A Change in Routine

Author’s Note: This is set many years in the future.

Summary: Seth can’t seem to shake his pre-show jitters until Kaylee surprises him with a call. 

Seth had been performing stand-up to sell out crowds for years now, but every show his nerves threatened to bury him alive like they did during his first gig, and tonight was no different. He’d already performed the first two steps of his not quite patented pre-show jitters busting routine; running through his show in the mirror then listening to the 80’s rock playlist Kaylee had put together for him ages ago. All he had to do now was glance at the worn picture of him and Kaylee on their first date which he kept stashed in his wallet and remember the words she always told him, “I believe in you, Seth. You’ve got this”. It always worked, every single show, without fail.

But tonight was different. Tonight he simply could not get out of his head and shake the illogical thoughts bogging down his mind.

9:47pm, that’s 7:47pm LA time. She’s bound to be asleep already, Seth thinks, staring forlornly at the white block numerals on his cell phone.

This act, with its well honed jokes and witty stories, isn’t the performance he wants to be giving tonight. No, right now he truly longs to be back in LA performing for his toughest crowd yet: an over-tired, incredibly stubborn, but undeniably lovable toddler.

This isn’t the first time he’d had a gig since she was born, nor the first performance he’d given without Kaylee in the audience cheering him on. He’d even joked with Kaylee before he left about how excited he was to finally have some quiet time to himself while on this tour, his first in almost two years.

I shouldn’t be this bothered by being away from them. They’re going to be just fine. But his brain continues to spout worry after worry, each one more ridiculous than the last.

Suddenly, three short bleeps followed by a shrill trilling sound fill the all too quiet dressing room. Seth’s heart skips a beat when he sees the photo of the two most important people in his life staring back at him from his phone screen. He quickly accepts the video call, absentmindedly running a hand through his painstakingly smoothed down hair.

“…patience please, Vivi. I know you don’t understand that word yet, but momma needs you to pretend for just a minute, ok?” Kaylee pleads, her voice barely audible over the banshee-like wails emanating from the distraught little girl snuggled firmly into her shoulder.

“Well what a wonderful surprise! What are my two favorite girls in the whole wide world up to tonight?” Seth asks cheerfully, his eyes narrowing with delight as an ear-to-ear smile forms upon his lips.

The wails stop instantly as the child hastily swivels her head around, her sandy blonde curls bobbing wildly. A deep warmth spreads through Seth as he locks gazes with her, his beautiful baby girl, the spitting image of her mother except for her hair and steel blue eyes.

“Dada! Dada! Shunshine!” She babbles, the horrific ordeal she’d been carrying on about quickly forgotten at the sight of her father.

“Oh, Seth, Thank goodness! You’re daughter here is absolutely refusing to sleep until you sing to her. I tried, but she just yelled ‘no’ at the top of her lungs until I stopped.” Kaylee says with a relieved sigh.

“Well, I don’t exactly blame her for that response,” Seth starts, letting out a snort when Kaylee rolls her eyes in mock annoyance. “But, my little silly-bear, if I sing you must go right to sleep, ok? No more giving your momma a hard time.”He states in a soft, but serious tone.

Vivi nods her head in agreement, eyes gleaming wildly with anticipation, and Seth almost believes her.

He clears his throat theatrically, eliciting giggles from both parties on the other end of the line, before beginning, his surprisingly smooth baritone voice wafting gently through the air waves.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are gray…”

Seth continues, watching contentedly as the toddler slumps back into her mother’s arms, her eyelids growing heavy with every word. He’s just finishing up the last chorus when a sharp knock sounds from his dressing room door and a frazzled intern peaks tentatively around the barely open door.

“Mr. Levine? This is your five minute warning.”

“Thanks!” Seth responds with an understanding nod and wave of his arm.

“Alright Viv, I’ve got to go make some people laugh, but I’ll see you and momma soon, ok? Only three more sleeps and you two will be right here with me. For now, I need you to go to sleep. Can you do that?” Seth’s voice is low and gentle, a soothing melody to his daughter’s ears. He continues when she slowly nods, a yawn overtaking her.“Good. Night-night sweetheart, I love you.”

“Nuh-nigh. Uv ew.”

“Goodnight, Iowa. Call me when you both wake up?”

“Of course,” Kaylee responds, mid yawn herself. “Love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Oh and Seth, I believe in you. You’ve got this,” She says with a smile and then the screen goes black.

I’ve got this, he tells himself, relief finally flooding his system and a newfound energy rushing through his veins. He opens the dressing room door and makes his way to the stage.

Uproarious applause greets him as he saunters out onto the stage, a genuine grin plastered on his face, thinking that after tonight he’ll have to make a slight change to his pre-show ritual.