A Drop in the Ocean

Chapter 12

Thanksgiving dinner wasn't anything special.  Lindsey and Paul came over, and we had the usual turkey and stuffing with mashed potatoes and gravy.  I decided to make some green bean casserole, and Brian made a pecan pie.  I got out my guitar with the leaves engraved on the back and sang a few songs with Brian.  Brian has a lovely voice, and people always tell us that we'd make an amazing duo.  

"I have an idea," Nora said when we'd finished one of our songs.  Both Brian and I gave her suspicious looks.

"Oh no," we replied in unison.  She looked at us with irritation.  

"On Saturday, I don't have anyone playing at the restaurant.  You two could do a little gig together.  The uncle and niece duo.  It'd be pretty cool," she suggested.  I looked over at Brian, and he looked at me.  We both seemed to be contemplating.

"Do you want to do Civil Wars covers?" I asked.  He shrugged.

"Sure!" he agreed.  "That sounds good to me."  We both looked back at Nora.  

"We'll do it," I decided.

"Awesome!  I'll get everything situated!" and with that, she took off towards the office to create plans.

"Crazy woman," James muttered.  Lindsey and Paul stood up.  

"We're going to head out," Lindsey announced.  The rest of us stood up as well.  

"Goodbye!" I exclaimed, hugging the both of them.  James and Brian hugged them.  

"I'm going to go say bye to Mom," Lindsey told us.  "So, we'll see you later!"  She and Paul interlocked fingers and went to the office.  A little while later, we heard the shut of the front door.

"I'm going to go put on my Thanksgiving pants and sleep off this food," James said not a few minutes later.  He lethargically trudged up the stairs to his bedroom.

"So, which songs do you want to sing?" Brian asked me.  We both plopped down on the couch, and I grabbed my iPod from my pants pocket while Brian grabbed a notepad and pen from the end table.  

"Let's do Civil Wars," I told him again.  "Probably 'The One That Got Away', 'I Had Me a Girl', 'Same Old Same Old', 'Dust to Dust', 'Eavesdrop', and 'Devil's Backbone'."

"Alright, sounds good!  Do you want me to play the guitar?" he asked, picking my guitar up from the coffee table and strumming it dramatically.  

"If you'd like to," I replied.  "Nora's got some friends too who could do back up stuff like piano and drums."

"Fantastic!" he cried, jumping from the couch and running towards the office to give Nora the news.  

I was so terribly tired.  I grabbed my guitar and slowly trudged up the stairs to my room.  When I passed by James's room, I cracked open the door to find him laying on his bed reading Divergent and drinking tea.

"I'm off to bed," I told him.  He looked up and nodded.

"Alright, good night, JC," he mumbled.  He looked exhausted.  I chuckled.

"Good night, JB," I returned, closing the door again and going to my room.  I set my guitar on the stand next to my electric guitar.  I had a couple.  I'd gotten them from my Grams and Mom on Christmases.  They were some of my greatest memories and gifts.  I threw on a tank top and some shorts before feeding Marty, Georgie, and Daisy.  They were all curled up together.  I then plopped on my bed, curled up under the blankets, and went to sleep instantly.