Back to Where We Started From (Miracle)

Chapter Thirty-Four

July 8, 1974

Los Angeles, CA

Julia's eyes snapped open and immediately shut again from the amount of light flooding her tiny room. Exhaustion clouded her brain, and she cursed the fact that she was awake. She rubbed her face, fighting off a yawn until she heard the sound that had woken her.

Riiiiiiiing! Riiiiiiiing!

She rolled out of bed and stumbled to the minuscule kitchen, picking up the phone quickly.

"H'lo?" She mumbled, brushing her messy hair from her face.

"Did I wake you?" Robbie chuckled on the other end of the phone.

"Yes," she grumbled. She was happier to hear from him than her voice let on.

"I waited until it was 3 p.m. your time!" Robbie defended himself. It was typical of Robbie to be considerate enough to wait until a time when he wouldn't wake her up. He knew how long she could sleep.

"I started working the night shift at the restaurant this week. I didn't even get home till like 6:30 this morning," Julia explained with a yawn.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is it going any better?"

Robbie didn't want to admit, even to himself, that he wished Julia would come home. He didn't want her to be miserable, but he certainly would be happier if she was home in Minnesota with him.

"It's not too bad. A couple drunk assholes, but I'm making pretty good money," she shrugged.

"You're being safe, right? Do you need anything?"

Julia couldn't help but smile at her best friend. He was being his typical protective, worrisome self.

"Yes, my apartment is in a pretty safe area," Julia lied. Her apartment wasn't terribly unsafe, but it was a little bit seedy. She didn't tell Robbie because she didn't want to cause him any unnecessary worry. She knew he was pretty on edge about her living by herself in Los Angeles. Everyone was, but Robbie was the most vocal about it, probably because he was the only one who could express it without being hung up on.

"Good. You know I worry about you," Robbie told her.

Yeah, believe me, I know.

"I know. I appreciate it. How's everything at home?"

"Boring! Honestly, how could you leave right at the beginning of summer? I don't have you or hockey. I think I'm going to go crazy," he complained. Julia laughed and shook her head.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I should've left during hockey season, you wouldn't have even noticed," Julia joked.

"Not true. I would've noticed when you weren't screaming at all my games. Maybe one day I'll learn to tune you out," Robbie scoffed.

"Oh hush, you love it," Julia told him.

"Yeah, yeah, of course. What are you up to today?"

Julia thought for a second before her eyes snapped wide open and she gasped.

"Shit! I'm supposed to go to an audition with this band. I have to leave here in like 15 minutes. I'm so glad you called," Julia gushed.

"I am too. I'm sure you'll knock it out. Good luck!"

"Thanks, Robbie. Love you, talk soon."

"Love you, Jules."

Shortly after, Julia was walking down Sunset, towards the apartment where she was supposed to meet this band. She had seen a poster hanging up saying that they were looking for a lead vocalist for their band and after a short phone call, they had asked her to come by and sing for them. She was still slightly groggy from her abrupt awakening, but the adrenaline was rushing through her now. The last couple of bands she had met didn't work out. The first group had been far more focused on the look of the band than on the music. The second group had been a little too punk for her. The third group had a bass player that wouldn't stop hitting on her. She could only hope that this one would be different.