Wake up

TWENTY THREE

"So my friend Leroy here is gonna perform with me." Everyone cheered.
"You know all the words right?"
He nodded and I got him a mic.
"Y'all ready?"
Cheers from the crowd and as soon as it started. It was over.

I blinked and he was skipping back to his seat with excitement. I smiled trying to play it off. But I can't do this.

I heard someone in my earpiece.

"Sam baby. You okay? Do the girls need to go back on?" Tana asked.

"Can I talk to her?"

"Teddy. I don't think this is a good idea."

"Please? Thank you. Sam? It's me." Teddy said and I smiled a little.
I stalled with the audience for a little while teddy calmed me down.
"Now bring Tom on stage and dance. Everyone wants to see it."

"Good idea kid." I smiled and took a deep breath. "I got another guest. Tomas Manchester. Where you at?"
My little brother ran on stage and gave me a hug.

"What're we doing?" He asked me when we let go.
The song started playing and he gave me a look.

"You know exactly what we're doing." I smiled at him and we danced.

After we finished I turned the attention to him and started clapping with the audience.

"my little brother everyone."

"Um my big sister everyone." He said and I hugged him and he went back to his seat.

"Y'all having fun?" I asked and everyone cheered louder.
"Anybody have to pee? Need anything to eat? You sure? Okay."
I did the rest of my set and brought the girls out.

"So this is it." Mia said and the audience awwed.

"Oakland. I love y'all. We all do. Thank you for coming out and supporting us." I said and blinked.

I was on the floor and people were screaming.

"Sam!" Teddy and Tana ran to me and kneeled.

"Are you okay? C-can you hear me?" Teddy's voice cracked.

"SECURITY! I'VE GOT HIM!" Nicole had pinned the guy down and waited for the other guys.

"Baby. We've gotta get you up.." Tana said and the man yelled.

"YOU GOT MY DAUGHTER THROWN IN PRISON. I WONT STOP UNTIL YOU'RE DEAD!"

Tom hugged me and I hugged him back.

"I don't want you to leave. You'll be safe here."

"Tom. I've gotta go. It's my job."

"I know but. He said.."

"This vest is probably gonna be on me whenever I leave the bus. It's a part of me now."

"But you're targeted.. what if they try to get you on the bus?"

"Tom.. you've gotta calm down. I'll be fine."

"You promise?"

"I promise." I said.
I walked outside with the few people who hid in the venue.
"I'm sorry this ended like that y'all. I've made a peace offering."

Mike handed out boxes of pizza and we all sat on the ground eating together.

Tana rested her head on my shoulder while teddy laid across our laps.

When everyone finished we took a group picture and they left. Drea put her arm around me.

"You know where we're going." She said and we took the girls to the lot.

"Who's there?" A guy asked.

"Jack?!" Drea and I yelled and ran to him.

"Little Samantha and Andrea." He said and hugged us.

"Not so little anymore jack." I said to him.

"Yeah yeah. Woah woah woah. Who might we have here?"

"My girlfriend Tana. My daughter teddy and my friends Mia Charlie and Nicole."

"What is this place?" Teddy asked.

"Well teddy. This is the lot where drea and I got our start in percussion."

"You wanna learn kid?"

"Sure."
He led her to the tubs.

So much nostalgia.

"We got recruits?" John walked out and almost screamed when he saw drea and I.

"You guys wanna jump in?" I asked the girls.

"I'm not coordinated enough for drums." Mia said.

"I'll do it." Nicole said and walked over. Jack hugged drea and I but jumped when he saw teddy.

"You okay John?"

"She looks a lot like... well. Never mind."

Like who?

"Alright ladies. By the end of this you'll be able to drum like.. well Sam drea. You remember the very first drill?"

"Who could forget it?" I asked and I pulled out my sticks. She pulled hers out too.

"Where'd you get those?"

"Only true alums bring their sticks anywhere." I twirled one between my fingers and smiled.

I do a lot but before everything else I'm a percussionist.

Tana's pov

I looked at the joy she had teaching teddy and Nicole.

She loves this.
She's present doing this.

"Jack. Who does teddy look like?" I asked him after I pulled him away.

"You've never seen her before?"

"Not until we found her."

"Are you sure? Think October 16 2010."

"She's not one of them."

"Tana. I've got nothing against you or your daughter but I think she is."

He walked back and Sam looked at me. I smiled at her and she gestured for me to try. I smiled back and walked over.

"I like this." Teddy said and Sam kissed her on the cheek. The little girl smiled and my girlfriend hugged us both.

"I love you two."

"We love you back." We both said.
I couldn't help but think about what jack said.

I know teddy isn't one of them. She's too young and too smart.

I'll talk to her. I don't wanna bring Sam into this yet. It'll be too much for her.