is here, I could wear mine.” Ian’s costume was simple.

Dan and Terry look at each other. Both were looking forward to wearing their pirate costumes.

“Look, guys, we still have that pirate festival to do. You can wear your pirate costume there or one of you could wear theirs here, while the others wear their steam punk costume.”

“I didn’t pack my Steam Punk costume.” Dan figured he wouldn’t need it.

“I have mine and I think Jamie packed his as well.” Terry was pretty sure his brother packed his.

“Alright, let’s go on stage with Dan dress as a pirate and the rest of us dressed in our Steam Punk outfits.” Lindsey figures that should draw a crowd, plus with the music they were going to play as well.

“Alright. Are we still going to the mall and MacArthur memorial after breakfast?”

“I wouldn’t mind going to Saint Paul’s Church as well. According to one of the organizers I spoke to yesterday. There’s a cannonball still in the side of the church from the Revolutionary War. I figure if we must write what we did on our summer vocation paper. I could write about that.”

“How far is it?” Terry wouldn’t mind seeing it as well.

“It isn’t far from the mall?” Lindsey had looked it up on her laptop she brought with her.

“Okay, well I’m going back to my room and get ready. Let Jamie know what we are going to do.” Lindsey heads back to her room.

Saturday Morning June 9, 10:00 am, MacArthur Mall:
“Remember to meet back here in two hours, so we can go to the MacArthur Memorial. Also, if you’re going to go and visit the church, let us know.” Mrs. Smith glances at her cell phone to see how long the kids had.

Everyone disperses to do some shopping and looking around the mall. Lindsey and Ian walk over to the church after letting Mrs. Smith know where they went. Lindsey couldn’t believe how downtown Norfolk looked. It was different than where they came from.

She stops and read the plaque telling them a brief history of the church. Ian takes pictures of her reading and of some of the gravesites on the property. They find the side the cannonball was cemented in on. It was on the side of the church that faced the street and courthouse across that was across the street from it.

Ian snaps a picture of Lindsey pointing to the cannonball. He could see how much she was enjoying everything.

“You know, I might write a song about this place.” As Lindsey and Ian walk back to the mall to meet-up with everyone.

“What, about the cannonball or the church?”

“About the day it happened. I wonder if they have any information about what took place that day. I think a song written about that day would fit it.”

“Well, when we get back. Why don’t you see if they have a historical society here and talk with someone about your idea?”

Lindsey glances towards Ian as they walk inside the mall. Before they leave, they hit a few stores they had visted before they went to look at the church. They pick-up a few items to take back to their hotel room. Once they get back to the hotel, everyone changes into their costumes and grab their gear. They head over towards the stage.

“I wonder how Kaja is doing?” As Ian walks beside Lindsey with their gear and instruments.

“She’s all set-up and she said sales are slow right now.” Lindsey had texted her.

“We’re still heading over there after our performance, right?”

“Yep, that’s the plan.”

Saturday Afternoon, 4:30pm-5: 30 pm, Haborfest, Town Point Park Main Stage:
Lindsey watches from the stage as people start gathering in front of the stage. They start with some of their most requested songs back home.
When they notice the crowd warming up to them. They really crack it up and play some of their other music, including some of their steampunk style of music. The crowd roar as they continue to play.

Some of the people were surprised when Lindsey switches up with Dan and start playing her saxophone. After a few songs that require the use of her saxophone, she moves to the resonator guitar. By the time they finish playing,they had drawn a rather large crowd and was being congratulated as they left the stage. The people were chanting their name as they left.

Terry had spotted several television reporters recording them. Just as they were leaving the stage. They are stopped by a reporter from WAVY-
TV 10. She interviews every member of the band and when she came to Lindsey.

“You are a very talented young lady and I am told you’re also the youngest in the band. How does it feel to be playing with kids older than you?”

“Not bad. I enjoy playing with all of them. They are very talented musicians.”

“Your band has a unique sound to it. How would you classify your music?”

“We’re a pop rock with a stream punk sound.”

“Well, I have to say your music was pleasant and catchy to listen too.”

"I hope to hear more from your band." The reporter ends the interview and goes to talk with another group of people.

Maxine and Krist pack up all their equipment and take it back to their room. Lindsey and the others head over to Kaja's stall to sign autographs and help sell merchandise. The band also take pictures with the kids and adults. Lindsey covers for Kaja, to let her go and grab something to eat and to use the bathroom. The rest of the night, the band mingles still dressed in their performance costumes at the festival. When the place closes for the night. The security officers tell them that they will be patrolling the area and they could leave their stall set up.

Kaja locks their things up since the band is going to be playing on Sunday as well. She secures everything for the night and meets up with everyone at the hotel.

Sunday Morning June 10, 11:30am-12:30 pm, Town Point Park, Main Stage
The band notices they had a much larger crowd, then they had yesterday. They start their show off with a song they didn’t play yesterday. After that one ended, they played one they had yesterday and switched it up with another they hadn’t play yesterday. The applause they got after they played for an hour made them all feel proud of what they did.

Lindsey’s lips were a little sore after playing her saxophone during their gig. Today Dan played her synthesizer, while she played her sax and resonator guitar. When they needed the rhythm guitar, she let Dan play. While she switched to her keytar and played. Whenever she did this type of change-up, she made sure the music was written to play both ways.

After they finished their gig, they join Kaja at their stall to do autographs and take pictures with their new fans. Maxine and Krist put their gear away and join them as well. The band members made sure to always thank Maxine and Krist for their help and support when they were on stage.

A little girl comes up to Lindsey “I want to be like you when I get older.” She hugs Lindsey.

“I bet you will.” A smile appears on Lindsey's face.

Lindsey gives the girl one of the specially design plush animals and t-shirt Kaja designed for their band.

The mother of the girl gives Lindsey a motherly smile “thank you.”

“You’re welcome, ma’am.” Lindsey watches as the girl and her mother walks off.

Lindsey pulls a twenty out of her pocket and hands it to Kaja for the plushy and shirt.

“You don’t need to do that, Lindsey. That’s band merchandise.” Kaja hands the twenty back to Lindsey.

“But you get a percentage of the sales Kaja. I don’t want you to lose out.” Lindsey wanted to be fair to Kaja.

“I don’t mind a little girl getting a gift from us.” She tucks the twenty-dollar bill Lindsey gave her in a front pocket on Lindsey’s costume.

By six o’clock the festival comes to an end. Lindsey and the guys help Kaja tear down the stall and transport everything back to their SUV.

“Let’s go back to the Freemason Abbey tonight for dinner?” Lindsey looks at everyone to see what they wanted to do.

“Okay, but I need to leave our money with the front desk. Plus, don’t you guys need to change out of your performance costumes?”

“I’m going as I am.” Lindsey didn’t mind.

“That makes two of us.” Ian was going as he is.

“Alright, let's mount up and drive down to the Abbey.” Dan walks around to the driver side to drive.

“Stop at the hotel, before we do.”

They stop at the motel and Kaja runs their cash box into their hotel and ask them to hold it for her till they get back from dinner. She hops back into the SUV and heads down to the restaurant and park. They head inside the restaurant and have dinner. Everyone ends up taking leftover back tot eh hotel with them around ten o’clock.

All the parents and kids head down to the indoor pool and enjoy it. Everyone still felt energized and full of energy after coming back from the restaurant.

“What time are we leaving tomorrow?” Lindsey was floating on the side of the pool as she spoke with Mr. Knotts.

“We’re planning on leaving by 10:00 am. Is there something you want to do tomorrow?”

“Nope, I just need to inform my mother is all.” By eleven o’clock everyone heads back upstairs to their bedroom.

Lindsey does call her mother and talk with her for a while, before heading to bed. Kaja was out as soon as her head hit the pillow. They had done well on sales and Kaja informed Brenda and Lindsey they had sold out of nearly everything. She was going to need to replenish their stock when they get home.

Monday Morning June 11, 10:00 am, checkout of the Marriott:
Lindsey couldn’t believe it was raining out as they loaded their suitcases and instruments in the trailer. She was going to have to come back here someday and do some exploring of the historic sites.

“I hope it stops raining before we get home.” Christy gets in the SUV and takes the back seat.

“Mom said it’s raining back home.” Lindsey climbs in and sits in the first seat with Terry.

“Great, I bet we have rain all the way home.” Jamie sits next to Christy.

“Well, I know we did good and we can expect to be on the road more often this summer.”

“Oh, what did you hear from Brenda?” Lindsey was curious.

“According to what I’ve heard so far. Several people she talked too are in negotiations with her to have us come back to the Hampton Roads area and play at some of their venues. They are going to have a Battle of the Bands next year in Virginia Beach and we are going to enter it. As for the gigs in the Hampton Roads area. I do know she’s working on contracts with several venues. The Rainbow Catus, which is a gay bar would like us to play. Craft 60 Ale House, Jewish Mothers at the Oceanfront. She’s was contacted by the program directors of Chrysler Hall and Wells Theatre for us to come and play.”

“Man, we are really hitting the big times. When are we going to be coming back up here?” Jamie looks towards his brother.

“Don’t know yet, but we aren’t skipping the gigs we are already set-up for. I’ll know more by our next band practice.”

They make good time getting back home. Lindsey and Ian are dropped off first and all their instruments and luggage are unloaded. Barbara
was waiting for Lindsey when she got home.

Lindsey plays back their performance on her tablet for her mother, while she got ready for bed.

Lindsey yawns and stretches as she wakes-up. They had played last night, and they were scheduled to play again this afternoon. The South Carolina Pirate Festival was fun. The only problems from the gig was that the guys managed to get drunk and stoned.

They had gone off with some new friends they made at the festival and party with them till one in the morning. Krist, Terry, Dan, and Jamie had gotten sticking drunk and Ian was so stoned, that he had no idea where he was. Maxine had gotten laid by a nice good-looking guy. Christy wasn’t with them on this gig. Her parents wanted her to spend time at home, instead of traveling like she had been doing.

Jamie and Terry’s parents hit the roof when they found out that the guys had gotten drunk and stoned. They were threating to pulled them from this gig in California. They couldn’t say anything to Krist and Dan. Both were eighteen years old and knew better, plus they weren’t the Knotts children. Maxine, she was the one that would have to live with the consequence if she got pregnant. Lucky for her, the guy she had a one-night stand with, wore a condom and she was on the pill.

Lindsey glances over towards her mother as she slept. She had stayed up all night last night making sure none of the band members were goofing off or getting drunk on this trip. Mrs. Knotts and Mrs. Smith had come along with Barbara to make sure they stayed out of trouble.
Since the band was going to be on official vacation this week. They were going to do some sightseeing till the weekend, which is when their other gig started.

Lindsey gets out of bed quietly, since she shared the bed with her mother and head towards the bathroom to do her morning business. Her breasts was getting bigger. Before they left home, Barbara took her to the doctor for a follow-up on her iron levels and for her estrogen levels. Her doctor upped the levels of her estrogen and put her on some stronger levels.

Lindsey was enjoying being a girl. She walks back into the bedroom and slips her swimsuit on. She was going to try to get in a few laps before they headed to breakfast. She writes a note telling her mother where she went.

When she gets near the swimming pool, she notices Ian was in the weight room lifting weights. She stops and watches him for a little while. He had confided that he was thinking about becoming a professional wrestler. Since they were in California for a week. He wanted to go to a wrestling event that the WWE was putting on.

Lindsey shakes her head to clear her thoughts. Ian was clouding her judgment as she heads towards the pool. She’s been having wet dreams about him. She had woken up one morning with her panties being soaking wet from her dream. She does a few laps to keep in shape and to exercise her knee. Her doctor had said with her swimming every morning and such was helping her knee.

On a return lap back towards the other side of the pool, she notices Ian watching her. She wonders if he has been watching her the whole entire time. She was on number sixty of her laps.

Ian had finished up in the weight workout room and was heading back to his room when he spotted Lindsey in the pool doing her laps. He walked into the pool area and watched her swim freestyle down the length of the pool. He liked how her body moved with each stroke she took.

As she got closer to the edge of the pool, he could see how slim and tone her body really was. He notices how her breast has gotten a little bigger since the last time he saw her in a swimsuit.

“What number are you on Lindsey?” He looks down at her in the water.

“I’m on my sixtieth lap.” Lindsey looks up at him. She was wearing her one-piece swimsuit.

“How many do you normally do?”

“I normally do a hundred laps. I can stop if you want me too.”

“No, go ahead and finish your laps. I’ll stand up here and watch you.” A smile appears on Ian’s face.

Lindsey restarts her count and swims to the other side. She continues until she gets to a hundred and stops.

“Here, let me help you out.” Ian reaches down and helps Lindsey up out of the water and into his arms.

He pulls her wet body close to his as he kisses her on the lips. He has been wanting to do this since she kissed him that one time. He could feel her wet body pressed against his chest.

He holds her for a while as they tongue wrestle. He didn’t care she was wet from swimming. This was the first time they have had some time alone with each other.

Lindsey liked being held in Ian’s arms. As they kissed it was like a dream come true. She had closed her eyes and pressed her body against his.

They stay embrace in each other’s arms for a while. Ian stops kissing Lindsey and tries to look in her eyes, but they were closed.

“Was I that bad?”

Lindsey opens her eyes and looks up into his eyes “no, you weren’t bad at all.” A smile appears on her face.

They just stand there gazing into each other’s eyes. Lindsey as never felt this way before about anyone before. Lindsey’s cell phone beeps, letting her know she needs to head back to her room.

“We better head back upstairs, before they send a search party to look for us.”

“I think your right.” He holds her hand, as they walk over towards Lindsey’s stuff and head upstairs.

They stop in front of the room Lindsey was sharing with her mother, Maxine, Kaja. The Knotts were sharing a room with their sons. Dan, Krist, were sharing a room with Ian and his mother. Ian gives her a kiss before heading towards his room. Lindsey watches him as he walks next door to her room and walks inside.

She heads into her room and into the bathroom to rinse off. While she is in the shower, someone knocks on the door.

“Occupied!”

“Lindsey, I need to pee really badly. Is the curtain closed?”

Lindsey recognized the voice as Kaja’s voice.

"Yes"

“Good!” Kaja comes dashing into the bathroom and sits on the toilet.

Lindsey could hear Kaja as she relieves her bladder. Lindsey just smiles as she washes her hair. She could hear Kaja let out a little moan of
relief as she sat on the toilet.

“I told you not to have that last can of tea last night.”

“I was thirsty.” Kaja finishes up her business and flushes the toilet. Then she remembers Lindsey was in the shower.

“Sorry, Lindsey.”

Lindsey moves back from under the shower head when she hears Kaja flush the toilet.

“Hey, I was taking a shower in here.”

“Sorry.” As Kaja leaves the bathroom.

Lindsey finishes her shower and dries off. She heads into the bedroom and discovers her mother had laid out a new outfit for her to wear at the convention. It was like the one she wore on stage, but different as well. She still had a top hat, but the corset was different than her stage one.

“I thought you might like to wear something different, then what you perform in. Also, you and the guys have a picture signing session at 1:00 pm before you guys go on.”

Lindsey watches as Maxine rushes to the bathroom as quickly as she could. Lindsey just smiles as she walks over and starts getting dressed. She couldn’t wait to see what her new outfit made her look like. Her mother and the other adults were getting into the spirit of the convention.

Lindsey knew Kaja was going to be manning their booth like always, but she and Maxine have a volunteer to take over so Kaja could enjoy the convention and talk with a few merchants. After everyone is dress, they head down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Lindsey gets her normal, which is waffles, a small fruit bowl and a glass of orange juice.

“How are we doing on merchandise, Kaja?” Lindsey was curious.

“Were doing fine. I ordered double our normal amount. Too bad none of you guys are talented at building things. We could offer that as well.”

“Don’t you know someone that was in the drama club that does that type of stuff?” Lindsey knew Kaja knew all the people in the drama club and what they could do.

“I could ask Andrew when we get back. He’s pretty handy at building things.”

“If he is willing to do it. He can travel with us or we can buy his items and you can sell them.” Lindsey figures if Andrew comes with them, Kaja could enjoy the convention more often.

“I’ll ask him. I don’t know if he’s into Steampunk and such.”

“That’s fine. Let me know when you want to switch up.”

“I will Lindsey and thanks.” Kaja gets back to setting their stuff up.

Lindsey mingles with the crowd, along with her mother and the guys. A few people recognized them from last night when they performed and ask them to sign a few items or take pictures.

At 1:00 pm, a table had been set-up for them to do signings and pictures with their fans. Even Maxine was with them during that session because she handles the soundboard and such. That goes on for two hours. Afterward, they head to the stage to do a sound check and get ready to perform.

“Maxine is the settings right for my sax and guitar?” Something didn’t sound right to her.

“Play a few cords for me.” Maxine gets ready for Lindsey.

Lindsey’s play the opening part for one of their songs that required her to play her sax. Then she moves to her resonator guitar.

Maxine had to admit, Lindsey was right about the settings for her resonator and Sax. She makes the adjustment and has Lindsey play again to
make sure she got it right.

“That’s good Lindsey. You were right, they were off.”

Lindsey puts her guitar down and listens to Terry, Jamie, and Dan as they tuned their guitars. Ian does a sound check on his drums and
cymbals. They had allowed a few people to come in, while they were setting up.

“Hey, guys let’s do Thunder and Hammer as a warm-up.” Lindsey knew that the song had everything they needed for a warm up.

Ian starts off with Dan Jamie playing his guitar. Lindsey plays her part on the resonator. Ian comes in hard on the drums. The sound they were getting was exactly like Lindsey had imagined when she wrote the song. It was a good warm-up song as she switches from her resonator to her sax and then her synthesizer.

There was a loud applause from the audience that they had permitted to come in and listen while they tuned. They play their next popular song called Storm Witch. It was one of their more popular songs. The others were their remix of Another day in Paradise by Phil Collins, that they were paying the license fee to play it. The other was I can’t dance by Phil Collins as well. Out of their own songs they had six that were extremely popular both among the Steampunk crowd and among normal pop-rock audience.

The Pirate Shanty’s they wrote for the Pirate festival was popular. Lindsey’s has been thinking they might record them and sell them. She hopes some of the Steampunk crowd might like them.

They take a break and freshen up some. Lindsey’s makes sure her water bottle is near her synthesizer. It was filled with grape Gatorade.

“Good luck kids.” Barbara watches as Lindsey goes out on stage with the rest of the band.

Barbara looks over towards Mrs. Knotts and Mrs. Smith “I can’t believe how talented our children are.”

“I know, it takes my breath away every time I hear them play.” Mrs. Smith was proud of Ian.

They hear the concert start and listen as the kids play their hearts out. When their time was up, they were asked for three more encores. So, they played three more, before they really must exit the stage. The stage crew get their instruments and gear and pack everything up. They were going to keep it locked up in the shipping container they shipped everything in from PODS storage.

The parents had the kids towels to dry off.

“Thanks, mom.” Lindsey was glad they had finished.

Her lips were sore from playing her sax. Her fingertips were sore as well from playing her resonator for some of their songs. After all the bands
finish playing. They mingle with them and party for a while. Lindsey makes sure no one touches her drink during the party.

Lindsey opens her eyes and couldn’t believe how much fun she had last week. She made a bunch of friends at the two Steampunk events the band played at. She also made friends with some of the bands she met in Los Angeles. The band had gotten word of places that beginning bands go and play in the Los Angeles area. So, as a group, they decided to check the places out.

Some of the bands they listen too, sounded extremely good. The rest they listened too, would sound a lot better if they practiced more or switched up their players. A few of the participants recognized her and the other band members and invited them to play on stage with them.
They jammed with them most of the night.

As for the conventions, they did extremely well. They ended up playing encores each time. She also met some of the other famous steampunk artists like Steam Power Giraffe, Abney Park, Vernian Process and The Cog is Dead. She loved their Airship Pirate song and Steampunk Revolution.

Each of the group she loved some of their songs. Abney Park and Steam Power Giraffe, she loved the concepts they came up for their group. The one member of Steam Power Giraffe was transgender like her. As much fun as she had visiting California, she was happy to be home.

Lindsey checks the weather forecast for Portland, Oregon since they had a gig out there to do. She was going to have to go through all the new clothes she bought out in California and brought back with her. While she is going through her clothes and getting her suitcase ready. The doorbell rings. Lindsey checks who was at the door with the ring app. On her phone. Barbara had decided to installed the ring doorbell since the band was becoming popular. She spots Ian standing at the front door. She heads towards the door and opens it. She was listening to some of Abney Park’s music while she was packing.

“Hey, Ian, what brings you around?”

“I wanted to see you. Do you mind if I come in?”

“Sure, come on in.” Lindsey was still in her house robe.

“Thanks.” Ian comes walking in.

“I was just packing for our gig in Oregon this weekend. Would you like anything to drink?”

“Nope, I’m fine.” Ian was looking around the house as he walked in.

The place had a warm and homey feel to it. A place where you could come home and relax from the troubles of the day. Ian notices there were pictures of the band. Even though Lindsey was front and center in them, he could see all the band members. There was one where she had been dancing and he was raising his hands and coming down on the drums. He could recall when that even took place.

“So, what brings you over here?” Lindsey didn’t mind, because she liked being around Ian.

“I was home alone, and I figure you might like some company.” Ian was bored being home. He practiced for a while on his drums.

He turns to look at her and notices she was still in her night clothes. He wonders what she was wearing under her house robe.

“Thanks, I was just packing and listening to Abney Park music.”

“I can hear. Those guys were friendly and fun to be around. Robert Brown is a lot like you, Lindsey he loves music and has a lot of other interest.”

“I know, I got a chance to talk with him. He said he loved some of our songs and that he would love to collaborate with me on a few songs.”

“Well, I hope you take him up on his offer. What did you think of the Guitarist Cherry Bomb of The Bloody Axe?”

“She was good. The problem was, the rest of the members of the band need more practice. None of them could carry a tune or play their instruments as well as we did. She, on the other hand, was amazing on her guitar. She would make a good addition to our band.”

“I know what you mean. I think Dan might move on. He had been talking with a heavy metal band from New York. They offered him the lead guitar position in their band.”

“How did you find that out?” Lindsey was curious.

“You forget, we all share the same hotel room. Plus, he has been thinking that the type of music we play, isn’t what he wants to do.”

“Well, he doesn’t ever contribute anything like the rest of us. So, if he wants to leave, that is fine.” Lindsey had seen how disappointed Dan had been lately.

“Well, if he leaves, we’ll need to get a company vehicle for the band. We have been using his SUV to get to our gigs.”

“Mom and I have been talking about that. I wouldn’t mind a tour bus, but they cost too much. So, maybe an RV like an airstream or something?”

“Whatever we get, is going to cost us, plus it needs to be able to sit all of us.” Ian figures their finances weren’t too bad.

“We could buy a decommission school bus and fix it up to our self.” Lindsey had seen some nice pictures of some done by others.

“That would work. How much would it run us?”

“We could get a short bus for around $7,000.00 and according to some of the figures I have been seeing. We could convert it for under
$4,000.00 if we do the work our self.” Lindsey had been searching the web on how to convert a bus into a touring bus.

“Do you think a short bus would be good or would a bigger one be better, so we can add a toilet to it?” Ian figure most of their travels take them within a day’s ride from their homes.

“I think a short one would be better for now. Anything bigger and it would cut into our profits for gas and insurance.”

“Boy, maybe you should be the band manager. Your sounding like you and Brenda have been talking.”

“We have. I wanted to know how much money we had so we could purchase a band vehicle. I know she has her job and the more I knew about how she does things. The more I could help her out.”

“That makes sense.”

“Thanks.” Lindsey walks over and sits down next to Ian.

Ian smiles and gives Lindsey a kiss. Lindsey loved it when he kissed her. Her stomach felt like it had butterflies in it. She returns the kiss. The
two of them kiss and feel each other up, but when Ian’s hand goes two low. Lindsey stops him.

“I don’t want you touching me there.” Lindsey felt self-conscious about her birth defect, even though the doctor tucked it away for her.

“No problem.” Ian and Lindsey enjoy kissing each other for a while.

Lindsey finally gets dressed after a half-n-hour. Ian gets a chance to see her bedroom and couldn’t believe how girly it was. He had seen other girls bedrooms, but theirs wasn’t as girly as Lindsey’s.

While she was getting dress, he heads into the spare bedroom where all her instruments and synthesizer was set-up. He was amazed at the recording devices she had in there. He spots a music sheet he had seen her use before sitting on her synthesizer. It looked like she was working on a new piece of music.

“Do you ever stop writing music?”

“Nope. I hear the tune in my head and start writing it down right away, so I don’t lose it. I’m working on four new songs for our group. One is
very heavy for you on the drums. It's going to push your talent playing it.” Lindsey comes walking out of her bedroom in a nice flowery
sundress and white wedges. Her toenails were painted a nice rose color that matched the flowers on her sundress.

Lindsey picks a piece of paper up and writes a note for her mother, just in case she stops by the house. She texted her favorite taxi driver and he was on his way to the house.

“Come on. Let’s go mall shopping and catch a movie.”

“How are we getting to the mall?”

“I texted my favorite taxi driver and he’s on his way.”

Just as she says that they hear a horn honk outside.

“Time to go.” Lindsey grabs her purse and locks the house up, before getting in the cab and head for the mall.

“I feel ridicules performing like this.” Lindsey was in a two-piece bikini performing, while the guys, minus Dan were in speedos.

"Join the club." Terry and the other guys felt the same way Lindsey did.

The gig they were playing, was for the grand reopening of a spa and pool store. Brenda had been contacted by the owner for them to play at the grand reopening. He was paying big dollars for them to play in swim suits. He was also giving away a free spa and throwing a huge cookout to entice people to come to the store.

The reason Dan wasn’t with them anymore, the position he had wanted opened. So, he took the offer from the band from New York. He left after they got back from the Oregon gig, Brenda paid him what he was owed, and he said good bye.

Now they had to get a band vehicle and hold an audition for another band member. Hopefully, they could play as many instruments as Dan could. They play for four hours. They took breaks in between each set they did. Lindsey was getting tan with the sunscreen she was wearing.
She felt sorry for the guys. Especially, Terry and Jamie. They were right out-front playing. Ian at least had some shade to protect him.

When their time was up, Lindsey puts on a pair of shorts and tank top. She was ready to head home and take a nice relaxing bath. It had been hot and humid as they played outside.

“How much did we get for playing this gig?” Ian was curious as he helped Krist load the trailer up with their gear.

“Twelve hundred dollars.” Lindsey had asked Brenda how much money they were making on this gig.

The guy that hired them, allowed them to sell their merchandise as well. So, whatever they made from that was going towards the new vehicle.

They do hang around and mingle with the crowds. She gets hit on a few times by some men and older boys. If she goes anywhere, she makes sure one of the band members is with her.

When she gets home, she peels herself out of her bikini and step into the shower with the water slightly cold. She listens to some relaxing nature sounds while she is under the shower. Lindsey closes her eyes and imagine that she is under a cool, clear waterfall.

She decreases the hot water some more, so the water is a little cooler. She just stands like that for a while. She knows her mother has prepared a nice cool salad for dinner. She stands there for bit longer, before shutting off the water and drying off. She looks in the mirror and could see her tan lines from her bikini.

She slips on a night shirt with a cat playing a fiddle and a pair of panties, before heading into the dining room. She was hungry and didn’t want a heavy meal.

“Feeling better, Dear?” As Barbara looks up at Lindsey as she comes walking into the dining room.

“Yes ma’am. I thought we sweat when we’re playing on stage. Today was terrible playing out in the sun and in my bikini.” Lindsey sits down in her chair at the table and take a sip of the sweet tea her mother made.

The salad she put together looked lovely. Lindsey pours some vinaigrette raspberry dressing on her salad.

“Did you hear back from the seller of that party bus you found?” Barbara knew Lindsey had been searching for a new vehicle for the band to travel in.

She had a lead on a band vehicle for them, but she needed an experience mechanic to come with them to check it out. Since, Krist Uncle was an independent mechanic and was well respected. He volunteered to come with them to check the vehicle out.

“Yes ma’am. He wants $16,000 for it and it has 210,000 miles on it already. It can sit 18 people comfortably and is black. He has another one that has 140,000 miles on it and can seat 22 people, but he wants $19,000 for it. It’s black as well and both are Ford E450. One is a 2001 and the other is a 2004.”

“Well, you can decide after Krist’s uncle looks at them and tells you which is in better shape. Where do you need to go, to look at them?”

“Augusta, Georgia. The name of the place is called Belaire Bus and Van world.”

“What type of warranty are you getting?” Barbara wanted to make sure the kids didn’t get ripped off.

“One year, or we can pay extra for a three-year warranty.” Lindsey takes a bite of her salad.

“How much is insurance going to cost the band for it?” Barbara knew only Krist, Terry and Ian could drive the bus.

“Since none of us have a license, except Krist. The insurance company said it is going to cost us $1,200 a year. Since we’re using it to travel
between gigs.” Lindsey takes another bite of her salad.

“That’s pretty reasonable.” Barbara takes a sip of her tea.

They sit in silence and enjoy the rest of their meal. Afterwards, Lindsey heads to bed for the night, while Barbara works on some paperwork.

“Lindsey, time to get up.” Barbara walks into Lindsey’s bedroom to wake her up.

Lindsey peeks out from under her blanket at her mother “do I have too?”

“Yes, you need to get up, so you, Brenda, Krist and his Uncle can go and look at those buses today.” Barbara picks out a nice business suit
she bought for Lindsey to wear.

She gets all the undergarments out and lay them out for her daughter. She grabs her good pair of heels that match the business suit.

“Come on sleepy head.” Barbara moves the blanket off Lindsey.

Lindsey just looks at her mother and slowly get out of bed. She was still sore and tired from playing out in the sun yesterday. She stumbles out of her bedroom and to bathroom. When she gets back in her bedroom, she starts getting dress in the outfit her mother laid out for her.

Since she was representing the band. She needed to make an impression. Lindsey walks into the kitchen and grab some breakfast before Krist, Brenda, and Krist Uncle show-up.

Just as she comes from brushing her teeth, she hears a car honking.

Lindsey grabs her purse on the way out “bye mom.”

When Lindsey walks outside, she notices a black old-style Mustang fastback. She walks up to the car.

“Lindsey this is my Uncle Joe Liggermen. Uncle Joe, this is Lindsey Weathers. She’s one of the band members.”

“It’s nice to meet you Lindsey. Do you have the address to where we are going?”

“Yes sir, here you go.” Lindsey hands the printout to Joe. She climbs into the back of the car, next to Brenda.

“Hey Lindsey.” Brenda slides over, so Lindsey could get in the back with her.

"Hey Brenda." As Lindsey sits down next to her.

“So, what type of music does your band play, Lindsey?” Joe looks in the rear-view mirror at Lindsey.

“Steampunk, soft rock, hard rock, pop rock, some country. We’re more of an eccentric type of band.” Lindsey knew it hurt them some, but it
gave them several genres to fit into.

“Have you guys been played over the radio?” Joe couldn’t recall if he heard them before.

“Yes sir. Station 96.5 FM played some of our songs after the interview we had.”

“And recently several more stations have requested to play their music.” Brenda had kept that secret from the band.

Lindsey looks at Brenda “they have?”

“Yep, I’ve been contacted by several stations for some of you guys music. They have been getting request, but since you guys don’t sell your records in stores and such. They tracked you down on the band’s social media sites.” Brenda was rather proud that the band was doing good.

“Man, I didn’t know that. Wait, till the guys find out.” Lindsey was pleased they were doing so good.

“What do you know about this bus we’re going to look at?” Joe would like to know more about it.

“Well, it uses to belong to an entertainment company. They traded it in for a newer model and they have all the repair records.”

“What type of fuel does it take?” Krist was curious.

“Diesel.”

“Does it have a co-pilot seat?”

“Nope, it has a folding door where the passenger seat would be.” Lindsey brought the pictures of it up on her phone.

“Here Krist, here are some pictures of the bus.” Lindsey hands him her phone.

Krist looks at the pictures of the inside and notices there was a pole in the middle of the bus. A smirk appears on his face as he imagines Lindsey, Maxine and Kaja pole dance in the back.

“Well, it doesn’t look to bad and we won’t have to do to much work on the inside of it. We can either keep those neon lights or remove them.”

“I think the band should talk about that. I wouldn’t mind our logo on the outside of the but, then we have to worry about people recognizing us.”

“That could work to you guys advantage.” Brenda figures it might draw more business to them.

“I know, but it could draw attention to us from people stalking us as well.” Lindsey didn’t want that to happen to them.

They finally arrive at Belaire Bus and Van world. The sales person that Lindsey email was on the lot. He showed them the two Lindsey had inquired about. The second one that had less miles, had a hole where something had been mounted, but was removed. The sales man had three more they could look at.

Lindsey, Krist, Brenda and Joe examined each of the five and narrowed their choices down to three. One could hold 22 people and had 250,000 miles on it. The next one had 185,000 miles and could hold 16 people on it and the last one which Lindsey had inquired about could hold 18 people and had 210,000 miles. The sales man was willing to come down to $14,000.00 for it. The others were $20,000 and the next one was going for $18,000.00.

“What do you think Joe?” Lindsey looks at him as he closes the hood of the last one.

“All of them are sound and just need a simple tune-up. As for the inside, you just need to do some repairs to some of the fabrics and steam clean the seats.”

“Krist what are your thoughts, since you’ll be driving it?” Lindsey looks towards him.

“Either of them would be fine. How much would insurance cost if you get the 22-seater?” Krist knew Lindsey had gotten a quote.

“Add additional five hundred to the quote.”

Lindsey looks towards the sales person “can you come down $2,000.00 if we buy it?”

“Are you financing it?”

“No sir. We’re paying for it today by company check.” Brenda brought the company checkbook.

The sales man looks at the people gather around him and at the 22-seater. He didn’t have much money invested in it. He has only had a few people interested in it.

“Alright, I’ll knock $2,000.00 off today.”

“Thank you.”

Brenda and the sales man finishes the sale and put the temp tags on it, till the custom ones come in. Lindsey walks over and climb aboard the bus. Krist got behind the driver seat and started it up.

“Uncle Joe, we are going to have to stop and fill up.”

“Okay, Krist.” Joe follows his nephew to the nearest gas station to fill up.

Lindsey pays for Joe’s gas and gives him $200.00 dollars for coming with them and going over the bus. They take the bus back to Joe’s garage, so he could do a tune-up and have new tires installed on it.

Brenda driven her car over to Krist place, where his uncle picked them up. So, she went back there. They drop Lindsey off at home.

“I’m home mom.” As Lindsey walks into the house and hear moaning sounds coming from her mother’s bedroom.

Lindsey looks back outside and spots Greg’s car parked across the street from their house. Lindsey just smirks as she heads to her bedroom to change and then to her music room to work on some music.

Lindsey looks at all the members of the band as they sat around the dining room table at Terry and Jamie’s place. She had several layouts that were drawn by a small company that would do the work inside the band bus.

“What do you guys think?” She had six different drawings.

“Can we afford the cost?” Jamie looks towards Lindsey.

“According to Brenda, we have the money set aside to cover the cost for the redecoration.” Lindsey shows the guys the bank account for the band.

The guys look through the drawings. Some of them gave them a bigger storage space, by removing a few of the couches and bring the back wall further up. They could keep their instruments inside the bus instead of in the trailer Terry’s parents were letting them have. One drawing had a bathroom in the back of the bus.

“Well, what do you guys think?” Lindsey watches as the guys move the pictures around.

“If we go with having a bathroom. We won’t need to stop when we are traveling.” Ian looks towards the others.

“Yea, but who’s going to clean it?” Lindsey looks at the guys. She knows how easy guys can miss the mark.

“We’ll take turns. So, we're going with drawing number three. We’ll have storage under the seats, the seat belts we’ll need and a bathroom. Plus, a few dorm room style refrigerators?”

“Will the current inverter be able to handle the dorm room refrigerators.” Jamie looks towards Lindsey since she was handling the upgrades to the bus.

“I’ll ask Mr. Liggermen. He did say that the engine and transmission were in good working order. He’s changing all the filters, tires, giving it a tune-up and putting new brakes on. He ordered the new tires and they will be delivered tomorrow.”

“Are we keeping the dance poles?” Ian looks towards Terry since he was the leader of the band.

“As much as I would like to see Lindsey, Kaja, and Maxine dance in the bus. I think we should have them removed.” Terry had a teasing look on his face when he looks over towards Lindsey.

“If you think I was going to dance for you guys. You are sadly mistaken.” Lindsey knew how the guys were.

“Oh, come on Lindsey, you’ll have company.” Jamie figures Maxine would, but didn’t know if Kaja would. He knew his girlfriend would.

“No. Now, we need to set-up auditions to replace Dan.” Lindsey wanted to see if Jamie knew anyone.

“I might know a few people.” Jamie has been approached by a few people that wanted to join the band.

“I’ll do some looking around as well. I know a few people that would be a good addition to our band.” Lindsey was thinking about a certain
piano player that recently started coming to the LGBTQ center she goes too when she has time.

“Is there anything else we need to talk about?” Terry looks at everyone.

“Yes, the city council would like for us to play for the city one day next month. They are doing music in the park and they approached Brenda about us playing.” Lindsey has been working with Brenda lately to learn the management portion of the band.

“Are we getting paid for it?” Terry was curious.

“Nope, it would be a freebie for the city. They aren’t charging the citizens anything, except the drinks and snacks.” Lindsey watches everyone’s expression.

“Can we still sell our merchandise?” Jamie knew they have been making a nice profit from the sale of their merchandise.

“Yes, we can still sell our merchandise.” Lindsey had checked on that with Brenda.

“I don’t see why we can’t play. It will give us exposer” Jamie didn’t mind playing for the city.

“You know once we play. People will start recognizing us.” Ian knew a few people already recognized him a few times.

“It’s part of who we are or going to be, Ian. I know, I don’t want people to know much about us, but we did do an interview on the Good Morning George Burstock show at WNNX Radio station.” Lindsey has run into a few people that remember her voice from the radio interview and the news shot of them playing at the convention.

“How many gigs do we still have to do this month?” Terry knew school was going to be starting soon for Lindsey, Ian, and his brother.

“We have a gig in Virginia Beach, at the Rainbow Cactus and at a club in Newport News called The Alley. The work on the bus should be done by then, but just in case it isn’t. We can rent an SUV to take there.” Lindsey priced how much one would cost them. She also booked hotel rooms for them for the days they were going to play in Virginia Beach and Newport News.

“What gigs do we have after that?” Jamie wanted to spend some time with his girlfriend.

“We haven’t heard back from the contest organizers yet. As for other gigs, nothing until, the music in the park deal. We will have two whole weeks off to relax.” Lindsey knew they will need it to get ready for school.

“How about once school starts?” Lindsey and Jamie remember something about a concert.

“You mean the opening act job we were supposed to get?” Terry smiles when he says that.

“You mean we have it?” Everyone looks towards Terry for an answer.

“Yes, we have it and they will be in town next week. So, we need to get our replacement player and up to speed by then.” Terry was waiting to
spring this on everyone.

“That is short notice.” Ian looks at Terry.

“Look, I know it’s short notice. The booking agency wasn’t sure they wanted to use us until they came to one of our gigs and heard us. So, now we have that gig.” Terry looks at everyone present.

“What day is the concert and where is it being held?” Everyone was curious.

“It’s Wednesday, in Charlotte NC. At the Charlotte Metro Credit Union Uptown Amphitheatre.” Terry had all the information for them.

“That doesn’t give us much time to find and teach a new person.”

“I know, that’s pushing it. If we must, we can just go on ourselves, but I’m confident we can teach whoever we find in time.”

“But we have a gig this weekend.” Lindsey knew it was going to take time to teach a new person.

“Well if there isn’t anything else to talk about. The band meeting is over.” Everyone gets up and starts leaving.

“So, you still want to catch lunch and a movie, Lindsey?” Ian knew that was the plan him and Lindsey had after the meeting.

“You bet. I already informed my mother we were going out.” Lindsey smile as her and Ian head towards his mother’s car.

Terry and Jamie stand and watch them “do you think it will get any more serious between them?”

“Who knows little brother.” As the two of them head back into the house.

“God! How hot is it?” Ian looks at the thermometer mounted on the wall in the garage.

“It’s 100 degrees out here.” Jamie wipes away the sweat beading on his forehead.

“How many more people do we have to audition?” Lindsey takes a sip from her water bottle.

They have been at it since 9 o’clock auditioning people. Some were good, and some were just out there. They couldn’t keep time with Ian or they tried to showboat. Some couldn’t even sing or carry a tune.

“We have two more to go, before we have to start practicing for the upcoming concert.” Terry looks at the list he made of people who had gotten back to them.

The next person that showed up for auditions, did alright. He managed to keep up with Ian and was able to follow along with them as they played. His name was Jermaine and could play any guitar they had. He preferred to play bass, but Terry played bass.

“Thanks for coming Jermaine, we’ll call you tonight to let you know our decision.” Jamie watches as he leaves.

“Well, what do you guys think?” Jamie looks at everyone to gauge their assessment.

“He was good on the guitar, but we need someone that can trade up with me when I switch instruments.” Lindsey knew they had to use the other instruments in the songs they played.

Tessa looks at the address Lindsey sent her for the audition. They had met up at the LGBTQ center and talked. At first, Tessa thought Lindsey was a natural girl, with the way she looked. She didn’t know she was like her. Lindsey had shared some of her stories about the different foster homes she had lived in and how her foster parents dealt with having a transgender child.

It was just her mother and her living together. Her father had run off with a younger girl. He also couldn’t deal with his only son being different. Her mom worked three jobs to support them and she worked part-time at the local pizza joint. The manager was nice to her. He gave her the time off to come and to audition for the band.

Tessa pulls up into the driveway where she notices the garage door was opened and everyone was sitting around waiting for her. She turns her scooter off and takes her helmet off.

“Sorry, for keeping you waiting.” As she walks into the garage.

“You’re fine Tessa. Let me show you my keyboard.” Lindsey shows Tessa her keyboard. She gives her a quick rundown on how it worked.

“So, do you think you can play this?” Lindsey looks towards Tessa.

A smile appears on Tessa’s face “I think I can play it.”

“Good, I’m going to go over here and play the guitar. Let’s play Run Away.” Lindsey knew it was written just for the keyboard.

Lindsey picks up the spare guitar and starts off the song. She left the sheet music the song was written on at her keyboard, so Tessa could play. Lindsey watches and listens to the song as Tessa played.

Tessa followed along with the band and was getting into the spirit of the song. She starts singing as she played. She loved the rhythm of the song and how the lyrics flowed with the music. She even starts to dance as they played.

Lindsey and the guys noticed how Tessa was responding to the music. Lindsey changes the tune some and listen as Tessa noticed what she did and adjusted the way she played the synthesizer. She looks over towards Lindsey with a smile on her face.

Lindsey just smiles back and changes up the tune one more time. She listens as Tessa catches on and adjust her playing. They finally come to the end of the song and look at the guys.

Ian nods his head yes. She looks at Terry and Jamie and they nod their heads yes. She looks towards Tessa.

“Welcome to the band, Tessa. You might want to tell your mother and your boss at the pizza joint that we need you for a gig this weekend down in Virginia Beach and in Newport News. We also need you on Wednesday of next week as well. We’re the opening act for Pallbearer.” Terry had finally informed them who they were opening for.

Tessa looks at everyone “I can’t afford the cost.”

A grin appears on Lindsey’s face “we pay for everything, Tessa. Plus, you get a share of the profits as well. Your mother can come along with us.”

“When are you guys leaving for the trip?” Tessa knows she needed to inform her manager and mom.

“We start loading the bus, on Thursday night and leave early Friday morning. For the trip to Charlotte, we’ll pack everything Tuesday and leave
that night.” Lindsey knew how Krist likes to leave early.

They were going to take their new bus. The crew that did the remodeling of the interior of the bus had done a good job. It was ready and had everything they had wanted inside of it.

Tessa didn’t know what to say to everyone. She had tears sliding down her cheeks. She wipes them away.

“I think we better call Jermaine as well. He can play the guitar parts that Dan and I played.” Lindsey had been thinking about adding a second synthesizer player to the band.

“What are you thinking Lindsey?” Terry looks over towards Lindsey.

“I figure we can have two keyboard players and our normal guitar player. That will still free me to play the saxophone and the other instruments.”

“That makes sense. I’ll call Jermaine after we finish practicing.” Jamie knew the guy and was hoping the band would add him.

“Sounds good, let’s get to practicing.” Terry hopes they will be ready for the gigs and the concert.

They continue to practice for the next few hours. Lindsey gives Tessa a USB drive that has all their music on it, including the sheet music she could practice at home. Lindsey knew Tessa had a baby grand piano at home that use to belong to the lady that taught her to play the piano. Lindsey had seen it when she went over to the apartment Tessa lived in.

Tessa pulls Lindsey aside to ask her something “Lindsey, will the guys mind that I’m trans?”

Lindsey looks at her and could tell she was scared “the guys could care less. All they care about is how well you play. Now, why don’t we go and get you a costume for you to wear at the gigs and for the concert.”

“Is it okay if I leave my scooter here?” Tessa was worried about her scooter.

“It will be okay. My mom is coming to get us and after we finish shopping. We’ll come back and get your scooter.” Lindsey knew Mr. and Mrs.
Knotts wouldn't mind Tessa’s scooter being stored in the garage.

Lindsey slowly started to wake-up. She felt a slender arm holding her waist and someone spooned against her body. She turns her head to see who was holding her and notices it was Kaja that was holding and spooned against her. The two of them were used to sharing a bed together. Lindsey goes to remove Kaja’s arm, but she pulls her closer to her body.

“Kaja, I have to go and pee.” Lindsey knew Kaja didn’t like it when she got off the bed.

Kaja releases Lindsey and turns to face the other bed.

Lindsey gets up and looks over at the other bed. She notices Tessa was curled up against Maxine. She knew Maxine swung both ways and didn’t care. She heads towards the bathroom. They had played last night in Virginia Beach and had a gig tonight in Newport News. Tessa did well last night and so did Jermaine All the extra practice they had been doing to bring everyone up to date on their songs worked out perfectly.

Once she finishes doing her business in the bathroom and washing her hands. She pulls her laptop out and sits on the bed checking her emails and social accounts. She couldn’t believe some of the emails or comments people sent her. Once she got through the junk, she responds to the ones that she knew personally and ones that just wanted a simple answer to a question.

Once she is done with the email and comments. She changes her clothes and goes for a swim. The hotel they were staying at was the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, in Newport News, VA. Their gig tonight was at The Alley. The gig they did at the Rainbow Cactus last night netted them a nice profit.

The Alley was a bigger place and they didn’t go on till 9:00 at night. As she does her morning laps, she hears her cell phone ringing by the pool edge. She climbs out and walks over to see who was calling her.

When she looks at the number, it was Terry calling her. She answers the phone “what’s up, Terry?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m down in the pool doing my morning laps. Why? What’s up?”

“We’re having a band meeting at breakfast. I just got some good news. So, hurry up and finish your laps. Meet me and everyone in the restaurant.”

“Okay, I’ll leave right now and go and clean up.”

“Okay, bye.” Terry ends the call to Lindsey.

Lindsey gathers her things and heads back to her room. Everyone was awake and getting dress when she walked in.

“Maxine, can you zip me up please?” Tessa had on a nice gray sleeveless sheath dress with black heels.

Maxine turns around and zips Tessa’s dress for her.

“Thanks, Maxine.” Tessa slips her shoes on.

Lindsey hops into the shower and takes a quick shower. By the time she comes out of the shower, the only person left in the room was Kaja.
She watches as Lindsey gets dress in an open shoulder shirt and leggings. She brushes out her hair and put on some simple jewelry she picked up. Her and Kaja leave the room and head downstairs to the restaurant. When the two of them walk over to the table. They noticed
Terry was excited. The Knotts and Ian’s mother was joining them.

“Guys and gals, we won the songwriting contest and they want us to come down and play the song I submitted to the contest.” Terry couldn’t believe they had been picked.

“No way, we won the contest?” Lindsey couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, we won. So, after we do the concert. We need to fly to Nashville, Tennessee. Everything is paid for, so its no money out of our pocket.”
Terry couldn’t believe it. He just got the call this morning.

“What are you talking about?” Tessa and Jermaine were curious about what Terry was talking about.

“Terry entered one of our songs in a songwriters contest. The winner gets to perform their song live in Nashville, Tennessee and win the Grand
Prize which is $5,000.00 dollars. All accommodations and travel expenses are paid for. Plus, there’s a chance we could be offered a recorded deal.” Lindsey had looked the contest up.

“You mean we're going to be performing the song before a huge crowd?” Tessa looked nervous.

“Yep, before a huge crowd and on television as well.” Lindsey had looked up past winners.

“Think of it as practice when we perform in the park.” Ian was looking towards Tessa and Jermaine.

“We’re leaving after the concert?” Kaja and Maxine had overheard Lindsey.

Terry looks towards everyone “yes, we are leaving after the concert. So, make sure your luggage and instruments are secure.”

“How long are we going to be gone?” Tessa needed to inform her mother and boss at the pizza parlor.

“Since the concert is Wednesday, the presentation is on Saturday. I would say we will be back on the following Monday.” Terry knew that they were going to be needed to practice the song.

They play at The Alley and finishes up at 1:00 A.M in the morning. Instead of going back to their hotel room, they decided to leave and head back to Warrenton, Georgia. Ian’s mother gives Lindsey a ride home. Maxine gives Kaja and Tessa a ride home. The Knotts give Jermaine a ride home. Krist was keeping the band bus at his house.

Lindsey walks into her home. Barbara had just left to go to work. Lindsey heads towards her bedroom and lays down for a while. She did get some sleep on the bus.

Tessa’s Place:
As soon as Tessa got home. She took a shower and got redress. She was going to go and inform her boss about the contest the band had won.

She walks into the Pizza parlor “welcome to Bello’s Pizza, how can we help you?” Becky comes walking out of the kitchen area.

“Tessa, how was the performance?” Becky gives Tessa a hug.

Tessa returns the hug “it was intense. I was scared at first, but once we started playing. I managed to block everyone out.”

“I wish I there to hear you guys play. So, what brings you in today?” Becky walks with Tessa to the kitchen.

“I wanted to tell Stefano that I won’t be available to next Monday. We got a concert on Wednesday and directly after the concert, we have to fly out to do a performance for a contest we won in Nashville, Tennessee.” Tessa hopes she’ll be able to honor the band.

“Wow! What type of contest was it?” Becky was curious.

“It was a songwriting contest that Terry had entered one of their songs in. We won first place. Since we won, we have to perform our song before a huge crowd.” Tessa was a little nervous.

“Wow, I get to brag I knew you before you became famous.” Becky looks at her friend. She knew how hard things were for her.

“Thanks. So, is Stefano in?” Tessa wanted to make sure she told him.

“He won’t be in till later. I’ll tell him when he gets in, but just call up here later.” Becky will make sure to let Stefano know.

“Thanks, Becky.” Tessa gives her a hug.

“Any time, Tessa.” Becky returns the hug.

Tessa heads down to where her mother work to tell her.

Lindsey and the rest of the band were excited and scared as they prepared to go on stage. All the parents were coming with them. All the members of the band were coming as well. All the girls had gotten together and gone and had their hair, nails, toenails, and everything done.
The guys did the same thing.

They all had new outfits for the concert and performance. All the instruments were polished and shiny. They arrived in Charlotte early and set-up.They were informed that there was a green room where they could get refreshments and party with the headliner after their performance if they wanted too.

Ian was playing the drums shirtless during the performance. Jermaine, Terry, and Jamie were decked out in new costumes, that made them look dashing. Lindsey and Tessa were wearing fishnets stocking and dress in similar clothes. Different style, but similar in design.
Kaja and Maxine were dressed to the nines as well. Brenda their manager and lawyer were there with them. She was going with them to
Nashville, Tennessee.

Tessa asked if she could give a few friends of hers, backstage passes. Terry didn’t see any reasons why she couldn’t and arranged for everyone to have a few to give out if they wanted too. It wouldn’t be the first time they have let some of their friends hang out with them during a performance.

Charlotte, N.C.:
When it was time to go on, they walk out onto the stage and jump right into their first song. Tessa and Jermaine couldn’t believe they were playing in front of so many people. They were into the groove as they performed. They went from one song to the next song. They played fifteen songs altogether and when the crowd started chanting “Encore! Encore! Encore!”

They played three more songs before they had to leave the stage. They headed towards the green room, to grab something cold to drink. All their family was proud of them. Tessa spotted her friend Becky. She runs towards her and hugs her.

Becky had received a letter from Tessa along with a back-stage pass for her. She couldn’t believe that Tessa had planned for her to come to the concert and left her a backstage pass. She also couldn’t believe she was in the green room partying with the band either. She knew they had to leave to head towards Nashville, Tennessee for their award.

Tessa spots her friend and heads over towards her. She so wanted to have her friend here for their performance and would love to have her in Nashville, but she knew that wouldn’t be possible. The award community would only pay for the band and their parents. Also, Stefano wouldn’t give Becky the day off.

The band stays for awhile partying with their friends. They enjoy the other band they came to cover for. Once the other band was partway through, Dusty Gasket leaves to catch their flight to Nashville.

At the airport, Krist, Maxine, and Kaja make sure all the instruments, sound equipment, merchandise is loaded and protected before loading into the plane. Lindsey, Tessa, Ian, Terry, Jamie, and Jermaine take their instruments with them on the flight. Lindsey and Tessa had her keyboards, saxophone, and guitar with them. Ian’s drums were packed up with all the other equipment. He helped the girls with their instruments and luggage.

All the parents of the band were with them. Tessa’s mother was able to get the time off to spend with her daughter after she informed her bosses that her daughter and the band she had joined was going to be on television. Jermaine and his parents were excited about him as well. Lindsey knew Barbara was proud of her.

Nashville, Tennessee:
They fly into Nashville late and are taken from the airport to their hotel. They check into their rooms tired from playing and the flight. Each band member shared a room with their parents that came. Those parents that didn’t come with a band member, shared a room with one of the band members with family.

A representative from the awards community meets with the band. They go over what is going to transpire and are informed that they will be allowed to do a sound check before they will have to perform their song.

Brenda, Kaja, and Terry meet with the organizers and some record executives that would like to sign the band. Kaja has been their merchandise manager and seller. She wants to have final say over anything that has been copyrighted by her and produces for. Terry was the owner of the band and Brenda was their manager and lawyer.

The law firm that Brenda worked for made her a partner and has taken an interest in the band. They were thinking about taking on more bands as clients. Brenda would be handling them.

“You ready to be famous, Tessa?” Lindsey knew that after this gig and the gig they did at Charlotte was going to put them on the radar.

Tessa looks at Lindsey “I knew you guys were popular. That’s why I wanted to join the band. Plus, you gave me a chance to prove that people like us are capable of doing things like anyone else.”

“I hope you and Jermaine are ready for this. I know I’m nervous about playing on television.” Lindsey had glanced over to look at Jermaine as he, Jamie and Terry were working out some moves to do on stage.

“You, nervous? You don’t show it when you are playing.” Tessa had watched Lindsey when she played. She was in tuned with the music and dancing as she played.

“I’ve learned to cover my nervousness with our music as we played. I enjoy hearing the notes and rhythm like I do when I am writing the music.” Lindsey loves when she hears the music after she puts everything together.

Tessa smiles and wonders what it was going to be like. Later, they do a sound check and head out to dinner as a group. The organizers of the event were picking up the tab.

When they get back to their hotel. Lindsey tries to sleep, but she couldn’t. She gets up and takes her laptop out. She brings up her favorite music program and starts writing a song. She hopes that by burying herself into writing, that it will put her asleep.

Barbara wakes up and spots Lindsey typing away on her laptop with a set of headphones on. She was hymning a tune as she typed it into her laptop. She reaches over and taps Lindsey on the shoulder.

Lindsey stops what she is doing and turns her head to see who just tapped her on her shoulder. She spots her mother looking at her. She removes her headphones “sorry mom. I couldn’t sleep.”

“That’s alright sweetie. I think most of your band members are like that.” She glances over and spots Tessa watching them. Tessa and her mother were sharing the bedroom with Lindsey and her mother.

Lindsey looks in the same direction as her mother and spot Tessa looking at them.

“You too?” Lindsey notices that Tessa was wide awake as well.

“Yep, I can’t sleep either.” Tessa stays still so she didn’t wake her mother.

“You girls need to get some sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow. “Barbara looks at both girls with motherly concern for them.

“We know mom.” Lindsey saves what she was working on and shuts down her laptop.

She puts her laptop away and crawls in next to her mother. She snuggles again her mother and tries to fall asleep. She feels her mother wrap her arms around her.

“Sweet dreams Lindsey.” Barbara just holds her.

"Night mom." Lindsey closes her eyes as she relaxes against her mother.

Terry, Lindsey, Tessa, Jamie, Jermaine, Maxine, and Ian were all nervous as they waited backstage to go on. They managed to get a rehearsal in before they were supposed to play. They had to do some retuning of their instruments. The humidity outside where they were playing, had affected their guitars and drums.

Once the instruments were right. They changed into their outfits. They decided to go with their Steampunk outfits. Jermaine’s was different than Terry’s or what Dan’s use to look like. Tessa’s outfit was different than Lindsey’s. Where Lindsey’s was leathers and dark colors. Tessa’s was white color, leather corset, fishnet stocks, and three-inch heels leather boots.

Maxine was dress in a gothic style dress with ruffles that leaves the front opened but covered her side and behind her legs. She was going to be present adjusting their sound and adding their special effects in. She wanted to have her own style different than Lindsey and Tessa.

The organizers of the event loved their retro look. As they get ready to go out and perform. Tessa stops and tries to gather her nerves.

“You’ll be fine, Tessa.” Lindsey walked up behind her and places her hand on her shoulder.

“I know, it’s finally sinking in.” She has never been the type of person to seek attention.

“Let’s go and rock this joint, Tessa.” They go out and start playing when they are announced.

Tessa and Lindsey start dancing at their synthesizers and the guys try to up one another on the guitars while keeping with the music. Ian was sweating his ass off. The lights shining on him glistened off his naked chest.

When it was time for Lindsey to use her saxophone. She puts everything into playing it right. She gives the guys a run for their money as she joins them in one song. By the time they are done playing, there was a loud applause.

Even some of the other performers that were there. They couldn’t believe how a thirteen years old girl could sound like one of the greatest sax players around. The band was asked to play one more of their songs, so they chose anvil and hammer. It was a drum-heavy piece and Ian showed off his drumming skills. The applause after that piece was louder than the first one.

When they finally exit the stage and went to the after party. They socialized with some of Nashville’s best. Lindsey was complimented on her saxophone playing. Pictures were taken of them as a group in Steampunk outfits. A few record producers were setting up appointments with Brenda.

They stay in Nashville for a few days and do some school shopping. Everywhere they went, they were noticed, and people wanted their autographs. They finally head back to Warrenton, Georgia.

Krist was waiting for them at the airport, along with several of their schoolmates and friends. They take the band’s van back and drop each band member off at their house. All their sound equipment was going back to Terry’s and Jamie’s place. They still needed to find a studio of their own.

Lindsey was happy to be home. Barbara helps her with all her instruments and take them to the spare bedroom. She also helps her take all her dirty laundry and put them in the washer.

Her stage outfit is set aside to be dropped off at the cleaners. The band had an account with one of the local cleaners that took care of their outfits. Lindsey made sure that Tessa and Jermaine knew.

Lindsey gets everything prepared for the start of school This year she was going to be in tenth grade and she had all AP classes like she did last year. There was a message for her from her band teacher, Mr. Simmons. He wanted her to come in early to speak to her. It was about the music she gave him last school year.

“I wonder what Mr. Simmons wants,” Lindsey remembered giving Mr. Simmons some music from her and Ian.

“Well, you could find out, Lindsey. Now, why don’t you get ready for bed? You have school tomorrow.” Barbara knew Lindsey and the other
band members are going to be happy to go back to school.

“Okay, mom.” Lindsey gives her mother a hug, before getting ready for bed.

Tessa’s Place:
Tessa was so glad to be back home and set the synthesizer up the band got her from the music store. Now, she had the piano in the living room to play on and the synthesizer. She was so excited by their performance that she didn’t know if she would be able to sleep. She knew she needed to because she had school tomorrow.

“Well, sweetie. It looks like you’re on the road to the big times.” Carol looks at her daughter as she was stripping out of her costume. She had to admit, it looked nice on her.

Tessa looks towards her mother “it’s because of you, mom. I was born with your gift.” She walks over and hugs her mother.

“No baby, you were born with your own gift. I was born to sing, you were born to play the piano.” Carol never regretted not going professional with her singing.

She became pregnant with Tessa after prom. After Tessa was born, her husband left her and Tessa. Which put them in a bad spot. Her parents wouldn’t help, so she had to raise Tessa on her own. She worked three jobs to provide for Tessa and herself. Now, her baby was off to the big times.

Tessa just holds her mother for a while. Carol hugs her daughter back.

“Now off to bed with you sweetheart.” Carol places a kiss on Tessa’s cheek and send her off to bed.

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