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There was a special day, each year.
It was always the same date, the same circumstances. Every year, every march, since he has known Elwood, He spent a day alone with Cab, Mack and the band. At first he thought nothing of it. Then he noticed little things, every time the date comes closer Elwood gets incredibly more depressed. He would have a 3 week depression phase, one week before the date, the week of the date and the week after. He would have a similar mood on the day they had met but Elwood had already said why, when Buster was 13. He had figured the date in march was the death day of Joliet Jake Blues. He figured it out when he was 13 too. Buster simply put two and two together as he figured it out.
Then one random day, Buster was just turning 14.
He had spent the day with Alan "Mr. Fabulous" Rubin when he asked him, "So where does the old man go when you are here?"
This made the trumpet player falter over his words, "I- wha- what do you mean?"
Buster looked out the window, then at Mr. Fabulous, "Every year, every march he vanishes for an entire day and you are the one who usually looks after me."
Both man and boy stared at each other. The trumpet player sighed, "He's visiting his brother."
He would simply answer. Now Buster was the one to falter, he looked at the man for a moment and then back out of the window.
He would have guessed it would have something to do with Jake. Sometimes he asks himself if Elwood just keeps him because he would be lonely otherwise. Mr Fabulous would put on a cigarette.
"Every year on his death day, Elwood will go to the Cemetery, Church or wherever and visit Jake," Alan would explain, "He is terribly secretive about it…Since Jake's death he has been incredibly shut in. He was always the quiet one from the two but this is on another level."
Buster was quiet. He did not make one snark comment.
Last year he wanted to ask if he could come along but he got cold feet. So he spent the day with Eddie "Guitar" Murphy and his wife. This year he finally got the courage.
This year it fell on a Sunday.
Buster and Elwood were just eating breakfast when he wanted to ask. Buster ate a simple BLT sandwich and, like always, Elwood ate plain white toast. Both wore their undershirt from their suit and their shades, Elwood had his sleeves up. His hairline was receding, but not that much. The room was filled with silence.
"you excited not to go to Church today?" Elwood would ask teasingly, to lighten up the mood a bit.
"Can I come along with you?" Buster looked up at Elwood as he chocked on his bite, coughing loudly.
"wha—"
"I wanna meet Jake," Buster stared at Elwood. Both shared an intense stare between themselves, Elwood swallowed thickly.
"Alright," Elwood could only stutter out. Terrified, for whatever reason. The rest of the breakfast was spent quietly. No other word was shared between them.
It was awkward, not like the usual silence. As both finished their meal, Elwood put the dishes in the sink. They didn't have a dishwasher, they were to expensive, mostly Elwood would do them or they would do them together, while listening to an album. He looked at Buster and Buster looked back, swallowing down. Elwood smiled at him and chuckled almost, he nodded to the living room space and Buster understood.
He stood up and walked to his room. Buster didn't have a big closet, he had a dresser. Elwood used the storage room for closet. Buster got out his suit, hat and shades. It felt natural and just appropriate. He is 16 years now, he didn't wear his usual blues outfit often. He still wore it, more casual though. Usually he wore his undershirt, sleeves up and shades. He wore his full outfit for special occasions, his junior prom, birthday, concerts, etc.
This day is the most important occasion of them all. This day Buster finally meets Joliet Jake Blues.
Well he visits him. It felt intimidating honestly. Non the less after fixing his hair he got out. Elwood looked at him, he was just fixing his tie up. Busters tie was still open. Elwood walked over and fixed it. No words were shared.
The car ride was the same, silence filled the blues mobile. No music was playing, the only time the quiet was interrupted was a sniff or a cough. Buster looked out the window, to the passing streets and houses. Buster imagined a guy running away from something, maybe Elwood and Jake. Soon the houses were replaced by trees, the sky was cloudy and it looked like it would rain. Soon there would be another house, a prison. The boys looked up and turned to Elwood.
"What's that?" He asked him.
"The Joliet Detention Center"
"Do we go inside?"
Elwood shook his head, the car took a turn and soon all Buster could see was concrete wall with wires on top of it.
The boy swallowed, it was scary. He never liked prison, even when Elwood was in prison for a few months after the summer they met. It made his skin crawl knowing innocent people would be in the same facility as murderers. Buster knew that most criminals were desperate people, who were shunned by society into a life of crime but knowing that there are just a few outliers, who truly enjoy hurting people made him nervous.
Soon though the concrete walls were, yet again, replaced by old green grass and stones. The car stopped. It looked like a cemetery. It was an open gate with no fences to keep anyone out. The gravestones were simply stone crosses, he didn't know if they had anything on them. The grass was cut. other than that Buster could swear no one really took any care of it.
No gravestone had any decorations, no flowers, no toys, nothing. Each stone has been discarded, forgotten and are rotting away as Buster looks at them. There was only one stone that looked well kept.
The boy looked at the man, Elwoods face spoke no reaction.
He simply opened the door and got out of the car, Buster followed quickly. Then, Elwood opened the trunk and got out a simple lamp. A simple one, It was square. Elwood looked at Buster and Buster took it, understanding what he wanted him to do.
Elwood grabbed his suitcase. Both proceeded to walk pass the rows of old gravestones there were. Each had carved the name of the prisoners and the birth and death date. Some even only have numbers. Buster asked himself what they would have done. It was rows and rows some looked older than the others. They stopped at a newer looking one. A cross, like any other grave stone, the name "Joliet Jake Blues" was carved in, It looked well kept. The grass was growing on it.
"Welp," Elwood started, his mouth was in a thin line, "there he is." His voice was quieter than usually.
Buster looked down, swallowing again. He looked at the date carved in, the name.
"They uh— They take away the decorations after a certain time," Elwood explained, he nodded to the grave. Buster placed the lamb in front of the cross.
He looked at it.
"Nice to meet you, Jake," He said quietly under his breath. As he stood up again Elwood put in a thick white candle, he got from his suitcase, into the lamb, he got out his lighter and put it on. Quickly, he closed the lamb and stood back up.
Silence was shared between Elwood and Buster, as they both stared at the grave. Elwood sniffed and wiped his nose, Buster would lean his side into him and Elwood would grab his shoulder squeezing him.
"He would've loved you, kid," he mumbled, "He would've been so proud of you."
His Voice was on the brink of tears. Buster kept looking at the grave, then at Elwood. He looked like he is tearing up. Buster would ask himself, if you could miss a person you had never met, honestly. He wrapped his arms around the man and hugged him. Thunder was heard in the background and it started raining.
"Dad," Buster started "I love you."
Elwood couldn't keep it in anymore, a sob was heard. "I love you too, Buster," He would say while taking his shades off and wiping his tears away. He squeezes Buster tight.
Buster hugged Elwood and so they stand their, in the rain. After several moments they let each other go.
"We have to go to the church soon," Elwood said and Buster would nod.
"You can go ahead, ok?" Buster replied, Elwood nodded and went to the car.
The boy looked at the grave and crouched down.
"My dad thinks you were pretty cool," he started to say "He misses you a lot."
A beat.
"You don't know me but I have been with Elwood for years now. He adopted me when he got out of prison…The band talks about you a lot too,"
"I— Honestly I don't know why I am talking right now but— I— I just wanted to say that I am sad we never actually met. Honestly, dad doesn't talk a lot about you, he just started talking about stories recently," Buster rubbed his neck, he looked to the side, "I'll be starting my senior year soon. The Penguin said you both stopped school to become blues musician at that time…I don't think I want to stop school."
"You had a pretty good voice— Sometimes dad puts on your albums you recorded, you sound so happy in them."
Another Pause.
"I hope you were a pretty happy guy. Dad said you were grumpy and tried to be serious all the time but under all this was a childlike wonder you never lost. He said I remind him of you, especially when I was 10."
He looked at the gravestone again and stood up
"I hope wherever you are, you watch over dad."
Silence.
"My name is Buster by the way. Buster J. Blues."
All of the sudden a honk was heard, Buster turned around. Elwood was waving to him, he turned back.
"I have to go now, Uncle Jake," He finished, "See you next time."
The next destination was the triple rock baptist church.
Sunday mass has ended and so the church was empty, only Reverend Cleophus James was still tending the flowers. He turned around as he heard footsteps.
"Elwood and Buster!" he would exclaimed smiling, "Good to see you. It is truly good to see you.
I missed you at Sunday mass"
Elwood would smile lightly and nod his head, "Well forgive me, father Today is just the day."
Reverend Cleophus would widen his eyes and nod in understanding, "ahh yes yes my child"
The priest would put a hand on Elwoods shoulder, sympathetically. They would smile at each other, nod and Elwood would walk to one of the backrooms of the church. Buster started to follow as the priest called him up.
"My child," He would start, "My child, come sit down with me. Your father needs to do it alone."
Buster hesitated but nodded and sat down next to the priest, as Elwood vanishes into a little room.
"Does he always come here?" Buster asked, curiously
"Oh yes, every year," The reverend answered, "Every year, he comes here and prays. He prays for Jake and Curtis."
The boy nodded. He would look ahead at the empty stage.
"Father," he suddenly started, "I am afraid."
"Of what, my child? What are you so afraid of?"
"I—" Buster looked away "What if Jake is not in heaven?"
silence
"What if my dad won't go to heaven— or me? We've all sinned."
Cleophus looks at the boy, who had his head turned down in shame, "My child. My child, your family is magnificent"
Buster looked up.
"Y'know..Jake Blues has seen the light."
"The light?"
"The light," James nodded.
"Has Elwood ever told you about what happened to the orphanage?"
Buster shook his head, "No, Father."
The Reverend smiled, "Well they saved it."
"They did?"
"They did. Now they have come and sought redemption here in this church. Yes they sought Redemption in this church and They have seen the light, Buster. They have seen the light."
"See, the orphanage almost closed down and the Blues Brothers saved it. Yes with the power of Christ they finally got the money. They performed with everyone watching them and they had the time of their lives. They truly had it."
"What happened then?" Busters eyes were wide.
"they got sent to prison."
"What!?"
"yes," the Reverend nodded
"But why???"
"Ouh well, they still committed a lot of felonies"
"Ouh."
The priest nodded, "Yes, my child. You see, My Child. You see, Both boys have sinned but who hasn't?"
"No one is free of sin, Buster. No one is. The one who is free from sin should cast the first stone."
"I-I'm not sure I understand, father."
"Buster, Your father and uncle are far from the cleanest apple on the tree but they are pure at heart," The priest looked at the boy, smiling.
"I believe somewhere, Christ knows how much Jake and his brother Elwood have worked for god. He knows how good of a heart those two have and I believe. Yes, I believe that somewhere Jake is wandering around in paradise, waiting. He is waiting for you and Elwood to join him, when the time comes. Amen"
Buster smiled, "Amen." He nodded
During that moment Elwood was finally alone.
He had come to the reverend as soon as he got out of prison the second time. He had told him about Jakes and Curtis’s death. Reverend Cleophus James was a close friend of Curtis, he made church fun even as a child. Even when him and Jake were non-believers and with Jakes and Curtis’s death Elwood just got closer to him than ever. Father James is the guy he would go to, to just talk about everything. He had asked for just a smile room for him to pray and mourn and he so gracefully gave it to him.
Curtis and Jake were both cremated and while Jake also had a grave stone at the Joliet Detention Center Graveyard, his ashes were also given to him to Mother Mary, thankfully. She gave them to Elwood and so James and Elwood built a little memorial place in a small room, in the church.
No one was allowed in there, except Elwood and James.
It was a little selfish but who could blame Elwood, truly? As he vanished into the room he closed the door.
The urns were propped up on a small set of stairs, almost. Flowers like roses and more were placed between, two pictures were hung on the wall. One was of Curtis, it was black and white. He was smiling and he hugged 2 little orphans in a suit and shades, like him. The other was a black and white picture of Jake. He held a microphone and looked as serious as ever.
In front of the urn were 2 candles for each and a pillow. Slowly he knelled in front of the display. He got out his light and put on the 2 candles, He put off his head and rested it besides him.
“Buster asked to come along today,” he started to speak, “I let him, of course but—”
“It was surprising…Sometimes I’m thinking what do you think of me? If I’m doing a good job? Or if I am even fit to be a father,” He put his head down, “You made it look so easy, Curtis.” Tears started to form.
“Every moment with Buster I appreciate more and more what you did with us and the penguin. I feel like I understand you now. I understand how you felt about me and Jake.”
Elwood sniffled a bit, as he wiped his tears away, “God— It just felt like it was yesterday. He is 16 now. 16! Soon he has his Junior Prom. And—”
“and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Silence.
“It’s still hard ya’know. Everyday feels so heavy. I still can’t comprehend you’re both gone. Sometimes I’m asking myself what would have happened if you weren’t, we wee still so young. I feel myself getting older by the day.”
“..”
“Cab is doing good. He has been getting stories of Curtis from the penguin. His wife likes me finally and I am seen as the uncle, I try to tell stories about their grandfather but— it’s hard to remember. Sometimes, I just want to forget. I just want to forget the pain, I want to move on but it feels like I just can’t”
“Everything reminds me of you. It feels awful. Why did you have to go?” Elwood sobbed
“What about our plan?? Why did you go?? Why can’t you just come back???” He sobbed more and more.
After some moment he calmed down, though. He looked up, “Say Jake, How is Paradise? Is it beautiful? are you in Paradise?”
“I hope you are,” Elwood said, smiling, “I hope you watch Buster and I hope you are as proud of him as I am.”
“I think..I think Buster is the best thing that happened to me after your death”
Elwood nodded to himself, “I love him. I love that little wise ass so much. I can’t believe he is almost going to college.”
“You remember Abba? Yea, apparently they made a song in ‘81. Slipping through my fingers all the time”
“I cried to that, man. He is really just slipping through my fingers," he chuckled to himself.
"I didn't lose my spark yet. Me, the band, Cab and Mack still perform. Actually, we have a local club and sometimes we perform for Busters school."
Elwood smiled, "Buster asked us if we could perform for his Prom. I said yes, of course."
The room became silent again, as Elwood let the words linger. He looked at the pictures and sighed.
"I don't think I can continued like I used to anymore, I can barely dance without losing my breath. God, it feels humbling when Buster can dance the moves I showed him better than me. Playing the Harp is also hard but maybe that's because I'm smoking to much now. I'll try to stop."
The words lingered in the room. No one replied, because there was no one to reply to. Elwood sniffed, as tears fell on the floor again.
"I could never tell you how much I love you, guys," Elwood whispered.
He stayed in the room for a few minutes and prayed. After the prayer he put his hat on wiped his eyes and stood up. He swallowed down a ball of saliva and got out of the room. He heard the Amen's of both James and Buster. He whistled to get Busters attention, he nodded and Buster stood up.
They both said their goodbye's and went into the blues mobile again
They spent the rest of their day at home. Sitting on the couch and listening to old records of Jake blues.
After some time Elwood stood up to clean up the dishes from breakfast.
While Buster was on the toilet, a knock was heard on the door.
"Don't Worry I got it," the man said, he held a drying plate in one hand as he walked up to the front door.
The next thing Buster heard was a plate falling to the ground and breaking in pieces. Immediately he sprinted out the room. His eyes widen as he saw a chubbier, smaller man in front of Elwood.
He wore the exact outfit than Elwood. A black suit, with shades, a porkpie hat.
"Hey, Motor head," the man said and in that moment he knew who the man was.
Joliet Jake E. Blues.