"There will never come a day
You'll ever hear me say
That I want and need to be without you"
--Brian McKnight (Never Felt This Way)
Summer came again. Oliver left to go on tour with the Velvet Knights from Pasadena. Irene went to Florida to visit her relatives and I was stuck here. Mr. Allens added another practice in the weeks, knowing I was going to be doing nothing being that my friends were else where. In the beginning of summer, Mr. Allens had switched rehearsal space to my house or his house. Tuesdays at mine, Thursdays at his. It was a good schedule because my mom would leave for work around noon and drop me off at his house on the way.
In mid-June, Mr. Allens exhausted all his teaching techniques. "Jody, you have learned so much and so quickly in one year. I have nothing more I can teach you." Mr. Allens gave his serious face. "I want you to start taking lessons from my friend. His name is Laurence Shuster and a great musician. He also plays French horn."
I sighed. I felt like the music teachers in town were just throwing me around like a game of hot potato. "He teaches at the University uptown. I think this would be a great experience for you. I already talked to him and he said he'd gladly take you in. He said he'll give a discount for old friends."
"Mr. Allens," I hesitated. "I'm not sure if I even want to take the lessons. I'm sure it'd be a great experience, but I don't think my mom can pay for it. I'm sure it must cost a fortune even with the discount."
Mr. Allens sat down next to me. "That is why I'm paying for it. Cost doesn't matter as much now. I see you have great talent. I don't want you to just hide it from the world." He took a few seconds to breathe. "Look, Jody. You're like a daughter to me and I see great things coming your way. You're heading down the path I've always wanted to take, but never could. You're quite the lucky one to have the opportunity. …but it is your decision. I'll support you no matter what."
I smiled at my father type figure. He was being so nice and appreciative about my music, my decisions, and everything else. "I'll do it," I managed to say.
Afterwards, Mr. Allens brought me to the diner for lunch. There, we bumped into some friends from school. It got me thinking about my friends. Irene was an excellent musician. I say give it two or three more years and she'd have learned every musical instrument there ever was invented. She'd always talk about these great music camps that she's always wanted to go to. The only thing was that she wasn't able to because her parents didn't approve her whole music. Her parents were like the most anti-music out of all of them.
What was great about Irene was her talent of improvising. She could sit on a piano stool and press on some random keys and this great, corresponding music would come flowing out. I wished I'd be like her and be so great at improvising. Irene wasn't the only friend I envied. Oliver was another great musician.
Oliver had a talent of multitasking. He could walk and chew gum at the same time. I always thought that would be simple, until I tried it. He had the talent of marching at a fast tempo and his music would be right on beat with his steps. His parents though didn't care much for his music. Oliver asked to do drum corps, being nervous his parents would say no, instead, his parents gave him the money and didn't even ask any questions on what he was spending it on.
My parents- my mom didn't care for my music either. It was more like she didn't mind it, but she'd rather her daughter be studying to be a doctor. My father was really the only who loved music as much as I did. We bonded over that, I'm sure. Now music seems empty without him. It's like have a whole concert band without any tubas to keep the depth of music.
Mr. Allens ended up talking all through lunch of how great opportunity this was. He said that we would start those lessons next week, twice a week. I was nervous of Mr. Shuster. From what I heard about him, he is a legend among French horn players. It was nerve wrecking.
Days passed and it was today that I'd meet the legendary Mr. Shuster. I walked into his office and found him sitting on a computer chair. "So you must be Jody!" he stood and came over to shake my hand. "I've heard so much from you."
I couldn't say anything. My mouth was glued shut and all I could manage was a weak smile. Mr. Shuster laughed and told me to sit. We talked most of the time I spent there. He asked what were my hobbies, what I wanted to be, and other questions like that. All in all, he seemed like a nice guy. He also mentioned he knew my father. Mr. Shuster was my father's instructor back in the day. Before leaving, he said, "Jody, it might seem hard at times, but you've got to pull through- no matter what."
Later that night, I received a call from Irene in Florida. She wanted to see what was happening back here while she was out in the sun having fun. I told her about my new instructor and she sounded happy for me.
"So, has Oliver returned yet?" she asked. I knew where she was going with that. I replied with a no. "You know, Oliver has a huge crush on you, Jody."
"You've told me this a million times before. And like the said million, I will reply the same way. No, he doesn't. He doesn't!"
"I know he doesn't show it! Of course, he's not going to show it to you! But based on what he's said about you, it sure does sound like he likes you."
"Having a crush isn't the same as liking someone."
I heard Irene groan on the phone in frustration. "Okay fine! I give up trying to hook you two together!" There was a moment of silence. "Hey Jody, I bet you are blushing right now."
"What the hell? Where did that statement come from?" I yelled into the phone. Unfortunately, Irene was right.
"Well, whenever we talk about Oliver your cheeks get all red and rosy. I think it's rather funny, if you ask me."
"Sorry to break it to you, Irene," I said. "…but no one was asking you. And I'm going to hang up now because this conversation is over! Bye, love you."
In the mail the next day, I found a letter addressed from the school. The letter informed parents and band member about the upcoming band camp in July. I found band camp rather fun. Basically, it's a week and a half without parents and a week and a half working our asses off in the California sun.
Anyways, two weeks after, Irene came back from Florida. As soon as she arrived home, she called me and asked for me to come over. Of course being her best friend, I had to. I walked into her room finding her unpacking her stuff. I ran over to her, jumped and gave her a huge hug. "Welcome back," I said.
Irene dug into her bag and handed me a bag. "I found this at Disney World and thought of you," she said. I opened the bag and found a snow globe. Inside was a Pirates of the Caribbean figure of Mr. Jack Sparrow. I laughed because she knew exactly what, or who was my favorite obsession. "Thanks!" I yelled and grabbed her and held her in my arms again.
"So, has Oliver come back yet?" she asked, smiling suspiciously.
I looked at her, gave a sigh and said he wasn't back yet. "Why are you wondering anyways?" I raised an eyebrow at her.
"No reason," she commented, unbelievingly. I eyed her down, until she spoke again. "Okay! I'll tell you. Just promise you do didn't hear this from me." I agreed.
"Okay, here it goes. Oliver told me that he was planning on asking you out when he came back." My stomach knotted. "He said, he's been missing you and…" While she listed everything, I didn't know exactly what to think. My stomach was filled with things that made me feel like I was floating. My cheeks were burning. "Now you promise you won't say anything, Jody?" I stared off into space. "Jody?" Irene waved a hand in front of my face, but I made no signal of my life being active. She shook me this time and I, at first, didn't know what exactly had happened.
"So what are you saying?" I asked her. "That he likes me?"
"Yeah."
"Is this a good or bad thing?" I asked another question. Before she could answer, I asked another question. "Do I like him?"
"Jody, you see, I don't know." Her answer wasn't quite satisfying. "You never exactly showed any signs of you liking him. Except maybe that one time at band camp…" She stopped what she was saying, laughed, noticing her cliché.
"What did I do at band camp?" I asked, still being serious.
She sat on her bed and smiled at me. I was confused and all she could do was smile. "Jody, you have to find out if you like him or not. I can't be the judge of that."
Thursday came and it was time for another lesson with Mr. Shuster. As I sat in the seat with my horn, he went through his files looking for music for me to sight read. Sight reading wasn't my strongest point, but could do it well enough. He set the music on my stand and said, "Mind the dynamics, articulation, swells, accidentals, and the syncopated rhythms." That's a lot to have on your mind.
Well, I went through the music, had to stop a couple times, tripped on the notes, and somehow choked on my spit. Mr. Shuster laughed. After a couple more run thoughs, it was time to end. "I'll see you next week, Jody." I was really upset at how I couldn't get through the music without stopping. As soon as I got home, I wanted to practice and get everything straight, but unfortunately, it was around eight at night, and my mom would be sleeping.
So instead of sleeping so early, I stayed in my room, sat in my chair, and worked out the music Mr. Shuster had given me. I wrote in the notes that I couldn't quite get. I would regularly check my clock. Around ten my mother would wake up and get ready for work. She worked the grave yard shift. She would regularly do overtime, or pull a double shift. She'd come home and just sleep and start all over again.
The alarm clock showed 11:15. And at that moment, I heard the car engine turn on and drive off. I got my French horn out and played the music with the corrections I made. My embouchure was about to wear out, but I kept pushing forward. Then, out of nowhere, I heard the springs of my bed move up and down. I looked at that direction and found a familiar person. The sight was blurry, but enough to see that something was really there.
"Jody," the blurry sight said. The sight began to clear and it was my father there smiling at me. I began to shiver. "So, I see you're still playing."
My hands were shaking and my eyes started to tear up. "Dad?"
"I'm glad you continued with your music. You have progressed so much since the last time I saw you."
The tears began flowing immediately. "Don't cry, hon. I'm here. I'm always here for you. Don't ever forget that." My father began to disappear from me. The last thing he said before he was gone completely was, "I'm proud of you."
"Come back!" I yelled to nothing.
I cried for a couple minutes. Either he was trying to say something to me or I was crazy and hallucinating. I smiled finally analyzing what last thing he had said. "Thank you," I said into the air with my eyes closed.
A few minutes after that, I heard something hit my window. I walked to my window and found Oliver standing outside with rocks in his hands. He made head movement asking me to come outside. I grabbed shoes from my closet and walked outside into the warm night. "I came earlier today, but your mom told me you were out. So, I'm back," he said.
"So, I see," I replied, wiping the rest of wet tears from below my eyes.
He stepped closer. "Everything okay?" he asked. "You were crying?"
I'm glad he actually cared. I smiled. "I'm fine. What's in your hand?" I noticed the plastic bag he was holding. It was a yellow bag that said Welcome to Atlanta. "Atlanta. Nice. You guys must've traveled far."
"This is actually for you," he handed me the bag. "Don't open it yet. Wait until I leave, alright?" he said, nervously. I nodded my head.
"Tell me, how was your trip?" I asked intrigued. He was wearing his corps jacket. He already had stuff sewn unto it. "Do anything dangerous, illegal?"
He really seemed nervous around me tonight. Maybe Irene was right. Maybe he was going to ask me tonight at this hour. Maybe not. "I got a tattoo," he replied, with a smile.
"What?" I asked, panicking. "You're parents are going to kill you."
"That was a joke, Jody. Honestly, you haven't changed at all this summer." He laughed. "I bet you didn't even notice I was gone."
I playfully hit his arm, and then noticed that move made us both uncomfortable this time. I kind of stared at him for awhile, then realized what I was doing and looked up into the dark sky. Oliver and I were both under a beautiful, night sky. Was I setting myself up for this? He smiled at me. "Did you miss me?" he asked with soft words. I finally realized how attracted I was to him. He never looked this handsome before he left on tour.
I nodded my head without saying anything. "I missed you, too," he said, but quieter, whisper-like. That really made my heart melt.
So, the smart thing to do, before I turn into a puddle of gooey mush, was to leave now. I was about to explode of how he was acting tonight towards me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Oliver." I turned to leave, but he had caught my hand and turned me around into his arms. His lips touched mine. His warmth made me comfortable in his arms, while we kissed. As he departed from me, he said, "Good night." And he walked away.
Well, wasn't that awkward? I walked back into my room and slept with a smile on my face.