Falling off the Edge of the World
by Nyssa Jayne
Sixteen and in love, Isaac and I sat on the front porch of my house. He often referred to it as his house though, he spent so much time here, escaping from siblings with wild rockstar dreams that weren't his own.
"I'm coming back," he explained. "I might be in LA for five or six months, helping Taylor and Zac record this CD, then, when it's finished, I might have to go on a little tour with them to tell people about it. I'll definitely be back before the year is out."
"Why do you need to go?" I asked. "I mean, didn't you tell Taylor and Zac to find another guitarist?" He nodded.
"The record company wants them in LA as soon as possible. They don't want to have to bring in a session guitarist, they explained to me, because they're already going to bring in a session drummer to replace Zac, and if news escapes that an old fogey played the guitar as well, they'll lose money on them, because they won't be the gimmick of kids who do everything, and thus make the family pay it back, seeing as Mum and Dad would be liable." Isaac bitterly kicked a rock that turned out to be soil, crumbling upon the impact. "It's stupid. But I think that once they start meeting new people in LA, they'll meet a young guitarist and I'll be able to come home. Guitarists are a dime a dozen out there, I hear."
"Not guitarists like you." Isaac kissed me.
"I don't want to leave you. Which is why I promise to come back."
* * * * *
At the airport, I gave Isaac a letter.
"Dear Isaac,
LA is going to be such an awesome experience for you, despite the expectations you have been given. Show them what Tulsa boys are made of, then return to the place that made you great.
Make sure you stay in touch while you're there. I don't expect phone calls, but maybe sent postcards of the Hollywood sign and all of the other glamourous attractions. Just so I know you haven't fallen off the edge of the earth, or, worse still -- fallen in love.
Love Always, Mary."
After a moment of furious blinking, Isaac wrapped me up in his arms.
"I'll be in touch so much it'll be like I never left."
Then, he boarded the plane, with his two brothers, the band. I didn't cry. I started to count down the days until his return instead.
* * * * *
Magazine: "What do you love more than anything?"
Isaac: "Music. No matter where I am in the world, it'll always be with me."
Seventeen and in love, that when Isaac fell off the edge of the world.