Jimmy was sitting nearby in the hotel room, reading a comic on his bed. He lowered it when Les came over. "Was that Felix saying you needed me? Jimmy at your service." He grinned.
Les had to smile. "Want to go somewhere we can talk?"
Jimmy stood up. "Sure."
The two best friends left the hotel and walked down the dark city streets. It did feel better already, outside in the open air. When they reached a small park, empty at this time of night, Jimmy sat down on a bench and Les followed him.
"Now. I'm always ready to help my best friend. What's up?"
Les took a breath. "I'm scared of going back on stage tomorrow. It's been too long since we've done this, and what if I mess up?"
"Then I'll mess up too, and everyone will think we meant to do it." But when Les still looked sad, Jimmy became serious too. "Seriously, Les, it's not a big deal. Everyone messes up. Our fans love us. They love you. No one's going to care."
"Yes they will." Le's voice was beginning to tremble again.
"No one ever has cared before, have they?" Jimmy tried again. "Except - oh, wait a minute." Suddenly his face was serious, even a little angry. "Les - is this anything to do with your dad?"
Les shrugged. "You know he didn't like it when my grades weren't perfect. Or if I hadn't cleaned my room or done my chores well enough. He used to cane me for that especially." Les's voice was barely a whisper.
Jimmy looked very angry for a few minutes, but he composed himself. "Well, if any fans come up there with canes, I'll chase them off with my drumsticks."
Les laughed a watery, shaky laugh in spite of himself.
"Les, your dad's not here anymore." Jimmy placed a hand on Les's shoulder. "You're way above anywhere he could touch you. And hey, even if he was here, he'd be ashamed of himself for not seeing how far you were going to come."
Les let out a long breath. Somehow he felt lighter. "You know, you're right."
He stood up, tall and confident again. "Thanks, Jimmy. Come on, let's go back. We need to be ready for our show tomorrow."
Les had to smile. "Want to go somewhere we can talk?"
Jimmy stood up. "Sure."
The two best friends left the hotel and walked down the dark city streets. It did feel better already, outside in the open air. When they reached a small park, empty at this time of night, Jimmy sat down on a bench and Les followed him.
"Now. I'm always ready to help my best friend. What's up?"
Les took a breath. "I'm scared of going back on stage tomorrow. It's been too long since we've done this, and what if I mess up?"
"Then I'll mess up too, and everyone will think we meant to do it." But when Les still looked sad, Jimmy became serious too. "Seriously, Les, it's not a big deal. Everyone messes up. Our fans love us. They love you. No one's going to care."
"Yes they will." Le's voice was beginning to tremble again.
"No one ever has cared before, have they?" Jimmy tried again. "Except - oh, wait a minute." Suddenly his face was serious, even a little angry. "Les - is this anything to do with your dad?"
Les shrugged. "You know he didn't like it when my grades weren't perfect. Or if I hadn't cleaned my room or done my chores well enough. He used to cane me for that especially." Les's voice was barely a whisper.
Jimmy looked very angry for a few minutes, but he composed himself. "Well, if any fans come up there with canes, I'll chase them off with my drumsticks."
Les laughed a watery, shaky laugh in spite of himself.
"Les, your dad's not here anymore." Jimmy placed a hand on Les's shoulder. "You're way above anywhere he could touch you. And hey, even if he was here, he'd be ashamed of himself for not seeing how far you were going to come."
Les let out a long breath. Somehow he felt lighter. "You know, you're right."
He stood up, tall and confident again. "Thanks, Jimmy. Come on, let's go back. We need to be ready for our show tomorrow."
Within a few days of the release of their album, Union, New Religion and the Radiant Terriers' collaboration became very popular. "Bittersweet" was released as a single, and it reached number two on the Modern Rock Charts, right behind "Inside of Us" by The Devil Wants Peace. The Radiant Terriers decided to stay with New Religion until the end on their tour. Leila said, "I'm glad things are going so well now. I hope things continue to go well when we tour." The next morning, the two bands began to prepare for their tour.
The Radiant Terriers were on their way to Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They had agreed to collaborate on an album with New Religion. Along the way, Leila said, "This is so exciting. We're going to be collaborating with one of my favorite bands." Abigail said, "Indeed. Plus, Paul is kind of dreamy." Greeley said, "You realize he's an aromantic asexual, right?" She said, "I know." Sammy said, "Abigail has been a hopeless romantic for a long time." She said, "Yeah. It seems all the best guys are either deceased or wouldn't have me." Leila said, "Don't worry, Abigail. You'll get your chance at romance someday." Abigail said, "You really think so?" Leila said, "Sure I do. You deserve it." This made Abigail smile. She thought, For someone who has been through Hell and back, Leila sure is an optimistic girl. Pretty soon, the Radiant Terriers made it to Oak Ridge.