“Have you seen her mother?”
“She fine?”
“Bro… she got me trying to figure out my morals. I teach her daughter, but…”
“It’s like that?”
“Yeah… Give me one sec,” Jasper said while answering his phone. “What up, Bro? Word? That’s dope. Congratulations. When does it start? Damn. Alright, Bro. Thanks for getting at me. Congrats again. A’ight then.”
Jas ended the call.
“Damn.”
“What’s up?”
“Fred just booked a twelve-city tour with The Soul Dream Project. He won’t be in town to play for the festival,” Jas explained.
“That’s an amazing opportunity. The Soul Dream Project is selling out all their concert dates, but that’s terrible for us. He was playing the piano for the production and for the choir.”
“I know. I guess I better call Camilla and let her know.”
“Do you have anyone else in mind that would be willing to play?”
“Not off the top of my head. I know this is the last thing Camilla wants to hear,” Jas huffed.
Camilla was the festival’s chairwoman and chief organizer. She ran a tight ship and didn’t want things to change at the last minute. I racked my brain trying to figure out if I had any musician friends who would play for a bunch of kids at an amateur production. All my musician friends were about their money. They were not in the habit of donating their time, especially with the event happening so soon.
Jasper dialed Camilla.
“Hey, Camilla. Sorry to bother you after work hours, but we have a situation. Our pianist won’t be able to play for the festival. Yeah. He got a great opportunity and couldn’t pass it up. I know! I know you don’t like last-minute changes. Ty and I were trying to think of someone else we could ask, but we don’t know anyone. Word? Who....” Jasper glanced at me, then looked away.
“What?”
Jasper continued with the phone conversation.
“No, I think it’s cool. I don’t know how she will feel about it. I don’t know how Ty will feel, but we don’t have a choice.”
“How does Ty feel about what?” I asked.
“Alright, let me know,” Jasper said, then tucked his phone into his pocket.
He swiped his hand down his face before he spoke.
“What?”
The waitress came and placed our bowls in front of us.
“Can I get you anything else?” The waitress asked.
“No, thank you,” I quickly responded.
“You want the good news or the bad news first?” Jas questioned.
“Knee-grow. If you don’t tell me everything…”
“Alright, Camilla knows someone who can play for the choir and the production.”
“Alright?” I waited for him to continue.