Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

088: Rafe

088: Rafe

The curtain that closed us off from the rest of the company was pulled aside, letting in cooler air. I think we are both light sleepers, and we both squinted into the dim light. It was Holli, she just stood there, with the curtain pulled back and her hand on the top. Staring.

I turned over to look at her. This was fairly unprecedented. Completely unlike her, or anyone for that matter. She was scowling.

"You have a decision to make." She said without preamble, and Aubrey sat up and scooted back against the wall of the bus. I saw Ben come up behind her and lean against the wall. He looked sleep ridden as well, and his long hair was wild. His nose was running, and he wiped it on the back of his hand. I pointedly looked away thinking they both had no manners.

"What is it?"

"The venue canceled." Holli said. I noticed that Allen had come up also, and Jeff was behind him.

"Should we talk about this out in the lounge?" I asked, swinging my legs off.

Holli grunted. "Just the band, Rafe. We don't need everybody."

I cocked my head to one side. "What are you talking about?"

"Her." Holli sneered without any affectation, she was openly challenging Aubrey.

I shrugged. "Aubrey is my fiancé, and her opinion is necessary. To me." I added, as Ben and Jeff both looked affronted. We generally made decisions as a whole, but when they'd each gotten married or a serious girlfriend, we had included said women.

"I don't---." Aubrey could be counted on to make herself inconspicuous, but I wasn't letting Holli bully her. We both padded down the hallway after Mutt and Jeff.... Did you ever notice that Mutt and Jeff are the names of cartoon characters?

I looked out the windows. It was late afternoon, almost evening. I knew the venue was a smaller one--- a club venue—one we might not have originally considered, except we'd played there years ago, and it was sentimental. And we'd met the owners and liked them. "So, what happened?"

"Basically, they can't handle us. The inside area isn't big enough--- and the town square which is outside is not--- secure. After what happened when you went to church, your security detail decided to check out the venue and talked to the owners and they all decided---."

"Wait! Whose security? Our security, or her security?" Jeff cried in awareness. I leaned against the wall, Aubrey sat in the recliner and pulled up her feet.

"All the security." Holli admitted, I'm sure she wished it was just Aubrey's so she could blame it on her. I knew she didn't like being usurped by someone more connected and with more clout that her. She liked to be the goddess of the tour.

The door opened and Lavon stepped up the stairs. I moved so he could see.

"There was a shooting in that club just a week ago." Lavon said. "There was a fire the last time a band played there, and a lot of fighting. Six people were killed in the stampede."

I nodded and stroked my chin. "That's good enough for me guys. What do you think?"

We were actually not the kind of band to take those kinds of chances. We'd not played Mexico before, on purpose--- or South America either--- except Rockin' Rio, but there were too many crazy things happening in those parts of the world, and we weren't a druggie group. We'd been through all that and we were older and wiser now, and we made lots, lots more money in Europe or the States.