Jason
Since Since Thanksgiving, Mallory has seemed to open up and is acting more like the girl she was before she left for Colorado. It’s two days until Christmas, and the band is flying to New York City to perform on Octane Unleaded. To say I’m excited would be an understatement.
We were scheduled to stay until the following Saturday, but the plans changed. Before, I was excited about this trip, and now, I can’t wait to get back home. Brett feels the same way. Every other sentence out of his mouth is about Kristen, and it doesn’t help that he asked her to marry him after Thanksgiving. She said yes, and the boy has been on cloud nine ever since.
Our plane arrives on time and thankfully Brian, our manager, pre-arranged transportation for us. After settling in at the hotel, we meet in the bar downstairs to decide how to spend our time. Each time we’ve been in New York City, we’ve stayed for our concert and high-tailed it out to the next show, so being able to actually explore the city this time around makes it more than worth the trip. Brian was one step ahead and arranged for us to have a tour guide to see all the popular places.
A spry, elderly man, Frankie, is our tour guide, and if he’s intimidated at all to be leading around four men who tower over him, he doesn’t show it. This also isn’t his first rodeo by a longshot. He keeps us moving and on time throughout the entire process. Our first stop is Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, and it’s awe-inspiring. You can feel the history as you take it all in. It’s hard to imagine the number of immigrants who have passed through here looking for a better life in America.
The next stop is the Empire State Building. Up eighty-six floors to the main observation deck, I could see the entirety of the city and out over the ocean. Pulling my beanie further down over my ears, I hunch inside my coat as the cold wind cuts across the building. Glancing across the deck, there is a couple cuddled close together. My thoughts drift to Mallory and how much she would love to be seeing this. When I had mentioned we were coming to New York, her eyes lit up. Wishing she were here now, I’d wrap myself around her to help keep her warm. Something out the corner of my eye catches my attention. Two teenage girls are alternating between looking at their phones and glancing at me. Once eye contact is made, they hesitantly make their way toward me.
“Um, excuse me, but are you Jason, the drummer for the Silver Tongued Devils?” one asks, her voice timid, shy.
“Sure am,” I reply with a smile.
High-pitched squeals pierce through the air, and I flinch. Their words come out rapidfire, each talking over the other, making it hard to understand what they are saying.
“Biggest fans!”
“Autograph?”
“Hold on, ladies. One at a time.”
“We are your biggest fans. Can we get a picture and an autograph?”
“Of course. And I’ll do you one better. Follow me. Wait, who are you here with?”
“Our parents.” They turn and point to a couple looking out over the city, clueless to the fact that their daughters are talking to a stranger.
“Go over there and get them. Then follow me. You don’t need to be walking off with someone you don’t know.” One of the girls turns to leave, but the other stays put.
“No, you go too. You need to stay together. It’s safer that way,” I direct her.
“But—” she starts, her eyes never leaving me, as if she takes them off, I’ll run away.
“No buts. I’m going to stay right here until you get back. I promise.”
She reluctantly follows her sister, and I pull out my phone to text the guys, asking them to meet up at the entrance to the main deck. Glancing up, I stick my hand out as the entire family approaches. Their father takes my hand, grasping it in a firm grip.
“Hello. I’m Jason. Apparently, these girls are fans of my band. I’m going to take them for a group picture, but wanted y'all to know beforehand.”
“Kevin. I appreciate it. I guess all the safety lessons we have tried to instill in them went right out the window at the sight of a celebrity,” he responds, exasperated.
“All right, ladies. If you're ready, there are a bunch of guys waiting at the entrance for a picture with you.” The girls emit another ear-piercing screech.
Rounding the corner, we spot the guys huddled against the wall. The girls are back to talking at once and bouncing up and down. After a flurry of pictures, each individual band members signs the girls shirts and bookbags, and after thank-yous and goodbyes, Frankie herds us out the door to our next stop, all the while mumbling under his breath about running late.
Our next stop is the one place I want to see the most: the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. There is no laughing as the solemnness of the place sinks into your bones. It takes me back to that day, when I was sitting in class and watching it on television. Teachers and students let out soft cries over the disbelief that this could happen on American soil. It was the main reason I decided to join the military out of high school. I wanted to make a difference, make my family and country proud.
After two tours, I’d had enough of the bloodshed and watching so many men and women lose their lives, along with other innocents who were caught in a no win situation. When my time was up, I didn’t think twice about not re-upping. I was going to go back to school. My dream was to be an architect, and that’s how I ended up working at Calloway Construction with the rest of the guys while getting my basics in. Maybe it was destiny because when their drummer unexpectedly quit, it gave me the oppurtunity to step up to the plate. And, as they say, the rest is history. As much as I love music, my dream was never to be a rock star. I like to be hands-on, build things from the ground up. When the whole music gig runs its course, I’ll be back to doing just that. Being on the road traveling for months at a time, away from our friends and families isn’t something I want to do for the rest of my life. This is fun for now, being able to travel the world and experience new things, but eventually, I want a wife and kids waiting for me to get home at the end of the day, to read bedtime stories and sleep with my woman curled against me every night.
After, we stop at a hot dog vendor outside on the sidewalk to grab some food. It may have been one of the best hot dogs I have ever eaten in my life. Our last stop for the night is to see the Christmas tree lighting at Rockafeller Center. The temperature has dropped dramatically with the setting of the sun. We hunch inside our coats and watch the ice skaters skating around the rink. One skater in particular holds my attention. Petite with curves in all the right places, dark hair in a ponytail high on her head, the graceful way she moves, her courage to launch her tiny body off the ice into crazy moves—all I can see is Mallory out there.
Derek and Isaac are beside me, discussing which of the skaters they would like to take home tonight, and it looks like it could be a possibility. Two blondes and a brunette keep giving them looks and skating closer to where we are standing with each pass around the ice, their moves getting more daring as they try to impress. Glancing over at Brett, he’s smiling down at his phone as he types out a text. In that moment, the tree behind him illuminates, the tiny lights creating a halo around the entire park. It’s stunning. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I take a picture of the tree and send it to Mallory, all the while wishing she was here with me.
“Brett. Brett. Brett!” I nudge him in the side to get his attention.
“What?”
“Get a picture of the damn tree and send it to your girl. Isn’t that the one thing she insisted you send her while we are here?”
He has the grace to blush. “Yeah, it is.” Turning around, he takes the picture, then a selfie of him standing in front of the tree, and all I can do is shake my head.
“So, what’s the plan for tonight? I think Frankie is glad his job is done.” I chuckle thinking our tour guide was happy to see the last of us today.
“Grab some supper and head back to the hotel, I guess. I want to talk to Kris sometime tonight before going to bed. What about you?”
“I’ll hang with you if that’s okay.” Glancing over my shoulder, I see Derek and Isaac are occupied with the three skaters. “I think we’ll be on our own, though. They are going to have other plans.”
“You don’t want to join them?” Brett asks with surprise.
“No, not tonight.”
Derek and Isaac make their way over to us with the three girls in tow, shit eating grins on their faces.
“We’re gonna hit a few bars before heading back to the hotel. You guys coming or what?”
Isaac’s not even bothering to look at Brett. His focus is all on me.
“I’m good, man. I think Brett and I are just going back to the hotel, grab some dinner, and hit the sack.”
Isaac draws the brunette and one of the blondes closer to me.
“You sure about that?” he asks, his gaze resting on the blonde’s cleavage.
Glancing at the brunette, she runs her eyes up and down my body, lust shining bright. She smiles coyly.
“I’m sure,” I respond to Isaac, trying to avoid meeting her eyes and giving her any encouragement.
He draws the girls closer to his body and wraps his arms around them. “More for me then. Y’all enjoy your night.” And with that, he leads the girls away.
Derek and the blonde with him stop beside me. Leaning over to me, he whispers, “I know he’s pussy whipped. What’s up with you?”
“Nothing, man. Just tired. Y’all have fun and don’t get into any trouble. We have to be at the studio at nine in the morning.”
“Rest up. We’ll see ya manana.”
As Isaac and Derek saunter away with their conquests for the night, my feelings are jumbled, a mixture of envy and pity. Envy because…well, they’re going to get laid. Pity because they are still chasing what Brett has—the love of a good woman. And maybe, just maybe, if I play my cards right, I can have that too.
A heavy hand lands on my shoulder, and I look over at Brett.
“I don’t know what’s causing that pensive look on your face, but I do know everything happens for a reason.”
“I’ve always believed that too. Good or bad.”
“Fate is either kind or cruel. Depends on your point of view. You ready to head back to the hotel?”
“Yeah, let’s see if we can get a cab and get the hell outta here.”
After saying goodnight at our respective doors, I take a quick shower, pull on a pair of pajama pants, turn on the television, and lay on the bed. A blinking light in my peripheral catches my attention, and I swipe out to grab my phone. Opening the text from Mallory, I laugh out loud, staring at the ugliest little Christmas tree I have ever seen decked out in all sorts of lights and bulbs.
Mal: My tree’s not nearly as pretty as the one you saw.
Me: I thought you weren’t going to get a tree.
Mal: I changed my mind. Decided I needed a little cheering up. Not much selection left a couple days before Xmas.
Me: Why not get a fake one?
Mal: The whole point of a tree if that pine tree smell.
Me: Don’t they make a spray for that?
Mal: Not the same. How’s your trip so far?
Me: Got a lot of sights seen.
Mal: Like?
Me: Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building. U know, the usual.
Mal: Did you get to go to the memorial?
Me: Yes. It was amazing.
Mal: I knew u were looking forward to that.
Me: It was all I hoped it could be.
Mal: I’m glad.
Me: When are you planning to meet the girls to let them know you’re back?
Mal: Tomorrow. At Kris’s place. Her and Cam will both be there finishing up some wrapping. I’m going to surprise them.
Me: That’s a surprise I’m sure they’ll enjoy.
Mal: I hope so. I know Kris is planning on taking Brett to her parents’ house on Xmas day, and I think Camryn is going to hers.
Mal: Are you heading to Houston when y’all get home?
Me: No, Jess and Emma are going to her in-laws. They flew out on Monday.
For the longest time, the phone is silent. I want to tell her I want to spend the day with her, but what if she doesn’t feel the same? It’s hard to put yourself out there and risk rejection. Giving up on not getting another message, I get ready to crash out for the night when the phone pings.
Mal: Be here at noon for lunch.
My face hurts with how big I’m smiling.
Me: Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you then. Goodnight.
Mal: Night.
The next morning, we ride in the limo to the studio. We are going to perform two singles from our newest album, acoustically, and a cover of “Change” by the Deftones. I like that it gives us a softer edge to our normal heavy beats and allows a different side of our artistry and Brett’s voice to shine through.
In between songs, we answer the questions thrown at us, and before we know it, we’re on our way to the airport to head home. Anticipation is riding me hard to get back, but in truth, I’m just looking forward to seeing Mal tomorrow and hoping everything goes well today when Mallory reunites with her friends.