Finding Abbey Road by Kevin Emerson Read Free Book Online Page A

stone.
    â€œHey, Maya,” Matt says weakly.
    Her face twitches, her eyes looking big and wet, but she shifts her body so she can’t see us.
    â€œOuch,” says Caleb quietly.
    â€œThat went well,” says Matt with a sigh.
    â€œI don’t think either of us are very high on her list,” I say.
    Matt lowers his voice. “Any word from Val?”
    â€œShe’s safe,” says Caleb. “But I don’t know many details.”
    â€œAt least somebody’s heard from her.” Matt sounds like he wishes that was him.
    â€œYou’re really into her, aren’t you,” I say.
    Matt shrugs. “But I don’t think it matters. We started hooking up months ago, but it always felt like it was just sort of random for her. Like she wasn’t all there. I mean, I get it. . . .” It sounds like it still hurts.
    I think of what Val said when we were going to her mom’s house and I know that Matt’s right. Not that Val isn’t into him, but it’s never going to be a crush or a real relationship, not now anyway. “She’s going through a lot,” I say, and it feels like a vague and lame thing to say, and itmakes Matt’s face fall because it sort of confirms what he suspected, but that’s probably best for everyone.
    â€œHas anybody talked to Jon?” he asks.
    â€œNo. You?”
    â€œNope.”
    â€œSo, now what?” Matt wonders. “Find a guitarist? Practice for the release show?”
    â€œUm . . .” I’d totally forgotten about our EP release show. I booked it right before we left on tour. It’s a couple weeks from now at Haven, with All Hail Minions! “I should maybe reschedule that.”
    â€œYeah. And what about Candy Shell?”
    â€œActually, things have gotten complicated. Listen . . . ,” Caleb begins, and in a hushed voice he fills Matt in on what we know about Eli. “You can’t tell anyone,” he finishes, “under any circumstances. Swear it.”
    Matt is speechless for a second. “Sure, I swear. Let me guess: you want to go to London and find him before he disappears.”
    The way he says it cracks my fragile confidence. Like it’s completely far-fetched. Even though I know he doesn’t mean it that way, it gives voice to the very reasonable doubt I’ve been feeling, that there’s no way we can pull this off. “That’s what we’re thinking,” I say anyway. “Are you in?”
    Matt’s fingers run over the swollen skin beside his eye. “Come on, are you serious? There is no way I’m asking my parents for that. They would lose their minds. You guys go.”
    â€œWe’re a band,” says Caleb.
    â€œSure,” says Matt, “and we just got off an epic tour. But you’re a family. Go figure it out, and we’ll take it from there.” Matt checks his watch. “I gotta get going. Mom’s taking me for a second opinion on my face.”
    As Matt leaves, Caleb slumps in his seat.
    â€œIt’s okay,” I say, rubbing his leg. “We couldn’t really expect him to come along, after what he’s been through.”
    â€œI know. I just wish it could be all of us.”
    We grab much-needed americanos and get in Caleb’s car. It’s time to tell Charity and Randy, and hopefully get their help. We pull out of the parking lot and Caleb’s phone buzzes. He checks it and hands it to me.
    Val: Yes passport. Cruise with cousins, age fourteen. Drank rum. Not pretty.
    â€œAt least she’s covered,” I say. “Did you text your mom and Randy?”
    â€œYeah, I told them we wanted to chat after school, that it was important. No replies yet, though.”
    As we drive I check out airfare. “It’s going to take a lot of gigs to pay back Randy and Charity, if they even go for this.”
    â€œHow much?” Caleb asks.
    â€œLike about fifteen hundred dollars each,”