Mommy Loves the Rockstar

by Shanae Johnson

  “I’ll have what you’re having.” He grabbed himself a bag of chamomile, seeing the tag hanging from her cup. Tearing open the package he dropped his bag in a mug and poured water into it.

  She grabbed her mug of tea and walked around the counter, careful to avoid him this time, as he waited on his tea. She looked at the couch, then at the blankets on the floor. She maneuvered around the room to the couch and settled on it, covering herself in a blanket, cradling her tea in her hands.

  Jett walked over from the counter, setting his cup on the table by the couch, before making himself a small pallet with the blankets on the floor. Before he laid down, he got his cup of tea from near her.

  She took a small sip of the warm drink and looked at him, her eyes full of curiosity. “I know it is the fangirl in me, but I’d love to know more about your time in Boy Tide,” she looked at him hopefully.

  “There is so much to tell. Where would you like me to begin?”

  “The beginning.”

  Chapter Nine

  Jett could hear his name being called. Repeatedly, almost like a chant. It was like old times, touring the world to sold-out audiences who wanted to see him. Everywhere he went women would scream his name and throw themselves at him.

  It wasn’t what he expected when he’d joined Boy Tide. Back then, he was all about the music. Each member of the band had been. They’d all been chosen from gospel choirs. But day by day, song by song, the became a little less praiseful and more pop. More and more their songs turned from the Lord and aimed for the young ladies screaming praise of the boys instead of God.

  If Jett were honest, he’d lost a bit of his soul on the stage. But he wasn’t waking to that empty, hollow feeling of loneliness this morning. He hadn’t felt desolate or isolated for days, not at all this week. There was a fullness budding in his chest and he was eager to add more to it.

  Slowly he opened his eyes. There wasn’t a crowd of young teens screaming his name. There was just one grown woman calling softly to him. Warmth spread through him as she smiled at him.

  Kiara.

  They had chatted for hours about his life as a member of a boy band last night. She’d hung on his every word. That was what had brought back the feelings of isolation, but they hadn’t lasted long.

  Jett had quickly turned the conversation to her and her life. She’d told him about her studies in college. She then spent most of the night talking about the births she’d attended. She had such a passion for what she did that it made Jett jealous. He’d lost that in his career.

  But maybe he’d find it. Just as he’d found this fangirl who was more than met the eye. Kiara may have been a fan, but she’d morphed into a friend in a matter of hours.

  Looking at Kiara now in the bright light of a new day, Jett saw that her eyes were still closed. Her lips were pressed into the peaceful line of sleep. Though he may have dreamed it, she wasn’t the one calling out to him.

  Jett sat up, twisting his body around. He wasn’t in a sold-out arena. He was on the floor of the teacher’s lounge wrapped in a blanket. Yawning he heard his name again and realized it was coming from the hall.

  Standing, he saw Kiara was still fast asleep, bundled in her blanket on the couch. She was stunning to him, even as she slept. Even in the dim light of the teacher’s lounge, her chocolate skin had a glow to it. He caught himself smiling before hearing his name again.

  He jogged to the door and opened it. Right up the hall, Principal Carpenter stood, calling his name. The man turned around at the sound of the door opening. Relief rushed across his features when he caught sight of Jett.

  “I’m glad I found you. How was your night?” The older man was encased in an Eskimo-like parka, snow pants, heavy boots, leather gloves, and a thick cap.

  “A little cold but not terrible,” Jett said rubbing his arms against the cold of the hallways. “Let me wake Kiara.”

  He turned back into the room. Walking over to the couch, he bent to the sleeping beauty. He hated he had to wake her. The way she slept, it was obvious she needed it.

  “Hey, Kiara. Principal Carpenter has saved us.”

  Her eyes fluttered open. He grinned down at her before she yawned. Quickly, she placed her hands over her mouth. He stood and offered her his hand. She took it and stood before stretching.

  “Hi, Kiara.” Principal Carpenter poked his head through the door. “I spoke to your mom last night. I told her I’d try and get to you guys so I could get you home.”

  “Thank you so much,” she yawned at her as she grabbed her things. “Are you ready?” She looked over at Jett who was already gathering his things after zipping his coat.

  They left the teacher’s lounge, walking through the darkened halls of the school in silence. Before long they had reached the front doors of the school, which opened with ease this time.

  When they stepped outside, Jett gasped in shock. Everything was white, buried in feet of snow.

  “My car is buried.” Kiara pointed to where the curb normally was. A mound higher than the rest of the snow was all the eye could see.

  “I can give you a ride,” Principal Carpenter offered.

  “No,” said Jett. “I’ve got it. My rental car is parked under the carport.” Jett turned to the Principal, offering his hand for a shake. “You’ve done enough. You get on home. Thanks again for coming to get us.”

  “No problem,” the principal said as he locked up the doors. “You two be safe out there.”

  “We will,” Jett reassured him before he patted him on the back and headed toward the steps.

  “Are you sure you can drive in the snow, LA boy?”

  “I’m from Nebraska.”

  “Right,” she winced. “I knew that.”

  “Some super fan you are.”

  “I keep forgetting the man you are today is the same boy on the poster.”

  “I’m not a boy anymore.”

  “No, you’re definitely not.” She’d said the words under her breath, but he heard them clearly.

  Slowly, they used the same path the principal had trailed to the door to get down the steps. Kiara followed Jett around the side of the building to where there was carport for the teachers to use. His SUV was the only vehicle remaining and waiting for them.

  Getting inside the car, he turned the heat on high as he waited for the engine to warm up. He hadn’t driven in the snow for years. But he figured it would be like riding a bike, with four wheels, on ice.

  They inched out of the carport and down what he assumed the road should be. He nervously glanced at her. She clutched at her seatbelt.

  “Jett Anderson, if you crash us into a ditch, I’m telling Seventeen Magazine.”

  Jett let out a belly laugh. “I’ll tell you what. After the night we had, and since I made you miss your mom’s cooking, how about I take you to dinner.”

  “You’re on. Assuming you can get me home in one piece.”

  “Challenged accepted,” he said, giving the car a little speed.

  Chapter Ten

  Waking up from a nap. Kiara stepped from her bedroom and into the upstairs hall of her house. She’d worked hard to get this house. She had saved every single penny until she could put the down payment on something that would be hers, forever. No matter what happened. She owned a home, alone, and she was beyond proud of what she’d accomplished.

  Walking down the hallway, she could hear music streaming from Camille’s room. Her daughter was enjoying her snow day and Kiara hadn’t heard much of anything out of her. Peering downstairs, she spotted her mom on the couch reading a book. She’d leave her alone and let her continue her reading.

  Jett’s face flashed through her mind, her stomach flipped, and she smiled to herself. She was still in shock he’d asked her on a date. Her fantasy date from her own preteen years had asked her on an actual date.

  Well, not a date exactly. He’d offered her dinner. As repayment for getting stuck together. So, it was kind of a date.

  Though there was
one thing remaining: how would Camille feel about it? Kiara knocked twice on the door to Camille’s room with her knuckles.

  “Yeah?” Camille called from inside her room.

  “May I come in?” It may be Kiara’s house, but she still remembered how important it was to feel like she had a sense of privacy at her daughter’s age. To not feel like everyone was constantly watching her.

  When she opened the door, Kiara spotted Camille sprawled across her bed on her tablet, playing one of her brainless, time-eating games. This time however Kiara wouldn’t make a fuss about it. She had something more important to talk to her about.

  “What’s up?” She sat up on her bed and looked at her mom.

  Kiara strolled in and sat down on the edge of Camille’s bed. She glanced around the small bedroom. The room had changed so much in the five years they’d lived in the house. It started as a pink Barbie haven and as she grew, it morphed into something more mature. The Barbie’s had disappeared from the shelves and the blankets were less Disney and plainer. She had to face it. Her baby girl was growing up.

  She looked at the small bedside table and something caught her eye. A picture from happier times, a blast from the past. The picture was taken five months before her ex-husband walked out on them. The three of them smiled happily as the photo was taken. Kiara sighed as she picked it up from the table.

  “You don’t even remember him, do you?” She asked her daughter, who shook her head.

  “Not really.” The nonchalance in Camille’s voice was off-putting. “The picture is the only memory I have because I can see it. It’s weird, though. Most of my friends have families with two parents. All I have is a picture.”

  “I know it’s hard. It’s hard for me because I wish I could give you that. Then, I thought we’d have our family forever. I loved him. In a way, I still do because we made you and you’re the most important person in my life.”

  “Even when I’m annoying?” Camille looked up at her mom, making her laugh as she scooted to her and wrapped her arm around her.

  “Especially, when you are annoying. For example, yesterday and the math notebook. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Kiara gave her daughter a look as she shied away and refused to meet her mother’s gaze.

  “Well….”

  “Come on.”

  “When you came to my class and I saw you with Mr. Anderson, well, I just knew. I don’t know how, but I did. I’m sorry you got locked in the school, but he’s a really great guy and you’re nice. I just figured I’d try.” Camille confessed in a rush, looking at her mother in the eyes.

  Kiara gave her daughter a reassuring smile, letting her know she wasn’t in trouble.

  “Plus, in the car the other morning when you were singing and you said his name, I realized my new teacher was the same guy you had a crush on. It seemed perfect.”

  “You’ve been watching too many movies. But honestly, it might have worked.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. He may have asked me out on a date. Are you okay with that?” Kiara didn’t want to date anyone if her daughter was uncomfortable with it. At the end of the day, Camille was who mattered most.

  “Yay!” The tween jumped up and cheered. “I’m so excited. That’s so cool. When are you going? Where are you going? What will you wear?”

  “Slow down there.” Kiara pulled Camille back to the bed. “Soon, but we are waiting for the storm to finish. I don’t want you to get your hopes up. It’s only a first date. Really, it’s just dinner. Okay?”

  “Okay, but it’s still awesome. I’m really happy.”

  “Really?” Kiara was thrilled.

  “Yeah, because you’ll be happy.”

  “Thanks, booger.” Kiara gave Camille’s forehead a kiss and stood. Camille could be the testy pre-teen, but she was her pride and joy. Plus, without her, the potential date with Jett would never be a possibility. “Lunch will be ready soon.”

  “Okay,” Camille mumbled. She was already back on her tablet.

  Shaking her head, Kiara left her daughter’s room and strolled down the stairs to where her mom was still reading. She watched as her mom didn’t move a muscle. Regina was so engrossed in the book she was reading.

  “Whatcha reading?” Kiara spoke up, breaking the silence in the room.

  Her mom nearly jumped off the couch. Then the older woman giggled as she glanced at the cover of the book. Kiara noted the title of the romance her mother had been so into.

  “Oh,” said Kiara. “It’s one of mine. I really like that one.”

  Both women were book junkies, especially when it came to romance novels. Kiara could get lost in a good book in an instant. She loved reading about adoring heroes and sweet heroines looking to find that person who completed them. She saw herself in every story and wished her own story would have had more of a fairytale ending.

  “It’s good. I couldn’t put it down last night,” her mom confessed as she pulled a strand of her gray hair behind her ear. “So, I got a glimpse of that teacher you were locked away with when he dropped you off. He’s cute.”

  “Yeah, he is,” Kiara said, heading into the kitchen with her mother following. “You didn’t recognize him, did you?”

  “No, should I have?”

  Kiara could tell her mom was confused and trying to remember where she should know him from.

  “Remember that boy band I was into?” Kiara took out bread and deli meat from the fridge.

  “Boy Tide? How could I forget.” Her mother shook her head and laughed. “You were so in love with them. There was the one especially. What was his name? Jerry? No, that wasn’t it. It was a plane. Jett? Yeah, Jett.”

  “Well, that was him. He’s Camille’s music teacher.”

  “You’re lying!” Her mom gasped loudly.

  “No lies. He might have asked me on a date.”

  “Ki-Ki, that’s wonderful. It’s like something out of a romance novel.”

  Kiara wasn’t so sure of that? She’d believed in the stories of romance novels once in her life. But she knew them for what they really were now, just entertainment.

  “Oh, before I forget.” Her mom grabbed a letter from off the counter. “This came in the mail.”

  Kiara took the envelope like it was a missive. The handwriting was clear. It was from Matt’s secretary. She knew the woman’s handwriting so well, having had many birthday cards, anniversary cards, and notes inside bouquets written in Maya’s neat hand.

  Inside the envelope was a birthday card addressed to Camille. Unfortunately, Camille’s birthday was months ago. Kiara sighed and put the card back in the main envelope. She’d give it to Camille later. No sense in disrupting her day now.

  As long as she lived Kiara would never understand how a parent could put their kid second to anything. Sure, she worked a lot. But her every waking moment at work was spent with the sole purpose of bettering Camille’s life. As soon as she was done, she raced home to share in her daughter’s life.

  Matt had always put then far down on his priority list. He let his work consume him. It’s what had lost him his family. Kiara doubted he noticed they were gone most days. She knew that the next guy she dated seriously would need to put family and not career first.

  Chapter Eleven

  It was the ringing that pulled Jett awake. As he struggled with the covers to free his arms, he noted that his body didn’t ache this morning. That was probably due from sleeping in a proper bed and not on the floor.

  The hotel mattress stretched behind his feet, unlike the pallet he’d made for himself last night on the floor of the teacher’s lounge. The lush comforters kept every inch of him cushioned and warm, unlike the threadbare blankets he’d collected from the drama department There was a down pillow under his head instead of a seat cushion from the worn couch of the lounge.

  Jett’s sleep had been fitful. His dreams engrossing. It was all well and wonderful until he opened his eyes and there was no sight of a sleeping brown-skinned angel to gre
et him.

  For most of his life, Jett had had the option of sleeping in until noon. But his midwestern roots had never allowed him to take advantage. He was up with the sun every day even after long nights on the stage.

  He’d never missed a show. He’d never canceled an appearance. He’d rarely shown up late, and when he did, it was always due to a circumstance beyond his own personal control.

  Whenever his schedule allowed, he went to church on Sunday in whatever town or city he happened to lay his head in. On the days he couldn’t make it to service, he spent thirty minutes reading the Bible and doing devotionals. That was one thing he never had and never would compromise on; his relationship with God. It was only by His grace that Jett had had the success he’d experienced.

  Looking at the clock on the hotel bed stand, Jett saw that it was well past noon. It was also Sunday. School had been canceled for both Thursday and Friday. It took all of Saturday for the roads to get cleared, so Jett had stayed put in his hotel room.

  He had spent the time lounging in bed, eating hotel foods, and watching a whole lot of Hallmark Channel Movies. Movie after movie showed a man or woman who had lost track of their roots because of their career path, or the big city they’d been ensnared in, or the wrong relationship they’d been caught up in. But when said hero or heroine returned home to their small town or midwestern roots, their lives suddenly made sense again. After ninety minutes of hijinks, all their problems were straightened out and true love, not the stand in after the opening credits, had returned to rescue them, provided they stay in the small town or move out west for the rest of their lives.

  Jett had been in this small town of St. Judith for days and he was feeling that sense of belonging. The staff of the small hotel greeted him by first name when he came and went. He’d been at the Carpenters for dinner twice already since agreeing to take the temporary job. He’d hung out with Davis and his family most of his afternoons after school was over. He spent that time with Davis partly in penance. But mostly because he enjoyed his old friend’s company, his wife’s baking, and his children’s carefree giggles.