Episode 8 (3.2)
October 19, 2008 05:20 PM
* * *
Misha absently flipped the business card over and over in her left hand; her right held her cell phone. She put both down, stood up from her seat at the kitchen table, and began to pace. Her eyes kept trailing back to both as they lay there, taunting her. Finally, she caved and rushed forward to snatch up her phone. Dialing the number, Misha nervously tapped her foot.
A woman’s voice answered, “Hello?”
“Hello, who is this?”
The woman seemed slightly taken aback by Misha’s question. “This is Chyanne Modeling Agency. How may I direct your call.”
Misha responded by hanging up the phone. For a moment she sat there, stunned, before a smile began to creep across her face.
* * *
“Hello?” Molly stared as Isabel placed the phone to her ear and croaked out a hello in response to the male voice on the other side.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t make that out.” Julio’s voice came through the receiver.
Isabel coughed, then repeated, “Hello.” Molly motioned for her to continue, “It’s Isabel, Julio, I was just returning your call.”
“I was just leaving a message for you,” Julio laughed, deeply.
“I was busy before, helping Molly,” Isabel thought of a good excuse for ignoring his initial call. Molly watched her, an eyebrow raised in question, “With her eyebrows!” Isabel realized how stupid that excuse sounded as soon as it rolled out of her mouth. Molly mouthed “WTF” to her, confusion written completely across her face.
“Oh, is that part of your good job?”
“No, we just like to give each other makeup tips in the breakroom,” She hastily recovered. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back sooner, things have been a little hectic lately.” Which was the truth, but as she’d neglected to tell anyone about Allan’s adventures, she received incredulous looks from Molly.
“No, I understand. I’m just happy that you called.”
She couldn’t help but smile, “Really?”
“Yeah, I was thinking about you today a little. Trying to figure out what your favorite restaurant would be.”
“And why would you be trying to find that out?”
“Because I wanted to know what you’re doing Friday night for dinner?”
“Dinner? I don’t think I have plans,” Molly smacked her arm with the book. She mouthed: You don’t have plans. “I mean, I’m free. I’m definitely free. And I don’t really have a preference, you know, with food at least.”
“How about I pick you up at your place around 7pm Friday. You can text me the address.”
Isabel bit her lip, for a moment wondering if she should abandon her family. Then she remembered the text from the night before and her face set. “That sounds good to me.” She needed this, needed to get over Tim. The best way was to get back on the dating wagon.
“I can’t wait to see you.” Julio seemed sincere. “Don’t forget to text me the address.”
“I won’t,” she replied, “er... I have to get back to work though. So it’ll be later.”
“Just make sure you don’t help some other guy find his mother a dress. I’ve assigned you to be my personal gift shopper at Stella’s.”
“I think I could handle that role,” She laughed slightly. Molly beamed at her friend. “I have to get back, my lunch break is almost over. I’ll talk to you later.” He responded with a goodbye of his own and then Isabel flicked her phone shut. She was smiling widely.
* * *
“Here, you go.” Carleen handed Jillian the mug, steam rising from the hot water inside.
“Thank you,” Jillian tore open the tea bag she’d been holding and dipped it into the water. She picked up a small spoon and absently began stirring her drink; Carleen poured herself a cup of coffee and took her place across the table. She absently brushed some of her hair behind her ear.
“You wanted to talk?” Carleen watched her friend, who had been staring down into her tea.
“Yes,” Jillian started, “It’s,” She didn’t really know how to begin and it showed. She’s shown a brave front for her children the last two days, but it was beginning to take a toll on her. She struggled to find the words and in her struggle, the pain showed through. Without meaning to, Jillian began to break down into sobs, tears streaming down her face.
Carleen was up and out of her seat in seconds, rushing to her friend’s side. “Jill? What is it Jill?” She threw her arms around Jillian’s shoulder, pulling her into her body and cradling her head. The other woman struggled to regain control, but the feeling of letting it all out was too intoxicating. She managed to gasp out, “It’s Allan, Carleen.”
* * *
Allan and Jackson sat on the front stoop; Allan stared up at the sky, while Jackson was fixitated with his sneakers. “Uh, sorry about not being able to let you in, dude. Mom and Dad are sorta being rather strict with the visitors rule right now.”
“No, I understand.” Allan smiled at his friend. “It’s cool, I’m not taking it to heart or nothing. So,” He motioned to the house behind them, “They got on your case pretty bad?”
“Uh, that’s putting it lightly. I got reamed out, man. I was lucky that Nicki was there to act like a buffer!”
Allan was going to ask how Nicki was, but thought better of it. “So are you like, grounded or something?”
“Dude, I,” Jackson looked really shaken up, “I might have to move out of the house. Leave the whole frat.”
“What, dude, why?”
“Cause my parents don’t want me around that ‘element’. They said I have a future and this was my warning to get out now.” Jackson shook his head, “Stupid, right? Like they never made mistakes before. But they were saying how I already have things working against me,” Jackson brushed a hand down his arm.
Allan’s eyes raised, “Are you kidding me?”
“Dude, you know my parents aren’t racist! They adopted a kid out of Harlem and raised him like their own. But I guess they have a poi--”
“No way, man! There’s no reason you should be kicked out and there’s no way that you should be getting more punished just cause you’re black.”
“I think they just want me to try focusing on my academics for once.”
“Well, you can do that with the frat. We got study hours. You just used to, uh, skip them.”
“Well, you weren’t there either.” Jackson punched his best friend playfully in the shoulder.
“That’s cause you were always dragging me somewhere.” Allan’s face dropped, “Dude, I don’t want you to leave.”
“Whatever man, let’s not worry about it right now. How about you, you grounded?”
“Nah. That’s not my mom’s way. She’s more worried about my mental state,” Allan tried to play off that comment as a joke. “I guess she knows I’ve got to be afraid about other things.”
“Like what?”
“Like if this gets on my permanant record, I’m fucked Jacks. No way any department is ever going to hide someone with my criminal record.”
* * *
“I didn’t know what to expect when Jason and Alicia pulled up, but I just,” She paused, taking a sip of her tea, “I felt like something terrible had happened.” Jillian had managed to compose herself. Carleen now sat beside her, holding her hand, gently rubbing it. “They told Abby, You know Abigail Diore, owns the shop?” Carleen nodded yes, “They told her to come as well. When we got in the car, Alicia told me how they’d received a call from Allan in jail.”
Carleen managed to keep her surprise in check. “What happened?” She asked in her best calming and reassuring tone.
“There was a raid on their fraternity. A neighbor had reported a loud party and then the cops began interviewing a few people leaving the house. They figured out there was underage drinking going on.” Jillian took another long sip of her tea. “All the house members were arrested for serving minors with alcohol. But Allan complicated matters for himself worse; he apparently assaulted some of his friends while they were in the jail cell.”
Carleen couldn’t hold back this time, “What?! Allan, that’s so unlike him!”
“I never thought he’d be the one to get arrested either,” Jillian added sadly, then reflected, “I never thought any of my children would be.”
“Well, you posted bail and got him home, yes?” Jillian nodded consent. “Well what happens next? Did you find a lawyer to defend him? These are charges that you have to get expunged from his record.”
Jillian was staring down at her tea. “I ... I didn’t know what to do next. I’m trying to be strong for the family, Carleen, but I feel lost.”
“Well, that’s why you have friends,” Carleen smiled. She got up from the table and walked over to the counter. She pulled out a drawer and took out her address book. “We’ll start with a friend and if he can’t represent Allan, we’ll work on finding someone who can.” Jillian smiled greatfully at Carleen, who immediatly threw herself into the new task at hand. For a moment, thoughts of Levy and Tori were the last thing on her mind.
* * *
“So what did he say?” Molly handed off the bag to a customer, while asking Isabel the question.
“He said hello.” Isabel started, then stopped. Molly waited impatiently for her to continue. “I said hello back. He asked how I was doing, I said fine.” Isabel couldn’t help but smile as she teased her friend.
“Oh just skip all that, when is he coming to take you out?”
Isabel pretended that she didn't understand the question, cocking her head to the side. This lasted only a few seconds and she blurted out: “Friday, at 7.” Molly let out a small squeal of happiness and the two embraced briefly. Isabel broke away, jubilance on her face, “He’s going to stop by the house to pick me up.”
“Isabel scored herself a hottie,” Molly beamed.
“There’s just one problem,” Isabel looked contemplatively for a moment.
“What’s that?” Molly looked inquisitively at her friend.
“If he comes to the house, he’s going to have to meet the family.”
“What’s wrong with that? You’re family has always been pretty decent with the guys you’ve dated.”
“Yeah, but Allan and Jason are both home right now.” Isabel felt a little deflated, leaning down on her hands. “You’ve never seen interrogation until you’ve seen those two go after a new date.”
Molly laughed, “What, do they pull good cop, bad cop?”
“You’ve no idea, Moll.”
“Iz, I think you are overreacting a little. You have a first date tomorrow with a hottie who walked into this store and apparently treats his mother like a queen. Instead of worrying about the things that could go wrong, can you for once focus on just how brilliant things are going?”
Isabel bit her lip, “You mean because I have a hot date at the end of this week?” It was evident that her friend’s enthusiasm had begun to wear away at her own doubts.
Molly smiled, “Exactly.”
Posted at 10/19/2008 by beck | Comments? (0)