They’d always been this way—a little sassy, but ultimately supportive and loving. The sisters had always been close, from their childhood running around in the woods surrounding their rural hometown, until now, when they were all adults with their own lives.
“Well, you moved a thousand miles away, so we have to fit in all our teasing over the phone now,” Ginger joked.
“Yeah, we’ve been saving it up,” added the youngest sister. “So, tell us what’s been going on! Give us the details. How’s the club? Are people nice to you?”
“Miami Blues is great. I love performing there. Everyone is very nice to me,” Gentry answered. “In fact, there are these two guys who have beensupernice to me…”
“Oooh!” cooed the sisters at once.
“Sexy Miami guys!” Gemma gasped.
“Two of them?” Ginger repeated dramatically.
Gentry felt her face turning hot and pink, and her sisters noticed. Gemma pointed at the screen, looking elated.
“Oh my god, Ginger, she’s blushing. Look at her cheeks! Gentry’s in love,” Gemma sang.
“No, no, don’t jump to conclusions,” Gentry replied, shaking her head, but too late.
“What are their names?”
“What do they look like?”
“Oh my god, I bet they’re so hot!”
“How did you meet them?”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Which one are you going to choose?”
“Whoa, slow down,” Gentry said with a giggle. “Is this an interrogation?”
“Come on, you have to give us something,” said Ginger.
“Yeah, you can’t just drop a bomb and move on,” agreed the youngest.
Gentry took a deep breath and jumped into the story of their meeting. She stayed on the phone as she went about her daily tasks, even setting up the phone with the camera facing away as she took a shower so they could keep talking. She was used to spending lots of time with her siblings, and now that they lived in different states, they spoke on the phone nearly every day, even if just for a few minutes. She enjoyed catching up with them, hearing the local Bartlett gossip, updates on their blossoming careers, silly anecdotes about their sweet, aging parents, their hopes and dreams. By the time Gentry was ready to head into work, they had been on their video call for a few hours.
“Okay, girls. I better go. Ricky wants me there early to do some rehearsal for the evening. Not sure why we need the extra practice time, but I do as I’m told,” she explained. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”
“Definitely.”
“Totally.”
Gentry smiled. “Bye, guys.”
“Bye, sis!” they said. The call ended.
Gentry grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. She thought about home. She loved it here in Miami, but she did feel the occasional pang of homesickness. It was good, though; she needed the push to get out of her hometown and spread her wings.
As she walked into the blues lounge, Danielle and Trisha came hurrying up to her.
“Oh good, you’re here. Ricky is freaking out,” Danielle whispered.
Gentry frowned. “Why? What’s up?”
“The owner, Bill Owens, is here today,” Trisha explained in an undertone. “He hasn’t been by the club in forever.”