Chain Reaction 3.1.63: Dealing With Change

 

Alaric

     I'm playing the piano in the great room when I hear my parents talking.

     I'm starting college soon, and Mom wants to use that as a further excuse to move. I suppose I can see her point as to why. This is the house where my dick of a brother abused her. I'm sure that puts a strain on Mom and Dad's relationship. Especially ever since Drake escaped prison, Mom has been very withdrawn. I guess it doesn't help that all around her are reminders of what happened to her.

     Of course, Dad will give her whatever she wants. If she asked him to stand on his head for three hours a day, he probably would. I sometimes catch it in his eyes when he looks at Mom, it kills him that she doesn't, can't respond like she used to. Not that he pushes her, but if I know my dad, he doesn't get to show her how much he loves her in the same ways as before. He's keeping things simple for her sake.

      Yes, a move might be just the thing. Sure, I'll miss this house, but at the same time, it's just a house. And I'll be leaving to go to Eden University anyway.

      I want a career in the music industry. Not as a musician per se. Sure, I'm apparently just as gifted in music as I am with writing, but the 'Goth businessman' has started coming out inside me. Is that even a thing? Anyway, I want to own and run a record label.

     When Dad heard about this, he got excited. He wanted immediately to give me funding and help me start the thing up asap. But that's not what I want. If I started it up now, I would feel lost and probably taken advantage of by my future employees.

     The solution to that is for me to get a business degree. I might double major in music or just finish a minor in it. It all depends on the difficulty levels of the classes I'll need to take. After doing a bit of digging on campus, I've decided that I want equal knowledge in both fields, so I'm probably looking at a double major.

     After speaking with my advisor and getting set up for housing, I take a walk outside.

     Kyra is going to WCU where Kate is, and I'm kinda bummed about that. She assures me that no way in plum would she want anyone else, and the same is true for me. But this will certainly be a test.

Darrin

      It's the last night of our honeymoon, and we decided to go out.

     And I'm pouting. I'm trying to hide it, but I don't know how well it works.

     Mike has totally regained his confidence, and he has more clients wanting him when we get back. It's not that I'm not thrilled that he's ready to put his life back the way it was. It's that I worry he'll remember how he got along just fine without me.

     "Are you two ready to order?" our waiter asks us.

     Mike speaks up first, "Yes, I'd like-"

     The man interrupts. "Oh my maker! You're Michael Taylor!"

     "Er..."

     "I'd heard you were on some island celebrating your honeymoon, but to think that you're actually here! At my table! Oh, I have been the biggest fan of yours, ever since your SimTube channel started!"

     Next, the man is going to get on his knees and beg for an autograph. 

     Then the guy finally notices me. "And you must be his partner! Oh, you are so lucky!"

     Is it bad that I want to knock out a few of my waiter's teeth? I try to play nice, however. "Yes, I am." It's now that I notice Mike has leaned away and shifted in his seat.

     "Well, don't you two worry about a thing. I'll speak with the manager. We'll give you the works on the house!" He runs off.

     Mike looks at me. "I just wanted some broiled fish."

     "Well, instead, you're getting 'the works,' whatever that is. Hell, I'm sure the man would give you anything you asked for." Do I sound bitter? Sorry, but the guy looked like he really wanted to flirt with Mike and was barely keeping a lid on it.

    "Darrin, what are you talking about?"

    I don't get to answer because Mr. Talkative, our waiter, returns with a photo. "I just had this printed! Would you please sign it for us? We can hang it up for everyone to see!" He slaps the photo, one of my favorites from his earlier modeling days, on the table and hands Mike a smudge-proof pen.

     "Sure," Mike says, and he gets a little rosier when Mr. Talkative rests his hand on his shoulder, watching as Mike signs his name. Then he hands it to the guy.

     "Oh, this is wonderful!" He stops himself, but I catch it. He almost kissed it. I don't stop my knowing expression. The man smiles guiltily. "I'll just be right back with your drinks."

    All throughout dinner, I barely refrain from being an outright jerk. But our waiter is driving me nuts! I keep thinking, if he touches Michael again... But then he does, and I have to work to keep from making a scene. And our meal was free, so it's not like I even had the option of skipping out on the tip!

    We FINALLY get up and leave, and Michael asks me to have a seat so that we can watch the sunset. Then he takes my hands.

     "I wasn't encouraging him," he tells me.

     "But you liked it." Is this what life is going to be like from now on? I'm married to a celebrity, and I'm nothing but a run-of-the-mill police detective.

     "No, and it was all I could do not to slap the guy for being so... handsy."

     "'Wild Mike' would've liked it." I've since heard about all his exploits, even up to the night we got back together, the night he got abducted. He didn't want to keep anything from me. I can't shake that image of a Mike that would hump anything remotely attractive. Even though we weren't together when 'Wild Mike' existed, I'm insanely jealous of anyone who got to touch him.

     "'Wild Mike' was devastatingly lonely." He watches my downturned expression, and he takes a breath. "'Wild Mike' kept trying to fill the void but knew there was only person who really could. That's how hard I had to fight missing you." I'm still not looking at him. "Darrin..." I look up. "You're the love of my life, remember? No one else."

     I allow myself to melt into it when he kisses me, and I try to tell myself not to worry. But I can't help it. I don't want to pull him from fame, but how often is this going to happen?