“Yeah,” he says, “yeah we did.”
He picks me up and spins me as Thomas brings us our payment. It’s two tickets to the festival and a voucher for food at a shady pizza truck. We pass. Lila wants to stay despite being disgusted by everyone around us. She leads us out into the sea of people and we listen to a few more bands before it’s time to leave.
I enjoy the laid-back vibe of just being in the crowd. I see gator fairy off to the side talking to a police officer. I recognize her.
“Detective O’Neal is here talking to the reptile sprite,” I say to Charlie.
“What the hell?” He asks and I shrug.
I think nothing of it until she comes over to us. My stomach tightens and I start to sweat. Something is wrong.
“He’s here Ada,” she says. “Someone called us saying a guy was in the audience acting strangely while Charlie and Ada were playing. They reported they thought he had a weapon. We came immediately.
“You didn’t hold him in jail?” Charlie asks frustrated.
“No, he was charged and released with a court date. You have the protective order so we can arrest him for being here, but we have to find him.”
Lila has been listening to this whole thing and I turn around to see she’s flush with anger. Uh oh. I feel like the best thing for us to do is get the hell out of the venue and pray we don’t run into him on the way out.
When we get to the car Lila explodes. “How could you not tell me he came after you, Ada?” She’s near tears and Thomas has an arm around her trying to comfort her.
“I didn’t want to worry you. I’ve been dealing with him and my dad. They threatened Charlie if I sang with him and now they are trying to make good on their promise.”
“I am so mad you didn’t call me. I would have stayed with you. I would have been there for you.” Lila says.
I don’t bring up the fact that I did call her when I was having to stay away from Charlie because it seems pointless. She didn’t answer and maybe she had a really good reason. I also don’t bring up the fact she didn’t call to check in on me like she used to because she’d been so wrapped up in Thomas.
“I’m sorry Lila,” I say. “It won’t happen again.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Ada
Despite the almost run-in with Jimmy at the festival the rest of the weekend goes smoothly. It’s a good time with Charlie and we sing every time we’re together. I don’t even notice we’re not having sex because we’re both so determined to lay down everything we can while we’re allowed to use the studio.
That is until tonight. It’s Tuesday and we’re getting ready to wind down class with his students and it’s all I’m thinking about. It’s a completely inappropriate time and Shelia is currently leaning over him as her daughter shows what she’s learned. We decided to continue having class and being at his studio because we don’t want Jimmy to think he can run our lives.
He locks the door like he always does and then walks over to me taking both my hands. “I want to play you the song I wrote for you,” he says.
He leads me to the back room. I can’t believe he actually wrote one for me. I don’t know what to say. It’s the sweetest thing I can think of.
“I’ve been working on it for a while now.”
He sits and pulls his guitar to him. The look in his eyes is intense and I feel like I should sit down. I sink onto the couch as he starts to play a soft tune.
She takes her time making decisions
Not one to rush in the room
She finds a way to make you smile
When you're looking through the gloom
She's small but she's fierce
Girl doesn't take any shit
She's beautiful and mine