Cake: A Love Story (35 page)

My dad cleared his throat and said, “So, in order to be successful, you pretty much have to live your life on the road?”

“I have for the past seven years, yeah, but that was because I was establishing myself. Now that I have a pretty loyal fan base, I can cut back some.”

“And have you?”

“Um…I plan to,” Jake grinned. “I always say I’m going to take a break but then I come off tour and release an album and then I’m right back out there.”

“Is it addicting?”

Jake laughed. “Honestly, yeah. I really like performing but this time I’m definitely taking a break from touring for awhile.”

“What’s different this time?” Dad asked, curiously.

Jake grinned and looked at me. “Well, a few things.”

My family picked up on his reference and laughed.

“Not only do I want to stay in town while Casey finishes her senior year but I’m also going to have knee surgery next month so I physically won’t be able to perform.”

“Oh wow, I’m sorry to hear that. What happened to your knee?”

“Just an old injury,” Jake said without elaborating.

Thankfully my family didn’t push for further details. We passed around the food and chatted easily with each other. Jake was enjoying all the family gossip even though he had no idea who we were talking about.

Just as dinner was winding down my mom asked Jake, “Can I get you anything else? Are you still hungry?”

“No, I’m so full. But thank you. That was great lasagna,” Jake replied to my mom.

“Oh well thank you.”

“Homemade is always the best, in my opinion.” Jake replied.

“I agree!” My dad seconded.

“Do you cook?” My mom asked.

Jake laughed. “Not really. I can make sandwiches, scrambled eggs, and Kraft Mac and Cheese. That is about it.”

“Can Casey cook?” Darci asked.

“Um…,” Jake said hesitating.

“Did you just hesitate?” I said, feigning irritation.

“No…you are a great cook,” Jake lied.

“He’s lying…we eat out a lot.”

Everyone laughed.

“So I gotta ask,” Luke said changing the subject, “being a rockstar and all you gotta meet lots of women, how’d my baby sister here catch your eye?”

“Her sense of humor. She was so funny. She just kind of blew me away the minute we met. It didn’t hurt that she was beautiful either.”

“Oh stop,” I grinned but was jokingly motioning for him to continue.

“We just had instant chemistry, right?” Jake asked me.

I nodded and laughed. “It was for me at least. I mean what’s there not to like?”

“So you must have some insane stories to tell about fans and groupies,” Luke said.

Jake laughed. “I have lots but most I can’t say in front of kids.”

“Oh okay, now I’m interested. You gotta give me something.”

“Let’s just say I’ve been asked to sign pretty much every body part there is,” Jake replied.

“Even the meat and potatoes?”

“Yes, even the meat and potatoes,” Jake nodded.

“Oooh, gross,” the guys groaned in unison. “Seriously…why would they even want those things signed. I mean, what could possibly be the purpose of that?”

“Um, so they can have my signature tattooed on.”

“Noooo,” the guys screamed.

“Yes,” Jake laughed.

“HOLY…SH…”

“Luke!” Mom shushed him.

“Sorry, SHOOT. So do you sign them?”

“No, of course not. Do you really think I want my signature forever inked onto that?” Jake pretended to shudder.

“Tell me another crazies story.”

“Um…oh…this one time I was at the grocery store and there is this guy who keeps staring at me. He’s like peering around the aisles.”

“Creepy.”

“Yeah. So finally this guy comes up to me and we make eye contact. He then puts his hands up, you know, like he’s trying to talk down a suicide jumper and he starts approaching me slowly,” Jake demonstrates to my family with his hands. “And he’s staying things like, it’s okay…take it easy…just relax. He’s talking to me like he’s trying to tame a wild animal. So weird. Then he says to me, ‘Easy…it’s okay…I don’t want to talk to you, I just want to take a picture with you.”

“No, he didn’t?” Darcy gasped.

“I swear.”

“What did you do?”

“I walked away.”

“Geez, what a weirdo,” my dad said.

“You know…the older I get the more I realize how many weird people are in the world,” my mom said. “I mean, how do people get so…odd?”

“That’s easy,” Luke said looking smug. “Weird people breed weird kids. I mean, think about it. Who is a weirdo going to marry? Well, another weirdo, of course! And then those two weirdoes pop out mini weirdoes. It’s the circle of life, people…crazy style.”

We all laughed.

After dinner, we retreated into the living room. As Jake walked in he stopped in front of the piano.

“I didn’t know you had a Steinway,” he said to me.

“A what?”

“The piano…it’s a Steinway.”

“Is that a good thing?” I asked.

“Yeah. Steinways are great pianos. Very well made. This is a Victorian styled Model B.”

“Is that a rare type?” My mom said from behind us.

“Um…yeah…I would say they aren’t as common as some of the other Steinways. Is this a family heirloom?”

“It belonged to my grandmother and it was passed down to me by my mother.”

“Only because it’s such a huge waste of space, that she didn’t want it in her living room,” my dad grumbled.

“Like it would fit in her living room. She lives in a mobile home, Dave.”

“Yeah, yeah. I think she purposely moved into one so she wouldn’t have to take the damn piano.”

Jake glanced back and forth between my parents with an amused look on his face.

“Anyway it hasn’t worked for as long as we’ve had it.”

“It doesn’t work?” Jake asked in disbelief.

“I mean some of the keys are broken. I looked into getting it fixed because I thought maybe the kids might want to take lessons on it one day but they wanted something like $1500 to get it in working condition and $8000 to completely refurbish it. Someday, maybe.”

“The only way we are spending $8000 on a piano that just sits there taking up space, is if we win the damn lotto. And even then, we will have to have bought every single other thing we ever wanted first,” my dad griped.

Jake bust up laughing.

My mom gave my dad a warning look. He shut up.

Jake walked around the piano and ran his fingers over it. He pressed some of the keys. “How old is it?”

“I’m not sure but probably the 1920’s or 30’s.”

“I think it might be older than that. The late 1800’s maybe.”

“Really? Do you think it’s an antique?” My dad was now interested, no doubt hoping to sell it for a big profit.

“Well, yeah, it’s definitely an antique but I don’t know how much it’s worth. Steinway was a pretty big piano manufacturer back in the late 1800 and early 1900’s. My guess is that there are a lot of these in circulation, which would drive down the price. Still it’s a pretty one.”

“Ball park figure…what do you think it’s worth?” My dad asked eagerly.

“Maybe ten to twenty thousand, in top condition, which this one isn’t.”

“So much for this being my ticket to a better life,” my dad huffed.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” my mom deadpanned.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of,” my dad grumbled.

Jake laughed. He was used to this kind of joking around in his family and I could tell it relaxed him.

“I’m surprised,” my mom ignored my dad, “I always thought it would be worth a lot more.”

“Um…I’m no expert but typically pianos really don’t hold their value…that is why it’s better to hold onto them like family heirlooms.”

“I definitely want to have it restored one day. I would like to pass it down.”

“Not to me…thank you very much,” Luke said.

“I can get it into working condition for you,” Jake offered.

“Seriously? You know how?”

“Yeah. I fix all my own instruments. Do you have a music store in town?”

“Bensen’s is on Main Street.”

“Cool, I can stop in there for some supplies tomorrow.”

“Really Jake, that isn’t necessary. We didn’t ask you here so you could work.”

“It’s no chore at all. It wouldn’t take more than an hour or so. I love fixing things. You’d actually be making me happy.”

My mom smiled and patted Jake on the shoulder. “I would love it then. Thank you, Jake.”

“You don’t fix toilets do you?” Dad joked.

“Dave!” My mom reprimanded my dad.

“What? I was just asking,” Dad laughed.

“My dad used to be a carpenter before he got a job with the post office. He taught me how to fix everything in the house.”

“Really? So back to the toilet then,” my dad grinned.

“Oh stop, Dave,” my mom said smacking him playfully.

“What? You get your piano fixed…I get my toilet fixed,” my dad said joking.

“That’s one expensive handyman,” Luke commented.

We all settled down on the couches in the living room.

“So Casey, have you made friends at your new school?” Darcy asked.

“I have. I met this group of girls that I really like.”

“What do they think about you dating Jake?”

Jake looked at me smiling. “Yeah, Casey, what do they think?”

I could tell I had a guilty look on my face when I said, “I haven’t told them.”

“You haven’t told them?” My mom asked. “Why not?”

“When we first met I didn’t say anything because I hardly knew them and then once we became friends it seemed weird to just blurt it out. I didn’t want them to think I was bragging.”

“So now you’re just lying?” Mom smiled. “That’s so much better.”

“I’m not lying. I’m just omitting the truth.”

“So are you never going to tell them?”

“No, I am. I just have to have the right moment.”

“Like when they see a picture of the two of you together in People Magazine?”

“Right. Just before that,” I joked.

“Dude, does it bother you that she’s keeping you a secret?” Luke asked.

“I just got back from tour. I didn’t even know I was her dirty little secret until a few days ago,” Jake laughed.

Everyone bust up laughing.

“That’s not at all what you are,” I said and hugged him. “I just don’t want to share you yet.”

“Uh-huh right. Oh, speaking about sharing Linda. I think you might have something that I really have to see,” Jake said.

“What?” I asked, looking at him in surprise.

“A certain binder.”

Understanding dawned on me.

“Oh no you don’t,” I squealed as I attempted to cover his mouth with my hand.

“What?” My mom asked looking between us questioningly.

“Casey’s banana binder,” Jake answered.

“She told you about that?” My mom laughed out loud.

“She did and since then it has been my dream to get a look at it,” Jake grinned.

“I have no idea where it is. Casey may have destroyed it but I promise you Jake, if I find it, you’ll be the first to know.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

After that we talked for over two hours about all kinds of topics, from my dad’s back surgery to how his recovery was going. We talked about the kid’s school and Luke’s job. Conversation flowed freely. At eight, Miles and Darcy announced it was time to leave soon because it was the kid’s bedtime. They changed the kids into pajamas and got them all ready for bed in hopes that they would fall asleep in the car on the short drive home. Darcy sat down to read them a story but the kids insisted that Jake read it to them instead. Always a good sport, Jake settled onto the couch with my niece and nephew on either side of him and read them a story.

While Jake was occupying the kids, I got up to use the bathroom and was cornered by Darcy.

“Wow, Casey,” Darcy whispered to me. “Jake’s an awesome guy.”

I smiled and nodded.

“He doesn’t act like some huge celebrity. He’s just really down to earth…and good with kids. Sydney and Riley love him.”

“I know. I love watching him with kids. He’ll make such a good daddy someday,” I gushed.

“Okay hold up girl,” my mom said, coming up beside us. “Let’s just get you through college first.”

“Obviously,” I said rolling my eyes.

“That being said,” mom continued, “do not, under any circumstances, let that one go.”

“Trust me, you’d have to pry my cold, dead hands off him before I let go,” I giggled.