Olivia heard Maddie talking on the phone and crawled out of bed. She was exhausted. Her mind kept replaying the moment when Mr. Tunbridge’s pants hit the floor. Her gut churned as she remembered disassociating from her body.
Reflecting on what happened, she realized that Maddie saved her from making a huge mistake. So she would have to work her way up through some small-town festival orchestras, instead of just launching into the spotlight. Big deal. She was so happy that things hadn’t gone further with the pervert.
She tiptoed into the kitchen and saw Maddie staring out the window. She rushed up and embraced her from behind, resting her head on the back of her fuzzy pink robe.
“Thank you,” Olivia said, pulling back. “I’m so sorry you had to witness that.”
“Witness what? I’m sorry you felt like you had to do that. Olivia, you are talented and are going places, I wish that you could see that.”
“It’s funny. I thought that my life depended on this audition, but this morning I realized that things are going to play out the way that they need to. Maybe I’ll stay here for another year and hang out with Blaine.”
“Well, I know that you’d like that, but that man wants to see you succeed. He cares about you more than I thought he did. He’d rather see you go off to the orchestra than hang out in this shitty town for another year.”
“How do you know that?” Olivia asked.
“He told me. I just had a long conversation with him.”
Olivia looked up at Maddie, her mouth slightly agape, “He said that?”
“Well, he didn’t exactly use those words, but yes.”
Olivia felt her head spin, so much had happened this morning. She braced herself on the kitchen table and eased herself into one of the vinyl chairs.
“He said that he’s going to be running around like a chicken with his head cut off today prepping for some big meeting. Bikers have meetings?”
Olivia laughed. “Yes, and it’s a big one – they’ve been getting Steve’s property ready for it all summer.”
“He wanted to know if you were going to be there.”
Olivia drummed her fingers on the kitchen table. Steve had been bugging her to play a set at the AGM. She didn’t think that she was ready to play in front of a massive aggressive audience like that. She knew that she was letting the band down, but felt like her shyness would ruin things for them anyway.
“Chicken with its head cut off?” Olivia asked, smiling at her sister.
“Those might be my words,” Maddie laughed. “Are you going to do it?”
Olivia knew that things had to change in her life, that things were going to change. She needed to start embracing opportunities instead of hiding in her bedroom practicing for moments instead of living them.
“You know what? I think that I want to play it,” she said, surprising herself.
Olivia poured herself a cup of coffee and picked up her phone. ‘Here goes nothing’ she thought to herself and gulped. She picked up her phone and saw a text from Blaine.
It read:
I hope that you got some sleep. Give me a call to let me know that you are okay. I can’t wait to see u.
Olivia’s hands shook. She clicked on his name and the phone started ringing.
“Hello” his voice was low and deep on the other end of the line.
“It’s Olivia.”
“Hi Liv. How are you doing?”
“I’m okay. I need to thank you for everything you did for me today. It wasn’t necessary.”
“Well, yes, actually, it was. What were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t thinking,” She said quietly.
“I need to explain to you exactly what you saw at the clubhouse.”
“Maddie told me what happened.”
“Nothing happened. Nothing will ever happen. I want you and only you. If you’ll have me.”
Olivia was silent, she didn’t know what to say.
“Liv,” Blaine prompted after the silence became too much.
“You can give me that apology in person tomorrow at the AGM.” she said boldly.
“You’re coming?” he asked, surprised.
“We’re playing it.”
“Well, isn’t that something,” Blaine said. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yep. See you tomorrow,” Olivia tried to sound nonchalant. Then quickly said, “Thank you.”
“Anything for you sweetheart,” Blaine said. “I can’t wait to see you onstage.”
Olivia clicked the phone off. What had she done? Not only was she out of her element with her instrument, location, style of music, and audience, now she had to perform for the only man who had ever given her butterflies. How was she going to get through this?