Oh come on she knows how you get Rev says I have every right Cass says folding her arms We know Cass but that woman did us a favor Shawna says We can’t just be rude to her If bein in a band means kissin up I don’t wanna be a part of it Cass grumbles Door’s open Rev mumbles into her soda can She was against inviting Cass into the band in the begin ning insisting to Shawna that it was their thing But Cass is an amazing drummer and Shawna trusts her instincts Besides both Rev and Cass needed more friends What better way to hit two birds with one stone What did you just say you Cass says only to be interrupted by Shawna coming between them slinging an arm across both of their shoulders an awk ward arrangement considering how tall Rev is and how much shorter the chair makes Cass Hey Kiddos Shawna says let’s look at the positives here We got our first gig And we got paid 10
She glances at the funnel cake still sitting in Cass’s lap Technically Rev and Cass follow her gaze to the funnel cake With a small smile Cass shrugs and stuffs her face with another piece of it Better than nothing Cass mumbles through a mouthful of fried dough a puff of powdered sugar coming out with the words Yeah Rev mutters looking away and tucking her short brown hair behind her ear better than nothing In the near distance a girl comes tripping towards them at full speed Shawna squints Is that Junie she asks Didn’t she say she wasn’t coming Rev asks Well yeah but she said it in that way that meant she was coming you know Shawna says Rev’s brow furrows No That girl needs some dance lessons or gymnastics training or something Cass says watching her with amusement I’m more graceful on my feet than she is 11
You guys Junie is shouting Oh my Go osh you guys As much as Junie isn’t able to catch herself physi cally she still manages to keep herself from taking the Lord’s name in vain in front of a large group of Good Church-Going Christian Parents Shawna is impressed Still Junie nearly face-plants as she gets to them Shawna manages to catch her before that happens Hey Junie Shawna says helping her back to her feet You seem excited Well duh I’m excited Junie says She’s a burst of energy in too small of a container or perhaps one that’s too lanky Her attempts to assist Shawna in her efforts to get her back to her feet only make Shawna’s job harder as she flails or overreaches It’s like trying to hold onto a puppy that’s seen a ball fly past or a toddler who wants to escape A very tall puppy or toddler When Junie’s finally stabilized she begins to bounce Oooh you guys My aunt is here she says Which one all three band members say in 12
unison Junie’s father has seven sisters and Junie speaks of each and every one of them intimately Elle Junie says My auntie Elle She owns a club called the Angry Whirlpool a couple states away and oooh my gosh you guys She giggles and bounces some more Out with it already girl Cass says You’re kill ing us with this suspense She likes you guys Junie says She really really likes you She likes you so much she wants you to play at her club Silence reigns among the girls as they process what they’ve just been told Dang Cass says Shawna couldn’t have put it better herself The first time they manage to get out of the garage and play for a crowd they get offered a gig on a slightly more real stage with people who would actually be listening rather than milling about She covers her mouth to keep herself from screaming a face-splitting smile growing beneath her hands 13
