"I don't think she has a job when our tour ends. I overheard her talking to someone on the phone a few days ago." Impatient was talking to Jane (I still haven't figured out if Jane's a family member, or a friend) earlier this week and said she started sending out her resume. She sounded a little desperate.
Ma interrupts. "Gus, you shouldn't eavesdrop."
"Ma, she lives three feet from me on the bus. It's hard not to. Anyway, can I have her call or email you?"
"Sure. It wouldn't hurt to talk to her."
"Thanks. And do me a favor and don't tell her we know each other."
"Why not?"
"She hates me." It's as simple as that.
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you." Moms never believe stuff like this. That someone could dislike their child.
"Pretty sure she does," I confirm.
"How are you going to convince her to call me then, if this girl doesn't like you?"
"I'll have Franco talk to her."
"Okay." She sounds hesitant.
"Thanks Ma. I'll let you get back to lunch with Mikayla. Tell her I said 'hey' and give her a hug for me."
"Will do, sweetie. Good luck tonight." She says it before every show. Always has.
I answer the same way I always do. "Don't need luck; I've got Franco, Jamie, and Robbie."
"Love you."
"Love you too, Ma."
"Bye, honey."
"Bye."
When Franco returns from dinner, I rundown the situation and ask him to talk to Impatient in the morning. At first I don't think he's hearing anything I'm saying because he's just looking at me like I've finally lost it, but by the time I've finished, he's climbed onboard with the idea. If I know Franco, he'll treat this like a game. It's not that Franco's into deception, but he's definitely into a challenge. I think he wants to see how far this whole thing could go. And he's a good guy so he knows that if he wins, so does she.
Game on.
Saturday, May 27
(Gus)
It's early. The bus is eating up miles across upstate New York. I've been up for a while but I haven't heard anyone else stir yet, so I've been sitting in my bunk reading a book I downloaded on my laptop. I don't read very often for fun. My mind wanders too easily and I have trouble concentrating. It's hard work, if you want to know the truth. Bright Side used to read all the time. She'd read anything: books, newspapers, magazines. It's one of the reasons she was so damn smart.
As my mind's drifting to Bright Side, I hear a curtain pull back, and the shuffling feet of someone moving out into the aisle towards the bathroom. Every sound made by the movement is muffled and quiet, deliberately so. Although my curtain is pulled shut, I know it's Impatient. She moves around this bus like a ghost. For all her quiet attitude, unless you're interacting with her one-on-one, she disappears into the background, like she doesn't want to be noticed. Like she wants us all to pretend she's not here.
I hear Franco moving around now. His bunk is under mine, directly across from Impatient's. The swoosh of his curtain opening is accompanied by the creaky hinge on the bathroom door opening and shutting, which is followed by the sounds of a sleepy collision in the aisle.
"Shit. Sorry Scout. I didn't see you there. You okay?"
Her voice sounds gravelly like it does every morning for the first hour or so that she's awake. "I'm okay. And you didn't see me because your eyes are closed, Franco." I can almost hear a smile in her voice. Franco tends to bring that out in people. It's one of his gifts.
He laughs. "I try not to open them before ten in the morning. I've mastered getting out of my bunk, using the bathroom, and getting back into bed without opening my eyes. I just pretend I'm still sleeping."
"Please don't tell me that. We share the same bathroom." She's not smiling anymore, but it's not rude.
"I gotta take a leak, but I need to talk to you before you stow away in your bunk again. I promise I'll use the pisser with my eyes open this time."
"Okay."
After Franco finishes in the bathroom, I can hear him give a quick sell on the job prospect. I've still got my curtain shut, but I hear him hand her the slip of paper—the one with Ma's cell phone number and email address written on it. I didn't put her last name down because Hawthorne might set off an alarm.
She sounds stoked, and for the first time in a long time my heart feels lighter. Like I've somehow redeemed myself a tiny bit and maybe I can shed the asshole persona I've been hiding behind, or under, or inside of, for months now.
Saturday, June 3
(Scout)
I'm officially a degree-holding college graduate. Well, I'm not physically holding it, because I wasn't at the ceremony today. That's okay. I'm still proud either way. I've been smiling inside all day. Paxton and Jane both called to congratulate me. Their praise was like a physical hug I could feel through the phone. I usually don't need that sort of thing, but today I can't deny that it felt so good. They were here with me in spirit. For me. My celebration is complete.
Monday, June 5
(Gus)
This afternoon, I called Ma from a small coffee shop down the street, a block or so from the venue we play tonight. I wanted to phish for information about Impatient, without anyone on the bus overhearing. Ma was oddly tightlipped about the whole thing, which isn't like her at all. Usually she's open about everything with me. I don't know if it's because she feels like there's bad blood between Impatient and me and she's just being the overprotective mama bear, or if she's trying to keep this somewhat confidential because Scout and I have an existing working relationship and she doesn't want to jeopardize herself as a potential employer. All I could pry out of her was that Impatient called her this morning and emailed her resume.
That's it.
Nothing more.
Tuesday, June 6
(Gus)
I had an epiphany this morning.
I'm getting fat.