“A one. Two. A one, two, three, four!” Steve yelled into the microphone. Randy slapped out his riff and the rest of the band came in on time – for once.
Olivia loved playing with Steve’s band, but couldn’t help but get frustrated with their lack of musical precision. They were definitely a fun jam band, but she had quickly eclipsed all of them in terms of technique – even Steve, who had been playing for thirty years.
They were working on some classic AC/DC. It was so loud and raucous, Olivia loved it.
“Fuckin -A guys. We’ve finally got that one dialed.” Steve cheered.
Olivia looked at him and narrowed her eyes jokingly.
“Oh, I mean, Fuckin- A, guys and Liv!” He laughed.
Olivia smiled and grabbed a slide off the table. She had been working on a solo for one of their ballads and loved the way the slide added a certain sadness to her sound.
She kicked away at some of the hay on the ground. As the weather had gotten nicer they moved the practice space from her dad’s garage to Steve’s barn. The acoustics weren’t as good, but they could be LOUD.
“Let’s hear what you’ve got for your solo, kiddo,” Randy said.
“I’m still trying to work out some of the kinks. I’ll play it for you next week.” Olivia started to lift the sparkly blue guitar off of her shoulder.
“No way. You’re thinking way too much about it. A solo shouldn’t be slick and practiced, it should be wild and driven by your emotion, not the notes in your head,” Randy said.
“I’m working on it,” Olivia lied. She had spent the last week transcribing her guitar solo to paper and had religiously practised it, note for note, every day.
“Let’s hear it Liv!” Steve prodded.
Olivia felt uncomfortable with all the attention on her, but she knew they wouldn’t let it go. She picked up the slide. She counted in her head and then wailed out the notes – it was perfect. She had hit them all – even the tricky part she added in the night before. She watched their faces as she played but couldn’t tell what they were thinking.
“That was pretty good, Liv,” Steve said.
Pretty good? Olivia was disheartened. It was perfect.
“I can tell that you’re still thinking about it. It was technically spot-on, but I didn’t feel any emotion in there.”
“I don’t know how to infuse emotion into my music.” Olivia scuffed some of the dirt off the barn boards with her combat boots.
“I guess they don’t teach that at the conservatory, do they?” Steve stood up from behind the drums.
“No. No, they don’t.”
“Well, just keep your chin up. If you can try to stop thinking, that will really help you out. Try to feel the music, not think it.”
“A little reefer never hurts either.” Randy laughed.
“Shut it, Randy.” Steve flicked a pick at him.
Olivia smiled. She loved hanging out with these old dudes.
“More Cowbell!” They heard a voice yell out from the barn door. Maddie poked her head in and smiled.
“Maddie!” Steve yelled. “Come on in!”
“I’d love to Steve, but Olivia left me strict instructions to get here with the car by 6:00.”
“Oh. Shit!” Olivia looked at her watch. “I’ve gotta go!” She slid off the guitar and placed it back on the stand.
“Bye Steve, bye Randy, bye Laurie!” She shouted as she grabbed her light canvas jacket and ran out the door.
“Bye guys!” Maddie smiled and followed her sister.
They got in the car and slammed the doors.
“Mr. Tunbridge is going to kill me if I’m late again.”
“You’re not going to be late on my watch!” Maddie spun the tires, sprayed mud everywhere, and peeled out of the farmyard.
“You’re washing the car.” Olivia laughed.
Maddie laughed with her and sped into town with a big smile on her face.
“6:27. You’ve got three minutes to get inside.” Maddie simultaneously popped the hatchback and put the car in park.
Olivia opened the trunk and heaved her cello case out. Maddie locked the car and followed her in.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to wait here until you’re done.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Don’t you worry, I’m not being thoughtful. By the time I get home, I’ll just have to turn around and come to get you. This way, I can drop you at home and go meet the girls for a drink.”
“Whatever!” Olivia bounded up the stairs.
When she reached the waiting room and saw the instruction room door closed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Maddie sauntered in, slid into the chair beside her, and pulled out her phone.
“There’s some books here if you want,” Olivia said.
“Nah. I’m good,” Maddie said, glued to her screen.
They both looked up as the instruction room door opened and Amelia, one of Olivia’s classmates exited the room. Her face was red and she didn’t meet either of the girl’s eyes as she walked out with her head down. Mr. Tunbridge’s shirt was half tucked in and he was flushed.
“Olivia. I didn’t hear you come in. Come in,” he stammered and stretched his arm out to the practice room.
“You really don’t have to wait,” Olivia said to Maddie.
“Oh, yes. I do. Actually, could I come in and watch your lesson? I’ve always wondered what happens here.”
“I’m sorry, that is not protocol,” Mr. Tunbridge snapped.
“It’s ok, Maddie. You can hear the playing through the door.”
“Mmmhmm. Well, I will be right here Liv.” Maddie narrowed her eyes at Mr. Tunbridge and crossed her arms.
Olivia smiled at her sister and walked into the practice room. Maddie sat alert for the entire lesson, listening for any signs that something inappropriate was going on behind the closed door.