Daydreamin'

Fool-ish In Love p.4

2016

"Here Uncle Johan, Mom got it all set up for you." Johan nodded at Junior, his curls bobbing slightly with his movements as he adjusted his cardigan. "Nice basement. Very, La Vie Boheme." Dre screeched from upstairs, "If I hear you say one more pretentious thing, Croissant, I will kick you right back out!" As his nephew ascended back to the main level, Johan explored the space he was given. He unpacked his bags and hung his things up in the closet. An old hat box laid dusty on the top rack, but he didn't pay it too much attention. Instead he changed into his pajamas and curled himself up in someone else's sheets, ready for tomorrow to begin.

"Mom, I need a parent or guardian to come to the college fair tomorrow night. I've only got two and a half years left to take the right classes for college and I really want to make sure I'm making the right choices." Rainbow looked up at her son with an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, Junior. I've got a late shift tomorrow night. Try your dad, or maybe Uncle Johan if Dre's busy." With a nod, Junior went to his dad to ask, and then to his big-haired, slightly pretentious uncle. "Hey, Uncle Johan, I need a parent or guardian to come with me to the college fair tomorrow night. Will you go with me?" Johan adjusted his cardigan and nodded. "Sure, why not. College isn't for everybody, but maybe it's for you. Just remember to put what you love first. Don't get a degree because it's what pays the bills." Junior nods and looks around the basement. "That's what my teacher Ms. Lane says. Do what you love for who you love." Junior absent-mindedly sifted through the closet. "Hey, Uncle Johan, what's that box up there?" Junior pulled the dust covered box from the top rack and blew a puff of air over the top of it. Johan had since taken steps behind his nephew and was curious as to what lay in its opening. "Wait, I know this box. It used to be your moms. We should probably check with her on what's inside before we just open it. Lord knows what all could be in here in the last twenty, twenty-five years! Woah, it's been twenty-five years! I'm old." Junior tucked the box under his arm and went in search of Bow.

"Hey, mom. Uncle Johan and I found this old box in the basement. He said I should ask before I just open it since it's been around so long." Bow took the box from Juniors hands and placed it on the counter. She delicately shook the lid from the box and gave a shout of "All clear!" as she showed the contents to her brother and her eldest son. "Oh, it's all those photos I had when we were growing up! This is your Uncle Johan when he thought break-dancing was cool." Johan gave a shout of defense. "And this is me when I was your age. God, look at my hair!" Junior had begun sifting through the box of Polaroids and printed photos. He found one photo of his uncle and a woman who looked slightly familiar. Their clothes were obviously old school, and both of their hairs were big and frizzy. She wore a light pink dress that poofed out like a bubble of hazy fabric. Their eyes and smiles were bright in the photo. "Uncle Johan, who is this?" Johan accepted the photo from his nephew's hand and gazed at it. "That was my best friend, Christine." Bow's head snapped up at the name. "Wait, Christine Lane? Lemme see! Lemme see!" She snatched the photo from his hands and a wide smile spread across her face. "Oh, look at you two. You were both so cute together!" Junior had found a few more photographs containing Christine and began to murmur to himself. "She looks so familiar. Does she have a kid or something?" Bow shook her head. "No, I don't think so. But, she does teach History at your school. I met her again when Zoey took her class." Both of the Johnson siblings watched the gears turn in Juniors head as he connected the dots. "Wait, Ms. Lane and Uncle Johan were a thing? Did it end well or should I leave the fact that you're my uncle in the dark?" Both laughed. "You don't have to worry. They left on good terms, though I'm sure that she'd be happy to see you Johan." Junior contemplates a bit more. "Uncle Johan?" The middle Johnson looked over at his nephew. "Yes, Junior?" "Was she your person?" Johan thought for a little while, remembering everything that they went through together in those eight years. He looked back up at his nephew. "She was, for a while."