Page 197 of Five Summers

I grin at the big fella, respecting that he has standards. The other guys laugh out loud.

“He’s better than you two idiots,” Nate says, giving Ace and Theo a look.

“I don't want her anywhere near us. We can’t stop her from being in the greenroom tonight, but let’s make sure she’s not in the same car when we get picked up later. That sort of shit. Just take care of those sorts of details," I tell them.

"Yeah, I got this," he says with a smirk, like he might actually have fun.

Kit returns, stashing her phone in her pocket. “The guys are already there if you wanna do sound check now. Everything’s ready.”

I look at Theo, Nate, and Ace, and they all nod, telling me they're good to go. “Yep, sounds good.”

“Sure,” Kit says. “Just give me five minutes to sort out transportation. When you're ready, go out the back and someone will be there.” Kit taps her phone, makes a call, and leaves the room.

What I truly admire about Kit is her exceptional professionalism. She avoids unnecessary drama, unlike some people. She remains unaffected by the starry-eyed effect that newbies often succumb to when they join the label and meet us. It’s as if she sees us as real people, just like Neil has done over the years when I take my late-night walks to clear my mind.

“Do I stay here and keep an eye on Ronnie, or come with you guys for sound check?” he asks.

“You should come. That way, she won’t suspect anything,” I suggest.

“Will she give Kit a hard time when she finds out things have changed?” Theo asks.

“Don’t stress over Kit,” Neil says, looking at Theo with a grin on his face. “I've seen big guys totally lose it when Kit gets in their faces. She may be tiny, but she packs a mean punch. The new band manager doesn't stand a chance against her, believe me.”

“Shit, I’d love to see that,” Theo remarks.

“Yeah, same here,” Neil laughs, right before he walks out the door.

Now that it’s just the four of us, I face the guys. “Both of you, stay the fuck away from her,” I tell them, looking directly at Ace and Theo. Their heads move simultaneously, nodding in unison.

Sound check goes well. Ronnie is a no-show. It’s incredible how refreshed I feel after just a five-day break and coming back to what I truly love. When I’m lost in the music, taking it all in, and feeling like I’m on top of the world. With everything I have now, my life feels whole and complete. However, even though the music brings me joy, it can’t replace the deep longing I have for those two special people who own my heart. I wish they were here with me.

While the sound team is busy fiddling with buttons and cables during breaks, I daydream about the other side of the world. I wonder what Poppy and Alex are up to—maybe they'reunpacking now that the movers are done. Is Poppy's old green car in the garage or out front?

Once sound check is finished, Ace proposes that we all go out for a bite to eat. We’ve never really chilled with the crew before, but I’m really enjoying getting to know them. Kit finds a spacious venue that can comfortably fit all seventeen of us. Since it’s only four in the afternoon and the restaurant isn’t busy, they happily close their doors, allowing us to have our gathering in private.

As we wait for our food, I feel the need to call home and check in. Sadly, the time difference prevents me from doing so.

While glancing at my phone, I notice a missed call from Poppy, which must have occurred during soundcheck. I listen to the recorded message. I hear Poppy and Alex saying goodnight and telling me they love me. The message is so touching, it brings tears to my eyes. When I look up, I see my band brothers have been watching me the whole time.

"How does it feel to have it all?" Nate asks, beer in hand.

“It’s fucking amazing,” I respond, placing my phone face down on the table. “But there's this feeling that something is going to go wrong like I'm gonna fuck it up. Or some higher power comes and tells me I don't deserve any of this.”

“But you deserve it, man,” says Theo.

“Thanks, bro. Maybe you should try it,” I say.

Theo steals a glance at Nate, and in that moment, an unspoken conversation flows between them. Doubt creeps into my mind, making me wonder if I said something inappropriate.

"We had someone just like Poppy," Nate says. “You know, someone who was a big deal to us in the past. Sadly, she's no longer around. She died.”

“Fuck man, I’m sorry,” Ace says.

I’m speechless. The idea of Poppy not being in this world would destroy me. My heart goes out to them. I look at Theo andsee him with his head down, focused on his glass, wiping away the condensation with his thumb.

All I want is to hug the clever jokester and say sorry. The same goes for Nate, but I don't want to cause a scene and make people notice our intense conversation. There's so much noise and laughter from the other tables. I don't want to be a buzzkill.

"What was her name?" I ask, curious to learn more about the girl who was so important to them.

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