Cherry Bomb [h.s]

24

"Hey, kiddo," Frankie's gruff voice comes through the phone.

"What are you doing up so late?" I ask. I was surprised to see him calling an hour after the show ended. It was 12:30 am here, which means it was 3:30 am there.

I take a seat on the couch in our dressing room, the only one still here.

"You know me, couldn't sleep," he answers, and I can just imagine his sideways smile and shrug as he says it.

"Couldn't sleep, or just missed me?" I ask, smiling a bit and biting my lip.

"Both," he says, "By the way, how's the tour so far?"

"It's been good. Exhausting, but good."

"Not too stressful, I hope?"

My mind flickers back to all that's happened with Harry in the past couple of weeks alone. Stressful is understating it. But it seems to be looking up recently.

"No, no," I tell him, "Don't worry, it's just the right amount of stress. What about you? Are the other bands in town stressing you out too much? Because I will come back and kick their asses for you."

Frankie chuckles, "Oh, don't you worry about me. I can handle them just fine. You were much worse."

"Was not!" I defend.

"Were too," he says.

"...you're right." I admit.

"Of course I'm right."

We both laugh a little, then quiet down. For a few seconds, all we hear is each other's breathing.

"I'm sorry." I tell him suddenly.

"For what?" He asks.

"For that night at the bar when Johnny Marx was there. You told us some bad news and were just trying to be fair to other bands, and I snapped at you for it. And I'm also sorry that we left you to go on tour." I spit out.

I don't know why I was spilling my heart out like this. Maybe it's true what they say, that distance makes the heart grow fonder.

"Are you kidding?" He says, "Look, I don't blame you for being upset. And seeing you girls achieve your dreams and move up in the world is all I ever wanted for you. Don't ever apologize for being successful."

"Thanks, Frankie." I say.

"Of course," he replies, then lets out a muffled yawn.

"Okay, I think it's time for you to go to bed now," I chuckle.

"I guess you're right," he says.

"Of course I am," I echo what he said earlier.

"Well, goodnight kiddo."

"Goodnight, Frankie."

I sigh and end the call.

"Still here?" Harry's voice asks from the doorway. I look up to see him leaning with his shoulder against the doorframe.

"Eavesdropping again, Harold?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"What? No, I-"

"Relax," I cut him off, "I was just joking. What are you still doing here  anyway?"

"Got stuck on the phone. Had some business to attend to," he says.

"One of your connections?" I guess.

"Something like that," He shrugs, "What about you?"

"I don't know, really. I just didn't feel like leaving yet, I guess. And then I got a phone call too," I answer. He nods slightly in understanding.