The Past Recedes

Chapter 34

"You're in a good mood, did the Giants lose?", teased Kathleen.

"Yeah, I'm glad", said Josh with a laugh.

"That isn't nice, the Giants might get their feelings hurt", said Nika, glancing up from the menu.

"Hah, athletes are used to being hated. I hate the Giants as a team, I don't hate the individual players. Except for Bonds, because he's a jerk", he quipped.

"Do you want to do karaoke later, Josh?", asked Steven.

Josh giggled nervously and a pink blush formed on his cheeks. "I don't know, Dad", he mumbled.

"You sing good as Dad, I'll go if you go", said Nika.

"Thanks for the support, Nika. Thankfully we're on vacation and non one is going to film us", he chuckled.

Nika was concerned about the number of people in the lounge, especially since many of them were drinking and smoking. Josh gave her a reassuring smile and they found an empty table near the bar. Josh reached into his pocket and took out his cigarette case and lighter, taking a out a Camel and lighting the tip and taking a drag. "They stink, you should smoke Dunhills like Dad", she chided.

"Dunhills are expensive, I don't make as much as your dad. And I like Camels, I've tried Marlboros and they suck", he said.

Nika wondered if cigarettes really did have different tastes, watching as Josh smoked. His hands were huge and very white with long fingers, the fingertips calloused like an old man's. "Guitar callouses, from handling the strings. When I first started playing guitar, my fingers bled. Now I don't feel them when I play, it means my fingers adjusted to playing", he explained.

A waiter came by and Steven and Kathleen ordered wine while Josh had a Sprite and Nika apple juice. "Two years to go", he said ruefully.

The room became quiet when the karaoke machine finished setting up. A portable silver screen onstage was turned on and a fat man in a cheap tuxedo went on the podium. "According to the list, our first singer is going to do some Mellencamp. Marvin Jones, come on up!", he bellowed.

A middle-aged man in sweatpants and a Styx t-shirt walked onstage and took the microphone before singing Small Town by John Mellencamp. Josh frowned since the man's reedy voice wasn't in the same range as Mellencamp's, more like a bleating goat. "That guy sucks", Josh muttered.

"Josh, we can go on together", Nika suggested.

Josh blushed and giggled nervously. "Uh, like a duet? But like what?", he asked.

"How about a Motown duet? Like Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell?", she suggested.

"Great idea, I think I know a few of those songs", agreed Josh.

Josh wished he was old enough to drink after a few more terrible singers came onstage. "Knock 'em dead, Josh", said Steven, clapping him on the back.

"All right, our next singers are Josh Klinghoffer and Nika Lacroix, they are going to perform a classic Motown duet", said the emcee.

Nika gave him an encouraging smile nd Josh tried not to grin too much as the opening notes of Ain't No Mountain High Enough came over the speakers. Josh sang the male part in a tenor a shade lower than his usual near-falsetto while Nika's girlish voice had a cute innocence that wouldn't be out of place on Disney Radio.

"Wow, give it up for Josh and Nika!", yelled the emcee.

Josh grinned from ear to ear and his face was red as a tomato while Nika dropped into a graceful curtsy. "That was terrific, Josh. You're becoming more outgoing onstage", said Kathleen, embracing her son.

"Thanks, Mom. Bob says the same thing, I am not staring at the floor anymore onstage", said Josh.

"And you did good too, Nika. Not many kids like Motown", said Steven.

"Thank you, Mr. Klinghoffer. My cousin in Manchester owns a Northern Soul club and has a large collection of rare Motown and Northern Soul 45's", she replied.

"That's awesome, I remember hearing a lot of Motown as a kid", said Steven.

Josh became thoughtful when he saw the full moon and the inky black night outside. "Nika, I'm going outside for a smoke", he said.

Nika wondered if he was nuts since it was cold outside and her arms were covered in goosebumps. "I prefer the beach when its cold like this and there's no people. I don't like LA beaches when it's too hot and full of people. That's why I prefer Big Sur or the beaches in northern California, it's cooler and not as crowded", he said.

Josh took out his cigarette case and took out a Camel, lighting the tip and taking a drag. The moonlight shone on the little aluminum box and made it shine like polished silver, the mundane box with the Libra symbol looking almost magical. "Mom and Dad don't like the smell of Camels, when I make better money I'll start smoking Dunhills like John", he laughed.

"Cigarettes are bad for you", she chided.

Josh took a drag and exhaled. "I know, I learned that in school. Everything will eventually kill you, I'm only 19 and I should indulge some vices and get it out of my system. I'm not old enough to drink and I haven't had sex yet, so cigarettes are my only real vice", he said.

"Are you going to have sex with Miss Ashley?", she asked.

Josh nearly choked on his cigarette as he coughed loudly and his face turned bright red. "I'm all right, you just startled me. Um, I don't know. We've only been dating for about a month, it isn't something you just do and I don't want to be drunk either. But that's a weird thing to ask an adult", he teased.

"Why? Almost everyone has sex, except for priests, nuns and the Pope", she replied.

"Yeah, that's true. It's just that it involves being naked and it could result in pregnancy, plus people are obsessed with it. Of course, I'm going to be careful since I'm too young to be a dad", he chuckled.

"That makes sense, you're really busy composing with Dad and playing with Mr. Forrest", she said.

Josh nodded in agreement as he took another drag. "Yeah, maybe when I'm old and gotten all the vices out of my system. Tomorrow, we're going up to Monterey to see Cannery Row. It used to be a dump in the 30's when Steinbeck wrote Cannery Row, but now it's an outdoor mall. And the following day we're going to San Francisco, I prefer it over LA since it isn't as hot", he said.

"But the Giants are from there", she said with a confused look.

"I don't like the team, I love the city. I just won't wear my Dodgers hat", he joked.