Lori sat in the Corvette next to Jessi staring at the sign for 'Pockets'. It said 'Lori Trager: 8:00 p.m.'. She complained, "This is harder than I thought it was going to be."

"You'll be fine," Jessi assured her. "Gary wanted you to play tonight."

"And I foolishly said yes," Lori sighed. "Well, I guess I've got to get out of the car some time." She opened the door and went to the trunk to get out her guitar. As she was getting it out, the rest of the Tragers along with Andy came up to join her. Together, they headed toward the door of 'Pockets'.

In previous times, Jessi had hung back to be able to hold hands with Kyle as they walked but this time she walked next to Lori. Kyle came up to walk on the other side of her. She glanced from one side to the other and commented, lightly blushing, "You guys don't need to worry about me. I can walk up to the door by myself."

Kyle smiled an encouraging smile, "We're just being part of your entourage."

Lori smiled at him. Her smile faded slightly as they passed the spot where Mark had usually been waiting for her, but then they reached the door. Kyle opened it for her and she went inside.

As they went through the doors Gary Baker spotted Lori and came toward them. When he was close he said, "Lori, I'm glad you could make it tonight. I've saved your table." He pointed to their usual table with the 'reserved' sign on it. "Is eight o'clock ok?"

"I'll be ready," Lori assured him. She led the group to their table and they settled around it.

Stephen and Nicole stopped by the table and Stephen said, "Your Mom and I are going to go find our own table, as usual."

"You can sit with us," Lori offered. "We won't mind."

Nicole glanced at the uncomfortable look on Jessi's face and smiled, "I don't think you really need us cramping your style."

"Hey, what about them cramping my style," Stephen said. "I'm out with a beautiful woman."

Nicole laughed and asked, teasingly, "Oh, so do you have plans for the evening?"

"I thought I would start with a couple of beers," Stephen responded with a smile. "Then see what happens."

"Dad!" Josh said. "There are impressionable young people around."

"See," Stephen pointed at Josh, "Cramping my style. Let's go." They went to a table on the other side of the room and sat down.

Gary had sent a waitress over to get their drink orders, she took them and left.

Lori looked around and smiled, thoughtfully, "I think it's going to be all right. This feels familiar."

"I told you that it would," Jessi settled happily back into Kyle's arm.

Lori looked at the door and pointed, "There's Declan." She waved and Declan came over to the table. "Sit down," She pointed at one of the chairs.

Declan sat in the chair she was pointing at. He was clearly in a melancholy mood. "Hi guys," he said, looking around the table, getting nods in return.

"Where's Jackie," Lori asked.

"Texas," Declan answered. "Working on her plant project."

"When's she coming back?" Lori asked.

"Maybe the fall," Declan said, "maybe never."

Lori looked surprised, "Did you two break up?"

"Sort of," Declan admitted. "She's following her dreams. They took her to Texas, and who knows where next."

"That's a bummer," Josh said. "Not as far as Cleveland, though."

"You never know, it could work out," Andy said encouragingly. "I didn't think it would, but here we are. She kissed Josh.

"Maybe," Declan said with a lack of enthusiasm. He looked around the table and added, "I'm sorry I don't want to be a downer and spoil everyone's mood."

"That's Lori's job," Josh said, "She's the pro."

Lori punched him lightly in the shoulder, then glanced up and saw Robin standing next to the table. "Robin, sit down, join us."

Robin sat down next to Lori, "Thanks for giving me a call." She glanced around the table and turned to Lori, "Where's Mark?"

"Mark is no more," Lori explained. "We are unfortunately done."

"I'm sorry to hear it," Robin said. She noticed Declan sitting on the other side of Lori.

"I'm Declan," He introduced himself, noticing her attention. "Just think of me as 'Thursday'".

"Oh," Robin nodded then smiled. "Well, I guess I'm glad to meet you then, Declan."

Lori noticed Gary arranging things on the stage and glancing in her direction. She said, "I think it's time for me to get up there." She took one more drink from her soda, stood up, and picked up her guitar case.

"Break a leg," Kyle said as she headed up to the stage.

After Lori had sat down and the microphones had been positioned, Gary stepped to the side and announced, "Tonight we have singer-songwriter Lori Trager back with us." The applause was clearly more than simply polite.

The audience quieted in anticipation and Lori strummed a hard D and began one of her new songs. As she played, her feelings of anger and betrayal washed over the audience with the song leaving them slightly stunned at the end. After a beat, there was hearty applause.

At the table, Robin observed, "That's new. Whew, peels the skin right off."

Declan pointed at the stage, "That's Mark up there."

On the stage Lori slowly strummed an E minor, letting each string speak in turn. As the last one's voice faded she began to gently strum and another new song emerged, this one inspired by the sorrow and loneliness that followed the anger. She had the audience with her and together they visited the sad places in her heart until she finished it with another slow strum mirroring the opening. The applause was a release for both her and the audience.

Lori took a deep breath and then began 'Thursday', by now it was a familiar friend, not only to her, but to some in the audience as well. With Willow's album out the song had been getting played on the radio and for the first time she had the experience of some of the people in the audience quietly singing her words along with her. At first she found it disconcerting but then she drew energy from it and finished with confidence.

The rest of the set went well, only the first two songs were new, most she had done previously, one of them she had written earlier but hadn't performed before. When she finished she ended to hearty applause and returned to her seat flushed with energy.

"That was amazing," Lori said after she took a drink from her soda, "especially when they were singing 'Thursday' along with me." She looked at Jessi, "Thank you for talking me into doing this." She took a long breath, "I can still do it."

Robin said, "The first two songs were obviously new. I liked them both, especially the second. I'll definitely want to get them recorded."

"I'm not sure they're ready," Lori objected. "I'm still trying changes on a couple of the lines."

"We don't have to do it right away," Robin assured her. "Play them a while and let them settle in." She frowned, remembering, "Oh, and I have something for you." She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a small pile of plastic badges. "Willow's coming to town in three weeks. Here are six VIP passes to her concert, including backstage. She wants to meet you after the performance." She shrugged, "She's too hyped beforehand to talk to people."

"I'm going to get to meet Willow?" Lori was incredulous. "That's incredible. Do you think she'll sing 'Thursday' at the concert?"

"I'm pretty sure she will," Robin assured her with an indulgent smile. "I'm going to want to get some pictures of the two of you together. Clint, my boss, likes for us to have pictures of our success stories. We'll try to get one into the entertainment section of the paper as a local tie-in to the concert." She shrugged, "You don't mind, do you? We have to do promotions, after all."

"Not at all," Lori said. "I'll be thrilled to get my picture taken with Willow Hendricks."

"Good," Robin said. "It's been great hanging out with you guys, but I've got to get going." She looked at Lori, "Be sure to let me know next time you are playing. And when you think those two songs have settled down let me know and I'll book an hour or so in the studio for us." She stood up.

"Thank you for coming," Lori said. Robin nodded and left.

"Did I ever tell you that you were my favorite sister," Josh asked, eyeing the pile of passes. Then he noticed Jessi's frown and backpedaled, with concern, "Um, Jessi, I didn't mean…"

Everyone laughed.

Lori said, "I'm sure I'll exact a price of some sort." She yawned. "That's amazingly tiring now that the adrenaline is wearing off. I think I'm ready to go home."

Kyle said, "Stephen and Nicole are getting up. I think we're all going home."

Everyone got up except Declan who sat looking into his soda. Lori asked, "Are you coming?"

"No, I think I'll sit here for a while," he looked up at her, "You were great Trager, really."

"Thank you," Lori said and as they headed for the door turned back and said, "Later McDonough" with a smile.

Declan smiled briefly then watched them go and sat drinking his soda.