Les went back to his father's house only long enough to pack up his Les Paul, his record collection, and a number of other essentials and favourite possessions, and then he left. Luckily, his dad wasn't home. His father often worked late, and would always impressed upon Les the importance of doing so, even though he was usually in a worse mood when he came home after working too long. Les wondered if he should bother leaving a note. There was nothing he really wanted to say to his dad, but then, if he didn't say anything his father might try and look for him, and Les didn't want to deal with that. Eventually he settled for a very brief note left on the kitchen table which said, "Dad, I'm eighteen. I'm moving out. Les." He locked the door one last time and headed for Jimmy's house.
Jimmy's parents were very welcoming. Of course Jimmy had already said they had agreed to let Les stay, but he still worried a little that he would be intruding on Jimmy's family. But Jimmy's parents both gave him warm hugs and told him he could stay as long as he liked.
"Thanks," Les told them. "I don't want to impose on you."
Jimmy's mother smiled kindly. "You're very sweet, Les. Letting you stay is no trouble at all."
"No," agreed Jimmy's father. "Besides, you and Jimmy can help keep each other out of trouble, can't you, son?" He ruffled Jimmy's hair affectionately.
Venus and Mars both wagged their tails like crazy and jumped on Les the minute he got inside, running back and forth and barking and bringing him their toys.
Dinner was cheerful, with Jimmy and his dad cracking jokes around the table and Jimmy's mom offering Les second and third helpings, and after dinner Les offered to help them clean up, something which he was well aware he never did back at his father's house.
"Thank you, dear," said Jimmy's mother, "but it's your first night here; you should rest. Why don't you and Jimmy catch up?"
So Les and Jimmy decided to have a jam session, which was their favourite thing to do together. They went to the basement, followed by the dogs, and Jimmy sat at his drums, Les brought out his Les Paul, and they began to play.
When Les was playing guitar, everything else seemed to fade away. His troubles with his father, his bad grades and the lack of encouragement he'd gotten when he'd said he wanted to start a band, adjusting to his new life, everything was gone, and there was nothing but the music, flowing through him. When Les began to play, nothing else mattered.
After a time, Les began to sing, too. Jimmy always said Les was the better singer out of the two, and was never resentful about letting Les do the singing when they played together. Mars had other ideas; he began to howl along as though he wanted to be Les's backup chorus. Venus lay with her head on her paws and thumped her tail contentedly against the cold stone floor.
At last, the jam session came to an end, leaving Les flushed and happy.
"We're good," he remarked to Jimmy. "We've both gotten so much better this year!"
Jimmy grinned and nodded. "Hey, maybe we should start a band," he suggested. "You on guitar, me on drums, and Mars on backing vocals."
Venus raised her head and made a little questioning whimper. Les and Jimmy laughed, but Les was the first to stop.
"Jimmy - you don't think... if we started a band, we'd just be a wave tossed in the ocean, do you?"
Jimmy's face grew serious. "Listen, brother, your dad doesn't understand music or passion or anything like that. He never even tried to understand you. Why would you take his advise?"
Before Les could answer, footsteps sounded on the basement stairs and Jimmy's mother appeared at the door.
"Les, honey?" she began hesitantly. "Your father just called our house; he wants to know if you're here. Do you want to talk to him?"
Les exchanged a glance with Jimmy.
"You don't have to," Jimmy said at once.
"No, that's okay." If Les was going to break ties with his father, if he didn't want to feel like he was running away for the rest of his life, he might as well deal with this now. Besides, he reminded himself, his father was only a regular person. There was nothing to be scared of. "I'll talk to him."