Part Five: After All

It took Faye another two days to get around to going back to the Bebop. It was still anchored at the dock and this time the side door opened to the old keycode. Faye left the Redtail parked on the deck and sauntered in, ready for a fight. The hangar was empty of any human presence though. Walking across to the door she saw the Swordfish was still in the corner in disarray. Her steps slowed and she found herself looking closer, then spying the old quilt they had slept on that night. Faye stopped then and wondered what Jet's reaction had been when she took off like she did.

In the rotating passageway, Faye noticed a strange tremor. It was accompanied by a low, eerie noise that seemed to wax and wane, though it was so slight she couldn't be sure she was hearing it. 'What the hell is going on here?' Faye wondered, alarmed. She threw open the hatch to the lounge, Glock at the ready. There was no one on the old yellow sofa, or anywhere else in sight. Faye leaned on the rail, confused. The sound now had resolved itself into the notes of a song. A very loud song.

There was no stereo system or speakers on the Bebop. Certain frequencies of sound waves could create annoying and potentially destructive vibrations and interfere with the ship's control system. Now however, the unmistakable sounds of a jazz band were echoing through the ship. Curious, Faye followed the music.

It was coming from Jet's office, which was really the bonsai room. Carefully peeking around the door frame, Faye could barely contain her gasp of laughter. Jet was dressed up in his white suit, complete with a long silk scarf and fedora hat. His back was to her as he swayed with the rhythm of the music coming from the old-fashioned CD player sitting on the workbench. When he turned slightly, Faye was even more surprised to see he was playing a saxophone. He really was playing it, not just pretending. He wasn't very good, some of the notes veering off key at random moments, but he certainly was enthusiastic.

Watching him with the horn and that weird jazz music he liked, Faye had a sudden flash of memory. She was a child, standing in front of a mirror wearing an oversized glittery dress. There were at least a dozen necklaces around her neck and as many bangles up her arms. She was grinning from ear to ear as she turned this way and that to admire her reflection. Clapping both hands over her mouth now, Faye finally realized what was happening. Jet was playing dress-up!

She darted back down the hallway trying vainly to stifle her giggles. In her room, Faye dove into the closet, searching for something suitable to wear for this occasion. She had no idea what sort of attire went with jazz, but there was on formal dress that seemed appropriate. She slipped on the bright red satin sheath and found a pair of heels to match. She took off her headband and applied some even brighter red lipstick. Surveying herself in the mirror, Faye bobbed up and down experimentally, in time with the music which could still be distinctly heard. Something was missing. Then she remembered that most of the fun of dress-up was in having the right props. Jet had his saxophone, and she needed something too.

The dresser drawers were mostly stuffed with old betting books and other trash. Briefly, Faye wondered when she had acquired more empty cigarette packs than clothes. About to give up the search, her eyes fell on an antique cigarette holder she had won in a poker game one time. Perfect! Now, if Jet was still playing, she was ready to play too.

Back at the office doorway, Faye was suddenly seized by stage fright. She pressed herself against the hallway wall, listening. Another song was on, but Jet wasn't playing this time. She heard a clink, and imagined he was pouring himself a drink. Peeking around the door she saw his back was still to her. He held up a whisky glass in mock salute, then drank. He looked good in the suit, really good. She remembered he was wearing it the first time she saw him at that casino. That was where it had all begun. Where she first met Spike and thought he was cute as he let her cheat him. Where she first realized what a prick he could be too. Her first glimpse of Jet had been his crazy grin plastered to the front of the Redtail as she gunned it out of there.

Everything was different now and Faye knew that if there was one thing Jet hated, it was change. So much had changed in the last few months, not to mention the last week! She suspected Jet was ready to just let things go on as they were now, uncomfortable as that was. Faye was tempted to leave the hallway and just let Jet eventually find her in the lounge. Perhaps with one of his beers in hand. He'd gripe and growl and never, ever say one word about what happened. That What Happened was back, and Faye knew something had to be resolved. Jet would never make the first move. It was up to her to do it. The song was ending and her opportunity to join the game had arrived.

Resorting to the tricks she knew best, Faye lounged against the doorway so that the slit in her dress revealed the length of her leg. She softly clapped her hands, causing Jet to spin around so fast, the saxophone that was hanging around his neck arced out and bumped back against his chest. The shock on his face made Faye's heart sink a little. Jet blinked then, and his eyes dropped down, then slowly climbed back up her body. His expression changed to one Faye had seen a thousand times before on other faces, but she didn't mind this time. Elegantly lifting her cigarette in its holder like she had seen in old pictures, she asked, "Is this jazz bar open tonight?"

Suddenly, Jet grinned. He took off his hat, bowed a little and said, "Right this way, miss," as he pulled out his desk chair for her. Faye sat and Jet un-clipped the saxophone and laid it on the bench. He reached over her head to get down a glass, then poured, and handed her the drink with a courtly flourish. The next song on the disc had started to play.

Neither spoke. Faye enjoyed the exotic feel of smoking through the long cigarette holder and blowing thin streams of smoke over her head. Jet pulled a cigar out of his coat pocket and after a moment was making smoke rings. The room, filled now with a brisk trumpet solo, seemed smaller than it really was. The two bounty hunters sat in intimate silence, just listening. Eventually Faye's cigarette was gone, and the music as well.

"Was that the Charlie Parker you like so much?" Faye asked softly. She was curious about this other side of Jet, and hoping she wouldn't break the spell of the moment by speaking.

Jet looked at Faye quizzically and said, "Huh?" Then he laughed gently at her and explained, "No, Charlie played a saxophone. That was Louis Armstrong."

Embarrassed, Faye looked away toward the saxophone lying on the bench. Jet followed her gaze, then picked it up and went over to a black case on the other side of the room. He started to take the sax apart to put it away and said, "I just try to play along sometimes."

"Jet, wait," Faye called starting to cross to him. She stopped mid-stride when she remembered the last time she had said those words and reached out to Jet. She pushed the memory aside. Going to the case, she picked up the mouthpiece and gave it to him. "Can you play anything by Charlie Parker? I don't think I've ever heard him. Besides, I thought this jazz bar had live music," she smiled up at Jet.

"I'm not very good you know," he started.

"But you obviously enjoy it, and it's not like I can tell the difference anyway," Faye said. Of course, earlier even she could hear that he was missing notes, but she felt like being generous.

Jet began looking through the pile of old CD's. Faye helped herself to another shot of the whiskey and surreptitiously slid a cigarette out of Jet's pack on the desk. Lifting the long holder again she asked, "You got a light, mister?"

"For my own cigarette? Sure thing, miss," Jet said, then winked. Now it was Faye's turn to be shocked. She hadn't thought the old sourpuss was capable of winking. Play around on the sax in odd clothes, sure, but winking, that was just strange! Then again, Jet didn't look nearly so old, or as sour as usual, at the moment. He looked comical just then, the saxophone's reed hanging out of his grinning mouth as he held the lighter out. Faye dropped her eyes and concentrated on getting her cigarette lit. Jet turned to queue up a song and she sat down again in the desk chair.

"This was the first song I learned. I know it pretty well now," he said.

A piano started the song, then Jet came in with the sax and Faye realized that he really was good at this song. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back to listen as the notes flowed up and down with the piano playing a muted accompaniment. There was a brief piano solo in the middle, then it was almost like Jet's sax was conversing with the one on the recording as the two melodies intertwined. Jet's horn soared above the other at the end as he played a quirky little trill, and the song was over.

Opening her eyes, Faye saw Jet looking at her questioningly. "Play it again?" she found herself begging, leaning forward.

Without comment, Jet restarted the CD and the ballad filled the air again. This time she watched him playing and it seemed almost as if there was some message he was sending through that song. The saxophone's brassy notes were insistent in her ears and Jet's eyes held hers even as the last trill died away.

Grey and green eyes remained locked until Faye caught herself starting to take a step forward. Confused, she looked away, unable to remember when she had stood, or why. The song was till reverberating inside her head as Jet turned to put the saxophone away. Dizzy, she reached out for something to hold onto and her hand found the desk and the open CD case lying there. Picking it up, her eyes were drawn to the only Charlie Parker song on the album: Lover Man.

Jet had made the first move after all.

I had fun writing this one! There really is a Charlie Parker song called Lover Man. As soon as I heard it I thought of Jet. You can hear it at this website: www. charlie-bird-parker. com There are three other songs there as well, all great. In case anyone else is interested, there is another Charlie Parker song called Romance Without Finance, which really is just perfect for a CB story! Let me know if you do one! -Neg