Daylight

Joe’s POV

I slept well on the way to the next dates in Southern California, with a smile on me face, if you can believe it. In fact, I was in such a bloody great mood, none of me mates wanted anythin’ to do with me.
“Ah God, here he comes!” Bryan announced when I came round to the front to have a beer.
Tom slapped me on the back. “Don’t be too hard on ‘im, mate,” he told Bryan, “he had a long night!”
I took a drink and said nothin’. Tom and I’d talked about what’d happened, but we’d decided to keep mum on the details with everyone else. Bryan just gave me a shufti with a dirty grin on his face and kept on down the hall to the bunks. I knew he wouldn’t say nothin’ about Pet and me without riskin’ his life.

Viv’s POV

I woke up with nothing but work and the day ahead on my mind, I swear. But of course, that’s not the way it turned out.
I was just waking up over a cup of something so God-awful it seemed illegal to call it coffee, idly checking my calendar, when my phone rang. It was Tim, of course.
I took a deep breath for courage and answered. “Hey, Tim, what’s up?”
“I need to speak with you, Viv.”
No shit. “Sure, what can I do for you?”
“Not on the phone,” he replied impatiently, as if I were stupid. “In person. Are you busy this morning?”
I very nearly said Would it matter if I was? but I restrained myself. “Just having some coffee. When did you want to meet?”
“There’s a refueling stop in about 15. Meet me outside my trailer.”
What, were we spies all of a sudden? “Sure, Tim. See you then.” The words were barely out of my mouth when I realized he’d already disconnected. I sighed and put down my phone on the table, then put my head in my hands.
“Hey, Viv, what’s up?” Bobby’s voice startled me out of my daze.
“Not much,” I answered.
“Was that Tim?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
Bobby sat down next to me. “You never look totally happy when he calls,” he commented.
I shook my head. “Can’t fool you, college boy.”
He looked at me strangely. “Is that some kind of burn?”
I chuckled. “Hell no, Bobby, I just think pretty much anyone could see that Tim gets under my skin,” I muttered.
“Join the club,” my intern replied. “He seems to make a lot of people nervous. What’s his deal, anyway?”
I shrugged. “Nobody knows, Bobby. Hey, where’s Steph?”
He grinned. “Still sleeping. I didn’t have the heart to wake her up yet.”
“Aw, you guys are way too cute. How’s things going?” I asked
“Pretty well, I guess,” Bobby said. “Still working things out, y’know?”
“That’s good,” I nodded. “Well, I better get ready for the day. Gonna be a lot of crazy shit coming up when we get to SoCal.” I lifted my cup. “And I’ll need some real coffee when we hit the next stop.”
“What’s the matter, you don’t like this swill?” he joked.
I laughed. “Let’s not go there.”
Time to swallow the frog, I reflected. The day can’t help but get better from here.

If only I’d known…

Pet’s POV

A little while after Sal came into the common area of the bus, I decided I was still too tired to deal with life and crawled back into my bunk. I managed to get a few more hours before my phone rang. I rolled over and saw that the sun was a lot lower.
“H’lo?” I murmured.
“Pet, luv? That you?”
I smiled, though I knew he couldn’t see me. “Hey, Joe, what’s going on?” I asked. “What time is it?”
“Gettin’ long about four, and not much,” he answered. “Just wakin’ up, are yeh?”
I stretched until I felt my shoulders pop. “Off and on. Sal wasn’t a lot of help.”
“I’m sure. Tom said she’s denyin’ all knowledge of last night, eh?”
“How did you—never mind,” I interrupted myself, remembering that of course Tom and Tia would’ve been talking or texting all damn day.
“Yeah, so, how are ya, luv?” he asked me. Then, lowering his voice: “Been thinkin’ about you all day.”
I giggled. Someone shoot me! “Well, I would’ve been thinking about you, too,” I said coyly, “but I was sleeping. Or trying to.”
“Oh—did yeh want me to call back, Pet?” Joe responded with just a touch of annoyed amusement in his tone. “Cos I don’t wanna bother yeh, luv.”
“You can bother me all you want,” I said softly.
“Oh really?” Joe sounded interested. “D’you have a certain way ya wanna be bothered, or should we just see how it goes?”
“Uh…” Well, that was it; I had no answer. I was suddenly melting and he hadn’t said anything at all. Damn!
I must’ve been quiet way too long, because Joe asked softly, “Pet? Yeh there, luv?”
I swallowed. “I’m here.”
“I should tell you, I’m sorry how it all turned out last night,” he whispered.
“Really?”
It sounded like he was stretching out, like I’d just done. “Yeah, I am. I mean, I should be gutted at Sal for bein’ so bloody stupid,” he admitted, “but I reckon she’s had her punishment already, eh?”
“Don’t worry, I’m pissed enough at her for everybody,” I replied.
“Don’t be,” Joe advised, “she’ll get hers. Drunks always do.”
Even though I was upset with Sal, I was a little annoyed that Joe would call her that. “Is that all you think she is? A drunk?” I asked, hurt.
“No, I don’t,” he said quickly. “Look, she’s a bloody fine bass player. Onstage, she performs better than most anyone I know. But if she keeps drinkin’ like that, it won’t matter what I think she is, Pet. It’s what she’ll become. I’ve seen it plenty among me mates.”
“I suppose.” This discussion was depressing me. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Of course we can,” Joe replied. “But not over the phone, luv.”
I was confused. “Are you on my bus, and nobody told me?”
“No, Pet. I wish I was, though.”
I sighed. “I wish you were, too.” I checked the time. “So…are we there yet?”
“I think it’ll be another hour or two.”
I yawned. “Damn, I’m gonna kill Sal for keeping us all up so late.”
“Just rest, Pet,” Joe advised. “We don’t have a show till tomorrow.”

Viv’s POV

After a tense conversation at the rest stop with Tim—God, he really doesn’t like me! was all I could think—I got back on the bus and made a few calls while we rolled towards our destination. I hoped I might be able to get around town to see a few other bands, so I checked the local listings and saw some interesting possibilities.
Tim wanted me to school the interns at the reception tonight? I couldn’t think of a better way to do it than to drag them out afterwards, out of their safe little musical lives (Warped Tour notwithstanding) and into some crazy shit situation that might better prepare them for the vagaries of rock journalism.
I just hoped they were all old enough to drink legally.

Finally, finally, we arrived at the site of the next couple of Warped dates. I couldn’t wait to get off the damn bus, even more so since my last phone conversation before arrival had been with my sister Mary.
Let’s just say it was about as much fun as the morning’s discussion with Tim. Mary was getting shriller and more nervous about her daughter as the tour wound on. I was getting tired of reassuring her, especially since she didn’t seem to be listening to me anyway. Did she really think they were going to be sent home in disgrace or something? That’s not how things work on tour, Mary.
I was glad to see Petula walking towards me when I disembarked. “Hey, Aunt Viv!” she called, waving at me with a huge smile on her face.
I smiled back. “Hi, honey. What’s going on?”
She reached me and gave me a hug. “Oh, just so glad to be walking on something that’s not swaying. Damn! I don’t think I’m built for all these long bus rides.”
“Well,” I reminded her, “if things go right for you ladies, you’ll be on lots more of them. Better hone your coping skills now, while you can.”
She shrugged. “So, what’s going on tonight?” she asked.
Before I could answer, Joe McCullough appeared out of nowhere.
“There you are, luv,” he exclaimed, pulling Pet into his arms and giving her what looked like a pretty thorough kiss.
When he finally let her go, I thought she was going to melt onto the asphalt, but she seemed steady enough. He brushed the hair back from her forehead and smiled at her like she was a secret he’d been keeping. When she turned back to me, I was astonished to read her expression. She was glowing.
They were in love, I realized with a jolt.
“How are you, Vivian?” Joe asked politely.
“I’m good, but I think you two are doing better than me,” I remarked.
Pet laughed, blushing. There was an expectant beat.
“So, you never answered me,” she prodded.
I was still recovering from my brief epiphany. “What was the question?” I asked.
“Anything going on tonight?” Pet repeated.
“As a matter of fact,” I advised her, “there’s a reception for the AP staff tonight at one of the nicest hotels in town. Sounds like there’ll be food and drink. Wanna come along?”
She beamed. “Sure. Uh, can I, uh…” she tugged at Joe’s shirt.
“Well, it’s a ‘plus-one’ type of situation,” I explained, “so it can only be one.”
Pet turned to him. “Do you mind, Joe?”
He laid a hand on the side of her face, gently, protectively. “Course not, luv,” he answered. “Go have fun with yer auntie. I’m sure me mates’ll keep me outta trouble for the night.”
“What time’s the reception?” Pet asked.
“It starts around eight,” I replied.
“I won’t be late,” she said to Joe.
“S’alright,” he assured her. “Just come find me when you get back.”
“I will,” she promised. Then she turned back to me. “What time will you be leaving?”
I was having a little trouble following the conversation with all this back-and-forth. “Probably be leaving by seven, honey. Will that work for you?”
To my profound relief, she didn’t feel the need to clear this with Joe. “Yeah, that’s fine, Aunt Viv,” she said, already winding an arm around Joe’s waist and turning to go. “I’ll meet you in front of the AP trailer before seven, OK? Can’t wait to catch up!”
And they were gone.