Jessi and Lori pulled up in front of 'Pockets'. As Jessi shut the engine off, Lori turned to her, "Thank you for giving me a ride, I know you would rather have driven Kyle."

Jessi smiled, "You like coming here in my car. It gives you confidence."

"It does," Lori admitted. Then she looked out the front window, "But that takes it away." She pointed to a small folding sign that advertised 'Tonight, 8 pm Lori Trager, 9 pm Sue Randolf'."

Jessi gave her a puzzled look, "It makes your heart beat faster. Why does it bother you?"

"It makes me look like a real performer," Lori said. "I'm just a high school girl pretending."

"You are a real performer," Jessi told her. "You've performed here twice before. Gary Baker liked your songs he asked you to sing tonight."

Lori looked gratefully at Jessi, "Thank you. That makes me feel better."

They got out of the car. Stephen had parked the family car nearby and, as they got Lori's guitar out of the trunk, they were joined by Stephen, Nicole, Josh and Kyle. They walked together toward the front door. As they did, Jessi fell into step with Kyle, taking his hand in hers. Nicole, following with Stephen, noting this, glanced at Stephen and he shrugged. As they got to the door, they found Mark waiting for them outside.

"This is getting to be a large group," Lori said.

"You have an entourage," Kyle said with a smile.

Lori smiled at him then opened the door and hesitated when she looked inside. "It's more crowded than last time."

Mark explained, "It gets busier as the semester gets going. Also, 'open mic' night is not the most popular; the performances tend to be spotty."

"I hope we can find a table," Lori worried. They went to the side of the room where they had found open tables the previous times she had come. All the larger tables were occupied except for one with a 'reserved' sign on it.

They were staring at it in dismay when Gary Baker, the tall thin goateed proprietor came over and picked up the sign. He said, "Hi, Lori," I was holding this table for your group. Lori looked surprised.

Mark said, "Thank you, Gary, we appreciate it."

"No problem," Gary said. He looked at Lori, "Are you going to be ready to go by eight o'clock?"

"I'll be ready," she assured him.

"Good," he nodded, "we'll get started on time, then. When we get close, come up to the stage and I'll announce you. You know the drill. Let me get you guys something to drink." He waved a waiter over and told him, "Can you take care of Lori and her friends." He turned to Lori, "I'll see you up there." He headed off.

Nicole said, "Stephen and I are going to find our own table. We don't want to cramp your style." They headed away looking toward a small table. The rest of the party sat down. Jessi sat close to Kyle, touching his shoulder with hers.

Jessi looked at Lori and said, "He thinks you're a real performer."

"Of course you're a real performer," Mark said. "Did someone say you weren't?"

"I was just having an attack of nerves," Lori admitted.

The waiter took their orders and went away. Mark looked at Lori and reassured her, "Don't worry, you've done this before. It's just the same, just more organized."

"It's a lot more than just three songs," Lori said nervously.

"The hardest part of performing is starting," Mark told her. "Once you sing the first one, the extra songs won't matter. Besides, some of these people came to hear you."

"That doesn't help," Lori said.

Mark leaned over and kissed her, "You'll be fine. You have done this before."

That settled in and the waiter brought them their drinks. When they tried to pay he said, "Gary says 'it's on the house'."

After she had drunk half of her soda, Lori checked the time, "I think it's time for me to get started." She picked up her guitar and headed toward the stage.

"Break a leg," Kyle said.

As they sat waiting, Kyle asked Josh, "Why didn't you invite Katie?"

Josh shrugged, "I'm really done with that. It's not fair to her to be dating her while thinking about Andy. I'm just going to have to wait until I can see Andy."

Jessi said, "That could be a long time."

Josh shrugged, "It doesn't matter. I love her and I'm willing to wait as long as it takes to be with her."

Jessi looked at Kyle, and then down at the table.

Mark told them, "I think she's about ready to start."

Gary Baker stepped to the microphone and announced, "Good evening. Tonight, we're showcasing an artist we've seen here a couple times before. Let's welcome Lori Trager." There was moderate applause and Lori stepped up to the microphone. She began singing the middle song from her first set, the one they had considered the best.

Kyle looked at Mark questioningly and he explained, "She has their attention already, she can start with this, tonight."

Over at their table, Stephen and Nicole were enjoying their daughter's song. She finished her first number and then moved on to one a bit more upbeat.

Stephen shook his head in amazement, "Just a few months ago, I would never have believed that Lori would be up on stage performing her own songs."

"I know," Nicole said wonderingly. "She really showed no signs of interest in anything like this. It all started as a reaction to her breaking up with Declan and being at a loss for something to do. But Mark has really encouraged her and moved her along. I don't think she would have been bold enough to do something like this without him. He's been good for her."

"And I forbid him to date her," Stephen said with a sigh. "He was a college student and my TA. I thought it would be awkward." He shook his head, "That wasn't my smartest decision."

"They were good reasons, it could still get awkward," Nicole shrugged. She looked over at where Kyle and Jessi were sitting closely together. "I'm still worried about how that is going to work out." She nodded in their direction.

Stephen followed her gaze, "So far it seems to be working out fine. They seem to be happy. You have to admit, on some levels it seems like a really obvious connection."

Nicole shrugged, "I suppose so. It could certainly be a challenge managing the family dynamics. It will be especially unstable when Amanda comes back into the scene."

Stephen nodded, "We've been through some amazing things as a family. I think we'll weather the tribulations of teenage romance, even if it means replacing a fuse from time to time."

Lori finished her second song and started her third one. This one had more of an edge and told of love gone wrong. At their table, Declan and Jackie were holding hands as they listened.

Declan said, ruefully, "I think this one is about me. I recognize it."

Jackie looked at him, "What happened between you and Lori?"

"Life got complicated," Declan said. "Things got in the way. It wasn't anything about her and me. It was the other parts of my life. I guess I just drifted away from her."

"You still like her," Jackie observed. "Don't you?"

"Trager's my friend; we've got a history together. I'm happy that she's with Mark and that she can be up there performing like this." He looked at Jackie, "And of course, I'm happy to be with you."

Jackie leaned over and kissed him. "Don't worry, I'm not jealous. I know that I have your full attention when it counts." Declan blushed. "I like Lori; she was nice when we talked. I think she's a good match for Mark."

"How so?" Declan asked.

"Mark is pretty shy," Jackie explained. "I think he likes Lori's boldness. The fact that she's younger than him makes her not so threatening."

"Do you like the fact that I'm younger?" Declan asked.

"I just don't care," Jackie admitted. "You feel really comfortable. That's what I need right now, I've had some stressful relationships in the recent past, and I just want someone I can talk with." She smiled at him. "And cuddle with too, of course."

"I'll be glad to do that," Declan said and put his arm around her. She put her head on his shoulder and they listened to the music.

Back at Lori's table, Jessi had her arm around Kyle and was resting her head on his shoulder.

"She's really good," Kyle said to Mark.

Mark said, "The important thing is her words, she has a way of choosing the right word."

"Lori's always had an unusual way of saying things," Josh said. "We joke about it sometimes."

"Words are Lori's friends," Kyle said.

"Well, I admire it," Mark said.

"Do you wish you were up there?" Kyle nodded toward the stage.

"No, I wouldn't be good at being out there in front of people like that. I can be a D.J. but I'm behind all my equipment," Mark smiled. "I like being a part of her success, though. It's good to be part of a team."

Jessi and I had been working as a team. We could do amazing things together. I knew she wanted for us to be more than a team. I could feel her arm across my back, holding me and her head on my shoulder. I knew she was comforted by our closeness but there was also a sense of energy being cycled as when I had given her the kiss to test the electric charge, the current cycling between our bodies. Jessi radiated power as well as affection. When I had held Amanda I had always felt that she was something precious I wanted to protect, to keep things from disturbing her wonderful smile. It made me feel warm and gave me the fluttery feeling of butterflies. I had told Nicole that Jessi and I were the same, but in some ways Amanda and I were more alike. In her I sensed a gentle soul which resonated with mine. Listening to her music was like her soul speaking to mine. Did that make her my soul mate?

Jessi straightened up with a frown and took her arm from around Kyle and took his hand, still sitting close to him as they watched the rest of Lori's set.

When she had finished her final song, an unusual upbeat number, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause and she left the stage. She showed up at the table after a couple of minutes, some of the members of the audience had stopped her as she walked by and complimented her on the music.

She arrived flushed and happy and sat down. Mark kissed her and she said, "I can't believe I made it through the whole thing." She drank from the remainder of her soda. "That was hard to keep the energy going that long."

"You did really well," Mark assured her. "I'm proud of you."

"We are all proud of you," Kyle said.

She was still breathing faster than normal when Gary Baker came over to their table and said, "That was terrific, Lori."

"Thank you," Lori said. She looked around the room and said, "It is a bit of a rush, isn't it."

"It can be," Gary agreed. "So what do you think? Would you like to do it again in six or eight weeks?"

"Do it again?" Lori asked. "I'm lucky to have survived this time."

"I'm sure she'll be ready to go again by then," Mark told him. He looked at Lori and said, "Won't you?"

"Ok," Lori smiled. "It was kind of fun, in a masochistic sort of way."

"I think we can fit you in once more before Christmas," Gary said. "I'll give Mark a list of possible dates."

At the mention of Christmas, Jessi's smile wavered and she looked down at her hand, holding Kyle's. Kyle reached over with his other hand and patted hers.

Gary looked up at the stage and said, "I have to go get Sue started now." He looked back at the table and said, "Enjoy the rest of the evening." He headed toward the stage.

"I have to do it again," Lori lamented, but her smile betrayed her pleasure at being asked.

"You like it," Jessi said. Lori gave her a look and she continued, "And you are good at it. The people liked it too. They are still talking about you."

"They are?" Lori asked.

"They are," Kyle assured her with a smile.