Ch 135 As Good as Justin Bieber

             

 

As good as Justin Bieber

          “You’re as good as Justin Bieber!” the girl squealed.

         

           Luke gaped at her. “Did you just …” he started to say.

Janet grabbed his arm and forced a smile. “Sorry, girls, but we have to get going. We have to prepare for our next show,” she said, to the throng of teenaged girls closing in on them, all of whom were practically drooling over Luke, much to his distress and now he was royally insulted.

          “Oh, we’ll love to hear all the songs again,” the second girl said.

“I’d never heard them before,” the third girl said, jumping on her toes.

“Not even Justin Bieber sing them!” the first girl said again.

Janet felt Luke stiffen by her side and she clamped down harder, lest he do something stupid, like hit the girl upside the head. “Well, if you like them, you’ll love the next show. All new songs!”

The girls squealed with delight.

“You can always buy the CD of our performance, which should be out soon. You just subscribe to Luke’s new website and then you’ll get a notice when it’s available for purchase. Okay, thanks!” Janet said pleasantly and half dragged Luke away, steering him behind the bandstand.

“That girl did not just compare me to Justin Bieber!” Luke said, fuming mad.

“No, she didn’t,” Janet said soothingly, looking all over for Alana.

“I am not a spoiled brat Hollywood punk!” he yelled.

Janet just barely kept from bursting out laughing. “Of course you’re not. You’re an extremely talented singer, songwriter and musician. They’re just silly girls who don’t know a new song from a cover. Don’t listen to anything they say, Luke. It’s just not… Oh, Alana, there you are!”

Alana’s huge green eyes instantly showed alarm. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, didn’t you know?” Luke said. “I’m almost as good as Justin Bieber!”

“What!” Alana shrieked indignantly. “You’re tons better! You can’t even be in the same…”

“Alana, it was nothing to worry about, right?” Janet said, her voice a warning, her eyes wide and silently telling her to chill and to use her charms to calm Luke as well.

“Oh…right…” Alana said, switching gears on a dime. “Yes, oh, Luke, um…can we talk for a bit? I need to tell you something.”

Luke’s fury vanished instantly and he went to her, touching her cheek then moving his fingers through her hair. “What is it, baby? You not worried about all the girls, are ya? Cuz they mean nothing to me. They’re bugs!”

She smiled, went on tiptoe and swiftly kissed him. “No, it….I missed you,” was all she said, staring up at him with adoring eyes.

Luke smiled and he wrapped his hand behind her neck and his other around her waist pulling her closer. “I love you, Alana. You’re my rock,” he whispered. Then he kissed her.

Janet slipped away with a wistful smile on her face. She didn’t know why, but Luke and Alana always reminded her of her own parents. She could easily imagine her parent had been like them once, as teenagers, so young and so in love that nothing else mattered. How she wished it would be like that again for them. Last she saw of her parents, they weren’t even speaking. How were they going to get back together that way?

Janet sighed and that’s when two arms wrapped around her, making her jump in surprise.

“Hey, it’s just me,” Wes whispered in her ear.

“Oh, Wes!” she said spinning around to look at him.

“You okay?” Wes asked.

“You scared me, that’s all,” she said, snuggling into his arms.

“You look sad, though,” he said, holding her close. “Someone say something bad to you?”

“No, nothing like that,” she said, pushing away and forcing a laugh. “Luke was upset. Some stupid girl had the nerve to compare him to Justin Bieber and he did not like that at all! Was about to have himself a hissy-fit, but Alana came and saved the day. She’s like a talisman for him.”

Wes laughed, and did exactly as Luke had done to Alana. He touched Janet’s cheek, ran his fingers through her hair, then he kissed her. “He feels about the same for her that I do for you.”

Without warning tears sprung to Janet’s eyes.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Wes said.

“It’s not fair,” she said, blinking quickly.

“What?”

“You and Luke. You got your girls. You love them and they…” Janet sniffed and bit her lip.

“And they love us, too,” Wes said, a slight smirk on his face.

“My dad loves my mom like…like Luke loves Alana, and…”

“And like I love you. So?”

“So…they’re gonna get a divorce now. I just know it.” She closed her eyes and a tear squeeze out and ran down her cheek.

“Don’t cry, Janet,” Wes said, holding her close. “You don’t know that.”

“My mom told me something, something she did,” Janet said, shaking her head and pulling away again. “And she told my dad. That’s why he was so ticked off at you.”

Wes frowned in confusion. “What do I have to do with it?” he asked, then his eyes widened and he lowered his voice, “Wait, he doesn’t think I did something with your mother, does he?”

“No, not you,” she said, biting her lip again.

Wes slowly shook his head before the light bulb lit. “God, no…please no. Don’t tell me…my dad and your…no way!” he said, running his hands through his hair.

“Nothing happened…much. Just…”

“Much?” he shrieked. “Tell me what happened!”

“Your dad didn’t go to Boston by himself,” she whispered.

“Your mom…” he gulped.

She nodded. “But my mom told me all they did was dance a little and…and they….”

“Janet, what the hell are you doing? We have to go!” Luke said, grabbing her away. “They’re about to announce us!”

“Wait!” Wes yelled, but she was pulled out of his arms and onto the dais where they waited to go into the spotlight. Wes’ cried were drowned by the thunderous applause.

*****

Cindy sniffed, and opened the bathroom door only to come face to face with the reason she’d spent the last fifteen minutes in there crying. “What do you want?” she snapped.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you,” Stevie said shoving his dad’s cell phone into her hands.

“What is this for?” she said, staring at the phone. She made a face, “This guy thinks he’s Harry Potter… what’s he…Harry Potter doesn’t sing, does he?”

“It’s not Harry Potter. It’s some bug guy…My dad said you’ll understand when you hear it and... Just listen to it. Please?” Stevie begged.

“I don’t care about anything you say! I don’t even like Harry Potter!” she said, tossing the phone into the potted palm standing in the corner. “Go dance with your bimbo girlfriends. I’m sure they like Harry Potter and wizards and witches, too, cuz that’s what they are mean old nasty witches and you can keep them!” With that said, she turned and flounced away, her head held high and her skirts swishing around her.

“Cindy!” he shouted after her, but she was gone. He slumped to the potted plant, got the phone and glared at John Lennon.  “Thanks for nothing, you Harry Potter wannabe!”

He stuffed the phone in his pocket and went back to their table. Maybe she would talk to him after she calmed down…maybe. This, however, was wishful thinking on his part. He found Cindy sitting at the large round table directly across from their original seats. She was sandwiched between his mother—who was chatting with a friend from her book club-- and his aunt—who was similarly engaged with a woman Stevie seemed to recall seeing at the doctor’s office.

Cindy folded her arms and looked away as soon as she spotted him coming.

“Cindy?” he said, but she ignored him. “Cindy, this is your seat over here. I got you another crab puff thing, cuz you liked it so much.”

She kept her face averted and took a sip of her drink. She then made a horrible face when she realized it was her father’s gin and tonic. She then grabbed a water glass and drank the whole thing down, but the terrible taste was still in her mouth.

“Want more water?” Stevie said eagerly. “I’ll get you more water!” He then brought her his full and untouched glass and set it down in front of her, but she still wouldn’t acknowledge his existence. “Please, Cindy, I’m sorry!”

“Go away!” she hissed and turned the other way. She could now hear the conversation between Wendy and her friend.

“So, they’ll finally get married next weekend?” Wendy said.

“No, haven’t you heard? They’re already married. It’s just a party to appease their families. You know a wedding reception. They eloped…or can you say it’s eloping when it’s just a private ceremony at your church?” Sue asked.

“I thought Kim was kidding when she said they were already married. I thought she meant…like…in their hearts,” Wendy said.

“Well, they kinda…you know…had to do it quick before she started showing,” Sue whispered.

“You don’t mean…but…Kim thought she was barren all these years. Oh, I’m so happy for her! She’s been wanting kids forever!” Wendy shouted.

“It was all Christopher’s fault all along, her not getting pregnant. So, keep next weekend open. She’s having the party come hell or high water!”

Wendy and Sue laughed until they were interrupted.

“And what is so funny?” Jeff said.

“Jeffery, hi, um…Sue, you remember Jeffery, my…” Wendy said, looking up at him in question.

“High school boyfriend and tonight’s prom date,” he said, grinning. “And I’m hoping to dance with my girl some time tonight.”

Sue shook hands with him and smiled politely. “Well, I wouldn’t want to get in the way of that! I’ll see next weekend, Wendy and Jeffery. Great to see you here again,” she said and with a wave she was gone.

Jeffery stared at Wendy after Sue left and held his hand out to her. “Will you dance with…”

“Look! Luke and Janet are gonna sing again!” Cindy shouted, clapping enthusiastically along with everyone else.  The lights dimmed slightly and almost everyone returned to their seats.

“Jeffery… we can’t now. I’m sorry, but we can’t miss…” Wendy said, but he had already sat down beside her and whispered in her ear.

“Promise me later…you’ll dance with me later, please?” he asked.

She smiled and nodded, then turned to watch an elegantly dressed older man and his wife take the stage and start giving a speech before Janet and Luke could take their places in the spotlight.

“Oh, I thought they were gonna start right away,” Cindy whined. When she saw Stevie was still standing right beside her she snapped, “Oh, go away, why dontcha? I’m here to watch Luke, a real good guy, perfect boyfriend and great rock star. He knows how to treat a lady!”

Stevie left in a dejected slump and went around the table. He had been about to sit down in his seat, when he bolted toward the stage instead. He used his father’s phone to text a message to Janet as he went: Cn u gt Luk to do spcal rqust.

When he got no reply—duh, she wasn’t going to have her cell on her when she’s about to sing on stage-- he went around the back and got Janet just before she was going up the steps to the dais.

“Janet, tell Luke he’s gotta do this song for us,” Stevie said, thrusting the cell phone into her hands.

“What are you talking about?” Janet said, looking at it. “ Is that…Harry...?”

“It’s the perfect song. It’ll get Mom and Dad back together. I just know it!” he said, then he saw Luke frowning at him and he asked him himself. “Luke, you hafta sing this tonight, please!” He grabbed the phone from Janet's hands and gave it to Luke.

“Are you serious?” Luke said, glancing at the phone. “John Lennon? I know this song…one of my dad’s favorites.”

“Please, Luke, please sing it!” Stevie said. “It’ll get our parents back together!”

Luke looked at the phone, sighed, handed the phone back then shrugged. “What the heck? I’m only as good as Justin Bieber, after all.”

Janet gaped at her brother as Luke pulled her up the steps and onto the dais. “You really think this will work?” she said.

“I’m sure it will,” Stevie said confidently, smiling at her. Once they were on stage he muttered, “And maybe it’ll work for me and Cindy, too.”

©2013 Glory Lennon All Rights Reserved