Chapter 25: Practice
SUSAN MURPHY
I joined Max in the center of a city park. A concrete stage there was set up with a series of instruments.
"This is so cool, Max," I said. "So, what's your lineup?"
"I play the drums," she said. "Gazzy is the lead singer, Fang on guitar, Iggy on keyboards, Nudge on bass, and Angel on backing percussion… and we all do vocals at some point or another."
"And you've actually gotten a record deal?" I said excitedly.
"Unfortunately, yes," she said grimly. "We only got it because we're famous already. Well, no, even if we were just plain famous we would never have gotten it; it's because we're famous and we're mutants. And the album will shoot our reputation straight to hell."
I frowned. "You don't think you're good?"
"Put it this way: we can't exactly campaign against global warming when we make this kind of audio pollution," Max said. "We could probably do an overdub session, but that wouldn't help with public appearances; we can't play synchronized very well. And Fang? Ugh. God love him, but worst songwriter ever. He's my soulmate, but sometimes it really hits me, like 'Oh my God, I'm kissing the person who wrote the shish kebab song'." She chuckled. "But that's why we're here. We picked out a popular but not crowded park; we're going incognito to see if we could get a sufficient amount of tips from people who don't recognize us." She looked up at me. "That is, we were incognito until the ninety-foot woman showed up."
"Please," I said. "That's fifty-foot woman. Sorry, but you know I can't resist a chance to hang out with you guys. Where are the rest of the flock, anyway?"
"I would have thought they were walking here, but they wouldn't now that they realize the jig is up," Max said thoughtfully. "I imagine Fang is trying to figure out what outfit to get them all in."
"Ah, the life of a rock star," I said dryly. "Waking up in the morning and going 'Okay, it's gig time, what'll it be? Black shirt, black coat, and black jeans… or black shirt, black coat, and black jeans?'"
"Yeah, that's Fang all right," Max agreed. "Black shirt, black coat, and black jeans isn't really him, though, so he'll probably go with the black shirt, black coat, and black jeans." She looked around. "Listen, Susan, while we're alone I have something of an important revelation."
"What's up?" I asked.
She floated up to my eye level; I held out my hand for her so she wouldn't have to work. "This isn't something I'm used to saying," she muttered. "The only people I've said this to are Fang and Angel, and they really already knew… and I think, for my health, I should start spreading it around a bit more."
"What is it?" I said nervously.
She averted her eyes and scowled, but eventually managed to come up to me and speak. "I… I love you, Susan. I'm going to tell everyone in the family that, but I think you should be the first. Because you… you're the one who really helped me get out of my shell. You pestered me to open up, and I've come out better for it."
My eyes watered. I felt like hugging her tightly and smothering her with kisses, but I had to temper that. My hugs have been known to destroy city blocks, and "smothered with kisses" isn't just an expression when it's me doing the kissing. So I did all I could; I cupped my hands around Max and held her gently to my face.
"I love you too, Max," I said. "You're a very vital part of my family."
"What kind of part of your family?" she asked eagerly.
I shrugged. "There's not really anything to compare you to," I admitted. "You don't really fit the criteria of a daughter, or a sister, or a cousin. You're… you're my Max. That's it."
"Mine too," Fang said, abruptly appearing in my hand next to her.
Max jumped in surprise. "You know, Fang," she said edgily. "I don't know what culture you try to emulate, but here in the good old US of A, it's not a social taboo to make sound when you walk." She managed to finish the smart remark, but her sharp tone wore off quickly. Her face positively melted when she saw Fang. The two of them interlaced their fingers and began to rotate on their axis, floating in midair while staring deeply at one another. I knew it was a private moment, but I couldn't look away. It was positively magical.
"It's so great to see you two like this," I finally had to say. "I always knew it was meant to be, from the moment I met the two of you. Max, every time you see him, your face lights up like Atlanta on fire."
"I know," she said. "I wish I hadn't been the last person to figure that out. I don't mind the time, but it would have been nice if someone had been more clueless than me."
The four junior members of the flock were gathered. "We gonna start playing, or what?" Nudge called.
Fang and Max settled lightly to the ground. "Let's whip up some 'Iris', shall we?" he said.
"Oh, I love that song," I said. "It's a beautiful song."
"It's a perfect song," Fang agreed.
They began to play. As Max said, they weren't very good at coordinating, but the performance was truly in the heart. Fang and Max never took their eyes off one another, and Iggy and Nudge took every second that they had a free hand to caress the other's face. I was taken by how perfect the song was… not just for them, but for everyone I love.
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
And I don't want to miss you tonight
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
A slender figure approached them. It was their classmate Keegan, looking as perfect and human as if the spring dance had been nothing more than a dream.
"Hey, you guys," she said. "We're trying to have a chess club meeting over there. Do you think your band could play a little bit, um… better?"
Max jumped, startled, then glared. "Oh, that's cute, Keegan. I'll have you know we'll be making an album with a real live record label."
"Do you think you deserve that record deal?"
"No," Max admitted. "Hey, Keegmeister. How about you whip out the old imagination and make us really, really good?"
Keegan raised an eyebrow. "I could imagine that you have more will and initiative to practice."
Max scowled. "Keegs, what part of being omnipotent do you not understand?"
"I do understand it," she said. "But I'm not going to use it to just make you guys good musicians."
"But what about good things for the world?" Nudge said. "You could imagine that there's no more global warming, no more evil corporations, no more hunger. Why haven't you done anything like that?"
"This power came to be by sheer random chance," Keegan said. "It's not my destiny to make the world a better place. It's yours, Max."
"Right," Max said. "Wake me when you come up with an original line, won't you?"
"But she's right, Max," I said. "Not just yours, but mine, and Bella's. Remember what they've called us? Goddesses."
"Goddesses," Max repeated. "Right… it's still all part of the same old stuff, though. A game, a puzzle, to build up my saving-the-world skills."
"That's not true," Fang said. "This is an unforeseen thing, you remember? Going through with this, becoming the Sun, that must go against what you were built for. I'd imagine that people like Jeb wouldn't approve."
"Oh," Max said, grinning. "Well, in that case I'll gladly do it."