Page 42 of Mic Drop

“Turn your back to mine,” he whispers.

Taking my time, I offer him my back and pretend to wail on my imaginary guitar while he does for real. I do a tentative slide downward, and my thigh doesn’t protest. Good sign.

Río rocks out on the drums next and I turn to face Coop, who leans forward, “We’ve all got your back.”

For the first time, I begin to understand what he means. Could these guys become my first friends since...Curtiss?

“Thanksman.”

“Take it easy out there,” Coop warns as Tris’s keys take the spotlight.

The way my bandmates rally around me breaks a notch on my performance mask, which I shore up before retaking my position as the lead singer. Our musical interlude pumped up the crowd unlike I’ve seen it do before. Perhaps we should schedule something like this in each of our shows?

After our last bow following our encore, our final wave to the audience made, we exit the stage. Coop speaks for the group, “You okay, Bennett?”

I’m back to walking like a normal person. “Yeah. I did something stupid, and my injury yelled. Got it worked out during the song. Thanks for covering for me.”

He pats my back. “We’ve got you.”

Now that the performance is over, I need to check my cell to see if Jenna got back to me. She better have. I approach Nese with my palm held out, motioning for her to plant my phone in it.

“Great job, as usual,” she says as she drops my cell into my hand.

“Thanks,” I reply then turn away to check my messages. Thank fuck there’s one from Jenna.

Ma’s all right. She fell and was disoriented. The ambulance came and checked her out but she didn’t need to go to the hospital. Kara’s here and Ma’s stabilized.

Things must be really bad if her sister came all the way out to Aroostook from the City. I rub my forehead on the phone.

Luke approaches, his eyes burning into me. “How’s Jenna’s mother?”

“Jenna says she’s all right. She didn’t have to go to the hospital.”

“Good news.”

“Yeah.” However, things aren’t going to get better—and they’re going downhill fast. Everything swirls in my head. I need someone to hear me out. Jenna’s been my sounding board, but she can’t help me here. Dare I do as she did in allowing UC’s PR team in, and seek some outside help myself? “Hey, Luke.” The words pop from my mouth before my brain can reconsider.

“What’s up?”

I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “What’s our schedule over the next few weeks? Before our US tour ends and we get our two week break?” He gives me our dates. Since we’re here overnight, I bet I can find a good jewelry store in New Orleans. “What do I have to do to use the jet?”

“Just give me your dates. Go back to your woman as often as you like. Help her mom.”

“There’s no helping her, Luke. She’s dying.” My hand swipes over my eyes, then I rub my fingers together over the moisture.

“I didn’t realize things were that bad.”

Coop appears at my side with an ice pack. “Why don’t you take a load off and ice your thigh?”

I try for some humor. “Is this some sort of bad game ofClue? A guitarist in the greenroom with an ice pack?”

“Seems like it,” Tris quips, passing me a pair of shorts.

“Thanks.” Not bothering to seek privacy, I strip out of my black leather pants and don the workout shorts. Coop and Tris start changing as well. Looks like I started a trend.

Shirtless himself, as usual, Río drags over a chair as I’m switching out my own T-shirt. “Have a seat.” He pushes down on my shoulders ensuring I follow his instructions. The ice pack goes on top of my thigh.

007 is the last to approach, but he does. He’s already in street clothes. I look at each of my coworkers. Colleagues.

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