Page 133 - The Jazzsipper Novel

132

THE JAZZ SIPPER

of his pedigree, his life history. I only knew him as the standoffish father and
uptight business lawyer, Vance said. But ever since we announced our
engagement he has been opening up more and more towards me. He is
starting to remind me of Uncle Frank, Vance said. Regina smiled inwardly
knowing how Vance felt about his Uncle Frank and for him to see her father
in that light was major, a milestone she thought.

She began looking out of the airplane window at the crystal blue sky; she
was lost in thought about the first time she heard Miles Davis cut “Milestones”
a jazz composition written by Miles Davis in 1958. She was about 12 years
old, riding home from a dinner party with her father and mother. The dinner
party was at the home of one of her father’s coworkers. Regina and their
daughter, Keri had a nice time together talking about boys and girl stuff. They
talked about what high school would be like and laughed at how tipsy the
grown-ups were getting. On the way home her father had the Miles Davis cut
“Milestones” playing. Regina’s mother asked her father what was playing,
“Milestones” by Mile Davis he said. And her mother just laid back and rested
her head with her eyes closed, she seemed at peace, her father seemed like
he just had the best time of his life. He had just found out that he made partner
in the law firm where he worked. Regina thought it was a fitting song for their
drive home, all the way from uptown New Orleans around the Audubon Zoo
area to where they lived in downtown New Orleans, the Lakeside area. Her
father took the scenic route through the French Quarters. It was nighttime and
summer in New Orleans, the windows were rolled up tight and the air
conditioning was on full blast. The scenic route made the drive very elegant
and memorable. She felt like she was finally becoming a teenager instead of
being a little girl. She was entering high school come fall and that was a