NINE MONTHS AFTER THE CONCERT
“Money and fame made me believe I was entitled. I was wrong and foolish.” ~ Tiger Woods
DECEMBER 1997
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
ZANE
The comet disappears without fanfare. Only Zane, who’d been desperate for it to stop following him around, notices when it is finally gone. He’d driven Parker home from judo the night before, and when he looked up and saw it wasn’t there, he finally let out a deep breath, emptying all the way to the bottom of his lungs for the first time in months.
But now he feels silly. Imagine being afraid of a ball of gas and dust in the sky? The rest of the world wouldn’t have given it a single thought. It was there one day and then it was gone, just like Mike. He wishes he could call his friend and tell him about it. Mike would’ve understood, and the thought makes his heart ache.
But maybe it’s not insane to hope the upheaval was over now, clearing the way for a new era. So, hoping enough time had passed since that awful night, Zane picks up a six-pack of Guinness to take to Dean’s. He’s halfway there when his mother calls.
He grimaces, then answers his car phone. “Hi, Mom.”
“Zane,” she says in a curt tone. She is still furious at him for keeping her new grandson from her for over four months when he knowsthe newborn stage is the most exquisite. She doesn’t use the word furious, however. She uses words like inflamed, fuming, and incensed. “I’m calling to say I’ll be staying with you for Christmas, and I expect to have time with all four of my grandchildren.”
“Understood,” he says. “What day do you arrive?”
“Tuesday and I’ll be there for the entire week.”
“I’ll stock up on Bran Flakes and Tab.”
“Thank you.”
He stops at a red light. “What are you up to today?”
“I’m not calling for small talk. Just make sure my grandkids are there as much of the time as possible.”
He lets out a little sigh. “Okay, Mom. I’ll see you on Tuesday. Love you.”
“I love you too. Even though I remain crestfallen by your choices.”
“Same here, Mom. Same here.”
Her voice softens, and she says, “Do you know something? If I had any inkling that things would turn out like this, I never would have asked Todd to help you boys out. Your father was right. You should’ve become an accountant or maybe a high school teacher. If you had, maybe Mike would still be alive, and you’d still be married.”
“Come on, Mom. Don’t blame yourself.”
“I’m not. You’re to blame. Mike too. I just regret that I ever had anything to do with it.”
“Mom—”
“Nope. I said what I wanted to. Now I’m going to hang up.”
“All right,” he answers.
“Oh, but first, if you’re looking for Christmas ideas forme, I’d like a red Mercedes and another word of the day calendar.”
“Noted.”
“And don’t think that just because I’m coming to visit that I’ve forgiven you.”
“I would never expect that.”
“Good. Goodbye.”
