Amnesia

Chapter 17

Two weeks until the start of tour and Avi is absolutely bouncing with unspent energy. Penny eyes him as he sits on the couch across from her, furiously scribbling notes in a notebook, every now and then muttering to himself. Avi looks up in thought, chewing mindlessly at the end of his pen and then exclaims "oh!" before jotting down his idea.

"You're making me nervous over here," Penny comments, peering over the edge of her book before resting the whole thing in her lap.

Avi darts his eyes to her face, flashing her a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I just...really like tour," he finishes with a sigh.

"Really? I didn't notice," Penny teases, smiling at him.

"It's just—just everything, Penny," he says reverently. "The fans, the lights, the crowd, the whole atmosphere of performing on a stage. It's more than anything I could have ever hoped for."

Penny chews her lip and asks, "Are you sure you're okay with me tagging along? I mean, I don't want to throw you off or distract you guys at all."

Avi gives her that same curious glance he did when they first discussed her traveling with them on tour and he drops his eyes from her face. "You won't," he responds, voice somewhat clipped and he forces a smile. "We all agreed having a photographer would be good for this tour. And Esther's already added you to the payroll and made arrangements."

Penny's quiet for a moment, careful about pushing him too far. Since their last argument—well, last large argument anyway—their life has found some sense of balance, a careful symmetry which Penny is loathe to disturb.

"Esther—your sister?" Penny ventures, pleased when Avi's stunned expression answers her question.

"Yeah. Do you remember her?" Avi asks, hopeful, setting the notebook down and standing, walking into the kitchen.

Penny peers over the end of the couch at him as he opens the fridge and pulls out a bottle of water. Don't look at his neck, don't look at his neck—you're looking at his neck. Penny. Stop. She shakes herself from her stare and gives a small shrug. "Not the way you want me to, but her name brings back feelings of familiarity. I—she tours with you, right?"

Avi nods, taking a long pull from the water bottle before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "She's tour manager."

Memories swirl within her mind just under the surface, faded wisps Penny can barely grasp. Frustrated, she sighs and rests her head against the couch. Avi looks over at her and gives her a small smile. "She likes you," he says. "Sometimes I think more than she likes me."Avi refills the empty water bottle at the sink before replacing it in the ridge. "She's excited for another girl on tour. Said something about balancing out all the testosterone or something," Avi grumbles.

Penny chuffs but smiles warmly at him. "I'm excited to join you guys. It feels like family when I'm with you," Penny says.

Avi smiles and looks down at his watch, cursing low under his breath. "Shit, we've got to go," he says hurriedly, walking around the counter and bending down to throw on his shoes.

Penny stands and follows him quickly slipping on a pair of flats, looking at him curiously. "Go where? Did I miss something?"

Avi looks up at her as he finishes tying the laces on his shoes. "I thought you'd be counting down for this," he comments standing and tugging his shirt back into place. "It's time to have your cast removed."

+++

Penny flexes her hand, not bothering to stifle her laughter as she watches the tendons in her wrist move underneath her skin. She bends her wrist forward and back, almost sighing in relief at the stretch of her muscles. Avi keeps stealing sideways glances at her as he drives, smiling to himself as Penny begins to rotate her forearm, moving her arm in all the ways she was restricted for the last two months.