Catwalk

02. You belong among the wildflowers.

Is the first Tuesday morning of July, next day I have to make my first shoot ever. I didn't want to anticipate the situation so that morning I woke up with time enough for made some pancakes. Nice breakfast in fact, because I think everything it takes better with nice food. I'm waiting for Dad and Cohen to come to the kitchen yo spread the news. I'va practique the conversation angain and again since Malcolm's call. Madeleine has help me some of the bad posibilities even if she seem not interesed im anything of the fashion world anymore. In my head this could be only in two ways, normal acceptance or really nasty argument.

"What you have to apologize for?" I know Dad is joking. I can remember that article about him at Alternative Press praising his sense of humor. At his early twenties Josh Lawson was the lider of Survival of Independence, one of the most important indie bands at that moment at US. After a couple of tours he got our mom, and the me and Cohen, then all the problems wich made him ended at as high school musician teacher. However, the best theacher anyone can have.

"I just wanted to talk to you guys." Dad is frowning at me minwhile Cohen appears on the kitchen and start to pour himself a coffee. "Are you pregnant?" my little brother asks thourgth his mug just before my dad kick him on the ankle "You know you can count on us if is something like that." I want them to stop so I'm sitting and starting to serve the pancakes "We aren't going to be one more in the family, and please, Can our sexual lifes be off the table?" I swipe a long drink of coffee and I decide is better to rip it off like a plaster, quick and straight "I'm going to become a model."

There is a dramatic pause, Cohen spit the coffee with a snorted laugh and Dad is looking everywhere like if he wanted to spot the hidden cameras. I'm there staring for one to another and repting my own statement in low voice. "Is not about the pregnancy clearly, is about the drugs now. Who is your contact Bowie? Maybe I need his number." Again I want to punch my brother, but that wouldn't end well for me. "Would you mind yo elaborate this a little bit more, hun?" Dad is using his classroom voice wich is good because it's mean he is being comprensive. I close my eyes for a second and then told my family all the thing since we meet Malcolm and Isabella at the mall. Cohen got a suspicious look to Dad and Dad by his way, looks pensative. Nobody is eating the pancakes execept me and maybe I'll regret about It tomorrow.

After a long and inconfotable silence my Dad is ready to talk. "Did know anything about what compromise means that kind if life?" I already knew he was going to go this way, trying to show us as always that de aren't as grow up as we think. In my training with Mads I already was covering this exit, so I was ready to hit at his soft points "I know it Dad, is like with music. You put your soul on it and even with that is not a garanty to win. However, you always teached us to keep following our dreams, so I think at leats I should take this opportunity as long as I can." I'm kind of proud of my answer but not sure if it was conving enough.

My borther is shooking his head, I know him enough to see he is not showing his opinion about my new dream, instead he is reproaching me my dirty game with dad. You know, this silent siblings code. "Actually, I got a shoot tomorrow. Is just some polaroids and simply photos to start my porfolio. I said yes and it would be very unprofesional from me not to go." I know I'm pushing my luck over here. At that moment I realize how much I want this to be the right way for me. "Dad? It would be amazing if you say yes, but for the record, I want you to know I'm not asking permission here. I just giving you the information. I'm going to do it, with or without your support." My little brother is taking a plate with some pancakes floating in siroup and butter, outing of the kitchen heading to his room he says "Okey if you don't need my support neither my opinion I got better things to do at my room." I can't blame him, I suppose.

Now my Dad and I are face to face, he is looking at the pancakes plate like It contents all the secrets of the universise. I'm waiting for so long that my plate is empty and I don't really have anything more to do at this table. "Ok, I'll trust you. Just one condition, you have to be very open with this. And of course your education comes before anything. Deal?" He tend his hand to me, I don't hold it, insted I'm crossing the table to hug him because I'm so exicted for just a handsake.

I breath deeply after the hug. Tomorrow my new life is going to start. As always, the first thing I want to do is speak to my best friend. So I ring her, and to my surprise I start to hear her phone melody upstairs. "Madeleine?" I call, "At Cohen's room!" She shout and I'm even more amazed..

As I go up steps I can hear Mads sing to the sound of my brother's guitar. He makes a kind of chorus that is so in sync and sounds so good that I doubt it's the first time this scene, they singing together, happens for the first time. Maybe Madeleine has found her new dream in life.