The alarm goes off.
I jump a little and open my eyes. I blink a few times, taking in a deep breath as I look at my alarm clock. I yawn as I reach out to snooze my alarm. It's eight am, it's early, but the earlier the better. I turn my head to look at Britney. She's having her sleeping mask on. I turn on my back and look at the ceiling as I stretch myself. "You really think I'm getting up already?" I turn my head to her again. "You're awake now, so why not getting up? I want to try to get an early flight if that's possible." She lifts one side of her mask up to look at me. "You can look on the internet as well, you know." "I know, but what's the fun in that?" I see her checking me up and biting her lip. "You wanna give mommy something?" My eyebrows went up. Is she really serious about having sex right now?
"No, I'm not in the mood. I'm going to take a shower and when I'm done, you can use the bathroom. Please, don't take too long." I push the blanket off me and stand up. I walk to my son's room and knock on his door. I listen if I could hear him. "Yes?" I smile. I guess he's excited about going to my parents. "I'm going to take a shower." "Okay, dad." I walk to the bathroom and turn the shower on. I look in the mirror and watch my goatee. I feel like shaving it off, but I've packed my shaving kit already. Maybe I will do it at my parents. I wonder how they will react when they see me like this. I take my reserve toothbrush and starts brush my teeth while I step into the shower.
I'm enjoying the water very much, I close my eyes and let the water run over my face while I rinse my mouth. Britney walks into the bathroom, she sees me and starts to smile. "You look sexy." She tries to sound flirty. I snort as I turn my head to look at her. "Want me to join you?" "I'm almost done." I step out the shower. She looks at me up and down. "You're sure you don't want to get naughty in the shower?" I'm looking in the mirror for a second before I take my towel. I look back at her and see her taking her bathrobe off. She winks at me and steps in the shower. I inhale deeply and look back in the mirror so I can fix my hair. "Since when do you want to have sex in the morning? And in the shower?" She giggles. I look at her body, she'd done a breast enlargement. "You want these?" As she perks them a little up. My eyes trail up to her face. Unlike her, I love the morning sex, but not now. I want to get ready so we can go.
"Not now, Brit. I'm gonna make some breakfast." I went to the bedroom to get dressed. I take my good white shirt. I know it's going to be hot in Texas. Bryan came to my bedroom and looks at me. "Dad?" I tilt my head to look at him and smile. He came closer as I look back at my hands as I'm closing the buttons. "Yes, son?" "I don't know what to wear." I smile as I put my pants on. "Put on what you normally wear. But keep in mind, Pampa is going to be hot." I sit down to put my shoes on. "Okay." I look at him with a smile. I can see him sighing. "Something's wrong?" He came to sit next to me and looks down. "I haven't slept much." He doesn't dare to look at me. He sniffs once and rubs his nose. I wonder what's going on in that little head of him. "What's going on?" I wait as I keep watching him. "There's this girl..." He didn't go on, but I think I can guess what happened. "Is it Lucinda?" His head shots up, I see him frowning. I start to smile and lay my arm around his shoulders.
"How did you know?" "You told me once that you like her a lot, and her mother has been chasing me for a while, remember?" He chuckles about it. "Yeah, that was crazy, but you have that effect on many women." I snort and shake my head. "What happened, son?" "We chatted last night when I was in bed." That's what the kids do these days, chatting and being online instead of talking face to face. "And we started about relationships. I'd asked her if she likes someone and she answered yes." He rubs his nose. I can see he's upset about it. "I asked her who she likes, and she wrote that she likes Michael." I frown about it. "The smart Michael?" He shakes his head. "She likes Michael, the kicker." My eyebrows go up. "She's the head cheerleader, right?" He nods. "I wonder why she doesn't want the quarterback, who's obviously a way better match than the kicker." He looks at my face.
"I've asked her that, and she told me that she doesn't like blonde guys. She rather has them skinny." We keep looking at each other, and then I start to chuckle about it. I see his face dropping. "I'm sorry, son, but it does sound kinda funny. Think about it." I see him thinking and then he starts to laugh about it. I laugh with him. "At least she's honest with you. I'm sure you'll find someone one day, son, someone who will like you for who you are and how you look. You got my charms, use them." I wink at him. He snorts and a chuckle follows. "I know it hurts being rejected, but you'll get to move on." "Thanks, dad." I smile and let my hand go through his hair. "Now, go and get dressed. I'll be making breakfast." I stand up. "Can I have pancakes?" I give him a nod. I take my suitcase and Britney's suitcase to bring them down. I quickly went back upstairs again to get the trunk and beauty case. I still don't get why she wants to take so much with her for only a week.
I went to make pancakes for my son. Maybe I should be sweet for once and make her a smoothie. I know that's always her breakfast. Bryan walks into the kitchen and sits down. He watches me making the smoothie. "Why does she even like to drink that?" I look at him as I add some cucumber. "It's actually really healthy, but I don't think it's a real meal." Bryan chuckles about it and I smile. "Eat your pancakes, the sooner we can go, the better." I watch him putting some syrup on the pancakes and starts to eat when Britney came into the kitchen with Bella. She looks at Bryan. "Pancakes?" She asks as she sits down with Bella on her lap. I look at them and sigh. "Does Beebee need to go out?" She looks at me. "I will let her in the garden in a bit, first breakfast." She stands up and puts Bella down, she fixes Bella's food when I walk to the table and put the big glass of smoothie down. I sit down and take some pancakes, I take the syrup as sprinkle it on the pancakes, Bryan watches me. "They're delicious, dad." I look at him and smile. "Thanks, son."
Britney sits down again and looks at me. "Why are you eating pancakes?" I look at her and smile. "Because I wanted pancakes. Here's your smoothie." I reach out the glass and she takes it. She sips some and made a disgusting face. "What the hell did you put in this?" I pull my eyebrows up. "The usual, I did add strawberries." Britney stands up and went to the sink. "Strawberries don't mix with vegetables." I hear the frustrations in her voice but decide not to react on it. "I'm sorry, I thought it would be good." I take a bite from my pancake and look at my son. I see his face. "You always think it would be good. I thought you know what I normally have as breakfast." I inhale deeply and take another bite. She turns her head and looks at me. "You're not going to say something?" I look at her. "What do you want me to say? I said sorry, it won't happen again." She stands up to make a new smoothie. "I want you to stop eating those pancakes, you need to watch your health, especially as a dancer."
"Give me some slack, Brit. I've been following your diet since we're together. Just let me be for once." She looks at me in disbelieve. "You never complained about it." I drew out a deep breath through my nose. Bryan is watching me and then looks at Britney. She shakes the blender frustratingly. "Dad tried to be thoughtful, he made you a smoothie, can't you just be grateful?" She looks at him and he sees her anger. "Your father should know what smoothie I want in the mornings." I stand up and put my plate in the dishwasher. I look at Bella who is done eating. "Come, Bella, I let you out in the garden… after that we're going." I walk through the back door and Bella follows me.
"Your father is changing. I don't like it." Britney sits down and drinks on her smoothie. Bryan looks at her again for a second and then eats on. "Eating pancakes for breakfast. I've seen you had McDonald's last night." He lays his knife and fork down. She looks at him. "So?" She puts the glass down and crosses her arms. "Is this your doing?" "Why do you want to know? I asked dad and he said yes, what's your problem? You're not his mother." Bryan stands up, taking his plate and cutlery. He walks to the dishwasher and puts them in it. He didn't look at Britney as he walks pass her to go upstairs to get his suitcase. Britney growls a little. I came back inside and look at her. Bella went to her and barks. Britney looks at her and smiles, she lifts Bella on her lap and takes her glass again to drink the rest of her smoothie.
"I'm gonna put the suitcases in the car, be outside in five minutes." I walk to the hallway and take the suitcases and went outside. Bryan comes down with his and went outside. "I don't even know who he is anymore." Britney says to herself. She stands up and puts the glass in the dishwasher. I came back to take the trunk. "Can you put your beauty case in the car, please?" She takes it and walks outside. I sigh deeply as I lift the trunk up. It's really heavy, Bryan quickly came to me. "Close the door, son, and lock it." I put the trunk in the car and Bryan came to help me. After I close the trunk, we step in. The whole trip to the airport. Britney has been whispering to Bella. Bryan was shaking his head constantly about it. I was just trying to keep a straight face and acting like everything is normal. I park the car at the long stay parking lot.
"I'll get a trolley, wait here." I step out. Bryan quickly steps out and follows me. "She acts like she's married to the dog instead of being engaged to you." I look at him as I stop at the trolley stand. I watch people getting a trolley or bringing one back before I take one. Some are looking at me. I'm not giving them attention. I've learned not to do that. "Yeah, I don't get it, Bella is like a lab rat." Bryan starts to laugh. We walk back when someone calls my name. I stop and turn to see two girls coming to us, they seem about Bryan's age.
"Johnny! It's really you, this is so exciting!" One of them says with a big smile. I smile at them. Bryan is looking at the blonde one. "Hello, girls, how are you?" "Can we have a picture please? We're big fans, you're our idol and we want to dance as good as you do." The same one says and the other one only nod. "Sure, you can, where are you from?" They take their smartphones out as they came closer. "We live in East LA." "That's nice, I like East LA." We've lived there until I got famous. Bryan was about five when we moved to Hollywood. "Really?" The girl asks. I turn a bit so I could stand in between them. "Son, will you take the picture?" Bryan smiles. "Sure, dad." The girl hands her phone to him so he could take a picture. After that, I stand straight again and smile at them.
"Yeah, I've lived in East LA until I became famous." "Cool, wherein East LA?" Bryan the phone back to the girl. She looks at the picture and smiles. "You know the East LA dance and community school?" I see the girl starting to smile wider. "I'm getting my dance lessons there." I smile about it. "I've worked there for about five years. I've lived across the street." The other girl starts to frown. "You mean the ugly apartment building?" I look at her and nod. "Yeah, third floor." "That's an apartment building for really poor people." "I know, I haven't always been rich and famous." Bryan chuckles about the faces the girls are making. I'm proud in how far I got in life, so I'm not afraid to tell people I've lived in the really poor part of East LA.
"We need to go. We need a flight to catch." The girls nod. We wave and turn, they wave back. "You're very nice to your fans, dad." I look at my son and smile. "I got too, people talk a lot and often negatively about celebrities when they meet them. Being nice shows I'm real." "I understand. That blonde was cute." I chuckle about it as I look at his face. "You like blondes?" "I don't really care about hair color. I look at faces." I smile about it, that sounds really mature. "One girl will be the luckiest girl one day with you as her boyfriend." Bryan looks at me as we arrive at the car. "Thanks, dad." I open the trunk and he helps me putting the trunk and suitcases on the trolley. Britney steps out and looks at us. "You're ready? I'm in need of my yoga."
We look at her. "The yoga got to wait. It will take hours before we get there." I lock the car and push the trolley towards the check in. Bryan walks next to me. Britney quickly follows us. "Maybe it will be good to be away from Hollywood for a while. Nature can do miracles to a person." Bryan and I look at her again. If she thinks she is going to a nice house close to nature where it will be smelling fresh. She is really in for a big surprise. "I hope that Beebee will like it there." I look at Bella who is looking at people that are passing by. "I'm sure she will love it there." Britney looks at my face. I give her a smile. She smiles back at me.
"I'm finally going to meet your family. This makes it really official." I look at my son who rolls his eyes. I see his smile and I know what he is thinking. Britney has a totally wrong image of where I come from, which means she actually doesn't know me as good as she claims. We stop at the check in and the man behind the desk looks at us. "Good morning, how can I help you?" I smile at him as I take my wallet out. "I'm curious when the first flight to Pampa, Texas will be." He looks at me as if I'm crazy. I only smile at him. He looks at his computer screen. "There's one going in about an hour, you want to book seats?" "You have three seats available?" He looks at the screen again. "Yes, not many people go to Pampa for a holiday." "We're going to visit family. How much are the tickets?"
"It's one-hundred- and fifty-dollars for a single flight, you want a return flight?" I look at my son. I see him is looking on his phone. "Keep it on a single flight." The man nods and I give him my credit card. I wait until he has done the payment. "Here are the tickets, seating is free to choose." He lays the tickets on the desk as soon as they are printed. He sees the suitcases. "You want to check in your luggage?" "Yes, of course." I take the suitcases and put them on the assembly line. Bryan helps me with the trunk. "You're planning on staying a long time in Pampa?" I look at the man He is way too curious. "No, just a week. It's my parents' anniversary next weekend." "You have a lot of luggage for a week." "Most is from my fiancée." He looks at Britney who is looking around and talking to Bella.
"Women, right?" He asks and looks back at me. "Don't tell me about it. How much do I owe you for checking in the trunk?" The man looks at the trunk again. "That's going to be fifty dollars." I give him the credit card again. "I didn't know you're from Pampa. Or Texas in general." I look at his face. I start to wonder. "You don't hear it?" I look at my son. Bryan looks at me. "Did I lose my accent?" Bryan chuckles. "Only when you're on tv and with her, dad." II had no clue I speak without southern accent when I'm on tv. "I had no clue." I said this in my normal voice, and I hear the difference. Who would have thought that? It's like I do it unconsciously. Britney looks at me. "Baby, stop that."
I look at her and then back at my son. I see him smiling. "It's good to hear your normal voice, dad." I look at the man who gives me my credit card back. "Let's go, I could use a cuppa joe." I turn and Britney quickly follows me. "Please, stop talking like that." I look at her. "This is my normal voice." She looks at my face and I see her worried expression. "Are you getting sick?" She lays her hand on my forehead and I chuckle. I take her hand and give her a kiss. "What's a cuppa joe?" "It means coffee. I want coffee." She sighs but didn't reply to it. I know she doesn't want me to drink coffee because in her eyes it's bad. She does drink a lot of alcohol which is worse than coffee. I think Bryan is right about her being stupid, or at least being ignorant. She is a vegan too, hence why the smoothies. It's because of her lifestyle that I eat vegan. I miss eating meat and the burger was unbelievably delicious, even for McDonald's. I look at the tickets as we went through security.
"We need to be at gate fifty-five. I'm gonna get a cuppa joe on our way there. You want something too, son?" "Can I have a mountain dew?" "It's still early, but if you want a dew, you can have one." We walk to the coffee shop. "You want something, Brit?" She looks at me. I see her face of disgust and I start to frown. "What?" She sighs. "I really do not like the accent. Just drop it, and I want a fruit smoothie, with pineapple." "All right, wait here." I walk to the counter. The woman behind the counter looks at me with a smile. "Good morning, sir, how can I help you?" I smile at her. I see her blushing a bit. "Good morning, I would like a regular coffee, black. A mountain dew, and a pineapple smoothie." She nods as she presses on the cash register. "Pineapple with papaya or with grape?" I turn my head to look at Britney. "Brit? You want pineapple with papaya or with grape?" Britney looks at the woman. "Papaya, please." I turn back and smile at her again. "You heard her." She presses on a button. "Name?" I think about my nickname my family used to call me. "Dancer." She starts to smile. "Your nickname?" I chuckle and give her a half grin. She is cute. "Yeah." "Cute." She writes it on the cup. "Thanks, you're cute too." She looks back at me. I give her a wink, making her giggle. Bryan is watching me.
After I paid for the drinks, my son got his mountain dew, and we wait for my coffee and the smoothie. "Dancer?" I turn and look at the woman putting down my cups. "Thanks, cutie." As I take them. "I'm Nora." I look at her face again. "Nice to meet you, Nora, I'm Johnny." She giggles. "I know, you're Johnny Castle." I see her flirting a little. Britney came to me and looks at her for a second. "Honey, are you done?" I reach the smoothie out to her. "Let's go to the gate." I ignore the fact that Britney was acting possessive. She turns, I look at Nora once more and wink. She smiles as she looks after me when Bryan and I walk after Britney.
"Smooth, dad." I look at him and smile. I feel good about it, about myself somehow. I wonder how my family will react when they see us. Not only my goatee, but especially when they see Britney. "Thanks, son." He chuckles. "How do you do it? I mean, with Nora." I think about his question and about my past. I wish I could tell him how to flirt, but I can't seem to explain. It always came natural to me. Mom would say I got it from dad. "I don't know. I've always had an effect on women, at least that's what everyone always told me." "Can I learn that too?" I smirk about it. "You've got that natural charm from me. I don't think I have to learn you how to flirt. Just wink and give them a half grin, that's all, women love that." I whisper the last bit and Bryan looks at me while he thinks. "Don't think too much about it."