He believes that change starts with a single person, and he plans to be that person. Andre sees the good in everyone and tries to nurture it. If he can’t foster goodwill, he figures brewing the perfect cup of coffee is the next best thing.
Andre sat across from the two morning anchors, his palms a little damp, the stool a touch wobbly, and excitement buzzing inside of him just the same. He understood some of the guys’ reluctance and flat-out hating the attention, but the way Andre saw it this was an opportunity.
The world was so full of dissention and fear, people needed hope. And children more than any other age group. They needed to believe in good, in fairy tales, in possibility, because when they did, they went on to do great and amazing things.
“Going live in five... Four...”
“What the fuck do I say?” Ian whispered. “I’m not cut out for this.”
“Three...”
“Want me to do the talking?” Andre wouldn’t steal what was rightfully Ian’s thing, but neither would he turn down the chance to take the bull by the horns.
“Two...”
“Be my guest.” Ian said.
“One... And go.”
“Good morning, I’m Suzie McWinters,” the perky blonde said to the camera.
“And I’m Leo Crawford.” The well-known black anchor gave his signature grin to the camera. “Today we have the Trinity Hall Princes with us. You may have seen their smooth moves and touching pictures online. These guys have taken social media by storm after helping out at a little girl’s birthday party. Take a look.”
The studio seemed to exhale, and, behind Andre, the second tier of guys shifted.
“Okay, guys, camera’s going to cut back to us, and who am I talking to?” Leo asked.
“Me.” Andre waved.
“Nice, nice brother.”
“Coming back in three, two, one.” The stage hand pointed at Leo and Suzie.
“Guys, let me first say—wow. What a performance.” Leo’s grin was contagious. He exuded the kind of confidence Andre wished he had deep down. “How did you guys get together to do something like this?”
“It was a happy accident, really.” Andre sat up a bit straighter, his gaze locked on Leo’s to keep from looking at the cameras. “Ian’s niece was having a princess-themed birthday.”
“And she’s this little girl?” Leo gestured to a screen.
Delilah and Owen were captured in a picture with their foreheads pressed together, both of them grinning like Cheshire cats.
“Yeah, that’s Delilah. She’s a great kid. I met her before I ever met Ian and the rest of these guys at this physical therapy center. She’s got so much zest for life in her. We just wanted to help make her birthday extra special.”
“I can see that. It looks like we’ve got everyone from Cinderella’s Prince Charming to—is that you?” Leo slapped his leg, laughing.
“Yeah, yeah that’s me.” Andre shook his head and laughed. The costume was reminiscent of the latest movie rendition of The Frog Prince, complete with a green suit and half-cape.
“I love that, man. Love it.”
“Yeah, we had a lot of fun with it, and all we were looking to do was put a smile on these kid’s faces. We had no idea things would get this big.”
“And it’s huge. You guys are everywhere in—what? Five days?”
“Yeah, it’s nuts. We’re getting letters from all over the country and invitations to take the act on the road.”
“You thinking about it?”
“I don’t—”
“I’d be interested to know if the parents of the children knew one of their entertainers was a felon.” Suzie delivered that line with all the chill of a frosty winter morning.
Andre stared at the woman glaring at him.
What the hell?
Who was she talking about?
Even Leo sat there gaping at her like she’d grown another head.
“I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Andre recovered first, pasting on a smile. Wasn’t this supposed to be the fluff, feel good piece of the morning? That was how the news show had pitched it to them.
“Isn’t it true your cousin, Jaxon Wilson, was charged with, what was it?” Suzie pulled a card from her pocket.
“Jaxon isn’t a felon.” Sweat broke out around Andre’s collar. What the ever-loving hell was going on? Yeah, Jaxon had gotten into a spat of trouble years ago, when he was a kid, but he was past that.
“But he was charged with money laundering, wasn’t he?” Suzie’s eyes gleamed.
“What?” Andre was going to be sick. “No. No that’s...”
“Jax? No.” Duke’s automatic rejection echoed Andre’s thoughts.
“Look,” Owen leaned forward, “whatever problems Jaxon had when he was a teenager, he was acquitted. We don’t hold mistakes against people in this country. Jax is a great guy, and he pitched in to help make this little girl’s party a success. That’s what’s really important, and I think that speaks a lot more about Jax’s character than anything he did in error as a kid.”
“Cut to commercial,” the stage hand said.
Andre stared at Owen. Was he hearing him right?
Had the cop just stuck up for Jax?
“Hey, lady, we’re here to talk about kids.” Javier glared at the blonde woman. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but this isn’t cool. Jax lost his job because of this stuff, and you accusing him of shit he didn’t do ain’t helping him.”
“Suzie, what the hell?” Leo whirled on the woman.
“I...just, no one was talking about it.” She glanced from Javier to Leo, and then the stage hand who wasn’t making eye contact with her.
“Guys. I am so sorry about this, will you give us a moment?” Leo planted his hand against Suzie’s back and ushered her off stage.
“What just happened?” Ian asked.
“We got set up is what happened, man.” Javier stood, muttering curses.
“I’m done with this bullshit,” Duke said.
“Yeah, me too. If this is the kind of story they wanted, they could have gone somewhere else for it.” Javier yanked at the microphone attached to his shirt.
“Wow, wow, wow. Wait a minute guys, please?” The stage hand rushed forward. She glanced over her shoulder, then covered her mic. “Look, Suzie’s new. She went way off the rails. This was supposed to be a fluffy, feel good piece. Please, give Leo a chance to make it right?”
“How do you make that right?” Andre asked. “Javier is right. Jax has already lost his job because of this circus, now everyone’s going to think he’s a convict. No, we’re done. Come on, guys.”
“Wait. Hold on, guys.” Ian planted himself between them and the exit. “Think about it. We walk out of here, that bird wins. She gets to paint Jax as a loser and a criminal. All that matters is what she says, not us. Not Jax.”
“So, what? We sit here and let her call our characters into question?” Andre gestured at the stage exit where Leo and Suzie had disappeared.
“Leo’s coming back, just—give him a chance, please?” The woman chewed her lip.
“I don’t know,” Ian shrugged. “Leavin’ just seems like we’re tellin’ everyone what she says is right.”
And staying felt like Andre was betraying Jax.
“Guys? I’m so sorry about that.” Leo approached the stage, alone this time. “The good news? The control room was able to cut off the last bit of what she said.”
“How much went out?” Andre asked.
“I’m not sure, but please, let me try to spin this in a better way?” Leo glanced around at them.
“I want a copy of the whole interview. Uncut.” At least Andre could make sure Jax saw the whole thing. How Owen, of all people, jumped in to defend him.
“Done,” Leo replied.
“Going on air,” the stage hand said.
“Guys, back.” Ian waved them back to their stools.
Andre would never understand people whose sole purpose was bringing others down. Sure, Suzie might argue journalism or getting the truth, but talking about Jax’s past did no one any good. Jax was a good guy whose crimes involved caring too much and doing the right thing for the wrong reason. He was misguided at worst, but deep down, there wasn’t a more loyal, generous person. And Andre would be damned if the world saw his cousin as anything but the kind of man he was. They might not be princes, but they were good people, and Ian was right. Good people had to stand up for what they believed in.