Page 126 of Unrecognizable Player

“Hey you two!” My boss’ voice tells me he’s hanging out of the office and about to chew me out. “Get a room, you’ll see each other later, and Stef, get back to work!”

Alexei growls in my ear. “Want me to kick his ass?”

“No.” I slap his chest. “He is paying me to work here, not kiss my boyfriend.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later. Break a leg.”

“Thank you.”

After Alexei leaves, I take a second to look around at the bar where I’ve been working as a bartender and waiter for the past two years. It was the first place that took me in and gave me a job. The first place that let me play here and show them what I can do. It doesn’t pay very well, and without Alexei’s salary from his ‘real job’ we wouldn’t be able to afford a nice apartment like the one we live in. But I love it. I love everything about it. From the smell of the wood on the walls, to the constant sound of music streaming from the jukebox or a musician’s instrument, or floating in off the street from another bar along the strip.

I didn’t think I was a person who relished noise and action until we moved here. Now I know I am. It’s how I grew up. In a busy restaurant. The customers like an extension of my family. Ihave a better understanding now of why my parents opened the restaurant. To give us a better life, yes, but also, because it’s their passion. And I’m glad they get to pursue their passion, and that they gave me everything I need in life to pursue mine.

My boss comes out from the back and gives me that look, asking me why I’m still not working. I take my apron from the hook on the back of the door and tie it around my waist, humming one of the songs we’ll be playing later while I get to work.

ALEXEI

Tolis and Althea come out of arrivals trailing little weekend suitcases on wheels. I try to take them off their hands, Tolis swats my hand away, but Althea lets me take hers after kissing my face off.

“You look great hon, really healthy, Nashville looks good on you.”

“Thanks, you guys look good too.”

“How’s Stef?”

“He’s good, excited for the gig tonight, happy to have you guys here.”

“It’s about time.” Althea side-eyes Tolis.

“I wanted to make sure Maria was ready to take the reins.” He explains.

Althea tuts. “She’s been ready for ages. And it’s just one weekend.”

“Weekends are the busiest.”

I step in beside them, listening to their good-natured bickering. I didn’t speak to my dad for a while when I first moved out here. Babushka or Dasha would put him on the phone whenever they called, but I’d barely get two words out of him.Then he started calling a little on his own. If I don’t talk about Stef, he’ll stay on the line, and I’m still battling that instinct to just give him what he wants so I can keep him in my life. I know that’s not unconditional love, but I also know he’s trying. And I want to be the kind of person who gives people the benefit of the doubt, but he’s supposed to be my dad, and if Stef’s family can accept him how he is, then Papa doesn’t have any excuse.

Dasha’s already planning to spend all the money left in her piggy bank on a plane ticket after buying a guitar. I keep telling her I’ll buy her a ticket, just as soon as school is finished. Papa might have a problem with it, but he shouldn’t try to keep a brother and a sister apart. I helped raise that girl, and I’m not gonna lose her. She loves me and accepts me, like family should, and that’s all that matters.

“So what’s the plan?” Tolis asks. “Shall we eat first? I’m starving.”

“You’re always thinking with your stomach,” Althea says.

I laugh. “I thought we could try this seafood BBQ place before we take a little tour, you guys can eat fish today right?” I ask, trying to remember the Greek orthodox calendar pinned to the fridge.

“Yep, give me all the seafood.” Tolis says.

“Then Stef’s gig is at eight, so we’ll have plenty of time to get changed and go and see him.”

“And we wanna see your apartment at some point.” Althea says.

“We can see that tomorrow,” Tolis pats her back. “Let’s go eat.”

The lights are all down in the bar when we get there just before Stef’s band are due to go on. The place is packed out and I remember how worried I was the first time I saw him play in a packed bar like this. Worried he’d feel anxious or pressured orstifled. But when he got up on stage with his violin, all I saw was pure joy and excitement to get started.

It was noisy as they took to the stage, everyone clapping and singing and stomping their feet, and I realized it was closer to his experiences playing at the restaurant than it was to playing in an orchestra.

I think I get more nervous before his performances than he does. Tolis and Althea are wringing their hands too as we find the table Stef reserved for us and order a round of drinks.

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