After The Dust Had Settled

We played for another half hour before we took a break and the moment I stepped off the stage, Andie threw her arms tightly around me and said, "Baby, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank you, sweetie, it means a lot to me to hear you say that. It really does!" I replied, holding her like I would never be able to hold her again.

As the rest of the guys in the band came up behind me on their way off stage, they surrounded me grinning, and winking conspiratorially at the others, Phil said, "Alright, little brother, it's time we initiated you into our little group!" They took me to the bar, then picked me up off of the ground and laid me on my back right on top of the bar. Then someone produced a beer nozzle, and Phil continued, "Okay, Marky Boy! There are five of us in the band now. Multiply that by two and that's how many seconds you have to drink while we open the beer spigot into your mouth. Beware that you don't spill so much as a drop, because if you do; then you have to start completely over!" Then lightly patting my cheek, Phil grinned and said, "Are we clear on this?" I nodded and the drinking began. I did extremely well; considering they were doing everything they could to distract me from the task at hand. I got it all down though, and amazingly, didn't spill a single drop. When I was allowed to sit up, it seemed like everyone in the bar, all wanted to come by and pat me on the back and/or congratulate me in some fashion or another.

"Looks like you're a celebrity, baby," said Andie, as I made my way to the tables that had been reserved for us.

I laughed and said, "Nah...these folks just never heard a keyboard player before, that's all!"

*********************

The next morning, which was Saturday, I awoke again with the back of Andie's naked body snuggled tightly against the front of mine. Her beautiful bare butt was pressed tightly to my groin, nestling my morning erection between the firm fleshy globes of her ass. I knew that I needed to pee, but the feeling was too tempting so, I slowly began to thrust my cock between the cheeks of her ass. It couldn't have more then three or four seconds before Andie moaned, and not even acknowledging that she was even awake; she reached down between her legs and grabbed my cock and put it to the entrance of her wet and wonderfully warm hole. Then she pushed back hard against me, making me impale her in one thrust. Then she craned her neck, and whispering into my ear, said, "Now, fuck me with your hard cock, my beautiful lover!" I proceeded to do just that.

When we had finished making love, Andie lay atop of me, face-to-face, smiling brightly. "I love you, Andie," I said, feeling her in every cell of my body.

"My beautiful, beautiful, boy, I've loved you since the first time I ever laid eyes on you," she breathed.

"Really?"

Gently sliding off of me and laying closely at my side, Andie smiled dreamily at me and said, "I used to have these dreams that I would meet a boy and he would be perfect for me in every way. He would be sweet to me, handsome, and, like me, a musician. When I first came here to school, I thought I would meet him, but the only guys I met wanted nothing more than to get into my panties. So, I gave up my silly girl-hood dream and quit messing with these idiots and poured myself into my music. Don't get me wrong though, I have some very good male friends, like Bryan and Tommy and Danny and Phil, but I was never with anyone in a romantic way!"

"Then why me? God, Andie, you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and you could have any guy you want," I asked.

Andie smiled and caressed my face with the palm of her hand, then kissed me softly and said, "Before you were even a freshman in high school, Doctor Breeden received a phone call from your band director, saying that there was and up and coming star that would be attending high school the following fall. He's been watching you since then, and when you became a senior last year, Doc asked for a volunteer in class one day. It was my freshman year here, so I raised my hand. After class he took me into his office and explained what he needed of me. He got me the clearance required to get my hands on your transcripts, and I hope you don't get mad, but I read them. Your grades were perfect. I even went to your hometown with him and sat and listened while he talked to your teachers and principles. They all said the same thing.....that you were a genius, but you were a well adjusted guy. Your teachers all loved you because you didn't mind helping the students in your class who were having trouble. Doctor Breeden and I watched you play two concerts, the all-city and the all-district. But when I watched you conduct the All-State Symphony, I was seated two rows back and I saw how the other kids responded to you. They all loved you, Mark. And when you turned to the audience to take you bow afterward, I saw your face up close and it was then that I realized you were the boy I used to dream about when I was a little girl!" When she finished talking, I noticed a single tear slowly making its way down her beautiful cheek.

I leaned over and tenderly kissed her lips and said, "Thank you!"

"For what?" she sniffled.

"Thank you, for letting me be the boy of your dreams and thank you for being the girl of mine," I replied, smiling and tenderly caressing her shoulder and arm.

She squealed like only a girl can, and then softly said, "I'm gonna love you for the rest of my life, Mark. You're it for me, the last man I'll ever love!"

"You're the only girl I'll ever love," I said, easing into her open receptive center.

*********************

We spent the day together talking, walking and holding hands, letting all who cared know that we belonged to one another. Everywhere we went; it seemed that Andie knew one person or another. Denton, Texas is your typical college town, with all the amenities that were available during the mid 70's. The war in Vietnam had just ended the year before and the nation was trying to heal, while at the same time, celebrating two hundred years of independence from England's rule. I was simply trying to get a good education; however, I never expected to meet Andie, but as my father always said, who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

That afternoon, Andie and I decided to rest before the show that night. As we were lying together on my bed and listening to the radio, Andie lifted her head up, and resting it on my chest so she could look at me, she smiled and said, "If I haven't ever told you before, I'm very proud of you, Mark and I'm so glad that you're my boyfriend!"

I simply smiled, and after gently kissing her lips, said, "I love you!"

*********************

That night at Nick's Uptown Lounge the crowd was again packed to standing room only capacity. Hell, there was a line at the door before the place even opened, and as we all pulled in and got out of our cars; Bryan smiled and said, "Holy shit! I've never seen it like this before. Damn! This place is packed!"

All I could say was, "Wow!"

We went into the club amid cheers of the crowd gathered to get in. We must've rated highly with the owner that evening, because none other than Nick, himself, his appearance at the club being very rare, walked up to us smiling and extending us a warm welcome. Nick was what you would call a true Texan as he stood about six feet, five inches and was as broad as a battleship, and if not for the grin spread across his face, he would've appeared to be a formidable giant of a man, capable of crushing bones with the mere snap of his fingers. Bryan grinned as Nick greeted him with a bear hug and said, "How ya doin Bry, it sure is good to see you, baby-boy!"

"It's good to see you, too, Uncle Nick?" Bryan replied, disentangling himself from the hug.

"Uncle Nick?" I asked grinning.

"I'm not really his uncle," Nick replied sadly, then continued, "His daddy and I knew each other when we served together in Vietnam. I promised his father that I would look out for his son if anything were to ever happen to him. So, as you can see; I'm keeping that promise." Then, not to let a happy greeting turn sad, he smiled brightly, and reaching over and playfully smacking Bryan in the back of the head, he looked at us grinning and said, "Don't think for half a second that if you guys weren't such great players, I wouldn't have ya'll's little asses in the back washin dishes, though." This elicited a hearty laugh from all of us, then he turned to me extending his hand and said, "Speaking of great players, let me be the first person to welcome you to Nick's Uptown Lounge. Your name is Mark, I believe. I'm Nick and it's nice to meet you in person. I've heard a lot of great things about you, son!"

Winking, conspiratorially at Bryan, I smiled, and shaking Nick's hand, said, "It's nice to meet you too, Sir, but if you've heard great things about me from these guys, then you can be fairly sure that its bull shit!"

Nick burst into laughter, and looking at Bryan, gently slapped me on the back and said, "I like him. He can stay!" The he turned back to me, and ushering me toward the stage, grinned and said, "Now, show me how these new fangled keyboards work. They look real interesting sittin up there!"

With a nod of my head, I grinned and replied, "C'mon, sir, I'll show you something really cool!"

"Feel free to call me Nick, everyone else around here does," he replied.

"Okay then, c'mon Nick," I replied smiling.

*********************

Thirty minutes before we took the stage, I poked my head around the outside of the alcove to see wall-to-wall people, everywhere, much more than I'd ever seen gathered in one place at one time. All of a sudden I felt scared. I walked back into the dressing room to grab a beer and maybe calm myself a little bit. It must've been written all over my face, because Bryan took a seat next me and said, "What's wrong, Little Brother? You look scared!"

Thank God I was seated next to the trash can, because all of a sudden I felt the contents of my stomach rising. Without warning I leaned over and stuck my head in the trash can and let it heave. Bryan held my hair out of the way while I puked and then got me a cold rag to wash my face with.

After I came out of the bathroom I felt refreshed and ready to rock and roll. Bryan smiled at me and said, "Are you okay, man?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I guess it was just a slight case of nerves or something," I replied sheepishly.

"Aw, hey, don't sweat it, Little Bro. It happens to all of us at one time or another," replied Bryan, being the friend that he still is to this day.

*********************

Thirty minutes later, we were preparing to go on stage when I heard the voice of Nick as he stepped up to the microphone saying, "Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce to you, the finest rock and roll band to ever come out of Texas. I give to you, Prodigy!!!"

The crowd began to roar, and as we took the stage, Phil smiled at me and said, "It don't get any better than this, L.B.!" I winked in acknowledgement and followed him up and onto the stage, taking my place among my keyboards.

We began to show with the song "Free Ride" by The Edgar Winter Group, and when we were done, again, the applause was deafening. However, as before, when I looked down to where our reserved tables were, no one was cheering louder than my beautiful Andie. Knowing that all of these people came specifically to hear us play, not to mention that I was in love with the most beautiful woman on earth and she was in love with me; the feeling I was experiencing was indescribable.

*********************

We had just finished the first set and I was backstage, wiping the sweat off of my face with a towel, when the dressing room door flew open followed by a squealing and extremely exuberant Andie. She crashed into me; throwing her arms around me and knocking me back a few steps. "I take it you like the show," I said grinning.

"Oh God, Baby, you guys are so awesome," she cooed. The she backed away from me, wearing a conspiratorial grin on her face and added, "I've got a surprise for you!"

"Oh yeah, what is it?" I asked playfully.

As opposed to answering my question directly, she turned her head to the now open, dressing room door and shouted, "YA'LL CAN COME IN NOW!"

I was pleasantly shocked when both of my parents appeared at the door, Dad smiling proudly and Mom grinning with tears running down her cheeks. "Hi, Mom and Dad," I said grinning, then added, "What are ya'll doing here, and why are you crying, Mom?"

Before Dad could respond, Mom rushed up to me and threw her arms around my neck and buried her face in my chest, softly crying. The she looked up at me, and sadly replied, "Baby, I'm so sorry that I held you back when you were little. You were born to be on that stage and I should've let you do this when you asked me years ago. Can you ever forgive me?"

I gently hugged her, and then wiping the tears from her cheeks with the handkerchief that, at her insistence when I was younger, I always carried, I kissed her on the forehead and replied, "It's because of you that I have this ability to begin with, Mom. So, there's nothing to forgive, I love you."

Smiling because of the tender exchange between his wife and his son, Dad stepped in, and throwing his arms around the both of us, said, "What your mother is trying to say is, we're both very proud of you, son!" Then, stepping away from me and Mom, Dad grinned, and addressing the rest of the band who had witnessed this whole episode, said, "As a matter of fact, I'm very proud of all of you boys, although I don't know any of you." I immediately began to make the introductions. Dad shook hands with everybody in the band while Mom gave them all hugs and pats on the back.

I felt a tug on my hand from behind me. Knowing immediately who it was, and thinking nothing of it, I turned around and kissed Andie's lips in front of my parents, making her smile and blush brightly. When I turned back around, I saw my mother smiling as she looked at Andie and said, "Who is this pretty little thing, Mark?"

Pulling Andie into my arms, I smiled and replied, "Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Miss Andrea Matthews, and I love her very much!"

Throwing her arms around the both of us, Mom smiled and tenderly hugged us, and then looking at Andie up close, said, "I can see why you love her, she's beautiful, honey!"

"She sure is. Holy shit, Mark, what have been doing up here, boy?" said Dad, receiving a scolding elbow in the ribs from my mother, while at the same time eliciting snickers and giggles from not only Andie and I, but the rest of the guys in the band.

"Hell, I can't help it if the boy has good taste in women. He gets in from me ya know," said Dad, grinning and rubbing the spot Mom had jammed her elbow into.

Mom smiled and winked at him, and as she began to step away from us, Andie kissed her cheek and said, "Thank you for the compliment Mrs. Thompson,' and looking at Dad, added, "You too, Mr. Thompson!"

"Listen here, pretty girl, my name is Mike and my wife's name is Kerrie. That's what I want you to call us from now on, okay?" Dad replied proudly. Then looking at the guys, he added, "The same thing goes for the rest of you guys, too!"

*********************

I was floating on a cloud for the rest of the night because the three people that I loved the most were all sitting at the same table, listening to us play. By pure luck, or maybe God's intervention, it turned out that Mom and Andie belonged to the same sorority, albeit Mom attended college a little over twenty years ago at the University of Texas, which is where she met Dad. Much to Andie's, as well as Mom's, delight, they were now sorority sisters. Almost all of Andie's sorority sisters were at the club and welcomed my Mom heartily. I saw my parents dancing together, Mom's head on Dad's shoulder, during the slow songs we played and it warmed my heart from the inside out. On one of the fast songs, I saw three girls dragging my dad out onto the dance floor. I looked over to our table and saw both Mom and Andie laughing and grinning from ear-to-ear. I was pleased to see my parents having a good time together. I know that when I was growing up, they both had to work long hours, yet they always had time for me.

After our third set, I came directly off the stage and sat with Andie and my parents at the table. I could tell that Dad had really been enjoying himself and I said, "So, what do you think of the band, Dad?"

He smiled and leapt from his chair, pulled me to my feet and threw his arms around my neck. Then hugging me tightly, he said, "I'm so very proud of you, Mark. A man couldn't have asked for a better son than you are, my boy!"

Before I could respond, a chorus of female voices, saying things like, "Awww," and "Oh that's just so sweet," rang out from behind me. I turned around to see Andie and Mom wearing silly grins.

Dad gently took my arm and said, "Come on, boy. Let's go out back and have a talk!"

*********************

When we got out back to the alleyway, Dad reached into his shirt pocket and withdrew a pack of cigarettes. After taking one out and lighting it, Dad put the pack back in his pocket and took a long pull off of the smoke. He looked at me grinning, and said, "So, you want to do this music thing for a living, don't you?"

"I didn't say that, Dad," I replied cautiously, as he wanted me to study something "a little more concrete" as he called it.

"After listening to you play with those guys in there, as well as the look on your adrenaline pumped face, you don't have to say it," he said smiling, and then he added, "Hell boy, you're too damn good not to want to do this for a living!"

I hope you're not disappointed in me, sir," I said, looking at the ground.

Raising my head with his finger, my father stared into my eyes and said, "You listen to me, boy! I could never, in a million years, ever be disappointed in you. You're my son and I love you. So whenever you guys are ready, get a good strong demo package put together and we'll all go out to Los Angeles and talk to a very old and dear friend of mine who just happens to be the president of Chrysalis records. Besides, I've got the feeling that there isn't much that this college could teach any of you guys that you don't already know, okay?"

"What about all that stuff about getting a good education so I can succeed, crap, that you used to preach at me when I was younger?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Dad smiled and looked around as if he were about to divulge top secret information, and then smiled and softly said, "I was only saying that stuff to keep your mother off my back, but if you say anything; I'm gonna deny it, okay?"

I laughed, then put my arms around my father and said, "Okay, Dad, and thanks for everything. I love you!"

Dad patted me on the back and said, "I love you, too, son. Now, let's get back inside before they send out a search party to look for us!"

*********************

The rest of the night went beautifully as I played with what would become my family. They didn't yet know what Dad had told me, but I couldn't wait until we got back to campus that night.

After our gig was over, Mom and Dad invited me, Andie and the rest of the band to their suite at the Hilton in downtown Dallas for breakfast, their treat. Needless to say, we all eagerly accepted. As we were breaking our gear down, I realized that my gear wouldn't be safe in the back of my truck in downtown Dallas, but before I could say anything, Nick told us all, "Just leave you stuff here guys. Nobody will disturb it, I promise!"

*********************

When we arrived at my parents suite, Mom gathered all of us inside and said, "Come on, ya'll are probably starving!" What I didn't know, was that Dad had called ahead before we left Nick's and had a buffet rolled up to their suite that was hot, ready and waiting on us when we got there.