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and the radio station was giving away a select amount of last-minute tickets to the sold-out show in Jersey City.
    The boys mainly joked around and hung out like real friends until they were called back into the recording station. Splinter and I were allowed back there with them, and once they were announced over the radio waves, they played their song, “Femme Fatale.” After they were done, the radio hosts, L. Tinsley and Big Poppa, asked a lot of different questions about the tour and about the songs they chose for this particular album.
    “What influenced the Femme Fatale character that eventually led to a Top 100 single, ten million copies of your album sold, and a big tour to boot?” L. Tinsley asked, and the boys laughed.
    “You could say Femme Fatale is a woman that combines our worst fears, our insecurities, and even a few of our worst nightmares combined into a character,” Ben explained. “What started out as a way to vent brought out a song, and then an entire album, and now this tour. It’s amazing what you can do when you use your fears for positive means.”
    I smiled proudly at my brother—though, he didn’t see it, focused as he was on the interview, which I understood.
    ““Femme Fatale” has been such a big hit. What’s next? What will Eden Sank do after this tour is over?” Big Poppa asked.
    “Right now we’re all doing a bit of writing and brainstorming. I can’t say whether or not there will be a new album right off the bat, but I can say we will be working behind the scenes,” Ben said.
    “We will be working to find the next best thing,” Rian chimed in.
    “Hopefully I’ll finally marry my girlfriend,” Grayson joked, and we all laughed.
    After a few more questions, they played another song, and we were off the air for at least three minutes. Ben looked over to me with a soft smile, and I smiled back. We took photos with L. Tinsley and Big Poppa for the radio’s social media sites, and once the photos were posted, I had to turn the notifications off on my phone. Every few seconds, the photos I was tagged in were getting likes and comments.
    I could tell my brother was acting as if this was the most natural thing in the world. He wasn’t bothered by the constant notifications or the fact that he was never really left alone. He appeared to enjoy the never-ending attention. All I could think of was a time when he barely wanted to be looked at. Now he was the center of attention, and he was loving it. Was it because he had come out of his shell? He seemed more confident now than he had been the last time I had seen him.
    As the day went on and we went from place to place, I kept bumping into Splinter. Literally. We were always in the other’s way or annoying each other. I could probably rip his head off if he made one more snarky comment, and I think he felt the same about me.
    When it was time for the show to start, we were in our places.
    “You’re really annoying,” he said, standing next to me.
    “I could say the same about you,” I retorted.
    “Yeah, but like, you really don’t care about anyone except yourself.”
    I glanced at him curiously. I didn’t question what he meant. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted to know.
     
    ***
     
    Each opening band blazed through their sets, and when it came time to join Eden Sank for their prayer circle, I felt even closer to my brother than I ever had growing up. I hadn’t thought that was possible. Seeing him in his circle of trust right before his big opening number and being able to witness it made me feel a part of his life again. He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and went rushing off to go on stage with the wild, screaming fans behind barricades. Watching my brother and his friends perform, I was filled with awe. Everyone else was excited—though, they seemed okay with it as if this spectacular performance I had witnessed was nothing more than a mundane turnout or an everyday occurrence.
    Passing each boy