A Hundred Years Underground

It Wasn't Supposed To Be This Way

Guitar held aloft, Lindsey looked out on the sea of faces,  awe and appreciation shining through the darkness toward him.

His shirt sticking to his skin as he took in the adoration. “Thank you San Francisco – you have been an amazing audience”. He lowered the guitar and passed it off to Ray, his loyal guitar tech.

He’d never get used to these stadium gigs, even after all these years. He still fondly remembered the early years struggling to fill bars and clubs, playing for a free supper or gas money. Now he could fill stadiums across the country. His music was everywhere, he was known by just about everyone and he had just about everything he could wish for.

He slumped in the back of the limo as it pulled away from the stadium. He’d told his team he wanted some alone time to decompress on the way back to the hotel. As the city lights whizzed past, he reached in his pocket for his battered leather wallet. His breath hitched as he pulled out the picture. Two teenagers smiled back at him, their faces illuminated by the passing streetlights. Lost in his own world, he stared into their faces, seeing their happy excitement to be chasing their dream.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted as the car door was opened. He must have zoned out for a while.

“Lindsey, surprise!” A petite blonde with perfect hair and a slightly too bright smile flew into his arms as he entered the lobby.  “I thought I’d surprise you as I know how you miss me on the road.” 

“Great, Kristen, its great you’re here”, he said looking around the busy lobby.

"Did you get a room here?"

“No silly, I’ll be staying with you!”

. . . .

Alone in his bath, Lindsey’s mind was finally able to relax as he wound down from tonight’s gig. He was genuinely surprised to find Kristen waiting for him at the hotel. He’d seen her a few times and they had had fun together but it wasn’t serious. Well, he thought it wasn’t serious, maybe he needed to be clearer with her about that. It was nice to see her again though and it had stopped his mind from the millionth round of ‘what might have been’.

He knew the way everyone saw him. The perpetual bachelor, a string of beautiful girlfriends, a luxury lifestyle and a rock star attitude. But that wasn’t him, not really. It amused him that despite all the success he had had, no one seemed to read more into his lyrics. It was all there if only they looked.

His heartbreak. His regret. His anger at his loss of ‘her’. The one.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. They were supposed to do this together. But the years of struggling to make it, of waiting on tables, of cleaning houses while being rejected at every turn had been too much. In the end she had packed up and returned to college in San Jose, much to her parents relief. It was the end of their relationship and the end of their dream. He had tried to win her back but she was so stubborn and eventually he had had to accept it.

When he had had his big break a few years later, he was on his own and he had been ever since.

He finally cleared his head and stood, bubbles sliding down his body to the tub. That was then, there was no use moping about the past. He was a rock star, he had adulation that his younger self could only dream of, and a pretty girl waiting for him on the other side of the door. Time to play the part.

. . . .

The alarm on the bedside table stopped with a crash as Stevie’s hand flopped onto the button to silence it with a start. Glancing at the time, 7am, she flung off the comforter and dashed to the shower. She needed to hurry it up if she wanted to be on time. She had already been called into the principals office once this month to explain her tardiness. She had never been a morning person and being on time was a constant challenge. Silently closing her door, she jumped in her Corolla and backed out the driveway, narrowly scraping the chrysanthemum pot and leaving it rocking from side to side.

. . . .

“Stevie?”
She looked up above her glasses, as a shadow fell across the page she was marking. “Are you free tonight? A few of us are going to check out the new Thai place?” Paul looked at her earnestly, waiting for her answer.

She sighed to herself. Paul was sweet. He was the the one who had made her most welcome when she joined the school as the new English teacher three years ago. He had shown her the ropes and was always there if she needed anything. He might even have a little crush on her.

If she was honest she really wasn’t up to a night out. The car radio had reminded her incessantly that her old flame and partner was in town, playing a huge venue, glorying in his success and making her only too aware of what she had missed out on. Not that she blamed him but having it right under her nose was not doing her self esteem any good. Maybe a night out with Paul was what she needed? It was Friday, no school tomorrow, her Mom was home, why shouldn’t she enjoy a night out with her colleagues?

“Id love to” she said, giving Paul a big smile “where are we meeting?”

“In Jimmy’s. And Stevie? I’m really pleased you’re coming”.

. . . .

Three hours and four mojitos later Stevie was really enjoying herself. The Thai place had been fun and now her and a group of colleagues had moved on to Club Liquide. The dark space was lit up by spinning lights as the heavy thump of the music throbbed through her body. She threw her head back and felt the music taking her away, floating her to another place and time.

On the other side of the club, a group made its way through the throng heading for the VIP area, roped off and elevated beyond the dancefloor. A frisson of excitement ran through the crowd as they watched, trying to catch a glimpse of the star attraction.

Eventually returning to the table at the back of the club, where Paul watched over the party’s drinks, Stevie flopped dramatically onto a low stool. “Who was that?” Paul asked, glancing up the steps. “Oh I think it was the quarter back from the Forty-Niners” interupted Lucy, the school accountant. “He’s here nearly every weekend in the off season. You should see his entourage. Nikki told me he orders Dom Perignon for everyone and the club makes a fortune from it. The mark up is 90 percent. Can you imagine?!”.

Stevie peered into the VIP area but couldn’t make out anyone in the darkness. “ I’m just heading outside for a bit of fresh air, anyone coming?” Paul jumped up ,” Yeah, super hot in here” he mumbled, following Stevie to the back door.

Out on the street, the night’s chill made Stevie shiver. The thump from the club was muted here. Her ears were still ringing from the music inside, but the fresh air was welcome. She pulled out a joint from her bag and waved it toward Paul. He lit it and they both took a puff, relaxing in the chill air.   Realising she only had on a thin cocktail dress, she moved closer to him as they stood in silence.

At that moment the door re-opened. “Well I don’t care, this place is a dump, full of locals and fucking school teachers. I’m going back to the hotel.”

Stevie turned towards the voice. It couldn’t be? Could it?

Lindsey finished his rant, looking around for his car. “And where is my fucking car?”

A petite blonde stumbled along behind him “ It should be here honey bear... look...here it is now!”

A huge black limo turned onto the street and pulled up. Lindsey jumped in one side, while the blonde woman tottered around to the far side, the driver opening and closing the door for her.

As the door closed, Lindsey looked up, and for one split second, everything stopped.

There was no limo, no annoying club, no drunk girlfriend and no sound at all.

Blue eyes stared into green.

Lindsey took it all in. The petite woman with the red cocktail dress, blonde hair cascading across here bare shoulders. Her high heels raising her up as she flicked the ash from a joint.

“Stephanie? Stephanie!”

The door closed and the car smoothly pulled away. 

In its wake Stevie stood, mouth agape as her eyes watered, and she knew two things with absolute clarity. Firstly,  Lucy was wrong. It wasn’t the Forty-Niners quarterback in the VIP area. And secondly, all her earlier joy had just left her, with a pair of blue eyes in a long black car.