CHAPTER TWELVE-“The Late Show”

 

I was sitting in the living room reading one of Kristin’s astrology books, when he came back from the meeting with Randy.  I was so into her book that I didn’t even notice him till he sat down next to me, and said,  “I see Kristin’s begun to convert you.” 

 

“What?”  What do you mean?”

 

“She gave you one of her crystals,” he said, nodding at the necklace.

 

 “Oh.  Yes.  It’s fifteen million years old and from a meteorite.”  I said telling him exactly what Kristin had told me.

 

“Is that so?  Did she show you the warranty?”

 

“What?”

 

He laughed.  “Nothing,” he said with a wave of his hand.  “By the way, Angelina was looking for you, I told her you were up here with Kristin.  She said when you get a chance, meet her in her parents room, if she’s not there, to check Yvonne’s room.”

 

“Oh ok, thanks,” I said walking to the door to leave.  “Tell Kristin I said later.”

 

“Ok.  Where is she by the way?”  He asked.  “She’s in the tub.  She said she needed a nice hot bath.” 

 

“Hot bath huh, hmm?  He said trying to hide the wicked smile that was taking over his face.

 

Ugh! I thought to myself as I opened the hotel room door to let myself out.  How depressing.  “Bye Kev.”  I said teasingly, closing the door behind me.

 

I heard him laugh. 

 

In the hallway, I saw Nick walking towards me with two younger boys.  One of the boys I knew.  The other, I had never met. 

 

“Hi Ryan,” I said giving Angelina’s fourteen-year-old brother a hug.  Even though he was her younger brother, he was practically my height.

 

“Hi Isabelle.”  He said hugging me back.

 

“Hey,” Nick said.  “This is my little brother, Aaron.”

 

“Hi Aaron,”

 

“Hi.”  He said. He looked like his older brother’s mini me.  I wasn’t surprised at how quickly the two younger boys had become friends.  They were already talking video games, comic books, and trading Pokemon cards.

 

“Angelina is looking for you.”  Nick said.

 

“Yeah, Kevin just told me, I’m going to go see her now.”

 

“She said she’d be in…”

 

“Hey,” Aaron said cutting Nick off.  “Race ya.”  He said taking off down the hall.  Ryan followed a split second behind him.

 

Nick looked at me, and then yelled walking up to them, “Hey you two, stop running!”  But not to my surprise, when he caught up to them, he said.  “Ok, GO!”  And took off leaving the two boys behind.

 

I laughed to myself as I walked over to room 803.

 

“Isabelle!”  Lina’s stepmom said when she opened the door pulling me into an embrace, and giving me a kiss on the cheek, her red lipstick leaving a mark.  “Hi sweetie.  How are you doing?”

 

“Hi Lisa,” I said hugging her back.  “I’m fine.  How are you?”

 

“We’re great.  We’re so proud of Lina.”  She gushed.

 

“Yeah, I am too.”  I told her.  “Hi John,” I said turning to her dad who was closing the door, with a huge smile on his face.

 

“Hey there, sweetheart.”  He said giving me yet another embrace.  Lina’s dad was a tall man with dirty blonde hair.  Angelina got most of her looks from him.

 

I said hi to both of Lina’s stepsisters, and then their dad asked, “How’s it going for you two? You girls behaving yourselves, right?”

 

“Yup, we’re good girls, dad.”  Lina interjected with a plastic smile on her face.  She was sitting on the couch.  To my astonishment AJ was there too.

 

“Hey,” I said walking over to them and sitting down.

 

“Come here.”  Lina said, as we met each other half way.  She took her hand and gently stroked away the lipstick mark from my cheek.  “I’ve never met anyone who piled on lipstick the way she does.”

 

“So, already meeting the parents, AJ?”  I asked purposely being too forward.  “Wow, you don’t waste anytime.”

 

“Yup, that’s right, the sooner I’m good with the ‘rents, the sooner I can…nevermind.”  He said.  Lina playfully punched his arm.  “I was kidding.”  He said trying his best to look innocent. 

 

“No,” Lina said looking at me.  “He made me go with him and meet his mom. So now he has to meet my parent.”

 

“Are you going to go pick up your dad at the airport tomorrow?”  Lina’s stepmom asked me while sitting down next to AJ.

 

For the first time ever, I saw AJ look uncomfortable.  “Yeah, I am.”  I told her.

 

“Good,” she said.

 

No one said anything for a while, making it an uncomfortable silence.

 

“Kevin told me you were looking for me?”  I finally said.

 

“Oh yeah, I need to know if you want to go to the David Letterman Show tonight. I already got seats for my parents and Michael.  Ryan and my sisters can’t go, you need to be eighteen or over.”

 

“Yeah,” I said.  “I wanna go.”

 

“Ok, great then that’s all.  My parents, Michael, you and AJ.  Can you believe that I’m only allowed five guests.”

 

“What about Yvonne?”  I asked.

 

“She doesn’t count.”  AJ said.  “She gets to hang out backstage.  She’s actually the only one who does.”

 

“Well,” Lisa said.  “It’s a good thing you have AJ, Lina.”  She said, making it one of those slightly embarrassing parent/new boyfriend or potential boyfriend moments (I still wasn’t sure if they were going out or not).  “I’m sure you can learn a thing or two from him.”

 

I smiled as Lina and AJ just looked at each other without a word.  You could tell AJ wanted to say some smart-ass comment.  But wisely, he held it back.

 

Mr. Mayfield opened the door, when someone knocked on it.  Yvonne came in her face lit up like the Christmas tree that was set up in the lobby.

 

“Hey Yvonne,” John said letting her in.

 

“Hi John.”  She said walking past him and straight to where we were sitting.

 

She smiled at Lisa, and then kneeled down right in front of Lina.

 

“Sweetheart,” she said still beaming.  “I have good news and bad news.  “Which one do you want first?”

 

“Um…bad, I guess.  Get it over with.”  Lina said.

 

“Good call.”  AJ said.

 

“Well,” Yvonne started off saying, making a depressing looking face.  “You can’t have it now.  They are shipping it to Canada and you will be able to enjoy it only after the tour.”

 

“Enjoy what?”  Lina asked baffled.

 

“Well you see, that’s the good news.”  Yvonne said, bright ass smile on her face.  “Since you’re such a great new entourage to the Firm, they’ve decided to give you a nice Christmas present.  A brand new car!” she exclaimed.

 

Lina’s stepmother gasped.

 

“Oh my god.”  Lina said unconsciously grabbing AJ’s hand and squeezing it.

 

AJ smiled.

 

“Oh my,” Yvonne said.  “I didn’t know how much longer I could have kept that in.”

 

“Well how long did you know?”  Lina asked with a smile.

 

“Since before you even started the tour, I just couldn’t say anything till they confirmed they were getting it for you.  Now for the best part, you get to decide, what kind of car you want.”

 

Lina shrieked.  “Oh my god, oh my god.  I can’t believe this.  This is like the best thing that’s ever happened to me.  Oh my god.  Any kinda car I want?”

 

“Any kind you want.”  Yvonne told her.

 

“I know, I already know what I want.”  Lina said standing up.

 

“Now Angelina, maybe you should think about this before you decide.”  Lisa said, just like a mother would.

 

“No, there’s nothing to think about. I know the exact car I want.”  Lina said looking over at me.  “I want…”

 

I knew what kinda car Lina wanted.  It was beautiful.  It was her dream car.  She wanted…

 

“A 1999 Silver Porsche Boxter.  With 2-doors, 2.5-liter aluminum-alloy, that produces 201 horsepower. Standard features include air conditioning, power windows and door locks, an electric folding top, a speed-actuated rear spoiler, heated windshield washer nozzles, integrated roll bars, and 16-inch alloy wheels.”

 

“That’s my girl.”  AJ said, immediately getting “the look” from Mr. Mayfield.  Lina smiled.

 

“Are you sure sweetie?  It might be wise to just…”

 

“No, I’ve already made up my mind.  A silver Porsche, that’s what I want.”

 

Yvonne looked around to both her parents.  They didn’t say anything.  “Alright then,” she said.  “If that’s what you want, then that’s what you’re going to get.”

 

“Oh, thank you, Yvonne.”  Lina said wrapping her arms around her.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

 

AJ, Yvonne, and I laughed at Lina’s enthusiasm. 

 

“Well, it’s not me you have to thank.”  Yvonne said.  “Remember to write a little thank you card, to Mr. Ed Myer, when you get a chance.  He’s the CEO of The Firm Management.”

 

“I will,” Lina said.  “I’ll go do that right now.  Oh my god,” she gasped one more time, “My very own dream car.”

 

Through the entirety of the remainder of the day, Lina would not stop talking about her car, the color, the engine, the seats, the radio.  Actually, this was a good thing, it took away the nervousness she might have felt about her television debut.

 

We were in the limo, on our way to the Ed Sullivan Building, where The Late Show with David Letterman was filmed, live.  AJ, Michael, and Mr. Mayfield, were all dressed in tuxedos.  Of course AJ’s was a little more chic.  He was in an Oscar de la Renta original, with a three buttons and besom pocket.  He’d gotten it especially for tonight.

 

Lisa’s black dress was form fitting, and came up to her calves.  Yvonne was in a simple, elongated, black dress, with silver chain straps. And I was in a similar black dress; with regular black spaghetti straps.  Mine was also bought for the occasion, since I had nothing but jeans and sweaters to wear.  Angelina’s dress was gorgeous.  It was a Nicole Miller off-the-shoulder sheath, with an empire waist. There was boning at chest and a slight deep at the décolleté.  The elbow length sleeves were fitted and tonal embroidery.  The dress fell slightly below her knees.  Her hair was left loose, falling around her face.  She looked beautiful.  It was a shame though; the dress was never going to make it on TV.  She was to change to one of her tour outfits backstage, and if you’ve ever seen even one of the Late Shows, you would know that the musical performer never gets interviewed by Letterman.

 

The chauffer opened the door, and Lina was about to get out, when AJ pulled her back. 

 

“You don’t get off here.”  Yvonne said.

 

“Oh”

 

Yvonne signaled for AJ’s bodyguard to get out, AJ, Michael, Lina’s parents, and I followed.  It was ok.  There were no fans around, since no one was expecting a BSB member to be at the Late Show tonight, but the photographers had a field trip taking pictures when they saw him.

 

The limo pulled away, and went around back to where Yvonne, Lina, and Madd Dogg would go in through.

 

We enduringly sat through the show, as the host tried his hardest to make us laugh.  I just never really found Letterman funny.  Anyways, his guests tonight, in order, were Kerri Russell, Bill Gates, and of course, Angelina.  AJ was getting kind of restless, and I didn’t blame him, Bill Gates was not a very interesting man.

 

When finally Bill Gates’ segment was over, and we came back from commercial, David Letterman said, “Now welcome to the stage, an eighteen year old, bright new star who’s signed to one of the most impressive record companies out there, Sony.  You can catch her on tour right now opening up for the Backstreet Boys. Ladies and Gentleman, performing what is to be her debut single, Tell Me How It’s Going To Be, here is Angelina Mayfield.

 

The APPLAUSE sign began to blink, and the studio director waved her hands in the air telling us to make some noise, Angelina was greeted generously.  The lights dimmed, the spotlight came on, and she slowly walked out as the intro played. 

 

Though no one knew the song, the crowd was quickly feelin’ the up tempo rhythm Lina had going on.  Like usual, she was great. She was working the crowd in no time.  When she was done, she even got a standing ovation, even though it was just from her parents, Michael, AJ, and me.  I looked over at her family as she took a bow, and they were just so proud.  I was proud of my best friend too.  And I smile spread across my face, when I saw that AJ was proud of her too.  He seemed to really care for her, which for some reason made me feel secure.  I wasn’t the only one here looking out for her.

 

David Letterman walked over to her, and she shook his hand.  Big camera smiles on them both.

 

“That was wonderful.”  Letterman said.  “Beautiful voice.”

 

“Thank you.”  Lina said into her mic.

 

“How’s the tour going?  Any pressure opening up for the biggest act out there right now?”

 

“Oh yes, the pressures on when you have to prove yourself to the fans of one of the hottest boy bands in the world.  You know, you’re backstage worried about, if they’re going to like you or not, but you know, you go out there, do what you need to do, and they warm up to you.  Their fans are great.”  She said, a smile still on her face.

 

“Why don’t you introduce us to your band here?”  Letterman told her.

 

“Sure, this is Levon Bruce, on bass guitar, and Jerry Horowitz on the piano.”

 

They waved.

 

“Well that’s great.  You were great Miss Mayfield, and I’m sure you have a bright future ahead of you.”  He said shaking her hand again.

 

Lina tried to squeeze in a thank you, but David Letterman was already announcing who would be on tomorrows show, and cutting into commercial.  When the camera’s rolled off, Lina walked off stage where I’m sure she was congratulated by Yvonne’s warm embrace.  She’d been perfect!

 

 

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