Something In Between: Sequel to On The Edge of Tomorrow

Chapter 58

"You on a call?" Billy tentatively poked his head into his own office.

I'd been with him for months, working remotely. If the kids were home, I nearly always had an assistant in Viv while Billy would take Jackson to the barn studio. It was rare that Billy had to go into the downtown studio when the kids were home, but he'd head in when it was just him and me. As expected, he'd always check with me first, adorably attentively.

"Nope. You just get home?" I glanced at the clock to see it was well after 5 pm.

"A few minutes ago. What are you listening to?" He settled on the couch that Viv would frequently nap on.

"Buddy Holly."

He gave a silent nod.

"You okay?" I added.

"Yeah." His eyes fixated on a pen on the desk. "You ever listen to my stuff?"

"You know I've heard some of it and love it, but we work because I know you for you, not your music."

"What if I asked you to listen?"

"Depends on why you're asking." I should've been paying more attention and not so focused on shutting down my computer.

"Because I don't want any secrets."

I missed his tone. I was distracted. Any warning he was giving, I didn't hear.

"Then I'd stay up all night listening."

"Come find me in the studio when you're done here." He pulled himself up and left without another word.

I paused in the doorway when I got to the studio. He was playing a song that was vaguely familiar and humming to himself.

"Hey, handsome."

As he turned, a smile filled his face; he still had enough chub to make his cheeks puff childish when pricked by his dimples. "Hey, you, come sit down." He scooted over on the piano bench, and I slid in as instructed.

"You gonna play me a song, piano man?"

The song was beautifully simplistic, with a melody akin to a nursery rhyme. His voice came softly, as though he were singing a lullaby. Two childhood friends that grew together from childhood to old age, depending on each other. When he gazed at me, I saw my tears reflected in his eyes.

"That wasn't the reaction I expected." He tucked my head into his chest. "You've always known I love you."

"I have; you've never been shy of showing me that, making sure I felt it. I didn't make it easy since I muted your music."

"You make me work for it. I like that. Would you like to hear more?" There was a twinkle of hope in his eye.

"Play one of the angry ones."

He looked at me with surprise. "Why?"

I let out a laugh. "So, you admit they exist."

Billy sighed. "I fell right into that one. I couldn't muster what you're looking for today." He added as he slid from the bench. He shifted through a few records until he found what he was looking for and dropped the needle.

It started with a deep bass drum that pounded into my chest, commanding attention. Once the guitar began, words weren't even necessary to feel the heat from the emotion. Billy hadn't joined me on the bench again; he left space between us as he settled on the broken-down couch, his eyes dipped to his clasped hands.

I didn't hear any of the words during the first pass; all I could hear was the screaming from his guitar. I could close my eyes and witness the fight of him playing and feel the burning anger in his eyes that I had seen only a few times. I replayed the song a second time to hear the words. Billy didn't move.