Knowing You're There

Chapter 20

I decided that since Hanukkah was on Monday, the guitar strap would be waiting until then.  The rest of the day I sat in the bean bag working on yet another history paper, listening as Star rested by my side.  My fingers smacked down on the braille keys as I thought of good ways to explain how the industrial revolution was related to women’s suffrage. 

Finally, my phone started ringing.  I put my laptop down and ran over to my dresser where it was charging.  If that wasn’t Kurt calling me, I didn’t know what I’d do.  I pressed the main button and it stopped vibrating. 

“Lia?  Lia?”  Kurt sounded exasperated on the other line.  “Lia, are you there?” 

“I am,” I said.  “Where have you been?  You didn’t say goodnight to me.” 

“I-I’m so sorry.  I was cleaning the place until midnight and then my phone died and when I got home I just kind of collapsed on my bed—”

I grinned.  “I’ll let you off this time.  Just try not to forget, okay?” 

"I won’t.  I’m really sorry Lia.” 

“So what time is it?” I asked, walking back over to the bean bag and sitting down.  “You sound like you just got up.” 

He sighed.  “It’s one-thirty, and I did.” 

“Well you’re still up to playing tonight, right?” 

“Yeah, I can do it.” I heard him yawn.  “I’ll make sure to practice before later.” 

“Sounds good to me.  I need to finish this stupid paper.  When I’m done I’ll practice.” 

“Alright.  I’ll see you later my pretty lady,” he said. 

My cheeks felt up.  “See you too my handsome guy.” 

I hung up the phone and quickly got back to the paper.  There were just two pages left.  Industrial revolution and women’s suffrage.  I wrote a long paragraph about how women having jobs allowed them to actually go buy their own things and provide for themselves instead of depending on a man to support them, hoping that it would irritate Mr. Grimm, the most old-fashioned and sexist history teacher I’d ever heard. 

After writing a closing paragraph that was pretty much the same as the opening only slightly re-worded, I went back down to the basement with Star.  Her tail swished back and forth across the concrete floor as she sat next to me. 

As I worked through Fallen Angels, I thought about the possibilities of what was to come: that arena full of people, traveling the country on a tricked-out bus, flying overseas in my own private plane instead of an F-TOT.  It was hard to believe that even though it was happing slowly, those dreams were coming true. 

"I actually might be famous Star,” I said after finishing the first song. 

She got to her feet and leaned her head in my lap as I went through Plastic People, Tune You Out, and See You Saturday, which were fine.  It was Fallen Angels that I was worried about.  There was this part before the ending chorus where Kurt had a solo (which was very amazing, might I add) and I was having trouble getting back in.