New Winslow S8E61
Cleo hadn’t even thought about how things were different now when she accepted the invite to play at Club Apex on Friday night. All she’d been focused on was how she didn’t have to work that night and had the new album, so it’d be nice to play live again. And with the support she’d received online, both before and after Benny Ravesi called her to try and make nice, she wasn’t worried about playing to an empty room.
But as she sat in the makeshift green room, with that door that nearly, but didn’t quite reach the floor, she couldn’t believe the size of the crowd. The club held a decent amount of people, but they were turning people away at the door. She’d never seen that before, not even on New Year’s Eve.
“Yo, you know this is all you, right?”
Cleo glanced over at the man who had spoken, a tall, lanky fortysomething who was tuning his guitar and grinning at her. “What?”
“You,” he said. “TikTok star.”
There was no malice or disdain, just a twinkle in his eye as he said it. “My daughter’s jealous I’m playing with you, by the way.”
“Is she here?”
“Hell no,” the man said with a laugh. “She’s fourteen, she’s not coming to this fucking pit. But if you want to sign something for her, I’d be the best dad in the world.”
“Hang on.”
Cleo opened the pocket on the front of her guitar case, searching for something amid the mess that would be appropriate to send to the kid. After pushing aside receipts and old mail, she finally found a set list she’d written out for a show sometime last year on tour.
Buffalo, Cleo realized. That first show, where The Blossom Step had introduced her to their devoted Buffalo base.
Edie was in the crowd tonight, she knew that. They hadn’t made any promises, but she’d seen the picture on their social media a few minutes earlier when she’d finally caved and checked it. It had been a selfie, taken outside by the chalkboard listing the bands playing tonight.
The caption had been a single heart.
“What’s her name?” Cleo asked the man as he passed her a pen.
“Katie,” he said. “She’s a musician too.”
Cleo thought for a second. She’d signed autographs before, but only a few and she was never quite sure what to write.
Katie –
Keep at it, I look forward to playing with you one day too!
Cleo
She handed it to him and he studied it, letting out a low whistle. “She’s going to love it,” he said.
The door opened and another man walked in, motioning for Cleo to come with him. She stood up and the guitarist tucked the set list in his bag. “Thanks Cleo,” he said. “Break a leg out there.”
She went out, immediately hit with a wall of sound that she had to give that weird door credit for blocking out as well as it did. As she got on stage, she looked out into the audience. She couldn’t see Edie, but she spotted Andrew immediately. He was in what had been his usual corner before the past two years had happened, grinning as he watched her walk onstage. The crowd roared as she sat on the stool, adjusting the mic and waiting for the sound to die down a little.
“Hey everyone,” Cleo said. “It’s good to be home. I’d like to play you a few songs.”
——
She needed a bigger oven. That was the first thought on Olivia’s mind as she looked over the order that had come in this morning for the library fundraiser. Even with her and Noah’s ovens both going, this was going to be an all day process. And it was a rush order.
Alicia Perez had offered extra money along with copious apologies for the last minute order, but their original source had backed out. And if Olivia was now working out of her house, like Alicia had heard, she’d pay whatever it took for Olivia to cover pastries for their all-weekend book sale and Sunday senior breakfast.
So it was a paid all day process and even if she wasn’t in the now-gone forever back room of the Limerick building, she was in her own home and ready to bake. The concerning amount of flour Isabel had dropped off seemed just right now. She might even need to get more. Olivia smoothed her apron and washed her hands, then got to work.
She fell into the groove immediately. Stir, pour, knead, bake. Three separate batters and doughs going at once, the dough set aside to rise on the kitchen table under a clean, cheerful cloth. She had it all planned out, just like she had in those months at the Limerick.
No, this was still the Limerick, Olivia reminded herself. It wasn’t in the Limerick building anymore and maybe they’d change the name, maybe they wouldn’t. She’d have to discuss that with Noah and Andrew next time they met up. Or Andrew, at least, though they wouldn’t make any decisions without Noah’s input. Noah needed to focus on getting better over the next few weeks, so decisions like that could wait.
Speaking of Noah, she needed to go preheat his oven. Olivia hurried upstairs and took a quick peek in the oven for any storage or surprises before turning it on. He’d assured her it was fine to use when he left that morning. But as much as she loved him and trusted him in nearly every other aspect of their lives, his kitchen appliances weren’t one of them. But it was clean, empty, and ready to go, so she got the oven going, then hurried out of his too-clean kitchen and back down to her own.
The health inspector had checked both of their kitchens and shockingly, they’d both been fine. There were a few changes to be made, and they’d had to put those on credit cards since the offer period on Andrew’s land hadn’t closed yet. But there were a couple offers in and he’d assured her that everything was going smoothly. As he’d handed her his own credit card, of fucking course.
So Olivia had made things a bit more practical for business in her own kitchen, and today was her first day working within the confines of the health and safety codes in her own home. It was a strange feeling, but the strangeness faded as she worked, the familiar comforting movements and results bringing her a sense of peace.
Mia was in the living room doorway, a gate keeping her out of the kitchen. She looked over at Olivia and Olivia stopped kneading long enough to give her a little finger waggle. Mia shrieked with delight, then went back to her blocks. Olivia turned up the music and got back to work.
———
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