Crazy Dreams by Dawn Pendleton

number four started, Ember had the entire crowd in the palm of her hand. Her sweet vocals had them all thoroughly engrossed with each song. People danced on the dance floor, swaying to the music.
    When the music for Ember’s song started, though, people felt the difference. They all stopped to stare at her. Her voice rang out loud and clear, beautiful and vibrant. She started the song as a solo, just as I wanted to draw people in. Where she’d been more of a back-up singer for the first three songs, she was the star of the fourth. She owned that room.
    I looked out into the crowd, finding Baker and Dallas, and found them both in awe of their sister. Even though Baker had praised her, he still hadn’t heard her sing. By the time I added my voice to the song, she had captured every single person in the place. When we finished the song there were several people in the crowd who had tears in their eyes. The emotion she elicited was real, raw. She sang from the very bottom of her heart and everyone there knew it.
    The long silence after the music stopped was broken by a deafening applause. Ember was taken aback by the noise. Tears came into her eyes and she looked at me. She mouthed, thank you and grabbed my hand. We both stood, taking a bow and then shuffling off stage.
    We made our way through the mass of people, but it took us forever. Every other person stopped us to tell us how great our performance was. Baker was just as enthusiastic, hugging his sister and then shaking my hand.
    “That was amazing,” he said. “There really aren’t words to describe how awesome it was.” He handed me a beer and Ember a Coke.
    “You were great,” Dallas said to Ember. It didn’t escape my attention that he ignored me completely.
    I didn’t care. I was happier with our time on stage than I’d ever been with any stage time I’d ever had. It was all worth it for me. I kissed Ember’s cheek and congratulated her.
    “You did great.”
    “ We did great,” she corrected.

    Eighteen
     
    Ember
     
    It had been two weeks since our bar performance. I managed to get a job as a waitress at a diner a few blocks away from Dallas’s apartment, but I spent every waking moment that I wasn’t working at Stone’s place. He picked me up from work almost every day.
    Dallas was in a mood. He still hadn’t apologized to Stone, but he did say he was sorry to me.
    “I just worry about you, Ember. You’re so young. And Stone is a lot older than you. I thought he was taking advantage.”
    “That’s total BS. Stone has been nothing but a gentleman. You think he’s the one trying to get in my pants, but the reality is, I’m the one trying to get into his,” I explained.
    He held up his hand. “Ember, please.”
    “I’ve tried playing nice, Dallas. I’ve tried to tell you I really like him that I’m not going to stop seeing him because you say so. I’m not your little puppet. I’m also an adult, so you can stop trying to be my dad any time now. I have a good head on my shoulders. I don’t need your permission to do anything.”
    “I just wish you’d rethink your relationship with him,” Dallas begged.
    “No. Stop trying to interfere. You don’t have to like the fact that I’m dating Stone, but you do have to accept it.”
    It was still a little new to me, if I was honest. Stone and I were an item. We made it official a few days prior. We weren’t sleeping together yet, a fact that didn’t make me very happy, but I was willing to accept it. He still wouldn’t tell me why. I knew it had something to do with my brothers , but I let it go. For now. He was bound to crack one of these days.
    “Fine.” Dallas pouted every time I went to Stone’s apartment.
    After our performance, I expected him to jet off to another assignment, or return to the one he’d been on when Baker called him home. He didn’t. He stuck around, probably to keep an eye on me, but I was never home. Between work and hanging out with Stone, I didn’t have