Miss Aldridge baked a chicken, pot pie in the oven and boiled some broccoli on the stove in the kitchen. Ryan poured himself a glass of cherry soda.
"Mom, can I go to Sloan's tonight?"
"As long as you don't sleep over again."
"I won't."
Shawn sneaked out of Grace's room with a duffle bag and ran out the living room, door. Ryan grinned.
He called Sloan in his room with Miss Aldridge's smartphone and asked him to cover for him if she called.
Miss Aldridge served the pie and ate dinner at the kitchen table with Ryan and Grace.
"Mom, Shawn's picking me up at seven-thirty. He's dropping Ryan off at Sloan's. Then we're going to the movies."
"Will you have enough time?"
"Yeah, the movie starts at eight-twenty."
"What are you seeing?"
"Adventure Riders."
"Oh. The trailer looked really good."
---
Shawn tooted the car horn outside and Grace got in the front. Ryan sat in the back seat of the green sedan near the duffle bag. Shawn drove off and Ryan unzipped it. Then he changed into a pair of red, crop pants and a pink bra.
"Stuff that bra good," said Grace.
Ryan grabbed the white, gym socks from the bag and filled each padded cup. Then he tossed a white blouse over his head.
"Now load your eyelashes with that mascara. Don't poke your eye out," she said.
Ryan found the compact and used the mirror, applying the mascara awkwardly. Shawn turned a corner and Ryan hit his eyelid with the mascara stick.
"Use those wipes if you mess up," said Grace.
Ryan cleaned his eyelid, taking off the smear.
"How do I look?" he asked.
"You need more mascara on your left eye and you forgot the lip gloss."
The mascara clumped, but Ryan added more and smeared the shiny, pink stick all over his lips.
"Makeup is so gross," he said.
"You want in or not? Put the wig on."
Ryan took the blonde wig with the bobb cut and squeezed it on his head.
"It's tight," he said.
"Comb it out with your hand."
Ryan smoothed it down and stepped into flat, black shoes.
"The shoes are a little big."
"Don't run in them."
Shawn pulled into the parking lot crowded with cars at Bean Gene's Cafe.
"Down here," said Shawn, hurrying into an alley behind the cafe. Grace and Ryan followed him.
He knocked on a back door. A muscular man with a balding head opened it slightly.
"Name?"
"Shawn Woods."
"Come in." He held his hand out. "ID?"
Shawn showed him his driver's license and Grace and Ryan walked in.
"They're sixteen," said Shawn. "This is my girlfriend, Grace and that's my cousin, Cindy."
"They have to stay in the back hallway," said the man.
"I know," said Shawn. "They're helping me unload the equipment."
"I know about the equipment, but Fortune Five is doing a sound check right now. You go on after, right?"
"Yeah, but I use their equipment."
"Unload out there and come right back," said the man.
Shawn opened a wooden door beside a small, brown couch and picked up a speaker. Grace handed Ryan the turn tables, lifting another speaker.
Shawn and Grace dropped the speakers near the stage in The Lounge. Fortune Five talked amongst themselves on stage.
Small, wooden tables and chairs filled The Lounge with a bar off to the side. The bartender stocked the back shelf with shot glasses.
A man with graying hair wearing eyeglasses and a gray suit sat at a table near the stage, talking on a smartphone.
A tall man, wearing a blue shirt and black pants walked backstage.
Dillion wore a black, muscle shirt and sat at a drum kit with a "Fortune Five" logo on the bass drum.
Three young men with electric guitars, Rob, Keith and Jamie wore T-shirts and jeans. Another young man in a violet, sleeveless shirt and jeans put the microphone in the stand.
"Hi, Shawn," he said. "You watching the show?"
"In the back."
"Naa, sit with my dad. Is that your sister?"
"My cousin," said Shawn.
"Cool."
"What about the guy at the back door?" asked Shawn.
"I'll talk to him."
"And Mr. Danes?" asked Shawn.
"He lets me do whatever I want." He walked backstage.
"Who's he?" whispered Ryan.
"That's Aaron Osgood," said Grace. "He sings lead. Don't let anyone hear you talk. Your girl voice sucks."
The rest of the band went backstage and Mr. Danes dimmed The Lounge lights.
Shawn, Grace and Ryan sat at Mr. Osgood's table.
"Hey, Shawn. How's it going?" asked Mr. Osgood. "Dillon's got a cold, but he'll be alright."
"It's going around," said Shawn.
Two men waited at The Lounge entrance and young women in tight skirts and heels crowded at the door.
One man checked ID's with a flashlight and sent one girl out with her friend. Another collected money, giving change.
Several young women filled the tables. A few, young guys wearing sports jackets and dress pants sat at the bar.
The burly man that stared at Ryan at the dance walked in, sitting at a table alone in the back.
"That's him," whispered Ryan.
Grace whispered something to Shawn. "I've never seen him before," he said.
Mr. Danes took the microphone out of the stand on stage, tapping it.
"Welcome to The Lounge. I'm Cole Danes, the manager. Dancing is allowed at your table, but don't block anyone. Now without further ado, here's Fortune Five."
Loud screams and cheers filled The Lounge and the band took the stage. Mr. Danes handed Aaron the microphone and jumped down.
Rob strummed his electric guitar at the front of the stage, playing the beginning of a Pop Rock song and Jamie played his bass, leaning on him.
Keith turned the neck of his electric guitar toward the crowd, playing a riff loudly and Aaron sang "Angel Girl" with his smooth voice.
"I'm gonna meet
An angel girl
Here tonight
Angel girl
Shine your light
Angel girl"
Two young women at a front table stood up and danced. The ladies behind them stood up and sang. Grace danced beside the table.
Mr. Danes rushed in and stretched his arms out, protecting the stage. He urged them back.
Aaron jumped up at the end of the song and the women hollered.
Fortune Five performed nine more songs and bowed together. Mr. Danes took the microphone.
"Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed the show. DJ Shawnster plays at ten."
The band ran backstage and Shawn followed them, bringing Grace along. Ryan chased them, tripping in the big shoes.
"Here's the keys," said Shawn. "Listen for his name and bring your brother home. Come right back."
"Okay," said Grace.
Sigourney and Shantel talked to Dillion backstage.
"Hi, Grace," said Sigourney. "Ryan?"
"You look weird," said Shantel.
"Shhh," said Grace. "I'm helping him out."
"Oh - yeah, good idea," said Sigourney.
The burly man walked backstage and handed Aaron a business card.
"Ray Loftstead," he said, shaking his hand. "I manage Pivot Pinks. Are you on tour?"
"Not yet," said Aaron.
"How'd you like to play Fhur Room at Galapos Casino?"
"I have to talk to my manager," said Aaron.
"Call my number on that card. Two managers are better than one."
"He's dangerous," whispered Ryan.
Ray walked back to The Lounge and Shantel walked up to Aaron, handing him a CD in a plastic case.
"I recorded this myself. If you like it, I'll sell it to you cheap." She smiled.
"How old are you?" asked Aaron.
"Thirteen."
"You're Sigourney's sister, right? I'll call her here if I'm interested."
Shantel beamed.
Grace dragged Ryan out.
"Let's go," she said.
"You can't drive alone with a learner's permit," said Ryan.
"No one's going to pull us over."
She started the car and Ryan wiped the makeup off his face and changed back into his clothes and boots.
"Just say Shawn drove you. I'll call Mom later. What does a guy like Ray Loftstead want with you?"
"I don't know," said Ryan, realizing Ray knew something private about him.
"Maybe you look familiar," she said. Ryan wondered if Ray sent him a proprietary.
He did a little research on him, but the articles that appeared only featured information about Galapos Casino at the Menagerie Hotel in Chicago.
---
Shantel met Ryan at his locker and slipped him a note. He read it:
Ryan,
Please join me and my family
for our Thanksgiving celebration
at noon. Let me know tonight if
you can come or not.
Yours,
Shantel
P.S.
You can bring your dad.
---
In English Literature, Mr. Arnold collected everyone's chapter quizzes, correcting them at his desk.
"Read chapter eight of Southern Belles and write a summary for your next assignment. We will be discussing it in class on Wednesday," he said.
Ryan opened the paperback book and read the beginning of chapter eight and Chase wobbled by with a quiz in his hand.
"Psst," he said. Ryan looked up at him and Chase stared at him amusedly. "Love the disguise. What did that man want with you?"
"Stop reading me. He's a manager. I don't know," said Ryan.
"What did he want with Fortune Five?"
"He wants them to play at Galapos Casino."
"Sounds scary," said Chase. "Sit with Shantel at lunch."
"It's crowded," said Ryan.
"Chicken."
Mr. Arnold looked up and Chase staggered to the desk with the quiz. He snatched it from him.
---
Ryan walked up the porch stairs to the dark-pink house. Skyler answered the door.
"Hi, Ryan. Shantel's out for a little bit. You can watch TV in the living room, read a magazine or help me in the kitchen."
"The kitchen's good," he said.
"You must be hungry. I'll make you a sandwich. What do you like?"
---
Ryan ate a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich at the dining room, table and washed it down with a glass of root beer. Skyler brought him a bowl of pita chips.
"What does Shantel do on the weekend?" asked Ryan.
"She has to tell you that," said Skyler. "I could use some help drying the dishes."
Ryan dried a stack of plates and handed them to Skyler.
Ms. Wentworth walked into the kitchen.
"Hello, Ryan," she said. "Nice to see you again. Shantel's helping Sigourney bake bread at Bean Gene's. I'm picking her up now. She turned to Skyler. "Sweetie, I'll get us a box of crossaints." She headed out.
---
Ms. Wentworth opened the front door with Shantel.
"We're home," she said, holding a brown, pastry box.
Shantel hung her pink jacket on the coat rack in the hallway and sat near Ryan on the couch.
"Sorry about the wait. Sigourney had too many bagel orders. I really wanted to see Fortune Five, Saturday and she convinced Mr. Danes to let us in. I owed her one. Can you come for Thanksgiving?"
"Yeah, me and my dad will come at noon."
"Great. Did you like Fortune Five?"
"Yeah. You were pretty brave to give Aaron your song."
"I need a professional opinion on it. So, I just gave him it."
"Did he say anything about it yet?" asked Ryan.
"Not yet."
"What if he likes it?"
"Then I'll make him a deal," said Shantel.
"You recorded it yourself?" he asked.
"Yeah, on my tablet in the attic."
"With music?"
"Yes. I write a little on my electric guitar," she said.
"I didn't know you played."
"I don't play all that well, but Skyler plays most of it while I sing."
"Oh, so what do you on Fridays?" he asked.
"Something with my grandmother."
"And Saturdays?"
"Something for myself," said Shantel.
"And Sundays?"
"Things with my sisters."
"Does it have anything to do with your ability?" he asked.
"No. I'll tell you soon."
"Do you like Troy?"
"As a friend," she said.
"Does he know that?"
"It doesn't matter. I took the questionnaire and it placed me in Ergbear like you, but I haven't set up an audition yet."
"You're an angelkin. That's cool. You have to audition for Head Counselor Elmund," said Ryan.
"I know. We can watch TV until five if you want. Then we can eat dinner. Skyler's making pouched salmon and scalloped potatoes. Just stay in the living room until your dad gets here."
The door bell rang and Ms. Wentworth answered it.
"Troy, how are you? We invited Ryan for dinner. Would you like to stay?"
"No, I just wanted to say 'hi'."
"I'll get Shantel," she said.
"No, that's okay," said Troy. "I'll talk to her tomorrow." He left.