Sing It for the World
Chapter Five
“Where are we?” Aurelia asked the next afternoon some time from the front passenger sat, looking over at Frank. It was his turn to drive, and she honestly had no clue where he’d started driving to after leaving the Birmingham city limits. He just smiled at her as he pulled up into a small little town.
“I think it’s called Tupelo. It’s too far to drive to Nashville today,” he told her softly, grabbing her hand over the center console. Everyone else was asleep in the backseat, and had no idea that they were back yet. She smiled and nodded when he pulled up in front of an old, weary-looking building with a sign advertising it as the Mallory Inn.
Aurelia didn’t say anything else as she pulled Frank’s hand to her lips, kissing it softly before she smiled over at his bright hazel eyes. He returned her smile before looking into the backseat. “Hey, fuckers, wake up. We’re at the hotel,” he said loudly. Ray was the first to awaken, jumping at the loud sound of Frank’s voice, while Mikey and Gerard stirred slowly from their sleep.
“…The fuck is this place, Frank? It looks like the freakin’ Bates Hotel or something,” Gerard stated as he looked out the passenger door window in the back, taking in the scenery of the hotel that Frank had parked in front of. The hotel itself looked somewhat decent, with peeling white paint and shabby wooden shingles.
“I dunno,” Frank said shortly before opening the door. “I got tired of driving for today and this was the closest place with a Dairy Queen and a hotel. We can head into Tennessee tomorrow.”
Everyone muttered under their breaths, not pleased about Frank’s choice in a hotel, but Aurelia just smiled and squeezed his hand reassuringly as they started making their way towards the lobby to get a room for the night. Though they’d brought enough money with them to get out of New Jersey and buy food and things, they weren’t going to bother with renting more than one room a night. It was too fun seeing the strange look on the desk clerks’ faces whenever they checked in, and it was cheaper. They were all comfortable with one another, and since both Frank and Aurelia shared one bed, and there was usually a couch for one of the others to crash on, things were cramped but cozy.
They got the key to the room and Ray ducked out quickly, saying that he was going in search of food. The rest of the group walked into the hotel, and Aurelia had to admit she was somewhat frightened of the setup. The beds had comforters that looked like they had been new in the ‘70s. The wallpaper had probably been white once upon a time, though there were strange yellow stains on it, and the carpet on the floor was starting to look threadbare.
“Does the TV work?” Gerard asked, taking a seat on the very edge of one of the mattresses before flipping the TV on. He groaned when he saw that it was only news station with static, and rolled his eyes as he turned the TV off before he smiled up at Frank. “No worries, man. Not every hotel can be the Ritz, eh?”
Frank gave his friend an appreciative smile, glad that at least one of his friends wasn’t holding it against him for getting tired at the wheel, and he nodded before moving to lay down on the mattress. He wasn’t sure he would pull the blankets down, not wanting to chance being bitten by a cockroach or something. Aurelia smiled and lay down next to him, resting her head on his chest while he pulled his arms around her.
“We can keep each other warm,” he murmured into her hair, pressing his lips to her temple before meeting her gaze. Aurelia smiled up at him and nodded, biting her bottom lip as she blushed. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have such an amazing boyfriend as Frank. She loved him more than life itself, it seemed. He was helping her to find herself, and that was something that would last her forever.
“Yeah,” she agreed with him before turning her attention over to the door of the hotel room. Ray had come back, and he grinned as he sat down several bags of food from the Dairy Queen on the table in the corner of the room.
“Can you believe the only fast food place this town has is a Dairy Queen? It’s unbelievable,” he scoffed as he pulled a cheeseburger and a small tray of French fries out. He moved to sit on the second bed with Gerard and Mikey, who also got up to get food.
“Are you hungry, babe?” Frank asked her, sitting up and looking at her with a soft smile. She thought about it for a moment and nodded, and Frank moved to grab a bag of the food before returning to the bed. He pulled out one of the burgers and some fries for her to eat, and she smiled at him before beginning to eat.
The hours passed by, and the five of them mostly talked to pass the time. The television’s reception didn’t get any better, and none of them cared to walk around the empty streets of the tiny town they were stuck in. It was agreed that none of them would shower here, since Gerard had mentioned that it looked like the Bates Hotel.
When they woke up the next morning, Frank decided he was going to drive again since he’d only driven for two and a half hours the day before, and everyone agreed with him. Aurelia once again took shotgun, and took care to watch the scenery passing by. It was just starting to turn fall in Mississippi, and the leaves were tainted in rich reds and vibrant yellows, the grass a beautiful, pale green and the sky a crisp, startling blue. Everything seemed almost like back in New Jersey, but it was so much more beautiful here.
As they neared the Tennessee-Mississippi state line, Aurelia felt her stomach growling, and everyone else agreed that they were hungry as well. It was decided that they’d find a hotel before going out to find food. Aurelia was hoping that they’d stay in Nashville for a few days; possibly even more. She had always wanted to visit the Music City, and she felt as though this place was just screaming out for her, somehow.
She wasn’t sure if this was where she was meant to discover her purpose in life, but she knew that Nashville would be a major stepping stone in finding that part of herself. Frank grinned when he saw her looking around with wonder, and leaned over to press his lips to the corner of her mouth. “We’ll stay as long as you want, babe. I think Ray’s interested in sticking around for awhile, too.”
“Fuck yeah, dude,” Ray nodded, already making plans. If the five of them stayed here long enough, he might be able to discover just how far his musical talent on the guitar could take him. Country music wasn’t exactly his forte, but to Ray, music was music. He was nothing without his guitar. It was an extension of his soul, and he too could feel the way that Memphis spoke to him. “I say we should maybe try to find an apartment, guys. Not like, for a permanent kind of thing. I just…We’re not going on any real plans, right? There’s nothing forcing us to leave Memphis. Let’s stick around for awhile.”
And so it was decided that they would stay in Tennessee. The five of them found an apartment in a less-than-desirable area of the city, though they knew they’d be safe if the five of them stuck together. They used up the rest of their money to make the down payment to the landlord, promising that they’d never be so much as a day late over their rent as long as they were there. They were going on the fly of their pants, winging it. Aurelia was hoping like hell that they could make this work, because right now, they only had thirty dollars left over between the five of them. There was a small stove in the apartment, though, and a somewhat reliable refrigerator, so she knew she could make some food that would last them a few days at the very least. Ray decided that he’d play his guitar downtown on the street corners for tips, secretly hoping that someone would discover him. Gerard would try to find a record label to do some graphic designs for, and he knew it wouldn’t be terribly difficult considering he had an art degree. Mikey and Frank were going to look for jobs as well, and Aurelia wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Everyone encouraged her to do what called out to her, whatever that be. And she was going to do just that. She didn’t know what it was, but she knew that she’d find at least some part of the puzzle here in Nashville. This town held good things in store for the five of them, and she knew that they’d all find what they were looking for individually.
“C’mon, babe, let’s go to bed. We’ve got a long day tomorrow,” Frank murmured into her ear, pressing his lips to her neck softly before grabbing her hand with his. She smiled and looked up at him, nodding. They had nothing more than their love for one another right now, but that was okay. As long as she was here in Frank’s arms, she didn’t care if they were dirt poor and living in a cardboard box in a rainy alleyway.
But a small part of Aurelia knew that someday, she and Frank were going to be on the highest level two people could possibly be. They were going to find their voices, and they were going to sing it so loud that the entire world would know it. She just needed to get there, first. And she knew that Frank and his friends would be there every step of the way, supporting her.
“I think it’s called Tupelo. It’s too far to drive to Nashville today,” he told her softly, grabbing her hand over the center console. Everyone else was asleep in the backseat, and had no idea that they were back yet. She smiled and nodded when he pulled up in front of an old, weary-looking building with a sign advertising it as the Mallory Inn.
Aurelia didn’t say anything else as she pulled Frank’s hand to her lips, kissing it softly before she smiled over at his bright hazel eyes. He returned her smile before looking into the backseat. “Hey, fuckers, wake up. We’re at the hotel,” he said loudly. Ray was the first to awaken, jumping at the loud sound of Frank’s voice, while Mikey and Gerard stirred slowly from their sleep.
“…The fuck is this place, Frank? It looks like the freakin’ Bates Hotel or something,” Gerard stated as he looked out the passenger door window in the back, taking in the scenery of the hotel that Frank had parked in front of. The hotel itself looked somewhat decent, with peeling white paint and shabby wooden shingles.
“I dunno,” Frank said shortly before opening the door. “I got tired of driving for today and this was the closest place with a Dairy Queen and a hotel. We can head into Tennessee tomorrow.”
Everyone muttered under their breaths, not pleased about Frank’s choice in a hotel, but Aurelia just smiled and squeezed his hand reassuringly as they started making their way towards the lobby to get a room for the night. Though they’d brought enough money with them to get out of New Jersey and buy food and things, they weren’t going to bother with renting more than one room a night. It was too fun seeing the strange look on the desk clerks’ faces whenever they checked in, and it was cheaper. They were all comfortable with one another, and since both Frank and Aurelia shared one bed, and there was usually a couch for one of the others to crash on, things were cramped but cozy.
They got the key to the room and Ray ducked out quickly, saying that he was going in search of food. The rest of the group walked into the hotel, and Aurelia had to admit she was somewhat frightened of the setup. The beds had comforters that looked like they had been new in the ‘70s. The wallpaper had probably been white once upon a time, though there were strange yellow stains on it, and the carpet on the floor was starting to look threadbare.
“Does the TV work?” Gerard asked, taking a seat on the very edge of one of the mattresses before flipping the TV on. He groaned when he saw that it was only news station with static, and rolled his eyes as he turned the TV off before he smiled up at Frank. “No worries, man. Not every hotel can be the Ritz, eh?”
Frank gave his friend an appreciative smile, glad that at least one of his friends wasn’t holding it against him for getting tired at the wheel, and he nodded before moving to lay down on the mattress. He wasn’t sure he would pull the blankets down, not wanting to chance being bitten by a cockroach or something. Aurelia smiled and lay down next to him, resting her head on his chest while he pulled his arms around her.
“We can keep each other warm,” he murmured into her hair, pressing his lips to her temple before meeting her gaze. Aurelia smiled up at him and nodded, biting her bottom lip as she blushed. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have such an amazing boyfriend as Frank. She loved him more than life itself, it seemed. He was helping her to find herself, and that was something that would last her forever.
“Yeah,” she agreed with him before turning her attention over to the door of the hotel room. Ray had come back, and he grinned as he sat down several bags of food from the Dairy Queen on the table in the corner of the room.
“Can you believe the only fast food place this town has is a Dairy Queen? It’s unbelievable,” he scoffed as he pulled a cheeseburger and a small tray of French fries out. He moved to sit on the second bed with Gerard and Mikey, who also got up to get food.
“Are you hungry, babe?” Frank asked her, sitting up and looking at her with a soft smile. She thought about it for a moment and nodded, and Frank moved to grab a bag of the food before returning to the bed. He pulled out one of the burgers and some fries for her to eat, and she smiled at him before beginning to eat.
The hours passed by, and the five of them mostly talked to pass the time. The television’s reception didn’t get any better, and none of them cared to walk around the empty streets of the tiny town they were stuck in. It was agreed that none of them would shower here, since Gerard had mentioned that it looked like the Bates Hotel.
When they woke up the next morning, Frank decided he was going to drive again since he’d only driven for two and a half hours the day before, and everyone agreed with him. Aurelia once again took shotgun, and took care to watch the scenery passing by. It was just starting to turn fall in Mississippi, and the leaves were tainted in rich reds and vibrant yellows, the grass a beautiful, pale green and the sky a crisp, startling blue. Everything seemed almost like back in New Jersey, but it was so much more beautiful here.
As they neared the Tennessee-Mississippi state line, Aurelia felt her stomach growling, and everyone else agreed that they were hungry as well. It was decided that they’d find a hotel before going out to find food. Aurelia was hoping that they’d stay in Nashville for a few days; possibly even more. She had always wanted to visit the Music City, and she felt as though this place was just screaming out for her, somehow.
She wasn’t sure if this was where she was meant to discover her purpose in life, but she knew that Nashville would be a major stepping stone in finding that part of herself. Frank grinned when he saw her looking around with wonder, and leaned over to press his lips to the corner of her mouth. “We’ll stay as long as you want, babe. I think Ray’s interested in sticking around for awhile, too.”
“Fuck yeah, dude,” Ray nodded, already making plans. If the five of them stayed here long enough, he might be able to discover just how far his musical talent on the guitar could take him. Country music wasn’t exactly his forte, but to Ray, music was music. He was nothing without his guitar. It was an extension of his soul, and he too could feel the way that Memphis spoke to him. “I say we should maybe try to find an apartment, guys. Not like, for a permanent kind of thing. I just…We’re not going on any real plans, right? There’s nothing forcing us to leave Memphis. Let’s stick around for awhile.”
And so it was decided that they would stay in Tennessee. The five of them found an apartment in a less-than-desirable area of the city, though they knew they’d be safe if the five of them stuck together. They used up the rest of their money to make the down payment to the landlord, promising that they’d never be so much as a day late over their rent as long as they were there. They were going on the fly of their pants, winging it. Aurelia was hoping like hell that they could make this work, because right now, they only had thirty dollars left over between the five of them. There was a small stove in the apartment, though, and a somewhat reliable refrigerator, so she knew she could make some food that would last them a few days at the very least. Ray decided that he’d play his guitar downtown on the street corners for tips, secretly hoping that someone would discover him. Gerard would try to find a record label to do some graphic designs for, and he knew it wouldn’t be terribly difficult considering he had an art degree. Mikey and Frank were going to look for jobs as well, and Aurelia wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Everyone encouraged her to do what called out to her, whatever that be. And she was going to do just that. She didn’t know what it was, but she knew that she’d find at least some part of the puzzle here in Nashville. This town held good things in store for the five of them, and she knew that they’d all find what they were looking for individually.
“C’mon, babe, let’s go to bed. We’ve got a long day tomorrow,” Frank murmured into her ear, pressing his lips to her neck softly before grabbing her hand with his. She smiled and looked up at him, nodding. They had nothing more than their love for one another right now, but that was okay. As long as she was here in Frank’s arms, she didn’t care if they were dirt poor and living in a cardboard box in a rainy alleyway.
But a small part of Aurelia knew that someday, she and Frank were going to be on the highest level two people could possibly be. They were going to find their voices, and they were going to sing it so loud that the entire world would know it. She just needed to get there, first. And she knew that Frank and his friends would be there every step of the way, supporting her.