I catch a flight to Tennessee the next day, stopping over in New York, landing around 1pm back home. I head straight to the park to get my latest high from Bob and see the busker. I get to the park in time for the end of his set.
"Haven't seen you on that bench in the past couple of weeks, ma'am" he says once his finished set
"Yeah, haven't been on the USA in the past couple of weeks, and please, call me Zoe" I respond, drinking down a beer.
"On holiday then, Zoe?"
"In the past couple of weeks? Sort of... mixing business and pleasure in a trip around Europe"
"Sounds good, oh, I'm Joe by the way"
"Nice to meet you Joe"
"I should get back home to the wife"
"Married then?"
"Yeah, but she doesn't know I busk, so yeah. I tell her I'm working overtime"
"You should get going then"
"Yep, bye for now, Zoe"
"Bye Joe"
Went back to work on the Monday, gave Rebecca the notes from the various conventions, every page looking the same as the last. But she's happy. Job still secured. As I head out of her office, she stops me.
"Oh Zoe" she calls out
"Yes Rebecca" I smile, turning on my heel back to her
"You'll be running this place when I transfer to the Florida office"
"Will I?" I question, shocked. Fuck.
"Unless you want to head down to Florida"
"Let me get back to you about that" I say, plastering a smile on my face. I need a drink.
"Come and meet him, it'll be fun" Sera begs Kim
"No, it'll be awkward. Blind date while you two are getting close" Kim contests
"Kim, please. I think you'll like him" Sera continues
"What are you two fighting about?" I ask, getting home, dizzy from the light outside mixing with my last high before I left the office. Glad there's just Friday to go in the week.
"Sera's trying to get me to go on a double date with a guy I haven't met" Kim sighs
"Go, you need to get yourself out there. Who knows? You might have fun. Wait who's the guy?" I chip in
"His name is John" Sera confirms
I cough and my eyes widen. "You have to go"
"Why?" Kim asks, a suspicious look on her face
"Just trust your matchmaking friend" I smile, catching my breath. "Fuck"
"You need to stop those cigarettes"
"It's on my to-do list, which never gets done"
I pass out on the sofa just before Kim and Sera get back from their double date, with Phil & John. As they walk in, they see the lighter and spoon on the coffee table that's in front of the TV & next to where I'm passed out on the sofa.
"Shit" Sera says
Kim makes sure I'm still alive. "She's still alive"
Sera walks around the sofa to face me who's still passed out. "ZOE! ZOE! ZOE! ZOE!" she yells, shaking and slapping me.
"What?" I answer and slowly sit up.
"Since when are you back on this shit, melting and injecting?" Kim yells
"Depends" I say, smiling
"On what?" Sera asks
"What's the date of today minus the date you met Phil?" I answer, looking at Sera. "Look, it was a couple of weeks before I headed to Europe on business, calm you asses down!"
They both look at me, disappointment in their eyes.
"Don't look at me like that! What you going to do, send me to rehab again?"
They sigh and walk away.
"That's what I thought" I finish and lie back down on the sofa, closing my eyes.
Sunday comes and I sit at my usual park bench with my bottle of rum, watching & listening to Joe play. Uniqueness in his voice, hard to describe his voice without using the word unique. The bench with Joe has become my routine. I'm getting used to his sets, and I try to drunkenly join in. He knows how to put a smile on my face at the end of the week.
"Anything new with you?" Joe asks as he packs up
"Might be moving to Florida" I shrug
"Don't do that"
"Why not?"
"You're my biggest fan"
"I'll just have to take you with me"
He laughs. "Don't move. You just shipped your friends out here, and I'm here"
"They are never home when I am"
"Maybe you should stop getting high and passing out"
I stare at him in shock. "You spying on me, or something" I laugh
"Don't go"
"Fine, I'll take the bosses job here"
"The bosses job?"
"Yeah, it was a 'who should be transferred to the new office' sort of thing"
"As I said, don't go"
"Fine, gosh. You're stuck with me"
"Maybe you should go" he mentions with a sarcastic tone
"You're such an ass"
"Hi, I'm Patrick, how would you like to earn some real money?" Patrick asks, the local pub owner, introduces himself to Joe, having watched the last couple of songs from across the street
"Umm, hi, I'm Joe. Always up for earning a bit of extra cash"
"Perform a set at my pub, I'll give you $75 per set each. Wait is it both of you or just you, Joe?"
"Just me"
"Oh"
"But she sometimes does it too" Joe says, motioning to me
"Do you, Zoe?" Patrick asks, recognising me as on of his regulars
"Yeah, sure. I'll sing, dance, play, as long as it's with Joe" I answer
"Hope you see you two soon" Patrick finishes, h as being Joe his card and walks away
"Do you really want to do this in a pub?" I ask Joe when Patrick is gone
"It's a step up from busking on the street" he answers
"It is"
Silence comes for a few moments.
"So, you up for it?" Joe asks me
"I'll do it, I've heard your set enough times to know exactly what's on it"
"Sweet"
"Find out what days and times he wants it at his pub"
"I will"
"Seriously, call him if you really want to do it"
"I promise, I will be"
I give him my business card (from the AMMA) and write my mobile phone on the back of the card. "Call me when you get information from him"
"Ok. Hey, what did you mean when you'd do it as long as it's with me?"
"I'm your biggest fan, remember" I say and laugh slightly, "I'll see you next week"
"Yeah"
"Remember!" I emphasize as I head back to my apartment.
"I will, see you"
YOU ARE READING
Journey of a Lifetime
Fanfiction** A Little Bit Smutty ** You've been running away from your trauma all your life. The sex, the drugs - the addiction was all just a distraction. So what makes this runaway any different? Could it be the handsome man who strikes up a conversation wi...
