Episode 15: The Wait
February 27th – March 5th
What is loss? That is the question that is facing me. Not loss, like I lost my keys, or I lost my debit card. True and deep loss, maybe I should be used to it by now. But I lost something very dear to me. All because of some things that come between people. It's like the song by Dexys Midnight Runners alluded to in Come On Eileen. I don't know, maybe it's just naivete, but I feel it shouldn't be this bad. Please share your advice and stories below.
RavenHussar
T3 Collective
Chapter 554: The Bandwagon
Monday, February 27th, Morning
The bumps in the road have long since stopped being an issue for her. The first time she laid in one of these bunks, she got seasick, not it's just part of the gig. She was in no rush to roll out of bed and join her bandmates and crew in the lounge. It's been a long few months for this tour, and now they were winding down. She looked at her watch and counted in her head; the tour is ending in a few hours.
Alix Hartmann sighed, reached up with her left hand, and touched the low overhead. She rolled onto her side, looking at the curtain that blocked the light from the outside world. Her light blonde hair fell over her face; Alix pulled the locks of hair out of her face.
"Kat, you awake?" Mike Wade, the band's bass player, asked.
"Somewhat," Alix said.
"Do you want a microwave breakfast burrito?" Mike asked.
"No, I'm good," Alix said.
"Are you sure?" Mike asked.
"You'll need to keep your strength up," Mike said.
"I can hold out until we get to the drop off," Alix said.
"Are you sure?" Mike asked.
"Yes, I need some time to myself," Alix said.
"Missing Tucker?" Mike asked.
"It's not like that," Alix said.
"Okay, enjoy," Mike said.
Alix grunted; there was only one other woman on the tour crew. Lana was the merch girl, and she's the drummer's girlfriend. Alix didn't really get a chance to bond with Lana, as when she wasn't working, Lana spent her free time with her boyfriend.
Rolling back on her back, she reached over for her smartphone. Looking through the messages, she ended up checking her social media; there were many pictures from their last show. Alix nodded and started liking the shots; finally, there was one she re-shared. After closing out the app, Alix opened up her text messages.
She smiled and looked at a message from her boyfriend, Tucker Baker. He was filming her sister's band tour and was heading into New York. Alix sent him a text and followed up with a picture of her in her bunk, with the caption, Missing you, a few hours from home.
Alix looked at a message from her Opa. It was entirely written out; he didn't understand text messaging. It was cute that he tried, and she loved him for it. She sent him a reply, See you at the pickup.
Rolling onto her back, she sighed and stared at the overhead. Alix knew she had been awake too long, and knew she had been awake too long, and knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. Alix pulled open the curtain and rolled out of her bunk.
She wandered into the small lounge and adjusted her oversized UNCW Sweatshirt. Looking over the various members of the band and crew, she found a place to sit. They looked at her, and finally, Fitz Hathaway, the drummer, looked at her.
"I see you finally decided to join us," Fitz said, "Done thinking about Tucker?"
"No, I couldn't someone sleep in?" Alix asked.
"Not with this ending," Lana said.
"Yeah, being stuck in this big space," Ivan Randell, the rhythm guitarist, said and looked around the lounge.
"Relax, Ivan," Mike said, "We've got a month to chill out and recharge."
"Hmm," Holden Keaton, the lead guitarist, muttered.
"What's up, Holden?" Fitz asked.
"Just enjoying the thought," Holden said.
"What thought is that, Holden?" Ivan asked.
"Having to write more songs," Holden said.
"It's not that much of a chore," Fitz said.
"Says the drummer," Ivan said.
Alix just closed her eyes and leaned back. "Mein Gott! Können wir nicht einfach miteinander auskommen?" she said.
"What was that, Alix?" Lana asked.
"You don't know that Alix and Kat can speak several languages," Mike said.
"No, I didn't," Lana said.
"I only speak two well and a third passable," Alix said, "Kat, well, when asked what languages she speaks, her answer is yes."
Mike looked out a window. "We're pulling into the drop off," he said.
"Is my dad here for the trailer?" Holden asked.
"I think so," Mike said.
The Bandwagon pulled into the parking lot of the Scott Building. Alix went back to her bunk and packed her stuff. Once they parked, they started offloading. Once they parked, they started off-loading. Alix watched as Ivan and Mike unhooked the trailer with their gear and helped hook it up to Holden's dad's truck. Fitz and Holden unloaded the underneath storage lockers.
Once everything was off-loaded, the Bandwagon pulled away to return to its company. Alix looked around the partially filled parking lot. Finally, she looked up at the building. The "L" Shaped building was less than three years old but was built to reflect an old shorefront industrial building. Alix thought she saw someone watching from the window.
She turned away from the Scott Building and saw an older man standing by a small, battered car. Alix smiled at her granddad, or Opa, Nichol Hartmann.
"Welcome home, Mausbär," Nichol said.
"Danke, Opa," Alix said.
"Packen wir unsere Taschen, Mausbär," Nichol said.
Alix nodded and helped load her bags into Opa's old car. Her Opa was originally from East Berlin and still spoke with an accent. When Alix and Kat grew up, being raised by him and her late Babushka, they learned to speak both grandparents' native tongues. Where Kat had a gift, Alix spoke better German than Russian. Kat being older, also spoke with a hint of an accent, whereas Alix didn't.
Once the car was loaded and they were sitting behind the wheel, Nichol looked at Alix.
"Do you want to get your car from your sister's?" Nichol asked.
Alix shook her head.
"Is everything alright?" Nichol asked.
"I didn't eat yet," Alix said.
"So, we'll feed my Mausbär, then get your car," Nichol said.
Alix nodded, "That sounds like a plan," she said.
"Good, we'll get eggs and grits," Nichol said, mentioning his favorite breakfast.
"It sounds great, Opa," Alix said.
Nichol pattered Alix's hand and smiled at her. "Anything for my, Mausbär," he said, started the car, and drove off.
