I’m desperate. My time’s running out. Two weeks is what I told Whiskey, and I’m down to three days. I need to find work. I need to make something of myself and this is my only skill. Sure, I could become a dishwasher but what kind of life is that for my wife? It’s not. She shouldn’t have to work to support me, it should be the other way around. What she should’ve done was tell me no when I asked her to marry me, but the baby… I still believe we were doing the right thing by getting married, even if her parents didn’t think so.
There are only a few more bars to try before I have no choice but to give up. The place is empty except for one single guy sitting at the bar nursing a drink. The bartender is stocking his shelves, probably preparing for the nightly onslaught of people that plan to come in tonight.
“Excuse me, I was wondering if your house band needs a drummer tonight. I know it’s a longshot—”
“Don’t have a house band,” he says without looking at me. “The groups that play here are booked by booking managers. You’d have to ask them, but…” he finally turns, looks at me and shakes his head. “Let me guess, small town garage band drummer looking to make it big?”
I shake my head slightly. “Just looking for a chance.”
The man at the bar looks at me. “What can you play?”
“Anything,” I tell him. “I can read music and have a photographic memory. It’s really the only thing I have going for myself right now. And I can play. I’m not great, but I’m good. I can follow lead and I’m a hard worker.”
The man turns and holds out his hand. “Mitchell Mooney. I manage—”
“I’ve heard of you, Sir. You’re one of the most sought-after managers for new bands trying to break into the industry. I’m pleased to meet you.”
“What’s your name, son?
“Ajay Ballard. I’m from Bailey, North Carolina.”
“You got a family or are you free to be at my beck and call?”
“Free, Sir. Nothing holding me back.”
He hands me his card after he writes something on the back. “Meet me here, five thirty. Rehearsal starts at six after I’ve fed ya.”
I take it and read it over, committing the address to memory. It’s not lost on me that he mentioned food. I haven’t had a real meal in weeks, not since Whiskey cooked me some fried chicken. “I’ll be there.”
He nods and turns back toward the bar. I could stand there, but I don’t want the man to think I’m a creeper. Instead, I say “thank you” to the bartender for not throwing me out and rush out of there. I don’t know what possessed Mr. Mooney to give me his card but there’s no way I’m going to let him down.
My phone rings and Harrison’s face stares back at me. I clear my head of the night when everything changed for me and accept his call. “Hello?”
?
?Ajay, heard you’re in some trouble.”
“Nothing that shouldn’t be taken care by the end of the week.”
“Do you need me to come to town, straighten some folks out for you?” Harrison laughs. Since joining Sinful Distraction, he and I have grown closer. So have Quinn and I. They’ve showed me what it’s like to have a family. I always knew I was welcomed at the Foster’s, but with the James’s, it’s different. At Christmas, I had a stocking hung from their mantle, one that Ms. Katelyn had made especially for me. I don’t remember having a single Christmas with my parents or even my grandma for that matter.
“Maybe,” I tell him because right now I could use a friend. “I’m hoping things blow over.”
“If not, I’ll be there. Katelyn’s worried about you and doesn’t like that you’re alone so don’t be alarmed if my fiery wife shows up in town looking lost.”
I have to fight the lump in my throat from overtaking my emotions. “I appreciate that. I’ll be on the lookout for her. She won’t have a hard time finding me, small town and all that.”
“Don’t worry about tonight’s show; I have you covered. JD has promised to make sure Twitter knows you have the flu or something. I don’t know what means.”
A laugh escapes me. JD and his Twitter — it should be outlawed. “Thanks, Harrison. I appreciate everything.”
“You’re family. There isn’t anything we don’t do for family. I’ll see you in a few days, son.” He hangs up, leaving that last word lingering in the air.
10
Jaime
When Evelyn and I arrive home, she sets up at the dining room table to do her homework which is nothing more than writing letters and numbers. For some reason, I’m anxious and pacing between the dining and living rooms, expecting a surprise knock at my door. As much as I know Ajay won’t show up at my house, I can’t help but think he’s out there watching me. Not in a creepy way or that he wants to hurt me, but because he wants to talk, and I have nothing to say. Except, I do. I just want to know why I wasn’t good enough for him. But I’m afraid of the answer. I’m afraid that whatever he’ll tell me I’ll believe, and I’d rather find out that he met someone else who could offer him the world when all I could offer him was me. I realize now that I was enough, but back then I didn’t and feeling inadequate took a toll on my psyche.