NOTE: Again, thanks for all the great reviews! If you want to hear the song that's playing in this chapter, just go to youtube and add /watch?v=6P23c9KO5uY to the end of the URL. Enjoy!
Chapter 4: I Still Believe
Shaundi, Asha, and Kinzie arrived at U Street Music Hall, a venue known for its live music and full bar. They stepped out of the car and onto the curb, their heels clicking on the sidewalk. The music from inside leaked out into the street and Kinzie danced her way to the entrance, bypassing the line of people outside. The doorman smiled at her and held the door open for the three of them. A simultaneous groan could be heard from those who had been waiting to get in as the women made their way inside. The doorman continued to smile and winked at Shaundi as she entered. She smiled back and he closed the door behind her.
Once inside, they were greeted with a screaming crowd cheering on a live band. The place was crowded and the ground shook from people jumping up and down on the dance floor.
"Wow, this place is hot tonight!" screamed Asha over the music. Shaundi nodded in agreement as Kinzie danced next to her. Two men walked up to the three of them with drinks in their hands.
"Hey, do you ladies want to dance?" asked one of the men.
"You two go ahead," said Shaundi to Asha and Kinzie. "I'm gonna go get us some drinks."
"Are you sure?" asked Asha.
"Yeah."
"Okay. Get me something strong. I want to get smashed."
"Me too!" said Kinzie. Shaundi laughed and nodded her head.
"Okay," she said and made her way to the bar as Asha and Kinzie danced onto the dance floor with the two men.
Shaundi weaved through the crowd of people, getting bumped into several times, until she reached the bar. She tucked a bit of bang that had fallen during the journey into her up-do as the bartender walked up to her. He wiped the counter with a rag and smiled.
"What can I get ya?"
"Anything that will get three capable women 'smashed'," she said using air quotes. He smiled again before slinging the rag over his shoulder.
"I'll see what I have."
As he grabbed a bottle of vodka and started to mix the drinks, the plucking of a guitar left the stage. The crowd screamed as a few notes from a saxophone followed. Shaundi cocked her ear toward the music and listened until drums entered the beat.
"I know that song," she said, before turning around. She craned her neck to look over the crowd at the band and watched a muscular man with no shirt sing into the microphone. The saxophone started again and her eyes fell on its player. It was Ethan. She leaned back on the bar and smiled as he played. Each note seemed effortless and the screams from the crowd seemed to fuel his performance as he did a small dance in place between solos.
"You like the band?" asked the bartender, setting the drinks in front of her.
"I'm sorry?" she asked, not hearing the question.
"Do you like the band?" he asked again. "They're pretty good, right?"
"Yeah, do they play here often?"
"This is their second show this week," he said. "They do a lot of '80s music covers, but they have a few original songs too. People really seem to love 'em, especially the guy that plays the sax. Something about the way he plays seems to drive the ladies completely bonkers."
"Oh really?" asked Shaundi, grabbing her drink. The bartender nodded.
"I have a feeling they're going to be pretty big. They just had a gig at The White House last week for some big party The President was throwing. I wish I could've been there, The President seems like a really cool guy."
"Maybe a little too cool." She took a drink and her eyes watered. "Holy hell, that is strong."
"Too much vodka?" asked the bartender. She shook her head.
"No, it's good. How much do I owe you?"
"Don't worry about it," he said with a smile. "First one's free."
She smiled back and said, "Thank you." before taking another drink. She turned her attention back to the stage as the song ended and watched the singer lead Ethan offstage. The MC came out to announce they'd be taking a short break and the crowd dispersed throughout the club. Asha and Kinzie ran over to the bar and grabbed their drinks before chugging them down.
"Woo, that's good," said Asha, choking a tad.
Kinzie downed her entire glass and slammed it on the table as Shaundi and Asha watched in disbelief.
"What?" asked Kinzie, letting out a small burp. "I had to deal with some very difficult questions from Jane Valderamma this morning about The President's time in Vegas with Russian twins. I needed a drink."
"I didn't say anything," said Shaundi, bringing her drink to her lips.
"So, are you going to join us next time? Kinzie and I met a guy we think you'd like," said Asha, nudging Shaundi's shoulder causing her to spill her drink a little. She grabbed a napkin on the counter and started to wipe her blazer off before answering.
"I'll think about it," she said.
"Buzzzzzzzzzz," said Kinzie. "That's what you'll be hearing for the rest of your life if you don't get back on the saddle. I have one should you need it."
"Yeah, Shaundi," said Asha. "Maybe you've forgotten, but sex is much more fun with two people."
"Or, three," added Kinzie. "Sometimes four, but that's pushing it."
Shaundi shook her head and crumbled the napkin in her hand," I really wish people would stop thinking that sex will fix my problems. What do you two care anyway?"
"Because you're being a total downer," said Kinzie. "It's depressing."
"You're one to talk, Kinzie," said Shaundi. "This is the first time I've seen you without your face shoved into a laptop."
Kinzie shrugged her shoulders and gestured to the bartender for another drink.
"I guess, when the entire FBI knows about your bedroom habits, it's hard not to want to release your frustration," said Asha. Kinzie glared at her, placing her hands on her hips.
"I can think of another way to release my frustration, but that would involve killing your boyfriend, the little twerp."
"You can't blame him for what he did," said Asha. "He was just doing his job, granted he was working for the wrong side at the time, but that was poor judgement on his part."
"Poor judgement?" said Kinzie, stepping closer to her. "You're siding with a man who single-handedly ruined my reputation!"
Asha stood her ground and Shaundi stepped in between them,"Stop with the damn bickering," she said. "We came her to have fun, remember?"
"Hello, Shaundi," came a voice from behind her. She turned around to see Ethan leaning against the bar smiling.
"H-How long have you been standing there?" she asked, hoping he hadn't heard the entire conversation.
"I just got here," he said, feeling next to him for the lead singer of the band. "This is Brian, our singer. Brian, this is Shaundi. I met her at The White House and she...helped me find the bathroom."
"Nice to meet you," said Brian, putting his clammy hand out for a handshake. She smiled and politely shook it. "You must have made a good impression if he already remembers your voice. It took him a few weeks to recognize mine and we were roommates."
"He's exaggerating," said Ethan.
"Maybe a little," said Brian, patting his back. "Look, I gotta call Renee. I'll be back in a bit."
Ethan nodded as Brian walked outside. Asha and Kinzie stood quietly behind Shaundi, watching her and Ethan closely.
"So, how's that bathroom remodel going?" asked Ethan to Shaundi. She smiled and leaned against the bar.
"It's going well. I have a toilet now, which is nice," she told him. "What about you? You pee'd on any bushes lately?"
Ethan laughed and shook his head, "Not recently, no. So, what are you doing here? I don't remember hearing about The President being here tonight."
"He's not," said Shaundi. "I got the night off actually."
"Luck you," he said with a smile. "I didn't know people in your profession ever stopped working."
"The President ordered her to leave," said Kinzie, leaning over Shaundi's shoulder. "He told her not to come back until she had fun, or got laid. I know, it sounds strange, but if you were around her as much as we are, you'd agree with the decision."
Shaundi slapped Kinzie on the arm causing her to yelp,"Jesus, and you wonder why people think you're a bitch," she said, rubbing her arm. Ethan seemed confused and Shaundi smiled nervously.
"She's joking," said Shaundi, blushing slightly. Asha noticed her embarrassment and tugged on Kinzie's shirt sleeve.
"Come on, Kinzie. I need to go to the bathroom, and being a woman, I need someone to come with me."
"What? No, you can go by yourself," said Kinzie. Asha stepped closer and spoke through clenched her teeth.
"Kinzie, I need you to go to the bathroom with me," she said nodding toward Ethan. Kinzie got the hint and raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, right," she said before her and Asha left the bar. Ethan heard them leave and furrowed his brow.
"Who were they?" he asked. Shaundi shook her head and sighed.
"Friends," she said. "They brought me here to help me loosen up because, apparently, I'm no fun."
Shaundi grabbed her glass and took a few drinks before setting it back down on the bar. She stood in silence, playing with a straw, swirling the ice in her drink. Ethan heard the clinking of the ice against the glass and stepped closer to her, placing his hands on the counter. Realizing what she was doing, she stopped and gave him a half-smile, forgetting he couldn't see her.
"Hey, do you wanna hear a joke?" he asked, breaking the silence. "You seem like you could use a laugh."
"Sure, why not?"
"Okay, a blind man walks into a bar."
Shaundi waited for him to finish the joke, "And?"
"That's the joke," he said, smiling. "A blind man walks into a bar."
Shaundi smiled and let out a light chuckle, "That's one of the corniest jokes I've ever heard."
"I know," he said, listening to her laugh. He waited for a moment before continuing, saying softly, "I bet you have a beautiful smile."
She stopped laughing, but continued to smile. She looked up at him and met her reflection in his sunglasses. She quietly wondered what his eyes looked like behind the dark lenses until his bright-white smile caught her attention, like it had the night they met. She found herself staring for an exceptionally long amount of time.
"You still there?" asked Ethan, breaking her trance. She came back to reality and cleared her throat.
"Yes, I'm here." she said, before seeing Brian running up to the bar. He patted Ethan on the back and seemed extremely happy.
"We gotta cancel the rest of the show. I'm gonna be a dad! Renee just went into labor!" he exclaimed.
"Congratulations," said Ethan, happily.
"Come on, David and I will take you home," said Brian.
"No, you go. I can get home okay. Go be with your wife."
"I don't know," said Brian. "David won't like that."
"I'll make sure he gets home," said Shaundi. Ethan nodded in appreciation.
"See? I'll be fine," said Ethan. "Who better to look after me than a member of The Secret Service?"
"You sure that's okay?" asked Brian to Shaundi.
"Yes, it's fine," she said. Brian nodded in appreciation and said goodbye to Ethan. "Your friends seem to really care about you," she said after he left.
"Yeah. Sometimes I wish they'd back off a little bit," he told her. "Brian's okay, but David has been a little hard to deal with lately. You remember David?"
"I think so."
"He and Brian are brothers. We all roomed together for awhile before I got my own place.," said Ethan.
"So, how long have you guys been a band?" asked Shaundi.
"About 3 years, but we've only been doing live gigs for a few months now."
"Well, you're very good."
"Thank you," he said, giving her a big smile causing her to smile in return. They continued to talk as Asha and Kinzie watched them from afar. Asha smiled and leaned close to Kinzie.
"Looks like the dry spell's over," she said.
"Goodbye, Buzz," said Kinzie.