Chapter 14

The bluegrass duo wrapped up their set and headed backstage. A stagehand placed a placard on an easel that read, “Aja Morgan”. Jason watched Aja emerge from behind a curtain and join Rob on stage. On the stage was a single microphone on a stand and two stools used by the bluegrass duo. Aja placed the tambourine on one of the stools.

Rob approached her. “Aja, welcome to the WNLX stage.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

“Is this your first time singing before an audience?”

“Oh, no. I did a program right here earlier today and I sing solo at the Lucas Street AME church, every Sunday.”

“I understand you have a day job.”

“Yes,” Aja replied. “I’m an ophthalmologist.”

“An eye doctor.”

“I’m a partner at Eye Associates.”

“That means, you’re a singing eye doctor.”

“I ... guess you’re right.”

Rob turned toward the audience. “Ladies and Gentlemen -- a warm welcome for Doctor Aja Morgan!”

Aja worked the microphone from its stand. Jason watched her take a couple of calming breaths. She held the mic to her lips and began singing “Today”.

Rob bounded down stairs from the stage and joined Jason. “She does have quite a voice,” he said.

“Rob -- the tambourine mic?”

“Oh, shit. Hold on -- I’ll get Annabelle to set that up.”

“She won’t need it for this number, but she will for the next one.”

Jason watched as a slim blonde stagehand wearing the station branded polo brought a stand with a boom onto the stage. She fitted it with a wireless microphone and looked over to an audio technician manning a mixer board who gave her a thumb’s up gesture. Aja concluded her song to applause from the small crowd standing by the stage. Jason checked his watch -- it read four minutes after eight.

Annabelle moved the boom mic into position and Aja adjusted its height. She picked up the tambourine and slipped the hand-held mic from its stand. Her eye caught Jason and he cued her with his finger.

“My next number,” Aja announced, “is a staple at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It’s called Iko Iko.” She began by shaking and rapping the tambourine on her left hip, her stance wide and exposing her right leg to mid-thigh through the slit in her skirt.

Jason was joined by two men, one wearing a baseball cap and the other a Stetson. “She has quite a voice,” the man in the Stetson remarked.

“Indeed,” Jason said, his eye on his watch.

“Are you her manager? It looks like you’re cuing her.”

“Hell, no -- I’m her boyfriend.”

“Where’s she been hiding?” the man in the cap asked.

“She’s the soloist at the Lucas Street AME Church,” Jason replied.

“Ah, gospel ... Quite a few of the big names started in gospel, especially Black female vocalists. By the way, I’m Keith Broadbent.”

“Jason Brown,” Jason replied.

“This is another Jason, Jason Willoughby.”

“Call me Willoughby,” the man in the Stetson replied. “Everyone else does.”

These names ring a bell but I can’t place ‘em, Jason thought.

“I’m frontman for JYARB,” Willoughby added, “and Keith is lead guitar.”

“Just Your Average Rock Band,” Jason replied. “I knew your names sounded familiar.” He extended his hand and shook theirs. “I heard you were performing here.”

“We have an hour and a half set tomorrow night at the North Satellite Stage,” Keith replied. “Seven-thirty.” He regarded Aja on stage. “Catchy number.”

“Looks like she’s attracting a crowd,” Willoughby added.

Aja finished her number with a little bow and received enthusiastic applause. “Thank you,” Aja said into the mic and flashing her broad, toothy smile.

Jason checked his watch -- eight eleven. He gave her the wind-it-up gesture and cued her. Aja began singing “Someone Like You.”

“What?” Jason exclaimed.

“Something wrong?” Willoughby asked.

“She’s changed the order. This was in our fourth slot. Well, it’s her performance.”

“She does a credible Adele,” Keith said. “She has presence.”

“She has showmanship,” Willoughby added. “She’s got this crowd hooked. Now all she has to do is reel ‘em in.”

Aja made a little bow after finishing the song. Jason cued her again as soon as the applause died down. Aja sang the opening bars of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.”

“Holy!” Keith exclaimed.

“This one has the hair on the back of my neck standing up,” Willoughby added. “Is she crying?”

“God, what emotion,” Keith said.

Aja completed the song and faced away from the audience as applause and whistles filled the air. Her shoulders shook as she composed herself, then turned to the crowd, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Thank you,” she said into the mic. “This song always gets to me. It reminds me of a fight I had with an old boyfriend.” She glanced at Jason, He gave her a thumb’s up and cued her.

She began singing an upbeat gospel number. Jason put both fists to his forehead. “No, no, no!”

“What’s wrong?” Willoughby asked.

“We agreed, no gospel. We had a blues number in here.”

“I think her voice is wrong for blues,” Willoughby replied. “Gospel’s her bread-and-butter. She should show it off.”

“This isn’t a churchy crowd,” Jason retorted. “I wanted her to do something with broader appeal.”

“She’s got this crowd in the palm of her hand,” Keith interjected. “She could sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and they’d love it. Look at ‘em.”

“Yeah,” Willoughby added, “this crowd likes anything that’s well done. And, she’s damned good. She made the right choice. I heard her earlier gospel set. I saw in the program she was doing a second set, so I dragged Keith along to hear her.”

“Yeah,” Keith said, “I thought I’d have to endure gospel. This is something else.”

Aja bowed at the conclusion of her number. Jason checked his watch. It read eight twenty-three. He gave her the stretch cue and held up two fingers.

“Thank you very much,” Aja said, speaking to the crowd. “You’ve been great and very generous. My final number is a tribute to the late, great David Bowie.” She slipped the mic from its stand and Jason cued her.

“I didn’t know she had “Heroes” in her lineup,” Willoughby said. “We have it in our lineup, too.”

Rob approached Jason. “If this is her final number, I should be on-stage...”

“Rob ... We agreed that, if she had the crowd with her, after your outtro, she’ll sing the final refrain as a reprise.”

“She’s got the crowd and I think she knows it.”

“Just a heads-up.”

“Got it, Jason.”

“This number gives her a chance to use her alto range,” Willoughby remarked. “Did you hear that? After the first stanza she kicked it up a fourth. God, is she good!”

Jason noticed Keith playing air guitar as she sang. “Yeah, I heard it. I’m trying to see how it would feel ... things you can do with your voice you can’t do on an instrument...”

“That shift opened up the whole song.”

Keith demonstrated the fret change on his imaginary guitar. “It’s right there...” He looked toward his band-mate. “What do you think?”

Willoughby nodded.

Rob Robertson joined her onstage. Aja finished the song. “Ladies and gentlemen -- AJA MORGAN!”

Aja stood, smiling broadly. Jason cued her and she sang her reprise. “They love her,” Willoughby said. “They absolutely love her.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Aja said to the crowd. “You’ve been great.” She approached Rob and hugged him; then she headed backstage, turning and waving before disappearing behind a curtain.

“Jason,” Keith said, “We have ‘Heroes’ in our set tomorrow night. How would Aja feel about joining us as a guest vocalist on that number?”

“I would happily turn over the mic to her,” Willoughby added. “She has a way of making those numbers her own. Do you think she’d agree?”

“Here she comes -- you can ask her.”

Aja sprinted toward Jason, barefoot and carrying her heels in one hand. In the other she had her purse and the tambourine. “Jason! Jason!” she exclaimed. They embraced, kissed and Jason lifted her off her feet. “We did it! What an experience! I’m so happy you talked me into this.”

“You were terrific,” Jason replied. “You got a standing ovation!”

“How could I not? There aren’t any chairs.”

“Aja -- I have a couple of folks for you to meet. This is Keith. He’s the lead guitar for JYARB.”

“How do you do?” Aja said as she gently took his hand.

“I’m Willoughby, the band’s vocalist.”

“They have a proposition for you.”

“We’re doing a set here tomorrow...” Keith said.

“Here?” Aja asked.

“No -- on the North Satellite Stage. It’s a ninety minute show. One of the numbers we’re doing is ‘Heroes’.”

“We’re wondering if you’d join us on that number as a guest vocalist.”

“Guest vocalist?” Aja replied. “I ... I’ve never sung with a band before.”

“You’ve sung with the choir and with Thelma,” Jason interjected.

“If you can sing like that solo,” Willoughby said, “You can sing with a band.”

“Why would you want me?” she asked.

“Because you’re good,” Willoughby replied. “You sing that song better than I can and that’s no lie. We’d wrap up our set with ‘Heroes’ so we’d have you come onstage, probably about eight forty-five.”

“I ... I don’t know what to say.”

“How about, yes I’ll do it?” Keith replied.

Aja smiled. “Yes, I’ll do it.”

“Great. We rehearse tomorrow morning at ten. We have facilities at Birdsong Studios available to us.”

“Ten?” She looked at Jason. “I’ll miss church.”

“I think they can spare you one Sunday out of the year,” Jason replied.

“I’ll call Derrick and let him know I won’t be there. I’ll also call Auntie and tell her we may be late for dinner.”

“Where’s Birdsong Studios?” Jason asked.

“In Waterville,” Keith replied. He took out his wallet and handed Jason a business card.

“I’ll have to drive you,” Jason said.

“That’s okay,” Aja replied. She turned to Keith and Willoughby. “See you at ten.”

Jason took the tambourine from her. “I’ll give this to Annabelle so she can take it back to the station with the rest of the gear.

Aja slipped into her heels. Together they headed for the bus stop to await the Blast shuttle. “Jason -- I hope you’re not cross with me for substituting that gospel number for ‘Turtle Blues’. It wouldn’t have felt right.”

“No. I think it was a good choice. After all, gospel is your bread-and-butter.”

“I also switched ‘Someone’ and ‘Hangin’ on’ because I wasn’t quite ready to face ‘Hangin’ On’. I didn’t want to break down on-stage ... which I ended up doing, anyway.”

“The emotion came through,” Jason replied. “Your performance tonight was nothing short of brilliant, Aja. I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

They sat holding hands on the bus heading toward her condo. “What do you want to do?” he asked. Do you want to stop somewhere for a snack?”

“It’s Saturday,” she replied, “my bubble-bath night.”

“How could I forget bubble-bath night? But -- you’re not going to church tomorrow.”

“I still need to do my hair. My hair can’t go two weeks without washing it and the only way I have time to work on it is if I take my bubble bath the night before.”

“I can’t go two days without shampooing mine. I can’t believe you only wash it once a week.”

“It’s a pretty brutal treatment I give it. More often would probably damage it.”

Aja pulled the stop cord and they headed for her place. She opened the door. Jason picked her up and carried her upstairs. “I’ll start running the water.”

Jason lay on his back with Aja cuddling under his arm. He lazily stroked her back and shoulder blade. “Jason -- are you too sleepy to talk?”

“No. I was enjoying the tingle in my loins that comes from great sex.”

“Mmm ... I love that tingle. I feel it, too.”

“What’s on your mind? Still amped after tonight’s performance?”

“It’s a lovely memory, Jason, and I have you to thank for it. No, I wanted to talk about us.”

“What about us?”

“Living arrangements. You see how well your suggestion that we ease into it is working.”

“Yeah -- I’ve spent every night this week right here in this bed and in your loving arms.”

“Let’s admit that we want to live together. When did you say your lease is up?”

“End of October. It renews automatically unless I give them sixty days notice.”

“You can move in right away -- I’m sure Auntie and Daymon would help. Maybe if you contact your landlord, he’ll give you a break for freeing up the apartment early.”

“I’d rather keep the lease the way it is.”

“I see,” she replied coldly. “Still the cautious man, huh, Jason?”

“It’s not so much caution as once burned, double shy.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was engaged, once. It was a couple years after I started at the radio station. I thought Ellie was the one. She was a special girl ... not as special as you though, Aja. If you’re a ten on the special scale, Ellie was maybe ... a six. But, you’re not a ten -- you’re more like an eleven.”

“What happened between you two?”

“Ellie still lived with her parents. We wanted to live together; her parents refused to sanction her moving in with me without a ring. So, we got engaged, bought a ring, set a date -- the whole nine yards. She moved in and in no time we were at each other’s throats. We were compatible in the bedroom, but in every other room, we were a disaster. We loved each other, but we simply couldn’t live together. After a month, we called it off and she went back to live with her folks. She returned the ring and I sold it on eBay for half what I paid for it ... probably what it was worth in the first place.”