Spin by Colleen Nelson

Author:Colleen Nelson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2019-08-09T16:00:00+00:00

- 32 -

Ray

I held the ticket in my hands. It was old school, and I ran my thumb along the perforated edges. Barney shrugged apologetically. “Sorry, man. Tell Dizzy I tried to get another, but this was it. Thought I better grab it while I could.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hey, I owe you one.” Tried to keep my voice level, sound sincere. Didn’t know what kind of favours Barney had had to pull to get this ticket, or when Dizzy had asked for it. Thoughts rolled through my head, fast and furious.

“You think she’s going to come by? See the kids?” Barney asked.

Like that question hadn’t kept me up nights. Barney traced the rim of his glass with his finger. Cola for him, a beer for me. “Kinda thought I’d have heard from her by now, so I dunno.”

I knew Lou didn’t want to see her, even if she did come by. At least, that was what he said. I’d seen the cool glint in his eye every time her name came up. The way he looked at the poster, probably remembering the last time she came, filling his head with promises. Lou kept his feelings for Georgia bottled up inside. Wasn’t anger, exactly, it was colder than that. Like an ice cube, not a fire. Wished I could take it away for him, find a way to melt it. But the only one who could do that was Georgia.

And then there was Dizzy. She’d gone behind my back asking Barney for the ticket. Coulda knocked me over with a feather when he called to say he’d got a ticket and could we meet up so he could give it to me. Dizzy never mentioned a goddamn thing to me about it. Had to play it cool, though. Didn’t want Barney to feel bad for helping her. But inside, I was fuming. The last place I wanted her was at that concert. I knew the effect watching Georgia perform had on people. Didn’t want Dizzy getting sucked in any more than she was. Best thing would be for the concert to come and go so we could get back to normal.

Barney and I talked for a while longer, but I was distracted, thinking about the ticket. Cuz another thought came to me. I could go. I could use it. Kinda curious to see her on stage again, after all these years. Be strange not to be beside her, where I used to be, but in the audience. One of the thousands. Didn’t know if I’d like that much. And then, after the show was over, I’d what? Go home? Pretend like I hadn’t just seen her? Lie to Dizzy and Lou?

“Okay, man. I’ll check in with you in a couple of days.” We slid off the bar stools and slapped each other’s backs.

“You heading home?” Barney asked. He’d gained some weight and his gut hung way over his belt. I remembered him when he was fifty pounds lighter. The buttons didn’t gape on his shirts back then.

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