Washed up Rockstar

“How long are you going to be there?” Kevin asked through the phone.

“I don’t know, as long as it takes I guess.”

“What about work, Leah?”

I sighed, frustrated. Not at him, but at the fact that I didn’t know these answers myself. “I don’t know. Nothing is figured out yet. I kind of just ran out of there after they told me.”

I sat in the empty parking lot outside of my old high school. I spent so much time ditching class and wanting to get away from this place, but for some reason in my time of distress I found myself wanting to be back here again.

“Listen, I’ll get it figured out and I’ll call you later, okay?” I asked, “Can you just take care of Fox for me?”

“Of course. Let me know if you need anything else.” I waited for him to hang up on the other line before dropping my phone into my lap.

I didn’t know what to do or where to go. I didn’t want to go back home, not yet. I knew my parents were probably confused but I couldn’t be around my dad while I tried to process this. It would just upset him. More than anything I wanted to run to Kira’s and cry together, but she wouldn’t be back from her honeymoon for a few days.

I started my car back up. The Arizona sun was beating down on my car and I knew I couldn’t just sit here forever. I backed out of my parking spot and drove toward the lot exit. I didn’t know where I was going to go. I just started driving.

I drove past old shops that have now gone out of business. Past a diner that had now been turned into a bar. A couple of days ago this place seemed like it hadn’t changed at all and now everything seemed so different all of a sudden.

I was blinded for a second by the sun reflecting off of the ‘Jenny’s’ restaurant sign and smiled to myself as I pulled into the parking lot. At least there were some things would never change.

I parked my car and got out, heading inside the familiar doorway. I half expected to see Marie behind the hostess stand or Garrett waiting tables, but everyone was older now. They were all gone. Instead I was greeted by a young blonde girl. Her nametag read ‘Aimee’ and she has to be around 16 years old. It made me feel really old.

“Is Jenny here?” I asked. Part of me wanted to see her and part of me didn’t.

The hostess smiled and nodded, shuffling back towards the kitchen.

Moments later, Jenny appeared. Her face lit up when she saw me. “Leah!” She exclaimed, holding her arms out for a hug.

I smiled and hugged her, suddenly very aware that I was still in my airport clothes.

“I missed you the other night,” she joked, pulling out of the hug, “Expected to see you at the rehearsal dinner, but I heard John managed to talk you out of coming.”

I laughed. “Yeah, he’s always had a way of doing that, huh?”

“How are you?” She asked.

I shrugged. “I’m fine,” I lied. It was nice seeing her, it felt comforting. I didn’t want to ruin it by bringing up what was really going on.

“Do you want to sit down? Grab something to eat? I can fix something up for you. John picked up a shift today; he should be here any minute now.”

As much as I wanted some of her famous cooking, I really didn’t want to see John after last night. “No, thank you, I have somewhere I need to be,” I lied. “I just wanted to stop by and say hi.”
She smiled. “Well it’s nice to see you. You need to come down here more often.”

I nodded and turned away, making my way towards the door. I once again found myself caught in this feeling where everything seemed exactly the same and yet still so different at the same time.
I pushed the door open, immediately feeling a wave of the heat from outdoors when I stepped out. As I made my way across the blacktop, I watched John’s truck come clunking into the parking lot and pull into a spot in front of me. I guess there would be no avoiding him today.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, jumping out of the front seat and slamming the door behind him. “Don’t you have a flight to catch?” He stepped up to me with his hands crossed in front of his Jenny’s work T-shirt.

I didn’t answer. Instead I bit my lip and looked away, squinting at the sun.

“Leah,” he said, his voice now sounding concerned. “What’s wrong?”

I looked down and shook my head. “Nothing. I was just leaving.” I started walking past him towards my car but stopped when I felt his hand on my arm.

“Leah, wait,” he said, obviously knowing there was something up. How could he still know me that well? “If it’s about last night…”

“It’s not about last night,” I cut him off, turning back to face him. I realized I admitted there was something wrong though. I felt my eyes begin to welt up.

“Leah,” he said softly, “What is wrong?”

I felt tears starting to make their way down my cheeks. There was obviously no way I was going to get out of telling him what’s going on. “It’s my dad,” I swallowed hard, trying to fight back tears. “He has cancer.” The tears were uncontrollable now. Every time I said it out loud, it became more and more real.

“Leah,” he said, in almost a whisper. He stepped forward and engulfed me into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”