Ink (49 page)

T
he
crowd cheered as Everly bellowed out the final words of her song. She took a bow, looking to the right at the band. She was in her glory on stage, singing her heart out.

“
And I would like to dedicate this next song to my mother, Sandy.” Everly said, beginning to sing out into the dark crowd. Her voice wavering as tears gradually trickled down her porcelain skin. She froze in a panic. Her heart hammering in her ears. The band went right on playing as she stood taut like a beautiful sculpture.

A man leaped from his seat in the audience. Dark hair and a bearded face. He jumped on the stage in a flash. Hurrying to make it to Everly as she was about to lose it, yet again this week. He knew every audience was different. That she had a lot of fans, but, people still could be nasty. No one understood what these moments meant to her, as she tried to triumph over absolute panic.

“
Thank you, and goodnight,” he said, snagging the microphone from her hands. There was little shame that he was still in his dancing attire from his act. The microphone squealed out into the crowd, upsetting the audience.

“
Vinnie get her off stage!” The guitarist yelled, trying his best to keep up with the band. He to only was protecting Everly.

Everly came back to reality, pushing past the curtains. She was a little upset with Vince. She would have eventually come out of it.

“
I could have got through it,” she said, dabbing her eyes with her balled up tissue.

“
I know sweetheart,” Vince said. He knew the truth and that was she wouldn’t. She had cried herself to sleep every night since her mother’s passing. And he wished he could fix it, and take all her pain away.

He couldn’t help but be a little upset that Sandy passed before they were married. He knew that it would be a horrible start to their life together. And he knew she wasn’t going to be his fiancé forever. Everly knew what she wanted, and she wanted this amazing life, with amazing things. She was dedicated to her career as a singer, she lived music. And the path that Everly was on was one she made all on her own. And you were fortunate if you were selected to join in.

“
Charley has called twice since you went on stage.” He reminded her as she snatched up her duffel bag, making her way down the hallway to her small dressing room. It wasn’t the best gig, but it was something. She was able to showcase her talents, and she was proud of what she had accomplished so far.

Vince helped her slip on her winter jacket. The last gift her mother had given her. A red pea coat, with a matching beret that she never went without, she most likely would wear it all the way into spring. The weather in Maryland tended to stay on the chilly side for some time, so she was sure she could pull it off.

Everly allowed Vince to wrap his arm around her. She knew he was only trying to comfort her. It had been an dreadful couple of days. And she felt rather dead on the inside. Her heart ached for her whole family, but specially for herself. Just a week ago, everything had been right, she was planning a wedding, and she was busy singing in the studios with her band. But, now, the best relief was climbing into her lavish bed and covering her head with the blankets.

Everly was the second oldest. Born in July. Sandy told her she always knew she would be a singer, the instant she heard her sweet screams. She idolized her mother and all that she was. And her mother was her biggest fan. She made a point to call her every week to tell her all about Vince and hers plans for the future, calling to cry when she was having an off day with him. She told her everything about her life, and she found herself wishing she had listened a little more to what her mother was feeling, or thinking, because now she really felt ripped off.

Vince started up the car, pulling her hand into his lap as they started the drive to Ohio. He was determined to be there for her through it all, even if she doubted that he would be. He smiled, giving her a quick glance as she talked with Charley. For a moment there was a bit of life back in her eyes, now, if they could say goodbye to her mother and get on with their life. All would be well.

“
We are picking up Ethan on the way into town,” Everly said to Vince.

Vince nodded, not speaking a word. He wasn’t that big of a fan of her younger brother. Ethan was rather odd, quiet, and he never could quite gauge what he thought of him. Everly said that was Ethan. He was a boy of few words. But Vince knew that wasn’t correct. He had seen the kid speak to all of his sisters. He was close to his parents. He doubted he liked him, and figured it was Everly’s funny way of avoiding a disagreement. But, he would go along with the plans. For it was not his mother who was murdered, he couldn’t even begin to picture how that would feel.

E
than sat outside his college dorm, atop his suitcase, stealing a smoke as he waited for his sister to show up. Her and her overly masculine fiancé. He couldn’t stand that guy. He could just sense he wasn’t all he made himself out to be. And he really wanted no part of him. He also never understood a man who was into dancing. To him that was simply odd.

He was young and there was a lot he had yet to know about the world. But, he felt wise beyond his years at times. And he was dead set on figuring out all that was going on with his family. Ever since he was around seven he knew something was not right. He never spoke a word of it to anyone. And now that his mother was dead, his theories were proving more and more correct.

He enjoyed his school, the studies were mind numbing. They kept him busy and helped tweak his keen sense of the world. He learned so much he sometimes felt he was going to explode. But with knowledge came power, as his professor put it.

And the girls weren’t so bad either. He once was the young aloof boy from a family of girls. In no way feeling all that masculine. The only girl who ever let him have a shot was Angelina who lived down the road their whole life. He felt her up in the basement several times before school started. His whole body aching to do all sorts of nasty things to her, but fear took over and he chickened out every time. Then everything changed. College gave him a boost of confidence, coupled with alcohol and he was the ladies man, he never ran out of girls to bed. And sometimes it was too easy, that was his life in a nutshell. Now he was just waiting for Everly, so they could all go back to their home to bid adieu to Mom.

Ethan stood up as the car approached with his sister and Vince in it. It came to a slow stop in front of him. Everly gladly stepped out into the fresh air hugging her brother as expected. She held tight for long enough to seem happy to see him. Ethan could sense she was bothered right away. Out of all of his sisters, she was the one with the most depth, and she was far away.

“
Glad to see you kid,” she said. She gave a forced smile, opening up the door and gesturing him in. He avoided making eye contact with Vince, jumping in the back seat. Vince brushed him off like usual, giving him sheer gratification. One day he thought, he would get the hint, unless he had already.

“
Talk to Dad?” Ethan asked, cracking the window to light up a cigarette. His new habit was more entertaining than needed. It gave him something to do with his hands. Everly let out a groan of disgust at his new joy. But didn’t utter a word to him. Studying his reflection in the window, he didn’t feel all that similar to any of his siblings. He was tall and thin, olive complexion, with dark eyes. He had her dimples, and from there that was the end of it. Sometimes he thought he might have been the product of an affair. If only it was simple to prove. And the smile, the one every girl gushed about, saying how charming he was. He knew he got that from his mom as well.

Mom wasn’t too tolerable of most of Ethan’s way. He never talked much about his feelings with her. He was the typical angry son in his teen years, he was everything she wasn’t. And he just felt she didn’t understand him. He knew she loved him, of course she did, there was no doubt about that. But she didn’t put as much effort into the son she always wanted, as she did her three daughters. He called her sometimes, when he was drunk and lonely. He would lie on his dorm floor talking to her for hours. And he always knew how to make her laugh. That’s what he would miss, simple times when he didn’t care, but when it meant the most to her.

“
I talked to him yesterday, he sounded very tired,” she said.

“
Charley called me about a million times,” Ethan said, letting out a laugh. Vince turned his head slightly in reaction but gave up before looking back at him.

“
Charley wants everything to go well. You know how she is. How is school?” Everly asked, almost flat, no emotion left in her body. She let the car move and jostle her, not fighting just being jostled as they sped down the highway.

“
School is good. Grades are good too. How is singing?” he asked, cracking his window enough to chuck his cigarette. She was probably taking it the worst he thought to himself, waiting for some kind of unnatural response.

“
Amazing.” She spit out, pulling herself away from Vince and closer to her side of the car. The trip home was going to be something, Ethan thought to himself.

If someone had told me that today my whole life, everything I had worked so hard for, would come crashing down around me, that everything I had ever known about life, love—about myself—would change, I would have had only one thing to say to them, “Step off loser before you get stepped on.”

I walked through the halls of Humansville High; my fingers laced with Calvin’s and a little added pep in my step. All the girls looked at us, envious of our stunning beauty. Or maybe it was these fabulous new Jimmy Choos I had just purchased at Katie’s Boutique. Either way, they were gawking as per usual. It was to be expected.

“
Hey, Val!” one of the freshmen girls called out.

I didn’t have time to socialize with random nobodies so I didn’t bother to acknowledge her presence. I had more pressing matters at hand.

“
Calvin, would you drive me to the mall after school? I need to pick out my dress for prom before all the good ones are taken,” I asked as he dropped me off at my locker.

“
Sure babe. But I have practice at three thirty so I’ll have to be quick. You’ll need your mom to pick you up or something.”

“Not a problem.” I said confidently. With a quick peck on the cheek he was off to class.

Calvin was a quarter back for Humansville’s number one football team, the Missouri Mules. It was a terrible name.

Calvin was the best looking guy in school, too. Tall, strong, brooding, blonde. All brawn, no brain. He was smart in some ways, don’t get me wrong. He could figure out a dozen plays on the field that I couldn’t even begin to understand. But when it came to the real stuff—clothes, shoes, fashion in general—he was a total air head. You’re nothing if not fashion forward.

Now we come to me. Beautiful, smart, admired by all. I liken myself to the actress Angelina Jolie. Like her, I have long, luxuriously healthy brown hair, full lips-although nowhere near as full as hers- and gorgeous chocolate brown eyes. We’re almost exactly alike—save for the fact that I don’t have like, a gazillion kids. I have the most sought after boy in town on my arm, one of the wealthiest families, the most extensive collection of Donna Karen fashions, and I’m totally miserable.

How could I be miserable when I have everything you may ask? That’s easy. A lot goes into being who I am. I don’t wake up every day looking this perfect.

From hair to nails and everything in between, being me is downright exhausting. It takes a solid two hours to get ready each day. Calvin picks me up in his dad’s hand—me—down, red vintage ’65 Mustang and escorts me to the social watering hole that I call high school.

From there I am forced to hold elaborate conversations while everyone tags along at my heels. I love being the center of attention and all, and I can get whatever I want most days, but sometimes it would be nice to have a moment to myself. A moment to be in my own head not having to put on the show. I had set the standard around here and now I had to live up to it.

My best friend Jessica, my own personal mini—me, was rambling on as usual as we entered Mr. Hobbs English class. He was a short, stocky man, in his early forties at most, and already balding.