Ember

III

I am now officially on Trident Rising’s US Tour. If one more person sings The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round one more time the next stop I am getting off. It has only been a week and I know this is going to be the summer from hell. One thing for certain is Blaze is serious. How someone can go from calling me a bitch to asking me to procreate within 30 minutes is beyond me. Last night they played Orlando and I stayed on the bus. Tonight they play Mobile and you got it, staying on the bus. I have been inside for sound checks; tuned the guitars, sound check, retuned the guitars. I haven’t pulled out my baby yet for Blaze to ogle, but it should be soon. I wonder if a guy can climax over a guitar.

My mood is whatever the t-shirt says. Tonight the T-shirt says ‘If I wanted to be a dick, I would have one.’ Blaze would like me to go with him tonight to the after party. If I go, my T-shirt is a classic, the arrow with the phase ‘I’m with the Idiot.” I am trying my best to miss him as much as possible, but on a bus it only goes so far. He catches me all the time for a quick kiss and walks off. Bus A has me, Blaze, Hutch, and Knosh. Bus B or the love wagon has the 4 people no one wants to be around. I feel sorry for the bus driver of bus B. I passed on the after party from what I heard a good time was had by all.

We arrive in Houston and I’m the only one awake. I go to find greasy burgers and fries for the masses that will be hung over today. I also have monster jars of Tylenol and Advil. Hutch told me yesterday that today is Blaze’s birthday. I have no idea what to get someone who can buy almost anything he wants, but I do have one thing that should make his night. He’ll have to use it for the sound check in a few hours to be able to use it tonight. I would bet that the sound check takes longer than normal.

The natives start climbing from their alcohol induced slumber and attack the food I bought. Everyone slowly starts making their way inside for the sound check. I grab the Fender and take it inside. I corner Blaze on the stage. He hands me his guitar and I put it back on its holder.

“Uh Blaze, Hutch told me today was your birthday and I didn’t get you anything so I was wondering if you would like to use my guitar instead of yours tonight.”

“Sure Em, I would love to use your guitar. I was wondering when I would get to see it.”

“I’ll need to tune it real quick because of the AC in here. Is that ok?”

“You always tune our stuff, so sure.”

“Would you get it from the case for me?”

Everyone watches as Blaze lays down the travel case and opens it to find another case. He looks at me and I urge him on. He opens that case and falls on his butt. All the guys come over to see what is going on. He slowly takes it out holding like you would a baby.

“Em, is this what I think it is?”

“Well it’s a guitar”

                “No this is a 1960 Ash Fender Stratocaster”

                “I know”

                “Worth over 60k”

                “I know”

                “You want me to play it tonight?”

                “Yes, Happy Birthday”

“Can I have another gift?”

“Depends on what it is”

“Will you play with us tonight?”

“No can do Blaze; I roll behind the scene, not in front.”

“How about during the sound check?”

“That I can handle, I might even have a surprise for you.”

I get all the stuff tuned and I ask them to play the song I showed Blaze the first night we met. I mirror his playing as we start the song. They all watch as I go to each person in the band and take over their instrument ending with the drums. I go back to mirror Blaze and he stops at the solo looking to me. I get lost in the music as I repeat what I showed him that fateful night. I hand it off back to him and start to leave the stage with everyone clapping. Jaden and Belle grab me for a group hug as the song ends. They let me go and Blaze comes over and lifts me in the air.

“You are so amazing; I will get you on stage.” His lips join mine in a tender kiss that makes me gasp. His tongue slides in and we share one of the deepest moments in my life; if he asked me right now, I would sign up for a football team of children. He puts me back on my feet and puts his arms around my shoulders drawing me back against him to the whoops and hollers of all.

The night was magical and Blaze told the audience about the guitar and he was using it as a Birthday present from his girl, Em and oh by the way she wrote the next song. They launched into The Dragon and I couldn’t be sure, but Blaze made the Fender sing with the angels. It was a special moment in my life when man and instrument became one. In the mood I was in tonight it was ordained in the heavens that Blaze and I would be together tonight.

I went to the after party with Blaze and stayed with him. I had changed T-shirts and all it said was HOT and with sizzle sound below it. He knew I made statements with my T-shirts and his eyebrows nearly shot off his head when he saw this statement. Hutch wisely kept his comments to himself. I surprised Blaze by staying so close. Soon I was enveloped as an arm came around my shoulders and he leaned to my ear.

“Is something going on I should know about?”

“Tonight was magical; I don’t want it to end.”

He stared at me and I bit my bottom lip. That was all he needed as he grabbed my hand and led me back to the bus. It was a night of firsts; first time I had given head, the first time he had gone down on someone and the final first I was a virgin and this was my first time.

For the next few weeks Blaze and I lived in each other’s pocket like we were super glued. It got so bad, we were threaten with being moved to Bus B. We made love; hard, fast, slow, sensual, desperate and any way else we could think of also anywhere. I was just waiting for him to ask me the question again.