Status: Updates Eventually.
It's Been a While
She's a Little Runaway
“Come on!” I complained, turning away from the game. Theater had taken away all the video game skills I’d acquired through high school. This, simply put, meant I sucked.
Bob stared at me questioningly. His face asked several things.
Are you eating right? You look skinny. How’s your job? Steady place to live? No STDs?
“It’s been a while,” he finally said, and Kaitlin agreed.
“The last time I saw you was back when Bob and I were dating,” she added. “It’s so good to see everyone doing so well. You’re an engineer, right Natalie?”
“Well,” Natalie started shyly, pulling away from Mikey. “That’s the title of my degree, but I work the lights and audio for a theater I own not terribly far from here.”
“I’m still at the coffee shop with Gav,” Jill explained when the question was thrown her way. Dominik was balanced on her hip, somewhere in between asleep and awake.
The Dungeons and Dragons game was slowly being abandoned as the dads in the room struggled to set up enough cribs and beds for all the occupants of the house.
I finally saw Bandit, Cherry and Lily clearly. They’d grown substantially since that last time I saw them, but they still seemed to know who I was. The trio was dancing to the soundtrack of the game.
“Are you still working with that troupe?” Bob asked. I could hear the disdain dripping off his words. “I could train you to do what I do, maybe get you a few gigs on a tour.”
“If I wanted to do that, I would’ve gone with you instead of to auditions. There is nothing wrong with acting. If and when I get too old for it, I’ll find something else to do then. You’re okay with Natalie working in a theater, and hell, I’m not the only one making questionable life choices here because Jillian had sex with Frank, and you’re worried that acting isn’t good for me?” I demanded, trying not to curse in front of so many toddlers.
“Natalie owns her theater, so she’s set,” Mikey agreed. “And there’s not technically any law against Jillian and Frank… reproducing.” Jamia looked increasingly disturbed by the conversation, but she must’ve known. “But you should at least have a backup plan.”
“Oh, like you guys did? I don’t think a single one of you finished college, Frank got that stupid scorpion tattoo specifically so he couldn’t get a “real” job, Gerard was going to become a corporate slave, and I am damn good at what I do.” I turned to Natalie and Jillian. “I’m leaving for a bit, I’ll be there for your wedding, Natalie, and Jill, if you ever need me to take Dom off your hands for a bit I’ll let you know how to find me, but right now I’m getting out of here.”
With that, I grabbed Cupcake and my bag, along with the emergency money I’d kept in my nightstand drawer since before I left and left the house, slamming the door behind me. Jersey wasn’t as scary as Chicago at night, and I set off in search of the nearest theater, desperate to find Mama again.
Bob stared at me questioningly. His face asked several things.
Are you eating right? You look skinny. How’s your job? Steady place to live? No STDs?
“It’s been a while,” he finally said, and Kaitlin agreed.
“The last time I saw you was back when Bob and I were dating,” she added. “It’s so good to see everyone doing so well. You’re an engineer, right Natalie?”
“Well,” Natalie started shyly, pulling away from Mikey. “That’s the title of my degree, but I work the lights and audio for a theater I own not terribly far from here.”
“I’m still at the coffee shop with Gav,” Jill explained when the question was thrown her way. Dominik was balanced on her hip, somewhere in between asleep and awake.
The Dungeons and Dragons game was slowly being abandoned as the dads in the room struggled to set up enough cribs and beds for all the occupants of the house.
I finally saw Bandit, Cherry and Lily clearly. They’d grown substantially since that last time I saw them, but they still seemed to know who I was. The trio was dancing to the soundtrack of the game.
“Are you still working with that troupe?” Bob asked. I could hear the disdain dripping off his words. “I could train you to do what I do, maybe get you a few gigs on a tour.”
“If I wanted to do that, I would’ve gone with you instead of to auditions. There is nothing wrong with acting. If and when I get too old for it, I’ll find something else to do then. You’re okay with Natalie working in a theater, and hell, I’m not the only one making questionable life choices here because Jillian had sex with Frank, and you’re worried that acting isn’t good for me?” I demanded, trying not to curse in front of so many toddlers.
“Natalie owns her theater, so she’s set,” Mikey agreed. “And there’s not technically any law against Jillian and Frank… reproducing.” Jamia looked increasingly disturbed by the conversation, but she must’ve known. “But you should at least have a backup plan.”
“Oh, like you guys did? I don’t think a single one of you finished college, Frank got that stupid scorpion tattoo specifically so he couldn’t get a “real” job, Gerard was going to become a corporate slave, and I am damn good at what I do.” I turned to Natalie and Jillian. “I’m leaving for a bit, I’ll be there for your wedding, Natalie, and Jill, if you ever need me to take Dom off your hands for a bit I’ll let you know how to find me, but right now I’m getting out of here.”
With that, I grabbed Cupcake and my bag, along with the emergency money I’d kept in my nightstand drawer since before I left and left the house, slamming the door behind me. Jersey wasn’t as scary as Chicago at night, and I set off in search of the nearest theater, desperate to find Mama again.