by Kailin Gow
Sookie
There was no way I was going to let anything get me down this Satuday for the first performance of The Summer Pact.
The room was packed, and it even filled out to the next room of the XXX Theater and Grill. Dan had pulled strings so some bigwigs from the press were there in the front row.
True to our style and kind of music – a mixture between pop rock, 80s indie alternative, and musical show tunes; we were dressed in normal street clothes, but a little nicer. Unlike the bands of the times like Duran Duran and Boy George; we didn’t wear heavy make up. Dan and John looked like themselves, while Nadine, Meecham, and I wore clean cut girly clothes. Nothing street punk.
The Summer Pact. Clean, fresh, almost sweetly nostalgic.
And we sold out. Which meant there was something to be said about staying true to yourself and not selling out.
“Do you have an agent or a manager?” a man dressed in a suit said, approaching us backstage.
Dan stepped up to meet the man. “Hi, I’m Dan Donovan, how can I help you?”
“This is your band/” the man asked.
“It’s our band,” Dan said. “We’re in this together.”
The man took a good look at all of us and said, “Do you have a manager?”
“I’m acting as one right now,” Dan said.
“Here,” the man handed Dan a business card. “I’m with F & B Records. I like your music. I like how people like your music. And I like your band’s clean cut look. It reminds me the good old days.”
“We’re glad,” Dan said.
“Call me. I would like to invite you all to record a CD for us. We’re looking for new bands, and yours seem to be what we’re looking for.”
With that, the man took off.
We all looked at each other and laughed. “Did that just happened?” Nadine asked.
“Pinch me,” I said.
Nadine did, and I yelped. “It’s real.”
John brought Meecham and Nadine’s coats to them and said, “Now that the crowd has dissipated, let’s try to escape incognito.”
Dan laughed. “We’re not big yet, bro.”
“Just trying to act out the rock band scenario,” John laughed. “Boy that was crazy wild. I finally got to play my air guitar bit in public.”
“Is that all you were in the band for?” Nadine asked.
“That and to get girls,” John said.
Nadine looked annoyed and said, “As if you had a shortage of girls throwing themselves at you before.”
“Speaking of which…” John said. “Why are you so immuned to my charms? You act as though you can’t stand me most of the time.”
“You’re alright-looking,” Nadine shrugged. “But really, I’d prefer a man who isn’t so hung up over himself and think he’s God’s gift to women.”
“You think I’m that conceited?” John asked.
“A flower boy like you,” Nadine said. “You must be.”
“That’s not fair at all,” John said. “Just because I’m a what? Flower boy…whatever that is, you think I’m into myself?”
“Flower boys are pretty boys whom all women find attractive. The boys are so good-looking they are almost dieties. Princes. Animae and boy band handsome,” Nadine recited. “And most of them are really conceited.”
“So just because I look like a flower boy type, I must be really conceited. Generalization much? Stereotyping me even without really knowing me. If you did bother to get to really know me, you’ll find I’m quite a gentleman and a really good guy.” He looked over at Meecham and asked, “Didn’t I help you with your luggage the first time I met you?”
Meecham nodded, giving John and Nadine a drink.
“He really is a decent guy, Nad.”
“So why haven’t you fallen for him?” Nad asked.
Meecham blushed. “I would if I didn’t already have a man I’m interested in.”
Nadine jumped all over Meecham. “Why didn’t you tell me? Who is he? How does he look? What does he do? Is it someone we know? What kind of cologne does he wear? Is he tall?”
“Nadine…” Meecham calmly said, “If you would stop talking, I’ll answer some of your questions. He’s not someone you know. He’s newly single because his fiance broke their engagement. He is tall, blonde, handsome, rugged, well-traveled, brilliant, and exciting.”
“Who is he?” Nadine asked.
“I see him everyday now that I’m doing the work of his partner. He’s my Professor Advisor.”
Nadine dropped her mouth. “But he’s your Professor?”
Meecham looked dreamy. “More than a professor. He bought me lunch the other day. We can talk for hours, and when I asked if he had ever been in any dangerous missions due to some of the secret stuff he does on the side of being a professor, he showed me his scars….”
“Sounds dreamy,” Nadine said. “And hot. I bet he looks like a rock star.”
“Everyone hot looks like a rock star to you, Nad,” Meecham said.
“But did he?” Nadine asked.
“He can, if he didn’t wear a sports coat with his jeans. He’s only in his late 20s, and well. He’s perfect for me.”
“So…who cares if he is your professor,” Nadine said.
Meecham said, “If the university knew there is relationship between a professor and his grad student, well…it’ll have to be kept a secret. So… I think that’s why he hasn’t made more of a move.”
“So forbidden,” Nadine said excitedly. “It’s almost dangerous.”
“You read too many romance novels,” Meecham said.
“Talking of which…” Nadine looked at Dan and then I. “We couldn’t help noticing that you two spend a lot more time with each other than with the rest of us. Something you’d like to tell us?”
Dan and I exchanged guilty looks but quickly recovered when Dan said, “As a matter of fact, I wanted to say something to everyone earlier, but we didn’t have time before tonight’s performance, and I didn’t want it affect all of us in any way.”
I cleared my throat and said, “Dan and I have been dating.”
Nadine broke into a big smile that matched John’s huge grin. They gave each other high fives and she said to him, “I won. I guessed right.”
Meecham didn’t say anything at all, and that made me worried.
Chapter 15
Sookie
“God Sookie,” Meecham said, as the doctor walked out of the examination room after giving us the news. “I knew you didn’t look alright these past few days. It’s not just that you having been sleeping well, sis. It’s that well…you’re pregnant.”
A week had flown quickly by after the performance, and Dan went back to Orange County to run his family’s corporation while Nadine’s mom and stepdad were still on their honeymoon.
“Are you going to tell him?”
“I’m going to,” I said. “It’s his baby, too.”
“Oh Sookie,” Meecham said, “I wished you had listened to me about Dan. He’s such a player, and…”
“No, Dan is serious about me,” I said. “He would accept me and the baby.”
Meecham came over to hold me. “I’m sure he cares for you.” She squeezed my shoulders. “My baby sister…is so young with so much life ahead of you. A career, college…”
“I’m going to have my baby,” I said. “And handle career, college, the band…whatever life throws at me.”
Meecham combed her fingers through my hair the way she always had when we were little, and she tried to comfort me. “You always have me, little sister, no matter what.”
“Thanks,” I said, “And you always have me, too.”
“Hey Sisters,” a familiar female voice sang from the doorway. Nadine.
“John said my parents will be out on their honeymoon for the next month or two. They’re doing an around the world cruise at the moment. So Dan is going to be really busy running his family’s corporation for the next month or two.”
“Nadine
,” Meecham said. “Thanks for the update. Now sit down. We have an update for you as well.”
Nadine took in our serious expression and sat down. Her smile disappeared as she looked worried.
“Sookie has been looking pale and sickly lately because she is now carrying a child,” Meecham said.
“Dan’s child,” I said.
Nadine burst into a great big smile and said, “Oh thank God. I thought you had an incurable disease or something.”
She gave me a hug. “You will be a Donovan. A real part of the family now. And I’ll be your child’s aunt. I secretly always loved your hair color, and wished I had the same hair color. If only my child had that hair color. He or she will be so pretty.”
Nadine went on and on about how she would love to be more than an aunt but a godmother and how she would love to raise the child and take care of the child when Sookie goes off to work, become a great big famous movie star. Then she casually just so happened to let out a bomb of a secret. “Did I mention I slept with John, and we are kinda sleeping with each other. Had been since Vegas, and we just met at the casino, hooked up, and before you knew it, our parents had spontaneously gotten married.”
“So you’ve been intimate with John all this time?” Meecham and I asked.
“Before we became stepsiblings,” Nadine said. “I wanted to tell you two, but I kept getting interrupted and there wasn’t a good time…and now it just seemed too taboo and forbidden when it wasn’t before Mom married his Dad.”
“This is complicated,” I said. “How serious are you two?”
“John and I have been pretending to not be interested in each other so no one would know, but we’re pretty serious,” Nadine said. “I mean we practically are together every other night.”
“Too much information,” Meecham said.
“So…what do we do?” I asked.
“We agree not to freak out about all of this,” Meecham said. “We agree to stick by each other and preserve our secrets even if we go to the grave with them. For better or worse, if Nadine and John ever get married and have kids, we promise we will never tell the kids their parents are stepsiblings. I know it sounds so forbidden. And Sookie, no matter what happens with you and Dan, Nadine and I promise we will help you care and raise your child with you. If you don’t want your child to ever know who his or her father is, we will keep that secret too. And as for me, if I was to ever marry my Professor Jones and have children, you two promise to help take care of my children too if I ever need your help. Agree?”
I shook my head and said, “Agreed.”
Nadine nodded, and we all entwin our pinky fingers and said, “Agreed.”
Meecham finalized our agreement by saying, “There will be no written form of this Summer Pact, so there isn’t any evidence. But each of us will remember our Summer Pact for the rest of our lives.”
Chapter 16
Sookie
Dan was so happy to find out I was pregnant with his child a month later when I told him. By then I was showing a little.
He came over right away to the beach house and held me tight for the longest time. He asked me why I didn’t tell him sooner, and I said I wasn’t sure, but that I wanted to be the one making the decision about raising the child. He kissed me then and said he will always be there for the child. And that he loved me even more since learning I was carrying his child.
“Sookie,” Dan said. “I want to make it official. I want to make a family with you. We’ll get married. We’ll live in Orange County, and we’ll have more children. It’s what I’ve always wanted with the right woman.” He kissed me and entwined his fingers through mine and said, “I am the luckiest man in the world to have found you.”
I waited and waited for him to proposed, but he never talked about marriage again.
I continued working at Horizon, and over the next couple of months, Brent took me aside and said, “Sookie, I see what’s going on. How’s school? How’s everything? How are you able to handle your situation?”
He indicated the now visible growing bump I had.
“I am just taking a couple of classes this semester,” I said. “And everyone at home is taking care of me.”
“How about the father? How is he taking care of you? Are you with him or is he going to just abandon you and the child?”
“He said he would marry me,” I finally said.
“Well, he better make good on that promise,” Brent said. “Because no decent guy would leave a woman in your condition and not take responsibility.”
“He said he would so I believe him,” I said.
“Sookie, men will say whatever just to get a woman in bed. I know because I used to be that kind of man, and now I know how despicable that is. But you…you deserve better. You’re a good person, one of the kindest genuine person I’ve known. You’re rare, and any man worth his salt would cherish having the love of a woman like you.”
“Brent, you are the one who is the nicest most kindest person…”
“Sookie,” Brent said. “Are you even remotely attracted to me? Do you even like me a little?”
He moved closer.
“Sookie, I want to give you the world. I want to take care of you so you don’t have to do everything and exhaust yourself. I want to be everything for you…if you would just give me a chance.”
“Brent…this is…”
“Okay, I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable. That’s the least I want to happen. You’re special to me, and I care very much for you…if you ever need anything, I’ll be there.”
Chapter 17
Dan – December 21, 1988
Sookie is going to get the biggest surprise this Christmas. I have been planning this for months and I wanted it to be just right.
I will propose to her this Christmas. Who cares we are almost like family. I am so in love with this woman I am willing to give up everything for her.
I even told everyone I was going on a business trip to England to meet vendors when I was really going there to pick up a rare vintage ring that belonged to my great great grandmother.
Sookie would love the ring. It is a vibrant garnet encrusted with tiny sea pearls. I am on the first flight I could find. It is on a Pan Am, which I have never taken.
Pan Am Flight 103.
Chapter 18
Sookie
Dan called me and left a message on my recorder saying he is flying to England on a business trip. He said this Christmas will be special, and he will come back with a big surprise. He had been planning for months for it.
When I got home from work and had to sit down to relieve the swelling in my calves, I turned on the television, and could not believe my eyes.
A plane crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Pan Am Flight 103.
My heart froze, and my mind went blank. What plane was it that Dan was flying on? Going to England?
Pan Am 103 today on December 21, 1988.
I called John and asked if that was the plane, and he was silent for a while before shakily and barely saying, “Yes.” Then I heard wailing in the background. “Oh my God! No!”
Nadine and Meecham rushed home and was running towards me. “Turn on the news. Turn on the news.”
I could barely watch. My eyes were clouded with tears.
“No no no no no!” I wailed.
Meecham was holding me, letting me sob into her shoulders as I couldn’t stop crying.
I didn’t know how long I was sobbing or what happened afterwards. All I knew was that I felt frozen, paralyzed. Numb.
Epilogue
Sookie
Days and nights went by for how long I wasn’t sure. They had to feed me by tube for the baby’s sake as I couldn’t force any food down my mouth.
“You have a visitor,” the nurse said, as another one was cleaning me up.
I barely glanced over at who my visitor could be.
Brent walked in, carrying a bouquet of roses and a VHS tape.
�
��Hi Sookie,” he said. He had bags under his eyes. “How are you doing? He sat down next to me. “I want you to know you don’t have to worry about coming in to work. I started my own production company, and I would like for you to come work there when you’re fully recovered. At the same time, I know it’s too soon, but for the sake of the baby, please let me know if I can be here for you. You don’t work for me right now. There’s no boss/employer status to worry about. It’s just me Brent as a guy who has been desperately in love with you since the day I first saw you. If you need a shoulder to lean on, anything, I want to be there for you. But please,” he had tears running down his cheeks, “Don’t waste away like this. Don’t waste away and hurt yourself and the baby. I can’t stand seeing you give up hope. It is killing me to see the woman I love dying because of this. Please please please learn to live again. If not for you. For another life. For your baby’s life. Because there is still that precious life to live for, Sookie. And so much more.” He kissed the top of my head then and said, “I’ll come back again tomorrow and the day after everyday until I see you get better. You will get better, and someday, Sookie, you will see tomorrow will be another wonderful life to live for.”