11
Lucky
Lucky woketo the sound of her phone vibrating on the nightstand next to her. Sunlight was just beginning to seep through the partially openeddrapes.
"Hello?" she whispered into the phone, then cleared herthroat.
"Did I wake you, dear? You had us worried. You know you're supposed to call before bed," hermothersaid.
"Oh hi Mom, I'm sorry. I was really tired lastnight."
She looked around the room then spotted a pair of Jude's worn leather boots by the closet door. Shocked, she sat up, realizing she wasn't in her hotel room.Damn hotel rooms all look alike.As she tried remembering how she got there, the memory of her barging in on him flashed in her head and shegroaned.
"Is something wrong?" hermothersaid.
"No, no, Mom, everything's fine. I just remembered something I forgotabout."
"How are things going with that new drummer of yours? Umm Jude…something. Isn't he that tattooed man onyourwall?"
"He's not there anymore, Mom, that was high school." She sighed, glad Jude couldn't hear the call. "He's fine. No, actually, he's great. He's an incrediblemusician."
"That's good. Did I ever tell you a story I heard about him? You were too young for me to tell you before, but I guess now that you're a bigrockstar--"
"I'm not a rockstar,Mom."
"Fine. Now that you're away on tour, I suppose you're old enough tohearthis."
"I'd rather not to behonest."
"Remember your cousin Jessie? Well, you know she's not the most conservative woman. Anyway, she met him once while he was on tour with…what was the name of his band? Gold…silver?"
"Silver. Silverlight. I really don't want to talk aboutthis,Mom."
"But it’s a great story, honey. Anyway, Jessie managed to get backstage and meet the band. She took a liking to Jude and ended up back at hishotelroom--"
"Mom!Please!"
"You need to hear this, Olivia. I think it’simportant."
Lucky knew whenever her mom called her by her real name, she meant business. Defeated, she knew she had no choice but to listen to the story, this time not from a friend of a friend, but from her own mom, first told by her own apparently slutty cousin. She couldn't wait to get off thephone.
"Fine, go ahead, but I've heard enoughalready."
"So they went back to his hotel room and ordered in some takeout and listened to music. From what Jessie said, his real passion was songwriting, but the band had very specific roles and refused to give him achance."
"Really? Go on," Lucky said, surprised it wasn't what shethought.
"Oh, now you're interested?" her mother teased. "Well, by the time they finished talking it was late, so Jude offered her his bed to stay the night while he slept on the couch. Jessie was actually very upset he was such a gentleman, but when I heard he was going on tour with you, I felt a little better about my baby being awayfromhome."
Lucky shook her head in amazement, knowing he was asleep on the couch in the next room. She wondered how many times that happened with those friends of friends she heard so much about. Maybe that was the smoke and mirrors Stanmentioned.
"Why did you think I needed tohearthis?"
"Because I know there's a lot of temptation out there on the road. I know your father and I sheltered you from a lot of things, but just because you're away for the first time, it doesn't mean you need to try everything. Look at Jude. He's a big rock star, and all he wanted was someone to talk to. Sometimes it’s the little things in life that are moreimportant."
"Thanks Mom. I gotta go. Give Dad a kissforme."
Thinking about everything her mom said, Lucky decided she needed to talk to Jordan immediately. None of it made sense to her, but maybe it would to her bestfriend.
