Page 41 of Tumbling Hearts

“I thought I was gonna get ready for bed, but I guess not yet.” Ray chuckles.

“Is Carol there?”

“No, she’s staying overnight in New York for a modeling gig, actually.”

“Ah, alright. Santi still nearby?”

“Nah, once he grabbed me out of the room, he stayed upstairs. How about Toshiko? Where’s she?”

“She’s up on the roof. I’m calling from our hotel room, here.” With Carol not there, and Toshiko out of the room, despite them being miles apart, it feels more… intimate, in a way, on the phone like this. Gene appreciates that.

“Okay. You been having fun in LA?”

“Yeah, it’s been good. I had my first acid trip a few days ago.”

“What, really?” Ray laughs, the sound soothing Gene’s chest, giving him butterflies. “How was that? Where was that?”

“You know the club, the Whisky a Go Go? It was there. Had a blast, though I could barely tell what was going on around me.”

“That sounds fun. As long as you didn’t get into trouble, y’know.”

“I was fiiiine.” Gene lets out a small laugh. “No one got hurt, and I made it back to the hotel in one piece. But anyway, I really wanted to ask—how is the album coming along? Do you know when it’ll be done?”

“Just about done, actually. Looking for a release in mid-September if all goes well, like around the sixteenth or seventeenth. Then we’ll tour a week or so after that. Dennis is getting it all booked. You will be back home in time for that, right? You’ve already been gone for a week.”

“I know.” Gene pouts, grabbing the phone cord with his free hand. “But that should work out. Today’s the twenty-first of August, so that gives me plenty of time. Because, um, actually, Ray, I gotta tell you…”

“Tell me what?” His tone sounds concerned, not accusatory.

“I’m planning to visit Japan with Toshiko.”

“Japan?!” Ray huffs. “Sorry, dangit, I hope I wasn’t too loud. But really? You’re going over there?”

“Yeah.” Gene swallows. “But it’ll only be for a week. I promise I’ll be back before the album releases.”

“You sure?” Ray asks, worry in his voice. “What if something bad happens? Flying across the ocean is pretty scary. Flying in general is scary. You know what happened to Buddy Holly, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course, I know. But I’ll be fine! I flew to California and made it here alive. Planes have gotten a lot safer since back then.” He chuckles. It warms his heart to hear Ray so concerned for his safety. “Carol takes a plane every time she has one of her modeling gigs out of state, doesn’t she? Do you get as worried for her?”

Ray grumbles. Got him. “Well, yeah. I guess so. But… well, y’know I just… I just miss you, Gene. I want to know you’ll be back home safe and sound and on time.”

Butterflies flutter in Gene’s chest at those words. “I will be back, Ray. I promise.” He looks up toward the door again, making sure he’s still alone in the room. “I miss you too, baby.”

Ray hums, low and warm. “Well, I should probably be getting to bed, like I originally planned. It’s pretty late here.”

“Yeah. Sorry for calling at such a bad time.”

“It’s fine. Even if I was asleep, I’d wake up just to talk to you.”

Gene smiles. “I suppose I’d do the same. But alright, yeah. I’ll let you get to sleep. And I’ll be back sometime early next month before the album releases, don’t you worry. I’ll only be in Japan for a week, but Toshiko is going to stay for longer since she’s gonna be touring the country for her own new album.”

“Oh, really?” Ray’s voice perks up. “Would she be coming back to America once that’s done?”

“Yeah. She didn’t really want to be in Japan for that long in the first place, but her manager is kinda making her do it. She’ll be back once that’s done.”

Ray huffs, sounding a bit… disappointed. “Well, alright.”

“We’ll have our own time together, though, right?” Gene twirls the phone cord around his finger. “We’ll write more songs. And then we’ll be touring with the Brooms.”