Bobbie and Roc crossed the majestic Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, listening to the sound of the surf roaring off the rock face and back toward the ocean. Roc glanced at Bobbie and wondered if tonight would endanger their peaceful life in Northern California.
Bobbie looked back and read his anxiety. “Rich will have everything all set up for you, won’t he?”
“Uh-huh.” Roc looked back and forth from the ocean below to the road ahead.
“You want me to drive, baby? You’re lookin’ a bit skittish.”
“I’m fine, and besides, there’s nowhere to pull over.”
“Okay. Well, I’m excited about tonight. ’Course, all I have to do is sit there and look appreciative, right?” Bobbie rubbed Roc’s shoulder gently but got no reply. “You reckon Emma’s all right with Cassidy? She won’t get all wired up to that laptop of hers and forget to feed her now?”
“Oh, I think Cassidy will find a way of letting Emma know what she wants.”
“I suppose, as long as she doesn’t let the milk get all blinky. I know she loves her little sister, I just don’t see much evidence of the maternal instinct, is all.”
“Honey, she only held the baby upside down once. She was nervous.” Now Roc smiled at Bobbie and patted her hand.
“Emma, nervous? You shoulda heard her negotiating with that label guy for Rich’s band. She’s like fire and ice, that girl.”
“That’s different. Hey, what a glorious sunset. We’ve got to drive up this way this time of night more often.”
Bobbie smiled. “Well, we will be all this week for sure.”
“If I survive tonight. I am seriously doubting the wisdom of this. I feel like my daughter, the older one, is running my life.”
Bobbie leaned over and kissed Roc on the cheek. “You’ll be brilliant, sugar plum. I can’t wait.”
“Hmm.”
“So, how was it seeing that jailbird friend of yours?” Bobbie hoped a change of topic would distract Roc from the challenge of the night ahead. “You haven’t said word one about the old vulture.”
Roc paused and reflected. “It was good, actually. Totally bizarre circumstances, of course. It was way more relaxed than you would imagine, but still terrifying if you allow yourself to think about not being able to leave.”
Bobbie snorted. “Well, I for one am happier with him there. That old goat got his own sorry ass in a sling.”
“Delicately put, my love.” Roc smiled indulgently. “I know how you feel, honey. It is pretty grim, but Uncle seems to be handling it. He was full of business talk; he’s actually managing The Cocktails, to the extent that they’re manageable, from jail. I don’t know how; I didn’t ask.” Bobbie listened quietly as Roc went on. “He told me a very funny story about them getting essentially deported from China for playing too loud.” She was shaking her head, eyebrows arched. “Oh, and Danny and Gwen’s little guy is doing fine.”
“That’s nice.”
“He had a moment. I almost saw Uncle cry for the first time.”
“Jalapeños in his lunch?”
“No, really. I don’t know if he’s changed or ever will, but I had to go see him. I can’t undo the past, and with him and me, there’s a lot of it.”
“I know,” said Bobbie indulgently. “Did you tell him about your gig?”
“Almost, but no. Okay, here’s our exit.”
Bobbie pulled out the directions. “Right on Munras, right at Alvarado, just past Mucky Duck and Goomba’s. And you make fun of the Piggly Wiggly.”
“There it is. I’ll pull in back.” Roc let out a big breath.
“JJ’s in Monterey,” Bobbie read, sounding impressed. “It’s cute, honey, looks like a little pueblo. Reminds me of Tia’s Ice House in Farcry.”
Eddie was having a smoke outside the back door and warmly welcomed them. “Hey, you two. Rich is inside. The system sounds great; he’s got it totally tweaked.” He put his arm on Roc’s shoulder and grinned at Bobbie. “How do you feel, Rocco?”
Bobbie answered for him. “He’s a little antsy is all, Ed, but I’ve heard him practising from the garden for weeks, and he’s going to be great, aren’t you sweetie?”
Inside, Roc peeked through the curtains as Eddie escorted Bobbie to a table in the rear of an upscale southwestern restaurant with just over half the candlelit tables filled with thirty- and forty-something couples. Roc retreated to the tiny dressing room, packed with tablecloths and stacked chairs, where Stick was waiting. “Hey,” said Roc as they executed the usual man-hug.
“You psyched?” Stick twirled his drumsticks. “This is Raoul.”
“Raoul … Sergei.” Low-key greetings were exchanged. “Raoul’s got his parts down cold. Says he grew up with The Cocktails stuff in Lyon. We should probably follow the set list at least for tonight, if that’s cool.”
“Sure,” Roc replied as they heard Eddie’s disc jockey routine over the p.a.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to JJ’s in Monterey. Hang on to your chairs, it’ll be a rockin’ affair as JJ’s presents the world premiere of ‘Sky Train,’ all this week in their amazing tribute to Roc Molotov and the Cocktails.”
As the band hit the stage and Stick counted in the opening to “Underwater Smile,” the audience applauded warmly, and Bobbie smiled at the excited couple at the next table. She felt a shiver as Roc sang the opening lines of the song, and the woman next to her whispered to her date, “Doesn’t look much like him, but he’s sure got the voice down.”