Chapter seven

Chapter seven

Julie

After the shopping marathon, my week was pretty quiet. I rehearsed quite a lot the setlist of the show on the stage of After Dark that we would present on Friday. Daniel hadn't come back from the business trip yet, which reassured me. Rafe said he should only really come back on Saturday and didn't bring up any obstacle for me to rehearse at the bar. As they say, as soon as the cats get out, the rats throw the party!

Finally Friday arrived. In the afternoon, Jo and I go to a salon near After Dark to fix the hair and get the nails done. I put on denim shorts and a loose blouse that falls on the shoulder leaving it exposed. On the feet, flat sandals. I let my hair down, even though I can't fix it the way George did. Yet. Learning to groom myself is among one of my goals for the next few weeks. I hold the makeup case and apply mask on the eyelashes and a gloss.

When I finish, I look closely in the mirror and feel different. It's not just the clothes or the loose hair. It's like there's a different glow in my eyes. A greater awareness of who and what I am, and the certainty that I need to make changes to my life.

The loss of my parents in childhood was a huge impact on my life. The longing and sadness of not having them by my side knows no limit, of course. But more than that, the feeling of being alone in the world, of not having any blood bond with anyone else —even with the Stewarts being amazing people—and losing the key life references that a child may have inevitably influenced me to become the person I am today. Yes, I'm proud of myself, but I'm also fully aware that I need to work on my self-esteem.

As I look towards my reflection in the mirror, I see the face of a person eager for a life change. Of a woman reaching her maturity and achievement. And that awareness makes me feel safer.

With a sigh, I pick up my cell phone and call an Uber to go to Mary and Paul's. I arranged with Jo to have coffee there before we went to the salon.

In the car, I hear my stomach growling and I can barely contain a little smile. I didn’t eat anything beforehand, as Mary is one of those mothers who makes a point of feeding the family. And when I say feeding, I mean really stuffing up. It takes a 14-hour fast to be able to cope with your following breakfast. I don't know how none of us had problems with hormones in our teens.

As soon as I get out of the Uber I see Paul, who's already at the door waiting for me. I run up to him and he gives me a super hug.

"Julie, it’s been so long! We missed you.”

"Me too, Paul," I speak with a smile on my face, showing all the affection I feel for him.

"Let me see you. You’re looking beautiful!”

At this point, Jo comes out of the house and smiles.

"Dad, you didn't see anything. She sang at AD last week. George and I fixed her up and she turned out really hot. She didn't look the same person. Just look at it.”

To my surprise, she opens a picture on her cell phone that I hadn't even seen it had been taken. I recall the exact moment of the photo. I was backstage, next to the guys of the band. George had been kidding with me, talking rubbish, as usual, and I had a big smile. I am surprised by my expression of cheer joy in the photo.

"Jo, you're absolutely right," Paul agrees. "My dear, you look beautiful. Mary's going to be thrilled to see you like this.”

I smile again and hug him once more.

"But, daughters, did Daniel allow it?”

My heart gets warm every time Paul calls us daughters.

"Gee, Paul, that's a long story. Let's go inside and have coffee”, I say, pulling them both into the house.

***

We had a strong coffee made by Mary while we told everything about the show. After stuffing ourselves, Jo makes a sign that it's time to go.

"Oh, no, Jo. Let me stay quiet for a minute. I just wanna roll until I find a bed “, I say, moaning.

"None of that. You better find strength as we have to go to the salon. And we're still going to pick out your outfit”, she replies, pushing me on.

"Julie?” Mary calls me when I'm about to get up from the table. "Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Of course.” Would she be upset because I sang at AD and disobeyed Daniel?

We walk to the garden, where we can talk privately.

"You know I regard you as a daughter, don't you?”

"Yes, I know.”

"So I'm going to give you some advice your mother would give you.” I nod, feeling curious, but I cannot prevent the tears growing in my eyes. Just remembering my mother makes me feel a huge grip in my chest. "Although I regard you as a daughter, every day I thank God that you are not. I know about your feelings for Daniel. I see it in your eyes every time someone brings up my son's name, since you were a little girl. And I'm sure you're perfect for him. I wouldn't choose anyone better than you to take care of and love him”, she says, and this time, I can't hold back the tears, like the cheesy one that I am. "My advice to you is: believe in yourself and your potential. Have faith in love. And don't give up.”

I raise my eyebrow as I snuff. She laughs.

"It's not going to be easy. Neither to win your much deserved spot at After Dark, nor my son's heart. You have a long way ahead”, she squints her eyes. "Do make Daniel suffer a little bit, okay? Not much, I'm his mother and I don't want to see him devastated. It's just that he needs to wake up and understand that life isn't about one woman a day and taking care of the bar. And that you have every right to do whatever you want. To be whoever you want.”

We both laughed as I wipe away the tears, trying to piece myself back together. As we go back to the kitchen, I tell her:

"Mary?”

"Yes, dear?”

“Thank you. I love you.”

She smiles at me.

"I love you more.”

***

To my surprise, Jo marked a spa day for both of us. We start with a relaxing massage, ofuro tub bath and then relaxation with hot stones. I was so relaxed that my body seemed to float. I should have suspected. It was too good to be true.

"Miss Walsh? Tsuki, our beautician, is waiting for you in the waxing room. At the end of the hall on your left.”

"In what room?” I ask, with an open mouth. I'm not so sure I want to go through a torture session.

"Waxing. Your friend scheduled a full waxing session for you.”

I'm gonna kill that bit... Damn it. I cannot swear at Mary, not after today. But still, what Jo did wasn't cool.

I thank the lady and follow her directions. I knock on the door and a short Asian lady welcomes me with a reassuring smile.

"Miss Walsh, welcome. You can take your clothes off behind that screen and put on your robe. When you're ready, lie down on the gurney.”

I go where she indicated and change clothes. Boy, I'm really nervous!

I lie down on the gurney and wait for my torturer, I mean, epilator.

"Rest assured. It won't hurt at all," she says calmly, as if talking to a child.

"All right," I answer, without being able to draw up a complete sentence out of shear fear. "I've never done this before.”

"Let's start the Brazilian waxing, okay?”

"Okay...”, but what is that? It can’t be a good thing. Something seems wrong. I barely finish my thought as she opens my robe and applies the wax. Hold on a minute and...

“OAHHHH!” I scream in pain. Holy shit! She pulled it! I’m gonna kill Jo with the utmost cruelty.

“Madam Tsuki, well done, thank you.”

“No, no, no way. We still have a lot of work,” she pushes me back to the gurney and I just feel like I’ve been condemned to the gallows.

***

I reunite with my ex-best friend again in the manicure room. When she sees me with a red face and walking in a funny sort of way, she starts laughing.

“You can stop laughing. Right now, I hate you.”

“My friend, don’t be like that. This was for your own good. See it as a gift. Next time Alan decides to lick you, he may want to do it somewhere else, right?

“Johanna!” I shout. There. Now I really look like a red bell pepper.

“What! Imagine that you take a chance on him! Even though you still have Danny up there... Gee, I can’t think of my brother licking anybody!”

“Jo! Where did you come up with this stuff? Who’s been licking you around?”

It’s her turn to go purple. Caught red-handed!

“Me? Stop being silly. So one can no longer make a treat for a friend without raising your suspicion. Sit down as Mimi won't wait for you much longer.”

Mimi takes the cue and leads me to sit in the chair, handing me a suitcase full of colored glazes while she starts with my foot. After much fiddling, I choose a light pink.

"No way! You're not going to put that color on! If I let you paint the nails in pink, George will kill me.

"And what color would the madam suggest I paint my nails?” I ask, frowning.

"Lend me that.” She doesn't even wait. She gets the case out of my hand hard, making Mimi miss and get a steak off my foot. Oh, damn it. "Not this one...Neither that one... No...Here! Perfect!”

She extends a metallic red enamel, almost the color of a love apple.

"But it's so red.”

"Now you’re a new woman. Forget the pink and throw yourself in the red. You're going to look great in tonight’s dress. Don't come fighting, girlfriend. Take it.”

“All right.

I know it’s no use trying to argue.” I sit back on the chair while Mimi takes care of my feet. I try to relax by going over the songs for the show in my mind.

***

Once again and since Danny is away, I use his office as a makeshift dressing room.

This time around, I’m putting on an all-black glittering dress, with a back neckline so deep that I cannot wear a bra. My lingerie is nothing but thong panties in black lace which I bought while shopping with George. He just knew it. I needed a piece of lingerie that took care of my self-esteem.

High sandals and a pair of long earrings complement the look. Once again, my hair is loose, with large curls and the makeup enhances my eyes.

When I finish getting ready, I seize the emptiness of the room and think about my life. I need to toughen up and face Danny or just forget him for good. I know Alan’s very keen, but, though I like him, deep down, the guitar man of The Band doesn’t arouse that sort of feeling in me. Without mentioning that he’s even more of a womanizer than Daniel. The amount of women holding on for him at the end of each show is ridiculous.

I walk about the room, looking at the photos on the shelves, and I find a photo of us, when I was sixteen years old and Danny, nineteen. He was already quite tall at the time. It was when he came back from college for his first summer vacation. I spent the whole month stuck upon him like a piece of gum. He seemed to be happy with my presence. He kept hugging and cuddling me. Back then, I really thought something else was bound to happen. However, suddenly, he changed. He got more serious, farther and more... protecting, I think. I don't know what happened that summer, but something had changed in Danny's behavior toward me.

A knock on the door pulls me off my memories. I put the picture in place and I go and open it.

"Oh, you look beautiful!” George walks into the room, all excited. I smile at him because it's impossible not to smile when George is with me.

“Thank you. Is it time?”

"Ten minutes left. Do you want anything? Water? Champagne? Candy? Alan's licks?”

“ George !” I scold him, but I'm interrupted by Rafe's entrance, who came to call me for the show.

I find it amazing that Rafe hasn't been hooked by anyone yet. He's a beautiful, serious, mature guy. That guy who takes responsibility. He's not a womanizer, quite the contrary. He’s got the "perfect guy" style. He and Jo would make a lovely couple, but should it cross Danny’s mind, it will be a problem. What a jealous man, hey?!

"Julie, you look beautiful. Are you ready?”

"Thank you, yes I am.” I smile and he gives me his arm as the perfect gentleman he is. We walk backstage and Rafe excuses himself to go talk to someone. I look forward and see Alan coming towards me and looking me up and down with a malicious expression.

"Do you want me to ask him if he wants mayonnaise to go with it? Because those eyes are eating you up...” George whispers in my ear.

"George, my God!”

"Maybe I should offer condensed milk instead. It's tastier when you li...”

“G eorge !” I scream and he gets a fright. Wow, he’s obsessed with Alan's lick!

"Hi, babe!” Alan speaks as he approaches.

"Hi!”

He gets even closer.

"You look even more beautiful than last time. How’s that possible?”

If he gets any closer, he's going to be glued on me. It seems like our guitar man hasn’t got much of a notion of what is private space.

“Thank you.” I smile and push him away slightly. “Are you guys ready? Shall we start?”

“Beautiful, I’m always ready.” He winks at me and goes on to stage. God, these men want to drive me insane.

I take a long breath and hop on to the stage. The bar is full and people start clapping at us. I smile at the audience and place myself in front of the Mic.

We chose to open the show with a more romantic ballad. Alan starts playing the first chords of “Come Away With Me”, by Norah Jones.

I close my eyes, immersing in the song. Once again my thoughts wander off towards Danny.

Come away with me in the night

Come away with me and I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus

Come away where they can’t tempt us with their lies

Daniel

I park in my spot at After Dark. Zach and I got back from San Francisco a day earlier than expected. The return was quite troubled, because of a lot of turbulence on the flight. And Zach was a lousy traveling companion. He barely opened his mouth to talk, all the time paying attention to his cell phone. Just to make matters worse, our bags ended up on the treadmill on the other side of the airport.

I got home, took a quick shower and put on jeans and a black T-shirt. I was late, so I didn't even shave my untrimmed beard. A week away from the bar left me quite anxious. And, I must confess, I’m hopeful to see the hot blond singing tonight.

I get off the bike, a BMW 1600 GT. I'm not the flaunting type of guy, but when After Dark started to thrive, I allowed myself the luxury of investing in the bike of my dreams.

I walk through the parking lot and, as I approach the door, I hear the first chords of “Come Away With Me” being played on a guitar. I open the door and I'm surrounded by a hoarse voice that's singing.

I feel a shiver from head to toe. I look at the stage and see the silhouette of the blond in the video, swinging in front of the microphone to the same slow pace of the song. I feel dazed, like never before... Or rather, as I feel when... My subconscious pushes away those thoughts and I center all my attention on the blond.

She moves on in the song and I feel trapped. I can't look away, and I can't stop myself from moving further to get any closer to her.

It's like I'm being pulled by an imaginary rope without being able to look away from the stage. She's even more beautiful live. She’s fair-skinned, her body is breathtaking, with a thin, marked waist and breasts that would fit perfectly in my hands. She subtly turns to the side, turning her back slightly to me, and I see the perfect butt emphasized by the deep neckline of the dress.

I feel numb. As she sings, her voice seduces my senses, and all I can see in my thoughts is her image, lying on my office desk, naked, whispering this maddening song in my ear.

I hear the champagne burst open and try to remove that thought off my head. Stop it , I scold myself. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I go to the bar counter, trying to regain control. I wave to the bartender, and all of a sudden I realize Ju's not at her post today.

"Justin, where's Julie?” I ask the bartender, who doesn't take his eyes off the blond on stage. He moves his chin forward without saying anything. I hear the blond sing. This woman's voice is driving me crazy that I can't even think straight.

I turn myself to the stage again. She holds the microphone and her lips pout a little, whispering the song.

I feel excited. A whole lot. Rather more than that, I'm overwhelmed by the seductive magic of this woman's voice. As if I were a mermaid at sea, her singing surrounds me and I barely realize that I'm walking towards the stage.

That moron Alan plays the final chords of the song and the blond whispers Come away with me ending the song. She turns towards me, opens her eyes, smiles and... Holy shit!

It's Ju!