In Tune With You

Chapter 1

Pub life - Rhys

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“I reckon we need a female singer.”

A smirk crossed my face as I watched Oliver load the glass washer. I’d listened to him change his mind about a million times about the additional member he thought he needed for his band, The Neon Postcards. They were currently a four-piece, feel-good indie-slash-alt-rock-pop band with a slightly retro sound. Much like my band was at his age. Memories, bittersweet, tinged with happiness and regret, flooded through me.

“And what makes you think that?” I humoured him while I checked through the day’s invoices.

He stopped what he was doing and fixed me with a look, chewing the inside of his cheek. “If we’re an all-guy band, only girls will want to see us. If we have a girl, then we’ll have boys come too. Therefore, we’ll get a wider audience base.”

I shook my head at his sixteen-year-old logic. But to be fair to him, it wasn’t that flawed. “But why a singer? I thought you and Ben enjoyed singing as well as playing the guitar.”

“Yeah, but to be a really great guitarist, you need to focus solely on that. Have you ever heard Slash sing?”

The way the conversation was going reminded me so much of me at his age. A teenage guitar hero with stars in my eyes, a promising future, girls hanging off my every word after gigs, until life changed dramatically shortly after I’d turned eighteen. I gazed at Oliver, knowing I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Well, except the drunk driver who had robbed Oliver of his mum, Ellie, six years ago. Thoughts of Ellie made my mind wander down another avenue—the darker one I really didn’t want to go down—although music had got both me and Oliver through some tough times. Forcing myself back to the present before the memories took over again, I tilted my head.

“Wait, do you already have someone in mind for the gig?”

Oliver’s face flushed, and he stared down at the floor. “Dunno,” he mumbled, pretending to be totally immersed in polishing a wineglass fresh from the dishwasher.

While I wanted nothing more than for my son to open up to me about his apparent crush on a girl he thought would be perfect for his band, I appreciated the embarrassment it might cause him. So, I did the sensible parent thing and backed off, changing the subject.

“Are you practising tonight?”

Normal colour returned to Oliver’s face in response to my next question. “Yeah, if that’s okay? I know you get busy on a Friday.”

“Fine by me.”

Oliver placed the clean wineglasses on the hangers above the bar with practised care. “Cool. I’m going to head upstairs and make a start on my homework.” He glanced down at his phone on the side and grinned, swiping the device up before looking back over to me. “Thanks, Dad. See you later.”

Pride rippled through me as I watched him go up the stairs although I suspected he was more interested in messaging someone rather than doing any actual homework. What had once been a flat above the pub had been transformed into a rehearsal space-slash-rec room for Oliver and his friends. When they had been younger, it had been a great place for them to meet after school and in the holidays, with me downstairs keeping an eye on them when needed. Now, there was a drum kit, several amps, and other musical paraphernalia. How I would have loved a space like that when I was younger.

Being a single dad over the past few years hadn’t been easy, but I’d had the support of various people who were always there to help when things got too tough. There had been plenty of times when I had questioned whether I should sell the pub and get a more conventional job to support us. I worried whether bringing a son up in this environment would be damaging for him. But, so far, he had turned out pretty well.

“All right, Rhys? We gonna be busy tonight?” Jasper Vine, my best barman and perhaps closest friend, barrelled through the door, dressed in yesterday’s clothes, the distinct aroma of stale alcohol and weed clinging to him.

I coughed, pointedly, and cocked an eyebrow at him. “Looks like you got busy last night.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up as he winked at me. “Can’t help it if I’m irresistible. Last night’s gig was off the charts.”

Jasper also sang in a band and often gave Oliver advice. Given what I knew of Jasper’s band and his after-party habits, I wasn’t overly happy. The music scene brought late nights and influences I couldn’t control, which I knew only too well, even if they were but a distant memory.

“You can get a shower upstairs, you know.” I was only half joking. “You’ll get much better tips if you don’t smell like a brewery.”

“Ha, funny.” Jasper lifted an arm and turned his nose to his armpit, recoiling when he inhaled. “Actually, you might be right. Anyone up there?”

“Oliver is doing some homework before band practice. He thinks they need a female vocalist.” I rolled my eyes.

“The kid might be right. As long as they don’t fall in love because then the music will become too sappy. Then they’ll argue and split up, and the band will all go to shit.” Jasper laughed albeit sounding hollow. “I should know because the exact same thing happened to me. I’ll go and give him my thoughts on the idea.”

I screwed up my face. “I’d rather you didn’t. I want him to make his own decisions on this. Plus, I think he has a bit of a crush on whoever he has in mind, and I don’t want you to embarrass him.”

Jasper pointed to himself. “Who? Me? Don’t worry. Oliver and I get each other.”

“Oh, God, I seriously hope not. You’re like the older brother who always gets into trouble, and I don’t want you encouraging him.” I shook my head, knowing there was no point in disapproving. Jasper would do what he wanted, like he always did. As he disappeared up to the flat, I wished, not for the first time, I had someone else to share these parenting times with.