Page 112 of Serenade Me

“Try not being reasonable for once.” I frown at her, and she just laughs.

“I can give that a try, how ‘bout this- isn’t it time you get off your sulky ass?”

“Dude. Reasonable, not mean.”

“Sorry. How are you doing?”

“I’m okay. I miss her.”

“Fair.”

“And I wish I could talk to her.”

“What would you say?”

I pick at the bottle label, running through the words I’ve practiced in my head for the last two weeks.

“Not much. Just this. ‘I was wrong.’”

Cadence just nods, but doesn’t say anything.

“I was wrong, to think that I knew what was best for her, and not listen to what she wanted.”

“What about the Jez thing?”

I shrug. “I can’t help that I fell in love with his little sister. I just can’t. And I can’t change it, and I wouldn’t. I think he and I are okay now, but maybe it’s because she’s not here and he can put it behind him. But I can’t make any promises that when… if she comes back, I’m not going to do everything I can in my power to get her back. I think that Jez sees that it wasn’t just a fling. We’re meant to be.”

She smiles and leans her head on my shoulder. “My Mazzy, all growed up.”

I laugh, “Yeah, it took a punch to the face and a knee to the dongleberries to make it happen.”

She sits up and hands me piece of paper. I just look at it, confused.

“Those things you just said to me, it’s time to go tell her. This is where she’s staying.”

I stare at her open-mouthed. No one has told me anything about where I can find her for the last month.

“Wha-… how?”

“Jez gave it to me.”

“What? When?”

“A few days ago. He hasn’t seen her since she left either, but they e-mail now and then. He told me to give it to you, when I thought you were ready. You know what this means, right?”

“You think I’m mature and old?”

“No!” She shakes her head. “It means… you have his blessing. He wouldn’t tell you where she is, if he wasn’t okay with it.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“I guess I better…”

“Go. It’s time you guys buried that rusty hatchet.”

I give her a big hug and a kiss on her cheek, thankful for her in my life.

“Oi! That’s my ball and chain! Get your own!” Sebastian yells from the stage where he’s getting in the way of the roadies.

“I’m trying, trust me!” I yell back.

“Oi, LimpTits!” I call out, and Jez pokes his head out from backstage.

“What do you want, maggotsack?”

I hold up the piece of paper, waving it for him to see and tilt my head.

“Well, are you fucking coming or not?”