One (Bar Dance) (18 page)

Alice cleared her throat. “She nailed the song in three tries. I have never seen anybody do that.”

Stubbs nodded then looked at me. “Go clean up. We do it live.”

I smiled at him then gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I’m being adopted by you. I’ll write up the papers tonight. Crayon okay with you?”

He laughed and returned the hug. “Go clean up. You stink.” He said playfully.

**

I walked to the girl with the clothes. “I can’t remember your name. I’m sorry.”

“Rose.” She said shyly. “Can I add just a touch of bronzer before you change? I think that it would help in the photos.”

“I guess so. I actually didn’t really care all that much this morning. Stubbs was just trying to shield me. I was so nervous.”

She giggled slightly. “I’ve been doing this for a couple of years and it still makes me nervous. I don’t even get near the big name people and it makes me, I don’t know, doubt myself.”

“Well I definitely not a big name so dazzle me.” I sat down in the chair by her makeup cases, closed my eyes, then tipped my head up. I felt the brush on my face in all the right places. Across my cheeks. Over my eyebrows. A soft brush across the crease of my eyes. I was now glad that I had rinsed my face before I ate. When I opened my eyes I gave her a tentative smile. You wouldn’t happen to have any spare deodorant would you?”

She nodded as she handed me two tubes of lip gloss. “Choose which one you like.”

I took the one that smelled like tangerines. She handed me a travel size deodorant and the gold cami with the wrap. I could see her hesitating. So I smiled at her. “What?”

“I’ve heard about the songs. Not the songs themselves but I have a dress that I would like you to think about for the last one.”

I nodded to her. “I’m open to suggestions.”

She walked to a rack and pulled down a dress that had been concealed amongst the other stuff hanging up. It was a purple so dark that in a darkened room it would appear black.
She showed me the back first. It had a split from the floor length me to nearly crotch height so that you could move but still the sheath would appear straight from the waist to the floor. It was backless unless you counted the straps that came over the shoulder and attached under the arms. She turned it and I was sold. Fitted breast with a vee that came to just below the breast. It was classical and beautiful. I wanted to try it on in principal alone it was that gorgeous.

“I would like to line your eyes with kohl. Very subtle with a hint of blush. I have a kiss me now red lipstick that would look awesome on you in this dress.” Rose hesitated. “I would put your hair up in a classic twist.”

I stood up and gave her a big hug. “Let me get through the first song and then you and I are going to play dress up.” I was nearly bouncing on my toes. “What shoes go with it?”

She shook her head. “Barefoot.”

I started giggling like a loon. “I have purple toe nail polish on. Perfect.”

I changed my clothes with Sam in attendance. I walked in the studio and everyone was waiting on me patiently. The band was talking quietly. There was a single tall stool waiting for me with a mic hanging over where I would sit. Alice, Tony on one side. Mike with his keyboard on the other. Hall brothers behind that with Stubbs on a platform behind them all. It was missing something. Something important if they were thinking of making this in to a video. I walked to Bray.

“If you are going to turn this in to a video you need a few things.”

His head cocked to the side.

“I think that we need three of those little tables that you have in the foyer with some kind of a black cover over them. Each table needs two chairs with one person sitting at it. We could put Rand at one and Sam at the other with the middle one empty.” I thought for a second then added. “With a single red rose sitting on it.” Then I thought for a second more. “Either pristine or wilted beyond saving.”

Bray got a wicked glint in his eye and turned to the people in the room. “You heard the lady. Find what she needs.”

There was a flurry of people moving and Rose walked up. “I only have pink silk roses. Is there a florist close?”

Bray nodded. “Two doors down that way.” He pointed the other way of the hamburger joint. He also pulled out his wallet and handed her a couple of twenties. “Buy couple of the best and of the worst they have.”

Rose nearly hop-skipped out of the room. Rose was going to buy a rose; I found that funny. I must have said it out loud because Bray started chuckling. Rand was at my side.

“Thanks for volunteering me.” He kissed my neck. “If I didn’t adore you I would probably strangle you.”

I turned and put my arms around his neck. “If I didn’t adore you I wouldn’t have volunteered you.”

I was startled when I heard Vince speak. “You realize that was a marketing idea that is nearly genius.”

Sam saved me from saying anything. “Terra I need you to come with me. I raided the clothes they have for you and I can’t do this up myself.”

“Excuse me.” I said to everyone around me. Did I mention that I love my friends?

I closed the bathroom door behind us. “Thanks for saving me.”

Sam just grinned. She changed her shirt and surprisingly she did need me to do up the back of it. It was one of those stupid halter tops that if you get it over your arms you can’t do up the zip. If you do up the zip you can’t get your arms through the arm holes. They look fabulous on, if you can get it on. It was a dark peach color. I nodded to Sam. She looked fabulous in it, except… “When Rose gets back you need some of her bronzer too.”

We walked back out and there were four roses on the center table. I chose the most dilapidated one and left it there. Then I walked the pristine ones over to the other tables.  I put the most pristine one on one chair. Then I put it on the table. I pointed to Sam. “Sit there with the rose across the table from you.” I walked to the other table and motioned to Rand. “If you sit there please and put one hand on the rose it will be perfect.”

I walked to my stool and sat resting one of my feet on the first bar of the stool. Rose ran up with a pair of shoes that I wouldn’t be caught dead in. They had a two inch platform and six inch heels. I shook my head at her.
“No way can I stand in them. I thought that you wanted me barefoot.”

“Trust me. You’re not going to be standing
. I saw these and knew that they were right.” They had an open toe and wound around the foot in a way that even I thought was sexy.

I smiled at her then turned to Bray. “When you’re ready boss man.”

He nodded to Stubbs and he did the count down with his drum stick and off we went. When we were all done, it was done. It couldn’t have been more perfect. I kicked off the silly ass shoes and even though the song was heart wrenching I did a happy dance. I twirled and hugged everyone that was close to me. Then I nearly ran to Rose. “Dress up time.” I drug her and Sam to the bathroom.

I changed in record time. I did a twirl in the dress. It didn’t flair at all but I could move just fine. Sam stood there and shook her head at me. “Sorry Terra. The underwear has got to go.”

I was already down to the dress, the earrings and a cotton thong. I glared at her.

She shrugged.

Rose giggled. “She’s right.”

I glared at her too. But I shimmied the dress up and shed them. “I’m not sitting down in this dress without underwear.”

They both grinned. I squared my shoulders and walked out of the bathroom hoping that nobody caught my walk of shame. I had never, ever performed without underwear on.

Rose did my makeup and hair with me refusing to sit
down. She just worked around it by pulling out a step stool so that she could reach me. I was the one to move around her. I walked in the studio. I made it about three steps before Rand was right in front of me. His eyes went from mine then traveled down to my bare toes that peeked out of the bottom. They slowly made their way back to mine before he smiled at me. “You’re wearing that dress home tonight. I don’t care if we have to buy it or steal it.” He kissed me lightly on the lips carefully as not to smear my lipstick. “Then I’m going to…”

Bray cleared his throat. “Did I mention that there are great acoustics in the room? I don’t want to know what you two are going to do later.”

I didn’t know if I wanted to blush or drag him home at that particular moment. Then I looked around the room. I decided that blushing was in order. Stubbs, again, came to my rescue. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gave me a fatherly kiss on the cheek. “They have a backdrop for you.”

He walked me to where a black shiny backdrop was hung from a standing contraption. It had ripples in all the right places and layered over the floor. It was softly back lit so that I stood out and the dress took on a life of its own. I approved and just stood there waiting f
or everyone to settle. The camcorder was on a tripod about six feet in front of me with a still life camera photographer on her knees right in front of that. She was kneeling on a foam pad. I even liked that more. The band was scattered throughout the room waiting for their cue. Bray nodded to Stubbs and the countdown started. One long note and I closed my eyes then opened them again. I kept my eyes open through most of the song until the end when I couldn’t any longer. Rand came up behind me and wrapped me in his arms. He was in a dark black t-shirt that blended in with the back ground. One of his arms went across my chest between my breasts and up to my neck. His other arm went under my breasts. I put both my hands on that arm and let my head fall back. The one tear formed and when I pulled my head forward it fell down my face. I heard my name from right in front of me and I opened my eyes. The photographer was right there snapping wildly. I smiled at her.

“Cover.” She stood up and hit a few buttons on her camera. She turned it towards me. If you made
a wrong conclusion you would assume that I had a naked man holding me from behind. My eyes closed with one huge tear just before the apple of my cheek. Even I thought the picture was beautiful.

I whispered, “You’re an artist.”

“Yeah. One that needs to get this backed up. Pronto. Got to find my laptop. I don’t want to lose this shot.”

I turned in Rand’s arms. That song always left me emotionally drained. I wrapped my arms around him and collapsed against his chest.

I heard from behind Rand’s shoulder Vince’s voice. “Take her home. Let her rest. She’s earned it today.”

I felt Rand nod.

“Here’s her shoes.” Rose set them down. I slipped them on with her help. “The dress belongs to her by the way. All the clothes from today do actually.”

Rand walked me out the door. I didn’t have it in me to say goodbye to anyone.
I just wanted to rest for a few days. With my eyes closed. Without the tears.

**

I woke up a few hours later when I smelled food. So much for a few days. I had on Rand’s t-shirt and nothing else when I climbed out of bed. I vaguely remember him pulling the dress off and over my head then redressing me in his shirt. He was sitting shirtless at the bar. Obviously not replacing the one he put on me. He had also lost his shoes. He had a game playing quietly in the background. I didn’t even bother to notice what kind of game. The food smelled too good. He was also reading over my contracts for the album.

More power to him. They put me to sleep.

Rand had a plate of something in front of him that looked wonderful. The breadstick that he was munching on looked even better. He handed what was left of it to me. “I started without you I was starving.”

“Where did you get this?” I said as I swallowed and picked up his water bottle and took a swig.

“Sam dropped it off on her way to the bar. Vince and Bray sent it over for you.” He was standing in front of the oven pulling a pan out. He dished some for me then added my own bread stick. “There is a green salad in the fridge if you want some of that too.

I shook my head no and dug in. I had no idea what it was called but it was heaven.  Pasta with a creamy white sauce
that wasn’t alfredo. Lots of mushrooms. That always made everything good.

Rand started talking while I was eating. “Sam called every one of your friends to let them know that we got engaged today. She said it was too good to hold back
. At least that is what Adam said she told Keiley.”

I smiled. “That’s Sam for ya.”

“So Keiley enlisted Adam to call me. She told him that your mom is a list planner and you were going to need my mom’s help so that there won’t be any bloodshed. Her words not mine.”

I started giggling. “You have no idea.”

“I guess when my mom got involved it calmed Keiley’s mom down enough that they made it through it with only a few fights about shoes. Whatever that means.”

“Keiley’s mom wanted dress shoes for the kids. Keiley wanted them to be comfortable. Something about the photographer was the problem.”

Rand just shrugged. “She suggested that you call your mom, then I call mine and tell her when you hung up. Then my mom can call yours.” He stopped and took a deep breath. All of that came out sounding like one very long sentence. “Then my mom can get all of her friends involved and we don’t have to do much more than show up.”