Smoke Rings in the Dark
Chapter 12
They arrived in London and Sergio immediately drove towards Heathrow, the massive airport slightly less familiar than Stansted. "When we take the charter, we fly into Stansted or Manchester", he explained.
Cassandra pointed him towards the British Airways arrival terminal as he parked in the short-term lot. "I just came here last month, this the biggest damn airport", she said in awe.
"Verdad, digo eso tambien. I hope the flight is not late, traffic in London son muy malo", he replied.
They found the gate just as the plane stopped right outside and the tube was attached, the PA announcing its arrival. Twenty minutes later, the doors opened and the passengers started exiting the plane as Cassandra looked eagerly for her brother, much to his amusement.
A tall skinny man in his late thirties with long straight brown hair in a ponytail emerged from the door as Cassandra ran over and hugged him. "I made it here in one piece, Cassie. Now where is your new man so I can give him a warning?", said Shelton Beckett in his Tennesee drawl.
Cassandra led him over to Sergio as the Argentine man extended his hand. "Shelton, this is my boyfriend Sergio Aguero. Sergio, el son mi hermano Shelton Beckett", she said as they shook hands.
"Howdy, Sergio. Reckon you oughtta treat my sister good or else I got a mind to dress you like a deer", said Shelton, a keen look in his hazel eyes.
Sergio nodded in understanding. "Verdad. I say that to anyone who dates me hermanas tambien", he agreed.
"How was the flight?", she asked.
"Long and boring, I got seated next to a fat lady who snored and had big ol' floppy titties and smelled bad, that was the one from JFK. Reckon someone was messin' with me upstairs", he said with a dry laugh.
Sergio tried not to laugh at the image, seeing the skinny man stuck next to a fat, smelly woman. "Is not nice to sy, but that is funny", he said.
"It's funny now that I look back, but it wasn't when I got stuck with her. I'm of a mind to pass out, Cassie", said Shelton, stifling a yawn.
"Verdad, vamos a hotel ahora", replied Sergio.
"I feel a damn sight better now, I needed that", said Shelton as the waiter poured their wine.
"With all the traveling you do, you ought to not get any more jet lag", she teased.
"I travel on a bus and before than in a beat ol' van, Cassie. You don't get jet lag on a damn bus", he joked.
"Your band has a bus?", asked Sergio, glancing up from the menu.
"Yeah, it's cheaper than renting it every time I tour. I only toured Europe once and that was last year, we're fixin' to do another. Don't reckon I had Spanish food before, I've had a crapton of Mexican food", said Shelton.
"Paella is always good, everyone likes that", he suggested.
"All right, I'm not allergic to anything and I'll try anything once", laughed Shelton.
"Verdad", agreed Sergio.
"Sergio, how come you end up in England? Reckon it's a far piece from Argentina", he said.
"Verdad, amigo. I transferred from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and before that I played for Independiente in Argentina", he explained.
"I gotcha, that makes sense", said Shelton.
"You finished mixing the album?", asked Cassandra.
"Yep, we're gonna release it next month and we start our tour after that. We're touring the West Coast and Canada, Tamy is joining us. She's working the sound boards", he said proudly.
"Que bueno, you must be proud of your daughter", exclaimed Sergio.
"Yeah, she's always been interested in the technical part of the music rather than playing. I'm teaching her how to produce and mix, you can make good money doing that. And I reckon not many women go into that part of the music industry", said Shelton.
"Yeah, not many women go into producing", agreed Cassandra.
"Your other daughter hace musica tambien?", asked Sergio.
"Yeah, she's taking guitar lessons and sings real good. I hope that she don't end up doing pop shit, that's too damn easy. She likes Taylor Swift, but I'm hoping she gets into better stuff. She ain't bad to look at but her music is shit, typical Nashville pop country crap", said Shelton dismissively.
"Her early stuff wasn't bad, her new stuff is terrible", said Cassandra.
"My teammates' girlfriends like her stuff, no me gusta", said Sergio with a laugh.
"Yep, all her fans are chicks. Reckon if any fella listens to that, he gotta be playing for the other team", said Shelton dryly.
"How's Granny Flynn?", asked Shelton as the waiter took their orders.
"She's fine, she wants to make a big roast beef when you get back to Manchester", she replied.
"I oughtta get something for your granny, Cassie. Between her and Becky, I am finally going to start getting fat", he laughed.
"Si, tu eres muy flaco, amigo", agreed Sergio.
"Yep, I've always been skinny. But my wife is Cajun and she's always trying to fatten me up, says it ain't right. But no luck so far", he laughed.
Cassandra pointed him towards the British Airways arrival terminal as he parked in the short-term lot. "I just came here last month, this the biggest damn airport", she said in awe.
"Verdad, digo eso tambien. I hope the flight is not late, traffic in London son muy malo", he replied.
They found the gate just as the plane stopped right outside and the tube was attached, the PA announcing its arrival. Twenty minutes later, the doors opened and the passengers started exiting the plane as Cassandra looked eagerly for her brother, much to his amusement.
A tall skinny man in his late thirties with long straight brown hair in a ponytail emerged from the door as Cassandra ran over and hugged him. "I made it here in one piece, Cassie. Now where is your new man so I can give him a warning?", said Shelton Beckett in his Tennesee drawl.
Cassandra led him over to Sergio as the Argentine man extended his hand. "Shelton, this is my boyfriend Sergio Aguero. Sergio, el son mi hermano Shelton Beckett", she said as they shook hands.
"Howdy, Sergio. Reckon you oughtta treat my sister good or else I got a mind to dress you like a deer", said Shelton, a keen look in his hazel eyes.
Sergio nodded in understanding. "Verdad. I say that to anyone who dates me hermanas tambien", he agreed.
"How was the flight?", she asked.
"Long and boring, I got seated next to a fat lady who snored and had big ol' floppy titties and smelled bad, that was the one from JFK. Reckon someone was messin' with me upstairs", he said with a dry laugh.
Sergio tried not to laugh at the image, seeing the skinny man stuck next to a fat, smelly woman. "Is not nice to sy, but that is funny", he said.
"It's funny now that I look back, but it wasn't when I got stuck with her. I'm of a mind to pass out, Cassie", said Shelton, stifling a yawn.
"Verdad, vamos a hotel ahora", replied Sergio.
"I feel a damn sight better now, I needed that", said Shelton as the waiter poured their wine.
"With all the traveling you do, you ought to not get any more jet lag", she teased.
"I travel on a bus and before than in a beat ol' van, Cassie. You don't get jet lag on a damn bus", he joked.
"Your band has a bus?", asked Sergio, glancing up from the menu.
"Yeah, it's cheaper than renting it every time I tour. I only toured Europe once and that was last year, we're fixin' to do another. Don't reckon I had Spanish food before, I've had a crapton of Mexican food", said Shelton.
"Paella is always good, everyone likes that", he suggested.
"All right, I'm not allergic to anything and I'll try anything once", laughed Shelton.
"Verdad", agreed Sergio.
"Sergio, how come you end up in England? Reckon it's a far piece from Argentina", he said.
"Verdad, amigo. I transferred from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and before that I played for Independiente in Argentina", he explained.
"I gotcha, that makes sense", said Shelton.
"You finished mixing the album?", asked Cassandra.
"Yep, we're gonna release it next month and we start our tour after that. We're touring the West Coast and Canada, Tamy is joining us. She's working the sound boards", he said proudly.
"Que bueno, you must be proud of your daughter", exclaimed Sergio.
"Yeah, she's always been interested in the technical part of the music rather than playing. I'm teaching her how to produce and mix, you can make good money doing that. And I reckon not many women go into that part of the music industry", said Shelton.
"Yeah, not many women go into producing", agreed Cassandra.
"Your other daughter hace musica tambien?", asked Sergio.
"Yeah, she's taking guitar lessons and sings real good. I hope that she don't end up doing pop shit, that's too damn easy. She likes Taylor Swift, but I'm hoping she gets into better stuff. She ain't bad to look at but her music is shit, typical Nashville pop country crap", said Shelton dismissively.
"Her early stuff wasn't bad, her new stuff is terrible", said Cassandra.
"My teammates' girlfriends like her stuff, no me gusta", said Sergio with a laugh.
"Yep, all her fans are chicks. Reckon if any fella listens to that, he gotta be playing for the other team", said Shelton dryly.
"How's Granny Flynn?", asked Shelton as the waiter took their orders.
"She's fine, she wants to make a big roast beef when you get back to Manchester", she replied.
"I oughtta get something for your granny, Cassie. Between her and Becky, I am finally going to start getting fat", he laughed.
"Si, tu eres muy flaco, amigo", agreed Sergio.
"Yep, I've always been skinny. But my wife is Cajun and she's always trying to fatten me up, says it ain't right. But no luck so far", he laughed.