On His Own: A Sing Fanfiction

Johnny Visits His Dad Again

       Johnny jogged into the familiar visiting room of his father's prison, which felt pretty warm and inviting to him, despite the circumstances. His dad was already at the little booth, waiting for him. Dad smiled brightly as Johnny approached and picked up the receiver. "Hey, son," he almost whispered into the phone. It sounded not unlike a growl. "Johnny smiled just as brightly back, reciprocating the feeling with a simple "Hi." Johnny's father wasted no time, leaning in over the table, as if it would help his son hear him better. "Did it all work out?"
       Johnny grinned. "He's paying me."
       "He's paying you? That's great!"
       Johnny laughed. "And I got a new gig at Buster Moon's theater."
       Johnny felt as though his father was hugging him with his eyes. "I'm so proud of you. I can't believe my son's already got a career."
       Johnny blushed. He wasn't used to compliments from his dad.  His father had become so endlessly and meaningfully approving that Johnny couldn't quite take it.
       Dad suddenly asked, "What about the other people you were singing with last time? Are they back?"
       "Yeah, everybody is."
       "I never got to meet them. Were they cool?"
       Johnny thought about Ash and Mike, then Rosita and Meena. "Well, they're definitely good people. Here, I've got pictures," he said absently, rummaging around in his pocket for his phone. "Lemme just get them up." He tapped around with his free hand until he reached the pictures. He landed on a picture of Rosita. "This is Rosita," he confirmed, facing the phone at his dad. "She's got like 20 kids. She sings in a pair with a guy named Gunter." He scrolled over to Gunter. "Don't ask me about him, I don't really know."
       His dad hmm'd. Johnny then brought up Ash. "This is Ash. She sang pop rock at the last show. She told me she used to be in a band with her ex-boyfriend, but you know. He's an ex. His dad smiled wryly. "She's cute. You should date her." Johnny was alarmed. "She's a porcupine!"
       "Yeah?" Johnny's dad puffed out his chest."That didn't stop your mom and I. You're adopted," he said matter-of-factly. Johnny started. WHAT? "I-I know you're lying. What happened to Mom, then?"
       Dad laughed heartily. "Yeah, it was a joke. But you're so cute when you're freaked out." Johnny fumed a bit, and sighed. "And you're going senile. I swear, Dad."
       Dad couldn't hold in his laughter, but still managed to get out, "Hey, I'm only forty two."
       Johnny cleared his throat and scrolled to a picture of Meena. "This is Meena. She's really shy and didn't show off her voice till the show, but her singing is amazing." Dad stroked his chin. "Well then, we'll have to hear that when I'm out of here, if it's as good as you say."
       Johnny smiled as he came to the next picture. It was of Mike. "This is Mike. He can be a real jerk, but he's super nice and really smart, even if he did get into trouble with some Russian bears over money."
       He thought a second.
       "Okay, so, he's clever, but not always smart, if that makes sense." His dad chortled. Finally, Johnny came to Buster Moon. "This is the manager, Mr. Moon. Of course, he doesn't sing, but I figured I should show my other boss to you."
       Dad regarded this picture for longer than the others. He sniffed before finally saying flatly,"He looks like a pushover."
       "He's no pushover. He's very confident and a perfect leader."
       Johnny's dad sat back into his seat. "I still will need to meet him at some point."
       As he walked home that night, Johnny, for some reason, couldn't stop smiling. In the midst of all his troubles, his father's imprisonment, his inevitable money troubles, his inadequacy with cooking all seemed small and he was left grinning sincerely, if stupidly, at the full moon.
       As Johnny opened the garage's business door and the ever-present faint smell of exhaust rushed to meet him, he for once didn't feel alone.