Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

065:

                 

            As soon as she was gone Ben lit in. I'd known he would.

            "She's got a ring, Rafe. It looks like THE Ring."

            "It is THE ring, Ben."

            "You gave a Mormon doctor girl your ring?"

            "Yeah, a few days ago."

            "And you didn't ask me?"

            I laughed. "Sorry, bro. The timing was a little off."

            "You haven't known this girl long enough. She's not your type at all. You should have asked me."

            "She is my type, bro, she's totally my type. She's into me in a way I've never had a girl into me, ever before. And look at you all. She's put you guys right at ease so quickly. I think I'm liking her even more now."

            "I like her." Dylan said. "She diagnosed my foot pain for free. What's this about a ring?"

            "None of your business." Jeff commented, keeping the ring thing between us old timers.

            Dylan shrugged. "Whatever. Aubrey will tell me."

            We all gawked at him, and his surety, a little affronted and a little worried that she might just do that. She didn't know he was the newcomer, and that he'd taken the place of one of our own blood. I hadn't told her anything about Troy yet, it was too painful to talk about, and she--- she actually seemed to know that, and waited for me to bring it up. It was a given between us that eventually we'd talk about her little niece and my best friend. But right now she had met Dylan at the same time as the rest of the guys. She had no idea. Plus, he was coming on to her.

            No one wanted to get into it. We'd all learned what it was like to have backstage hostility on tour. We all avoided it like the plague.

            Aubrey came back, asked Mack to wait just a moment as she was going to deliver an injection, and then she sidled along the hall. Dylan shrank, and inside we all felt a momentary satisfaction that it was him getting the shot, and feeling that he deserved it. We all watched in total fascination as she loaded the needle, prepped the site and then delivered the painful injection to which Dylan howled like a baby. She soothed him with kind words, and reassured him over and over that it was going to help. She gave him a drink of water and a pill, and wiped her hand across his brow, which I found annoying as the bus once again began to move.

            Aubrey had also bought common Scholl's orthotics and was measuring them and cutting a hole carefully.

            We all went back to our various activities, and Aubrey quietly ministered to first Mutt and then Ben who almost wouldn't allow it, due to her finding something wrong with Dylan's foot. Ben was superstitious. But she convinced him to allow her access, and she did a really good massage and pedi on him, before cleaning all her stuff and putting it all away. She wasn't annoying, nor pretentious. She came and sat beside me, looking at the laptop. I was learning Kareem's friend's rap part in case it came up again. I had headphones on, but I put them around my neck and turned them up so she could hear, and she instantly started humming her mother's part as we sang.

            It wasn't long before the guys started listening and paying attention. In moments, Ben was singing the chorus, and Jeff and Dylan had added some beat boxing sounds. Aubrey suggested that Ben do this echo thing to give it a more hip hop flare, and differ it slightly from the original, to make it more our own. I listened to her ideas, we all did, and I realized she was working her little magic on the guys as well. I could see her on stage--- if she could get over her fear of performing, and allow that beautiful voice to take her somewhere. She was lost in the moment right now--- feeling the deep connection with the music that I sometimes felt as well.

            I wasn't ready to explain this song to anyone. Maybe Ben who wrote music the way I did, taking in deep time and place and significance with people around and thoughts and weather and ambiance. All things that spiritualized the moment we wrote about.  Aubrey was an integral part of this song, where I'd talked about showing her my flaws, and wondering if under any circumstances she'd be able to stay with me, and love me for myself.

            So far she'd done a pretty good job, my insecurities were falling by the wayside. I chanced a look at Ben who was also deeply engrossed in the song, and knew he felt the essence of what I was feeling. He chanced a look at me, and our eyes met. He nodded as we sang and beat and got lost in the music. It was  a spectacular feeling.

            All too quickly the bus made some stops, some turns and the venue loomed up above us, as we passed our own vans and semi's unloading, and the other group's buses. Aubrey had leaped up, and was kneeling at the window, looking at everything industriously, with enthusiasm. I'm glad she didn't start gushing like a teenager, that could have been annoying, but she was definitely interested.

            "It's the Monumental Plaza de Toros. You're going to be playing in a bullfighting ring." She informed us. "Selena played here in 1990."

            "Selena." Jeff repeated, and I wanted to laugh at his annoyed expression, but Holli came to the end of the hallway leading to their side of the lounge.

            "Rafe." She addressed me. "I've spoken with the tour and stage coordinators here and with Will Christie and it looks like things are set up and ready for you guys. They'd like you in your dressing rooms by 5pm. The meal will be served at that time, you go on at 8pm." She looked over at me. "What is she going to do while you guys are in pre-show?"

            I glanced at Aubrey. "She'll be with us." The guys were nodding in agreement and Holli made a note in her notebook meticulously.

            "See me for your passes." She nodded to Aubrey. "Ben says you guys want the van for the afternoon. Will you need security?"

            "I don't think so." I said. "Maybe Jim can come along. Is Jim Anthony on this trip?"

            He was, so I suggested that he accompany us, just in case. Holli turned, her business gruffness so in place now that we had reached the venue, she was impossible to talk to. But she turned at the bus door which was now open.

            "Rafe--- you have a meet and greet in ten minutes with some venue officials, and their families, or friends. A few music photographers are waiting also."

            I winked at her, then smoothed back my hair, messed it up, checked my holey jeans, and tight white T-shirt.

            "Your tats look great man, how long're you gonna be?" Ben asked me. I checked my belt, replaced it with the gangster one, gave Aubrey another wink and then put on my lucky bracelets, and climbed out of the bus with very little fanfare or good-byes, and certainly no answer for Ben. Who knew? Right now I belonged to them.

            So, this is where I pose with lots of people. I answer silly and mundane questions sounded out when people are supposed to ask questions and yet don't know what to say. I acted accommodating, and suave, as entertaining and posh as a celebrity should, and then looked at my watch. After 45 minutes I found Holli's eyes and she shooed them all away and had Jim bring the van we had towed over so we could go sightseeing-- with Aubrey.

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