T's BH Lounge

"Catie, wake up. We're all done," Carla told her.

She was so relaxed, her eyes and mind wanted to ignore the sound. She opened her eyes to Carla's smile.

"Did I fall asleep?"

"You did. Right after we started. Sit up slowly. We don't want you getting dizzy and falling."

She sat up and felt fine.

"Did it work?"

"Did we cause world peace? No. Did we become one with you? Yes. That was our goal. How do you feel?"

"I feel relaxed and peaceful. I'm also hungry."

"Me too. How does Mex sound?"

"Great."

After saying goodbyes, they walked to the corner to a small Mexican restaurant. Their orders were ready in minutes.

"So why me?" Catie asked.

"You mean at the center?"

"Yes, why did they do that?"

"Some of them are, let's say, more in tune with the one. They felt you on Sunday and were called to be more at one with you."

"But why? That's what I don't understand."

"You had a need."

"Carla, what need?"

"I have no idea. Most of those involved probably didn't either. Donna said that you were being opened."

"Was I closed?" Catie chuckled.

"Apparently. My guess is you were opened to receive something that before you wouldn't have recognized or accepted."

"What?"

"Catie, I don't have those answers. Reiki is a form of healing. Something was healed. Maybe something you didn't even know was sick. That healing opened you to something. You want specifics? I don't have them. Just go with it."

"Have they ever done that with you?"

"Reiki, yes, but not a group like we did with you."

"Have they done it like that to others?"

"I wasn't there last week but apparently they did it with T."

"The motorcycle guy?"

"Yep."

"Do you know him?"

"No. We say hi at Reiki meetings but that's it. I've been to his show a few times."

"Good voice huh?"

"His voice is beautiful, but that's only part of it. When he sings it becomes part of you. He only sings love songs. When you leave after the show it's like we felt after leaving the drumming. You're one with the rest of the audience and T. It's quite an experience."

"I'm looking forward to it."

**********

They headed for Chico right at five on Friday. The drive took just over an hour. Although T didn't perform until eight the place filled early. If you wanted to sit, coming early enough for dinner was a must.

The lounge was larger than Catie expected from the outside. Entering through a single front door from the street there was a typical small bar with a few tables, but this overlooked a lower level with a small stage and dance floor. There were stacks of cushions where people could grab one and sit. Most cushions would fit two people easily. Looking up, there was even more space with tables along railings overlooking the lower two levels and lots of room behind the tables for milling around or standing.

Carla selected a table for four on the entry level overlooking the stage. Catie sat at the rail and Carla beside her, both facing the stage. The chairs opposite them were empty. Other than a small electric piano, a stool, an acoustic guitar on a stand, and a microphone, the stage was empty. The centerpiece on their table was unusual. It was a wooden box with compartments with condiments, but all designed around a box of tissues. Catie had been in a lot of clubs and bars but had never seen tissues on every table. There were menus and, on the front, listed the venue. Sunday and Monday - closed. Tuesday - live jazz. Wednesday - live country. Thursday - karaoke. Friday - T. Saturday - live music - varied.

The server, a young woman, came to their table. "What can I get for you ladies?"

"Two strawberry margaritas please."

"Coming right up."

"Easy, Carla. I'm a lightweight."

"I know. Trust me. The food's good too. We'll get dinner about seven."

The server returned with their drinks.

"Here you are ladies. Wanna start a tab?" Catie nodded and handed her a charge card. She took the card to the register then brought it back. "The food is excellent. Would you like to order something now?"

"No, I think we'll wait and order later."

"How about some lava bombs to snack on? They're a big favorite."

"What are lava bombs?" Catie asked.

"Deep fried mushrooms."

"That sounds good," Catie replied. "Why do you have Kleenex on the tables?"

"You've never been here when T's performing, huh?"

"No, first time."

"Well, welcome newcomer. This is T's Broken Heart Lounge. T sings nothing but love songs. There are a lot of tears and messed up mascara when he sings. We only put them out for his shows. Last week he started something new. He's taking requests. There's a pencil in the box and some slips of paper. Put your request on the paper and give it to me by seven-thirty. He goes through them and if he knows it, he'll add it to the show. Has to be a love song though."

"What was the song your boyfriend sang on your first date?" Carla asked her.

"He wouldn't know that one. It's an oldie."

"He's very well versed. Give it a try," the server suggested.

Catie picked up a paper and the pencil and wrote The Diary on it then handed it to the server. She put it in her pocket and left. The place was filling fast. Their lava bombs were delivered a few minutes later.

"Give them a chance to cool or you'll discover, quite painfully, where they get their name."

"Thanks," Carla replied.

The crowd was diverse. Catie expected college kids since it was a Friday on a college campus, but they only accounted for about half the crowd. There were people of all ages. Some solo and some in couples. There were very few solo guys but lots of women who appeared to be alone. The singles weren't mingling as they usually did in bars. They seemed to want to be alone. 'Well, this is the broken heart lounge,' Catie thought. By seven the place was packed. It was surprising how quiet it was for a bar. There was music playing but it wasn't blaring. By a few minutes before eight you could hear a pin drop.

"Carla, what's happening?"

"It's like this every time. They're all waiting on T."

Right at eight, T walked onto the stage. He had long black hair and a neatly trimmed full beard. His sunglasses were dark. Catie had expected all black as she had seen on Sunday but that wasn't the case. He wore a print button up short sleeve shirt, jeans, and sneakers. There was no applause. The place seemed to get even quieter. He put on his guitar then sat on the stool.

"Welcome to my Friday night catharsis. I see some familiar faces and some new ones tonight. I usually come out here and just start singing. Something happened to me about ten days ago that made me want to change that a little. We're all here for the same reason. We've all had our hearts broken."

His voice was soft and comforting. Catie could feel love emanating from this man. His loving voice seemed familiar, yet not. The crowd was silent and hung on every word.

"That makes us the lucky ones. To get a broken heart you have to have loved. Even if it didn't work out the way we expected or wanted - we loved. We all got that special gift - we loved.

"I came to Chico five years ago after I got out of the Air Force to go to school. I was still wallowing in my self-pity for being broken hearted. I had found my soul mate, but she, apparently, hadn't found hers. I discovered how much music helped me, so I started singing, and surprisingly, people started listening. We shed tears together and turned it into a celebration of loving rather than a funeral for the love we had lost. I got quite a few requests for songs this evening. There were several I either don't know or would simply butcher if I played them. My apologies for those. I will include the ones I know in tonight's sets. My broken heart was almost ten years ago. Our song was written by Dan Fogelberg. It goes like this."

He sang 'Longer'. Catie's eyes teared immediately and by the end of the song the tears were flowing freely. Carla patted her hand and smiled. When the song finished Carla spoke to her.

"Wow! That one got to you."

"It was our song too. Me and Tony," Catie whimpered.

T spoke, "Remember, we're celebrating the love we experienced not mourning the loss. The number of tears we'll shed will be the same either way, but tears of loss are bitter. Tears of celebration are sweet and healing."

There was no applause between songs, only silence. Occasionally, as he sang you could hear someone in the crowd singing along. T would smile and nod to them. He invited people to join him on stage, but no one ever did. Tears flowed freely that night. At times, tears were visible flowing down his face.

By the end of his first set, Catie was celebrating the love she and Tony once had. They had been seeing each other exclusively for three years. They even planned on getting married when they graduated. One day, she announced to him that she was going to go out with another guy the following day. He hadn't gotten mad. She saw the tears in his eyes as he simply said 'okay' and walked away.

She went on the date, but cut it short, realizing then that she wanted to be with Tony. It was too late. His apartment was empty. None of his friends knew where he was, or if they did, they weren't telling. She went to the registrar's office the next day, only to discover that he had withdrawn from school. He was three months from getting his M.D. Tony left no forwarding address. He had no family and Catie was left with no way to contact him. She waited, but after a couple of months, stopped looking. Her choice to see the other guy had destroyed what they had. Catie knew she deserved all the tears and heartbreak she would ever get. She had never seen or heard from him again.

Catie finished her degree but didn't accept a single date from anyone. She had been working for three years before she ever went out again. Carla had been on her case for not trying to find Tony and make things right, but Catie, remembering how she had wronged him, chose to leave him alone.

When T returned from his break there was silence again.

"My first date with the love of my life, was at a karaoke bar while were in college. I hadn't planned to sing but with her urging, I got up and sang this to her. This is for Catie, with a C."

"I found her diary underneath a tree

And started reading about me

The words she'd written

Took me by surprise

You'd never read them in her eyes

They said that she had found

The love she'd waited for

Wouldn't you know it?

She wouldn't show it"

By the second line, Catie was crying, and by the fourth, she was running out of the bar, sobbing loudly. Carla followed her out the front door.

"Catie, what's wrong?" Carla pleaded, as she held her sobbing sister.

Catie didn't answer. Carla led her to the car where they sat for a while with Catie still crying.

"Take me home please?" Catie requested.

"Tell me what's going on first."

"Carla, do you know who T is?"

"Yes, he's Tony. The one you let get away."

"How long have you known?"

"Donna called and told me yesterday."

"So, was tonight a setup?"

"Not at all. I told you about tonight on the way back from Sacramento last weekend."

"How did Donna know about Tony and me?"

"Catie, Donna knows all kinds of shit she shouldn't know. She's either a master spy or has connections well beyond this plane."

"Will you take me home now?"

"No, Catie, I won't." Catie looked at her puzzled. "You and Tony are supposed to talk tonight."

"More of Donna's doing?"

"I doubt she set any of this up, but she knows what's supposed to happen."

"And what If I just refuse?"

"Donna said that you'll only get one shot at this. If it doesn't happen tonight, you'll never get another chance at getting closure with Tony. Eternity is a long time to go without closure, Catie. He's celebrating your love, not mourning it. You owe this to yourself and each other."

She sat quietly for several minutes then flipped down the visor and looked in the mirror. Catie took a few minutes to fix her eye makeup.

"Okay, let's go."

They walked back to the lounge. The waitress had saved their table.

"Thanks for saving the table," Catie told her.

"We were all told that if a woman left during the first song to save her seat."

"Who told you?" Catie asked.

"The manager. T asked her to."

"He must know I'm here, Carla."

Catie grabbed one of the slips of paper and pencil. She wrote,

Thanks for the song. Can we talk later? Catie

She handed it to the server.

"Can you give this to T?"

"Sure."

The server walked downstairs, then when T finished the song, she handed him the paper. He took off his sunglasses as he spoke to her. The server pointed to Catie, and he looked up. His eyes were moist. He smiled. Catie smiled back and waived. He began the next song as the server made her way back. She walked to Catie.

"He said he'd love that. After he finishes in about an hour the patrons all surround him for about fifteen minutes. He'll come to you as soon as he can."

Catie grinned. "My sister and I are going to need another strawberry margarita."

"I'm driving. Make that one margarita and one Diet Coke," Carla replied.

"Got it."

The server left smiling. When she returned with the drinks, she was grinning at Catie.

"Every week T dedicates a song to Catie with a C. It's good to finally meet you."

"Thanks, it's good to finally be here."

He left his sunglasses off for the remainder of the show and frequently made eye contact with Catie. He always smiled.

"People, I've got just one more song left in me this evening." He looked at Catie and motioned for her to come down. She smiled but shook her head. He mouthed "please?" Catie stood and started that way. "There's an old acquaintance of mine in the audience, and with your permission, I'd like to sing tonight's final song to her. Thank you all for coming. Remember, celebrate the love, don't mourn it's passing."

For the first time all evening the crowd applauded. When Catie got to the stage, he took her hand and walked her to the piano where they sat together. Tony began to play and sing.

Lying beside you

Here in the dark

Feeling your heart beat with mine

Softly you whisper

You're so sincere

How could our love be so blind?

We sailed on together

We drifted apart

And here you are

By my side

Chapter 03

Sitting side by side during the song was a mixture of smiles and tears from both. Somehow, the audience knew what they were watching on stage. When the song was over, T stood and held out his hand to her. Smiling, she took his hand and stood.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Catie, with a C."

The audience went wild. They knew that she was the source of T's personal broken heart and were thrilled to see them standing there together. Carla, still at the table, was crying. The crowd started coming onto the stage to greet them. After a few minutes, Catie turned to him.

"I'll be at the table with Carla. Will you join us when you get a chance?"

He smiled, "Give me about ten minutes?"

Catie nodded and turned to walk away then stopped and looked at him.

"You have to let go of my hand," she said smiling.

"Oh, sorry," he replied, blushing a bit.

He let go and she walked to the stairs. He watched her until she was about halfway up then turned back to his fans.

Carla was grinning at her when she sat. "That was beautiful, Catie."

"Never in a million years did I dream of that. It was so beautiful and healing."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but Donna said if you knew you wouldn't have come."

"I wouldn't have. She was right."

"So, what happens now?"

"He's going to join us in a few minutes."

"I'll make myself scarce."

"Oh no you won't! I need you right here."

"You two need some private time."

"We'll see, but tonight I need my big sister with me."

"Okay, just give me a nod and I leave you to talk."

"Deal."

Tony walked up a few minutes later. "May I join you ladies?"

"Please," Catie replied.

"Hi Carla, it's good to see you."

"T, it was an awesome show, as always."

"Thanks. How do you know Catie?"

"She's my little sister," Carla replied.

"Amazing, wow!"

"Tony, I have to know. Did you know I was coming?" Catie asked.

"Donna called me yesterday. Her message was cryptic, as most of them are. She said there might be someone here tonight that had changed my life and that if that person came to save their seat in my second set. I thought about what she said, but until I got the request for 'The Diary' didn't put it together."

"You look and sound so different. I love the voice, but I'm not sure about the beard. There's a very handsome face under all that hair."

"I went hippie after the Air Force. Catie, do you live out here?"

"No, I still live in Atlanta. I'm here visiting Carla."

"How long are you going to be in the area?"

"I'm not sure. Long enough for you to take me to dinner some evening."

"You're on. How about Sunday? I'm tied up all day tomorrow."

"Sunday would be good. Carla has us mountain climbing tomorrow," Catie replied, rolling her eyes.

"Not that kind of climbing," Carla said.

"Do you live in Chico?" Catie asked.

"No, I live in Mt. Shasta."

Carla looked puzzled. "You drive over two hours to get to work?"

"No, I work about ten minutes from home."

"But the lounge is in Chico."

"I own the lounge and sing here on Fridays, but I work in Mt. Shasta."

"What do you do?" Catie asked.

"I'm a doctor."

Catie smiled. "We've got a lot of catching up to do, Tony," Catie replied.

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Tony asked.

"A very long while."

Tony took a paper and the pencil from the box on the table and handed it to Catie. "Give me your number and I'll call Saturday evening."

Catie wrote down her number and handed it back. "I'd like yours too."

"Tony, you're in the Reiki group directory, aren't you?" Carla asked.

"I am. It's just listed as T."

"I have your info in my phone then," Carla replied.

"You just go by T now?" Catie asked.

"In Mt. Shasta, I'm Tony Burton or Dr. Tony. Off the mountain, I'm just T."

"Why?" Catie asked.

He chuckled, "I'm not sure. That's just the way it turned out. Ladies, I have a long drive home tonight and a very early day tomorrow. I'd better be going. Carla, it was great seeing you. Catie, I was serious about Sunday. I'd really like for us to talk."

"I want that too," Catie replied, smiling.

Tony took Catie's hand and kissed it. "Thank you for being here tonight. That was really special for me."

"For me too, Tony."

When he stood so did Catie. She held out her arms and they held each other for a long time before he left. Tony stopped and spoke to their server one his way out.

"Nervous?" Carla asked.

"Like a kid on their first day of school. I'm terrified." Catie waived to the server. "Time to settle up. We're heading home."

"It's on the house. The boss said so."

"Let me leave you a tip then."

"Also taken care of. T was really generous too. I hope you sit in my section next time you come. I could get used to this."

"We'll make a point of it."

**********

During the drive home Carla could tell that Catie wasn't in the mood to talk. When they got back to the house Catie went out onto the deck alone and sat there well into the night. When Carla got up in the morning Catie was already dressed for their outing. Carla joined her on the patio for coffee.

"Carla, do you think he's forgiven me?"

"You had doubts and told him before you went out with the other guy rather than cheat on him. What's to forgive?"

"Carla, I ruined what we had."

"The way I see it you both had a hand in that. He's the one that disappeared. You both made mistakes. We all do. I think your mistake was not tracking his ass down. His was leaving in the first place. You both need to forgive each other and yourselves."