Chapter 4
Rosie slammed her locker shut. She was on her way to Glee practice after a long day of tests and boredom. Suddenly a voice called her name. Turning she grinned ear to ear as the one who made the call came into view,
"Lyddie!" she exclaimed and ran to hug her sister. Lyddie picked Rosie up and squeezed her hard enough to break bones. "God what are you doing here?" Rosie laughed and let go of her sibling
"Passing through and needed to see my little sister." Lyddie said and put her arm around Rose's shoulders.
"Do mom and dad know you're here?" Rosie asked breaking the happy trance they both were in.
"Nope and let's keep it that way." Lyddie said and grinned "so how are you doing miss Glee Club?"
"Everyone this is my sister Lydia, she's going to sit in today." Rosie told the club and gestured to Lyddie who was sitting on a chair. The club gave random greetings and waves before Mr Shue began to warm everyone up.
The practice went uneventfully and as everyone filed out Rosie linked arms with Lyddie
"So hows the band job going?" Rosie asked
"Pretty good got more gigs now."
"You sing?" the two girls turned to see Mr. Shue leaving the room
"Yep!" Rosie said smacking Lyddie on the back "She's a star." Suddenly an idea formed in her mind "How long are you here?" she asked Lyddie
"A week why?"
"Mr Shue would you mind having a guest singer?"
"Rosie I'm not in high school." Lyddie cut in
"They had some mid 30's drunk woman once." Rosie said remembering the story Mercedes told her
"Well I see nothing wrong with a guest." Mr. Shue said and Rosie smiled
"What do you sing?" he asked
"Well you know bluesy/jazz/rock." Lyddie responded confused on how to say her style she was a far fetch from Broadway.
"Can you give me a song by tomorrow?" Mr. Shue asked
"Yeah." Lyddie said and Rosie felt her heart leap.
When the two had left the school Lyddie turned to her sister who was on her way to the bus stop
"I'm going to kill you!"
"Nah you love performing!"
"Okay everyone I'll like to tell you that this week Lydia will be singing with us." Mr. Shue said to the club.
"But she's not a member!" Rachel shouted "Can she sing?"
"I can sing about as well as you can be rude." Lyddie said as she stood up. The club laughed and Rachel sulked in her seat
"What are you going to do?" Mike asked
"Some Bennie and The Jets for you." Lyddie said and nodded to the piano player. The soothing strands of music began to play and Lyddie went into her show mode.
Hey kids shake it loose together
Spotlights hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We're gonna kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around you're gonna hear electric music Solid walls of sound
She walked around full in the song that she loved. Her voice raspy and perfect for the growls she had in mind sang out clear.
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they're so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh, Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
The glee club was clapping in time with the music Rosie grinned at her sister in the way she loved most singing and being the one in the spotlight. Lyddie always loved the singing she did and as their parents put all their attention on Rosie it gave her a chance at being the one people cared for.
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight Our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong
The song was nearly over and as Lyddie drew every S on Jets out Rosie knew that her sister was making a good impression.
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
The music gave the final chords and the club applauded as Mr. Shue said he was part of the club for the week. Rosie got up and hugged her and out of the corner of her eye saw Rachel looking annoyed as usual when there was anyone else then her getting praised. But Rosie smiled she knew it was bad to enjoy pissing Rachel off but she didn't really care. For once Rachel wasn't going to be the center of the universe, the planets were shifting and she was glad.
"So you glad you're in for the time being?" Rosie asked Lyddie as they sat down to a quick dinner at some fast food place.
"I guess." Lyddie answered looking at her mound of fries
"What's wrong?" Rosie asked and leaned forward. Lyddie bit her lip and shifted in her seat
"Dave's brother is worse." She finally said and Rosie sighed. Dave was Lyddie's boyfriend and his older brother had been sick for a while, he seemed to be getting better but now Rosie could tell things weren't going to end well.
"Is Dave alright?" she asked and Lyddie shook her head.
"But he's doing better than I would if you were sick." Lyddie smiled and began to change the subject "So who was that guy you sit next to?" she raised an eyebrow and dogged a fry that came hurtling at her face.
Rosie sat on stage with Lyddie as the group got ready to do the song of the week. For fun they had chosen for Lyddie to sing most of the solo part and with her advice she gave them a great song. Gong along with Mr. Shue's culture week previously they had chosen songs about places. Rosie waited with a mixture of happiness and great sadness as it was Lyddie's last day here before she would leave.
"You ready?" he called from the seats in the theater and they all said yes. The lights dimmed and a smoke machine wafted billowing clouds across the stage. Lyddie sat on a stool in the middle of the stage as the club took the sides. She started off accpella.
There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one
The song fit her perfectly and soon the bluesy beat picked up as the rest joined in. Rosie went next with Santana, Tina and Mercades.
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new bluejeans
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans
They turned around on their second line to show off their jeans and threw an invisible pair of dice on the next. Most of the guys went next and Puck's voice rang out the most on the deep parts, he was joined with Artie, Finn and Sam.
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk And the only time
he's satisfied Is when he's on a drunk
Next Quinn, Rachel and Brittney came in taking the song a bit higher to suit their voices.
Oh mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
They group joined in all in unison to finish the song and the keyboard on its organ setting blended in well with the songs vibe.
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one
They stopped and let Lyddie take the end
Oh oh Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
She drew it out and her growl fit perfectly with the rough lyrics of it, though to Rosie it didn't make much sense for Lyddie to be singing about being courted by a brothel she did it well and the all patted her on the back in praise. Even Rachel gave her a compliment which surprised Rosie. They left the stage as Mr. Shue told them they would start working on their set list next week.
"Lydia wait for a moment." He called to Lyddie who was about to leave. She stoped "Your really good," Mr Shue said to her and she blushed a bit. "Have you ever sang professionally?"
"I actually live in New Orleans, and a sing at a pub there." Rosie remembered on her old schools international trip they went to New Orleans and she briefly thanks to some flexible chaperones met up with her sister at the pub which she would sing House of The Rising Sun a lot, it was the pubs theme song in a way as it was named "Rising Sun "
"Have you ever thought about going professional?" Mr. Shue asked
"Yeah, I've dreamed of it but the stars didn't align for me to do it." Lyddie answered "But it's not all bad I've met a lot of good people at the pub." She grinned and Rosie followed. Because on her first gig their Lyddie had run into a sometimes band playing bartender named Dave.
"Well your sister sure seems to think you should be." Mr. Shue told Lyddie "She could be a professional as well." Now it was time for Rosie to feel embarrassed.
" Yeah she's angelic."
Rosie sat in the back of the taxi with Lyddie waiting in traffic to get to the airport.
"How are you?" Lyddie asked
"Fine why you asking?" Rosie asked confused
"Are you recovering from Ste " she began before Rosie cut her off
"Yeah I'm good over it." Rosie said quickly and looked away.
"You're an awful liar." Rosie bit her lip and kept staring out the window. She wasn't over it and felt she never would be. "She was your best friend."
"I know." Rosie answered feeling the burning tears work their way up. This was Lyddie for you. Her parents were among the ones who didn't address problems. Lyddie was the one who would talk to you about them forever. "We were going to make a CD." Rosie said feeling the wait come off her shoulders " We were going to be singing together and be at each other's weddings and live next to each other and be together forever." She knew it was no use to cry now as the salty streams of water ran down her face. Lyddie reached an arm out for her sister and Rosie leaned her head against Lyddie's shoulder letting the hurt from the past go. Sure she could act like her best friend dying was no big deal and she was a good actress, but it didn't hide the fact that nightmares would be of a young girl struggling in the surf. The taxi driver looked back at them but shrugged it off as siblings leaving each other. All too soon the yellow cab pulled in to the airport and Rosie dried her tears. Getting out of the cab she hugged Lyddie tightly knowing it would be a long time before she would see her again. She got back I the cab before she could see Lyddie walk into the doors and leave.
"You OK?" the driver asked as they left.
"Yeah peachy keen."
An Just if you want to know, Lyddie sounds like Haley Reinhart. Look her up on YouTube! Shes worth it! Please Review!