Sweet Emotion

Chapter 37

The bar was quiet. Steven, Tom, Joey, and Brad sat quietly at a table at the back, away from the prying eyes of the press and fans, their faces hidden by the shadows. The only sounds that could be heard from their corner were the faint hum of the music and the occasional clink of glasses. It was the perfect soundtrack to all the unresolved issues and angst they shared that had been simmering below the surface for years.

Steven's fingers tapped incessantly on the table, his foot tapping an anxious rhythm. Every nerve in his body, every muscle tense. He was waiting for something - someone. Joe Perry.

"You think he'll show?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Tom met his gaze at the question, his glass still raised to his lips. He set his drink down, lips pursed. "Joe isn't the type to not keep his promises. He said he'll be here, so he'll be here, whenever that may be," he muttered, checking his watch. "He was supposed to be here an hour ago."

"Joe isn't exactly the most punctual person though, is he?" Joey chimed in, smirking, remembering the countless times Joe had shown up late to a rehearsal or an interview.

Brad shook his head. "Give him a chance, guys. It isn't the end of the world." He glanced at the door, hoping that Joe would walk through the door at that exact moment.

"Yeah, well it will be if he doesn't show up," said Steven bitterly. "Though, at least we'll know where he stands. Maybe we should have gone with that six-pack idea," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

They all snickered, some of the tension relieving. Though, the fact still remained that this was a pivotal moment in their lives. Their future as a band weighed heavily on the shoulders of this meeting, and whether Joe decided to show was a deciding factor on where they went from here; they move on without him, their lives less brighter or they move on with him and create rock history.

Steven bit his lip, staring at his empty shot glass. "Maybe I should have called him again. Made sure he was still coming."

"No, we've done everything we can. It's up to him whether he turns up or not. He knows how important this meeting is." Brad paused. "It'd be good to have him back though, wouldn't it? Just like old times." A faint smile tugged at his lips as he remembered all the shenanigans and mishaps they'd had, all the songs they'd worked hard on, and all the shows they'd put on over the years.

The table fell silent, each member recalling the memories they'd shared. They'd been apart for so long that the idea of Joe rejoining the band felt like a distant dream. It was so close, but yet so far. But they all knew that this wasn't about a reunion; it was about repairing a rift between them.

Joey leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "Remember our first gig? That first tour? We were just kids back then with big dreams and no idea what we were getting ourselves into. That really was a time to be alive."

"Yeah, those were the best times. We'd play until our fingers bled because we had to, and Joe was always there by our side, pushing us to do better."

Steven laughed bitterly. "Yeah, well, we do now. We've lost so much time. All the good memories we could have made... we're never getting that back." A hint of sadness was in his voice.

It stung to admit that all the time that they'd had to create special moments together had been wasted on getting high and drunk and fighting.

"You're right," said Tom quietly. "We won't get them back, but now we have the chance to make new memories."

The door to the bar creaked open, and their heads all shot up in unison, holding their breaths. A figure stepped forward slowly, deliberately into the bar, silhouetted by the dim light from the street outside. His sunglasses and leather jacket were unmistakable, and as he drew closer, they realised who it was. Joe Perry. Joe walked up to the table, his steps calm and measured as though those three years of separation had never even occurred.