Goodbyes and Fresh Starts
Chapter Seven
Lily rushed around her tiny apartment throwing things into her bag. She looked at the clock; she had to go. Charlie was going to be there in five minutes to drive her to the airport; he and the rest of the band had planned to come towards the end of the week. She listed off in her head the things she needed.
"My ticket!" She shouted, "Where is my ticket?"
She looked around her apartment until she saw the ticket setting where she had left it on the kitchen table. She grabbed it and heard Charlie honk as she gathered her things up and headed out the door. Charlie got out of the car and opened the trunk.
"It's a week, Lily." He began, "Do you really think you need all of that stuff?"
"I'm staying there Charlie. I'm not coming back; this LA thing, it isn't for me, I don't belong here." She replied.
"Are you sure? Have you told anyone?" He asked.
"I'm positive and no I haven't told anyone but you and you are going to keep your mouth shut. Promise me." She said.
"I promise but you have to tell someone soon. They have a lot of money riding on you, Lil." He said.
"I plan on telling Eduardo the day of the show." She replied.
"I'm going to be out of a job," he whined.
"No you won't. My friend Robbie has connections and some scout from Toronto is going to be at the show. If he likes what he sees, I can still be doing this, only there in Roscoe, where I belong. You can be there, too, or you can stay in LA. It's up to you."
"Truthfully, Lily, the music is about you and you don't need me to be there. You can do it all alone." He said.
"You have been such a great friend to me, Charlie. Thank you so much." Lily told him.
They drove to the airport just talking. She knew that she was doing the right thing. She felt bad that she was letting everyone down but the LA scene wasn't for her and they needed to accept that. They got to the airport and Lily checked in. She gave Charlie a hug good bye.
"Good Luck, Randall." Charlie told her.
"Thanks," she replied. "I have to go now but I'll see you in a couple of days!"
"That you will, my friend," he said.
She waved good bye and went to board the plane. In a few hours she would be home; she was so excited she couldn't contain it. It was as if she had been away for years and this was the first time she was going home. Would everything be the same? She pulled her compact cd player out of her bag and popped in a mixed cd and fell asleep. When she woke up she was home. She smiled as she got off the plane. She retrieved her luggage and stepped outside to hail a cab. Everything smelled and looked so familiar; it was then and there that she realized this was home. This was where she was meant to be. The cab drove up to her home and she gathered her belongings and stepped out walked to the door and knocked on it.
"Lily!" her sister Simone shouted, hugging her
"It's great to see you too." Lily laughed. "Where's dad?"
"He'll be home soon; he ran to the store to get some things." She said, looking Lily over. "It's so good to have you home, sis, I really missed you."
"I missed you too." Lily said, hugging her only sister.
Simone helped Lily carry her stuff up to her old room.
"You left it the same!" Lily exclaimed.
"Yea, well, I was going to redecorate. Then I thought this was like the only thing here that was actually yours, so I left it alone." She replied.
"Thanks!" Lily said, throwing her stuff to the ground and plopping on her bed.
"Well I'll be down stairs if you need me." Simone said.
Lily waved her arm acknowledging what Simone had said. She felt so good to be home; she looked around her room, nothing had changed, all her posters were still up. She came to a picture of her and Audrey and wondered what Audrey was up to. Audrey had moved years ago but her family still lived in Roscoe. She decided to call up her mom to see what Audrey had been up to.
"Hello?" The voice said.
"Audrey?" Lily asked, "Is that you?"
"Lily? Lily Randall? Oh my god, I was just thinking about you! What are you doing?" Audrey excitedly asked.
"I've been in LA recording my first cd. I have a show here at the end of the week; you should really come. What have you been up to? It's been years since we've talked," Lily explained.
"I would love to come. Well I went away to school and I just graduated last month. I didn't have any plans so I figured why not come home for the summer? I'm going to Toronto Uni in the fall. You know it's really weird but I've been gone so long and when I came back, it was like Roscoe was the same. Nothing has changed; it's kinda weird." Audrey replied.
"I know and I was only gone for a few months," Lily replied. "So you want to do something tonight, like go to Mickey's, you know for old times sake?"
"I would love to, Lil," Audrey replied. "Meet me there at six?"
"I'll see you then, Aud," Lily said hanging up.
It was only a little after two. She borrowed Simone's car and drove around Roscoe, taking in all of the familiar sites. The car seemed to lead her to her most favorite place in Roscoe, The Underground. She went in. Besides being way dirty, it looked the same. The red couch was still in its place and it smelled as she had always remembered. She looked to the place where she used to sit; she took her seat and positioned herself in front of the mic.
"I'm Shady Lane and you're listening to Radio Free Roscoe!" She said, smiling.
She spent a few hours there. She looked at her watch and realized the time; she left to go meet Audrey at Mickey's.
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