Chapter 26

Rehearsal was great. It felt good. The loud drums. The bass. They guitars. It felt alive. The had a solid set going for the following Saturday, even though she didn't have a chance to work on any songs when she was out of town, it came together and she learned the two that were unfamiliar pretty quickly. They were working on another original and Dylan was eager to make suggestions and talk her through some lyrics changes. It was awesome. "We are going to see Blake's band tonight. Dylan has the night off. Tony is coming out for a little while too. You should come Pearl." John said as they were packing up. She was exhausted. But she decided to go for a little while. She felt she had been neglecting the boys lately and they were her closest friends. She ran back to her place to change out of her sweaty rehearsal clothes and realized that laundry was an afterthought the way this month had went. She had a pair of jeggings and two shirts clean. Both were not for public exposure. So she grabbed her last clean outfit. A black dress she had bought for a Halloween costume a few years ago that her ex husband would not let her wear out. It was tight and short, with spaghetti straps and the entire back was open showing her skin from her upper chest down to her bottom almost. She threw it on with some boots and covered it with a jacket. It would have to do.

"Hey Pearly Pearl!" Blake shouted as she walked up side of the building. He was standing outside smoking with Dylan and another of his band mates. "Hey there. Kick some ass tonight. Can't wait to hear you guys." Pearl said. She gave Dylan a smile and he just looked at her. "What?" Pearl asked. "Are you trying to kill a few men tonight? Me being one them? What in the hell are you wearing? You look...you look...." Dylan tried to get words out. "Hot as hell!" Blake shouted. "Bad bitch right there. My lead singer!" And he high-fived the other guy standing there. Pearl rolled her eyes and slapped Blake's arm. She looked at Dylan who still was stumbling over his words and looking at her intensely. She was sure his mouth had been open the entire time. She told them to pick up their tongues and walked inside. It was packed. She made her way to the bar. "I'll have a shot. Make that two." She said. It really had been a week. A month. A year. The first band finished up and Blake's band was up next. It was a punk band. Not her favorite genre but she supported Blake and appreciated his energy. She made her way to the bathroom and on her way back to the bar, one the guys playing pool stopped her. "Hey. Anyone ever told you you're fine as fuck?" He asked. "No actually. You're the very first one" Pearl said and motioned to move past him. He wouldn't let her through. "Excuse me sir, kindly let me pass" Pearl said in her sweetest, most sarcastic voice. He grabbed her around her waist and just as she was forming the beginning of a right hook, Dylan walked up. "Hey there. I was looking for you. Oh I see your are currently detained by this barbarian. Allow me to assist you. " and with that he pulled her away and flipped the guys cue stick so it was now between he and Dylan, pointing at the guy's face. "You put your hands on a woman like this again, next time this is bashing your skull. Got it, tough guy?" They locked eyes for a few moments longer and that was it. Dylan put the stick on the pool table and they walked away. "Super tough, Dylan I didn't think you had it in you." She laughed. "I didn't either." He replied.

Pearl kept doing shots. The whole week was an emotional rollercoaster and the need to escape took over. "I'm buying you a shot. And you a shot!" She yelled to John and some other guy sitting at the bar. "Hey Pearl. Why don't you slow it down?" John said, putting his arm around her. "Ok ok. You're right." Pearl said. She wasn't feeling well and knew she was drunk. She rarely let herself get out of control. "Hey why don't we take a walk? It's not too bad out tonight?" Dylan was standing beside her now. How long had he been there? "Sure" Pearl grabbed her purse and headed to the door. "Good luck man, make sure she gets home ok" John said as he patted Dylan on the back. "Definitely" he replied.

They walked a couple of blocks and the chill in the air was sobering her up. She was rambling about the first band that played when they passed a cafe window across from the river. She glanced to the side and saw David at a table. What? She stood at the window and saw him talking to someone. Then he put his hand on theirs. And kissed it. It was a woman. "Why are we stopping?" Dylan asked. "That's David. That's David right there. And he's on a fucking date. I am an idiot. An absolute idiot. Again!" Pearl shouted. She walked closer to the glass window. David looked over and saw her there. His face turned pale and he stood up to go outside. Pearl grabbed Dylan's arm and started walking away. "Pearl wait! Pearl! It's not what you think! Pearl!" David yelled as he stood outside. She walked until she couldn't hear him anymore.