Street Find Ch. 01-02

"Thanks for the advice. Better late than never," I said, turning with a sigh and looking at my insurance agent's phone number.

I called him and gave him the file number for the stolen Saturn and he confirmed that my insurance included loss of use. I went to the nearest rental car agency and chose a compact sedan. Nothing fancy, just plain, utilitarian transportation—in this case a new 2013 Ford Focus. I headed back to my apartment and collected Fran for our shopping trip. She seemed to be in good spirits and the tension that might have existed had disappeared. I was also wondering if there was the possibility of our developing a relationship. She was certainly attractive, and with a few more pounds on her bones she'd be a stunner. She was almost my height, and her auburn hair fell below her shoulders. Brown eyes and a lovely, warm face that gave off an aura of elegance. She was very attractive.

Oh well, those were just the idle thoughts of sex-starved twenty-six-year-old.

We were back to the apartment by five o'clock, having completed our shopping for both clothing and food. Fran appeared to be quite pensive, but not yet sharing her thoughts with me. I'd wait. There was no rush to push her in a direction she didn't want to go.

After we'd put away our purchases, she turned to me.

"Ed, I don't know how to pay you back for your kindness and willingness to help me. I promise I'll find a way, though. I won't be a burden to you any longer than absolutely necessary.

"I know," I smiled. "Actually, I'm rather enjoying having a very attractive young woman staying in my apartment. It's something new and different for me."

She gave me a strange look before turning away, saying nothing in response. I didn't know how to interpret her reaction, so I let it drop.

~*~

Fran was a pretty good cook. Far better than me, that was certain. She scrounged around in the refrigerator and pantry and cooked up some kind of beef hash with stewed tomatoes and macaroni. She even found a little cluster of spices that I'd never even opened, and added some zip to the concoction. It was great. Just the thing on a cold winter night.

I picked up the Saturday paper when we went shopping and Fran started to look for a job after we had eaten. I cleaned up the dishes and put things away while she went through the want ads to see what might be available to her.

"Find anything interesting yet?" I asked as I returned to the living room.

"A couple of possibilities. I made a note of them and I'll call on Monday."

"Good," I smiled. "That's a start."

I watched her as she scoured the paper for any further leads. Once again, I was struck by how attractive she was and had to remind myself that she wasn't prepared for a relationship with anyone at this point. Perhaps sometime in the future?

When she finished with the paper, she folded it up and put it back on the coffee table.

"I know you're not welcome in your family home, Fran, but is there any chance you could let them know you are safe and living in Spokane?"

"I don't want to talk to them right now, Ed. They've hurt me badly, and if it wasn't for you, I might not have survived their decision to kick me out. The only person I want to talk to is my sister, Georgina. If I may, I'd like to call her tomorrow morning when my parents are at church. She and I are close."

"Of course. That's a very good idea. You can give her this address and phone number so that she knows where to find you for the time being."

"It's funny, you know. Gina was always the one in trouble at home. She pushed all the rules to the limit and past sometimes. Nothing really bad, but just rebellious. I was the good girl. I got the good grades in school and was always home on time and helped around the house. Look what that got me," she said sorrowfully.

"What happened to cause the blow up," I said, knowing immediately I shouldn't have pressed her on a touchy subject.

"I'd rather not talk about it, Ed. Please," she said, not looking at me.

"Yeah ... that was thoughtless of me. I'm sorry."

It was time for me to get ready for my job at the Starlight Lounge. While we were shopping, I'd bought a black dress shirt that matched what the other guys in the band were wearing and along with my black slacks and shoes, I looked like a regular member for the group.

"Do you mind if I come along and watch tonight?" she asked me as I was getting ready.

"I don't see why not," I shrugged. "I hope you won't get bored."

"No ... I like music and Gina and I sing together, so it will be better than sitting here and watching Saturday night TV."

"Great. Let's get going then," I grinned. Things were progressing very nicely, I thought.

~*~

Fran found a place to sit just off-stage and I noticed she intently watched us perform. At some point, I saw her mouthing the words to some of the songs, and her smile as she did so was something to see. I was glad to see that smile and it gave me a boost as well.

"You were really at your best, Ed," Fox grinned as we finished the last set. "Those fills and riffs fit perfectly, even if they weren't on the charts."

"Thanks, I was feeling good tonight and I hoped you wouldn't mind if I added a bit to the background."

"Hell, no! Are you sure you don't want to do this full time? I'd find a place for you. I know you play a decent guitar, too. You'd be a great addition."

"I don't know, Fox. I've always said I wanted a steady predictable job and you and I both know that being a musician in the club scene is anything but steady or predictable. I guess I'm too chicken to take the chance."

"You're missing out on doing something you're really good at, Ed. Think it over. In the meantime, if I need you again, would you be willing to fill again?"

"Sure. You're easy to work with, Fox. I enjoyed the last two nights."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with the hot babe sitting back watching you, would it?" he chuckled.

"That didn't hurt," I admitted.

I walked back to where Fran was sitting. "Ready to go?"

"Sure. You were really good, Ed. The whole band was really good. I missed that last night. I was too tired and fell asleep, so I had no idea what you guys played. Tonight was a real treat for me. I really liked the play selection ... and so did the audience."

"Thanks. I felt good tonight and I'd been through the music once already, so I was able to add a little here and there. I'm glad Fox wasn't upset at my doing that."

"I heard what your friend said. He'd hire you in a heartbeat by the sound of it. But you didn't seem interested." Her facial expression was one of curiosity.

"I'm kind of stuck in my ways, Fran. Like I told, Fox, I'm happy with a steady job and a steady income. This was just a little sideline for a couple of nights. The money is handy, but as I told him, it isn't guaranteed every week."

"Sometimes you have to take a chance," she said, walking toward the rear exit ahead of me.

~*~

Fran found a job. It took most of the week but she found work at a feed mill on the outskirts of town. Her experience on the farm was a big help of course, but having an attractive woman behind the counter didn't hurt her either. She was a conscientious worker and always displayed a nice smile to the customers. The job paid little more than minimum wage, but Fran was determined to earn her keep at the apartment, despite my protestations that she was little or no burden on expenses. My efforts fell on deaf ears.

We'd worked out a routine. Fran had a driver's license, and with our work hours being slightly different, she drove me to work and picked me up afterward. I got used to having a chauffeur and enjoyed not having to battle rush hour traffic. We were getting along great, with each of us contributing something to the upkeep of the apartment. Fran volunteered to make a couple of sets of curtains to replace the aging, faded ones on the front and rear windows. Without a sewing machine, she hand-stitched the hems and folds and even my inexperienced eye could see that it was a very high quality effort.

In the meantime, Fox seemed to be experiencing more trouble with absentee keyboard and guitar players, and I found I was working several Friday and Saturday nights each month. In every case, Fran accompanied me and seemed to truly enjoy being there. It wasn't always the Starlight Lounge, but most of the locations were of that type. No matter, Fran was there, swinging and silently singing with the music.

I figured it out one Saturday afternoon when I returned from getting the rental car gassed up. I could hear the music as I walked up the stairs to the apartment door. When I entered, I saw her sitting at the Roland and singing as she played chords in accompaniment. I stood transfixed, watching and listening. She had a wonderful voice. It was soft and smooth and perfectly suited to the song she was singing. It was an old standard, "Summertime," but I'd never heard it sung better.

Her eyes were closed as she played and sang, so she didn't notice me standing near the door, watching her performance. If she was attractive before, she was downright beautiful in this setting. I was falling in love with this woman and there was nothing about her that would change my mind. When the song ended, she opened her eyes and turned toward me, a quick look of surprise showing.

"I didn't hear you," she said, her face a bit red from embarrassment.

"You have a beautiful voice," I told her. "I didn't know you played piano."

"Yes, I took lessons when I was younger. I'm not very good, but I can play chords in key to keep my voice in the song," she explained.

"Where did you learn to sing?"

"In church. Gina and I were in the choir. It's about the only thing I enjoyed about going to church. The minister was a fire and brimstone type and everyone was a sinner or potential sinner. After a while, I just tuned him out. Gina never listened to him in the first place," she laughed.

"I didn't see any music, so I was wondering, how many songs do you know by heart?"

"I don't know ... maybe thirty or so. Mostly older ones that we heard on the radio. We didn't have a computer to look up the lyrics and maybe print them out. So ... we just memorized them the best we could."

"Did you and Gina ever perform together?"

"At school a few times. I sang by myself a couple of times, but Gina mostly always sang with me."

"So you and I have something in common - music," I smiled.

She nodded. "I really enjoy going to the clubs with you, Ed. You are really good on the keyboards and you play a pretty good guitar, too."

"Thank you. I really enjoy having you with me on our gigs. You inspire me to do better."

She blushed, and looked away. Every day she seemed to become more beautiful. I had a bad case of "Frances worship" developing, with no idea how to deal with it.

~*~

It took a month for the two of us to realize we were comfortable with the situation we were in. Fran had stopped pretending she was looking for another place to live. First, she didn't earn enough to afford something that would be both safe and comfortable. Second, we had developed a routine that worked seamlessly for both of us. Getting to and from work, housekeeping, food preparation, it was all part of our day. I had been accepting more weekend work at the clubs because I was enjoying it, it was paying quite well, and it kept Fran and me in constant contact. I was pretty sure Fox was creating opportunities for me, but he never admitted it and I never knew for sure.

Then there was the day that Fox came into the store with an unusual request.

"Ed, do you know any female singers who could do backup for an established performer?"

"No, I don't. At least, not any professionals. What's the problem?"

"Crystal Shannon got into a fight with one of her two backups and fired her. I'm backing her up Friday and Saturday and we need to find someone who can hold a tune without sounding like fingernails on a blackboard."

"Crystal Shannon, the country singer?"

"That's her. We tried it last night with just one backup, but it sounded hollow. She's phoned around, but there's no one available on short notice. I was hoping you could pull another rabbit out of a hat."

"Huh. Well, I do know a young lady with a great voice, but she not a professional and I don't know if she'd do it anyway."

"Who is she?"

"You've met her. Fran has a terrific voice, but no experience beyond a high school or church performance."

"Do you think you could talk her into trying out? I've about run out of ideas."

"I honestly don't know, Fox, but I'll ask her. I'm sure she'll be reluctant, but maybe I can convince her to at least audition with Crystal and her group. I'll do my best."

"Thanks, Ed. You keep coming through for me. I'll owe you big time if this works out."

"Well, let's wait and see if I can get her to agree to the audition first."

~*~

"That's crazy, Ed. I've never sung professionally. I wouldn't know what to do. I think it's a bad idea."

"Fran, do it as a favor to me. It's just an audition. If it doesn't work, okay, you gave it a shot and no one can complain. I don't want to see a top performer like Crystal stuck with no support, but I can't think of anyone else who has the quality of voice that you do. And remember, it's for backup, not lead. That's a lot easier and less visible, right?"

She was standing in front of me and looking very worried. I could guess what was going through her mind. I was hoping that she would at least try just to please me. I had a hunch she would be great, but I never let on that I thought so.

"Just an audition?" she queried. "That's all?"

"That's all. You once told me that Crystal was one of your favorite singers, so you know her style. I think it suits you, but that's her call, not mine. I really hope you'll give it a shot, Fran."

"If I do this, I'm doing it for you, Ed," she said.

I broke into a smile and wrapped my arms around her in a thank-you hug. "I have the feeling that you and Crystal are going to get along just great," I grinned.

I phoned Fox and told him that Fran had agreed to audition and he let me know when and where to meet him and Crystal. He was literally giggling in delight that she had agreed.

~*~

There was no doubt that Fran was nervous when we arrived at the Palomar Club. The front door was locked, so we went around back and were greeted by a guy who might have been a bouncer. I told him who we were and he smiled and held the door for us. This was a much bigger club than the Starlight, but that was no surprise. Crystal was a big star in this part of the country.

Fox introduced Fran to Crystal and her group. The remaining backup singer welcomed Fran, but not with as much enthusiasm as Crystal. She was bubbling with anticipation that her problems were solved. I stepped back, not wanting to get in the way and to let the three main participants get to know each other. I saw Fran nodding now and then, looking at some of the sheet music and talking to both Crystal and her backup. As far as I could tell, they were getting along quite well.

Fox's group was the instrumental part of Crystal's show. Her regular band was not here and Fox and his group were filling in. Apparently this was some sort of charity fundraiser and that was why there wasn't a full complement of people. Fox and Crystal chatted for a couple of moments, apparently to set the play list before beginning. Fran had a sheet of paper, probably with her instructions of when and where to come in and fade out. At least, that was my guess.

The group began with an old Patsy Cline song, one I'd heard a thousand times. It was a classic and Crystal had the voice to pull it off. At first, I could tell Fran was nervous and not wanting to be too strong with her voice. But about a half-minute into the piece, I saw her lower her sheet of paper and start to sing with more strength. A couple of times, I saw Crystal look around at her and smile. I thought they sounded good as a group, and it looked like Crystal agreed. I noticed the other backup (Renata something) look over at Fran and nod a couple of times. Her timing was pretty good and she was taking her cues from her backup partner and not Crystal.

They finished the song and both singers went directly to Fran and hugged her. "She's hired!" Crystal yelled, hugging Fran once more.

I walked over to the growing group as Fox and some of the other bystanders congratulated Fran, who seemed bewildered by all the accolades.

Crystal broke away and came over to Fox and me.

"She gets it," she said. "She really gets it. She has a voice we can do things with. She's not just going to be a fill-in, she's going to make us better."

There was no doubt in Crystal's tone and I smiled an "I told you so" smile.

"She'll need to rehearse to know when to hit all her parts, but she gets it," Crystal repeated.

I felt good for Fran, but then I had to wonder where this would take us. If she joined Crystal's troupe permanently, I'd lose her. That didn't leave me with a good feeling. Perhaps I'd just introduced my hoped-for lover to her exit strategy. How smart was that?"

The group returned to work on some other songs, giving Fran a chance to get used to the backup role.

~*~

The interesting thing in the aftermath of the successful audition was Fran's behavior. I thought she would be excited to be with one of her idols, but that wasn't the case.

"I was glad I had the opportunity, Ed. I don't know that I would want to do something like that all the time. This is just for the charity event, but Crystal is talking like I'm going to join her permanently. I don't know if that's something I want to do."

"I understand. But it would be a much better paying job than the feed mill," I said, wondering how smart that comment was.

"I could pay you back then, couldn't I," she said, looking at me carefully.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you don't owe me a thing? You have made my life better just being in our apartment and part of my life. There isn't a price I could put on that."

I think the force of my statement startled her. I wasn't angry, but I was direct. Direct enough that she said nothing and turned away. There was something else on her mind, but she wasn't about to share it. Again, it was wait and see.

Chapter 2 Gone Again

The charity concert was sold out. Crystal was the headliner and a very nervous Frances Cryder had to wait for the other acts to finish before she was on. I thought for a couple of moments that she was going to be sick to her stomach or pass out from nerves, but somehow she managed to hold it together. The three women walked out on stage to a warm, welcoming ovation, which couldn't help but intimidate Fran. However, she was a brave trouper and despite her visible nervousness, once the music began, she slipped into her new role and within seconds she was right where she needed to be.

By the end of the performance, I don't think anyone could tell she wasn't a seasoned performer. She knew most of Crystal's repertoire from memory and with cues from Renata, she could begin and end her contribution for each number. Considering she'd only had a couple of hours of rehearsal, it was an amazing performance. More importantly, both the audience and Crystal thought so too. When they walked off stage to a standing ovation, Crystal was hugging Fran and confirming what the rest of us knew - she was a natural. Renata was also effusive with her praise.

I didn't know how to feel. Of course, I was happy for Fran. It was something good that had happened for her and it now gave her some choices about her future. I was thinking Crystal might be prepared to offer her a contract and have Fran become a permanent member of the group. The trio seemed to get along well together. I wondered what caused the firing of the previous singer, but didn't worry too much about it.