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He kne much his music meant to her She’d always pushed his, which was how Juilliard happened When she was between shift changes, the three of them ripped open that fat envelope in the kitchen They’d jumped up and down until they were all hoarse Hison a cloud for days A full scholarship, including rooe fund she’d saved for his around the house But of course, she didn’t do that, she put it toward Sean’s college fund and a van for hi breaks With all his instru would have been nearly impossible That old clunker hadjust outside of LA yesterday

Juilliard had taught him a lot, but it didn’tfor one ot him a little attention, he’d been booked in a few festivals, then the record label wanted to front him the money to record an album It had all snowballed to this point Once he wrote the final song for the albu faster than he could keep up with, but at least now he could take care of his mom and brother Ever since his dad split, he’d taken on that h with the promises he’d made to hi ever again

But things taking off for him didn’t come without bumps in the road Talia, his ex, left a dark painful bruise that hadn’t healed yet The song he needed to write to get her out of his head just hadn’t coo on the albu ache left where his heart used to be since the breakup Heading to The Braood distraction Hopefully

He ordered a taxi and sat on the curb outside the lease office waiting for it to arrive Hello record label expen

se account, nice to et used to not needing to lug all his crap on and off the bus He was already checked in at a swanky hotel don courtesy of the label It was a strange neorld he was living in He shot off a quick e to his mom

Eric: In LA for the night I miss you I’m back on the tour day after toood

Mom: Okay, I will We’ll see you soon?

Eric: Not sure when, the tours on for a while and then who knows But I’ll do the best I can to coet close to Maryland

Mom: Ok, sweetie, stay safe and I love you

Eric: Love you too, Mom

He couldn’t wait for the day he could tell her she could quit her jobs Their text conversations were always short because if her boss caught her texting she’d get canned He alht, then she’d have one less job running her ragged It sucked and he couldn’t wait for that first royalty check He knew right where it was going and this ti to relax if he had to hold those cucumber on her eyes himself

The taxi sped up, screeching to a halt, nearly taking hilared at the driver, duave the driver the bar address His phone vibrated in his pocket as the taxi pulled away from the curb

“Ser Well, less erbuy Slory days and only took a small cut of any money he made All in all, he’d been pretty lucky to find soe had been indispensable when he’d been looking for gigs that weren’t going to stiff him

“Hey, Eric You in town?” Loud round, he could barely hear Smithy

“Yeah, I got in last night Heading to the going away party thing What’s up?”