Page 15 of Grown

Mom’s and Daddy’s eyes light up.

“Charlie Wilson?” Daddy gasps. “THE Charlie Wilson?”

“Yeah, he’s right over there. Hey, Tony? Take these good folks to meet Uncle Charlie.”

The bodyguard I saw the night I Korey him gives a silent nod. I start to trail behind Mom before Korey catches my hand.

“Hey,” he coos. “Where you going, Bright Eyes?”

My heart does that fluttering thing again. He called me by my name.

“Um, nice show,” I squeak.

“So, you approve?”

“I mean, I don’t think you need my approval.”

“No. It matters what you think of me, though.”

Still starstruck, I say the first thing that comes to mind.

“Your show was... breathtaking.”

His smile cracks into a laugh. “Breathtaking?”

In an instant, I want the earth to swallow me whole.

“OMG. OMG. I’m so... that was so... OMG. I didn’t mean it like that!”

“Yes. Yes, you did. And I like it.”

For a moment, it feels like we’re the only ones in the room. Maybe on the planet.

“So, anymore shows for you?” he asks.

“No, just singing to the Littles.”

“The Littles?”

“Oh yeah, that’s what I call my sibs. I have three sisters and one brother. I’m the oldest.”

“Daaaamn, that’s a lot of y’all! Your folks were busy.”

“Ew! I don’t want to think of my parents that way!”

“My bad,” he laughs. “Man, I always wanted a big family. This only-kid thing ain’t all that.”

“It’s... uh, crowded. Plus, it’s different. By my age, you were already touring all over the world.” I wince at the age difference slipup but carry on. “I mean, it must have been amazing, doing the thing you love most. No one saying you can’t, or you have to babysit this kid or clean that.”

He chuckles. “Well, I got a feeling I’ll be seeing you behind the mic real soon. You got this... hunger about you. I can sense it.”

“It’s... all I’ve ever wanted to do,” I say, my chest seeming lighter.

Korey leans back with an admiring glow. “Damn. I feel that.”

Across the room, my parents are gushing in front of their favorite artist. Tony is somehow blocking my view of them. Or maybe he’s blocking their view of me.

“Here,” Korey says, stepping closer. “Give me your phone.”