Between The Books-Michael Clifford

Fifty Five

"Leo!" I say, running down the steps to his desk. I drop my purse halfway down. "Shit!" I bend down scrambling to pick it up.

I came in the side doors today because I saw the blood sucking petition vulchers out front. The ones that are always grabbing you and giving you their speil about whatever the fuck stupid political thing is going on in the world, and how if they can just get 300 people to sign their oh-so-important petitions, we can change the universe.

"Oh my gosh you have....where's Ronnie?" I ask, lowering my voice and looking around.

"Not sure, haven't seen him for about an hour. Why, what's going on?" Leo says. He's looking frazzled.

"Ok, listen to what Kyle is doing tomorrow! I'm so excited I could....ok, what the hell?!" I say, finally noticing the lobby. "Who are all these people and what are they doing?!" Noticing the growing crowd if people. Shit! This is TOTALLY going to ruin my gossip time with Leo!

I only have to work three hours tonight, I switched shifts with Melanie, so I'm here and hour earlier then usual, but get off at 7:00pm instead of 11:00pm. I have to be sure to get my talk time with Leo before my head explodes! He doesn't know I'm dumping Jax tonight, or about Kyle.

I haven't been able to tell anybody because since I talked to Kyle this morning, everyone has DISAPPEARED! Even Jax is busy! He had two big tests today and after his one in Anthropology this morning, he spent the next three hours studying for his Abnormal Psych test he had after lunch. Then he went to practice, so I haven't seen him all day. He's meeting me tonight after work, at Marcus's.

I'm taking Kyle's advice and telling Jax somewhere we're not alone. He'd really be excited about this Kyle news, but it's just not going to pack the same punch being delivered ten minutes before I break up with him. So I guess sharing Kyle's big plans with Jax are out.

Laney sent me a text while I was snoozing in Bio, saying she was blowing off classes today and going to Marcus's. She said she'd see me tonight at the Newport. Synna was tutoring today so she wasn't around. Michael hasn't answered any of my texts and every call goes straight to voicemail. This is freaking me out but I don't have time to obsess about it because I'm now at my normally dead as fuck work, which is apparently THE PLACE TO BE on this Friday night! Apparent because of the nearly fifty people standing in the lobby, IN LINE for who the fuck knows!

"Go put your purse away and tell Tyler to get out from under the counter. Let's just be ready in case these people want help with something...then you can tell me your news." Leo says, staring at the crowd.

Maybe this has something to do with the petition vulchers?

"Ok." I hurry over to my counter, squeeze through the door-gate thing and throw my purse at Tyler.

Tyler hates his work computer and is always under the it trying to make it run better, pulling wires and adjusting this or that.

"Ouch! What the hell, Star!" He says backing out from under the counter.

"Get out of there, we might have a million people to deal with any second! Stand up and look helpful before Ronnie catches you and fires your ass!" I say, plastering on my fake, helpful smile.

"Who the hell are all of these people?" Tyler says, standing up and seeing the crowd.

"No one knows. They seem to be waiting for someone. A tour maybe?"

"I don't think so, we're always told about tours in advance." Tyler says, staring at the people, fake smiling like me.

"Tyler I have THE BEST NEWS!! I have been waiting to tell someone all..."

"Star!" I hear the familiar voice ring through the lobby.

No. No. No. Not tonight. Not when I have the greatest news about Kyle, finally am going to break up with Jax, and get to be with my guy!

I turn my head to see my Mom and Dad walking across the lobby towards me.

"Uh...Mom, Dad, hi! Why are...surprised, I'm surprised to see you!" I say, truly surprised right out of my mind.

"Hello, Baby! We're here in town just for the night. Didn't you get my text? It was all last minute. Your Mom is giving a speech, filling in for someone who canceled actually, at the Women Supporting Women in Medicine conference." My dad says, smiling.

Is that what this is?

My mom and dad are standing directly in front of me, right at the very worst time. Just when you think things can't get any more bizarre, I can guarantee that's when my parents always show up, adding the crazy ending to an already crazy day.

Soon to be night.

"I saw the text, but today has been crazy and I never got a chance to read it. Is that what all these people are doing here?" I say.

"Yes. Actually I'm sure it is crazy. From what I understand, it was supposed to be in a different place but got moved last minute." My mom says, looking around at the people.

Leo is motioning to me that he can't get Ronnie on the phone.

"Ok. That makes sense. I need to find Ronnie, Mom. He's my boss and he'll need to get on this right away. Can you hang here for a minute?"

"Sure, sure! Go ahead, Baby." She says.

"Tyler, I'll be back, I'm going to find Ronnie." I leave my counter and head up the stairs and look towards the gallery and the small meeting rooms.

I don't see him. Surely he knows about this. Maybe he's in one of the bigger areas getting it set up. Just as I start towards the back, I hear Tyler yell my name.

"It's ok, Star. Ronnie is up front, he's getting everyone together and taking them to the big meeting room upstairs." He says.

Oh good. That means things will die down, Mom and Dad will leave, and I can finally tell Tyler and Leo my news. Tyler and I walk back to the counter.

"We gotta go, Star. Can we see you tomorrow morning before we go back home?" Dad says, giving me a hug.

"Yeah, just call me and I'll meet you."

"Do you want us to come pick you and Laney up? We could get breakfast. Bring Jax and Laney's boyfriend can come too. Sorry can't remember his name!"

Dad likes everybody and includes my friends and boyfriends always in whatever we're doing as a family.

"Oh, uh...we'll meet you. Actually Laney has a new boyfriend...and so do I, but I have to talk to Jax tonight. His mom died suddenly, and I've been kind of waiting to tell him we're over until he was ok, and the funeral was over."

The crowd is moving like a herd of sheep, Ronnie at the head, up the steps towards the elevators.

"Oh! No longer with Jax?" My mom is barely containing herself. She's never liked Jax. He's an athlete in her eyes, and even though his major is International Studies, she sees him forever as just a jock.
I'm sure she'll love my current main squeeze, the guitar player for a band called Lickit. Yep, in my mom's eyes, gotta be a MAJOR step down in boyfriend material.

"Ok, well bring your new guys! Sorry about Jax's mom, though. That's very sad news. Nice of you to be there through the funeral helping support him, Sweetie." Dad says.

"Ok, I'll see if they can come. Thanks, Dad." Mom is waving at me and walking towards the herd.

"See you tomorrow! Wish me luck that I don't die of boredom during this conference." He says, quietly, so Mom doesn't hear.

"I do. I REALLY do, Dad. Love you." I say, smiling.

I love Dad. Mom too, but Dad is so much more laid back. Mom is always "on", being her corporate self.

Dad leaves to catch up with Mom, and the lobby slowly gets back to just Tyler, me and Leo.

Leo is walking over to us holding my coffee and his.

"Get over hear Leo! You gotta hear my news!" I say.

Finally!