Hidden in the Stars (Falling Stars #2) (6 page)

Liza

My bag for work is packed and the chicken macaroni bake is in the oven. Sitting at the breakfast bar, which is already set for three, I'm finally sorting through mail.

Junk mail, cable bill, phone bill, a manila envelope undoubtedly containing documents my case worker told me to expect, and a thick, white envelope. The junk mail goes unopened into the trash.
Last time I checked, I am not old enough for AARP and I don’t need a preapproved credit card.
Groaning, I open each bill and mark the due dates in my Dollar Store purchased monthly planner. Slipping from the stool, I put the bills in the wall organizer near the phone.

Already knowing the manila envelope contains papers I have to complete every year and return to our social worker, I pick up the white envelope.

I tear open the side and slide the papers halfway out as the oven timer goes off. Placing the papers on the counter, I silence the timer and retrieve dinner before it burns.

I burn my finger through the worn potholder and curse just in time for Luke to hear me.

"Ah, you kiss your baby boy with that mouth?" He chuckles.

Kel's laughter follows.

"Ha-ha, smart-butt." I set the hot dish onto the counter and grab a serving spoon.

"You’ve got to admit, it was pretty good." Kelvin slides onto the stool next to Luke, both of them facing the small kitchen.

"No, I don't." I dish out chicken macaroni onto each plate, trying not to laugh while Kelvin serves the salad.

"What's this?" Kel picks up the papers I have yet to look over.

Pushing the dish off to the side, I shrug. "I haven't been able to read them yet."

He unfolds the papers, then folds them back up quickly. The look he shares with Luke doesn't go unnoticed.

"Hand them over," I speak around a mouthful of food, my arm stretched over the spread before us.

"They can wait." He shrugs, pushing the papers off to the side.

Standing, I walk around the breakfast bar, grab the papers from the far corner Kel shoved them to, and move back to my seat. Before I can sit, I freeze, reading the words on the paper.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have progressed to the next round in Hidden Talent! Enclosed are necessary documents needing your review and signature.

"What the hell did she do?" Falling back onto my stool, I keep flipping through the papers, not actually seeing anything but a blur of congratulatory remarks, signature lines, dates, times, addresses, and that damn logo.

"Who?" Luke chokes out, just as Kel asks, "What's wrong?"

I look up at them, my eyes still wide with shock.

"Sid! She entered me into that Hidden Talent competition somehow!" Standing quickly, I move straight to my bag by the door, dig around, and pull out my cell phone.

"What are you doing?" Luke jumps down from his seat, hurrying to my side.

"I'm going to give your aunt Sid the biggest earful!" Scrolling to her name, I touch the screen to initiate the call.

"Mom, wait!" Luke protests, reaching for my phone.

"Go finish eating. I'm going to go cuss her out in Kel's room." I step to walk away, but Kelvin stands in front of me.

"Miss me already?" Sid's voice chirps.

"What are you doing?" I ask Kelvin.

"Um, working on designing the website I told you about," Sid answers in confusion.

"Not you," I speak to Sid, then angle the phone away from my mouth. "Move."

"No." Kel shakes his head. "We have something to tell you."

"We?" I ask.

Kel reaches out and pulls Luke to his side.

"What the hell is going on?" Sid asks, my phone still to my ear.

"I wish I knew. Sid, I'll call you back."

"No way, sister. Put me on speaker!"

"Well, what is it?" I look between the both of them expectantly.

Kel nudges Luke and he drops his head.

"Remember when we went to the carnival fundraiser?" He peeks from under his lashes. I nod. Clearing his throat, he continues, "And how they had those booths to record yourself singing?"

"You didn't," I gasp.

His head pops up, determination on his face.

"Mom, you are sooooooo good! All my friends thought so, too, when they heard you sing at the carnival. You deserve to be famous, to be a star."

"Holy shit, did he do what I think he did?" Sid whispers through the phone.

"Yes, he did." I take a deep breath and exhale.

"YES!" Sid's scream makes me pull the phone from my ear. "I love that boy, I tell you! He is just like me. I might cry." She fakes a sniff.

"Sid, I'll call you back." Before she can protest again, I end the call. Turning my attention to Kel, I ask, "You knew?"

He gives a nod. "He needed help filling out the forms."

I shove the phone into my back pocket. "Back to the table and finish dinner."

I ignore the vibration from my phone; Sid apparently trying to call me back.

My words are weak. I'm still attempting to process what my son and brother have done. It's not a bad thing. He did it with all the best intentions possible, but he also illegally forged my application.

Neither of them argues with me. We sit silently, none of us touching our food.

"Luke…"

"I know I shouldn't have filled the application out without telling you. But, Mom…" he pauses, and I focus on his face, "you deserve better than working all night at that club."

My heart aches. Lucas isn’t stupid and I don’t hide my job from him, but I've never provided details either. However, by the time he was old enough to visit friend’s houses, he was also old enough to overhear parental gossip. I knew there had been gossip about me when the news spread around. It was never a big issue, nor did anyone approach me about it—mostly because no one wanted to admit how they knew I worked at the club.

"I'm sorry I…I do what I do. I know it can be embarrassing for a boy—”

"You think I'm embarrassed by you?" he cuts me off with a hard worded question, matching the scowl on his boyish face.

"I'm sure it can be—"

"You’re totally not understanding me," he cut me off, again. "I'm not embarrassed. I'm proud you are my mom. Look at Sean, Mom. His mother runs off with all the money and lets him go without food or clothes. I've never lived like that, and it's because of you."

Unexpected tears fall from my eyes.

"I didn't mean to make you cry." Luke drops his head.

"I don't think she's sad, buddy." Kel wraps an arm around his shoulders.

"No, I'm not sad." I wipe the wet streaks from my cheeks. "I love you, Lucas, and you just made your mother cry happy mommy tears."

He smiles. "Then you won’t be mad about the papers?"

His hopeful expression tugs at my heart.

"You know that forging information is not something you should do, right?"

He nods. "Yes. I just knew you wouldn't do it. I
had
to do it."

"Finish your dinner before it gets cold." I start reading over the papers again.

"So, you'll do it?" Kel asks.

I look up from the papers. "After I read through this and see what's involved."

By the time we finish eating, we’re having a new debate.

"But Aunt Char would stay with us!" Luke argues as I slip on my jacket to leave for the club.

"Your great-aunt doesn't need to fly across the country to take care of my responsibilities. She's done enough for us."

"What about Sid? She'd come, too." Luke tries another tactic.

"She was just here for a week. I'm not going to ask her to take time out of her life to spend weeks here with you two so I can go lose a reality show." Sliding my bag strap over my head and into place on my shoulder, I palm both sides of Luke's face and plant a big kiss on his forehead. "Don't give Uncle Kel a hard time when he tells you to go to bed, okay?"

"Uncle Kel could take care of us while you go on the show." His eyes light up.

"You both have school and he has work. Listen, baby, it just doesn't seem like it's going to work out. Thank you for believing in me, though." I kiss him again and turn to the door.

"Night, Kel," I call over my shoulder, leaving for a crazy night at Lux.

Jackson

"Jesus, man, you look like shit."

It's only been a day, but Xavier looks like someone chewed him up and shit him out. Sitting, once again, at Lux Hedonica, we wait for Red to show up. He was more than happy to accommodate my request to visit again tonight as well as receive a proper introduction to the staff. Most importantly, one particular snake charmer.

"Yeah. I feel it, too." He rubs at the back of his neck.

"What's going on? You sick?" Leaning my forearms on the table, I shift most of my upper body weight forward, allowing the table to support me.

"No, I'm not." He chokes up a bit, something I wasn't prepared to come from the cocky bastard. "Maria's sick." His hands run through his hair.

"Sick how?"

His bloodshot eyes meet my blue ones. "She has heart problems."

"How serious?" I press.

"Serious enough she’s being hospitalized for surgery, but apparently not severe enough to fucking tell me about these issues until a week before the surgery," he growls.

They may have split up, but they worked hard at being close. At first, it was for the twins, but over time, you could tell while a marriage didn't work, their friendship was intact.

"Her husband called me because he didn't think it was right for me not to know!" He snorts. "Her new husband told me, but she hasn't. You believe that shit?"

I shook my head. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I would do in that situation.

"They haven't told the girls about the operation or anything. They know she's been sick sometimes, but Maria hides the seriousness. She's just going to send them for their week with me and slip into the hospital." Shaking his head, he tosses back the last of his drink.

"Why don't we get out of here?" I slide to the end of the booth and tilt my head toward the exit.

He shakes his head. "No, you stay. I thought this would get me out of my mood, but I don't think it's going to work."

I go to stand with him, but he motions for me to stay seated.

"Why don't you just call and talk to her? You guys are still close. Just yell at each other and then talk it out."

"Oh, I'll yell alright." He gives a mean laugh.

"Hey, man, just remember, she’s probably scared out of her mind and though this may not be the best way to handle everything, she's more than likely having a really, really hard time processing all of this, too."

Xavier's shoulders relax just a bit and he nods.

"You're right, but she should've told me."

I nod. "Yeah, I know."

"Tell Red I'm sorry." Then, Xavier is gone, lost in the sea of bodies that filled the club during our conversation.