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Jacie went to extreme lengths to help a pretty girl struggling with her past. The result was an unexpected twist of fate.

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Battle of the Bangs

Copyright © 2018 Shauna J. Rousseau
All Rights Reserved.
All image originals sourced from Creative Commons.
All movie-related references made in this novel are trademarked by Paramount Pictures, Disney, Universal Pictures, or Marvel. All other characters are completely fictitious and any similarities with actual persons are purely coincidental.

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Author’s Note:

So…

By now everyone knows that this is where the west coast and the east coast merge into one universe. Reading Amadeus Irina is not absolutely necessary to keep up with what is going on, but to be fair, I have to let you know that this was the plan all along. The characters will be occasionally intermingled—more than a simple cross-over, but not enough that you have to follow both stories to understand what is ultimately going on…

HUGS!
Shauna

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Part Eight

 
I look across the conference room table at the very prim and proper blond girl and nearly like choke at what she just said, “Like wait! You’re telling me that you travelled from here to New York City on your own and lived on the streets by yourself for a year? You’re like kidding me, right?”

The other girl, Kim, shakes her head and says, “She’s so not kidding! But, now tell us! What did Uncle Barn like mean by ‘you have a lot in common with Day—but more with her sister’?”

I shrug and say, “I like have no idea! I mean, I like don’t know anything about your sister, Day.”

She shakes her head and says, “Well, like me—well…us, I guess—she’s TG. So, we both have that in common. I’m also still struggling with my decision to transition—something I believe you’re also struggling with. Another commonality between us. I play nearly any stringed instrument and dance classical ballet. Not something we have in common—neither you and I, nor my sister and I. She can sing like an angel? Can you like sing?”

I shrug, “I’m the co-lead singer in a small local band. People seem to like think I can. I’m not so convinced. Then, there’s like the fact that I just had to have emergency surgery on my vocal chords after I was kidnapped and nearly murdered. I didn’t sound like this before—I was more a mezzo-soprano.”

It’s Kim’s turn to choke, “You were kidnapped? By whom? How did you get away?”

I shudder and take a sip of the freshly brewed coffee. I was like surprised when both Day and Kim also opted to have some, since Uncle Barn was out of tea. I sigh and quickly tell them the ‘safe’ version of my last week in Hell.

Kim blanches and Day nods as I finish, “Well, that explains Uncle Barn’s statement. Em, my sister, was held captive by a Mexican drug cartel, hooked on a synthetic designer form of Cocaine, and was being forced into prostitution. If it hadn’t been for Uncle Chuck out there, she would, at the very least be a drug-addicted prostitute, right now—more likely, she would be dead, though.”

I notice Kim like visibly shudder. She looks at me and says a little defiantly, “Em is Day’s sister, but she’s my life. Day and I are best friends—Em is the love of my life, though. I hope that doesn’t freak you out!”

I smile and shake my head, “Why? Like, should it?”

Kim gives me a dangerous look—like she’s going to pounce on me and rip my throat out. She’s certainly a little hot-headed, that one!

What? I didn’t like ask it in a sarcastic way! I like don’t get it either!

Day puts her hand on Kim’s shoulder and it seems to calm her down. Day says, “Well, not everyone understands two girls liking each other—throw in that one is TG, then that just adds fuel to their fire.”

I giggle, “Well, that would like be very hypocritical of me if it did, seeing as how I’m like...errr…very possibly TG and I have a very steady girlfriend. And, no, before you like ask, we hooked up after I became Jacie—well Chrissy, at the time.”

Of course, that leads me to having to tell them that story, although it’s the short version and I leave out the parts with my…issues.

Day giggles when I’m done and says, “So, Jacie is a mix of James and Chrissy? Cute! I guess that’s one more thing we have in common—mixing our boy and girl names. My nickname has always been ‘Day’, but short for Amadeus before—now for Amadea.”

I smile and ask, “So, you like really used to live around here, huh?”

She nods and says, “Yes. Only about 15 miles from here, actually—in a small town called Darling City.”

I gasp.

Kim asks, “What’s wrong, Jacie? Are you OK?”

I nod and say, “I…umm…we live in Darling City!”

Day shakes her head and says, “Wow! I guess that’s another thing we have in common. I think it would be too much of a coincidence if you knew anyone I know…knew…”

I shrug, “Where did you go to school? I don’t like remember an Amadeus… I like think I would…”

She sighs, “I didn’t go to public school—I went to St. James Academy. Father thought it best…”

I say, “Yeah, I know the type… Anyway, I like really only know one person that goes to St. James—John Uptain…”

I look at Day as she slumps into Kim and nearly hurt my throat as I semi-shout, “Day! Are you OK?”

She’s visibly shaken and pale. She finally looks at me and says, “John was my best friend before I… I didn’t have a lot of friends… He was the only one that I really ever thought of as a true one…”

I feel myself pale and say, “John’s in our band, PS2K. He plays…”

Day says, “Bass guitar. There’s no one better. Trust me.”

Kim gives her a double-take, “I need to meet this guy if you say that!”

Day shakes her head, “That would be more than…awkward. I’ve not talked to John, since… Well, since my ‘journey’.”

Kim gives her a hug and I say, “Well, I’ve only known John for a few months, but I can’t see him holding what happened to you against you, Day. I like think he would love to see you and like get a chance to catch up—unless, like you don’t want to…”

She sighs and shakes her head, “No! I would love nothing more than to talk to him. I’ve always felt guilty about not letting him know…”

I nod and pick up my cup of coffee and start to take a sip when she continues with a giggle, “Now, all you need to make this a perfect storm is tell me you know my old next door neighbor, Mitsi Myers!”

I shriek as the hot coffee burns my leg from where the cup shatters after I drop it!

My new ‘Aunt’ Mindy comes rushing into the conference room and demands to know, “What’s going on in here, girls?”

She sees my soaked and steaming jeans and quickly pulls me to the girl’s room to put cold water on my thigh after yanking off my jeans.

After a few minutes, I take off the cold cloth and we survey the damage—only like a slight reddening. Nowhere near like as red as my face!

I put on a dress that Kim gives me from her suitcase, since we’re like the same size…

What? No, I don’t think whatever Day wears even has a size… Do they like make negative number sizes?

Anyway, we all sit down together in the conference room once I’m like presentable again.

The shattered cup is gone and the spilled coffee is cleaned up.

Daddy says, “OK, now can someone tell me what’s going on here?”

I blush and Day and Kim just look at each other. Finally, I sigh and say, “Well, err… It like seems that John Uptain—yes, like our John Uptain of our band was Day’s best friend before she…errr…left San Fran—ummm, well Darling City, to be exact. Anyway, they were best friends. Then I like find out that Mitsi Myers was Day’s next door neighbor!”

I look at Day and say, “Mitsi is like one of my best friends, is in our band, and like her mother is one of my shrinks!”

I like think if Day had a cup of coffee in her hand, there would be a repeat of my incident. As it is, I like am worried that we’re going to have to rush her to the hospital for emergency surgery to fix her jaw—it dropped like really hard and hit the table.

She shakes her head, “I was only kidding when I said that! The odds of all of this are…”

Kim takes her hand and squeezes it, “Day, no one cares about the math, Hon! ‘Astronomical’ will do…”

I like look around the table and see stunned looks like everywhere.

Uncle Barn says, “So, let me get this straight. Jacie, you’re now best friends and in a band with Day’s former best friend and her former neighbor? That’s quite the unusual circumstance!”

Daddy, still looking shocked, says, “Well, it’s settled then! Chuck, Mindy, you and the girls have to stay with us—that way Day can meet with her old friends!”

Day blanches, “Ummm, Mr. Alexander… I, ummm, it was like hard enough for me to even face coming to San Francisco. But, I…I…I don’t know if I can… If I’m ready to meet old friends.”

Daddy says, “Day, you can call me Uncle George. And I think you don’t mean that.”

Uncle Barn says, “Day, George is right. You need to do this. You need to do this just the same as you needed to just come here to face those demons. What’s one more dragon?”

Uncle Chuck nods and Mindy takes her hand and says, “They’re right, Day. Your friends deserve to know that you’re OK, right?”

She looks thoughtful for quite some time, then nods, “Yes, you’re right, Aunt Mindy—as always!”

Suddenly, it hits me! I look at the woman sitting next to Day and say, “You’re the Mindy from her story, aren’t you? You were on the streets, too?”

She blushes and says, “Yes, guilty as charged! It’s not a time I’m proud of—or something I’m proud of! But, I’m glad it happened or I would never have met Day—or my husband, Chuck, here.” She rubs her stomach and looks down at it fondly—at that moment it like hits me that she’s pregnant.

I smile at her with a nod and Uncle Barn says, “Why don’t we all meet up at the Wharf for an early supper? George, do you think Cindy could get over here?”

Daddy nods and says, “I think so. She gets off in an hour. Let me send her a text. But, may I make a slightly different suggestion?”

Uncle Barn shrugs and says, “Sure! What do you have in mind?”

Daddy just says, “Let me make a quick call first.”

He goes out of the room and comes back in after a few minutes smiling. He says, “It’s settled. We have the whole restaurant, given it’s not officially open, yet!”

Uncle Barn looks at him and asks, “Which restaurant, George? You didn’t mention it—and why isn’t it open?”

Daddy smiles and says, “The Greek Goddess! Apollo had crews working on it while everyone was held up in Texas. It passed inspection today, but Apollo isn’t officially opening until tomorrow. He was planning on a soft opening tonight to test everything. He is happy to just have us, though.”

Uncle Barn nods, “The Goddess it is, then! I’ve been wanting to try it forever.”

---

 

 

After our extended and unexpected break, Daddy, Uncle Barn, and I finish up our boring legal stuff, then we meet with Mr. Ford and Uncle Chuck on investigating who is after me—and like why. I think we like are going to have to pull Uncle Chuck off the ceiling when he finds out there is a Mexican connection—he like takes that very personally and promises—no vows—to get to the bottom of it all.

Mr. Ford finds it very interesting that Apollo’s ‘friends’ are involved and Uncle Barn is like intrigued that the Italian Mafia is also somehow connected to all of this. No one ventures any guesses as to how it all fit together, though.

After we wind up the meeting, we all drive over to the Goddess. Momma just pulls up as we like get out of the car and we all go in for the first round of introductions.

We just like get through those, when the band shows up together in the van and Jillie texts me that they are here.

I can tell Day is like extremely nervous. I didn’t let anyone in the band know who the ‘friends’ were that we were meeting with, so this will be like a huge surprise to some of them. I just like hope it’s not too much of a shock.

Rita is coming, too—like, just in case. She like knows but promised to keep it a secret.

I go out to meet the band—Day stays behind—and am like surprised to find them unloading the van.

I wave, “Hi, Guys! Like, we’re not here to play, you know!”

Chris shrugs, “Your Dad texted and said someone named Barn asked if we could bring our equipment—and two extra amps? I don’t argue with the manager!”

I give him a perplexed look and shrug back, “First I’ve like heard of it! Oh well, let me help…”

What? Oh… Yeah Jillie and I share a tonsil-cleaning, foot-popping kiss before I almost break a nail picking up a guitar case.

I am right behind John, who is pushing a cart like fully loaded with amplifiers onto the stage from the rear entrance. I notice Day sitting nervously with Kim at a table in the farthest corner from the stage possible.

John notices them and waves. He looks at me and says, “I assume those are your friends?”

I shrug and say, “Well, they are my new friends, yes. I like think one is better labeled as your friend!”

He gives me a look like I’ve lost my mind. Mitsi comes in and sets down her load and I say, “John, Mitsi, come with me, please. There’s someone that is like dying to talk to you—but very nervous about it.”

What? The direct route seems like the best. You know, like rip that band-aid off!

If I like thought John gave me a funny look before, the one he gives me now eclipses it.

They both shrug and follow me down the stage steps to the main floor, then across the room to the table. I like notice Day shrinking more and more under the table the closer we like get.

We get to the table and I say, “John, Mitsi, I’d like you to meet a new friend, Kim Byers. And I you know this beautiful young lady, Day…”

Once again, I’m like afraid there is going to have to be a special surgery team brought in to fix shattered jaws.

Mitsi screams!

What? I can’t hear you! Yeah, we may like need an ear specialist, too!

Anyway, Mitsi screams, “Day? As in Amadeus! You’re here? And… Look at you!”

She rushes over and gives her a huge hug. Day has a goofy grin on her face and John still has one of like utter and total shock on his.

Mitsi breaks the hug and looks at John, “Like say something, Doofus!”

He shakes his head and says, “I…I…heard on the news that you had been found, but I never expected to see you again, Ira!”

He actually like has to wipe a tear away at the same time Day does.

Day comes over to him and asks very timidly, “Do you mind if I give you a hug? I know you may reject me like…”

John takes her into a fierce hug and like literally lifts her off her feet—not that it’s like any sort of huge feat, she’s so tiny—and John is a pretty big guy.

Suddenly, there’s this semi-cold voice that comes from behind, “What’s going on here? John! Let that tiny little thing go before you break her! She’s turning blue!”

John’s face turns beat-red as he hears Kate’s admonishment and gently lets Day go. He turns to her and says, “Do you remember me talking about my long-lost friend, Ira, that disappeared and then everyone thought was dead—until he showed up in New York alive?”

Kate, now surrounded by the rest of the band…

What? Jillie? Yeah, she’s beside me and holding my hand. Why?

Anyway, Kate shrugs and nods—like clearly not getting where he’s going.

Exasperated—and like totally excited at the same time—John says, “Meet Ira!”

Kate gets a totally dumbfounded look on her face. The rest of the band just like looks completely lost.

Kate sort of mutters in thought, “So… You’re saying this beautiful little pixie is your long-lost best guy friend? Well, it certainly makes sense that you wouldn’t find him looking like this! I’m sorry, Ira, is it? Welcome to—well, back to San Fran, Hon!”

She goes over and gives her a hug.

Day says, “Thanks…?”

I sigh and step and introduce everyone to Day and Kim.

What? Oh yeah, I was just getting to that!

When I have made the round, I look at Day and ask, “So… I’m a little confused? I thought you said you’ve always gone by ‘Day’?”

Day giggles and John blushes. Day says, “Ira was John’s way of digging at me—it was all good-natured but wound up sticking. Irina has always been my middle name. Outside of my family, and the school, of course, he was the only one that knew that. He took to calling me Ira as a sort of private joke.”

She looks at him, “That won’t fly anymore, though, Johnny!”

He looks thoughtful, “I guess not… We’ll just have to go with ‘Rina’, now!”

Day groans and then we all sit down and Day starts catching John and Mitsi up while the rest of us listen. Just as she gets started, Rita comes in and goes straight to Day and gives her the biggest hug, then—after a short introduction of her to Kim—Rita sits with the rest of us to hear Day’s story.

What? Of course, Dite got our drink orders! I even help her get the drinks, since I had already heard the story. While we are getting them, I bring her and Apollo quickly up to speed on what I know while my heart stops racing…

What? It like still creeps me out to walk past the hallway with the restrooms to the kitchen. I like even almost ran into Dite when I jumped at an imaginary shadow.

I mean, it like was imaginary—err…right?

Anyway, we get back to the table just as Day is saying, “So, Uncle Chuck needed to come out here to meet with Uncle Barn. Aunt Mindy wanted to come and so did Kim. All of a sudden, everyone decided it would be good for me to come ‘face my demons’ here—and since my…new…best friend was coming…”

She like lets the sentence drop and hangs her head a little.

Rita grabs her hand and says, “Day, Hon, it’s OK to make new friends! You have a new life and it seems like it’s better than anyone could have dhope for under your circumstances! And I have to say, while I never suspected you to be TG, you certainly have blossomed into quite the young lady! Are you and Kim…?”

Kim giggles and shakes her head, “No, Ma’am! Her adoptive sister and I are, though!”

Rita smiles and says, “Kim, Hon—this goes for you, too, Day—please call me Rita. Everyone in the band does—and we can just consider you groupies, since you’re with them. Besides, I’ve known Day since the day he…she was born!”

She grins and Kim nods, “Yes, Ma’am—err… Is Aunt Rita, OK?”

Rita laughs, “That will be fine, Kim!”

Chris suddenly comes to life and says, “OK, so shall we go party a little? I hate to have set everything up for nothing!”

Everyone in the band like jumps up and goes to the stage. I look back and see Day and Kim sitting there with a slightly disappointed look on their faces while they watch the guys plug in.

I look at the two extra amps and can’t help but wonder why Daddy—well, Uncle Barn—wanted them.

---

 

 

Everyone decides I should sing the first song to test out my voice.

What? Of course, I’m like terrified! I like know I have to take it easy—and I don’t like think that will be a problem, at all.

The guys start out with ‘Chiquatita’ and I barely get a sound out.

They start over after I get a drink of water to like wet my suddenly very dry throat. I find my voice and my confidence grows when there is no screeching or other unsightly sounds that escape my repaired cords—or cringing from the band or audience.

When the song comes to a close, I look around and only see shocked faces like everywhere I look.

After a few seconds of deathly quiet, Kim and Day start clapping enthusiastically—quickly followed by the others on the main floor. Then I find myself in the middle of a huge group hug.

After I like fight my way out, I ask, “So, I guess I sounded OK?”

Barbs says, “Jacie! That was like awesome! When you’re fully healed, you’ll be a force to reckon with!”

I sigh and say, “I don’t know… I still feel like some sort of fraud…”

Rita and Day are there before I know it.

Day says, “Jacie, that was beautiful—and I don’t particularly like disco-era music. Your voice rivals Em’s—and will get better as it heals and matures!”

Rita nods and says, “And what’s this about being a fraud?”

I like hang my head. To my surprise, Kim comes up and says, “Look Jacie, I’ve heard that sad song from Day here, before! You’re no more fraud than she is! Or do you think Day is?”

Rita looks surprised, but just grins—then like looks back at me with an expectant smirk.

What?

Anyway, I let that settle in a second, then shake my head, “No, of course not. But she’s different. I mean look at her. She was like born into this!”

Day breaks down laughing and Kim says, “Girl, we’ll talk more later!”

Rita hugs us and Apollo says, “OK guys, let’s eat and you can play some more afterwards!”

---

 

 

Day sits with John and Mitsi and they’re in an animated conversation during all of dinner. I get Kim to sit next to Jillie and me and we have a good time finding out more about the music school she and Day go to. Jillie and I are like both surprised to find out that Kim is like a very accomplished celloist.

The din is like broken as Aunt Mindy gets up with a shriek and hugs Dite tightly. We all give them a look and Apollo rushes over. They excitedly talk to him and he gets a big grin on his face. When it like becomes clear that everyone wants to know what’s like going on, Aunt Mindy addresses the group, “I thought Aphrodite looked really familiar until I figured out that she’s the spitting image of my newest God daughter, Lexi—albeit, an older spitting image.”

She looks at Uncle Barn and says, “Alexis Stephanopoulos, is Apollo’s second cousin.” He shakes his head and Aunt Mindy continues to the rest of us, “Alexis is the mother my husband’s head administrative assistant, Saula Strider—better known as Sally. She and her daughter, Lexi are very much a part of our extended family back home!”

Kim exclaims, “O!M!G! You’re family to my sis? Really? That’s like so cool!”

That dominates the general discussion for a while as Day just mutters some huge number about the odds of all of these ‘coincidences’.

When Apollo and Dite finally start clearing the tables and our visitors are plying them with culinary accolades, the band members all start towards the stage again. No one like has to say anything—it’s just automatic.

Just as the guys are plugging back in, Uncle Barn stands up and asks, “Guys! That first song was amazing! Do you mind some guest players?”

We all look at each other, not sure what it’s about. Chris says, “Of course not—if they can keep up!”

John laughs and says, “If this is what I think it is, then you’re going to eat those words, Chris!”

I hear Day and Kim gasp as Uncle Chuck comes in from the parking lot carrying two instrument cases.

Uncle Barn winks at them and says, “We can’t have you bored now, can we? I know you didn’t bring any… Just consider these your west coast ones…”

Day and Kim look like kids in a candy store as they both unpack the latest in e-instruments—Day a violin and Kim a cello.

They grin at each other and come up on the stage to plug in to the extra amps.

Chris and John are talking amongst themselves, then whisper to Sam. Finally, they pull Fred into the conversation. All are nodding by the time Day and Kim are plugged in and satisfied the new instruments are tuned.

Chris asks, “OK, girls… Since you’re the guests—what should we start out with? I heard Day say she’s not into disco…”

Kim gets a grin on her face and asks, “Do you only do old stuff? Like not old as in classical—somehow that like doesn’t strike me as your speed!”

Fred shakes his head, “We do the disco stuff as a theme thing for the Goddess. We’re expanding that to some older-time rock and roll. But, we started out playing contemporary stuff and still practice it for requests and for if we ever expand our gigs.”

Kim nods and says, “I’d like to hear Jacie sing ‘This Is Me’—do you guys know that one? It’s from the ‘Greatest Showman’.”

I feel myself pale. Of course, we know the song—and I know the words. But Barbs usually sings lead on that one.

Barbs giggles, “I’d like to hear her sing that one, myself—followed by ‘How Far I’ll Go’.”

Then Jillie stabs me in the back—suddenly it feels like I’m in school and the Cardassians are back! She says, “Yes, followed by ‘Never Be the Same’! She’ll blow Kesha and Camilla out of the water with that voice!”

Day chimes in, “That’s not my usual repertoire and I can’t say I know all of the music. OK if I improvise?”

Chris smirks and John claps him on the back with a funny smile.

John says, “That’ll be fine, Rina. Jacie, we’ll swap out with some songs for Barbs. We don’t want your cords to give out on us. I think Day and Kim maybe can help us with the sound on some of the P!nk songs we’ve been playing with.”

I give him a thankful nod and Fred counts out the beginning of ‘This Is Me’.

I start singing on cue with just Fred on the drums and Sam on the keyboard. When I start feeling the music, Chris and John join in on their guitars. When we get to the part where the song really ramps up, I have to catch my jaw when Day and Kim join in.

Suddenly, there is a richness to the music that is like literally jaw-dropping!

What? Like it is!

I think I hear John snicker behind me when Chris like messes up just a little as they slowly join and ramp up to a power that’s unimaginable—but not like overwhelming the rest of the band.

When I sing the last words and the music slowly fades. There’s stunned silence in the restaurant—then thunderous applause from the small crowd below.

Kim says, “OK, then! That was awesome, Jacie!”

Chris sort of stutters, “Day? That was improvising? You guys feel like moving out here and joining the band?”

John smirks, “Rina’s just getting warmed up—and from what I just heard from Kim, I bet that’s the case for her, too!”

Jillie says, “Weren’t you like listening at supper, Chris? They’re in a string band of their own—‘The Bridge’. I’d love to hear the whole band play!”

Uncle Chuck says from below, “I can arrange that. I have some professional recordings from the school. You guys are great, too! You should consider doing some recordings, yourself!”

Daddy chimes in, “I’ve been thinking that, too. There’s just so much to managing a band that I have no idea about… It’s certainly a different sort of industry to what I’m used to!”

Uncle Barn says, “Well, I think we can work on that. Chuck and I just happen to have some connections to the best music school in the country!”

Day and Kim giggle, then Kim asks with a cheeky grin, “Are we going to talk all night—or are we going to play?” She does this wild piece that I instantly recognize as from ‘Superman versus Batman’.

I like giggle as Chris picks his jaw up from the floor after jumping off the stage after it—like again.

What? For once it’s like not me chasing after escaping body parts!

Fred snorts and counts us in for the next song…

---

 

 

By the time it’s eleven, we’re playing together like we had practiced as a band for years. That’s like more a testament to Day and Kim’s skills, though, than ours—well, besides maybe John. Chris is like convinced they could join in with a tone-deaf Kindergarten band and make them sound awesome.

Chris had to chase his jaw several times—the funniest is when Uncle Chuck challenges him to a guitar duel and blows him away!

What? My voice?

Well… Like all I can say is that I gained more confidence throughout the night—and it never hurt. Like I didn’t really stress it, though—I never really sang out with all my strength. I’m still not convinced I sound good, though.

As I’m helping clean up the tables, Kim comes over and starts helping, too. She says, “Jacie, I can tell that when your voice is at full strength, it’s going to be unparalleled. I like get you don’t believe it, but you’re a natural. You should get it professionally trained. Em, my girlfriend, doesn’t believe her voice is that good either. It is! And getting training has helped her so much!”

Aunt Mindy hears her and chimes in, “She’s right, Jacie! You should think about it!”

I sigh, “Well, first, I like don’t know where I would… And isn’t something like that like expensive?”

Momma overhears us and says, “Is that something you would be interested in, Hon? The cost isn’t an issue!”

I shrug, “I like don’t know, Momma. It’s not something I’ve ever thought about…”

Uncle Chuck comes over and says, “You should! Think about it, I mean—and do it. I think we can help with the logistics, if you decide to do it.”

I sigh, “I’ll like think about it, but… I don’t think I’m worth all that…”

Momma shakes her head and looks at Rita.

What? We like all know that Klingon mask isn’t like going to go away—I still have nightmares about it!

I notice Rita pull Uncle Chuck to the side and they have a whispered conversation.

I like look at Momma, shrug, and go to help load up the van…

---

 

 

I look at Kim and ask, “Are you sure you guys don’t like don’t mind sleeping in here with me?”

Kim giggles, “You don’t have anything Day or my girlfriend doesn’t…” She then thinks about that and says, “Well, I guess you and Day still have your jewels…”

I give her a funny look and she smiles wanly. She sighs, “It’s not my story to tell, Jacie. I hope you get to meet my Em someday—I think you would really like each other. Anyway, to answer your question, no, I have no problem sleeping in the same room—or bed if it came down to it—as you. I would like to talk to you, though…”

I nod, “OK. I’m like still too wired to sleep, anyway. What do you like want to talk about?”

At that moment, Day walks in from the bathroom having finished washing up for the night. We’re all camping out in the family room in the basement. Jillie has been like trying to talk me into having a pajama party with the Circle down here forever…

What? Yeah, like I know… Now, I’m doing it with strangers, first… I like guess I’ll have to give in and talk to Momma about that…

Anyway, I look at Day in a skimpy nighty and shudder. Before Kim can answer my question, I blurt out, “Aren’t you two like freezing? It’s not quite Hoth out there, but it’s like in the forties!”

Kim laughs, “Jacie! You’re a typical California girl, I can tell! Hoth, huh? Isn’t that one of those Star Thingies? You and Em certainly will get along if you ever meet! Anyway, it was snowing when we left New York! Let me guess, you wear a heavy winter coat until it’s in the sixties?”

Day laughs, “Don’t give her a hard time, Kim. I was the same way when I lived here! To answer your question, Jacie, this is really warm for us for this time of year. But, Kim, I too am interested in what it is you want to talk to Jacie about?”

Kim nods and seems to gather up the nerve to ask her question. Then she shrugs and asks, “So, Jacie, who taught you to do your makeup? I’m betting it was Kate?”

I like give her an incredulous look…

What? I thought she wanted to like talk about something important!

I shrug, “Yeah. Kate is like a makeup Goddess…”

Kim nods and says, “I’ll have to talk to that girl. I could tell she has style…”

Kim is quiet for a minute and I can like tell that she hasn’t actually asked her question yet. Then she just like sort of blurts out, “Jacie, are your parents like mentally abusing you?”

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