by Kailin Gow
“Hawaii?” I guessed.
“Yes,” Dan said.
“Well, they should’ve just gone right after Las Vegas then,” Nadine said. “Instead they pull all the kids together for this ‘bonding’ time when all they were doing was um ‘bonding’ with themselves.” She looked so awkward at the moment, both Dan and I shook our heads.
Dan said, “I’ve been working on some music…for the band, and thought this one might work. Tell me what you think of it. It’s called The Winter Prince’s Heart.”
He went to the piano in the corner of the living room, sat down, and began playing.
Break down, break me, break up this wall
I have between you and my heart
The one I have built up since I fell apart…
Break down, break me, break up this wall
I have grown thick with frozen ice
That had turned me from human to not nice…
I was the Winter Prince…cold as ice
Immuned to the warmth of love
But with your Summer’s love,
It melted away this wall
Between you and my heart
So now I’m a part
Of this human race…
You made me see my own face
When you…
Break down, break me, break up this wall
I have between you and my heart
The one I have built up since I fell apart…
Since I fell apart….
Dan stopped. Then he looked up from the piano before turning his eyes on mine. He was staring at me with such intensity, I knew he had written the song for me.
Nadine started clapping and I joined in. “Wow, Dan,” I said. “That was beautiful. I loved it.”
Dan’s face, which looked frozen with nerves, relaxed and a large natural grin transformed his face into a happy little boy’s face. It made him look vulnerable, more human, and adorable. I could see what a lost little boy he was when he lost his mother and had to step up to become the strong older brother he was to his little brother John.
“You liked it?” Dan asked, directing his question at me.
I nodded. “I loved it.”
Dan got up and came over to me. “Good, because I’ve been writing and composing all day. I’ve got a bunch of these songs written but not yet tested.”
“We have a piano,” I said. “We have that makeshift stage near the hot tub out back, and we have all the members of the band here tonight.”
“And no mom and dad here to tell us to be quiet or be parental,” Nadine shouted.
“What did I hear?” John’s voice said from the doorway. He was carrying a guitar case in his right hand.
Nadine nearly jumped. “Doesn’t anyone here ever knock?”
“What did I hear about the parents being gone?” John repeated his question.
“You heard right,” Dan said. “They finally took off for their honeymoon instead of having it right here with all of us.”
John’s face broke out into laughter as he saw the look of disgust and awkwardness on Dan’s face. “I take it you heard and saw too much of the parents’ love nest?”
The look on Dan’s face made John laugh again.
Meecham walked in with a bag of groceries. “Nadine, your mom called me and said she’s in Hawaii. She said this place is all ours for the week, but don’t go too crazy.” She placed the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. “So…I got these!” She pulled out some sodas, some fruit, some fish, some chicken. “Let’s barbecue in the back tonight. Put on the hot tub…”
“Play some music,” I said.
“Get the party started,” Nadine said, helping Meecham prepare the food.
“I’ll get the drinks going,” John said, putting down his guitar case and joining Meecham and Nadine in the kitchen.
“I’ll get the barbeque grill going,” Dan said.
“I’ll help clean up the backyard and stage area,” I said, joining Dan outside.
Dan and I began picking up loose branches and other objects around the back before we headed to the barbeque grill. “Let’s see if this thing works,” Dan said, taking off the dusty cover. “Looks like it hasn’t been used in a while.”
He removed the cover completely while I glanced over, ready to see if it needed heavy washing.
“Nadine and her mother are not the barbeque-grilling types. I don’t know why they even have one of these in their backyard,” I said.
Dan whistled and said, “Looks like it hasn’t been touched at all. This grill is brand spanking new.”
It was a beauty too. Shiny stainless steel everywhere. No sign of use.
“Well, that makes my job easier,” I said.
“Much easier,” Dan said. “I’ll just spray this down with soap and water. Then it’ll be good to go.”
“Perfect,” I said, heading off to get a broom. “I’ll tidy up the stage area.”
I had swept the stage clean and cleared the potted plants that Ms. Winters had placed on the stage as their permanent place, when Dan joined me, removing and placing the rest of the plants on the side of the stage.
“Who knew there was a nice big step up stage hidden behind these plants,” Dan said.
“We did,” I said. “For years, Nadine, Meecham and I used this stage to put on our own productions.”
Dan smiled and came over to me. “That must have been a sight to see.”
“It was just us three performing for ourselves, and we would pretend to have a huge crowd like we were on the stage of a Broadway theater.”
“I can see it now,” Dan said. “The three of you…Meecham to your left and Nadine to your right. You’re in the middle.”
“How do you know I was always in the middle?” I asked.
“Because you’re the lead singer, Sookie,” Dan said. “You’re a born star. Your personality, your talent, drive…”
He came close to me until he was looking down into my eyes. “Not to mention…” he said, “your ability to instantly make people love you.”
He was looking at me with that intense desire in his eyes again. I could only stare back as his face came closer to mine until his lips were almost touching mine. I closed my eyes and waited for the kiss to happen.
And then after a second, opened my eyes again.
Dan had moved away and was brushing my cheeks with his thumb, “You have some dirt on your face.”
“Oh,” I looked down, embarrassed. What did I think he was going to do? Kiss me? An experienced and sophisticated well-traveled man like Dan…interested in an inexperienced naïve girl like me?
“Get the grill ready,” Meecham said, coming out with a tray of seasoned hamburger meat, chicken, shish kabobs, and vegetables.
Dan was already at the grill. “It’s ready to go.”
“Here,” Meecham said placing the tray next to the grill. “Do your magic.”
“What magic?” Dan said. “Grilling is an art.”
He put on an apron and a hat, grabbed a long pair of tongs and started singing.
“He is armed with the magical tongs…
He is armored with a cloak of flavor,
He is the one and only legendary hero…
He is the Grill Master!”
Meecham, Nadine, and even John joined in on the chorus while donning the same kind of aprons, a hat, and tongs.
“Grill Master, Grill Master…show me your art!
Grill Master, Grill Master, you’re just an old fart.
Dan raised his tongs and sang from the top of his lungs:
He tames the fire beast,
With its flame, he creates a feast!
He is the Grill Master
He is the Fire Master
Meecham, Nadine, and John join in the chorus:
Grill Master, Grill Master…show me your art!
Grill Master, Grill Master, you’re just an old fart.
Dan used his tongs to turn over the food in the grill, but kept singing:
He turns something raw to
Something delectable
A round ground beef
Or cut up vegetable!
Meecham, Nadine, and John joined in the chorus:
Grill Master, Grill Master show me your art!
Dan turns around to face the grill behind him and work on it.
He turns back to face everyone again, especially the chorus, and sings:
He jabs and he stabs…he turns and he flips…
He is the Grill Master, and he turns food into art!
Dan then turn around again. He turns back towards everyone and sings:
“Grill Master Grill Master
Fire Tamer, Food Conqueror…
He produces a new tray, and it is filled with a beautiful display of freshly grilled hamburger patties and shish kabobs with Teriyaki sauce and chili mayonnaise sauce beautifully and neatly drizzled over them.
The chorus sings:
Grill Master Grill Master…you showed us your art!
Grill Master Grill Master…You cooked with such heart!
As the song ended, Dan placed the tray on the table where I was sitting, and said, “Dinner is served!”
I stood up and clapped.
When Dan came back again with another tray of grilled food, he sat down next to me and asked, “What did you think of that song?”
I giggled, “It was fun. I like seeing this side of you.”
Dan grinned. “What side is that?”
“This carefree fun-loving side. You’re pretty funny too. You wrote that song?”
“Yes, John found it amongst my earlier ones. He must have shown Meecham and Nadine the lyrics while they were in the kitchen prepping.”
“You are definitely hiding your talents behind that preppy stuffed shirt façade of yours,” I said.
“Writing songs and composing is fun,” Dan said. “It’s a great creative outlet for me.”
I took a bite of one of the shish kabobs and said, “Wow, this is good. Delicious.”
Meecham, Nadine, and John came over, taking a bite out of their own shish kabobs.
“This is very good,” Meecham said.
“Yeah,” John said, licking his lips. “You can put this on the menu at The Pit.”
“I didn’t think I would like grilled foods this much,” Nadine said, “but this…I can eat all day.”
“Go ahead and eat,” Dan said to me, while getting up. “Looks like I need to keep grilling. This crowd is hungry.”
He got up and went to the grill.
John and Nadine rushed into the house, while Meecham came over to sit next to me. “Hey sis,” she said. “Is something going on between you two?”
“What?” I asked.
“Dan and you,” she said. “You two seem close.”
“No, nothing’s going on,” I said. “We’re just talking. He’s a very good songwriter and composer. He could do this for a living, but he’s got obligations at his father’s company. He seems to be very good at business too. And everyone seems to really like him and look up to him.”
Meecham nodded. “Seems like he’s good at everything. The whole package. He’s easy on the eyes, too, and very charming. But, Sookie, you’re my little sister. You’re barely out of school, and I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt.”
I turned confused eyes to Meecham and asked, “Why would I get hurt? There’s nothing going on between him and I.”
“Well, according to Nadine and John when we were in the kitchen…Dan is a bit of a player. He’s dated models, actresses, and even some girl rockers.”
My mouth dropped open. Dan was that much of a player? “He doesn’t seem like that,” I said. He seemed so nice and sincere when he was complimenting me.
“Players usually don’t come across like players when they are talking to girls,” Meecham said. “If they do, they wouldn’t be able to get the girl.”
“Oh,” I said, my heart dropping. Dan must be a very good player if he approached all girls like the way he approached me.
“Well,” Meecham said. “We should get along with him. He’s part of our band, and Nadine’s family. Just be wary if he wants more than that.” She gave me more food. “You’re so poised and mature for your age that people forget how young you really are. And innocent. I didn’t expect you to grow up so soon, but here you are…college…a job…”
“Talking about job, Mee,” I remembered. “I got that internship! I start tomorrow.”
“You did!” she leaned in and gave me a strong hug. “I knew you would.”
“How about you?” I asked. “How did your meeting with the professor go?”
Meecham blushed. “It went very well,” she said. “He’s not what I expected. I thought he’ll be this old stodgy stuffed shirt, but he’s funny, nice, interesting, and…an adventurer.”
“Really?” I leaned in closer. “Tell me more.”
“He’s so accomplished for his age. He’s only in his late twenties but he’s already been everywhere, is a professor, and even does projects for the U.S. government.”
“Sounds like some guy you want to date,” I said.
Meecham blushed. “He is handsome. He looks like a movie star. But rugged. He’s so manly. All the students have a crush on him.” Meecham leaned in closer. “He wasn’t supposed to be my advisor, but my advisor was in a car accident and had to take off for sabbatical. Professor Stephen Jones stepped in for her although he is in a different discipline.”
“He seems too good to be true,” I said.
“I know, right?” Meecham said. “I am so lucky to be working closely with him. He usually doesn’t take on graduate students, but since my normal advisor worked with him as partners in his outside work, he felt obligated to take on her grad student. I get to carry on some of her work with Professor Jones. It’s such a great opportunity. I’m not only working on my graduate studies, Sookie, but I’ll get real experience working on some amazing assignments. It’s a dream come true.”
“Oh, Meecham,” I hugged her. “I’m so happy for you!”
“I’m so glad you talked me into moving to California. All this wouldn’t happen if we didn’t.”
“We’re finally going after our dreams!” I said, hugging Meecham again.
Chapter 10
Sookie
“Get up!” Meecham’s voice blast through my sound sleep, filled with Dan singing and dancing with me in a forest of giant grilled asparagus and shish kabobs, while Meecham is shouting warnings in the background. “Don’t fall for the Player. Don’t fall for the Grill Master. Wake up girl. Don’t fall and become one of his string of shish kabobs.”
“What?” I said, wiping my eyes. “Shish kabobs?”
“Sookie,” Meecham said, shaking me awake. “Hurry up and get ready. Your alarm clock didn’t go off. You have less than half an hour to get ready and drive to your work.”
“Oh my God,” I jumped out of bed. “How can my alarm clock not go off?”
“I laid out your clothes,” Meecham said. “Go brush your teeth, get ready.”
I rushed into the bathroom and started brushing my teeth.
“What’s all the commotion?” Nadine called out, sleepily from her bed.
“Sookie’s late for her first day at work,” Meecham said, as I came out of the bathroom, and she handed me a blouse, a pair of navy slacks, and a navy blazer.
I quickly got dressed, while Nadine rushed over with a hairbrush. “How did the alarm not go off?” she cried out. “On such an important day like today?”
She brushed my hair quickly before pinning a diamond hairpin in my hair.
Meecham put on moisturizer on my face, while Nadine applied a peach lipstick and a little bit of peach blush.
“Don’t forget the mascara,” Nadine told Meecham.
“Got it!” Meecham coated my lashes with mascara.
Nadine sprayed on perfume all over my head and clothes.
I coughed as they each grabbed a pointed-toe pair of pumps and put it
on my feet.
“There!” they both said, out of breath. “Our little Sookie looks ready.”
I walked out of the bedroom and was on my way out, when John stopped me and handed me a brown bag. “Lunch and breakfast on the go!”
“Where’s Dan?” I asked. The whole gang got me ready, but Dan, who seemed to be everywhere I was at the beach house and now even in my dreams, was nowhere.
“Hurry,” John said, shoving me out the door.
