Lindsey was happy being back home. She had fun at the Renaissance Festival and made a few friends she keeps in touch with by email. Barbara had given her permission to play during the week while she was on summer break. They were playing three times a week.

The two weekends they were going to be in California, Barbara had spoken to the rest of the band families and they agreed that a week in California would be better. Then coming back home and flying back out again. So, they were going to spend a week on vocation in California and there were a few places she wanted to go too.

She goes to check on the mail because she wanted to see what her report card said. She spots the envelope that had her report card in it. She opens it and couldn’t believe she got a 4.0-grade point average. She passed all her classes with straight A’s. She knew Barbara will love to see her report card. She posts it on the refrigerator for Barbara to see.

After, putting her report card on the refrigerator. She slips her swimsuit on and head out to the swimming pool Barbara bought for them. It wasn’t very big, but it was deep enough and long enough for her to do a few laps in. The chilly water felt nice against her skin as she lowered herself into the water. Ian’s mother had taken him to get his learners permit. He just turned sixteen years old on Tuesday.

The band threw him a sweet sixteen party. Lindsey got him a nice set of light up drumstick that pulse each time he hit the drums a few nice t-shirts, with one showing the evolution of a human being to a drum player. A nice pair of shades and an ultimate drummer tool.

Lindsey climbs up on her lounge floater and just drift around in the pool. The radio station that interviewed them, played their demo disc
several times a day. Lindsey closes her eyes and just relax in the backyard.

Barbara arrives home “I’m home, Lindsey.” She sets her purse where she normally keeps it.

When she walks into the kitchen to grab a bottled water, she notices Lindsey’s report card on the refrigerator. A big ole’ smile appears on her face when she read her grade. She’ll have to do something nice for all the hard work Lindsey did to maintain her grade, while she was playing.

Barbara pokes her head out back and notices Lindsey in the above ground pool, just floating around. She had her portable radio playing.
Barbara has been hearing Lindsey’s band’s music being played on the radio on her way to work, since their interview last Thursday.

Barbara turns around and heads back into the kitchen to start dinner. She listens to the news while cooking. She knew the kids had a gig coming up in June for Haborfest. They already made a reservation at Norfolk Waterside Marriott for the weekend. Jamie’s girlfriend was coming again with them. This time they got three rooms. The girls were going to share a room and the guys were going to share a room with one set of parents. She would go with Lindsey, but she had a convention she and another member of their realty company were going to.

Lindsey wakes-up when her alarm clock goes off. It was set to remind her that she needed to head inside. She slides off the lounger and climbs out of the pool. She dries off before heading inside.

“Hey, sweetie.” Barbara watches as Lindsey comes walking into the kitchen through the back door.

“Hey mom, how was your day?” Lindsey stops to talk with her mother.

“It was okay. The Williamson is going to buy the house I showed them today.” Barbara has been working hard to sell this one house that has been on the market for a while.

“You mean they finally found a house they like?” Lindsey grabs an orange and sits on a stool to watch her mother cook dinner.

“Yep, they liked the one house that has been on the market for a while.” Barbara stirs the rice and meat dish.

Once Lindsey finishes her orange. She grabs some plates, silverware and starts setting the dining room table. She walks back into the kitchen
to grabs some glasses and fills them with ice.

“Foods ready.” Barbara puts the food into a serving bowl and carries it into the dining room.

Lindsey comes walking in and takes her seat, after setting the glasses filled with tea at their places. She inhales the smells drifting off the cooked food.

Once Barbara serves herself “have you and the guys decided what you are going to perform in, yet?”

“Yes, ma’am. We have decided to wear our pirate’s outfits. Terry is dressing up as Captain Kidd, Jamie is going as Captain Jack Sparrow, Ian is dressing as a deckhand, Dan is going as a Pirate Captain as well. I’m dressing as a female pirate as well. It is the same outfit I’m going to wear at the Pirate Festival in South Carolina.”

“You guys should settle either on a group costume for your band or just perform in your street clothes.” Barbara figure sit might be more cost efficient for them.

“We talked about a group costume, but we haven’t decided yet on a design.” Lindsey liked her Steampunk outfit.

“Have you guys decided what you are going to do, now that Terry has graduated?” Barbara knew Terry had graduated, which left Jamie and Lindsey still in school.

“We haven’t talked about it yet, mom. I do know that he wants to stay with the band. Just like Dan does.” Lindsey knew Dan had talked about taking online courses.

“Well, that leaves you, Jamie and Maxine still in school?”

“Yes, ma’am. Krist lives near Dan and has a driver’s license. I’ve been thinking it might be a good idea for us to get a touring bus.” Lindsey had seen a YouTube video about a band converting an old school bus into a touring bus. She figures they could do that with an old Greyhound bus or something.

“Why don’t you see how much a used one is? You might get a good deal on one.”

“I’ll see how much we have in our account. I know Brenda normally handles it.”

“I’ll talk with someone I know and see if we can find something for you. You might have to send Krist to a truck driving school to get his license for it.”

“The next band meeting we have, I’ll bring it up.” Lindsey makes a mental note to talk to Brenda and Terry about everything. The last band meeting they talked about Krist and Maxine’s pay.

That got Lindsey thinking maybe she should take a business course. She’ll have to think about it later. She finishes her dinner and cleans the table. Once the leftovers were put away and the kitchen cleaned up. She heads towards her bedroom and checks her emails.

There was an email in her band email folder from Brenda. She had sent them a new schedule:

GEAR Con 2018 July 7-8, 2018 University Place Hotel & Conference Center, Portland, OR

The two out of states ones concern her the most. They would have to fly to Oregon and Michigan. Texas, New Hampshire they could drive to.
Lindsey prints it out and takes it to Barbara.

“Mom, Brenda just sent out our new schedule and we have two that we will have to fly too.” Lindsey shows Barbara the schedule.

Barbara looks at them and notices they were only for 1 and 2 days. She starts typing on her laptop to see how much airfare will be on those dates. They were looking at close to $2,000.00 for everyone and hotel room. That isn’t taking in account for food and the cost of shipping their instruments as well.

“The Oregon and Michigan gigs you guys will burn your money flying there and back. You might want to think about those two. As for the others, you can drive to those gigs.”

“I was worried about that. I’ll get with Brenda and see how much we are going to get paid for those gigs.” Lindsey pulls her cell phone out and calls Brenda,

Brenda had just gotten off the phone with Terry when she notices Lindsey calling her. She wonders what Lindsey wanted. She picks her phone up and answers it.

“Hey Lindsey, what can I do for you?”

“Hey Brenda, I was just going over our schedule and the two out of towners you have us down for, is going to cost us money.”

“You and Terry must have been talking to each other. You’re getting paid a $1,000.00 for each gig. Plus, I’ll have more gigs for you before then. I’m in contact with a few people who have heard your music on the radio and want you guys to come and perform for them. Hey, do you guys do Jazz?”

“We can, but we normally don’t. Why?”

“There’s a new Jazz club opening soon, and they were wondering if you guys could play Jazz.”

“We might not be able to do that one.”

“Alright, if you guys can perform well at some of these gigs. I might have a big opportunity for you guys as an opening act.”

“Cool! Oh, also. How much money do we have in our bank account?” Lindsey was curious.

“You guys currently have $25,000.00 in your account and most of that is from the money you put back into the band. As for what I have put in
your account, you have $3,000.00 dollars.” Brenda figures Lindsey might want to know that.

“Thanks, Brenda.”

“You’re welcome.” She ends the call.

Lindsey puts her cell phone away “we are getting paid $1,000.00 for each gig. That’s not counting how much we will make from the items we sell, which we make $2,000.00 -$3,000.00 on those sells.”

“Well, you guys will make more in merchandise, then you do while your playing. How much do you spend on the merchandise?”

“The shirts we pay $6.00 dollars per shirt, keychains, and USB drives $2 and $5.00 dollars. Are CD’s $10.00 and we get money from our music on Apple and Amazon.”

“It sounds like you guys make a small profit.” Barbara was impressed.

“Yes, ma.” Lindsey sits down next to her mother. “So, are you going to come with us on some these other gigs?”

“I’ll see what I have going on during those times. I might be able to come with a few with you.”

Lindsey gets up and heads to the bathroom to get ready for bed.