What Happens on the Cruise

45. Survivor

"Emoni!" Austin exclaimed, swooping in to give the singer a hug. "You're looking really hot in that outfit."

"Austin, don't go flirting if you can't follow through," she replied.

"But that's no fun. Then I can only flirt with Tim."

"I heard that!" Tim called, walking into the practice room.

Austin turned, grinning, and stuck his tongue out at Tim.

"Careful or I'll make you use that," Tim mock threatened.

"Here in public?" Austin asked, raising his eyebrows.

Emoni laughed. "Behave, boys."

***

Emoni's face appeared on the screen. "Hi, Adam! We really miss you, but your brother has been showing off pictures of you with your baby girl. You look so happy, hon. I'm so excited for you! Anyway, I'm going to set this up so you can watch the choreography we're doing. Everybody say hi to Adam!"

The image panned across the members of VoicePlay, the Filharmonic, and Home Free, as well as choreographer Kristin and Adam's substitute Heatbox, who all waved and yelled greetings.

"Okay, I'm going to set this up right here. Aaron is doing your part, obviously. And I'm going to go get in position!"

***

"Hi, Mom," Adam greeted, as he opened the door.

"Hi, sweetie!" She gave him a peck on the cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay."

"Not too overwhelmed?" she asked as she took off her coat.

"Now and again," he admitted.

"You know you can always call me anytime, honey." She handed him her coat.

"I know, Mom. If it gets to be too much, I will." He opened the coat closet and hung her coat inside.

"Where's my darling granddaughter?"

"She's asleep with Ericha. I've been trying to get some laundry done and then I need to run out to the grocery store and the drug store and the library..."

"Let me do the laundry. You go get errands done."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Of course. Is it all in the laundry room?"

"Yes, I've got a load already in the washing machine ready to start," he answered, grabbing the list off the refrigerator. "Keys, keys, keys..."

"Oh, Adam, you haven't sorted these at all!"

"You're supposed to sort them?"

"How in the world did you survive before you married Ericha?" she tutted.

He stuck his head into the laundry room. "Very badly," he answered honestly.

She shook her head and started pulling clothes out of the machine, dropping it into piles. "Go on. I'll handle this."

"Thanks, Mom."

***

"Hi, picking up a prescription," Adam said.

"What's your name?"

"Rupp. Adam Rupp."

"Birthday?"

"April twenty-third, 1982," he answered, dropping his voice low so as not to be overheard.

She typed in the information. "Paxil?"