To Caress My Day

Early December finally rolled around, and with it Twig's release party for her first EP. It didn't take long for the location to be identified thanks to her networks. The small dim club was in Soho at the Arts Theater Club, a tightly condensed underground site spotlighted in crimson lighting with a bar, seating, and enough space to squeeze in her band among her short guest lists of family and friends. Managing to keep her grin at bay, Twigs hoisted the microphone to her red pouty lips to begin the first song of the night. There was no transcending stage to stare down upon the people watching her with glasses of liquor in their hands, just a vacant corner of the room where they worked to fit the band in, but she could still identify every single face clearly...even Seth behind his disguise.

Sporting a long blonde wig again underneath a navy blue baseball cap, thick rimmed dorky glasses, a long green sleeved button-up flannel top, denim jeans, and his gray converses, Seth inadvertently resembled an imitation of Garth from Wayne's World. It hadn't been designed that way, it just happened. As odd as he felt he looked to others, he couldn't be too perturbed by what they must think when his girlfriend parted her lips and began to serenade to the tune her band members were orchestrating. His trademark grin began to swell across his face as he sat in a booth with Neon Jungle, who barely showed up to the release party with their hectic agenda. Simone was also there with her future band members, GRL, but they were deliberately seated near the bar at her persistence to thwart them from chattering with Seth and possibly revealing his true identity which Seth appreciated.

Amira nodded her head to the music, a proud smile on her face until she snagged something in the corner of her eye while browsing the band. A few booths away from them sat Twig's mother and her step-father, their eyes glistening with delight with matching beaming smiles as they watched the young girl they raised into the woman she is today serenade the whole club. Aware that Seth had yet to meet her parents, and probably didn't know what they looked like, Amira reached out to distribute a hand on his arm to seize his attention. “Hey, Seth!”

“Huh?” Seth mumbled, not being able to snatch his gaze from his girlfriend to give Amira his focus. Instead he merely tipped his ear in her direction.

Stretching up, Amira whispered in his ear. “That older couple sitting in the booth in the back is Tahliah's parents. I thought you'd want to know just in case you didn't want to make a fool of yourself if they come up and greet you. Or in case you wanted to avoid them altogether.”

Seth felt his heart halt as his brown eyes snapped towards Twig's parents. He could barely make out the detail to them in the red lights, but could see the resemblance between her and her mother. This wasn't how he wanted to meet them, draped as Garth and under a different identity. He wanted to be able to shake their hands and introduce himself by his legitimate name and presentation, not as Grey McCastor...also not his idea. Frantically, he concluded he'd make sure to avoid the older couple as much as he could for now until he came up with a game plan on whether or not his girlfriend would mind him meeting her family tonight, or perhaps sometime in the future. Until then, he would watch the show...then her finishing speech...then her interaction with family and friends.

God, I idolize this woman, Seth reflected to himself as Twigs began to come over to their booth with the three men recruited in her band. GRL came over too with Simone who purposely migrated to conceal Seth as much as she could from her friends. Raising his head, Seth joined eyes with Twigs who couldn't stop herself from smiling at the sight of him. “Hey, everybody! I wanted to thank you all so much for coming and thought I'd introduce the composers behind EP1.”

“Let's hear it!” Jesse whooped, boosting her martini glass in encouragement.

“Amira knows this guys!” Twigs giggled as she shrouded an arm around the shortest member's neck, who was rocking long turquoise and yellow hair for the night. He gave her a side hug as he delivered Amira a thumbs up followed by a wink as affirmation. “His name is C'Yan.”

“Oh, yeah I do.” Amira laughed, giving him a wink herself. “Nice seeing you again, man!”

“You too!” C'Yan addressed. “Still see you're rocking the half bald, half locs look.”

“Hey, what can I say? It never goes out of style.” Amira gloated.

Twigs jumped right on to the second tallest, planting a hand on his arm and grinning up at his face. “And this is L.J, for Little John.”

“Yes, I am a junior.” L.J disclosed before anyone could inquire.

“And last but not least is Tic.” Twigs fastened an arm through his. “He's a producer and A&R for Young Turks label.”

“The guy from the bondage party, right?” Asami quizzed. him, pointing a finger at him as she smirked.

“Okay, that's another story for another time!” Tic chuckled, holding up a hand to interrupt them all from interviewing his motive behind attending such a party.

“We got time if you're willing to share.” Shereen afforded them a seat in their red leather booth.

“Why not?” L.J teased Tic, nudging him towards the left side. “I'm sure they're gonna love your story.”

“Oh alright, fine!” Tic complied, moving forward due to L.J's prodding. “But I swear this will be the last time I rehash this story ever again!”

Everyone scampered aside to congest into the booth to hear Tic's account of the bondage party. As he held everyone enthralled, Seth couldn't keep his eyes from straying over to Twig's parents conversing among the other guests. Earlier, he had been against meeting them dressed the way he was, but now he was the complete opposite. He wanted to meet her parents right now even if he was trimmed up looking like Garth from Wayne's World. There was an explanation as to why he was obscured the way he was and he was confident they'd understand. Besides, when was he ever going to get another shot at meeting her parents? They've been dating a few months and already she's met his entire family, but he hadn't met a single one of hers. If he had to linger until she was ready, he might die from old age! Convinced that no one would detect him withdrawing from the group, Seth gingerly rose from his seat at the end of the booth and began to meander his way to her parents. And he was right, no one detected his departure at all. Almost.

Twigs finally caught on when he was already halfway across the room. Her brown eyes extended in dread as she tried to bolt to her feet and fly off as casually as she could muster to not garner any attention from the other guests. Fast walking over to him, she grasped a hold of Seth's arm and yanked on it. “Seth! What the hell do you think you're doing?!”

Seth hadn't expected her to capture him red-handed, and so he bumbled over his words, not wishing to infuriate her any further than he already had. He was hoping by the time she spotted he was gone he would've enthralled the pants off of her parents by then. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side tonight. “I-I was just gonna...”

“Talk to my parents!?” Twigs hissed at him, dropping her hold on his arms to cross hers over her chest. She was highly disappointed at him for seeking to meet her parents behind her back when he knew full well she wasn't ready for that...sort of. At least not now at her EP1 release party. “Behind my back? Seth, you already know how I feel about that!”

“It's actually Grey McCastor now.” Seth corrected her, looking reprehensible. “My name, I mean.”

“I don't care!” Twigs dismissed. “Stop changing the subject.”

Seth sighed, hoping that would make light of the situation and induce her to laugh. Sinking his hands in the pocket of his pants, he apologized. “You're right, that was fucked up of me to do. I shouldn't be trying to meet your parents yet, especially not with you being okay with it. I just...I don't know, I guess I just wanted to meet someone meaningful in your life besides your girlfriends. You already met mine.”

Now feeling like the bad guy in all this, Twigs lessened up off of him and took his hand in hers. “I know, and I'm sorry that I'm not ready yet to make that step with you tonight..” A light bulb went off in her head then, triggering an idea that would surely turn his frown upside down. “But perhaps I'm ready for you to meet some other people that are also meaningful. Some people Gray McCastor has already met, but not Seth MacFarlane, my boyfriend?”