One Dream…
Tyra Murdock walked down the road one bright morning. It was already hot and sunny even though it wasn't even 8 yet.
As she walked along, thoughts were streaming around in her mind. For instance, she thought to herself that this summer was unusually hot. Florida was always hot and humid, but not this much. Maybe she should go home and change into something a bit cooler than her black t-shirt and jeans. Or if her dad was home, what would she say as he opened the door and greeted her with his blank stair.
Tyra made her way up the front walk. Her heart pounded with excitement. She hadn't seen her father for a few weeks. She was missing him deeply.
She made a fist with her hand and pressed against the door three times, no one answered. She repeated this twice, still no answer. She figured he had already left for work so she sighed and left.
She walked around the block, but passed her own home.
"Ty" a boy cried out.
"What!" she exclaimed with disappointment in her voice. "Oh, Alex, sorry, I wasn't thinking" she said frowning and hanging her head.
"Nothing to be sorry for." Alexander said with a raised eyebrow. "Where were you earlier? I got up and you were gone. I missed you. And mom was worried about you, just to let you know." He finished
"She really shouldn't worry about me. I went to see my dad, he wasn't there though." She said with a sad voice.
"Oh, im sorry" Alex said, "Are you coming today? I really hope you are." He exclaimed.
"Of coarse Alex, I love you acts, there very funny." She smiled
"Cool, thanks" he said jumping over the small white fence surrounding the yard.
They walked only two houses up when Alex yawned and put his arm around Tyra.
"Your not sneaky, you know that right?" she said.
Alex smiled and nodded but kept his arm there. They walked about a mile without talking. Just looking as each other once and a while.
They finally reached their destination, Disney land, where Alex would be performing his ventriloquist act.
Not even five steps into the park, an old friend came running up and hugged Tyra and looked at Alex.
"Im going to go find Kevin" Tyra said dazed and confused as she walked away.
"So, how's everything? Alex asked, "Still have your job Howie?"
"Yes, thankfully this boss likes me" Howie said surprised. "So, you nervous?" he asked.
"Just a little. Im really hoping she says yes. Oh, and the show too" he said as he started to laugh.
"Should be fun" Howie said with a smirk on his face. "Hey, I promised I would go find Kev when y'all arrived." He added
"Who?" Alex asked
"You wouldn't know him. I told him about your stuff and he wanted to see you perform." He said as they walked toward a castle-shaped building.
Alex's eyes widened when he saw Tyra talking and laughing with some guy dressed as Aladdin.
"Alex, Howie, over here" Tyra said waving them in her direction.
Alex and Howie moved over in front of Tyra and Kevin. Alex looked behind them stunned. Tyra, Howie and Kevin looked. By the time they turned back around, Alex was sliding in between Kevin and Tyra to make sure they didn't get too close. Then, incidentally, the loud speaker announced, "Alexander James McLean, Please come to the service counter, thank you."
Alex sighed. 'Always at the wrong time' he thought. "I'll be back if there is time" He said as he kissed the top of Tyra's head as casual as he could handle.
As Alex walked to the service counter, he tried to act cool so not to embarrass Tyra more than usual. Alex kept something from Tyra all these years. He liked her so much, he wished he could tell her, but didn't know how she would take it. He was afraid she wouldn't want to be his friend anymore. He wouldn't want that, but he was going to try and see what happens…
Alex saw his mom holding Henry, his puppet.
"Hey mom" he said trying to act cool while holding a puppet.
"Hey poky" his mom said ruining his "cool"
"Please, not here" he said looking down and turning red.
"Stop trying to grow up too fast, your only 15, you're still my baby." She finished.
"Yea poky, your still mommy's boy" Kevin said as they walked by. Tyra tried not to laugh but she burst out in laughter and couldn't stop.
"oh thanks guys" Alex said grinding his teeth.
"No, thank you poky" Kevin said again.
"Ai'Naug" Tyra said in Elvish as she hit his chest with the back of her hand.
"What she said" Alex yelled back to Kevin. He had no idea what it meant, but it didn't sound good.
Tyra ran over and put herself close to Alex. As she stood on he tip-toes, she whispered "I'narr en gothrim glinuva nuin I'ano" in his ear. "Good Luck" she kissed him on the cheek and Henry on the head. "The both of you." She finished.
She always treated all of Alex's puppets like they were alive. She said it was because he made them seem like they were talking instead of him.
As she walked away, Alex felt he had missed the moment, the moment he has waited for sense he was 13.
"Some other time" he said to himself as he walked to the performance area.
As he watched some guy sing and dance to Footloose, his heart pounded. He was about to go up in front of tons of people he didn't know. Even worse, the one girl who he had loved sense they first met.
It was now his turn. He made his way onto the stage and over to the microphone. It was now or never. He saw Tyra in the front smiling. That gave him some courage and made him start to smile.
"Hey everyone, im Alex and this is my buddy Henry…"