by Haley Pierce
“I love your car!” says Sasha. “It’s so you!”
Lacey waved her hands at the Civic. “Oh, it’s just what I’m driving while my other one’s in the shop. It’s a…it’s a good one, you’ll see. You can’t always travel in style. I mean, not in Palmera, you kind of take what you can get, right?” Lacey hoped she sounded worldly and world-weary.
“But wasn’t this the car that you always—”
Lacey was spared by Norman’s merciful interruption as he got out of their automobile. “Get back over here, lovely girl!” He stomped his foot and pointed at the ground, but he was grinning. “I’m possessive, but not a creepy psycho,” he called to Lacey, hands cupped around his mouth.
She gave him a courtesy laugh and watched Sasha dash away to him, leaping into his arms and covering his cheeks with kisses. If she hadn’t known Sasha so well, she would have thought it was an act. It was almost like something from a skit. But Sasha didn’t have an ounce of guile in her body. When she was exuberant, it was pure authenticity.
Norman finally put Sasha down and walked over with an outstretched hand. His close-cropped dark hair was going gray and he was wearing a suit that looked so expensive she was almost nervous about getting dust on him. His glasses were stylish black frames with orange streaks in the earpieces. “I have heard so much about you, which isn’t going to surprise anyone who knows how much Sasha here likes to talk. All good things, all good things.”
Lacey shook his hand and Sasha clapped.
“I can’t believe we’re all here!” she said.
“Let’s get in there,” said Norman. “I hear they’ve got a whole crate of Laphroaig with my name on it.” He held up one hand and whispered to Lacey behind it. “It’s as good as they can do here in the states. If you ever get out to Scotland, make sure that you get out to the Laphroaig distilleries. You can give them my card and they’ll set you up.”
“Uh. Okay.” She waited for Norman to give her his card, but he apparently had better things to do, like swatting Sasha on the butt and walking into the restaurant.
When Lacey got inside Norman spoke with the host.
“Isn’t he great?” said Sasha. “He’s going to get us the best table.”
Lacey looked around. Nearly all of the tables were empty. They all looked like the best table to her. The thought of the prices on the menu was putting her on edge. But the host took them through the restaurant to a small curtain that opened onto a room with a large table, already set.
“I took the liberty of calling ahead and getting us a tasting menu,” said Norman. “Owner here’s a big Top Gun fan. Sure, I know it’s thirty years old at this point but the classic still open doors, right baby?” He pulled Sasha’s chair out and sat her down. “Lacey, I only had a small role in the production squad, but it’s still a name I’m allowed to drop.”
“Isn’t he amazing?” said Sasha.
“He is exactly that,” she said. “Amazing.”
“To amazing me!” said Norman, raising a glass. After they had all taken a sip, Sasha patted Lacey on the knee. “So what’s been going on with you? I’ve gotten so out of touch that I don’t know anything about what’s happen to everyone here. Tell me everything. Norman, Lacey is a piano player. Right out of high school—no, they came to her like in her junior year, recruiting, right? —she got accepted to the most prestigious music academy in New York. It didn’t surprise any of us. We all knew that she was going to leave us all in the dust.”
“I think that’s great,” said Norman. “Big fan of music. Really important stuff. But if you really want to add to your bag of tricks, you should come out to Hollywood. Do some screen tests. With your features you could absolutely get some roles. I’ll call some people. They’ll call people. We’ll set it up.”
“I’m pretty busy out here,” said Lacey, swiveling her head between them like a tennis ball player caught in a ferocious volley. “With work and uh…everything.”
“What do you do?” said Norman. “I mean, the music, sure, but what’s your schedule like? Take us through a typical day in the life of Miss Lacey, extraordinary being.”
Lacey fought to keep from rolling her eyes.
“She is the greatest musician I have ever heard,” said Sasha. “I know I keep saying it, but it’s true.”
“How’s the biz treating you? The biz is what we in film call the music business.” Norman spoke with a high word-count, but slowly, as if Lacey was an English as a second language student. “If you need any contacts, let’s just say that I’ve got my ear to the ground and my finger is all over the pulse of the entertainment culture.” He held up one finger, presumably the one that he kept on the pulse of the entertainment culture.
“It’s no big deal,” said Lacey. “I’m just doing some sessions with a few local bands. They bring me in when they need someone who can hit the ground running. I’m out here for now because I’m getting more into performance art. I think that if I can soak up some of the local grit, musically, you know, it’ll probably translate well to my bigger, more urbane stuff once I’m back in the city.” From somewhere up above herself, she watched the lie pop out of her mouth. But the lie was better than saying that when she wasn’t waitressing she spent all of her time cleaning up after a three-year-old.
“Only doing some sessions,” said Sasha with a laugh. “Good thing to know you’re still pathologically modest.”
It’s easy to be modest and stay humble when you don’t have anything thought Lacey.
“I think that it was Salinger who said he was born modest but that it didn’t last,” said Norman.
“It was Twain,” said Lacey automatically. “Mark Twain.”
“Isn’t she amazing?” said Sasha. “It’s not fair. It’s just not, she’s so smart and so talented.”
That’s me thought Lacey. Oh, you bet.
Chapter Four
Abel had a tendency to forget how small Palmera really was. But driving to his parents’ home from the airport reminded him, since it took all of five minutes. The town felt like a big strip mall in need of a coat of paint. It was amazing to him that there were people who would be born in Palmera that month, who would die there, eight or nine decades later. They would spend their entire lives in this town.
The people…whatever he thought of they town, they people were the same as ever, meaning, just as good as ever. One thing he had lost sight of on the road was just how refreshing it was to be with people who were real. No bullshit. Maybe no excitement, either, but you know where everyone stood. Everywhere he went in the bigger cities, everyone wanted something from him, even if it was just a selfie. Sometimes he felt like he had almost completely lost the ability to make small talk, because even small talk felt like it had an agenda with most people.
Here, though, for better or worse, people were as real as it got. The TSA agents at the airport had given him a standing ovation when he walked into the terminal, sure, but they would have done the same thing after a high school football game. However, if he messed up or someone caught him driving under the influence—not that that had ever happened—these also would have been the first people to smack the back of his head and put him in his place.
Or so he had thought. Things may have changed. It felt like everyone looked at him differently as he waited for his bags. People whispered. Fathers timidly approached asking if their sons could have autographs. It took him twenty minutes longer than he had planned to get out of the airport, but it was worth it. Abel ran on ego, and there was no shortage of people willing to boost it for him.
After signing his first big contract, he had bought his parents the biggest house in town. That had been one of the proudest moments of his life. They had worked so hard to give him and Sasha every opportunity, and when he had the chance to pay them back, he had done it immediately, even though they had protested gently.
The house was out on the outskirts in a small-gated community. After getting his car at the airport, he drove towards what was now the fam
ily home.
The town hadn’t changed a bit. It was nothing but tattoo shops and farm stores, locksmiths and palm readers. It probably would have been hard to find a good bowl of soup, but no one could ever say that it was hard to buy fishing tackle or boots in this town, usually in the same store. There were still payphones every few blocks corner, which blew his mind. The thought of making a call from a pay phone seemed like something that only existed in movies where criminals couldn’t afford to be caught talking on their own phones.
After the brief magical mystery tour that was his drive, he left town and was soon approaching his parents’ estate.
He pulled into the driveway—which was about half a mile long, leading out to the estate—and honked the horn a couple of times. He got such a thrill out of seeing the difference between his parents when it came to this house versus their previous home. They spent a lot of time protesting that they could do things for themselves, but little by little they had come to enjoy their new place, and the freedom that Abel’s success had given them.
There were tons of people on the lawn, milling about like ants. He didn’t recognize any of them, but they were all moving with an urgency on their faces that only could have been Sasha’s doing.
This was exactly her style. Everyone in an uproar, everyone talking about her. Luckily, everyone loved her and she managed to be domineering in a way that never made anyone feel raw about it.
Abel grinned when he saw her running across the grass to him. He couldn’t help it. His sister was one of the few people he knew who was truly alive. She didn’t just exist. She didn’t just fight her way through each day to collapse into bed and breathe a sigh of relief that it was all over for twelve hours. She lived and thrived and made the rest of them feel like deadbeats. Sometimes just watching her sit still was exhausting, because she never stopped humming, tapping her fingers, thinking about how wonderful everything was.
“Abel!” Sasha bellowed so loudly that the activity on the ground stopped for a second before everyone got back to work. She jumped into his arms and shouted, “I’m getting married! Oh my God, I can’t wait for you to meet him! You two are going to have so much in common! How was your flight? You did so good in the game! I didn’t watch it but everyone says so!” You’re going to love Norman. Love him!”
Abel doubted that. Sasha liked guys who would do her bidding, and Abel didn’t have much in common with the type.
“How’s things, sis? Good, I take it, for all of your squealing.”
“Better than good. Superlative, I’d say. Exemplary. I’m sure there are more words, but things have never been better. I can’t wait to take you out and show you to everyone again. Oh my God, Lacey is going to crap her pants when she sees you. We had so much fun yesterday, I just couldn’t believe it. I mean, I could, we always have fun, but you know.”
“Wait, what? She’s coming?”
“Of course she’s coming! You think that I’d get married and not have my best friend come out? Did you think I was somehow not going to have her here?”
“I just figured…I don’t know. I figured she might be super busy with the music and all that. I’ve tried to keep track of her, but she kind of vanished. I seriously hadn’t given her a thought until I got here and you said it just now. I’m sure she’s just busy.”
“She might be. She’s a mysterious one. But she’s here. I saw her the other day. I’ve got to tell you, she’s like what you’d get if a riddle married a quiz. And then there was a lot of musical talent that looked like their baby.”
Abel laughed. “You can still turn a phrase. Not a phrase that makes sense, but you know what I mean.” He was calculating inside. He figured Lacey had just come back for the wedding. His heart raced at the thought of her. Still…maybe she hadn’t even thought about seeing him. Maybe she’d be as cold and aloof—or whatever it had been—when she saw him. Well, no matter what, she’d think about it when he was standing in front of her. He’d see to it. After all this time, he’d finally get to confront her about leaving him. And not just leaving him. Ignoring him, which was one of Abel’s deadly sins. To let someone ignore you was to admit that maybe you weren’t that important. He wasn’t a phone you could turn off or a text you could ignore. Not this time.
“What are you thinking about?” she said. “And don’t lie. You’ve got the look.”
“No, it’s just weird,” he said. “I felt like I knew everyone here. Back in school. Makes me wonder if I ever really knew her at all. If you didn’t know her, I mean. I thought you too were so close, and she even managed to shut you out. Why would I have known her?” He heard himself stammering and cursed himself for a fool. He wasn’t a nervous talker unless he was talking about Lacey, apparently. But Sasha was looking thoughtful.
“You know what?” she said. “I’m not even sure where she lives. She didn’t tell me. Good grief, I can’t even remember if I asked. Norman had them bring out a ton of this whiskey that I couldn’t stand. It was like drinking a campfire. Honestly, I couldn’t believe how much he had to say about it.”
I’ll find out where she lives if I want to, thought Abel. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “She probably doesn’t have time for small-town folks like us.”
Sasha folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Uh huh. Mr. Small Town. That’s you. Better go put on your overalls and put some hay in your mouth.”
“You know, I never understood why anyone would do that. But I’ve never forgotten my roots, sis.” He said this in a tone of voice that made sure that they both knew he was joking. “So, tell me about this dream man of yours. Besides his ability to talk about whisky. I’m guessing he’d tell me he’s pretty debonair and I’d think the opposite.”
“It just so happens that Norman is your biggest fan,” she said. “There are times when I almost want to tell him to shut up about you or marry you. We’re going out for drinks tonight. If you want to tag along, just say the word. Might be nice for you to meet the president of the Abel boosters.”
Abel looked at the sky. That sounded like the last thing he needed. He didn’t even like fast talkers, let alone fast talkers who only wanted to talk about him. “I’ll let you know. Not sure what I’m up to yet. I’m going to go say hi to mom and dad and then make the rounds in town and see a few people.”
“See all your old girlfriends, you mean,” said Sasha. “Lord knows there are plenty of those out there. They probably have their noses pressed to the windows, mouths watering for a glimpse of the great man, returned, the boy who made good! I’m so proud of you, Abel. Don’t let me tease you too much.”
Maybe, he thought. Maybe I will go see them all. But only so they’ll tell me about Lacey.
Chapter Five
Lacey was balancing another round of drinks, feeling like she’d been there before. Of course she had. She was starting to feel like she had no memories, no real ones, of a time when she wasn’t punching a clock at Geno’s. The hamster wheel went round and round, and there was no way for her to get off. It had been good, seeing Sasha, but bittersweet and humiliating as well. She’d never been so aware of how little she’d made of herself. She’d thought she’d know how she was going to feel about it, but she hadn’t been prepared for the reality. Norman and Sasha were rich, and they were only going to get richer. They were going to be able to anything they wanted. They would have perfect children who would go to perfect schools and create perfect grandchildren. And Lacey would stay here in this restaurant, serving drinks, trying to make ends meet, waiting for her best days to finally start as her youth ran out.
There was a cheer from the front of the restaurant. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. It was the kind of cheer that only happened in the restaurant when someone scored a touchdown, or when a football player walked in. Even during high school football season, the team got treated like royalty.
“Abel! Get over here! Let us buy you a drink!”
Lacey felt her hands turn into fists. Her whole body tightened, as if every cell
in her system had said “Trouble’s on the way!”
Abel was standing by the door, grinning as if he was in charge of the entire world. Had he always been that big? That handsome? He leaned against the doorway briefly and it was so graceful and inexplicably hot that she wanted to spray herself with a mister. Get a hold of yourself she thought. Lacey caught his eye and felt herself blush. She hoped it was dim enough in there so that he wouldn’t notice.
“Hey you!” said Abel. He was moving towards her in slow motion. Whatever song was on the radio vanished as the white noise in her head started to crackle, drowning out everything but him.
It was like she had stepped into a time machine. All of her old feelings for him rushed back as if there had been no lost time. Not one lost second between then and now No one had ever made her feel like he had. She’d felt dainty, and smart, and he’d told her every moment that she was beautiful. He had said it so much that he had constantly been asking if he was saying it too much. I can’t help it, he had always said, you walk into the room and it pops out of my mouth before I realized I’m even saying anything.
The problem was, now she knew his reputation, and she knew that she had probably been one of many girls who had been hearing that from him back then. And now, good heavens, how would she be able to trust anything he said? This was literally a man for whom money was no object, who had ultimate freedom, and to boot, the body of a God.
Be cool. Be cool.
Abel stopped and shook hands with the men at the tables, gently rejecting their offers of drinks, and made his way over to her. Without asking, he took the tray out of her hand, set it down, and hugged her.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said into the top of her head. “You smell so good.”
Likewise, she thought. You smell like you. I remember it instantly.
“Thanks,” she said. “It’s not easy to smell good after two minutes in this place.”
