Page 55 of Lost
“Homework?” Zack repeated, raising an eyebrow. “You’re going to spend your Saturday doinghomework?” He shook his head. “Kid, you should be spending your weekends out with friends.”
He didn’t want to admit it outright, but he hated the thought of Lysander spending the day alone. Georgia was going out with Vicky and Natalia, which Zack didn’t doubt for a moment Lysander would turn down an invitation to, and that would mean Lysander being home alone well into the late hours of the afternoon. While his mood may have improved in the week he’d been back at school, Zack knew better than to trust it not to spiral down again.
“They’re busy today. Eliza Beth’s spending the day with her grandparents, and Jack’s helping his aunt and uncle move house.”
“All right then. How would you feel about spending the day in the studio with me?”
He knew Lysander didn’t care much for music and probably didn’t think there was much to it, so why not show him what it was really like behind the scenes?
“Wouldn’t want to get in the way.”
“You wouldn’t be in the way.”
“Dad,” Lysander said firmly, his blue eyes holding Zack’s in place. “I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’ll be fine on my own.”
So his reasons for wanting to take the boy along had been a little more obvious than he had intended. He considered Lysander’s words, thinking hard on them for all of two seconds before he was shaking his head.
“Humour me, okay? I’ll rest easier if I know you’re not sitting in this house alone.”
Lysander rolled his eyes, his face twisting with annoyance.
“I’m not a child, you know?”
“Oh, I know. But it doesn’t change anything. You’re coming.”
Lysander scowled. For a moment Zack thought the kid might argue, but then he threw his apple core into the bin with somewhat more force than necessary and mumbled something about taking a quick shower before they had to leave.
They arrived at the Harmon household with five minutes to spare. Despite not having said another word to Zack after departing the kitchen that morning, Lysander greeted Brendan politely when the man slipped into the front passenger seat of the car. Brendan in turn smiled a hello over his shoulder, while Zack silently turned the car around and headed back towards the highway. He was eager to get to the studio, in the hopes that once they were there Lysander’s mood toward him would improve. It was going to be a long enough day as it was; he didn’t need his son being irritated with him as an added burden.
Even on the weekend the traffic into Los Angeles was a nightmare. They sat bumper to bumper, Zack absently drumming his fingers along to some mindless top-forty track. Brendan watched the waves crash along the coastline, no doubt thinking about how he would much rather be out there than stuck in a car. But today was important. Today they were working with a guest.
They were early, yet still the last to arrive at the studio. Lysander followed obediently as they led him inside, still looking none too pleased about having to be there in the first place. Brendan had noticed the tension between father and son but had asked no questions of either of them, though Zack half wished that he would. A little guidance here would not have gone astray.
Chris greeted them with a simple nod of his head, too tired to give them anything more. Aaron was more awake. He gave both guitarists his customary slap on the back and Lysander a quick one-armed hug, striking up conversation with the boy while Zack and Brendan moved on to greet the remainder of the room’s occupants.
Their producer, Marcus Axwell, nodded from where he was standing in the far corner, talking away on his cell phone. Pat smiled at them both and then stepped aside so that they might greet the one man that they didn’t see on an almost daily basis.
Adam Dunlevey grinned and greeted them both like the old friends that they were. When was the last time that they had seen him? It had been a few years at least. Four or five, if Zack remembered correctly, though the tour seemed an age ago.
“It’s been too long,” Adam said, echoing Zack’s own thoughts. “Heard you’re both of you fathers now. Congratulations.”
Zack smiled in acknowledgement, glancing over his shoulder at his son. Lysander had settled himself at the little table in the corner, where he proceeded to ignore Chris’s labelling him a nerd as he spread his school books out in front of him. He hadn’t been kidding about spending the day doing homework. On the one hand, Zack was pleased by the boy’s dedication to his school work. On the other, he wished his son would have shown a little more interest in the day he was getting to spend in the studio.
He tried to ignore the thought that Dakota would have appreciated the opportunity.
Pat noticed the shift in him. With a slight incline of his head he was gesturing for Zack to step outside with him.
“Everything all right, man? Something happen between you and your kid?”
“Little misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about.”
Pat raised a single eyebrow, the silent demand for more information all too obvious.
“He didn’t want to come here today. He’s a little pissed at me because I made him, I think.”
“So why’d you make him?”
“I was worried.”
