who-knows-what? You’re no spring chicken, Unc, and anything could happen.”
His reassuring smile turns upside down, the scowl an admonishment. “Don’t need you calling me old. These bones have a few more miles in them, so don’t you go cutting them short. I’m more worried about you out there.” He lifts his chin toward the door like there are monsters lurking right outside, lying in wait for me.
“I’ll be fine. You know Bobby won’t let anything happen to me.” That’s an understatement. Bobby has gone above and beyond to make sure this tour will suit the both of us, hitting major markets to do concerts and radio interviews while giving me interesting and beautiful things to photograph for my Day in the Life of a Tree blog.
The biggest factor we’ve discussed is that I need complete and total anonymity. An odd request, it seemed, but Mr. Wheatley had readily agreed. I think he would’ve agreed to get Bobby a rainbow unicorn if it got him on the road to support this album, but luckily, my request hadn’t been quite that difficult to grant. Staying anonymous is key for my blog’s success and something I’ve worked hard to maintain, and I don’t want my connection to Bobby to affect that. I won’t use him that way or risk my own career. Especially when it’s going so well, my number of followers continuing to climb steadily, my hearts and comments growing exponentially, and my kickback profits increasing. The money is nice, giving me a personal comfort level, but the comments from people who tell me they’ve started documenting their own lives and finding something special about the mundane day-to-day are what really satisfy me.
Unc took it a step further, well aware that quite a few people in Great Falls know about my online career. He’d used the town grapevine to tell everybody in town that if they said a word about me or my blog, they’d no longer be welcome at Hank’s. I’d laughed when he told me that, thinking it didn’t seem like a very serious threat, but I’d been filled in right quick that if Unc made someone unwelcome, the rest of town would follow suit. So any blabber-mouth would no longer get Ilene’s chili, a beer anywhere in town, Darla’s doughnuts, a coffee, or gas from the single station in town. I’d been shocked that they’d go that far for . . . me. But Unc had simply shrugged and said ‘that’s what we do in Great Falls, look out for each other.’
“Huh, well then it sounds like we’re both gonna be fine.” Unc’s decree is final, a sign to the universe that he won’t have it any other way. Surprisingly, it does settle the butterflies in my belly.
I look past Unc, down the bar to see Doc Jones and Richard. They lift their beers my way, signaling that they’ve got Unc. I know for a fact that Doc Jones will call me if he feels it’s warranted. He’s done it before. And he’s got both Mom’s number and mine. Plus, Mom is coming back for another visit next month.
Mom is making up for lost time with Unc, much the same way I have. Not by working the bar but by visiting and talking on the phone. I’m not sure about what—that’s between them—but whatever happened with Grandpa seems to be water under the bridge.
But I haven’t answered fast enough for Unc, and he bends down, getting in my face. “You’re getting on that bus, capiche? But you’ve still got one more shift scheduled so you’d best get to it. No lollygagging about. Don’t make me fire you on your last day.”
I roll my eyes at his exaggeration but can’t help pressing a quick kiss to his scruffy cheek. “On it, Unc.”
This time, when I start cutting the lemon, it’s with a clearer mind and heart. I’m doing this . . . going on the road with Bobby because Unc is okay. Well, he’s still a grumpy, stubborn old man, but he’s as healthy as a horse and that’s what counts.
Who would’ve thought this is how my life would turn out that day I drove into Great Falls, yelling at the mountain for judging me? Maybe I just hadn’t realized that it was welcoming me home.
“Hey, everyone. I’m Bobby Tannen.”
The no-big-deal greeting is almost comical at this point because everyone knows who Bobby is. Literally everyone.
He’s had two more number-one songs since he got that first big check, and one