Overtime

28

"Yes, of course! By the way, please call me Maddy. Madison is so formal." Her perkiness kind of annoys me. I wish she were mellow and quiet like her parents.

We walk towards my friends, who look at me wide-eyed and confused when they scoot down to make room for the two of us. "Emma and Julia, this is Miles's sister, Maddy. Maddy, these are my best friends, Emma and Riley." I force the thoughts out when I think of Amber and how she's also in this room. I point toward Emma, "Emma is a country singer in Nashville," and I point towards Riley, "Riley is a bartender and dancer."

She sips her strong-smelling drink, "Of course, you guys have cool jobs. You look like you do."

Emma laughs, "You're studying what in school?"

Maddy's gaze lingers on Emma briefly before she takes another sip of her drink, "I'm a musical theatre major. At Juilliard. I'm going to work on Broadway."

"Holy shit. Juilliard? Why are you dropping that so casually?" Riley whisper-shouts.

Maddy smiles, "Well, I don't like to brag about it. The more casual I speak about it, the less people expect the most from me."

"So, you can, like, sing-sing," Emma says, her eyes twinkling in fascination. I wonder if she feels intimidated by her being a musical theatre major.

"I'd love to harmonize with you one day," she says with a wink that almost makes me spit out my drink. "Did you go to school l, Emma?"

She nods, "I went to Belmont and tried that route, but I didn't like the formality, so I dropped out and started singing in bars, praying one day a record label would notice me."

"I'm sure you'll make it one day. I sometimes wish I hadn't gone to school or chosen a different major, like Marketing. Have you considered going on one of those singing shows, like The Voice?"

I look to Riley, who I think is thinking the same thing I am. I hadn't even said a word since we sat down. I think these two are going to like each other.

My eyes wander around the box, seeing if I see anyone familiar. I spot my parents speaking to Amber's father. I should say hello to him while she's not around him. I don't see Amber around; Maybe she's with her new friends. "Excuse me," I say, sliding out of the booth and wandering over to them.

"There's our favorite child!" My mother gushes, hugging me.

"Hi," I say, giving my mother and father a hug. "How was the flight?" I walked over to Amber's father and hugged him as well. He was basically my second father.

"Fine. I had to go to a store and buy a coat as soon as we arrived. I wasn't expecting it to be this cold. It didn't call for snow on the forecast," my mother says.

I look around the suite once again, looking for familiar eyes. "I would introduce you to Miles's parents, but I have no clue where they went."

My father wraps his hand around my bicep and slowly squeezes it, "No worries. We've got all night. We are going to grab a drink at the bar."

They walk away, leaving Adam Abram and me alone. "Haven't seen you in a while, Jules. Everything going okay?"

Lie to him. "Yes, sir. Just been wrapped up in this whole new career and boyfriend."

He stares at me like he knows I'm lying. Did my mother say something? I spilled my guys to her the day after we told Amber to get lost. She probably said something to him. Or Amber said something to him. "Amber said you guys had a fight. She didn't give details."

I close my eyes, purse my lips, and nod. "Unfortunate series of events," is all I say, tearing my eyes away from his gaze.

"Amber has been very upset this week. I've noticed a change. She hasn't been her normal self. She's barely left the house. No boyfriend. No friends. I'm surprised she's even here now. Whatever happened, she's devastated about it. I know my daughter; I know she has a temper." Yet, she won't apologize. That's all I want.