A/N: Thanks to HoLlIwOoDbOuNd13 for reviewing chapter one! And just for her (him/it), I'll update with chapter two! By the way, this chapter takes place ONE DAY AFTER the first one.
#~
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, CA
To say that Milton was awestruck with the sheer architecture of the airport would be a lie. Yes, he was awestruck, but that was because he was actually in America, the fabled "land of dreams".
This was it! This was his chance! His chance that he had been waiting for! And the best part was that Mister Shires could kiss Milton's ass should the shady, no-good, two-timing bastard of a landlord ever catch wind of it.
Bastard said Ah'll nevah last a dahy 'ere in America. Time tae show 'im who wears th' pants.
Of course, now wasn't the time to think about Mister Shires. He needed to find Sonny. She said she'd be in the lobby…where was she?
Milton's green eyes scanned faces surrounding him rapidly, but there was no luck in finding his brown haired cousin. Of course, he did notice that a girl, about Sonny's height and size, had the hood of her blue hooded sweatshirt up…indoors. He found it odd that she was also sporting a rather large pair of hot pink sunglasses…also while indoors.
He definitely saw that said girl was now running up to him, as if to embrace. He could feel the excitement just glowing off of her as she wrapped her arms around his torso in a tight hug. Then it hit him.
"Sonneh…is 'hat realleh ye undah ahl 'hat?"
"Sure is! Now c'mon! Chad's waiting for us outside in his car. I think I told you how much he hates waiting…"
"Jus' lemmeh git mah bahgs, lass…please."
Reluctantly, Sonny let go and led Milton to the baggage claim area. After grabbing his bags off of the carousel, Milton followed Sonny out to the parking garage where a black Bentley was waiting for them.
A young man, around Sonny's age, got out and greeted the two cousins. Introducing himself as Chad, Milton placed his luggage into the trunk.
Luck was finally shining on Milton, he just knew it. This draft was almost finished, but he'd clean it up after the meeting with the publisher. It was almost too good to be true.
Da, Ah'm gonna make ye an' ma proud o' meh. Ah'm gonna make ye both proud…
!~
The drive to the hotel was a long one, but it was more than worth it. He was already on his bed now, jet-lag finally creeping up on him. Sleep…he needed to sleep soon. So he threw off his black tee shirt and his denim shorts, kicked off his sneakers that were almost in tatters, leaving him only in his boxers and socks. As the welcome embrace of sleep overtook him eagerly, his eyelids slowly fluttered closed…
He was in Scotland again, standing on one of the jetties that protruded from the shore. His bare feet held him aloft as the tide crashed against his perch. The wind was light, carefree even.
Then he heard singing…a beautiful female voice…
"Amazing grace/how sweet the sound/that saved a wretch/like me…"
Milton quickly turned his head to see the most beautiful girl in the world. She had crisp, cyan eyes that stared out to the sea…black hair that was flowing with the winds…and it seemed she was wearing nothing but a dress that was made out of ribbons as it, too, billowed and waved with the breeze. Her perfect, bare feet were attached to beautiful legs, and it seemed her hands were folded in some sort of prayer…
Suddenly, she started to vanish very slowly, first with her toes, then her ankles…
Milton didn't know what came over him as he rushed over to the girl, maybe to save her from vanishing, maybe for something else. He just had to reach her before she disappeared completely!
Alas, he was too late. She was gone before he even took that first step.
He never got to know her name, either…
!~
Condor Studios
"So, Sonny…spill." Tawni always had a knack for being blunt.
"About what exactly? And for the record, Chad and I were not on a date while we were out."
"Then what were you two doing?"
"We were at the airport picking up my cousin, Milton."
Tawni cocked an eyebrow, then she smirked. "Before or after you sucked Chad's face off?"
FWAHP! A well aimed pillow smacked Tawni right between her eyes.
Not even missing a beat, Tawni retorted, "I take it you two picked Milton up after."
"Nice girls don't kiss and tell, Tawni." The blush that crept along Sonny's cheeks was easily hidden as she turned her head.
"So this Milton…is he really your cousin?"
"Yep, from head to toe." Pride seemed to coat Sonny's voice as she nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Is he…is he cute?" Tawni just had to ask, she didn't mean to pry, but the question was burning a hole in her gut.
"Oh, yes, very—actually, he's a bit ragged around the edges because…well, let's just say that his luck hasn't been kind to him before this week."
"Tch. So much for the luck of the Irish."
"He's Scottish, Tawn."
"I stand corrected then. Anyway, what happened to him?"
"Well…you'd best ask him, Tawni. I only have the emails he sent me periodically to rely on—"
"Then give me a summary."
"Alright…you know how I was when my Aunt Lucy and my Uncle Harry died a few months back? Yeah. He didn't take it very well either. With Milton now being the only source of income for the rest of his family (which doesn't include me or my mom), he's had to put up with mediocre salaries and a greasy landlord, maybe more than that, I don't know for sure.
"You know, he's a writer, Tawni. A really good one, too. Too bad none of the publishers he sent letters to saw that.
"Well…most of them. There's this one down on Salamander Avenue, you know, Dragonfire Books? He has a deal with them that's in the final stages, so everything's riding on this one deal. And I mean everything because the checks they've been cashing straight into his account, from what I understand, have been bouncing lately and…well, this is his chance. I've taken my chances and I ended up here in Hollywood…so it's only fair that he get lucky once in a while."
Tawni's eyes nearly popped out of her skull when she heard how desperate Milton was. "Just…wow. That's…sad. Demoralizing, even. I don't think I could ever put up with the shit he's had to. In fact, I think I'd die first before it got worse."
"He's had to die several times over, Tawn. He's had to see his dreams fade away into nothingness. He's had to live in poverty because of his cheating landlord. And you wanna know how times I've wanted to die because of his circumstances? Plenty." Sonny's voice lost its usual chipper spunk to make way for a harsh sheet of ice.
"Yikes, ok. I get the message. Just don't get too touchy here." Tawni put up her hands in an attempt to get back on Sonny's good side.
"Well…he's my family, and he's the closest thing I've had to a brother…I guess I get a little overprotective when people say things like what you said."
"It's ok. Like you said, he's your family."
Sonny had to nod in agreement with this. Tawni was right; Milton was family, regardless of the circumstances.
Sonny's only prayer was that the publisher hear her cousin out…
