Syncopated Rhythm (3 page)

The man, to his credit, didn't comment, he just slid the card keys to us and he looked at me and said, “Enjoy your stay 'Miss Jetson', and your level is tagged as double privacy for the duration of your stay, only other room occupants of that level are allowed in the corridor.”

I nodded my thanks.  And the redheaded lady at my side said, “Let's get you to your room 'Judy'.”

I winked at her.  “Sure thing Cosmo!”  I bumped her hip again and we made our way up to the rooms.  My luggage was waiting by my huge king size bed, it had been sent here straight from the airport as I was shuffled directly to the studio.

Kylee popped through the adjoining door with a silly taa-daa kind of grin.  I rolled my eyes again at her and then she said,  “OK, I'll be back in like forty five minutes.  Think about where you want to go when you ditch me until then.”

I crinkled my nose.  “Bring clubbing clothes, if I fail in my duty to lose you, we'll be doing some karaoke and dancing.”

She paled at that.  “Umm... clubbing clothes?”  She started toward the door.  “Sure.”  Her voice trailed off, then she was gone and the silence of the room was deafening.

I hated being alone.  But that was just me.  Even in a stadium full of fans, I was alone.  But I smiled to myself because the cute, geeky one would be back soon.  I sat in silence for a moment then walked over to the room's sound system and turned on the radio so the music could keep me company like it always did, then I decided to work on lyrics to a new song in my journal. 
Hmmm... Deep Red.
  I looked back at the door with a grin then started writing.

I kept glancing at the time on my cellphone.  About forty minutes later there was a light knock at the connecting door to the other room.  I shut off the radio and called out, “Come on in Ky.”

She shyly stuck her head in the door then smiled and came in as I sat up on the bed and closed my journal.  “Ok, I'm all set for the next couple weeks.”  Then she timidly put an envelope on the entry table.  “Is there anything you need before I go?”

I raised an eyebrow.  “Aren't you coming with me when I try to ditch you?  It will be fun I promise.”

She shook her head sheepishly.  “No, I wouldn't want to drag you down.  But have fun tonight.” She gave me a smile.

I stood and walked toward her before she could duck back into her room.  “Wait!  Ummm... there is something you can do for me, seeing as how you are all assistant-y and stuff.  You can accompany me out clubbing tonight.  It is late so we'd only have a couple hours, but I promise it will be fun, and... I need someone to... umm... oh!  To moderate my drinking.”

She was staring at the ground now.  “Ok...”

Sweet!  “Ok, Ky, go get yer clubbing gear on.  I'll throw something on myself.”

She blushed cutely and said, “Alright.  I'll be right back.”  Then she slipped into her room.

I was pleased with myself and turned toward my luggage, but the envelope caught my eye.  It just said, “Amber” on it.  I picked it up and opened it.  It was a birthday card!  I quickly looked at my cellphone for the date.  Holy crap, it was November eighth, it was my birthday!  It sort of snuck up on me.  I never do anything for it since I basically don't have anyone to share it with.

I smiled at the connecting room door then at the card that had a familiar blue police box on it.  I grinned, she was such a geek, but then, so was I.  I thought the Tardis card was like a little piece of her.  I opened it but shut it quickly when music started blurting out of the card.  I giggled then opened it again and the Doctor Who theme song played as I read.  “You seem to be traveling through time as you find yourself another year older.  Happy birthday!”

Then scrawled below it in smooth loopy script was a message from Kylee.  “Amber, I hope your birthday is full of excitement and wonder and is everything you could ever hope it to be.  – Kylee”

I closed my eyes as I closed the card and held it to my forehead.  A sweet message from a sweet person.  It was so quiet in the room.  It felt so empty.  I didn't like the quiet so I turned on the radio again.  I brought everything I would need for the night into the bathroom with me.

I locked the bathroom door and then stood in front of the mirror on the back of the door.  I took a deep breath then took off my signature pink wig.  I unpinned and shook out my real hair then cringed at it.  The parts that were a rich silky brown weren't bad.  It was the jagged splotchy stripes of white that I hated.  But that was part of my vitiligo.

I took off my long sleeved shirt and tried not to look at myself.  The almost bleach white splotchy stripes across my left side and arm made me look like a leper. I dropped my pants and stepped out of them.  There was a matching blotchy white stripe on my leg.  I shrugged and removed the makeup from my face, reveling the signs of vitiligo present there on my left cheek too.

I took my thyroid medicine that I'd forgotten this morning then reached in to start the shower.  I took one last look at myself, running my hand along my discolorations then dropped my undergarments and stepped into the shower.  I hated how I looked.  That's why I always hid it from the world.  They see this picture perfect pop princess that I project, when the truth is far from that.  I'm just a girl from Iowa who pretty much looks like a freak under all the makeup and concealer.

I let the water run over me washing away my insecurities.  I needed to have fun tonight.  Music always makes me forget everything.  Music is life, love, fun, excitement, and energy.  I channel it and let myself become that fun, that's how I lose myself and not think about things.

I sang while I showered, tinkering with the melody of the new song I had started tonight.  Then I stepped out, dried off, and donned my clubbing gear.  Tight black jeans and a long sleeved black blouse with shimmering black sequins down the right side in a wave.  The sleeves hid my condition.  I never wore dresses or skirts unless I had opaque leotards on my legs.

Then I put on some black ankle socks and low black kitten heels.  Finally I put on my thick concealer on my face and powdered it to get my porcelain looking complexion.  I went extremely heavy on my eye makeup, using lots of dark colors and heavy eyeliner.

I complemented the outfit with heavy silver chain necklaces and dangling silver earrings.  The final part of my transformation was pinning up my hair then securing the long black wig in place.  I looked at the rocker girl in the mirror that could never be mistaken for Amber LaLanie.  I could move about in the city without anyone knowing it was me.

I heard Kylee calling out, “Knock knock.”  I grinned at her perfect timing.

I grabbed the door knob and said loudly, “You ready for the unveiling?”

I could hear her giggle then she replied, “Oh, by all means.”

I opened the door and strutted out. “Taa daa!  Urban camouflage version 1.0.”

She was just staring at me blankly, then she licked her lips quickly and looked away.  “You don't even look like you!  You look so...”  She trailed off, biting her lower lip, which did naughty things to my body.  “Rock and roll.”

I squinted at her, taking her in as I shut of the radio.  She was wearing some jeans and some flats and more of a business like blouse than you'd go clubbing in. Her face was spectacular though, I don't know what it is about it but I find it extremely enticing.  She had on some heavier makeup than earlier and it just drew your eyes to her lips and her iceberg blues.

I tilted my head and asked, “Is that what you go clubbing in?”

She blushed a little and shrugged. “I'm more of a 'stay at home and play Robo Terror' kind of gal than a 'go shake your booty' kind of girl.  If I ever go out I wind up being that wallflower hiding in the corner.”

I grinned at her.  “Well not tonight.  You are spectacular and we're going to show everyone.”  I pointed at my bathroom.  “In you go.”  Then I remembered something and stopped her before she obediently went in.  “You want to know a secret?”

She nodded eagerly, I grinned at how cute it looked on her face.  “Mkay, just a sec.”  I ducked into the bathroom and then came back out with a hand behind my back.  The I said, “Taa Daa” as I pulled my pink wig out for her to see.

She was staring at me then the wig.  Then finally spoke with a smile.  “So this is your real hair?” She pointed at my black wig.

I giggled.  “Nope.  That is just my 'blending in' disguise.  No, years of dying my hair pink was damaging it so it is just easier to use a wig.

She snorted.  “Blending in?  You stand out no matter what your hair color is Amber.  I wish I was as glamorous as you.”

I quickly snapped back, maybe too sharply, “No you don't!”  I paused.  “Sorry.  It is just that this is all fake, it isn't me. It is just exactly what it is, a disguise.  I'd love to go out in the world and show people the real me like you can.  Now get your cute butt in the bathroom so I can 'glam' you up.”  I grinned and she blushed.

I looked her rockin' body up and down.  Gawd she was cute, not like the Popsicle stick girls that are always vying for my attention.  She was a real woman with curves, with a slight layer of baby-fat.  I wouldn't call her overweight, though the Barbies might.  I'd say she was five foot four and about one hundred and forty pounds at the most.  Healthy.  I toyed with her silky red hair as I thought of a look for her. 
I could run my fingers through this hair all day.
Then I said, “Hmm...  You got any t-shirts or tank tees?”

She nodded and I grinned and prompted her to go with a wave of my hand. “Go grab a few and let's take a look.”  She darted off to her room leaving me in the silence.  I could hear all the silence crashing all around me.  I flinched with a start when the door opened again and she came walking through with some shirts.

I looked at them and almost snorted.  They were so... her.  I loved them.  She had a bunch of geek t-shirts, a couple band shirts, and a couple solid color tanks.  I grabbed the black Leather and Heels shirt and her two tank tees, one black and the other white.

I squinted at her...  “Are you emotionally attached to the black tank?”

She looked at the shirt then me.  Then slowly shook her head and squinted comically, trying to figure out what I was up to.  I grinned as I grabbed a letter opener stamped with the hotel logo from the desk near the door, and went to work shredding the tank.  Her eyes were bulging.  I giggled.  “Off with your blouse.  Put on the t-shirt then the white tank.”

I turned to give her privacy, gawd I wanted to watch. 
I just might be a perv.
  Then she stepped next to me and I grinned and handed her the black tank top.  She held it up with a silly look on her face and I said, “On with it.  Chop chop, fun awaits!”

She put it on and it completed the chic look.  Then I pointed at the bathroom like a mother to her child.  She dropped her head playfully and stomped into the room.  She looked terrified as I attacked her face with dark makeup.  Black lipstick and heavy black eyeliner.  Then I pulled her hair back into a ponytail with a black scrunchie.  I nodded and turned her to the mirror.  She gasped and looked closer at herself.  Then she looked at me and smiled.  “I don't even look like me.”

She did some air guitar and started giggling.  She went quiet after a second as she looked at me then at the ground.  It took a second for me to catch up... oh... I was staring at her.  I shouldn't freak her out like this.  “Sorry Ky, you just look hawt.  Let's hit the streets!  I hear there is a great karaoke club just a block east.”

The newly minted rocker chick paled.  “Karaoke?”

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hand.  “Yes, karaoke.  Come now, you are my keeper after all.”

I dragged my reluctant redhead out the hotel and down the street and looked at the Silver Chords Karaoke Club.  Not bad, almost as big as some of the ones in New York.

We stood in the short line to get in and before you could say, “Super platypus swimming in the stream,” we were in.  She kept trying to give me ten bucks since I paid our cover charge.  I stuck my tongue out at her.  “No, I'm the one dragging you around.  Now lets get a table a row or two back from the stage.”

I grinned at the guy on stage now, he couldn't carry a tune but he was having fun trying.  That's what music is for, to inspire people to have fun!  The crowd was cheering his attempt on as we made our way to a table close to the front.  The service there was good, as a waitress appeared to clear away the empty drink glasses from the previous occupants of the table, and take our drink orders.  I ordered a beer and Kylee ordered a cola.

I grinned at her. “How is that going to loosen you up?  Nanny duty stopped the moment you walked through those doors back there.”

She grinned and said, “I'm not really much of a drinker and I like my fun to be one hundred percent clear headed.”  I nodded in appreciation of her views.  Maybe I'll try that tonight too.

After watching a couple other people go up and sing, we were having a blast just watching.  We bobbed our heads and swayed in our seats to the music.  I started prodding. “Come on Ky, you gotta go sing one.  I'll do one if you do.  Or we can go up there together.”

She looked embarrassed as she held up her iPad toward me, recording the night.  I'm not even sure she was aware she was doing it, her filmmaker instincts just poking through.  She said, “No, you've heard me.  I can't carry a note.  This is your night.  Go ahead, you seem to embody the music when you sing, making it a part of you.  You seem to have so much fun.”