The next half hour was a blur. While Emil was trying to process that he was actually experiencing what he had dreamt, he absentmindedly followed orders in setting up the lights, amps, speakers, and connecting the appropriate cords to the appropriate inputs and outputs. He must have connected everything correctly, since nothing went awry during soundcheck.
After setting up the stage, they had some down time. The wedding planner then invited them to help themselves to the extra banquet food with the rest of the kitchen and service staff before the performance. Before grabbing the food, Natsumi, Leonard, and Roy first stepped out for a cigarette.
Since Emil's mind was still unsettled by the fact that his dream was becoming real, he decided to stay behind and hide his anxiety from the others. As a consequence, Emil ended up chatting to the banquet and catering staff to try and distract his thoughts and calm down.
Much of the staff were part-timers in their mid to late twenties. When they returned and saw the normally reticent Emil effortlessly conversing with the staff. As a lawyer in his previous life, Emil had plenty of experience in the art of making small talk, especially with random strangers. The small talk, however, eventually veered into gossip territory.
Many of the staff had overheard the grumblings of some of the guests, and even the wedding planner. Apparently, there was disagreement between the bride and groom, on one side, and the bride’s father, on the other. The disagreement was mainly about the wedding reception, from the aesthetics, to the food, and especially the music. Everything was old fashioned and suited the mid-twentieth century taste of the bride’s father. He had paid for the wedding and had held the bride and groom hostage throughout the six months of planning.
As a consequence, the wedding couple, who had first met each other in a parking lot of a New Order concert, couldn’t have any of their favorite 1980s post-punk and new wave music play at their reception. Much of the staff were of the same generation as the wedding couple and thus were sympathetic to the bride and groom. Emil diplomatically agreed with the staff that it was unfortunate that the wedding would be tainted by the father's domineering attitude.
Emil felt full with just a few nibbles of the roast chicken, shrimp scampi, green beans, and buttered roll on his plate. Seeing that Natsumi and Roy were still stuffing themselves full of the expensive catered food, Emil excused himself to go for a walk outside in the courtyard. He thought a stroll would help expel some of his nervous energy and help him put his mind in order.
Although he had the experience of facing down brutal and cut-throat corporate lawyers, the idea of performing in front of people, people you wanted to please, entertain, and connect with, was nerve-wracking. In addition, doubt filled his brain. As his dream had foreseen, this performance would be an utter failure.
At the same time, he also felt excitement. This would be his first time playing in a real band, a non-school one. And he would be playing with two celebrity geniuses, or at least celebrity geniuses in the future. Although this opportunity arrived sooner than expected, this was what he had wished for. Emil was also eager to see just how far he had developed through almost a month of constant rigorous practice. He had been honing his hands and body, which had rapidly made ground with the skills and techniques and knowledge of his previous self.
In addition, he had been sharpening his ability to use his special power to see the shape of music. After constant experimentation, Emil was now able to more naturally figure out which scale, tone, and pattern would work best for a particular song, just by paying attention to whether the lines and shapes were getting thicker and more structured.
“Emil.” Natsumi said. "You ready?”
Emil was suddenly shaken out of his thoughts.
“Oh, yeah,” Emil said a little too loudly.
Natsumi laughed. "Don’t worry, Roy and I will take care of you. You just hang back and follow along.” With a wink, they continued. “Remember, sometimes the best bass line for a song is the simplest and most straightforward choice.”
Emil tilted his head. He was surprised by how profound Natsumi’s words just were. Despite this, Emil was still filled with dread, worried that the disastrous ending foreseen in his dreams would come true.
With pins bouncing around his belly, and adrenaline pumping through his veins, Emil walked up onto the stage.
*****
As soon as the wedding guests began streaming into the banquet hall, Leonard nodded his head toward the three, prompting the music to start. Leonard started playing a familiar feathery piano riff on the keyboard. “In a Sentimental Mood,” by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. Natsumi slightly smiled before putting their lips on a tenor saxophone. They then closed their eyes and began playing an interpretation of Coltrane's legendary melody, supple and sorrowful.
Warm colored lines—gradients of red, orange, magenta—began to form around and connect the keyboardist and the saxophone player. Emil was astounded, the lines and shapes were so vivid, thick and strong. Natsumi’s bright lines were so strong and vibrant, it was no wonder they were considered such an impactful musician.
What equally surprised Emil, however, were the lines wrapping around and stretching from Leonard’s keyboard amp, keyboard, and body. From the suppleness and complexity of the lines, it was clear that Leonard was no slouch.
Roy then locked eyes with Emil, and they both started playing the double time portion of the song. It was a soft yet swinging rhythm that quickly intensified with the proliferation of notes. Much of Emil’s anxiousness melted away as lines began to thicken around his own body and began connecting with Roy. Seeing the cooler toned lines of blue, green, and purple unfold and take shape, relaxed Emil's face into a smile.
Roy's face followed a similar process, as she realized that Emil could keep up with the basic structure of the song. She then looked to Natsumi and then Leonard, who also seemed to acknowledge Emil's ability with their glances.
The bride’s father had demanded that the majority of the music was jazz coffee shop. Thankfully, he had left the specifics to Leonard, and so the grizzled keyboardist would pick the kinds of affective and contemplative songs that he himself enjoyed. Softer jazz classics like "It Never Entered My Mind," or "Alone Together," played while the wedding guests ate dinner.
Leonard's choice were perfect for the situation, thought Emil. A web of thin, yet distinct, lines stretched out and connected from the stage to the dining guests. Some would bop their heads, some would pop a smile and sway. All these things, Emil took note of and relished.
Then, after the typical wedding events, like the first dance and cake cutting, the real test eventually came: the dancing. The bride’s father wanted music from the rat pack era. Leonard, however, would go with songs like "Take Five," "Moanin'," and "Caravan," which he would announce to the audience as a signal to the other's on stage.
These choices would have no vocals, and were filled with long and difficult drum, piano, and horn solos. This created stronger lines of light with the audience and even if one didn't possess Emil's eyes, the faces of the dancing people said enough.
Emil felt relieved. Perhaps it was all just a coincidence, the disaster that unfolded in his dreams. This wishful thinking would not last long, however, as an unwelcome sight appeared.
The bride’s father stormed up to the stage and violently motioned to Leonard with an enraged face.
