Ray looked at him troubled. He gave him a paper. Vince read it quickly.

"Tell her to come to my hotel room, Ray," he said, indifferent, letting the paper slip from his hands with apathy.

"Isn't it better to rest? You have days in front of you."

"All I know, Ray, is that I only have today. The other days haven't come yet," he said meditatively.

He sank in the tub for a while. He fell asleep while an empty bottle of alcohol rolled from his hand to the floor. The distinctive knock on the door flickered his eyelids. He tried to lift himself out of the tub, making turtle moves. He wrapped himself in a towel from the waist down and tried to open it.

"Good evening, Vince."

"Hi."

"Can I come in?"

"Drop by."

In front of him a woman very young, dressed provocatively, intense makeup, with blonde well-groomed hair.

"Do you want a drink?" he told her, observing her where she looked around with care. "Do you like it? You must be Noelia."

"Yes, that's me."

"Have a seat. Feel comfortable."

"Thank you. Congratulations on your album. It's really been a blast. Especially the leading song."

"Thanks. It's strange how so many people dance to its rhythm."

"What do you mean?"

"How much a simple song can affect."

"Music is a gift, Vince. Ιt's rare that someone doesn't like it."

He looked at her with a smile on his face. He put down large sips of drink and stretched out on the coffee table enough cocaine dust. "Can I treat you?" he asked her smugly. She nodded negatively.

"You know, I want to write a song that describes exactly what a person will give me. Just what I miss and anyone who hears it feel the same."

"Sort of a... cover-up."

"No. Some kind of light!" he told her with his eyes wide open. "I only have to find this person who will inspire me for something like this."

"I guess you haven't found him or her."

"I'm not sure."

"Maybe I am," she said to him seductively.

"Perhaps. Time will tell."

"You'll have to wait so long?"

"Until I feel it. No earlier, no later."

"You can't rush a little?"

"No. Emotion is never violated, baby. It gives its present when it skips invisible and silent within us. When I hear it, then I know I'm ready to give it shape through my music."

She looked at him carefully, but deep down, she was hesitant about him. She approached him with a lustful look.

Cocaine had already begun to numb and stun him, slowly losing his sense of reality. He was left waif to drift into whatever life gave him at that moment. Noelia kept a discreet distance. She had one more drink and left.

He was left alone again, staring out of sight. To live without understanding; dreaming without feeling. He started crying between his body spasms. He knew something was wrong. Something had gone wrong from what he started. All he wanted was for Noelia not to leave. Without knowing if he really cared about her. He couldn't stand being alone.

In a few minutes, he was visited by another girl. Ray let her in and walked out. He just missed any woman who would spend some time with him. Bought time and expired.

The next day Vince would sing for some time in the neighboring theatre of Toronto as a farewell, and the day after that would begin the tour. The audience was mainly friends from the entertainment industry, producers, journalists and some fans by choice.

Lavinia asked her siblings to accompany her to listen to him before he left. She stood at the edge of the room and participated in the silence of the waiting audience.

Suddenly loud applause spread out and she smiled and applauded. Vince was shining on stage. She wished she could see him. Sweet, strong, handsome, like everything, was in order in his life. Like he wasn't in any trouble. His skillful movement in the dance figures only gave the sense of absolute happiness, with a solid taste of glory.

People would praise him and he would think about the 'next'. That's where it hurt. He was giving it all up on stage like people could hear his inner voice.

As soon as he finished his farewell song, his eyes fell on Lavinia. A calm breath of relief came out of him spontaneously. It was like he saw the sun; like he saw the brightest light in his darkness.

He made a subtle signal to Ray to warn her to come to the theater dressing room. Lavinia obeyed and begged her siblings to wait for her outside. Sweaty rushed in before the audience's applause was over. "Vinnie!" he ran and hugged her.