Backstage // Josh & Jake Kiszka

Part 10

You were softly rubbing your stomach, letting the delicious food settle as you leaned back in your chair. Daniel reached over the table to grab the bottle of red and filled up your glass.

The centre piece candle was flickering in the dusk twilight, a slight breeze making it dance across the wick. You shuddered a little against it, but Josh was quick to put his jacket around your shoulders.

You were full. Content. A little tipsy on wine, but instead of feeling dizzy and out of control you were calm and enjoying the warmth it radiated from your chest. And as you looked across the patio, you couldn't stop yourself from smiling as Magda appeared with a selection of post-dinner coffees balancing precariously on a silver tray.

"Your house is stunning, Daniel." You remarked, looking around at the wisteria climbing up the pergola.

"Oh, thanks." He replied with pride, "I'm only renting right now but I figured I'd start looking into investing in something after we get back from Europe. It really didn't make sense to before."

Magda smiled and leaned in for a kiss, her hand catching his shoulder for balance. Like they'd done this a thousand times. Like they were already in sync with each other's motions.

"Oh, so you and Magda are thinking of getting a place together?" Josh enquired, pouring himself a cup of something black.

"Maybe." Daniel replied, taking the liberty of pouring Magda's cup before his own. "It's early days."

Josh turned to you and pulled his jacket around your shoulders tighter.

"Milk and sugar, love?" He asked, "Or would you prefer a ranch style with five bedrooms on the west side?"

You shook your head at his playfulness. "I think I'll stick with my wine and my crappy apartment overlooking the the farmers market."

Everyone laughed. And it felt good to be doing something ordinary. Just sitting outside in the late evening with good friends and the man you loved. The weather was mild despite the beginnings of fall. And you were still riding the crest of a wave that was yet to crash upon the shore.

"Maybe one day." Josh lamented, "I'd like to see our toothbrushes sitting together in a cup by our sink."

"It's the little things." Magda chimed, "It just feels like we're constantly living out of suitcases right now."

"That's because we are." You replied, "Four more weeks and we'll be hobo's again."

"I can't wait." Josh resigned, leaning into the centre of the table with his coffee, inviting everyone to raise a toast to your impending tour dates.

There'd been some speculation initially about joining the tour on the European dates. It seemed futile, to begin with, that you'd be invited when you were only meant to be taking the place of another band who pulled out at the last minute. The European openers were already booked.

But you were wanted. Not just as a band by the fans who had come to know and love you, but by Josh and Daniel who had insisted on taking their women. And then there was Jake, who'd sat quietly during the meeting with a gentle smile on his lips, knowing he'd get to steal you for some of those nights.

And although contracts had already been signed with the other openers, you signed a new one that meant you'd go on second and do half a set each show. It had felt like a slight blow to your burgeoning success. But you'd never played overseas before and felt a renewed excitement for those stages.

"Here's to Paris and London and Brussels and all the places in between." Daniel said, clinking his coffee cup against your wine glass.

It was nearing midnight when Daniel and Josh sequestered themselves in the little music room at the back of the house. Where Daniel kept his drum kit and an array of string instruments. You could hear them tinkering about and Josh singing in his lower register to something you vaguely recognised.