“Lucy, open your eyes.
The voice came from a great distance. She tried to follow it, but it slipped away. If it would only speak again, she might be able to find it. She felt as if she were turning in circles. Why was it hiding from her?
Tears rolled down the side of her face. Her head ached; her body throbbed. The pain traveled down her hips and legs--radiating, pounding, burning. Where are you? Her mind screamed. I can’t find you!
“You’re crying,” the voice whispered. “I believe you can hear me, Lucy.”
I can hear you! Why can’t I see you?
“Listen to my voice. Follow my voice. You can wake up; you know you can. Follow my voice.”
Lucy searched for a sign to follow. There was only darkness at every turn. She wanted to give up and surrender completely to it. She was too tired to fight anymore. She didn’t have the strength.
Wait. She thought she saw a faint light. Yes, there it is. It must be where the voice is coming from. She gathered all the energy she could muster and held it tight. With the first step, she started toward the light.
The next thing she knew, her eyes opened. The bright light was the beam of a small flashlight shining in her eyes.
Stop! Too bright! she tried to say, but only a squeak emerged from her throat. The light disappeared, and a face came into view.
“Hello, Lucy.”
She blinked several times before her vision cleared, and she could see without the blurry images. Where am I, she tried to say, but again her words were only a squeak.
“You’re in the hospital. The bus you were on was in an accident. Do you remember?”
Lucy blinked her eyes.
“That’s good. If you remember that much, then you’re home free. Try to get some more rest. I’ll let your doctor know that you’ve woken up. How’s that?”
Lucy blinked her eyes again. Then she closed them and fell back into the darkness.
When she opened her eyes again, the room was dim. She could see little green lights. They went up and down on a screen beside her bed. She watched them for a moment, then turned her head.
A sharp pain stabbed her on the right side of her skull. She reached a hand up and felt the bandages wrapped around her cranium. The right side of her head was dressed entirely in the gauze. On the other, her hair was gone.
“Arg!” she cried. She fought against the straps that held her down. The heart monitor where she was attached started to beep, the green waves moving erratically. She couldn’t scream. Something was stuck in her throat.
Her door opened, and a male nurse in colorful scrubs rushed into the room. “What’s the matter, Sweetheart?” he asked. “There’s nothing wrong here. Let’s calm down a little bit.”
She shook her head, her hand touching the side that had been shaved bald.
Oh, that’s what it is?” he asked. “Don’t panic, Sweetheart. We had to. It will grow back.”
The tears formed in her eyes and rolled down to the pillow, leaving small trails of dampness.
“Oh, Darlin,’ don’t cry.” He pulled a Kleenex from the box on her nightstand and dabbed at her eyes. “Don’t you know? You’re still beautiful. Those green eyes of yours will attract any man that’s brave enough to approach you.”
Lucy smiled through her tears.
“That’s what I want to see. You keep smiling. I’m going to find your doctor. He can take that ventilator out of you so we can have a decent conversation. How’s that?”
She blinked, her eyes following him as he left the room.
***
The stomping feet and clapping hands sounded like thunder. Rob could feel the pounding from the audience reverberating in his chest.
His stomach wouldn’t settle down. He hadn’t been able to eat anything since the day before. Every time he tried, he would run to the bathroom and throw it up.
He leaned over and vomited again into the toilet.
“You okay in there, Rob?” DeWayne’s voice drifted to him through the door.
“No,” Rob answered in a weak voice.
“I’m coming in. You’re just about out of time.” As soon as the words left D’s mouth, Rob started to retch into the toilet again. Why did everyone have to keep reminding him that he was almost out of time? Any reminders weren’t necessary. What he needed was a drink.
“Holy Christ,” DeWayne swore as he entered the room. “Look at you. You’re a fucking mess.”
Rob lowered his head and was sick once more. “I can’t do it,” he whispered. “I’ll just make a fool out of myself.”
“And you worry about that, why?” he asked. He bent and grabbed Rob under the shoulders and lifted him to his feet. “Come on,” he said. “I know what you need.”
DeWayne flushed the toilet, put the seat down, and perched Rob on it. Assessing his situation through narrowed eyes, he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small bottle. He opened the lid and shook a blue pill into Rob’s hand.
“Take this,” he ordered. “Brown thought you might work yourself into this condition.”
Instead of giving Rob a glass of water, he opened a small cupboard door, pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels and a can of Coke. He mixed Rob a quick drink and handed it to him.
“Drink,” he said. Rob’s eyes widened, and he smiled gratefully up at DeWayne, popped the pill into his mouth, and downed the drink in one gulp. He handed the glass back to DeWayne.
“I’m not going to ask how you snuck that in here,” Rob chuckled. “but can I have one more?”
“Maybe a small one,” he said. “I’ll lose my job if you go on stage drunk.”
“You can’t lose your job,” Rob laughed. “I’m your boss, remember?”
“Oh, yea,” DeWayne grinned at him. “But I don’t want you pissed at me either.”
“I won’t get pissed,” Rob assured him. The whiskey and Valium were starting to work their magic. He felt his body relax. His stomach no longer wanted to heave. “You just saved my ass.”
DeWayne scratched at the whiskers he had decided to grow on the tour. “I’m sure it won’t be the last time.”
Getting Rob on his feet, DeWayne led him down the long corridor to the stage. Rob still felt nervous, but at least the Valium and Jack made it more controllable. He tried not to stagger his steps.
The lights on the stage were dazzling, blinding Rob to an audience of over twenty-thousand people. He tossed a quick glance over his shoulder in time to see D give him two thumbs-up off stage. His band members were smiling. They were hand-picked by Brown and were the best in the business.
Kate was already at her microphone, her body swaying to the music. Rob’s eyes traveled the length of her outfit. She wore a glossy sky-blue midriff top laced with sparkling sequins. Her pants were a shimmering dark navy, with sequins running down the sides of her legs. They were skin-tight, showing every curve of her voluptuous body. On her feet, she wore stilettos that matched the different shades of blues of her outfit. Her blonde hair she wore loose, letting it fall to just above her waist. She looked stunning.
When she saw him, she gave him a sultry wink, her full, red lips curving into a smile. He positioned himself at his microphone, slid the guitar from his back, and started to sing.
All the fear, the nervousness, the worry at that moment disappeared, and Rob could believe he was a star.
***
It was too warm in the dressing room, and the body heat from the crowd made it humid. Rob stood in the corner and shook hands with strangers, drank toasts with his band members, and was clapped on the shoulder until it hurt. His shirt was damp from sweating. His face grew numb from smiling.
He watched Larry nudge his way through the crowd. He clapped Rob on the shoulder, and Rob winced. “We did it, son!” he shouted above the din. “You’re a star! Now the world is your oyster!’
Rob laughed. “It doesn’t seem real.”
“Oh, it’s real. It’s very real. You’re going to be a rich man!” He toasted Rob. “And so am I!”
“I feel like I’m on top of the world right now!”
“It’s the high,” Larry confirmed. “Just remember this, kid, this high is better than any you can get on dope or booze. And as long as you stay focused, it will never let you down.”
Rob grinned at Larry’s back as he walked away, his mind contemplating what Larry said. It sounded like great advice. If only he could leave the Jack Daniels alone.
So lost in his thoughts, he didn’t see Kate standing before him until she waved the glass of champagne in front of his eyes.
“Yoo-Hoo, earth to Rob,” she said, waving the glass. “Are you in there, Mr. Rob Starr?”
He blinked several times to clear his vision, then bobbed his head. “Sorry,” he apologized.
“Still basking in the glow of your stardom?”
He chuckled. “That must be it, yeah.”
“Toast?” she asked, holding up the glass of champagne.
Rob took the glass she offered. “Toast,” he agreed, then tapped his glass against hers.
“You were terrific out there,” she said. “You’re a natural on stage. First time?”
“First time? Performing, you mean. No, I’ve been singing in front of people since I was ten years old.”
“Hm, and how old are you now?”
Rob hesitated, remembering how Lucy fainted when he told how her how old he was.
“Old enough,” he answered, then he raised his eyebrows. “What do you think?
“That kind of an answer can get you in trouble.”
“I’m a big boy.”
“I can see that. I have to make a confession.”
“A confession? What do you have to confess?”
Kate moved closer to Rob. She lowered her voice and said, “I’ve wanted to fuck you since the first time I saw you.”
He wasn’t sure he heard her right. He drew back, his eyes narrowed as he studied her to see if she was kidding.
“I’m not kidding,” she said as if she read his mind. She tipped her champagne glass and finished her drink. “That was good, I just might have another. You want one?”
Rob shook his head and watched her walk away.
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Hey, KL. Sounds like Kate will be trouble. I feel doubly bad for Lucy. Maybe that male nurse will be there when she loses Rob. Finally I recall DeWayne! How could've I forgotten him - unless it's just my poor amount of sleep...I hope that's all it is. Anyhow, D's a good guy; Rob was very wise in hiring him. One could argue that D's the one who should be cheered and on his way to wealth and fame...but I'm not downing Rob; he's going through the mill and he's no doubt very talented. Hopefully, the story will end with him and Lucy and D and ALL the good people in the story being OK!
CHEERS!!!!
Mike
Author
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I couldn't decide if I should call him DeWayne in the narrative and D when Rob talks to him. Or just stick with D all the way through. What do you think. Any advice on that?
He was a surprise to me when he showed up but I kind of like him! My characters just show up in my head, no wonder I don't sleep well at night! LOL
Thank you again! KL
mikejackson1127