“Mom, I’m home,” Lucas called out once he and Kevin entered the small cramped apartment. “Have a seat, if you can find one. My mom’s been packing for days, and has boxes all over the furniture.”
Kevin picked up a small box, removed it from the sofa, and sat down. “When are you guys moving?”
“Next week. I’ll be right back. Let me see if she’s in my bedroom packing,” Lucas said, excusing himself. A few seconds later, he came back into the living room. “She’s not here. She must have stepped out. You want something to drink?”
“Sure. What you got?”
Lucas walked into the tiny kitchen adjacent to the living room and opened the fridge. “Let’s see. There’s milk, orange juice, and ginger ale.”
“Can you make me a mix?”
“Man, don’t tell me you like OJ and ginger ale mixed together?”
“Yep, sure do.”
“So do I. It’s the bomb!” Though Kevin was old enough to be Lucas’ dad, he couldn’t believe how much they had in common.
“One mix coming right up.” Lucas mixed them each a glass and returned to the living room. “Here you go,” he said, handing a glass to Kevin.
“Thanks, Man.”
As they were sipping their concoctions, the front door opened, and in walked Peggy Williams, Lucas’s mom.
Kevin stood up, like a true gentleman. “Hi, Mrs. Williams. I hope you don’t mind me coming over unannounced.”
She looked surprised to see him. “No, it’s not a problem, as long as you don’t mind all these boxes.”
“Here, Mom, let me take those,” Lucas said, taking two shopping bags out of her arms, and carrying them into the kitchen.
“So, Mr. Myers, what brings you by?”
“I wanted to talk to you about the video shoot for Lucas’ single before we go into production.”
The phone rang before Kevin could start his spiel. Lucas answered. “Hey, man, what’z up? Hold on a sec.” He put his hand over the phone. “If you don’t need me, I’ma take this call in my bedroom.”
“No, Lucas, go right ahead,” Kevin said. Once Lucas had left, Kevin started up the conversation. “The reason why I’m here is to ask if Lucas can take a few days off of school and shoot his video? He told me that he’s starting a new school, and I thought this would be the perfect time to shoot the video. That way he wouldn’t have to miss any days once he started at Walburton.”
Peggy looked skeptical. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Mr. Myers.”
“Please, call me Kevin.”
“Kevin, my late husband, believed in education, as do I. And I don’t want to send Lucas the wrong message by letting him skip school whenever he feels like it.”
“Mrs. Williams…”
“You can call me Peggy.”
“Okay, Peggy, this isn’t a lame excuse for Lucas to stay out of school. This is work-related. His record and video need to be released at the same time, in order to maximize exposure. We’re almost finished recording, and need to start on the video as soon as possible,” he explained.
Peggy nodded her head, as if contemplating what he was saying.
As she sat there without saying a word, Kevin couldn’t help but think how pretty she was. She had short black hair, a cappuccino complexion, was tall and slender, and had a striking resemblance to the actress Thandie Newton. Kevin didn’t know how old she was, but she didn’t look a day over thirty-five; especially in the jeans and tee shirt that she wore.
“I hear what you’re saying, Kevin, but I’ve already scheduled Lucas’ enrollment date.”
“Since it is a private school, maybe you could call and reschedule. Lucas is such a pro that the shoot shouldn’t take any longer than a couple of days.”
Hearing accolades about her son softened her resolve. “It’s okay, if you’re sure it won’t take any longer than three days.”
“I promise.” Kevin stood to leave. “Thanks so much for your cooperation, Peggy. Trust me; I only want what’s best for Lucas, just like you do.” He smiled.
“I appreciate that, Kevin. Lucas really looks up to you. As you know, his dad died when Lucas was a baby, so he never knew his father. I’m so glad that he has a positive male role model in you,” she said sincerely.
Kevin smiled. “Thanks, Peggy. That means a lot. I’ll talk with you soon,” he said and left.
Peggy walked back to Lucas’ room and opened the door. “What do you want for dinner?”
“Hold on, man,” Lucas told his friend Devin. “I don’t care, Mom. Whatever you fix. I’ll be off the phone in a few.”
“Okay,” she said and closed his door.
“Man, looks like we’re going to start shooting my video soon,” Lucas said. Even though he was on the phone, he had been standing by the bedroom door and had heard every word that Kevin and his mom had spoken. “Kevin came out tonight to ask my moms if I can take a few days off before starting Walburton.”
“Word?”
“Yep, and she said yes.”
“Where you gonna shoot at?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Don’t forget yo’ boy. I wanna come down and watch all them video-hoes shaking their butts.” Devin laughed.
“What makes you think I’ma have a bunch of hoes on the set? My joint is gonna be classy.”
“Whatever, dude. Just make sure I get to meet some of the dancers. Them girls that be on them videos is tight!”
“You such a dawg, Devin. Don’t you already have a girlfriend?”
“So. What’s that’s gotta do wit’ anythang?”
“I thought having a girlfriend meant that you’re committed to being with her,” Lucas said, sounding like an old-fashioned guy.
“Whatever. I ain’t married. Until I say ‘I do,’ I ain’t gonna say, ‘I don’t’ to the honeys. Besides, I’m just lookin’, and what’s the harm in dat? And speaking of lookin’, when you start yo’ new school, I wanna come over and check out them private school babes.”
“Dang, man, what am I? Your personal pimp? You want me to set you up on the shoot, at school, what’s next? You gonna have me making a video of you to post on YouTube?”
“Now that’s not a bad idea.”
“Ain’t gonna happen. You my boy and all, but I swear sometimes we are as different as night and day. I want a steady girlfriend, and you want to screw around with as many chicks as you can.”
“What can I say? I’m a ladies’ man!”
“Devin, you too many things. Look, man, I gotta roll before moms comes back in here. Holla.”
“Holla.”
When Lucas hung up, he had to laugh. Devin was a character, but they were best friends since kindergarten, and though they were different in some respects, Devin was like the brother that Lucas never had. A horny toad of a brother, but a brother nonetheless.