Misfit Theater Company (Wattys Winner 2018)

38. Who Knows What's Next

"You promise you'll call and text with updates, right?" Mom asks just outside our front door. The Weiners wanted to take all of us misfits to the airport in style, so they hired another limo, like they did for Snowball. It must be nice to have that kind of money, but maybe I'll know what that's like one day, especially now that I'm going to be on TV. A girl can dream, right?

"Yes, Mom, for the last time, I promise. You don't have to worry about me, Patti's parents are going to be with us the entire time."

"I know, it's just...."

"I'm your little girl?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to be okay, I promise. But yes, I will check in. I'll text you as soon as we get to the airport, board the plane, get off the plane, get to our hotel room, go to the set, and so on, okay?"

"Okay." She smiles at me after taking a deep, uncomfortable breath. "I trust you."

I chuckle. "Sure about that?"

She smirks. "I'm getting there. I am really, really proud of you, though."

"Ready to head out?" Mr. Weiner asks from the car now that my bags have been stuffed into the trunk. I have no idea how any of Thatcher's bags will fit once we go to pick him up, because Patti's luggage takes up the majority of the space and Moth's and my bags just barely have enough room.

I look back at my mom before I answer. She takes another deep breath, but this time, it looks like she's about to cry. She's never been away from me for like this before, and she must be freaking out on the inside. I've seen her freak out outwardly, though, so I appreciate how well she's holding this in right now.

She nods as if to tell me she'll be okay, as long as I check in, of course.

"Yep, I'm all set," I reply. I give my mom one last long hug before I get into the limo to join Patti and Moth in the back seat.

When I open the door, I notice that Moth's hand moves quickly away from Patti. Were they just holding hands? I don't have any time to be excited about that possibility before my excitement about the trip and our episode on A Call from Midnight takes over.

"I can't believe this is really happening," I say.

"I know," Patti squeals. "I have all my lines memorized already, and I have a few different backstories for my character prepared. Depending on which backstory Grant likes best, I may deliver my lines a little differently."

"I'm just pumped to get out of school for this," Moth says. Patti and I both shoot him looks of disbelief. "Okay, fine, I'm also excited as hell—er, heck," he corrects himself as Patti's mom and dad get settled in their seats at the other end of the limo.

They tell us to pretend like they're not even there, but as long as limos are, it's a small enough space that we can hear everything that people on the other end are saying.

The limo makes a wide turn around the corner, and then another as we turn onto Thatcher's street. He's already outside on his stoop, waiting for us with a single black trash bag on his lap. He's hanging his head as he kicks around some crumbles of concrete sidewalk, but when the limo nears, he lifts his head, smiles widely, and stands up to wave. He is so cute that all I want to do is give him a thousand kisses all over his face, but I can tell something is up with him. I wonder if his dad is giving him a hard time, like Mrs. Thomas and I were worried about happening.

There are cars taking up all the on-street parking outside of his house, so the limo driver stops and puts on his emergency lights. "Let's make this pick-up quick," he says back into the cab of the limo.