They arrived on Friday afternoon.
I opened the door, and there they were—Monica, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe. Each of them carried at least one bag, looking excited but also a little tired from the trip.
As I welcomed them inside, I couldn't help but think about what Pepper had mentioned earlier: the premiere would be on Saturday.
Normally, movies premieres took place on Thursdays.
Still, having it on Saturday meant we had tonight to relax and catch up before the main event.
Everyone looked around, visibly impressed.
"Wow," they all said almost in unison.
Monica turned to me, wide-eyed. "You actually live here?" she asked, her voice full of astonishment.
"Yeah, cool, right?" I said.
Chandler looked around and said, "It's like we're in that movie Richie Rich."
"But with 20 more years, right?" I joked.
Rachel pinched my cheek and I said, "10?"
"Better," Rachel said, making me laugh.
I smiled and led them further inside. "Come on, let me introduce you to the staff."
I guided them toward the kitchen, where the three maids were waiting.
"This is Emily, Sarah, and Jessica," I said, pointing to each of them in turn.
They all smiled warmly and gave polite greetings, making the atmosphere even more welcoming.
The maids then escorted Monica, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe to their respective rooms to settle in.
As I watched them head upstairs, I leaned back against the wall, thinking.
We hired three maids, since the house is big. There's also one professional cook, although Mom still cooks from time to time—and she does it very well. I think she's really enjoying experimenting with fancy dishes.
Besides them, we have three bodyguards. One of them is stationed at the main gate. Another is my personal bodyguard; he usually goes with me when I visit Uncle Charlie's house.
So, with Jimmy, my driver, I had eight people employed here.
Besides, there are five more bodyguards outside, stationed in a minivan with equipment, hired by my company. Pepper had two bodyguards. I told her she should have more, like me, but she declined, saying that for now, two were more than enough.
Unfortunately, different from Jimmy, none of the others are from a known series or movie.
Well, my personal bodyguard could definitely play the role of the Mountain. He's more than two meters tall, really heavy, and extremely muscular. Even Terrance seems small next to him.
When everyone was returning downstairs, the doorbell rang. One of the maids quickly went to answer it.
Yeah, they are not Berta when it comes to doing their jobs.
It was Laura. I had invited her earlier—deciding not to call the rest of the group this time, just to keep things from getting too crowded.
I introduced her to everyone, and they all greeted her warmly.
After that, we headed to the balcony overlooking the ocean.
On the way, Chandler leaned closer to me and murmured, "So I'm not the only one with a girl out of our league."
I replied amused, "What are you saying, Chandler? She's totally my league."
He just shook his head with a smile and went to sit with Monica.
When everyone was seated, I asked "Where are the rest?"
Chandler spoke up, "Joey is on his way."
"Mike couldn't come, he has work to do", Phoebe added
I nodded and completed, "Uncle Charlie will come. Dad said he had something to do..."
Chandler glanced around the balcony, taking a better look at the cushions and the miniatures on the table.
"Wow, man, you really like Marshmello, huh?" Chandler commented, amused.
Laura pinched me lightly. I hadn't told them about the Marshmello deal. And I wasn't going to tell them now—I'm not Rachel; I don't want to steal Joey's thunder.
Rachel, who was sitting on the other side of me, narrowed her eyes playfully. "You're thinking something bad about me, aren't you?"
I turned to her with a dramatic gasp. "How could I, Rach? I love you," I exclaimed.
Everyone around laughed, and Rachel rolled her eyes with a smile, nudging me lightly with her shoulder.
"Now, say it," she challenged, smirking.
"Are you still Mrs. Geller?" I teased.
Ross choked on his drink, making everyone burst into laughter again.
Right after that, Judith arrived carrying a tray with a few bottles of wine. Up until then, everyone was sipping water. The maids followed her, bringing elegant wine glasses and carefully serving each person with a warm, professional smile.
"So, what are you all saying?" asked Judith, sitting down near Phoebe.
Monica smiled and summarized, "About Jake liking Marshmello… and about Rachel and Ross's marriage."
"We just started," I told with a shrug.
"Let's kick off with Jake liking the candy guy," Ross said, smirking.
Judith looked at me, immediately understanding, and said, "He's an incredible guy."
"See? Even Mom likes him. He's awesome," I added with a grin.
It was Mom who put up the Marshmello decorations
Laura smiled and added jokily, "I think he might have a big head—that's why he's always wearing a helmet."
"I like his songs," declared Rachel.
"Me too!" Monica agreed.
"Especially 'Wake Me Up,'" said Chandler, making a thumbs up to me
"Thank you, Chandler!" I said, grinning.
I heard a chorus of "Oh yeah!" from Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel, probably remembering that it was me who song the music.
We all raised our glasses for a toast. (Laura and I were drinking watermelon juice)
Then I sang a part:
♪They tell me I'm too young to understand
They say I'm caught up in a dream
Well, life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes
Well, that's fine by me♪
Ross said, "Wait, you sound like the person who sings this song!"
Everyone turned to Ross with a deadpan look.
We all laughed after giving Ross the most deadpan looks possible.
"Seriously, man?" said Chandler, shaking his head.
Ross shrugged innocently. "It was a legitimate question!"
"How could you not know it was Jake?" asked Monica, incredulous.
"How would I know?" Ross asked back, frowning.
"Barbados?" said Phoebe, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh," Ross muttered as realization hit him. "I was a little drunk," he added, trying to defend himself.
"Yeah, because if you were too drunk, there would've been a wedding," I said with a grin.
Everyone burst out laughing (except Judith and Laura, who just smiled), and Ross, who shot me a glare.
Rachel laughed too, but after a moment, she exclaimed, "Heyy!!"
The laughter only grew louder, filling the balcony with warmth and teasing.
"Now we need to talk about their wedding," said Chandler, grinning.
"Your mother and your girl will like the story," he added, nodding toward Judith and Laura.
"There's not much to talk about," Rachel said, waving her hand as if it were a normal thing. "Ross and I were drunk and got married in Vegas."
Laura and Judith both laughed at how casually Rachel said it.
"Jake was there making fun of us the next day," Rachel added, chuckling.
We all chuckled, until Mom turned to me with a raised eyebrow and a smile that wasn't really a smile.
"Did you go to Vegas, young man?" she asked sweetly—too sweetly.
Everyone around went "Uuuu" teasingly.
I turned slowly to Judith. "Would you believe if I said no?"
Judith shook her head with an amused smile.
"It's not a big deal. I couldn't enter the strip, nor could I bet in the casinos. Believe me, Uncle Charlie tried, even put a fake mustache on me," I said, making everyone burst into laughter.
"So, for me, it was just a normal city—a very normal shiny city."
"So you tried to enter the strip?" asked Laura, teasing.
There was another loud "Uuuu" from everyone.
I lifted my hands innocently. "I mean, bet in the casinos!"
We all laughed again. Laura smiled, knowing I was telling the truth.
Ross then said, "Since we're already talking about weddings and such... we need to tell them about Chandler."
We turned to him curiously.
"When he and Monica had their first fight," Ross continued with a grin, "Chandler showed up apologizing—and ended up proposing to Monica."
Chandler covered his face with one hand as everyone burst out laughing again.
"That was embarrassing," said Phoebe, shaking her head.
Laura, Judith, and I winced a little in sympathy.
Chandler, indignantly, said, "I asked for your help too!"
"That's your fault, Chandler. You asked Ross for advice. Obviously, he was going to suggest marriage," I said, grinning.
"Because that's his answer for everything!" added Rachel, pointing at Ross.
Both Rachel and I gave each other a high-five as everyone burst out laughing again.
After a moment, Rachel clarified, "I'm not married to Ross anymore. We divorced."
"Oh-oh, that's your thing," said Phoebe suddenly to Ross.
"What?" asked Ross, confused.
"Your thing. Your thing. Y'know? You're the guy who gets divorced," Phoebe said.
"Oh yeah!" everyone else chimed in.
"No-no, that's—that's not my thing! I do not love getting divorced!" Ross protested.
"Yes, you do!" said Phoebe, pointing at him. "This is your third divorce! You love divorce so much you're probably gonna marry it! Then it won't work out and you're gonna have to divorce it, divorcing guy." She paused and then added, giggling, "I'm so drunk."
"Oh, I got one," I said, but stopped myself.
"Say it!" urged Rachel.
"Nah, it's even meaner than Phoebe's one," I said.
"Do it," incited Chandler
I said, "I would say, considering the past weddings, that Ross and Rachel's marriage was actually a success. I mean, the bride was too drunk to run away, and the groom got the bride's name right—after all, he just had to repeat the same name as last time."
I paused and added with a smirk, "And... it was also a financial success. It was in Vegas, they didn't need to pay for the party. Ross didn't even pay for a ring..."
Everyone burst out laughing, even Ross.
After a moment, Rachel turned to me, still smiling, and said, "Yeah, that was a little mean"
Before we could say anything else, the doorbell rang. One of the maids quickly went to answer it. A few moments later, Joey and Uncle Charlie walked in—each with a twin girl on his arm, making their entrance even more lively.
I murmured under my breath, "How have those two not knocked up some girl yet?"
That earned a muffled laugh from Rachel and a reproachful glare from mom.
---
The next morning, I was sitting at the kitchen island, quietly having breakfast. The early sunlight streamed through the large windows. I had a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast in front of me, along with a big glass of orange juice.
A few minutes later, Rachel stumbled into the kitchen, clearly battling a huge hangover. Her hair was messy and she walked like every step was a challenge.
"Morning..." she mumbled, her voice hoarse.
Rachel dropped into the chair across from me with a heavy sigh, resting her head on the table. "I am never drinking again," she groaned.
I took another bite of toast and muttered, just loud enough for her to hear, "You said that after Barbados too."
Rachel just grunted without lifting her head, making me chuckle softly.
I slid a small packet of aspirin and ibuprofen toward her and motioned for one of the maids to bring a special juice blend—something for mornings like this.
Rachel peeked, accepted the pills gratefully, and downed them with a small grimace.
After a few minutes, and a few careful sips of the revitalizing juice, she started looking a little more alive.
Rachel then said, "You really know how to take care of this stuff."
I smiled and replied, "I lived for about a year and a half at Uncle Charlie's house. One thing I definitely learned well was how to cure a hangover."
Rachel gave a small chuckle.
I was still finishing my breakfast when Monica and Chandler appeared in the kitchen, looking almost identical to how Rachel had arrived earlier. Monica was moving carefully, as if any sudden noise might shatter her. Chandler looked equally miserable.
They both groaned a greeting and collapsed into chairs around the kitchen island.
I slid a small packet of aspirin and ibuprofen toward them and motioned for one of the maids to bring another glass of the special juice—just like I had done for Rachel.
Chandler muttered to Rachel and Monica, "If you ever need proof that we're not in our twenties anymore... this is it."
I chuckled softly and went back to my breakfast.
Not long after, Ross and Phoebe showed up looking just as miserable. Ross was holding his head like it might fall off, and Phoebe moved as if gravity itself had betrayed her.
Without saying a word, I made the same preparations for them.
A few minutes later, Uncle Charlie stumbled in, looking worse than all of them combined, with one of the twins walking beside him. His steps were slow and exaggerated, like he was walking on a ship in a storm.
"Never again," Uncle Charlie grunted. "Never, ever, ever again."
Rachel, still half-sprawled on the table, looked at him and asked with a small smirk, "You're gonna quit drinking too?"
Charlie shot her a look and replied, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm gonna quit waking up."
Right behind him came Joey, with the other twin walking at his side, while he balanced a huge plate of food in his hands, looking completely normal—and annoyingly energetic for this hour.
"Morning!" Joey said cheerfully.
We all looked at him, astonished.
"What??" he said, pointing at me. "He said last night I could take the food and eat in bed!"
Rachel raised an eyebrow and said, "I don't think that's the problem, Joey..."
I shook my head and then turned to one of the maids. "Take one of the same—juice and pills—to Mom's room," I said, knowing she would be suffering in silence.
Monica looked at me curiously.
I shrugged and said, "Mom probably doesn't want me to see her sorry state, like you guys let me see yours. Except for Joey..."
---
Finally, the afternoon arrived, and thankfully, everyone had recovered enough to function like normal human beings. Energy was coming back, laughter returned little by little, and the atmosphere shifted from slow suffering to genuine excitement.
It was almost time for the premiere.
Everyone was dressed impeccably. The women wore elegant long dresses, each more stunning than the last, while the men were sharp in suits and ties. Joey, in particular, looked like a soap opera heartthrob, making even Monica whistle jokingly as he adjusted his cufflinks with a confident grin.
"Let's go, guys," I said with a smile.
Everyone gathered near the door, ready to head out for the big night.
As we stepped outside, a long black limousine was waiting for us by the driveway.
"We're going in a limo?" Joey asked, visibly excited.
I patted Joey's back and said, "This is your big day, Joey. We need to do it right."
"Wow, thanks, man," he said, a little emotional, smiling wide.
Joey had made some roles before, but this was by far his biggest one. And if the movie was even half as successful as the original, it would also be his best-paying project. Like with Carly, Sam, and Freddie, I'm not cheap when it comes to people I know and care about.
I smiled at everyone and said, "I will pick Laura with my car. I'll meet you there."
---
Jimmy had parked near the theater but not directly at the red carpet entrance.
I was being a gentleman, so I quickly got out and opened the door for Laura, helping her out of the car. She was wearing a stunning dress that caught the late afternoon light beautifully.
"This one feels more like a premiere," Laura said with a bright smile.
"Yeah," I agreed, offering my arm. Pepper definitely added more glamour to this one, even if it's still considered a low-budget movie.
As we approached the entrance, I spotted Pepper talking to a few people who looked important—maybe producers, agents, might even be studio executives.
Watching her laugh and gesture confidently, I couldn't help but think, Wait, if I'm going to release a bunch of successful movies... isn't Pepper going to end up like those characters in Chinese novels? Like, "I'm the Hollywood Queen"?
Yeah, let her have it, I thought with a small smile. For me, music is more than enough. I don't really care much about Hollywood movies besides the money. Nor do I care about that golden bald prize.
"You are thinking something bad," Laura said, looking suspiciously at me.
"Nope," I said without hesitation.
What is up with these women? Yesterday was Rachel...
If I said anything about not caring about the golden baldy prize, Laura would probably be mad.
"You definitely are thinking something bad," Laura insisted, narrowing her eyes at me.
"Stop fooling around and let's enter the cinema," I said to her.
"You are the one who is fooling around," she said playfully, bumping my shoulder with hers.
We finally entered the cinema. The lighting was elegant, with golden accents and soft music playing in the background. We found our reserved seats easily. I sat down, finding myself between Laura and Rachel.
Laura smiled as she adjusted her dress before sitting, while Rachel, already seated, gave me a quick, mischievous smirk.
Laura gave me a look.
"I know, girl, you want to watch the movie," I said, grinning. Then I added, "If not, why would I be here with this giant pot of popcorn?"
Laura laughed softly, shaking her head.
I continued, "Besides the fact that I know you two are going to keep stealing my popcorn... that's why I grabbed the biggest bucket."
Now, both laughed, and as if confirming my theory, both reached into my bucket and grabbed some popcorn.
One month had passed since the premiere of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It was now July, the heat of summer wrapping Los Angeles in its usual buzz.
I was sitting in a modern but cozy meeting room at one of our office buildings, sipping an iced tea as I looked across the table at Pepper.
"So, in one month, the movie made $83,576,526 in gross revenue domestic and $52,777,170 international, with a total of $136,353,696 worldwide," I said, glancing at the numbers on the report in front of me.
"And we'll probably let it run for another two months in most theaters," I added. "After that, the number of screenings usually drops a lot."
"And Paranormal Activity ended with $298,954,542 worldwide," I continued. "Oh, come on, Pepper, we couldn't just buy a few more tickets to close it at 300 million dollars?"
Pepper looked at me and ignored the question completely, changing the subject without missing a beat.
"So you're really not going to the premiere?" Pepper asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nah," I said, shaking my head. "And it's not because of the theme," I added, referring to the upcoming Brakebroken Mountain premiere.
"I don't plan on going to Lost in Translation either, or the horror ones like The Conjuring and Annabelle."
They're good movies, sure, but not the kind I want to watch a second time. Even if they might be slightly different from the originals.
I shrugged and smiled. "I only went to Paranormal Activity and My Big Fat Greek Wedding because I knew some of the actors."
Pepper shook her head. "You're unbelievable."
I rolled my eyes and said, "Everyone keeps saying that. That became too repetitive..."
Pepper continued, "I sent you almost all the scripts that the Writers Guild of America has for sale. Title and a brief summary. You can pick the next movies to be released."
I looked at her and nodded.
Pepper probably knows I have some kind of future prediction or something like that. Well, anyone with a brain better than a sitcom comedy would feel suspicious about the two movies being dark horses, the songs all being hits (not a single flop), obscene returns on stock investments. And the cherry on top, the absurdity of the bets (with a probability of success close to a lottery ticket).
She knows that I know that she knows. But she never confronted me about it. So it's basically like we have a tacit agreement not to bring up the subject to avoid making things awkward.
And we are winning in this relationship. She leans way more toward power, while I lean toward money. Even though the relationship between money and power is symbiotic, people end up having their preferences. Money without power is looking for trouble, and power without money is fragile. So, even if you choose one, you still need the other.
Pepper broke my train of thought. "About Marshmello, we are going to launch the album next week," she said.
I nodded. "Yeah, you would have to be a recluse not to know. It's being advertised everywhere."
Pepper just confirmed, "There will be eighteen songs, more than usual for an album. Analysts are already predicting it will be the best-selling album of the year."
I nodded again without showing much reaction.
Doesn't surprise me. They're massive hits from the biggest names in electronic music in my past life...
Pepper continued, "We have already closed a deal with the next big singer. Christina Aguilera. And we are opening negotiations with Britney."
Then she added, "After that, we can release the premium version with both of them," making an "okay" gesture.
"Aye, you demon capitalist," I said.
"Says the one who loves money. And we already told everyone that the premium version would come later..."
---
After the meeting, I drove back to Uncle Charlie's house.
I found him in the living room, watching TV with a beer in hand.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"I'm working," Charlie replied casually.
"You still do that?" I asked, weirdly surprised.
"From time to time," he raised an eyebrow and answered.
Yeah, like almost never, I thought. Uncle Charlie barely worked when I first got here, and after I helped him make even more money, he worked even less. From what I can tell, he still does a jingle or two once in a while (maybe to kill the boredom).
Gramma still works. She probably loves it, and it's a way to interact with people. Dad just works the bare minimum, seeing only a few of his longtime patients—the ones he actually likes. Since he doesn't have to pay alimony (not that it would make any dent in my or mom's expenses), he's basically carefree.
He also partially moved back into our old house—the one Mom and I were living in before. It's a great place, even if it's nowhere near the level of my house in Santa Monica. We had done a lot of renovations last year and earlier this year... (except for the pipes).
I said partially, because he still lives here, with Uncle Charlie. That's because I said I didn't want to move out of here—so, on the days I stay, he stays too. They won't admit it, but it brought them closer. Turns out, living alone all the time can be pretty lonely.
Alan then walked in and said, "Hey Charlie, wanna come to the movies with us?"
"He can't, he's working," I said.
Alan looked at Charlie, sitting with his beer, and said sarcastically, "Oh what, liver failure?"
"Wonderful. Now I have my doctor here," Charlie replied, unamused.
Well, they still bicker, though...
The air was filled with the sound of waves rolling in gently from the ocean, blending perfectly with the soft laughter coming from the group gathered outside.
Carly, Sam, Freddie, Cher, Laura, Regina, and I were all sitting on the deck, scattered around a mix of lounge chairs and wooden benches. Drinks in hand, snacks spread across a low table.
Laura was curled up beside me, her legs tucked under her as she sipped a cold soda. Carly and Sam were sharing a bag of chips, both occasionally tossing comments back and forth about a show they'd started watching.
Sam stretched with a loud sigh. "Ahh, vacations are the best."
"Surprisingly, everything's went smoothly," I said, glancing toward Sam.
She narrowed her eyes. "You wanna say something?"
"No," I replied, holding back a grin. "Just happy to have you in the same grade as us in September."
The group chuckled.
Then Cher turned to me with a smirk. "So, mister number one from our grade, what's the news?"
I reached under my chair and pulled out a box, setting it on the deck and opening it with a small flourish.
"Here's the Marshmello CD," I said, grabbing a handful and passing them to Laura on my right and another to Cher on my left.
Both girls began handing them down to the others, making sure everyone got one.
"I saw it in the ads, but I think the design looks cool," Laura said. The CD cover was completely white, with just the two eyes and the Marshmello smile.
Nothing too creative—but I liked it.
"And it even has my autograph. So it's pretty rare," I added with a grin.
Pepper made me create an autograph. But I signed very few CDs—only for family, close friends, and a few Pepper specifically asked for. None of them will be commercially sold with an original signature, just the printed one that comes naturally on the cover.
"Mello and a smile," Sam said, turning the CD around.
The autograph was just the word "Mello" with two X's and a curve next to it, forming a simple smiling face.
Everyone complimented it.
Then Carly looked at me curiously. "What about the premium version? You still haven't told us what it is. And the ads say it'll include two exclusive songs."
"About that," I said, leaning back a bit. "One of the songs will be with Christina Aguilera."
That instantly earned a round of excited squeals from the girls.
Freddie, on the other hand, stayed quiet—apparently having learned from last time.
"And the second one?" Cher asked.
"We haven't locked it in yet," I replied. "Negotiations are still in the early stages, but we might have some news later this week."
"Come on, now you need to tell us," said Regina, as I made a show of mystery just to tease them.
"Okay, I will say it," I said, pausing. "But remember, we don't really know if she'll accept."
" Damn, just say it," said Cher, a little impatient.
I laughed and said, "Britney."
Now there were full-on screams, especially from Cher and Regina. A chorus of "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" filled the deck.
After a moment, Laura leaned in and whispered to me, still stunned, "You wouldn't have been so mean to say Britney and mean another Britney, not Spears, right?"
"Nah, that would be too much. Those two would kill me," I said, glancing at Cher and Regina.
I took Laura's hand gently, rubbing my thumb across it. "And I'm a singer too. I'd love to have Britney Spears in one of my songs."
Especially now that she's at the top
"Okay, let's calm down," I said, trying to pull Cher and Regina back from their full-on fantasy trip.
Then I shifted the subject. "I need to say, Cher, you did great in the Titanium clip," I added.
"See, I told you I was natural," said Cher, a little pompous.
"Oh great, we have another Jake," said Sam, joking.
"What she's not saying—neither is Regina—is that the two of them have been taking acting classes with me for a few months now," Laura revealed, sharing a secret with a sly smile.
"What??" That took me by surprise. And judging by the expressions on Carly, Sam, and Freddie's faces, none of them knew either.
"Where do you think we've been going on Tuesdays and Thursdays?" Cher said with a grin.
"I don't know... shopping!?" I guessed, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
The two of them gasped indignantly, but then paused, looked at each other, and said in unison, "Makes sense!"
Carly raised an eyebrow. "So... you guys want to be actresses?"
"Yes," both Cher and Regina answered at once.
"We talked with Laura," Cher added. "And we know how hard it is."
Regina nodded. "But we think it's worth giving a try."
"Huh," I murmured, caught off guard.
I remember seeing a few scripts in the packets Pepper sent me about popular girls. Two stood out to me—Clueless and Mean Girls. I'm pretty sure I heard those titles back in my past life. I never actually watched them, didn't even know who the characters were. But I have a weird feeling those movies are perfect for these two.
Next year, I think I could test it—see if they can really act in a movie.
I glanced at Carly. She seemed more like the spontaneous type. I still think about the iCarly idea. The internet still needs some time to mature, but it could be made into a kids' show. I'll talk to Pepper and see what could be done.
Laura nudged my shoulder. "What are you thinking so deeply?"
"Something that I hope you'll see maybe next year. And might, in the future, involve you," I said with a smile.
Laura looked at me, confused. "Involve me? What do you mean?"
I just winked and leaned back
"You're being cryptic again," she said, nudging me playfully.
"It's part of the charm," I replied.
She rolled her eyes, but smiled, and rested her head on my shoulder
She was enjoying her last few days before going back to Canada
The next day, I was having breakfast with Charlie when Dad walked in and greeted us.
"Good morning," Alan said, stepping into the kitchen.
He sat down, grabbed an apple, and glanced around casually.
"Hey, did you know that Rose has a master's degree in psychology?" he asked, to no one in particular.
I frowned. "You dated Rose?"
Charlie looked over his coffee mug. "What's wrong with you?"
"No," Alan replied, brushing off the jab.
Berta entered right on cue. "Did you know I'm a founding member of the Mile High Club?"
Alan blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah. Me and Orville at Kitty Hawk."
She walked to the counter, grabbing a cup. "I'd have done Wilbur too, but we were only in the air for 90 seconds."
Alan chuckled. "Okay, you're clearly joking—but that was funny."
He paused, then added, looking at Berta "But seriously, you and I see each other every day, and we barely know anything about one another."
Berta raised an eyebrow. "So you wanna know what goes on beneath this gruff exterior?"
She crossed her arms. "If somewhere inside me there's a tiny little girl... who once dreamed of becoming a famous ballerina?"
"Is there?" Alan asked, half curious, half shocked.
Berta replied deadpan, "If there is... it's because I accidentally ate one and haven't passed her yet." She took a sip of coffee. "Let me tell you, I am dreading that tiara."
Alan stood up, unsure how to respond. "Okay. Well, it was nice talking to you."
"Hey, I feel closer," Berta said as she got up and headed into the other room.
Charlie murmured, "Well, maybe Rose isn't the only one crazy in here."
I nodded in agreement.
Alan shook his head and said, "By the way, a friend of mine is coming over."
Remembering something, he stood up and left the room. Moments later, he returned with a book in hand.
"What's that?" I asked, seeing my dad come back with it.
"My high school yearbook," he replied.
Alan sat down and flipped it open. "Hey, do you remember a girl named Jamie Eckelberry?" he asked Charlie.
Charlie squinted. "No."
"Yeah, sure you do," Alan insisted. "She used to hang out at the house all the time."
"Oh, yeah. Eckelberry Hound," Charlie said, suddenly remembering.
Alan rolled his eyes. "Not a name she was fond of."
Charlie raised his hands. "Hey, I didn't make it up. I just spread it around. What about her?"
Alan smiled. "She's the friend who's coming over. She called the alumni association and tracked me down."
Charlie smirked. "How does that work? They let her sniff one of your sweaters?"
Alan rolled his eyes. "She e-mailed me. She's in town on business, and I invited her over."
Charlie leaned back in his chair. "Great. I'll get out of your way. Just keep her off the good rug."
"It is not a date" said Alan, correcting Uncle Charlie
Then. "Well, that just means, Uncle Charlie," I said, glaring at him.
"When did you become a goody two-shoes, Jake?" Charlie said back.
"I didn't. But I don't see a reason to be mean to someone just for the sake of being a jackass," I replied.
I added with a smirk, "She could be someone who ends up helping you with something. Or maybe... she turned into a hottie..."
"I doubt it," Charlie murmured.
Alan handed the yearbook to me.
I looked through it. "Which one is her?" I asked.
Alan leaned over and pointed.
I stared at the photo and let out a soft, "Huh."
Charlie raised a single eyebrow and looked at me without saying a word.
I cleared my throat. "I'm still against saying something rude," I muttered, "but the hottie part might be a little difficult."
"Oh, look," Charlie said, flipping a page. "You remember Miss Hanrahan?"
"Sure. I had her for sophomore English," Alan replied.
"I had her in the teachers' lounge," Charlie smirked.
I snorted.
Then the doorbell rang.
"Oh, that's Jamie. Be nice," Alan warned.
"I'm always nice. Ask Miss Hanrahan," Charlie said with a grin.
We all walked into the living room as Alan went to the door and opened it.
"Alan," Jamie greeted.
"Jamie," Alan replied, astonished.
"Woof," Charlie muttered.
"Wow," I said, glancing at Charlie with a clear 'I told you' look.
Charlie gave me a mocking bow. "I bow to your vast wisdom."
I stepped forward to greet Jamie with a polite smile and handshake. Charlie followed right after me with his signature charm.
After, Uncle Charlie poured a margarita for Jamie and handed Alan a rum and diet coke.
I looked at the time and turned back to Jamie. "It was really nice meeting you, Jamie. I've got to head out—meeting up with some friends."
She smiled warmly. "Nice meeting you too, Jake."
I waved goodbye and walked out the front door.
---
I met up with Laura, Cher, and Regina an hour later near the beach. We walked along the shore for a while, the waves rolling in gently beside us as we talked about random things—upcoming movies, favorite movies, and how good it felt to be outside. We sat down on some beach chairs and kept talking.
Eventually, Cher suggested, "Let's go to this restaurant I know nearby. It's really good."
"Oh, good. I'm hungry" I said
We headed off toward the nearby street where the restaurant was. It was a fancy place with elegant decor, soft lighting, and a view of the ocean through wide glass windows.
Once we were all seated at the table, I looked around at the girls and said with a smile, "Ask anything, it's all on me."
At first, Laura, Freddie, and Carly used to be hesitant when I offered to pay. The thing is, I enjoy eating at fancy places sometimes, and that wasn't always affordable for them. But I convinced them it wasn't a big deal for me to pay
Then we all heard a nosy voice from a nearby table.
"Sit down, Manny. You are not going to confess your love to that girl," someone said.
I raised both eyebrows.