Praying For A Hail Mary - 10. Chapter 10

Jason looked around to see if there was any press around before he moved. When he finally did start moving he ignored those watching him and pointing their cell phones in his direction. It wasn’t until a couple of Dallas Cowboy’s fans walked up to him and asked if he could pose for a picture with him that he woke up. As he snapped out of it, he looked around and couldn’t believe how many camera phones were pointed in his direction.

With a big smile on his face, Jason nodded his head, but was looking off into the distance to the one he was heading for. He saw through the corner of his eye his father heading over and pulling aside the one he wanted to see more than anyone else. Reluctantly he turned his attention to the fans that stopped him and posed for a couple of pictures before signing autographs.

Just when he thought he was done and started on his way to where he saw his family standing, he was stopped by a crowd of fans. Not wanting to be rude to them, he signed autographs and took photos with those that asked. The more he stayed there, the more people showed up. He didn’t get free until they all heard their plane was boarding.

As soon as the announcement was made, the crowd scattered like roaches do when the light gets turned on. Not that Jason thought of his fans as roaches, it just looked like that if you were standing back looking on. The few that wanted a picture of Jason, take a picture with him or just wanted an autograph stuck around and as Jason made his way to his gate he did what he could.

Disappointed that he didn’t get to say a word to the one in the crowd that lit up his day, Jason hid it well as he thanked those who wished him luck. A few fans followed him down the long hallway leading into the plane, but once they stepped in, they went in their own direction. Jason and his family had first class tickets and the fans that were talking with Jason as he made his way down the tunnel had coach. Not being rude, Jason once again thanked them as they separated.

Not letting anyone know he was disappointed, Jason kept a smile on his face and his head up high as he made his way to his seat. However, when he reached his seat the smile that he was forcing got bigger than the Texas sky. Sitting there in the seat next to him was the man he loves. The man he saw off in the distance, but thought he’d lost the opportunity to at least say hello to him when he was surrounded by his fans.

Just like he did when he first saw him in the terminal, Jason looked around to see if there was anyone looking on. The only difference this time as he looked was seeing if any camera phones along with regular cameras and video cameras were pointed his way. When he saw no one was even looking in his direction, he quickly leaned down pulling Robbie into a hug before kissing him.

“What?” Jason got out when he came up for breath. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going to fly into Burbank and head to the Tonight Show.” Jason reluctantly let go and took his seat. “Not take a flight to me! Don’t get me wrong, I love that you are here, but what about being seen with me? Aren’t you afraid of that? Aren’t you afraid what will be said?”

Before Jason could say another word, Robbie leaned over and kissed him on the lips to get him to stop asking questions. When they broke their kiss this time around, Robbie did all the talking. “I really missed you! All I’ve been thinking about since we last saw each other in person is being with you. I couldn’t wait until tonight. So I took the first flight that was available after getting off the phone with you last night to you. Counting every second, man, every second!”

That got a reaction Robbie didn’t expect from Jason. He turned all shades of red, something that is rare for him to do. It takes a lot to get him embarrassed and a lot more for him to show that he was embarrassed. So by seeing that he was able to do that confirmed what he already knew, Jason, like him, really was is in love and couldn’t wait to see him again.

“Well I just don’t want you outed until you’re ready, and being here with me…” Robbie gently put his index finger over Jason’s lips to get him to stop talking. “There isn’t anyone or anything that will be able to keep me from you if I want to be with you. That includes the press and what they might or might not report about me being with you.

Furthermore, you’re forgetting one thing!” Jason looked at Robbie with a confused look. “You’ve forgotten that I’ve been wanting to come out for a while now. We’ve discussed it and the only reason I haven’t was because I wanted you to be ready. I wanted you to get your foot into the sport you love and want to play for the rest of your life. Plus I was waiting for you to be comfortable enough that when I did come out you might come out with me or shortly afterwards.

Now all that is mute since you have come out to your team and a couple of them outed you to the press. So stop worrying about me and let’s enjoy being together.” Robbie reached over and placed his hand in Jason’s. “Especially right now that we don’t get to spend much time with each other with so much distance between us.”

Jason wasn’t about to disagree with something he agreed one hundred percent with. Before he was able to respond, the seatbelt sign came on and the captain started to talk over the intercom. In front of them was the flight attendant going through the emergency procedures along with what the captain was saying. A couple of times she looked in Jason and Robbie’s general direction, but couldn’t see that they were holding hands. However, they weren’t going to take any chances. They let go of each other’s hand and did what the captain was asking them to do, buckle their seatbelts.

Everyone in first class watched the flight attendant as the captain went through his spiel. Once he was done and the flight attendant took her seat, no one talked as the plane taxied out onto the runway. Minutes later it began its way down and before they knew it they felt the aircraft beginning its climb. It wasn’t long after the plane evened off and they were at their cruising altitude the seatbelt light turned off. Giving them permission to walk around if they wanted to.

Even though he was told not to worry, Jason did. He looked around the cabin to see if anyone was looking in his general direction. At first, he didn’t see anyone, but when he made his second round he saw a couple of passengers looking his direction. He was going to ignore them, but when one of them pulled out his cell phone and pointed it his direction, Jason turned and slid down his seat. The movement caught the attention of one of the flight attendants.

She scanned the cabin and saw what Jason was avoiding. With a smile on her face, she made her way to the passenger who was trying to video tape Jason. “Sir I need you to turn off you device and put it away please!” The passenger rudely demanded a reason why he had to do what he was being asked to do. “Because first you were told with everyone else on this plane that all devices like cell phones and cameras have to be turned off. And secondly, where you are pointing the camera I fear that you are taking pictures of the aircraft that you shouldn’t.”

“Give me a fucking break lady! You have to know every word coming out of your mouth is nothing but bullshit.” The passenger was talking loud enough to grab the attention of the other flight attendants in first class. “You know damn well what I’m taking pictures of, and that isn’t this plane. On top of that you know as well as I do the only time we are required to have our devices off is when the plane it taking off or landing. Since we are in the air now, I can have my phone, computer or whatever else I have on if I want to.”

A male flight attendant had walked up as the passenger was talking. “Sir you need to lower you voice and show respect to this young lady.” The male flight attendant said in a commanding voice, but not loud enough for all the passengers to hear. “She has shown you respect from the moment she walked up, so do the same or I will….”

“You will what? Tell me what will you do if I don’t show her respect?” The male flight attendant looked over his shoulder where there was an undercover officer sitting ready to go into action if needed. “I tell you what you are going to do if I don’t, nothing! As an American I have a right to voice my opinion whenever and however I want. I also have the right to take pictures of whoever I want as long as I’m not trespassing on his or her property. So why don’t you two go on back and push around your little buggies and leave me the hell alone.”

“You are right on everything you have said, but you lose those rights when you’re deliberately doing what you’re doing. The one you are taking pictures of doesn’t want any pictures taken of him right now and the passengers around him don’t. He might be in the spotlight, but the other passengers aren’t. Respect their privacy and don’t take any pictures until he is alone.”

“Sorry if they feel uncomfortable, but it’s not my fault they’re sitting where they are. I want to take pictures of that fag over there…” The words the passenger said grabbed everyone’s attention. They all looked in his direction as he pointed to Jason. “Who claims he can play a man’s game, which he can’t. No fag can play football and he needs to get that through his stupid messed up mind before he destroys the greatest game on earth.”

At that point the Air Marshall got up and was making his way to the passenger. Jason had also got up and started his way towards the guy who was causing a huge scene. He felt bad that all this was happening because of him. He wanted to see if he could do something to settle the situation down before it got worse, which was heading that direction really fast.

Jason beat the Air Marshall to the two flight attendants. The passenger making a big scene was the first to see Jason and didn’t hold back. Every slur and swear word in the English and not in the English dictionary that had ever been thrown at someone like Jason was thrown. At that point Jason realized that wasn’t a thing he would do to calm this guy down. He hesitantly stepped back and let the Air Marshall get in and try and get control of the situation.

“Sir I will not be as nice as these fine flight attendants have been to you!” The Air Marshall almost had to yell in order to be heard over the passenger’s verbal assault going on towards Jason. He pulled out his badge in order for the passenger to know who he was dealing with. “If you don’t shut your mouth this very second I will slam you to the floor and hog tie you.” The passenger stopped yelling and looked at the Air Marshall for the first time.

“As I was saying while you were on your rant. I will not be as nice as these flight attendants have been with you. This young lady…” He pointed to the first flight attendant who tried to get the passenger to stop taking pictures. “Was very polite when she approached you and asked you to stop doing what you were doing. You got rude with her and in return this young man came in to try and calm things down. The moment you got irate I had to step in.”

“Officer please forgive him.” The older gentleman sitting in the seat next to the passenger that was yelling at Jason pleaded. “My son let his emotions get the best of him when he saw that young man over there that we all know is gay. We thought he was one of us when he first ran out on the field several weeks ago, but we were tricked.”

The older passenger saw he had the attention of everyone in first class, so he wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. “Football is one of this country’s oldest sports. Our kids mimic the players that go out on that field every Sunday. The players become our kid’s heroes and here sits a player that shouldn’t be alive. A man that is a walking sin and should be dealt with as such. Not put out there for our kids to see and think what he is, is right! He isn’t right and we all know that to be true. We can’t afford to let him into the game when so many other players are…”

The Air Marshall had enough, but knew he couldn’t take both of the guys down. As the father was making his speech, he called the second Air Marshall in coach to come up and help him. The minute he stepped into first class, he knew why he was called up. Not needing to be briefed on what was going on, he took a quick look at the situation and jumped in.

The two of them quickly slammed the two of them to the floor of the cabin and had handcuffs on them before they knew what hit them. As they were being pulled back to their feet, the father tried to continue his rant as he and his son were being pulled into the area where the flight attendants sit, but quickly stopped. The passengers didn’t applaud or once show they approved of what he was saying before he and his son was thrown to the ground and handcuffed. So when they started to applaud after they were in handcuffs and being pulled away, he knew it wasn’t for what he and his son had done or said for that matter.

As the Air Marshalls pulled away the father and son, Jason and Robbie didn’t know what to do. All eyes were on Jason now and after what had just happened neither of them wanted each other to get the brunt of another idiot that might be on the plane. Knowing each other as well as they have gotten to, they knew what the other was thinking without a word having to be spoken. They knew exactly what the other was thinking, but had no idea how to react.

However, Robbie wasn’t the only one that knew what Jason was feeling and thinking without him saying a word. Thelma knew him more than she knew her own brother and sister. They hung out with each other since they could remember. So she quickly reacted and pulled Jason into the seat next to her that no one was using.

“Look I think it is best for now that you and Robbie keep your distance from each other.” Jason didn’t say a word or move for that matter. “I know that isn’t what you want, but I know you saw what everyone on this plane is seeing right now. Everyone here and in coach have their eyes on you and if they see you go near Robbie that is as good as outing him. Do you want to do that?”

She got her first reaction from Jason with that question. He made eye contact with her as he shook his head no. “Good! I knew I could count on you to air on the side of caution. You know right now the best thing is to make sure if there are others like those asses to not give them anything to get up in arms about. So let me go over and talk with Robbie for a few minutes, okay?”

Jason reluctantly nodded, but Thelma had got up before he even started shaking his head. She knew since she was sitting with Jason that everyone that was still watching him were now watching her as well. They wanted to see where she was going to see if there was another story to talk about to their friends and family when the plane landed. She wasn’t about to give them one, so instead of going straight to Robbie, she went to the restroom first.

After spending a few minutes in the restroom splashing water on her face, she dried her hands and walked out. Before going directly over to Robbie, she looked around. She found that the majority of the passengers had returned to what they were doing before everything happened, except for a couple. Those that didn’t weren’t looking at her, but at Jason instead.

Seeing that she made her way to Robbie and sat down in Jason’s seat. “Hey Robbie how are you doing with all this?” Robbie mumbled alright before asking how Jason was doing. “You know our boy. He’s doing okay all things considered. A little off his game, but I expect he was ready for assholes like that. Maybe not this soon, but he was ready for them.”

“Well he handled it a lot better than I would have. I mean those two guys were really going after Jason and he still went over to try and talk with them to see if he could settle them down. If the shoe was on the other foot, I would have never gone near those two. I would have let the flight attendants and Air Marshalls deal with them because who knew how far they would have gone.”

“You’re right and I’m very angry with Jason for doing what he did. I can also say with certainty that his parents are upset with him as well. As each day goes by he is getting more and more comfortable in his own skin. Something I have wanted for him for several years now, but after what I just saw I’m more scared than I was the day he came back and we talked about what he did with his team. I cried all night because I knew there are people like those out there and they won’t let anything stop them from hurting Jason if that is what they intend to do.”

Robbie wrapped his arms around Thelma who had started to cry. “Let’s make a pact here and now between the two of us.” Thelma looked at Robbie through blurry eyes. “Together we do everything we can to keep Jason safe. I’m not saying it’s going to be an easy job, but we both love him so much we will get it done. What do you say, let’s make that pact?”

Without hesitation Thelma agreed, which got her to stop crying. Meanwhile a couple of rows down Jason and his father were sitting together. They weren’t really talking to each other at first, but that didn’t last long. George had a lot on his mind and he knew they were close to landing so his time was very limited on getting it all off his chest.

“Son I told you just last night how I wouldn’t be able to go on if you’re talking before me because of people like those son-of-a-bitches.” George spoke in a whisper so only he and his son could hear what he was saying. “By you doing what you did putting yourself in the middle of dumbasses that don’t know there asses from their faces will for sure make my worst nightmare become reality. I can’t and won’t go through what we went through several years ago. Neither will you mother, brothers and sisters.”

“Dad please understand…” George put up his hand. “No son you listen and please understand what I’m saying to you.” Jason didn’t try to take control of the conversation. He knew better. He sat there and stayed quiet as his father spoke. “We talked about this day many times. We both agreed if and when this day came that the majority will probably accept you, or at least not say or show their distaste about you, but there was going to be those that won’t keep their mouths shut if they get a chance to get in your face like today. They will spill out hurtful words and some might even get physical. What would have happened if those guys were the latter?”

“I really didn’t think about that dad, and I know that was wrong of me. All I was thinking about was trying to help out and see if I could settle them down. Now sitting here and thinking about what they could have done if I had a chance to do it all over again I would do it differently. I would have sat back and let the flight attendants and Air Marshalls deal with them.”

“Yes that is and was the right thing to do.” George smiled for the first time. “Learn from this son so you don’t make the same mistake twice. In life you don’t get second chances and if those guys were willing to go further than words you would have at the least ended up hurt, if not worse, dead. Don’t ever give asses like those an easy shot at you. Never do that!”

Just as Jason was promising his father to never do what he did again, the captain started to speak over the intercom. Thelma got up and made her way back to her seat, while George was getting up to head back to his. But before he left his son, he turned and wrapped his arms around him, bringing him into a hug that got everyone’s attention.

“I love you son. You mother, brothers and sisters love you and like me will do anything we can to protect you. Remember that!” George whispered as he pulled away from his son. Before leaving, he leaned in and kissed Jason on the forehead, which between what he had said and that got Jason all choked up. It took every ounce of his energy to keep tears from coming out.

No one said another word to each other as the plane landed. They stayed in their own minds as they disembarked from the plane and headed to pick up their bags. Robbie separated from the Engelmann family and didn’t meet up with them till he got to the car. The Tonight Show had sent a limousine for Jason and his family, which gave them the necessary cover needed so they didn’t need to get another car for Robbie to get to the studio.

From the gate to the parking lot, Jason and his family were followed by a herd of reporters asking him what he was going to say on the tonight show to snapping hundreds of pictures. Jason didn’t answer one question. He kept a smile on his face all the way up to when a reporter threw in a curve ball asking him about what happened on the airplane.

He was thrown for a few seconds because he thought he wouldn’t be asked about the incident that quickly. However, since it didn’t take Jason long to regroup, none of the reporters there caught on that they knocked him off his feet for the few seconds. He got away with just smiling at them and not answering the question like he has with every other question asked of him.

When they finally saw the limousine a few feet away, they couldn’t be happier. George and Christine got in first, followed by Carl Pauline and Thelma. Jason was the last to get in because he stood at the curb giving the press what they wanted, pictures. As soon as he got in and saw Robbie in the car, the smile that went across his face couldn’t get any bigger.

Everyone made room so Jason could maneuver his way over to Robbie and sit next to him. On one side of Jason sat Robbie and on the other was Thelma. The two that loved Jason more than anyone else in the world, except for his family that is. No one talked about what happened on the plane as they made their way to the studio where the Tonight Show is based. They talked about everything else under the sky that they could think of, but not that.

Somewhere along the way Jason and Robbie grabbed each other’s hands and didn’t let go of them until they reached the NBC Studios. Everyone got out of the limousine and were escorted into the building and straight to Jason’s dressing room. One by one they took turns in straightening up in the bathroom before having to say their goodbyes to Jason and take their seats in the front row with the rest of the audience. Whenever anyone walked in, Robbie was introduced as a close personal friend of the family, no one either cared or questioned it. So they got away with it.

Robbie and Thelma were the last to leave. Thelma stayed back with the guys so they could be together more than just friends a little longer. When she saw Spencer heading in her direction, she grabbed Robbie and together they said their goodbyes before heading out to join the rest of the Engelmann family. As they passed Spencer in the hallway, Spencer put one and one together to figure out who was with Thelma and who he was to Jason, but let it go.

When he reached Jason’s dressing room the topic on his mind was what happened on the airplane ride up there. He first made sure Jason was okay before asking for details on what had happened. Jason wasn’t stingy with the details and told his manager everything that was said by the two guys and what was done once everyone realized they weren’t going to sit down and shut up.

“First let me say I’m glad you’re alright! When I heard about what happened and how you stepped in to try and settle them down, I thought the worse. But when I walked in here and saw that there wasn’t a scratch on you, those worries started to go away. Now after hearing what happened, I can settle down and put that on the back burner for now.”

Spencer walked over to one of the couches in the dressing room and sat down. “Okay now to what is going to happen tonight. I’ve talked with Jay Leno and the producers of the Tonight Show. I made sure we were clear on how far he was allowed to go on the subject about your sexuality. He agrees with the rules I have set forth which means he will only go as far as you let him go into your personal life. Whatever you don’t want him to talk about, don’t open the door to it.”

Jason looked at Spencer with a confused look on his face. He had no idea what Spencer meant. To him it sounded like a foreign language. “Spencer I know some might think of me being a jock and all I’m on the dumb side, but trust me I’m not. I took my college education seriously because I had no idea what was out there for me after college. With that said, I have no idea what you are talking about. I mean what do you mean about all this open the door stuff?”

Spencer chuckled as he leaned forward in the couch folding his hands together. “Let’s see how I can explain this better to you. Let’s say Jay asks you about you college years and you mention what happened to you in your sophomore year, but not in detail. He will try and get more detail about that since you mentioned it. So don’t mention anything you don’t want him to try and get more detail about because he won’t unless you open the door.”

Before Jason could ask another question the door flew open and Jay Leno walked in. He wasn’t in his suit. Instead he was in a pair of Levi’s, running shoes and polo shirt, which surprised both Spencer and Jason since they were so close to air time. With his hand extended out, he made his way over to Jason introducing himself.

“Thank you so much for doing my show at such short notice.” Jay spoke as he and Jason shook hands. “I know you had to skip out of practice in order to get here in time. Pretty much your real last day of practice before your Sunday game with the Patriots. For that I’m very thankful to you, Coach Campbell and Jerry Jones. Those guys didn’t have to let you go when there isn’t any doubt they needed you with your team getting ready for that game rather than flying up here to do the show.”

“I should be the one thanking you for letting pretty much an unknown like me fill in the main slot in your show. A slot I know is always filled by actors, singers or sports stars that are well known already. At least that’s what I’ve been told.” Jason chuckled as he looked back and forth from Spencer and Leno. “So thanks again Mr. Leno for letting me be on your show tonight!”

“There is no need for that!” Leno looked around the dressing room. “I just wanted to pop my head in and make sure you had everything you needed.” Jason quickly answered yes. “Is everyone treating you right here?” Once again Jason answered yes without any hesitation. “Good, very good to hear. I know you are nervous this being your first time on my show and what I understand on TV for that matter!” Jason nodded his head keeping a smile on his face. “Well try not to be nervous. I know that’s easier said than done, but please try!”

Jason shook his head as Leno joined Spencer on the couch. “Being that this is your first time on the show I want to sit down and go through what’s going to happen out there.” Leno went on to explain to Jason how his show worked. From the moment he walked out to do his opening to jokes, to calling him out all the way to the performer at the end. As Leno spoke, Jason took mental notes so he could try and not to make any mistake once he gets out there.

“Do you have any questions about what I just said?” Jason shook his head no. “Alright then let’s move onto the next thing I’d like to discuss with you.” Leno looked at Spencer. “I had a chance to sit and talk with your agent here before coming in to talk with you. He laid down some ground rules I have no problem obeying. I just want to make sure you understand what I can and can’t ask and how I will go into each subject.”

Leno went into detail on how he asks his questions. This part Jason and Spencer really paid attention to. Jason didn’t want to miss a thing and Spencer wanted to make sure Leno didn’t sneak anything in to get Jason to agree on what was previously agreed on. But no surprise to Spencer Jay did no such thing. He was true to his word and didn’t sneak anything in, which made Spencer and Jason happy.

“Well then since we are all on the same page on everything I say let’s get this show started.” Leno jumped to his feet and made his way over to Jason. “Once again Jason welcome to the Tonight Show. By what I’ve seen so far of you, you are going to be around for a very long time. Because of that, I truly hope this is the first of many appearances on this show for you.”

“I hope so too as far as coming onto this show.” Jason stood up taking Leno’s hand. “I started watching this show when you took over as host and loved every minute of it. Then when O’Brian took over I followed you to your show earlier in the evening and boy was I glad that when that show didn’t work out you were able to come back and take over the Tonight Show.”

“Conan O’Brian is a very funny and good guy. I really thought he was the one that was going to take the reins from me as I did from Johnny, but powers to be didn’t let that happen.” Leno forced a smile on his face which both Jason and Spencer knew was forced. “Anyways let’s get away from that subject and move onto happier ones. Your first appearance on the Tonight Show shouldn’t be over shadowed or remembered by talks of ugliness like what happened between me and O’Brian. It should be remembered by the good times you’re going to have.”

With that Jay turned and made his way out of the dressing room, leaving Jason and Spencer alone once again. At first, neither of them didn’t say a word, but that silence didn’t hold for that long. Almost at the same time they started talking about what had just happened. They went back and forth on what Jay Leno said and was for almost tem minutes then the conversation took a very sharp turn into a subject that made Jason very uncomfortable.

“Before I came in earlier I passed Thelma and who I believe is Robbie Rogers.” Jason reluctantly shook his head. “Putting one and one together I believe Robbie is your…” Spencer had no idea how to word what he wanted to say. At least in a way that he wouldn’t offend Jason. “Um, you know what I’m trying to say right.” It took a few seconds to get a response from Jason, but Spencer did. He shook his head as he looked towards the door hoping for someone to walk in to save him.

“I’m not going to ask you for details about your relationship with him. First I have no right to and second it’s personal. With that said I’m going to warn you how dangerous it is that he is here. I mean he isn’t out and if one person sees you guys together as more than friends, it will get out. When that happens, he is going to be forced into the spotlight. A spotlight a lot worse than you are in right now since he didn’t come out on his own.”

“We both know that and have taken precautions. When things blew up on the trip up, we didn’t get near each other. We didn’t get off the plane together, get our bags together or walk to the car together. When we got here and those that have seen him with me, we introduced him as a close family friend. And before you ask at no time were we more than three feet next to each other, held hands with each other or anything else that someone would be able to put together that we are a couple since we got out of the limousine. So as you can see you have nothing to worry about.”

“Again Jason it’s not me that I’m worried about, it’s him. You’re my client and I’ve done everything I can to protect you from what is to come.” The last part got a mixed look from Jason. He looked scared and confused at the same time. “He needs to get with his manager and plan a way for him to come out if you two plan to stay together because eventually someone is going to get proof and out him.” Spencer chuckled. “Forget proof! Now a days that isn’t needed anymore. The press prints and says whatever they want and worry about proof afterwards.”

Jason wanted this conversation to come to an end, but at the same time he knew he needed to hear it. Everything Spencer was saying was true. No matter how Jason tried to look at it, the outcome was the same. Robbie would eventually get outed because of him being under a microscope now. With every move he makes closely watched and dissected. He and Robbie are going to have to sit down and decide what they were going to do.

While Jason and Spencer were talking in the dressing room, Jay Leno had got ready and taken to the stage to start the show. Like every other show he has done since he has taken over the Tonight Show, he started it off with jokes. Some were funny, and some were not. Every so often he would remind the audience who was waiting back stage that got a loud response back from them.

After returning from the first commercial break, Jay was sitting at his desk ready to do Headlines, which Jason always found funny. Jason had by then turned to the T.V. and was glued to it while Leno went through the skit. Not one Jason didn’t laugh at. He couldn’t believe how editors at these newspapers didn’t catch these mistakes before the paper went to print.

Jay had the audience eating out of his hand as he went through Headlines as he always does. As soon as he got to the last one the show broke to commercial break. Jay got up from his seat and walked to the middle of his stage where he does his intro. This is something he has never done before, so the audience quickly got quiet. They were on the edge of their seats, waiting to see why Jay had got up and made his way to the middle of the stage like he has done.

“The last twenty four to forty eight hours my first guest tonight has hit the news for totally different reasons than he originally was coming on this show for. A reason that I know will be cleared up here tonight on this show. He could have cancelled, like so many would have in his shoes would have once this news broke, but he didn’t. He kept his word and came here tonight.

So before I bring him out I want to make it clear that we will not tolerate any kind of rude remarks or action of any kind thrown at him. If any of you came here tonight to do just that I suggest you get up from your seats and leave right now.” Jay paused for a minute to give a chance to any member of the audience to leave if they wanted to, but none did. “Please show this young man the respect that you would want your own child or someone you love dearly to be given when he walks out here. Don’t make one of those guys standing at the exits have to escort you out.”

At the same time everyone in the audience looked at the exits and saw several men standing at each of them. As they were looking at the exits, Jay made his way back to his seat and put back on his mic. Just as he settled in, the countdown began for Jay to be ready to go live from commercial, something he wasn’t use to since his shows were always recorded beforehand.

“Welcome back!” Jay Leno spoke over the applause of the audience. “Ladies and gentlemen my first guest on the show tonight became an overnight sensation several weeks ago in the world of sport. For the first time in a long time the Dallas Cowboys were in the news with positive coverage instead of what we have become used to reading and hearing about them. A young man took the reins of a team that had just lost both of their quarterbacks and were down by three touchdowns.

This young man was just picked up a couple of days before that game and wasn’t even being looked at being a quarterback on the team. He was coming on board to be a kicker if the coaches liked what they saw. However fate had different plans for him. Many will say it’s too early to really know what this young man can do in the sport of football, but one thing is for sure in my eyes, he’s going to change it.” The audience started to applaud. “Please help me welcome onto the show for the first time the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, Jason Engelmann.”

The audience applause got louder as Jason walked onto the stage. As he headed over to Jay who had got up to great his guest, Jason looked out to the audience and waved. Not once did he break his smile or show that he was nervous, which he was. He felt like he was walking in a daze, but he kept going. All the way to Jay he kept telling himself to smile and not to trip.

Once he reached Jay, he took his hand and shook it before they walked over to the desk together. Jay on one side and Jason on the other. Before either sat down, Jay leaned in and whispered to Jason not to be nervous. To ignore the audience and act as if they weren’t there, which helped a little, but not enough to get Jason to stop shaking. With a big smile on his face, Jay started to speak.

“Welcome Jason to the Tonight Show!” The audience started to settle down as Jay pointed to the chair next to his desk on the stage for Jason to sit in. “I’m so glad that you chose The Tonight Show to be the show for your first interview. It’s an honor to have you here tonight. I really hope this won’t be the last time you come on this show.”

Jason looked out at the audience with a smile on his face as he settled into his seat. “The honor is all mine Mr. Leno. I mean just a few months ago I was sitting in my parent’s living room watching this show and now I’m on it. I’m really excited and honored that you invited me on.” The audience started to applaud and Jay had to wait for them to quiet down before he could continue.

“I understand some of your family are in the audience tonight.” Jason nodded as he pointed over to his parents, brother and sister. “That’s your father George and mother Christine and please correct me if I’m wrong your younger brother Carl and younger sister Pauline.” Jason nodded his head not correcting Jay. “I understand there are still two older brothers, one younger sister and brother that aren’t with us.” Jason again nodded. “That’s one big family!”

That got a laugh out of the audience. “Let me tell you as I was growing up there wasn’t a quiet moment in our house. I don’t know how my parents did it with all of us wanting their attention at the same time, but they did.” Jason looked over at his parents. “If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. They have supported me every step of the way. Thank you guys for everything.” The camera shot over to Jason’s parents as Jason mouthed I love you to them.

The studio audience were the only ones to see Jason do that and gave him a sympathetic response that got the majority of the audience at home wondering what they missed. Since it was a live show it couldn’t be corrected and Jay wasn’t going to embarrass his guest by telling the viewers at home what they missed. There was no other choice than to go on with the show.

“Tell me a little but about yourself. Things that those in the audience here and at home have no idea about you.” Jay moving the interview along as quickly and smoothly as possible.

“Well you covered my family, almost all of them. Sitting with my family is my longtime friend Thelma.” Once again the camera shot over to Jason’s family, but this time was zeroing in on Thelma only. “She and I have known each other since we were babies. In fact I believe my parents have those pictures that come to haunt each and every one of us that ever had them taken. Pictures of us as babies taking a bath together.”

The TV behind Jason and Leno rose up. The minute Jason saw that he knew what was coming next. “I’m glad you brought that up!” Jay said with an evil grin on his face. “I spoke with your parents earlier. I asked them if they had any pictures they would like to share with us and boy let me tell you they did.”

The first picture on the screen was the one Jason was talking about. It was him and Thelma in a bathtub splashing water at each other. The picture was PG since all you could see was from their waist up. Nothing below the waist, which got both Thelma and Jason to breathe a little easier. But the audience ate it up. They loved it and wasn’t shy about letting Jason and his family know it.

“Tell me about this picture.” The picture on the screen switched to one Jason hadn’t seen in a very long time. It was one of him and his brothers playing football in the backyard. His older brother Adam was playing quarterback and he was the center. A position he hated playing, but played it because he wanted to play with his older brothers, sister and father. And once his younger brothers and sister were old enough they joined in the family game.

“Wow I’d forgotten all about those pictures.” Jason chuckled. “I think I was around ten in that one and none of us thought I would play the game because of my size. We all thought my older brother Adam, the one you see playing quarterback, was the one that was going to be in the NFL. Boy how a few years can change everything? That skinny kid afraid of his own shadow is now playing moving on from playing football in the backyard with his brother and sisters to playing in the NFL. I’m lucky and blessed! ”

“I understand you were born and raised in Texas, is that correct?” Jason answered yes. “Being what things were back then and what things are today in states like Texas, it had to be hard on you. I mean as you said you were this skinny kid that was scared of his own shadow and with dark secrets that you couldn’t tell a soul, you had to have it rough. Somewhere along the line you had to have a growth spurt. Tell us how it was in high school.”

Jason smiled as he scratched his head. “Where should I start? I guess the best place is the beginning of my high school years. The summer before my freshman year I got my growth spurt. That same summer I tagged along with my older brothers when they went to school for summer practice. Most of the time the time they spent in the weight room, which I took complete advantage of. So as I was getting by growth spurt, I was putting on weight, but the right weight, muscle.

By the time school started I was big and cut, something rare you don’t see in a freshman. But at the same time I wasn’t big enough to play football. Not Texas high school football that is. Everyone at the time wasn’t just tall, but big. Either by weight and more muscle, but not cut like me. So when I went out for the team that year I was laughed at and told to go and tryout for basketball. I didn’t let the teasing or laughing stop me.

I worked hard on making the freshman team that year and I eventually did. Even though it was as backup quarterback and punter, I made the team.” The audience applauded. “I didn’t get any playing time that year as back in both positions, but again I didn’t let that deter me on what I wanted to do. The next year I went back and worked even harder and got my positions back. Got a little playing time, but it wasn’t until my junior year that I was able to show what I could do.

First the punter got suspended from school for playing a joke. So the coach had no other choice than to move me into first string, which I took full advantage of. By the time the first string punter came back he had to earn his position back. He got it, but at the same time the coach split the duties evenly between the two of us. That didn’t make him happy because it was his last year and if he had a chance on getting a scholarship he had to have the job full time.

I didn’t let that stop me. I mean it wasn’t my fault on how things unfolded and I wasn’t about to give up playing time. Then at the end of the season our quarterback flunked two of his classes, making him ineligible to play, which once again moved me into first string. Just like I did when I got the chance in the punter position, I did it again in the quarterback position.

We won the last four games of the season, which really got the coaches looking at me as their quarterback for the next year. All summer long between my junior and senior year I worked out to be at the top of my game so when school started I was ready to take on the guy the quarterback position was pretty much guaranteed to. I gave him a run for his money, but the powers that be gave it to him and once again I ended up as his back up.

The coach though started to use me more and more in both positions I was back up in. I got playing time in both in each game. The fourth quarter was mine. We were always down and the coach put me in to try and salvage the game. By then I got to know the team and the team got to know me, so we played well together. Because of that, we were able to come back in each game.

For the first time in our school history we had a perfect record and was heading to state. We beat teams that we shouldn’t have, but none of us cared. We were the first team in our high school history to go to state and we weren’t about to end our season on a sour note. In our minds we earned it and when it was all said and done those we played against along the way agreed.

We won state for the first time and brought it home to our school and city.” The audience in the studio and at home were glued to their seats. Hanging onto every word Jason was saying. The amount of emotion in his voice made each and every one of them feel as if they lived it. “Several schools in our city have got close, but we were the first to bring it home to our city.”

That got the audience on their feet applauding. Jay took advantage of that to break for a commercial, which he hated. While the audience at home was watching commercials Jay was going over with Jason where he plans to take the interview. Jason had no objections since Jay was following what he agreed to follow. He wasn’t going to touch any area that wasn’t already known.

“Welcome back!” Jay spoke over the applause from the audience in the studio to the home audience that was returning from the commercial break. “Before the break Jason you were telling us about your high school years. You touched on how you got chance to play football, but nothing else. I know the audience here in the studio and those at home have a few other questions about your high school years other than football.”

Jason nervously smiled at Jay waiting for the questions Jay had warned him was coming. “Now many I have interviewed that came out that they were gay said they had known it all their lives. From the moment they hit puberty till now, and some before. When did you know that you were gay and how were you able to keep it a secret for as long as you did?”

“Well Jay I guess I knew that I was gay just like the others.” Jason turned and looked directly at the audience. “I started noticing boys around eighth grade or so. There was this one guy in my class that caught my eye every time I saw him. At that time I thought what I was feeling and wanting to do was wrong. I kept thinking to myself over and over again what I was feeling and wanting to do was wrong and to knock it off, but the more I tried, the worse it got for me.

I was falling for this guy, but I knew this guy was straight. Because of that, I never even attempted to try anything with him. Even back then I knew that was wrong as I do now.” Jason paused a minute to organize his thoughts. “I believe one of the wrong perceptions people have about the gay community is that we try and hit on all the heterosexuals out there. That belief, among others is completely wrong. Don’t get me wrong there might be one or two out there that do, but the majority of us respect and don’t cross that line. We want to be treated like equals and in order to do that we know we need to treat everyone around us with respect, not like a piece of meat.”

Once again the audience jumped to their feet applauding. “So I didn’t try anything with this guy and we ended up becoming very good friends. We lost contact once he moved away in the middle of his freshman year, but until that point we were good friends. Something I valued more than a touch or attempted sexual move that I knew would fail.”

For the first time for many in the audience this was their first time hearing someone like Jason talk about how others perceive them. How much of what they thought and were taught about people like Jason was wrong. They couldn’t help but think that if the majority of the homosexual community was like Jason they should have equal rights in every city and state in this country.

“The reason this story came to mind and I told it was because that was when I really realized that I was gay. Don’t get me wrong, I still fought it all through high school. I went out with several girls, but when it came time for sex I always made up an excuse. I kissed many girls, but it wasn’t the same for me as kissing a guy. The feelings were all different.

There were a couple of times several teammates wondered about me. They confronted me a couple of the times why I didn’t go all the way with my girlfriend.” Jason got a weird reaction from the audience which he understood that they needed more detail on the last thing he had said. “I know that’s a little confusing. How did my teammates find out about my sex life?” The audience started to shake their heads. “Simply girl talk. My girlfriend talked about our evening with her girlfriends and they went and told their boyfriends my teammates. Not knowing that their boyfriends were going to question me, or maybe they did. I won’t ever know why they did what they did. It could also be that we were in high school doing dumb high school things.”

“That’s true Jason, very true!” Jay spoke over the applause to try and keep the interview going with no more time consuming applause. “All of us learn from the mistakes we make in high school. That’s where we do our growing up. Some do more mistakes than others, but we all in one way or another make mistakes. I’m hoping nothing bad came out of your teammates confronting you.”

“Oh no Jay, nothing at all because I had already gotten good at lying whenever I was confronted about my sex life. They believed me, and if they didn’t they never said anything. All through high school I was able to keep my secret, but college was a different story.

Since I played backup all through my high school years, no scouts were really looking at me. If I wanted to get a full ride, I needed to earn it. So I was one of those that went out for walk on trials at UTEP. Man did I work my butt off because I knew by the looks on the coaches face when they saw me walk onto the field that they counted me out. By the end of tryouts I impressed them enough that they gave me a scholarship and let me on the team once again as a backup player.

I practiced hard, played hard and earned my starting positions when they were finally given to me. Even then I worked even harder so the coaches never regretted on making the decision of me being their starter. The team I had the honor to play on went to the Rose Bowl the three years I was their starter and won each time, but all that everyone knows by now. What you want to hear is things that have been kept a secret successfully.”

All at once the audience in one way or another said yes. “Well where do I start. When I decided after what happened in high school not to play with the hearts of the woman in college. That wasn’t right to them or me. So I didn’t date at all. I tried to hide that by throwing myself into my course work and football. At first it worked, but by mid-year my freshman year a few of my fellow teammates started to ask questions. They kept digging until they thought they knew the truth, which most of it wasn’t, but that didn’t stop them from spreading it all over campus.

Before I knew it I was the Hunchback of UTEP. When the rumors finally reached the coaches, they brought me in to clear them up. At first, I refused. I kept asking myself what gave them the right to give me the third degree about what might or might not be true about my sexual orientation. I mean no one else on the team was being asked about their love life. But eventually they threatened to pull my scholarship if I didn’t answer their question. Boy once I cleared things up, things got a lot worse when I thought things were going to get better.”

Jason went into detail on the rules that were put in place just for him to follow. As he went through the rules you could hear gasps coming from the audience. They couldn’t believe that a coach was given that much latitude when it came to dealing with their players. When Jason got to the worse of the rules the audience started to boo. Not at Jason, but the rules he was forced to follow.

“Let me get this straight Jason. The coaches at UTEP when you attended thought you were such a threat that they didn’t allow you to shower with the rest of the players. They made you sleep in your own room and make you pay for that room since the others on the team had to bunk at least two to a room. They made you….” Jay stopped in mid-sentence shaking his head as he looked down at his desk. “I just can’t get through those rules because it’s unbelievable to me. I know there is fear out there, but to go to the extremes that those coaches did was too much.”

“When they told me about the rules, I thought the same thing. I thought it was unfair and I shouldn’t have to follow them, but I quickly was told I had no choice in the matter if I wanted to keep my scholarship. So I swallowed it and agreed to follow the rules they made just for me thinking that was the end of it, but things got worse for me after that.

By those rules being put into place my teammates thought it gave them the right do whatever they wanted to me and they wouldn’t get into trouble, which they didn’t.” Jason couldn’t hide that he was shaking. It was visible for all to see as he recounted what he went through. “At first it started small, but it quickly escalated to imaginable things.

I would walk in every day and find a slur of some kind about my sexual orientation sprayed on my locker. To make matters worse when I reported to one of the coaches they not only didn’t do anything about it, they made me clean it up. Making me feel I deserved what was happening. That quickly escalated to my locker being broken into and my clothes stolen, books destroyed and anything worth of value either damaged or never found again. And again I tried to go to a coach and again they made it out that it was all my fault and didn’t do a thing about it.

So I stopped changing in the locker room and bringing anything personal with me, but again that didn’t stop them. All it did was get whoever was doing to find out where I was leaving my stuff and destroying it. It got to the point I stopped using my lockers at school. One of my brothers or sister would meet me before practice in the parking lot so I could give them what I had and change in the car. That solved that problem, but it brought up a whole bunch of new ones for me.”

Jason went through everything he went through in college. Each time things got worse, the audience would make it clear they were disgusted. “I took everything that was thrown at me and figured eventually they would tire themselves out, which they did. By my sophomore year they left me alone. I went to school, practice and home. Had no friends and at that point I didn’t care. All I cared about was getting better at the game I loved so hopefully when my time came to be drafted I would get picked and leave those years where they belong, in the past.”

“You dealt with that a lot better than the majority of us would have if we were in your shoes. I don’t know what I would have done, but the patience you showed is surely out of the question. After all of what you went through I don’t know how you were able to go out there on that field every Saturday and not only play alongside those that would rather see you dead than be on their team and show them respect that they surely were never going to show you.”

“Jay the answer to that is sitting in the audience.” Jason pointed to his parents. “My parents taught all of us as we were growing up to be the bigger person. Don’t ever lower ourselves to their level when someone is doing us wrong. Forgive them for the wrong they are doing and give them the respect they refuse to give. Never give them what they were trying to get and that is getting under your skin.”

The audience broke into applause as the show went into a commercial break. As the times before when the show broke, Jay went over with Jason what he plans to do in the next segment. He wanted to make sure Jason had no problem on where he plans to take the interview, which Jason never did. In fact, Jason respected Jay for asking if where he was going was alright.

When they came back from the break Jay summarized what they had discussed so far in case they had any new viewer just tuning in. Once he finished his summarization, Jay asked Jason about his love life in college, which Jason answered was nonexistent up to the end of his sophomore year. That not only intrigued Jay, but the audience in the studio and at home. Jay needed Jason to give up more information and didn’t let him off the hook until he did.

“Thelma and a couple of our high school friends talked me into going to a party they heard about on the Westside of town. I normally say no to parties and more so if they were happening at a home on the Westside of town.” Jay interrupted and asked why that side of town. “Well certain parts of it is where the rich in our city lives and where the party was being thrown was plum right in the middle of the rich area of the Westside.

Anyway Thelma talked me into it and I went. I walked with my mind already made up not to have fun, but another young man decided not to let that happen when he saw me. The first hour or so of the party we stole glances of each other. Slowly we moved closer and finally a couple hours in, we were standing right next to each other.

Neither of us wanted to be the first to speak. So we waited for the other, which I won.” Jason laughed as the memories of the night he met Robbie came flooding back. “We started out with small talk. You know where do you live, what school do you attend and since we both looked like we were athletes we asked which sport does the other play in.

By the time the party was coming to an end, we were talking with each other outside as if we’d known each other for years. I found out he was a couple years older than me, but that didn’t matter. I also found out he was only in town for that day and the next visiting a friend that talked him into going to the party like Thelma did to me. Plus a lot more, but because this guy I’m going out with isn’t out yet I can’t go into any more information than what I already have.” The audience moaned.

“Well let’s leave that to you two owing your friends big for talking each of you into going with them to that party that evening.” Jay chuckled. “If Thelma didn’t talk you into going or your boyfriend’s friend didn’t do the same, you guys wouldn’t have met. I truly hope you two not only make it for the long haul, but can live like all the rest of us in a serious relationship, which eventually leads to marriage. Without this hate, anger and everything else that comes with not understanding or willing to accept what is different than what we have come to believe to be right.”

The audience jumped to their feet applauding. They all agreed with every word that Jay said and was wishing and hoping the same. “We will be right back, but please don’t change that channel. On the other side of this commercial break I have a real big treat for you all.” Jay reached down and picked up a CD. “Brandon Lopez is here to perform a song from his latest CD, ‘That was Then, and this is Now’ for you. Many of you may know his brother Joshua Lopez, the front runner for the Republican ticket for president, but that is a totally different tale.”

As the cameras started to fade to commercial, the audience at home saw Jay getting up from his seat as well as Jason. When they returned from the commercial break the cameras were on another part of the stage that was dark. The music started to play and right away the audience in the studio and at home knew what song Brandon was about to sing, “Hero’.

About seven seconds into the song, one light turned on over Brandon sitting on a stool with a guitar in his lap beginning to sing. The audience started to applaud, but not for more than a few seconds. They loved this slow moving love song and didn’t want to miss one word of it. It reached down in each and every one of them and made their love for the one they chose to spend the rest of their lives with even stronger than they ever felt before for them.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqXQIXqsGnI[/youtube]

Let me be your hero

Would you dance
If I asked you to dance?
Would you run
And never look back?
Would you cry
If you saw me crying?
And would you save my soul, tonight?

Would you tremble
If I touched your lips?
Would you laugh?
Oh please tell me this.
Now would you die
For the one you loved?
Hold me in your arms, tonight.

The way Brandon sat there holding onto the microphone, singing into it, made the audience feel every syllable he was singing. They thought of their own relationships and asked those questions that Brandon was singing and every answer was yes for each and every one of them. They would cry if they saw their partner crying, they save each other’s souls if they could and yes they would tremble if their partner would touch their lips.

On the other side of the stage Jason and Jay sat there listening to this young man singing. Just like the audience they felt the emotion in Brandon’s voice. Every so often Jason would look over at Robbie and saw Robbie looking at him. They both knew the others answers to what the song was asking, yes. There love has grown and gotten so strong they felt there isn’t a thing out there that can destroy what they have with each other.

I can be your hero, baby.
I can kiss away the pain.
I will stand by you forever.
You can take my breath away.

Would you swear
That you'll always be mine?
Or would you lie?
Would you run and hide?
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
I don't care...
You're here tonight.

I can be your hero, baby.

By this point in the song everyone was feeling it, even the strong ones. Jason tried to keep what he was feeling inside, but couldn’t. He was thankful that he and Jay were in the dark and the cameras didn’t go to them. Because it they did, they would see an emotional Jason that wanted to go down to Robbie and hold him in his arms. Feel his breath, his lips, kiss any pain he has away. He just wanted to be down there with Robbie, but knew he couldn’t.

I can kiss away the pain.
I will stand by you forever.
You can take my breath away.

As the band played, Brandon looked away, not making eye contact with the audience. He was feeling it too. When this song was presented to him when he was recording he had just had his first child with his wife who had a rough labor. All those emotions were flooding back. The audience didn’t know why Brandon didn’t make eye contact with them. They thought he was doing it to let the song simmer in their minds and hearts. To let their own thoughts and feelings come to the top.

Oh, I just want to hold you.
I just want to hold you, oh, yeah.
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
Well, I don't care...
You're here tonight.

I can be your hero, baby.
I can kiss away the pain, oh, yeah.
I will stand by you forever.
You can take my breath away.

I can be your hero.
I can kiss away the pain.
And I will stand by you forever.
You can take my breath away.
You can take my breath away.

I can be your hero.

As the song came to an end, the lights over Brandon went dark. The audience jumped to their feet applauding. Wiping away the tears from their eyes as Jay and Jason made their way over to where Brandon and his band were. Brandon met Jay halfway with his hand stretched out, which Jay took as he pulled the young man into a hug. Once Jay let go, Brandon walked over to Jason and shook his hand as he leaned in and whispered something in his ear.

While Brandon and Jason were shaking hands, Jay went and shook every members of the bands hands before rejoining the two young men in the middle of the stage. Jason wanted to do the same as Jay, but didn’t know if that was allowed or not. So he just stood there with Brandon as Jay thanked the audience at home for tuning in and the audience in the studio for being there after he plugged Brandon’s new CD. Then he asked the audience to stay tuned for "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" just as his credits ended and it switched over to Jimmy Fallon.

TO BE CONTINUED…………………………

WRITER’S CORNER:

{Welcome one and all to a new chapter in the sage of ‘Praying for a Hail Mary’. Before I go into the summation of this chapter, let me get rid of all the legal mumble jumble I have to do by using real names of people in my story. This story is purely fictional and does not imply anything about the sexuality of the featured people. I also like to note that The Dallas Cowboys and any other team I write about in this story is a copyright and trademark of NFL and its affiliates.

Well I hope this chapter is what you were hoping it would be. I know it didn’t push along a lot in the timeline. In fact, it didn’t move more than an half a day, but I didn’t want to rush this part. Even though he is going to have more interviews in the chapters to come, this is the only chapter that is going to go into detail during the interview.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise who was at the airport when Jason and his family arrived. It also wasn’t a surprise that Jason really didn’t have any freedom or free time. He is becoming known and the more known he becomes the more he isn’t going to be able to go out in public. Appearing on the Tonight Show has quickened his notoriety. The fans of the team he plays for are always going to stop him on the street or wherever he is and ask for autographs and pictures. I’m so glad he didn’t push through them and ignore who is actually paying his salary.

Just today I was reading in the news there was this pop star overseas that went out into the audience and was singing. As she walked back to the stage she took out her hand patting her fans on the head. One fan grabbed her hand and wouldn’t let go. That was wrong on the fan, but the singer went out there and sang in the audience and then went further and she herself started to pat fans on the head. Because she didn’t like being held on to, she hit the fan over the head with her microphone, which was completely wrong. Again the fan was wrong for holding onto her, but hitting someone who pays her salary was completely wrong.

This is becoming accepting in that arena. More and more singers are doing that and to make matters worse they go to their twitter page saying what they did but not apologizing. They brag they did it. That’s wrong and I hope this pop star hurts where it counts, the pocket book. It time we use our power and teach these young brats out there we made them we can take them down by stop going to their concerts, buying their music and anything else they make their living on. They need to start treating all equal and stop acting like spoiled little brats they are.

Sorry about that, I was just angry when I read that news article on top of weeks of these things going on with those out there that depend on us to buy their music and go to their concerts to make their living. I will never have any of my characters become that. This is a world of fiction that we all at one time or another wish was reality because this world has gotten at times out of control.

Back to the summation of the chapter. Jason respected his fans even though he wanted to be with his boyfriend that he hadn’t seen in months. After signing the autographs and getting onto the plane things got quickly worse for poor Jason. An unruly passenger couldn’t keep his opinions of hate to himself. He had to let it all out there for the world to know and to hurt Jason.

I’m sure there were a few others passengers on the plane that didn’t approve of Jason on how he lives, but they kept their feelings to themselves. Not this passenger and to make matters worse his father jumped in. The father got on his soap box like I did earlier and ranted on. There was no doubt in my mind if they weren’t pulled away they wouldn’t have stopped.

Jason, his family and Robbie took it all in their stride and didn’t let it get under their skin. Jason tried to help end it all, but quickly realized he wasn’t going to be able to do that. He stepped away and for the rest of the plane ride he protected Robbie from that by not sitting next to him. Both guys hated it, it hurt them, but had no other choice in the matter.

When they finally did arrive at The Tonight Show things got a little better. Jason and Robbie were able to spend a little time together before the show after Jason’s family left. Thelma helped them by playing lookout. Once she saw Spencer coming she warned the guys and together with Robbie they left the dressing room as Spencer arrived.

I like that Jay went in to speak with Jason before the show. I also like that he agreed not to go where Jason didn’t talk about. A lot did get covered in the interview. And yes one huge thing in Jason’s life didn’t. None of us should have expected Jason to go on national TV and talk about being brutally raped and left to die. In time maybe, but for now he is trying to get his career started without a whole bunch of lies hiding in his closet.

I bet none of you expected to see Brandon Lopez in this story. I will not tie this story into the Jacob realm. At times little things like this will pop in, but no sharing plots between the stories. This story is a standalone and will stay that way with characters from my other stories popping in here and there because if those stories stay going a lot of what happens in the future will evolve around those characters.

If you watched the video you got a glimpse at what Brandon looks like now. The young kid battered and almost destroyed by what his mother did turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. Daniel and Barbara did a good job putting him back in the right track.

Oh yeah what about that thing Jay said about Josh. That is a wicked cliffhanger of all cliffhangers because it belongs to another story first of all and second it won’t be resolved for a long time. I love it when I come up with things like that. Thanks Brien, LOL! Also let’s not forget Brandon whispered something in Jason’s ear. What was it? Will we find out soon?

Well this summation wasn’t as short and sweet as my last ones, but a lot happened in this chapter and I just couldn’t stop talking about it. I have big plans for this story, so come on back and keep reading this saga. You won’t regret it, I promise. And if I forgot anything in my summation that needed to be mentioned I know me Editor Trevor will pick up on it and write it out in his editor’s corner below. Thanks again for giving this new story a chance.

There is going to be a lot developing in the chapters to come. Stick around and keep reading the future chapters, and enjoy! Please email me and let me know how I am doing at jacobmillertex@aol.com, Thanks!}

EDITOR’S CORNER:

A big chapter as Jacob pointed out covering a lot of stuff. Being mobbed by fans can be annoying but Jason handled it well better than a lot of other stars do as once again Jacob pointed out.

Thelma again proved how valuable an ally she can be when it comes to Jason by helping hide the fact that Robbie was his boyfriend and lover while they were on the aircraft. She is so good at calming people down and it was good that Jason paid tribute to her during his Jay Leno interview which I thought was brilliant.

I’m sure a lot of fence sitters regarding Jason’s sexuality were swayed onto his side by that interview. Paying tribute to his parents like he did was also the right thing to do just as not mentioning the rape was just and appropriate.

Once again Jacob cleverly linked one of his other stories with this one and while as he pointed out this won’t be the normal thing but will happen from time to time and don’t forget to check out the video of Brandon singing and let Jacob know what you think.

Then there was the reference by Jay regarding Josh Lopez from his Shadow of my father story which will give you some indication which direction that story is heading. It is clever the way he brings his stories together without overdoing it.

Before Jason flies out to join the Cowboys for the Patriots game I hope he is able to spend some quality time with his lover. This story is getting more intriguing as it goes along and it doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree or not please let Jacob know what you think. He really does look forward to your comments good or not so good.

Hugs Trevor