The P.A.

Chapter 16: Riding in a Car With a Boy

Heath was just able to walk down the massive front steps of Five Oaks, Nigel's family home, and out to the car, on his own. MJ had a hand out at the ready to help him if he needed it, but he didn't.

Jane was doing something similar for Charlie as he wobbled down the steps, while, amusingly, both Heath and Charlie were assisting Johnny, who was swaying between them.

All three had "tied one on," as the saying went, tossing back shot after shot of Mr. Cunningham's excellent whiskey in Nigel's memory. It had been an afternoon of reminiscing and watching home movies of Nigel, first with his family as a little boy, then with the boys as one quarter of The Jacks, both on stage and off, singing and cavorting.

They all looked so young, so heartbreakingly young to MJ. She remembered many of the performances, even down to the outfits they were wearing. She had no idea, in many cases, of the drama that had gone on backstage, of how Charlie had been so sick before one performance, or Johnny and Nigel hadn't been speaking because they'd been squabbling over a girl before another.

A lot of hugging and crying happened at the foot of the steps as the three young men said good bye, with promises to try to get together again when Heath was in New York.

Jane and MJ, who had also had quite a bit to drink, though nowhere near what the boys had, hugged each other as well.

"It's been so nice to get to know you," Jane said with a smile. "I hope you have time to come and see us in New York."

"Me, too," MJ said. This was the first time she could remember ever meeting someone in a social setting and liking them, and what's more, having them like her.

Maybe making friends wasn't as hard as she thought it was.

"I'd keep the window rolled down a little on the way back," Jane advised MJ. "You just don't seem like you've had a lot of experience with inebriation," she explained.

"Oh, thanks," MJ said with a laugh. "I actually have, though not in cars," she added. "My dad and uncles can get pretty sloshed at the diner after closing? But then we usually just all walk home, and I have to keep them from singing Greek folk songs too loudly in the street, and make sure they puke in the drains and not on the sidewalk," she told Jane with a grin.

Jane laughed as she nodded.

Maybe MJ could be friends with with this pale, skinny girl with the huge eyes, MJ mused. "I'll look forward to seeing you in New York," MJ said with sincerity as she leaned forward to hug Jane.

Heath and Charlie looked at this action with approval and fondness.

Finally, everyone got in the appropriate cars, and with much waving to the Cunningham family, pulled out into the warm, English summer night.

Per Jane's advice, MJ lowered the window a little, and opened the sun roof a bit, for air flow.

Heath leaned back, eyes closed.

"God, that night air feels marvelous," he murmured.

He groped on the seat between them for MJ's hand, which she obligingly placed in his. He pulled her closer, so he could put his arm around her. She leaned into him, and he turned his head, so he could smell her hair, and tightened his arm around her waist.

"Hey," he said in a pleased voice.

"What?"

"You didn't get all cringey and tighten up and pull away and all that, so that's progress, isn't it?"

MJ shrugged, though she smiled.

"They say alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions," she finally said.