One Hit Wonder by Denyse Cohen Read Free Book Online

bed. An erratic tug on her foot kept her awake, she propped it on top of two pillows and lay on her side in almost a fetal position, with her thumb pressing her lips. Why wasn’t Tylenol helping? Usually two pills were enough to make her relax. She never had insomnia and, after the day she had, it was unbelievable her dissolute mind wouldn’t give in to her body’s exhaustion.
    She made an effort not to think at all and only contemplate the supple shapes created on the sheer drapes by the shadows outside. They morphed and merged on the fabric that danced to the rumbling air coming from the air-conditioning unit right below the window. A silhouette walked by, engulfing the tiny shadows in darkness like a towering giant. She stretched her neck like a flamingo and rested on her elbows. The stream of light coming from under the door was blocked by whoever stood in front of it, then moved in the direction it came from.
    “Hello?” She shouted before the shadow could disappear into the opaque wall.
    Gone. She flopped down into the bed, hating herself for hesitating.
    “Audrey, are you awake?” John’s voice came from the door. “I brought you water.”
    Audrey hopped her way to the door. John had two bottles of water and a Snickers bar in his hands.
    “What time is it?” She asked.
    “Not sure. About one, I think.” He handed her one of the bottles and the candy bar but didn’t move, like a vampire waiting for an invitation.
    “Thanks. Stay a while if you’re not too tired.”
    He stepped inside and closed the door.
    She unwrapped the chocolate and took a big bite. “I think this is what has been keeping me awake all night. There is nothing like a midnight snack.” Her mouth overflowed with chocolate and she lifted a hand to cover it up. John chuckled and, for a moment, she was caught up in his smile.
    Oh, wow. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
    Something had just changed; amorphous feelings started to take shape. It was that split second in someone’s life when love becomes tangible even if not recognized or understood. Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t act under any illusions on that account. Instead, she hopped back to her bed and John lay down on the other one. They stared at the ceiling and, for a few minutes, the only noise in the room was the humming of the decrepit air conditioning unit.
    “What were you guys doing?” Audrey finally asked.
    “Nothing. We were hanging out in the bus. Tyler was trying to come up with an alternative for Red Bull and vodka using Mello Yello from the vending machine and tequila.”
    “Really? And?”
    “Not good. Now we’re out of tequila. We had to do shots to wash out the bad taste.”
    “Don’t you ever get tired of being on that bus?”
    “Not yet, I guess. I’ve been waiting for a long time for this.”
    “I see.” She sat up on the bed, opened her water bottle, and drank half of it with large gulps. “Have you ever thought about doing something else?” She wiped her mouth with her arm.
    “Nothing that isn’t related to music. I said to myself: if in five years with the band I can’t make a living, I’ll find another way.”
    “How long has it been?”
    “Five years.”
    “I’m glad it’s working out.” She reached for the pillows at the end of the bed and propped them in position again.
    “Need a hand?”
    “Nah, I got it.” She placed her foot on the pillows and lay down, grimacing with discomfort.
    “You really should take the antibiotics,” he said, but she responded only with a faint smile. “How about you? Have you thought of doing something else besides photography?”
    Audrey snorted, not used to being referred to as a photographer. “I’ve thought about doing a million things, from being a fashion designer to working with indigenous tribes in the Amazon. I guess I get that from my mother. She was always restless, pursuing several things at once but never sticking to one long enough to see results.