As more and more people had wanted to come see him, Austin had finally put the kaibosh on visitors. “We’ll do a press junket in a few days. Fair?”
Hailey nodded and told Angela on the other end of the phone. Austin forked out the money for extra security at the doors and on the floor at the hospital, and beefed up what he had at home.
I thought it was overkill.
“So?” Austin said from the table. “Read the damn interview.”
Interview?
Grant rustled the magazine in his hand, once, twice, cleared his throat, tapped the magazine, rustled the pages again—
Austin pegged him with the empty soda bottle he had left on the table days before. “Read it! I’m nervous enough!”
Grant tapped the pages again—
“Read it or I’m withholding,” Aubrey snapped.
“Withholding what, Mommy?” Devon asked, sleepily.
“Bacon.” Aubrey’s answer was smooth.
“Oh, shit,” Grant mumbled, and pulled the magazine back to himself. “She’s serious now.”
Grant and Aubrey together was going to take some time to get used to.
Grant started reading the interview. “Rolling Stone recently had the privilege of sitting down with the supergroup Up Down Left Right for a thorough interview about them, their life as a band, and what directions they were considering in the future. The answers are surprising, delightful, and give all of their fans something to look forward to.”
Most of the interview was standard. How do you feel about the new album?Amazing. Are you happy with the two number ones that have come of it?Who wouldn’t be. When is the tour starting?After the close of Austin’s run inAidaon Broadway.Are you planning a follow-up of this?We’re planning five.
“Five?” Marcus asked.
“We’re all going to write one album of songs, and record them,” Bryce said. “We’re taking the whole tour to write them, and then eliminate what we don’t like or don’t think is a good fit.”
“It’s going to beawesome,” Luis said. He motioned to Grant. “Pray, continue.”
How is the tour coming?Dates will be announced next week. How did you enjoy working with Hailey Demarest?I’m dating her.
“You admitted it!” I laughed.
“I was sitting on his right holding his hand.” Hailey laughed. “There was no way to avoid that question.”
“So, then she gave each of a us a chance to just kind of talk for a bit,” Grant said, and I could see his dark skin take a ruddy tone as he read his freeform answer. “I adore working with these guys. They’re supportive, they’re smart, they’re flexible. I love them like they’re my brothers and I don’t ever want what we’ve started with UDLR to be in the rearview. I will always come back to these five guys and what we can be.”
Everyone gave anaww, and laughed. These five really were the best friends I could have.
Bryce took the magazine next. “I am just beyond words with what we’ve made here. We lucked into Hailey after firing our old manager, and I lucked into finding the best girlfriend a guy could ask for. I hope we can just keep making music this way forever.”
Taylor took the magazine. “She condensed out a lot of what I said.”
“You’re a mouthy bastard.” Austin laughed.
Flipping him the bird, Taylor read his part. “This album feels like a triumph to me in a way that I hadn’t imagined when I showed up for that audition nine years ago. I could play the piano, but I never imagined I could write for it. But I can—we can. And it feels good to prove to our fans that their faith in us was well placed and will continue to be well placed.”
Luis took the magazine and was actually kind of shy. I’d never seen Luis shy at anything. “This band is the best thing that ever could have happened to me. The floor in my house growing up was dirt. We had two pairs of pants and one for Sunday.
“And last week,mi madresent me pictures of the new house. Gleaming white kitchen, wood floors, rugs, throw pillows, art, curtains, light…and her,Papaand Millie smiling on the front porch. It was the best picture I ever got from my family. Their smiles, and that I could put them there. It’s all been worth it.
“I never want this to end. I want to make everyone in the world smile the way my family was smiling. And the fans did that for them, so I owe the fans.Los amo a todo.”
