The Good Life

Chapter 55

”This is kind of weird…” Marla told her brother watching her niece and nephews sitting on the floor with Rosalia.

”Why is it weird, Mar?” he asked her.

”I don’t know…well, no. I know. It’s just that you all are saying that we do this every year…but I don’t remember it at all. I’m remembering a lot of things, but not this yet. I just wish it would all come back.” she told him.

”Yeah…I know. But maybe one day you’ll remember it…” he told her.

**

”Marla…” Bruno reached over taking her hand. ”Don’t worry…”

”It’s just a lot..there’s so much going on..there’s music, and presents, and kids running around like crazy, and I just don’t know where to be looking…” she told him.

”Look over there…” he pointed toward Rosalia dancing with her oldest cousin Zach.

”Aww…she’s so cute.” Marla said leaning on him.

”Hey…you still want to go to the show tonight?” Bruno asked her.

”What show?” she wondered out loud.

”The little one at Molly Malone’s…the…oh…nevermind.” he said in a defeated tone.

”I was kidding! Yes, I want to come.” Marla answered.

”Don’t do that to me, Mar! It scared me…” he responded.

”I’m sorry..I thought I was getting better.” she replied.

”Mommmmm….watch!” they heard Rosie yell from across the back yard. She sat on the swing waving her legs. ”I’m flying!”

”Oh god…” Marla laughed.

”I’m flying without help!”

”You’re such a big girl!” Marla responded walking over to her daughter to push her.

”Make me go higggghhhh!” she screamed with joy. Marla smiled at Bruno finding herself remembering that these were two of the most important people in the world.

”Bruno…go over there. We’ll take a picture…” Lisa told him showing him the camera. He didn’t say anything walking up behind them placing his hat on her head making her jump.

”Hey!” she exclaimed moving away from Rosalia careful not to be hit in the face by Rosie’s flying feet.

”What?” he asked looking into her eyes that were still in shock.

”I don’t know…it just…I don’t know…” she told him.

”I didn’t mean….”

”Keep pushing me, mommm!” Rosalia interrupted their awkward moment.

”Ugh…okay…” Marla turned to push her daughter feeling Bruno come behind her leaning in toward her ear.

”I’m sorry.” he whispered. Damnit. He thought to himself going back to where he was sitting.

**

Marla put down her purse looking at her phone at the table of the small bar. She looked up from her phone hearing the drums being played. Hmmm..She saw Eric hitting the drums and Bruno off to the side bending down to plug something in. She watched every single step he took trying to remember exactly what he did to get ready for shows. She sat next to Eric’s wife who was also playing with her phone.

”Are you okay today, Marla?” she asked her.

”Yeah..today just hasn’t been the best day. I know things are coming back but it was just kind of fuzzy at Travis and Lisa’s. Like I could see the edges but not the middle…I think I pissed Bruno off.” Marla explained.

”No…I don’t think you upset him. I think he’s still confused.” she answered Marla.

”Hopefully that’s it.” she replied looking up at him getting lost in his little dances on the stage trying to test the sound.

”Bro…” Eric walked up to Bruno as he tested the sound.

”Yeah?”

”Is everything okay?” he questioned.

”Yeah…I just…she’s not having the best day…and I feel bad that I couldn’t tell…like…I thought she was doing so much better that I went up behind her today and Trav and Lisa’s…and she was just like what the fuck are you doing?”

Eric paused trying to figure out what to say to his little brother. ”Moi goi…you have good days and bad days. She had a lot of good days…it will get better.”

”I hope so.” he said going back to a mic tapping it. ”We’re good.” He pointed to someone in the back to turn down the lights and to introduce him. Everything got very quiet.

”Mar…this is your first one…are you going to be okay?” Eric’s wife asked her.

”Yeah..I should be.” she answered.

A single white light hit the stage catching everyone else off guard. Marla just looked at it knowing that he was thinking of her. But there’s usually so many more….everyone else was thinking. Marla heard the familiar sounds of his older music playing making her feel even worse for the way she reacted earlier in the day. He continued to sing the way he did before he was famous singing covers and laughing at his band. He even took a break to play the drums. He looked at Marla throughout the whole show trying to figure out where her head was. I can tell she’s trying…she’s trying to remember everything…the last song he sang was one she had forgotten, but it was one very close to her heart- he would sing it to her when he was on tour on the phone as she fell asleep. She felt the heaviness of the memories sink in quickly. She tried to keep her eyes on him through the small drops of tears forming in her eyes. She felt the past flood back to her through his words and the sounds. She felt all the hurt she felt when he was gone for a year in 2013…she felt the joy of his arms falling on her in the middle of the night. She felt the ecstasy of the nights he was there and his lips telling her good bye and that he missed her already. He saw the tears in her eyes midway through the song telling everyone to stop. I have to tell her I love her…he thought to himself jumping off the stage putting the mic on the edge of the stage. I never do shit like this..this is so embarrassing…but I have to…all eyes moved toward their side of the bar. She looked up at him as his fingers touched the tears on her cheeks. He looked into her eyes sitting down in the one empty chair next to her. She looked at him shocked at what he was doing. It wasn’t the shock that he was used to, it was her normal shock the what the fuck are you doing, you idiot shock. ”I love you, so much….” he said to her.

”I….I….Bruno….this is stupid. Why couldn’t you have waited?” she looked around all the people around her staring.

”Because I don’t know if you’ll remember me later….” he answered kissing her.

**

Dear Marla,

Today I sang to you for the first time since all this happened. I stopped in the middle of my set to tell you I loved you. You didn’t like that. After the show you told me it embarrassed you. I told you that I wouldn’t stop embarrassing you. You shook your head laughing at me. When we got home you kissed me and told me you loved me. Marla…I love you too.

Bruno