Karin nodded and stepped aside as an older couple came up to the booth. She looked around and saw the taxi driver waiting patiently and eyeing her in his rear view mirror. She smiled and looked around the civic center. What a small venue for Cassie to perform at! What was her manager thinking? The seating was ridiculous and more suited to a small Jaycees play than a music artist of Cassie Summers’s caliber. No wonder her career was stalled if this was the type of venue she was playing at. She should be performing at country fairs, stadiums, on TV. Karin shook her head. It wasn’t her place to say.
“Twenty five dollars you say?” she was brought back to where she was standing as the older couple was buying tickets for tonight. The old man painfully counted out twenty five dollars in singles and handed them across the counter under the plastic barrier.
“That’s twenty five dollars each” the woman said slowly watching them.
Karin could see the anguish that crossed the couple’s face as they realized their error.
“Oh sorry” he said embarrassed. He turned to the old woman Karin assumed was his wife and said “I guess we will have to come another time” his reedy voice said to her and Karin’s heart went out to him as she took in the fact that they weren’t dressed in the best clothes and she guessed this night out had been painfully saved for on a limited income. But fifty dollars for two seats to a concert was beyond their means. He collected his twenty five dollars and folding them carefully began putting them away. He gathered his wife and his cane and began to turn away.
“Wait a moment” Karin said impulsively. She wasn’t an impulsive person but she had flown to Florida so maybe she was after all. She pulled out her wallet and a credit card and slid it under the plastic barrier “charge the two seats on this” she told the astonished woman who’s face soon changed to a delighted smile. She punched it up in her computer and quickly made a change and printed out the tickets in no time charging Karin’s card she handed her a receipt to sign. Karin pointed to the cards hanging behind her on the wall to local stores and restaurants and said “let me have one of those to the Cracker Barrel too?” She shook her head at the first one and held up two fingers and the woman charged this as well. She signed her slips and turned to the flabbergasted couple who stood there wondering was happening. She handed them the tickets and the two coupons for the Cracker Barrel. “Have a nice evening on me” she said and waved off their thanks. She smiled as she watched them walk away obviously delighted in their good fortune. For a stranger to have bought them two tickets to a night out at a concert as well as dinner for two was unheard of but Karin felt good at her good deed. The woman behind her obviously thought so too as someone else came to her booth and she talked to him rapidly and earnestly. He looked at Karin in pleased speculation and handed her a back stage pass and a gator clip. She smiled in thanks and said “see you tonight” as she headed to her waiting taxi.
That good deed made her feel good the rest of the afternoon. She had the taxi drop her off at the local mall having asked for one that had a Sears and other shops and not just a strip mall which abounded on this sunny coast. She was surprised that she had to go down a size in jeans but as she hadn’t bought any in years that was distinctly possible. She also bought a set of sports shoes with high tops that looked good with the pre-faded soft jeans. She headed out into the mall and was tempted to shop at other shoe stores and jewelry stores, two of her favorite past times that she didn’t indulge in often enough but she kept herself focused and saw in a chain store a jacket she had to have. Made of soft suede its rust color complemented her auburn hair admirably. She bought a second one in wine color and found in the same store a beautiful camisole that completed her outfit admirably. It wasn’t the T-Shirt that Cassie had dreamed but then there was only so much she was willing to wear for the sake of her dream, she did have standards and the camisole looked incredible. She bought six of them in various colors.
Walking out into the late afternoon sunshine she realized she was only a few blocks from her hotel and decided to walk. She didn’t fault the taxi driver for not having told her, he knew she didn’t know the area and had to make a living besides. He had gotten three fares out of her though and she laughed at herself. She saw a large bus parked behind the civic center as she walked down the block and wondered if Cassie was that close but she would wait. As excited as she was to be there to see her, to surprise her, she could wait. She wanted her surprise to be on her terms. She stopped at a florist before her hotel and ordered a bouquet of tulips for Cassie to be delivered to the concert before she went on. She took three individual flowers for herself and paid for it all with her well used credit card before heading back to dress for the concert.
Cassie was annoyed, she hadn’t heard from Karin all afternoon and assumed she was in business meetings. The error of finding out she was in New York and not Texas was still grating on her nerves. They needed to have a serious conversation about keeping the other informed and not just Cassie telling Karin what was going on her life. It had to be a mutual thing or this wasn’t going to work. The sex had been great but Karin said she wanted more to their relationship, it had to be both of them then. As she sat at her makeup counter that evening before the concert there was a knock on the door, one of the guys answered it and took the bouquet that had arrived. They often got flowers in the more important venue’s they performed in but it had been a while, before Cassie had come out and certainly not in one as small as Tallahassee. The bouquet of tulips was beautiful though and Cassie assumed they were for all of them. Alex brought them over though and set them before her. “They are specifically for you” he smiled. They all knew she had been down today; you couldn’t work this closely together in a band and not know every nuance, every emotion that went on between them. Sometimes it was a little much but they worked well together after all these years.
Cassie opened the envelope that accompanied the beautiful bouquet and read: Sing just for me - K. She smiled wondering at the strange note but knowing the ‘K’ had to mean it was from Karin. She hadn’t forgotten her! And while Cassie was certain someone of Karin’s stature would just farm this little chore out to an assistant she was pleased that she had sent her flowers. She hadn’t done that before and Cassie was pleased. The guys and girls from the band were all watching her and they were pleased for her, it had turned her mood immediately they all could see. Cassie was the leader, not only the lead singer but also the natural ring leader in their small group. Her moods affected them all. They knew she was involved with someone. They couldn’t help but know after she returned from Phoenix on cloud nine but even before that they had known there was someone. Cassie was a good natured and fun lady. After she had met this woman whoever she was she was happy all the time. Her mood today had come about after their manager Travis gave them the news that not only was the venue in Austin been bad it had cost them. That bad news had given them all a headache. Seeing how cheered a simple bouquet of flowers had brought her, cheered them all. After watching her read the note though they could see how much brighter her day had become.
Karin arrived in plenty of time to be seated in her prime seat. The seating attendant assured her that he would return to escort her backstage during the last song of the concert; she tipped him a twenty so he wouldn’t forget. He was pleased and astonished at her generosity. Karin thought she saw the older couple she had met earlier in the day. She was sure they had better seats after the ticket seller went back into her computer. She wasn’t sure they recognized her though. She knew she looked totally different with her hair down and dressed radically different from earlier. She felt comfortable in her new suede jacket, velvety soft jeans that she had cut the size tag off of, she hated those where they were sewn into the pants on the outside, and then her satin camisole blouse that plunged just right making her outfit come together. It had a built in shelf and supported her assets beautifully, its spaghetti straps held them up and made her feel very sexy. Her own diamond necklace floated on her neck with it
s three lengths and minuscule wire. Matching graduated diamonds in her double pierced ears made her feel dressed up even without her nicer clothes or suits. She wore a topaz ring on her right hand that she had inherited from her mother and rarely wore. A gold bracelet bangle on her left wrist and a real Rolex watch was on her right. She may be dressed ‘down’ but class showed in these subtle touches and she wasn’t even aware of them as she waited.
Karin sat mesmerized as she watched Cassie perform. She hadn’t been as attentive with the warm up singer who had fortunately been short and sweet but she wasn’t that good and Cassie was the main attraction. Karin had wondered though why they even needed a warm up attraction when this venue was so small. She forgot her worries though as she watched Cassie perform for the first time. She was good, she was really good. People got their monies worth and Karin was impressed. She had heard all her songs by now but this was different. It was a lot different from watching U-Tube video’s as well. It was very different in person. Cassie put different inflections in her voice, emphasized differently than she did on the discs. There was one moment when she was certain Cassie looked straight at her but she knew with the spot lights on her face she couldn’t possibly see her audience. She didn’t dance a lot but her body which Karin knew very well enticed all the same. She was dressed in jeans, a cut off T-Shirt, and cowboy boots, what else. It was so hokey, so country, and yet strangely appealing. Karin watched and tried not to judge. She was surprised when the seating attendant signaled for her attention, this must be the last song, and people looked at her curiously as Karin followed him. She paused at the bottom of the stage, looked up at Cassie performing and threw a flower up on stage at her feet not waiting to see if she saw it. Cassie saw it and picked it up. Karin followed the attendant backstage where he left her. She watched the last of Cassie’s performance from the sidelines and was amazed.
Travis Collins was standing right by the edge of the stage and glanced around when Karin was escorted backstage but he didn’t recognize her from their meeting in Los Angeles months ago and for that Karin was grateful. She knew he would probably resent her presence and become immediately suspicious of her motives. She didn’t want him jealously guarding his clients in the form of Cassie and her band and she certainly didn’t want to get in a pissing match so she could see Cassie. Since she was wearing a backstage pass the roadies who were gathering gear and doing their various chores involved in putting on a show ignored her. They would think she belonged there and she just stayed out of everyone’s way as she watched the last of Cassie’s concert.
The band played the last notes and Cassie took her final bows. She let her band get off the stage first as she waved and smiled at her fans. Karin knew that the concert had been fully attended. There were a few empty seats which was why she was able to get a prime seat but she knew this should have been a packed house, standing room only if allowed. She should not have been able to buy a seat, any seat, much less a prime seat last minute like she had. The band members filed past her looking curiously at her, wondering who she was, admiring glances on a few of them. Three guys, two gals, and then two more guys carrying guitars who twinkled at her winking. Karin grinned but it was obvious she was looking for Cassie. Chet looked at her closer realizing this might be ‘the someone’ that Cassie talked about. She was a pretty lady. He hoped for Cassie’s sake that it was her. He saw she was holding a tulip and he was pretty sure it had to be her, remembering the bouquet delivered before the show. He stopped Alex with a touch on his arm and indicated with his head that they should wait. They stepped back out of the way of the roadies. As Cassie came off stage from the intense lights it took her a second to adjust her eyes and Travis leaned over giving her a kiss on the cheek as he talked to her. It was obvious he was complimenting her on her performance. She nodded and smiled as she agreed with whatever he was saying. When her eyes had adjusted she moved on to walk backstage further and saw a most astonishing sight.
Karin stood there in faded jeans, a rust colored suede jacket, and a backstage pass around her neck, her hair down and flowing, and a tulip held in each hand just smiling at her. Cassie shook her head in disbelief as she stood there carrying the tulip a fan had thrown at her feet on stage. Travis nearly walked into her she had stopped so abruptly. He looked beyond her to see what had caused her sudden stop and couldn’t see what she did. Cassie swung her guitar to her back and nearly clocked Travis as she headed into Karin’s arms for a hug. Karin smiled harder as she kissed Cassie on the cheek.
“What are you doing here?” she asked astounded.
“Surprise” Karin said to her grinning like a Cheshire cat. She handed her both of the tulips and looking deep into those gray eyes said “I love you.”
Cassie didn’t know if seeing her here was more surprising or the words she had longed to hear coming out of her mouth but it made her very happy regardless. She went to kiss Karin on the mouth and Karin turned aside so her lips brushed her cheek.
“Not here” Karin whispered as she glanced around and saw not only the two guys from the band that had stopped to watch but Travis and some other curious bystanders. Cassie only had eyes for Karin.
“When did you get here?” she asked as she pulled back.
“This afternoon” Karin was still grinning at her surprise. Cassie was thrilled and Karin could see that.
“So when I couldn’t hear from you this afternoon you weren’t in meetings like I thought?” she asked trying to gather her wits about her.
Karin shook her head. “No, I could hear you were down this morning and I thought I’d come and cheer you up.”
They turned and Cassie kept her arm around Karin’s waist as she led her towards her dressing room. Cassie held the tulip she had gathered on stage and the ones Karin had handed her in her hand. She looked at Karin and asked “were you the one who threw the tulip on stage?”
Karin nodded “they came to bring me backstage and I didn’t have an opportunity earlier” she laughed at the shocked look on Cassie’s face that she still wore.
“This is the best surprise” she grinned.
Cassie took her into the now crowded dressing room. With all the band members, a few with instruments and a few unnecessary people it was a tight fit. Cassie made her way with Karin towards her make-up table. She released Karin after a sideways hug and two men presented themselves expectantly. Cassie grinned at them and introduced Chet and Alex to her. They were both in the band and played guitars as well as other instruments on stage. Karin had seen them and they were good.
“So, you’re the gal that she’s been pining for?” Chet said by way of greeting in his slow southern drawl.
Karin’s right eyebrow raised in surprise. Cassie blushed and tried to shush Chet.
“Yeah, those flowers sure made her day” Alex contributed as he shook Karin’s well-manicured hand and looked her over. They both took in a few details about the woman who now stood before them. Despite her casual attire they knew class when they saw it and this was one classy chick. Her mannerisms, the jewelry, the way she spoke to them all screamed class and they were impressed. Cassie had good taste.
Cassie didn’t have to stay long and wiped off her ‘stage’ makeup as quickly as she could watching Karin interact with Chet and Alex. She soon had them laughing and Cassie wished she could hear what they were talking about. Someone suggested they all go out tonight together for a beer and everyone seconded the vote. Cassie’s eyes met Karin’s and she nodded subtly giving her approval and Cassie was pleased. She wanted everyone to meet Karin and she didn’t want her uncomfortable. She was amazed how good she looked in the faded blue jeans. She ached to caress them but knew this was not the time or place.
They ended up at a saloon called Trigg’s. Someone had found out it was a Country Western bar with a dance floor and they all trooped in together. Pulling tables together they were all able to seat themselves. Cassie and Karin were on the end together. It was difficult to talk as they weren’t too far from the six foot
speakers but the waitress managed to take their orders. Everyone ordered beer but Karin specifically asked for a Corona with lemon, not lime. This raised a couple of eyebrows but at least it was a beer. Cassie had only seen Karin drink wine and she was pleased that she was trying to fit in.
“Come on filly, let’s dance” Alex said as a song came on from the D.J. in the corner.
Karin was given no time to say yes or no. Cassie watched alarmed as Alex swung her into his arms and began to two-step. She was pleased to see Karin holding her own though as she laughed at him.
“She’s the one eh?” Chet asked as he watched Cassie watch Karin.
Cassie nodded as she was handed her beer and she fiddled with the glass bottle immediately. She felt a little shy and Chet noted that. Her cheeks were a soft pink and it was obvious she was smitten by the way she looked back up at the dance floor searching out and finding Karin. “She’s something” Cassie said but with the roar of the music from the huge speakers he could only read her lips.
He watched her along with the rest of their group that wasn’t already dancing. She actually was right in time with the fancy two-stepping that Alex was doing trying to show off for her. She didn’t seem to let it faze her as he changed step every now and again and let him lead her around the floor. As the song died down Chet stepped out on the floor and tapped Alex on the shoulder “May I?” he asked but not of Alex, he was looking at Karin.
“Hang on” Karin said and left him standing there as she took off her suede jacket and hung it on the chair next to Cassie. “I’ll be back” she smiled at Cassie as she pushed the lemon in her bottle of Corona and took a swig. Placing it back down she headed back out on the dance floor to a patiently waiting Alex.
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