Sky's The Limit - 15. Chapter 15

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
you had a busy day today

Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band
Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand
And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand

. . .

I had just finished the last chorus and I heard clapping.

"That was absolutely beautiful Jonah," Sarah said. I hadn't heard her come in, but when I'm playing I tend to zone out and block out everything else but the music anyway.

"I didn't know you could sing like that. You need to perform some. We'll find someplace with an open mic night when you come visit me." She said as she sat next to me on the piano bench.

"Nah, I just sing for me, but thanks anyway."

"Jonah Tucker Knight, you have a true gift and it's your duty to God to share it with others, including me. Sing something else for me." She said, smiling.

"K, how ‘bout this," I said as I started a long prelude to Elton John's Believe from the Made in England album.

I believe in love, it's all we got
Love has no boundaries, costs nothing to touch
War makes money, cancer sleeps
Curled up in my father and that means something to me
Churches and dictators, politics and papers
Everything crumbles sooner or later
But love, I believe in love

I believe in love, it's all we got
Love has no boundaries, no borders to cross
Love is simple, hate breeds
Those who think difference is the child of disease
Father and son make love and guns
Families together kill someone
Without love, I believe in love

Without love I wouldn't believe
In anything that lives and breathes
Without love I'd have no anger
I wouldn't believe in the right to stand here
Without love I wouldn't believe
I couldn't believe in you
And I wouldn't believe in me
Without love

I believe in love
I believe in love
I believe in love

(Lyrics by Bernie Taupin © 1995 William A. Bong, Limited -used without permission)

"My God, Jonah, you do that beautifully." She said as she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"What can I say? Elton speaks to me." I said, smiling at her.

"Please play something else. Please, pretty pretty please with sugar on top?"

"Well, there is a piece I'm working on for Sky. It really says everything about how he makes me feel. I'm kinda ad libbing a lot of the piano. It was written for piano and guitar and I'm filling in some blank spots on the piano, but I just love the lyrics."

I started playing and singing the Marc Broussard piece, The Beauty of Who You Are that Lori had overheard those many weeks ago. I started thinking about Sky. God, how I miss him. The lyrics seemed to flow from my heart.

By the time I finished the last chorus, my eyes were closed because they were full of tears. "Jonah, that has got to be the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. Jon, you feel that strongly for this guy?" She asked as she started to wipe a tear from my eye.

"Yeah, Sis. I'm miserable without him. When we're together, I'm like another person. Whole, complete, satisfied. I dunno how else to describe it."

"I think you described true love perfectly. I envy you. I've never felt that, but I want it so desperately." She said, looking very sad.

"You envy me? You live this glamorous life in New York and travel all over the world and you envy me?"

"I would trade all of it for a few minutes of what you're feeling for Sky. That's my fantasy. That's what I want to find."

Sis, you will, I know you will. You're drop dead gorgeous and you're a glamour chic model. Guys must be fallin' all over themselves tryin' to meet you."

"Yeah, the most vain, shallow, materialistic, assholes you've ever met. Seems like every date is a disaster waitin' to happen. I've almost given up finding the one guy that challenges my mind, makes me laugh, and is interested in me not the glamour model."

"I love you sis." I said.

"You're the best baby brother a gal could have Jon. I'm so lucky. But, I feel so bad going back now and leaving you in the middle of this mess. I mean dad gettin' married, movin' and all."

"I'll handle it, Sis. I don't have much choice. Sounds like it's a done deal anyhow."

"Jon, there's a limit to what someone even as strong as you can cope with. Talk to Doc McGee some more. Promise?"

"K, sis. I will. I promise."

"There is one song I want to dedicate to you - this one time only, as long as we have this love fest thing goin' Sis. This is for you, and from now on it's ‘our song'."

For some reason after our talk, and the fact it was gettin' late, Billy Joel's song Just the Way You are had popped in my head.

Don't go changing, to try and please me,
You never let me down before,
Don't imagine, you're too familiar,
And I don't see you anymore.
. . .

When I was done, Sarah grabbed me with both arms and pulled me into a really deep hug, and just held it for a few minutes. She let go and put her hands on either side of my head and softly kissed my forehead. "Jon, you are just too good to be true. Sky is the luckiest guy on this planet. Anyone worthy of your love is truly blessed." - Have I said yet how much I love my sister?

* * *

Saturday, after we got back from taking Sarah to the airport, I went over to see Dex. We started talking about Dad's big news.

"Dex, did ya ask Lisa if she knows this Jason kid?"

"Yah, she doesn't really like ‘im. Says most of the kids think he's a bully and picks on little kids and stuff. She likes one of his friends though, Tommy or somethin' like that. I think she's got the hots for ‘im." He chuckled.

"Great, my new kid brother is an asshole. Yah, I met that Tommy kid. He seemed OK."

"I still can't believe y'all are movin'. This royally sucks a big one - nothin' personal on that," he laughed. I reached over, grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

"Prick," I said as the pillow missed his head.

"Yeah, but ya gotta love me or I'll make Dad have another talk with ya." He said, grinning at me.

"Seriously Dex, I hate this. I don't even know this woman, and she's about to be my step mom. Now y'all are tellin' me that Jason's some asshole, and I doubt I've said three words to the little girl, Tammy. It's like I'm gonna be livin' with a bunch of strangers in my own house. I seriously hate everything about this. My life is sooo seriously fucked up."

"Look dude, ain't nothin we can do to change any of it. Just roll with it." He said sitting down on the bed next to me and putting his hand on my shoulder. "In the meantime, I'm hungry, Mom's workin' at the hospital, and I need some seriously greasy foodage. Let's roll."

We got in his Jeep and headed out. After more discussion than was necessary we decided to eat at a place we didn't go to that often. It was a diner out at the edge of town that arguably had the greasiest burgers and fries on the planet, but they tasted great and they made their shakes with real ice cream; -- really thick. There weren't but a dozen or so booths and tables and a counter with barstools. When we got there they were all occupied. One of the waitresses came up to us and said to wait a minute and she would get us a table as soon as one opened up.

"What's your name? I'll call ya if ya wanna wait over there," she said pointing to a couple of chairs by the door. She was a really small woman, maybe 5' 3" at best and thin. She was maybe in her late thirties but looked older. She had black hair pulled back into a bun, and just had a tired look on her face.

"Jonah Knight." I replied.

"Jonah? You go to school with a kid named Zach?"

"Yah."

"I'm Gloria. Zach's my kid. He talks about ya a lot. I'm ‘fraid he don't have many friends. I really ‘preciate ya payin attention to ‘im. He really likes ya." She was smiling now and seemed happier talking about Zach. The tired look disappeared.

"Zach's a cool guy when ya get to know ‘im. He's so smart an' everything." I said, smiling at her.

"Yah, he's always got his nose buried in a book. I have to take ‘im to the libarry every other day seems like. I think he's read everything they got. I think he's into reruns or somethin'." She laughed. "There's a table now" she said pointing. "Y'all go sit and I'll get it cleaned off for ya."

We sat and in just a few minutes some kid I didn't know, came out and cleaned the table off, wiping it down with what had to be the filthiest rag I had ever seen.

"That's Zach's mom?" Dex asked quietly.

"Yah, guess so." I said.

"Wow"

"Yeah" I replied.

She came back over to the table and we ordered the standard burgers and fries with shakes. Shortly, she came back over with our order, and when we finished she came back over.

"Anything else?"

"No ma'am, we're good. Just need the check"

"Not on yer life. This one's on me. Y'all just watch out fer my Zach like ya do."

"Thanks, but that's not necessary. He's our friend."

"Y'all jes git on outta here. I got this." She said smiling.

We left, but I went back in when I knew Gloria would be busy again and gave the cashier a ten, telling her I forgot to leave Gloria's tip. She smiled at me and told me she would give it to her.

I had a whole new appreciation for Zach after meeting his mom. It wasn't pity, no, not even close. I liked his mom. She obviously worked hard to provide for him, and obviously had a limited education herself. I was proud of Zach. That was it. He had an inner strength and determination to do well in school despite the teasing and taunting he put up with virtually every day. Maybe it was his way of paying back his mom. I found that admirable. He was definitely someone worth having as a friend.

Dad hired a mover that next week. Right before Christmas is not usually a good time to move, but these guys were pros and had everything moved and set back up in the new house in a couple of days. Dad even bought one of those pre-decorated Christmas trees from somewhere up near Huntsville and had it delivered. I guess the new house was starting to look like a home. It was bigger. Much bigger. It was a newer, two story affair, built in kind of a u-shape. One whole wing was what dad called the kid's wing. It had three bedrooms on the bottom floor. One had a private bath and two shared a bath. Dad wanted Tammy to have her own bath so she got that room. Jason and I would get the other two rooms sharing a bath. I at least got to pick the room with the larger closet and had a window and its own door that opened out onto the courtyard with a pool that was in the center of the U. The pool to me was the only thing that made the move worth the trouble. The kids wing also had its own stairway that went up to a sort of large den where Dad had installed a used pool table and a large screen TV. He had bought some basic but durable furniture suitable for teenager abuse, and even had mirrors and pads installed in one corner where I could practice my karate'. There was also a half bath and a small alcove with a small sink and fridge up there. Pretty cool.

The master bedroom was actually a suite of three rooms upstairs on the opposite side of the house. It was accessible only by a single stairway on that same side. There was also a smaller guest suite over the huge three car garage that made up the other side of the U from the kids wing. It even had a small balcony and outside spiral stairway overlooking the pool and courtyard. That's where Dad put all of Sarah's stuff.

The only good news I had gotten about this whole wedding thing was that I would still get to see Sky over the holidays. The plan was for David and Sky to come visit the day before the wedding. I would go home with them for a few days and Dad and Jessie would pick me up on the way home from their honeymoon in New Orleans the day after New Years. It would only be about an hour or two detour to come through Jackson. Now I couldn't wait for the wedding to get here.

Since we had moved, and since I still didn't have a license, Dex had started driving all the way out there to pick me up. It was really nice, and I told him he didn't have to, but he insisted. Sometimes Lori would be with him, other times not. She didn't really like riding that far in the Jeep and one of her girlfriends had a car and would pick her up. I did help Dex out on gas. Although he told me a dozen times not worry about it, he still took the money. One of the cool things was that Zach's house was between where Dex lived and our place so we would often stop and pick him up too.

At some point, we all started studying over at my house in the afternoons. There was a game table in the kids den that worked out perfect for Dex, Zach, me, and sometimes Lori to spread our stuff out and study. Zach and Dex were getting along great. Dex always had trouble with math, and we would usually end up bickering when I tried to explain it to him. Zach was far more patient with him and was probably the only reason Dex passed algebra. Exams went well, for me at least, and finally, Christmas break came and we were simultaneously getting ready for Christmas and the wedding. Things were really busy. Sarah, who was to be maid of honor, came in on the 22nd - just in time to get fitted for her bridesmaid dress. (Which she hated, by the way.) I would be in a tux and I was absolutely floored when Dad insisted that I be his best man and Dex one of the groomsmen. That's really cool. They even asked Lisa and Tammy to be bridesmaids. Granddad would officiate at the wedding.

Christmas was a little uncomfortable. What I mean by that is it was the first Christmas in a new home and without mom, and we were already getting ready for a new "mom" to come into the picture. Like I said, uncomfortable. I think the only thing that kept me totally sane was the anticipation of seeing Sky. It kept my mind off of the conflicting emotions I was feeling. I don't know how Sarah dealt with it.

Sarah's gift was the highlight of that Christmas for me. I opened the small box she handed me and inside were the keys to her car and a small envelope. "What's this?"

"Well," she began "I talked with dad about this. I don't need a car in New York. It's really just a liability there. A parking space costs as much as my rent. I haven't even driven the thing unless I'm visiting you guys. I can rent one for that. I know you won't get your license until your birthday in February, and I know you don't like the ‘girly car', but you'll have you learner's permit and dad has something to add to it."

"What are you saying? You're givin' me your car?"

"Yep" she said smiling.

I jumped up and gave her the biggest bear hug I could manage. Then, Dad said, "There's a second part, Jonah, like Sarah said, you never really liked the ‘girly car' so over the next couple of months, decide what type of car or truck you like - within reason - and I'll trade the car for whatever it is for your birthday."

Dad got the next bear hug.

Jessie and her kids came by a little before noon and we exchanged gifts with all of them. At some point, Granddad showed up and we all moved into the dining room and sat down to a Christmas dinner that dad had some caterer deliver yesterday afternoon. No one had had time to cook. Almost immediately after the Christmas clutter was all cleared away, the wedding was the sole and only topic of conversation and every effort was centered around preparing for that. The house was really not an issue anymore except for Jessie and her kids moving in some of their personal items.

As planned, Sky and his Dad showed up the day before the wedding. Dad had insisted that David and Sky stay with us at the house instead of the fleabag that our town laughingly called a motel. When they finally got to town, we met them at Dad's office so David could meet some of the people that work there and to meet some of his clients and business friends. David gave Sky the keys to his Lexus for us to use, and we were off.

We went first to my old neighborhood. I wanted to show off my boyfriend to my best friends. I was a little nervous about Dex and Sky meeting, but I couldn't wait for Lori to meet him. I was afraid Dex would be uncomfortable. I should have known better. I called and told them to meet us outside so we could go get some shakes or something. As soon as we picked them up, Sky and Dex greeted each other like they had known each other forever, and Lori just went goo-goo eyes and went into immediate auto-flirt. That made me a little nervous. I reached over and took Sky's arm where she would see it, and turned around. "My property, Lori. Back off." She started laughing hysterically, Dex just rolled his eyes and sighed, shaking his head and smiling.

We went to the diner where Zach's mom worked. When we walked in she greeted us immediately.

"Hi, Jonah, good to see y'all."

"Hi, Ms. Thomas, this is my friend Sky, He's from Mississippi."

"Jonah! I told y'all to call me Gloria. Nice t' meet ya, . . . Sky was it?"

"Yes ma'am, you too."

"What can I git y'all?" She asked, seating us at a table.

"I think we all just want some shakes, Lori and Dex'll want chocolate, Sky?"

"Strawberry?" He asked looking Gloria.

"No problem," she smiled at him.

"And I'll have vanilla, oh, and extra thick on all those, please."

"You got it kid."

"So, what've guys got planned for tonight?" Lori asked, waggling her eyebrows at Sky and me.

Dex quickly interrupted, "PULEEEZZE don't go there."

Sky and I just looked at each other and started laughing. Lori joined in. Dex just sat there, shaking his head.

When we composed ourselves Dex said, "Look, I'm still adjusting to this thing. Seeing you two actually together is . . . well . . . kinda weird for me. But, Sky I gotta tell ya. I haven't seen this asshole this happy in like months. Thanks for that anyway, dude."

"Ditto here," Lori chimed in.

"Man, I wish I had friends back home as cool as y'all. Jonah's damn lucky to know y'all and so am I." Sky replied.

"Um, Sky, Jonah says you've got an older brother." Lori started off.

"Yep, and he's straight as an arrow but I'm sorry Lori, you're really cute, but he's in Europe and he's got a girlfriend." Sky said smiling.

"Damn! All the cute, rich ones are always taken - or gay."

"Hey! What the hell am I? Hamburger?" Dex interjected.

"Sorry, Dex, you fall out on the rich requirement." Lori said giggling.

"So, that means I'm still cute?

"Don't push it McGee! I was tryin' to be polite." Lori said, laughing hysterically now.

We all almost fell out of seats laughing at the "gotcha" expression on Dex's face. She nailed him on that one and he had just walked into it like an idiot. Dex just sat there with this disgusted kinda look on his face till he finally broke down and started laughing with us.

We rode around a while showing Sky around, not that there was that much to see, and took Lori and Dex home so Dex could get his Jeep. Sky and I headed for the church. That evening was the rehearsal for the wedding, followed by a rehearsal dinner. As soon as we arrived at the church, I went looking for Sarah, dragging Sky with me. I found her in a room where she was talking to Jessie and a couple of other women I didn't know about something to do with the cake and the reception. "Sarah?" I said interrupting, but still standing in the hallway.

They both looked over to where I was standing with Sky. "Sarah, I want you to meet Sky."

"Excuse me, Jessie." And she walked over to where we were. In one move, without slowing down, she walked between us locked one arm around my right arm and Sky's left arm, and we walked down the hallway arm in arm like that till we got to an empty room. We walked in and she dropped our arms, closed the door, turned to Sky, grabbed him in a big hug and kissed him on his cheek.

After she released him, she stepped back and put her arm around me. Sky just stood there a second with a confused look. "That's my way of saying thank you." She said.

"What for?" he asked

"For making my baby brother so happy. I've never seen him happier than he's been these last several months. But . . ."

"But?" we both asked

"But, you better be good to him, or I can be an equally vindictive bitch." She said smiling an evil sort of smile.

"Don't worry," Sky said, very wide-eyed and not totally sure whether she was kidding. Neither was I.

"Damn Jonah, he is cute. He looks even better than your photo. Ya know, I could probably get ya some time with a photographer if you wanna try modeling. You definitely got the look and the build." She said, smiling at Sky.

Sky actually started blushing, "Thanks, um, I'll let ya know."

"Look Jon, I gotta get back down there with your future stepmother before she turns into a bitch too. I don't think she needs much of an excuse either." She said as she rolled her eyes and headed out of the room.

After she left, Sky looked at me and said, "Damn, she's really drop dead beautiful isn't she?"

"Yeah," I said smiling "and I think she meant that part about the vindictive bitch."