I have most of the next update written, but I am really dragging. This cold is really kicking my butt, and I'm having a hard time focusing enough to get the words out. I was hoping to finish it up tonight, but as I said, my tail is dragging on the ground. I'm just gonna have to kick the can a bit down the road and apologize for slacking off.

Sorry, folks. All this coughing, sniffling and general malaise just makes me want to go to bed early and hope I can fall asleep quickly.

To hit Royal Road's update word count minimum, here's a section I wrote long ago that never made it into the story:

Grammys

Stepping up to the microphone, Lee spoke.As many times as I've talked to the guy, it always makes me laugh when I hear him.

"When I saw the announcement on campus for tryouts for a new band, I thought it would be a great way to relieve some of the stress of Med School," he said, sounding just like Keanu Reeves in Bill And Ted. "I figured, hey, what the heck,” he said, shrugging. “At the audition, when I first saw Emmy here," he continued, indicating Emmy standing next to him at the podium, "my first thought was 'whoa'."

There was a smattering of laughter from around the audience, but I don't think most people in the crowd were sure if it was O.K. to laugh or not.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Then Emmy picked up her guitar and started into an absolutely killer solo and I was like, 'Whoa!"

Since it was much safer ground to laugh about music than (maybe) race, the laughter was genuine this time.

"I have to say, from that moment I knew that whatever else, I wanted to be in her band. There was no doubt in my mind that with her looks and incredible talent Emmy was going to be a superstar, and I wanted to be there, too."

"I've been playing in front of audiences since I was six years old," Lee continued. "I have never seen anybody wrap a crowd around her little finger the way Emmy can. I've never seen any guitarist who can play the way she can, and very few singers who can change moods and styles the way Emmy can. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is an incredible honor to be working with such an amazing talent."

"Oh, and Jackson's all right, too," he added, only to get an elbow in the ribs from the bassist.

Jackson barged up to the mike and "I love you too, buddy," getting real laughter from the crowd.

Seizing his turn at the microphone, Jackson gave his version of events. "Don't y'all be fooled by his humbleness. Lee is a freakin' genius, and we, as a band, owe a whole lot of our success to his talent. He has shaped us as a band- if you’ve ever wondered why we do some of the things we've become famous for, it’s most likely been Lee’s vision of what we could be. Really, he’s the brains of the family. I guess that makes Emmy the muscle and me the beauty, or something like that,” he said, getting the laughs.

“But seriously, these two are the most talented artists I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Thank you Lee, and thanks, Emmy, for bringing me along for this amazing ride.”

Emmy took her turn, and said “I cannot think of anything to add to what my two brothers (here she reached her arms out and side-hugged both the guys) here have said, except to thank our families and our loved ones for supporting us. Thank you so very, very much.”

The three stepped back and bowed to the applause, then returned to their seats, smiling and waving.