Friday night, Dominic called me and asked me to meet him at a sound check at the Black Opal.
“I don’t think so, Dominic,” I told him. “I’m really not into game playing.”
“I’m not playing games,” he said. “I need to talk to you about what’s happening to me. There’s something wrong, Jessica, I just know it.”
“I guess. I already told Flo I’d meet her there later, anyway.”
When I arrived, the rest of the band wasn’t there yet. There was one lonely server filling the napkin holders.
Dominic and I sat at one of the tables and waited for the others to show up.
“Do you guys want something to drink?” the server asked. She smiled at Dominic when she said it.
“A couple of Cokes would be great,” he replied.
When she brought back our drinks, I pointed to the Warhol-style painting I’d noticed before. “Who is that?”
She set our frosted glasses on the table. “That’s the owner,” she said. “You’ve never seen her in here? Or the old place?”
“No, I’ve never seen her,” I replied, as the server walked away.
“You wanted to talk to me about something?” I prompted Dominic.
“I want you to observe me the next time I’m hanging out with Selena.”
“What? No way.”
“I know it’s asking a lot, but I need your help.”
“Dominic, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I protested. “Can’t Raven do it?”
“She’s mad at me right now.”
“Raven? I didn’t think she ever got mad,” I said.
“She’s mad all right,” he told me.
“About what?”
“She thinks I’m making excuses about Selena to you,” he said. “But I’m not. Something’s not right. I feel woozy when I’m with her. And not in a good way.”
“‘Woozy’?”
“Lightheaded, kind of sick to my stomach,” he replied.
Could Selena be the one responsible for his symptoms? Or was Dominic uncomfortable with his own feelings?
The door opened and a short woman with dark hair and purple highlights walked through it. She carried a guitar case.
She marched right over to our table. “You the lead singer of Side Effects May Vary?” she asked Dominic.
“Yes, m’am, I am,” he said.
“Then why aren’t you singing?” she said. “Isn’t there a sound check scheduled for today?”
“Yes, there is,” Dominic said. “But the rest of the band is running late.”
She seemed to realize she’d been a little abrupt. “I’m Teddie Myles,” she said. “I own this place.”
I recognized her as the woman in the portrait I had asked about earlier.
“I’ll play my guitar while you sing.” She opened the case and as she got out her guitar, I noticed her tattoo. It was unusual, a peace sign morphing into a mushroom cloud. She caught me staring.
“I got this in 1964,” she said. “Protesting nuclear testing.”
“I like it,” I said.
Her gaze focused on my bicep. “I like yours, too.”
I squirmed and grabbed my hoodie, to cover up my arm.
As she headed for the stage, she added, “You’re too young for a tattoo.”
I had a tattoo, but it wasn’t like I’d picked it out or anything. I was growing fond of my whirlwind, but I wasn’t ready to show it to the world.
Dominic finished his soda, then went to the stage. He conferred with Teddie briefly and began singing something I’d never heard before. Teddie sang backup in a raspy, timeworn voice that made me think of long lonely road trips.
But I was riveted by Dominic’s performance. He sang this song with his eyes closed, maybe with the hope of preventing any oracular revelations. But the intensity and passion in his voice sent shivers down my spine.
My reverie was interrupted when the rest of the band entered the club—Flo, too, holding hands with her boyfriend. Dominic stopped in the middle of the chorus. “Looks like everyone is here,” he said.
Teddie packed up her guitar and headed back to where I sat. “He’s got something special, doesn’t he?” she commented.
“Yes, he certainly does,” I replied.
She handed me a small white card with her name and number printed on it. “I’ve got to head out,” she said. “But, Jessica, if you ever need anything, give me a call.”
“Thanks, I will.” How did she know my name? I was almost certain I hadn’t introduced myself.
After Teddie left, Dominic sat back down while the rest of the band set up their instruments. “I can’t believe it! I just sang with Teddie Myles,” he gushed.
“She seems nice,” I said cautiously. I was clearly missing something.
“Nice? The legendary Teddie Myles is more than nice,” he replied. “She’s—she’s . . .”
“Legendary?”
“You mean you don’t know who Teddie Myles is?” Selena had come into the club without my even noticing. She seemed to be spending a lot of time hanging around.
“And I suppose you do?” I asked.
“As a matter of fact, I do,” she said. “Dominic told me all about it the other night.”
The other night? I shot him a sharp glance, but he only smiled blandly at her. “Selena was helping me channel my powers,” he said. “Remember?”
“Why don’t you enlighten me?” I asked. Despite her know-it-all attitude, I noticed she waited for Dominic to fill me in.
“Teddie Myles is a legend,” Dominic said. “She was the lead singer in Temptation and then she had this amazing solo career.”
“Dominic, when you’re done chatting with your groupies, would you care to join us onstage?” Jeff Cool said sarcastically.
Groupies?
“Jessica and Selena aren’t groupies, Jeff,” Dominic snapped. “I expect you to show my friends respect.”
“We’d better let you rehearse,” I said.
“Hang on a sec, Jessica,” Dominic said. “Selena, thanks for everything.”
He’d made it clear—politely, of course—that he wanted Selena to leave, but she didn’t budge.
“Dominic, pay attention to me,” Selena said. Her voice sounded like a whiny five-year-old’s. Then she picked up his hand and repeated her words. But when she said it the second time, she sounded loud and full of power.
Jeff grumbled some more about high-maintenance singers, but Dominic ignored him.
Flo gave me a look.
I didn’t want to hang around for rehearsal any longer. I had tried to ignore Jeff’s groupie comment, but it stung. Is that how everyone saw me? Just some girl who hung all over Dominic because he was in a band?
To make matters worse, Selena still had Dominic’s hand and he was all gooey-eyed over her.
“Don’t let Jeff bother you,” Flo said. “He’s a misogynist.”
“I have more important things to worry about,” I said with false bravado. But it was true. Things were murky indeed, and I couldn’t seem to figure out how to clear them up.