Page 166 of Resurrection
"Yes." I nod. "Mr. Brady did really well. I don’t think I need to chaperone him anymore."
Ty offers me a grin, then ruffles Asher’s hair gently. "This kid did well too."
Asher’s cheeks pink. He seems nervous. "Hey, so… Are you coming to the gig this weekend?"
"I said I’d be there," Ty replies. "So I’ll be there."
Asher turns to me. "What about you, Ms. Medina?"
"Wouldn’t miss it."
Ty gives Asher’s shoulder a firm, reassuring pat. "Big stage. You ready for this?"
"Yeah, man. Phoenix Down’s always ready." Asher shifts his gaze to the floor briefly, then mumbles, "Thanks."
"No worries."
Ty had to call in a favor for this gig. His friend’s band is set to do a one-off show at the Palm Springs casino, and Ty asked if they could squeeze Phoenix Down into the lineup as openers. Just six songs.
"You guys just take it easy and do what you’ve been doing," Ty says. "The crowd will love you."
"Cool." Asher resumes moving chairs. "I’ll close up, Mr. B."
"Thanks. Tomorrow, be at the studio at nine a.m. sharp," Ty instructs, taking my hand.
"You got it."
We leave him to close up and walk over to Ty’s car.
The road bends and winds, a snake of possibilities cutting through the desert hills. We drive into the afternoon, into the sun and the distance as it casts everything in sparkling gold.
"He’s such a great kid," I comment as we continue on. "I’m happy he’s out of that trailer park."
"He’s talented," Ty supplies. "He’s on the right track if he stays away from his parents and his friends. They’re nothing but trouble."
"So that’s why you took him under your wing?"
Ty just shrugs. "I don’t have a manager anymore. I have to make all the decisions myself. I could use an assistant."
"Just admit it. You’re a softie."
"I never said I wasn’t."
We talk some more about his experience leading a class. I give him a few pointers, and he pretends that he’s already perfect. That ego of his won’t let him openly accept the possibility of defeat. And I’m okay with that. I think that’s part of his charm, part of the reason why I fell for him in the first place.
The drive goes on and on until we finally park at the edge of the world, where everything feels as limitless as we once dreamed.
We sit on the hood of his car in the afternoon heat, and the expanse of the valley below seems as open and real as the future. Words hang between us, unspoken but heard. Our past, our plans, everything we couldn’t see at seventeen and the fear we don’t have anymore.
I lean into him, put my head on his shoulder, then break the silence, "How’s the album coming along?"
"Slowly," he says, a crooked grin pulling at his lips. "But I’ve got most of the tracks down."
"I’m proud of you."
"Too early to be proud."
"No, it’s not. You’ve been wanting to do this for a while."
