Section 10

“So, Adrie,” Carter started, as they grabbed a table, “You still seeing that Paul guy?”  “Yeah, we got back together a little bit ago,” Adrie answered as her cheeks flushed pink.  When Carter realized she got embarrassed he looked down at his shoes, quickly dropping the subject.  “What about you, Carter?  Seeing anyone,” she asked, genuinely interested.  “I don’t know...kind of..” he responded unsurely.  Adrie’s eyes grew bigger, and she looked at Carter in a form of awe, “Oh my gosh, you are seeing someone.”

“Yeah.  I guess I am.  It’s still really new though.”

“What’s her name?”

“Stephanie, but everyone at school calls her Steph.”

“I cannot believe it, Carter.  Finally all grown up,” Adrie teased.  Carter grimaced, “I’ve been grown up!  I’m so grown up, I could completely destroy you on the dance floor.”  Carter’s challenge was no match for Adrie’s sense of competition.  “I’ll take that challenge,” she replied, fiercely.  The two of them got up and started dancing together.  Nathaniel finished up his conversation with James and hit the bar.  He ordered himself a White Russian, Adrie a Vodka Tonic, and Carter a Bud Light.  After a couple of minutes Carter and Adrie arrived back at the table.  Adrie squeezed Nathaniel’s arm, and he held up his drink to ‘cheers’ her.

            The three of them sat and observed the bar for a while.  It was only 11:00 and James’ band wasn’t supposed to go on until at least 11:30.  The band playing before them had already started.  It was only a keyboardist and acoustic guitarist.  The keyboardist was a man, about 27 and the guitarist was female, around the same age.  Adrie sat on the tall bar stool with her legs hanging off of it, crossed.  Her foot swayed with the beat of the song, her shoe lightly dangling from the tip of her foot.

Section 9

Adrie, Nate, and Carter played ‘name that tune’ to one of the local radio stations the whole way to Downtown Chicago.  When they got there they found a guarded parking lot for 5 dollars in the Wicker Park area, and started to explore the city.  While walking down the streets of Chicago, Adrie found herself sandwiched between Nate and Carter.  She threw Nate a smile and linked her arm through his.  The streets were filled with young club goers strutting their stuff in the highest forms of fashion, and bums sleeping in the city’s alcoves.  They passed hundreds of people getting ready to party, Chicago style, and if Nate hadn’t been mistaken, he could have sworn he saw a woman that resembled the female cop that pulled him over.  He glanced back at the woman after she passed, but she was lost in the crowd.  They rolled up to The Flat Iron, a music venue and bar located on Milwaukee Avenue, around 10:30.  Nathaniel pulled out his cell phone and called up James Ludington, a friend from his undergraduate years at U of M.  When James secured that he could get all three of them into the venue, Nathaniel, Carter, and Adrie walked up to the line outside the club.  “So, do we wait in line,” Carter asked, a little nervous.  “Will you relax?  James said to just go on up to the bouncer and tell him we’re on the list and we’ll be in, no questions asked.  Like I said, his band is playing here tonight,” Nathaniel said, trying to calm Carter’s nerves.  Adrie stood close beside Nate, shivering.  “You cold, Adrie,” He asked, a bit concerned.  Adrie flashed Nate a sheepish grin, “A bit.  It’s my fault though, I should have brought a coat.”  “Well we should be inside soon, anyways.”  The three of them proceeded toward the bouncer.

            The man standing in front of them was severely intimidating.  Adrie and Nate were used to seeing extremely large men blocking the doors to the hottest Chicago nightclubs.  Carter, however, was starting to sweat.  Little beads of condensation sprouted on his forehead as he stood behind Nate and Adrie, letting them do all the talking.  “Hey, we’re on the list for The Heightened Impact,” Nate said, relaxed.  The bouncer pulled out his clipboard from the podium at the entrance, “What’s your names?”  “Nate, Adrie, and Carter,” Nate responded pointing to Adrie and Carter when he said their names.  The bouncer checked the list, “Okay, cover is ten bucks each.”  The three of them emptied their pockets, paying the cover.  “What time do they go on,” Nate asked as he fished through his pockets.  The bouncer checked his clipboard again, “Around 11:30.  They’re second on the stage tonight”.  The bouncer removed the red velvet rope that previously kept them out.  Nate, Adrie, and Carter walked on into the venue.  Both Carter and Nate shrugged off their jackets.  While Carter and Adrie went to grab a table, Nate immediately spotted James and went to say hello.

Section 8

Carter knocked on Nate’s door and then entered his room, taking a seat on the end of his bed.  Nate was starting to get ready; changing his clothes and putting on some cologne.  “So, are you ready to go out little bro,” Nate asked while he patted a section of his hair down that didn’t want to cooperate.  “Yeah I’m ready, lets kick it.”  Nate checked his phone; it was only 9:15.  “Okay, I’ll give Adrie a call in about 15 minutes and we’ll head out.  Until then, lets go eat the leftovers from tonight.”  Nate took another look in the mirror, while Carter stroked a sleeping Rockie.  “I’m down!”

            The boys were in the kitchen but five minutes when they finished all of the leftovers.  No one really ate much that night; they mostly just pushed food around on their plates.  Carter’s pocket started vibrating and beeping.  At the sound of it he instantly pulled out his cell phone and saw he had a text message.  “Who are you texting so furiously,” Nathaniel asked, amused.  “No one, don’t worry about it,” Carter defensively responded.  “Come on, I’m your older brother, I’m taking you out tonight to a bar that you wouldn’t normally be able to get into on your own, and I’m going to get you trashed.  Tell me.”  At this point, Nate had his hands on his brother’s shoulders, looking at him face to face, slightly shaking him.  Carter shrugged him off, “It’s just some chick from school.”  “Ohhhhh!  A girl.  What’s her name?  Is she smart?  Hot,” Nate asked, completely interested in his little brother’s love life.

“Of course she’s hot, and yeah, I guess she’s smart too, although, I don’t really know her that well yet.  Her name’s Stephanie.” 

“That’s cute.  Well, let me know how it goes.”

“Will do, but can we get out of here, I’m in desperate need of a beer.  Steph is out drinking tonight and it’s making me jealous.”

“Let me just call Adrie and we’ll go.”

            Nate’s phone call to Adrie was short.  A quick, ‘are you coming here, or are we picking you up’ and a short, ‘see you soon’.  The boys got into Kathy’s car and started to Adrie’s house.

“So, I got pulled over tonight,” Nate started.

“Damn, did you get a ticket?”

“No, but the cop...she was pretty gorgeous, to be honest.”

“A hot female cop, no way!”

“Carter, you’re such a pig.”

“YOU said it,” Carter pointed out to his big brother.  “Good point,” Nate responded.              Carter turned the radio on and started messing with the stations.  After a bit of fussing, he settled for a mediocre top 40s hit.  Nathaniel pulled up to Adrie’s house and honked the horn.  She stepped out of her house in a sexy, black top, dark, skinny jeans, and heals.  Her blond hair was flowing beneath her shoulders in big, barrel curls.  “I can’t believe you haven’t made a move on Adrie yet,” Carter said, not taking his eyes off the gorgeous bombshell coming their way.  “She’s like a sister to me, Carter.  I could never date her,” Nate responded, unlocking the doors of the car for Adrie. She, once again, slid into the Saab with grace and ease.  “So, where are we going,” Adrie asked with a sense of enthusiasm.  Nathaniel glanced back at her with a smile, “ I was thinking we should go somewhere in the city!”

“Nate, the city is so tight with security, I doubt I could get in.”

“Don’t worry, I know of a bar where a couple friends from U of M are playing, I bet I could get you in there.”

“Well shouldn’t you check to make sure first?”

“Nah, worst comes to worst we’ll find somewhere you can get into, it’s the city, it’s huge.”

Section 7

... Hey, lets do something fun tonight!  You down, Carter?”  “Most definitely, as long as it’s somewhere I can get into.”

            Nathaniel drove Adrie home so she could change and get ready for the rest of the evening.  While driving down Pfingsten Rd, toward home, Nathaniel heard police sirens.  While turning his radio down he checked his mirrors.  FUCK he thought to himself.  Nate calmly pulled over, putting the car in park.  He waited, what seemed forever, for the cop to come to his window.  The policewoman knocked lightly on his window and Nathaniel rolled it down.  “License and registration, please,” the woman asked.  Nathaniel handed her both and she looked them over.  “Excuse me sir, do you know why I’m pulling you over,” the women asked him politely.  “Actually, no, I don’t; I’m sorry,” he responded, trying to keep the annoyance from seeping into his voice.

“You were going 45 miles per hour in a 35 zone.”

“I’m really sorry, I was just coming from a friends, I must have gotten lost in my head..”  “Alright.  Wait here, it’ll be a couple minutes for me to get your information processed.”

“Okay, sorry again.”

Nathaniel rolled up his window.  Fuck fuck fuck was all that went through his head at the moment.  He was so lost in thought about what his parents could possibly be hiding that he didn’t even realize he was speeding.  He’d never been pulled over before and was a little nervous.  In spite of all of that, the policewoman that pulled him over was extremely attractive, and he couldn’t help but notice.  The woman arrived back at his window and he quickly rolled it down.

“Well, Nathaniel, it seems to be your lucky night.  I’m going to let you off with a verbal warning.”

“I really appreciate it, thank you.”

“Just don’t get so caught up in your head while you’re driving,” the woman said, tacking onto it a flirtatious wink.

“Oh believe me, I’ll be way more careful next time.”

Curiosity got the best of Nathaniel and he felt like he owed it to himself to try and pursue her.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“It’s Kate...why?”

“Oh, no reason, Kate.  Just wondering.”

“Okay...well have a good night, and be more careful.”

“I will, goodnight.”

            Nate decided that it would be too utterly inappropriate to ask on a date the female cop that pulled him over.  As much as he would have liked to (she seemed somewhat competent, and she was gorgeous) he knew that she’d probably have said no, even if she were interested, just because she was on duty.

            When Nate arrived home it was around nine o’clock in the evening.  His parent’s door was closed so he assumed they were already in bed.  Carter was in his room, playing a video game, waiting to go out.  Nathaniel felt it was the perfect time to call his roommate, Don, and check on the cat.  Nate and Don shared a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment in East Lansing.  The two had met at University of Michigan when they were housed together in the dorms. Nate and Don also shared a cat; Necko, which is Japanese for ‘cat’. Nate pressed number 5 on his phone, the speed dial for Don.

“Hello,” Don answered.

“Hey man, how’s it going over there?”

“Oh, hey Nate, it’s fine.  Tess is here, we’re about to watch...a movie,” Don said with hesitation.

“Oh cool, what movie?”

“I don’t want to say.”

“Come on man, what is it,” Nate mused, expecting Don’s answer.

“The Notebook.”

“Oh damn...anyways, I was just calling to see how our baby is doing,” Nate joked.

“Heh, Necko is fine, you know Tess spoils him,” Don replied.

“Alright man, good to hear.  I’m going out with Adrie and Carter tonight.”

“Sweet, have a good time.  When should I expect you back in East Lansing?”

“I’m aiming for Monday but I don’t have class then, so I could possibly stay until Tuesday.”

“Okay, have a good one man, I’ll catch you later.”

“Okay, later,” Nate responded, saying his goodbye.

Section 6

“You’re father’s home,” Nate’s mother said as she looked over her shoulder, the loud sound of the garage door opening grabbing her attention.  “Dinner will be in 10 minutes guys, please set the table for me.”  Kathy turned the stove off and left the room.

            “Hello, hello, hello,” Nate’s father, Jacob, greeted as he entered the room. 

“How was your flight in kiddo?  Sorry I didn’t see you last night, your flight was just too late for me.”   “It’s cool, Dad.  The flight wasn’t too awful, just late,” Nate responded to his Dad.  “Adrie, I almost didn’t recognize you,” Jacob cooed.  Adrie rose from her seat and wrapped her arms around Jacob in a hug, “How have you been Mr. Matis? It’s been quite some time; six months, I believe?”  “Yes, it has been a while, how are your parents?”  “Oh they’re doing well,” Adrie replied as she sat down at the table where Nate and Carter were laying out plates and silverware.

            “Hi honey.  Dinner is ready everyone,” Kathy said, re-entering the room.  Everyone took a seat around the dinner table.  Jacob sat at one head of the table, and Kathy at the other; Nate and Carter each took their respective seats across from one another, and Adrie sat in the seat next to Nate, perpendicular to Kathy.  “I have an announcement to make everyone,” Kathy started.  Jacob flashed a glance at her as she continued, “I just got hired as an advisor at USC-Davis.”  Carter dropped his fork, holding a piece of broccoli, onto his plate; his jaw dropped open.  It was one thing to be half way across the country from his family, but for Carter, to be all the way on the other side of the U.S. would be difficult.  “So...we’re moving,” Nathanial asked.  “Well, we’re not moving, Honey, you and carter are in school,” Kathy stated, staring down at her plate of untouched food.  Jacob took a look at both of his sons and then Kathy, “Lets not discuss this now, Sweetheart.  The boys are only home for a short time, don’t bum them out.”  Sitting there, Adrie felt extremely uncomfortable, as if something else underlying the situation was causing all the discomfort.

            The dinner table stayed pretty quiet the rest of the night.  They finished their food, moved onto dessert, and cleared the table, with no more than a couple of words exchanged the whole time.  Kathy and Jacob went upstairs and Carter, Nathanial, and Adrie went into the basement.  “What was that about,” Carter asked, with a hint of annoyance in his voice.  “That was Mom and Dad covering up something bigger.  It’s like when we were little kids and they would give us an okay present that we would be playing with, then while we were occupied they’d be wrapping the big train set,” explained Nathanial.  Adrie let out a soft sigh, “I don’t really see what the big deal is, you guys are both in school anyways, are you really planning on moving back home after graduation?”  “No but we’ve been having thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter here every year for our whole lives, imagine giving that all up for some place you barely recognize.  It’s gonna suck,” Nate offered.  Adrie accepted his explanation, “I guess I see what you mean.”

Section 5

"Maybe we should get out of here," Nate said, trying to change the subject. He was never good with words, especially when it came to comforting someone; it just felt awkward to him, and he knew his family would love to catch up with Adrie before dinner.

            The two of them rode toward Nate’s house, mostly in silence.  Nate’s phone started to ring and Adrie grabbed it, handing to him ever so gracefully.  “Thanks,” Nathanial said quickly to her as he answered the phone. 

“Hello”

“Oh hey!”

“Yeah I’m in Chi town now.”

“No no everything is great here.”

“I miss you too”

“Alright we’ll grab lunch or something when I get home.”

“I promise, I won’t ditch you this time.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to you later, bye.”

Glancing over at Adrie, Nathanial could tell she was curious as to who his mystery caller was.  “It was my friend, Gema, from state,” he said, reading Adrie’s mind.  “Ahh, Gema. That’s a new name,” she responded patiently.

“Yeah I met her a couple months ago.  She’s pretty cool, likes good music and all.  I don’t know, I kind of promised her a date and never followed through on it.  She’s real sweet but I’m so sick of trying to date, Adrie.”

“Nate, you have to get out there and date.  It’s been what? 5 years since your last real relationship?”

“I Know, it just seems as though all the girls I’ve taken out are either a bore or completely absent of intelligence.”

Adrie gave Nate an apologetic smile.

            The two arrived at Nate’s home only minutes later.  It was already 5:30, and the house was filled with smells of delicious turkey, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole.  The second they walked in the door Rockie, Nate’s English bulldog, jumped onto Adrie.  He knocked her into a chair and gave her wet kisses all over her face until Nate finally pulled him off of her, throwing him a treat in the other direction.  Rockie ran after it and Adrie regained her composure.

“Oh how I’ve missed your attention-starved dog.”

“Attention starved?  Low blow!  If only I were home more than once every six months, besides, Mom takes good care of him,” Nate said with sarcasm, throwing a wink in Adrie’s direction.

“Is that my darling Adrie I hear,” Nate’s mother exclaimed as she ran from the kitchen to wrap her tiny arms around Adrie in a full-on bear hug.

“Well hello Mrs. Matis!”

“Oh please honey, call me Kathy, you make me feel old when you use my last name,” Nate’s mom said, as she looked Adrie up and down.

            Kathy Matis hadn’t seen Adrie since the last time Nathanial was home.  It was hard for her to not see either of them considering Adrie basically lived in her home while Nathanial was in grade school.  Kathy came to think of Adrie as her daughter.  She only had Nathanial and her youngest son, Carter, and she’d always hoped for a beautiful girl to watch grow up; Adrie let her live out this dream with all sorts of compassion.

            “Hey Nate, Adrie,” Carter said as he entered the room.  Carter was 19 and in his second year of undergraduate school at NYU.  Him and his brother looked like carbon copies of each other except for the years of age you could see between them.

“Hey, did you get those songs I sent to you,” Nate asked Carter as he sat at the kitchen table, playing with Adrie’s hair.

“Yeah I got them, I really liked the one song, Milk and Sugar by The Hard Lessons.”

“They’re pretty good, they actually are married; they went to MSU.”

“Nice.”

“So, Carter, how’s NYU treating you,” Adrie asked, putting her cell phone down, and joining the conversation.  “It’s pretty good, can’t complain.”

            The three of them sat around the table talking about school and sharing old memories from their times in Glenview.  Kathy stood in the kitchen, occasionally stirring a big pot of chicken soup, and carving the turkey.

Section 4

Lunch dragged on, feeling as though it would never end. Paul kept rambling about his band, and Adrie would steal a couple glances at Nate, who was painfully bored by Paul's lack of adulthood. When the check finally came, Nate did the proper thing in buying both Adrie and Paul their lunch. Paul gave Adrie another inappropriate kiss and left the two to catch up for the rest of the day. "Wow, Paul hasn't changed a bit from the last time I saw him," Nate said, with a sarcastic undertone. Adrie pleaded with him using her eyes, "Nate...I love him. I can't help it, I just do. I seriously don't understand how you didn't go through this with Rachel. I couldn't handle Paul's and my first break up, I couldn't handle being apart, how did you not feel that with Rachel?" "She wasn't in a band," Nate offered. Adrie gave him a friendly punch in the side, and they got back in the car and drove towards Glen Grove Elementary.

"After all of these years, this is still probably my favorite place in Glenview," Adrie exclaimed as she hung upside down from the monkey bars. Nate stood close beside her, helping her down, and gave her a hug. "I seriously needed this, how do you know me so well?" "I've known you since the 3rd grade, Nate, how could I not know you this well?" Adrie asked. "So tell me all about MSU. Is it everything you ever wanted?" "Hah. It's a lot more work than I wanted. I'm just so sick of school. I can't wait to get out there and use my degrees." Nathanial replied. "Degrees," Adrie sighed. For a second Nate saw a glimmer of regret in Adrie's eyes. She hadn't gone to graduate school because at the time of applying she had just gotten back together with Paul, again. She gave up saving and got a job close to home, about 20 minutes from Glenview. "I never though I would have given everything up for a guy," Adrie said, staring at the ground pensively. "Maybe we should get out of here," Nate said, trying to change the subject. He was never good with words, especially when it came to comforting someone; it just felt awkward to him.