Ice (Shooting Stars 2)

every word out of you? Why don't you just tell me the whole stow at once? You ever say two sentences together?"

"He wanted me to go to one of their houses for a party, but I saidno."

"That so? Well, that's all right. He should respect you more for that. It was only your first date, after all. You did right. I'm sure he understands. He did, didn't he?" she asked.

Just as I was about to burst and tell her all of it, the phone rang. We both looked at it. Mama smiled and I picked up the receiver.

"Hi," I said with enthusiasm after I heard who it was.

"That Shawn?" Mama whispered, hovering over me.

I turned my back without answering. It wasn't Shawn: it was Balwin, "No, it's all right. We're up," I told him.

"I got a phone call just five minutes ago," he said, his voice rife with excitement. "from Barry Jones. They just got in from the evening. After the Kit-Kat Club, they go to another hip jazz joint and play until morning. Then they go for breakfast and after that, go home and sleep all day."

"What a life," I said.

"Musical vampires. Anyway, he wanted to call me before he forgot. He was impressed with you."

"Really'?"

"Yeah, but someone else was, too, someone named Edmond Senetsky, an entertainment agent from New York who was there with a client, sitting in the back of the club. He heard you sing and asked Barry about you and Barry told him he didn't know you, but he knew someone who did. That was me, of course."

"Well. what does he want?"

"Barry said he told him that you should audition for his mother's performing arts school in New York."

"New York?"

"What about New York?" Mama asked from behind me. "He wants to take you to New York?"

I shook my head.

"Yes," Balwin said, "He said you should prepare a couple of numbers

for the audition and he gave Barry his card for you to call to get the details. Barry read the telephone numbers to me. You want me to give them to you now?"

"No." I said emphatically.

"Why are you saying no? You can go," Mama coached from the sidelines, Again. I shook my head.

"Well, should I come over later with it? This is a big opportunity for you. Ice. At least. Barry thought so and he knows. I heard of this school too. If I wasn't already going to Juilliard. I might be considering it."

"Let me think about it."

"Sure. I'm home all day today. I don't know if I ever told you. But I've been composing songs. My parents got me a piano and put it in the basement. It's nothing like a studio. but I can record quietly and no one bothers me down there. Boy. I'd love to have you try one of my songs." he said.

"Okay, thanks."

"I'm going to call Mr. Glenn to see what he knows about this school in New York," Balwin said, referring to our vocal instructor. "We'll get his opinion about it all."

"Right," I said. "Bye."

"Call me as soon as you can." he said quickly and I hung up.

"What was that all about?" Mama pounced.

I stood there, staring at the phone for a moment and then I turned to face her.