My Father's Best Man

Chapter 12

We were out here once when I was ten. My parents planned this Disney trip for my sister and I, and Las Vegas was one of our pitstops. While waiting for the buffet to open, my father got on one of the slot machines. He was winning in the beginning, but then the security guard came and told him I couldn't watch because I was too young. I had to look the other way to where the trapeze artists were. I peeked back a few times, and my father saw me looking, so he picked up his winnings and joined me to watch the circus.

After lunch, we were supposed to be our way. But my sister got sick, so we had to turn back home. My mother said it was probably from the seafood. That was our last family trip.

The Strip looked a lot different now than how I remembered it then. Granted, it was nearly ten years ago, and we were there during the day, but it still looked quite different. There were a lot more bachelorette parties going around this time. I knew this because of the random screams from inside the limousines. Everything here felt a lot more "adult" this time.

I still couldn't legally drink or gamble, but I was free to walk around. If I stayed at a hotel with a swimming pool, I might actually get to use that one swim trucks I packed.

"How's it going, Bruh?"

A man approached me from the side. He was rather aggressive with his approach. "Good...?"

"Good, good. You got any plans tonight?"

"Nah... I'm just walking around."

He followed right next to me...

"Oh, yeah? Wanna checkout this cool club down the street."

"I'm not twenty one..."

"That's fine. It's 18 and over."

"Oh..."

As I tried to think of another excuse, he shoved me his card.

"Here. Take this. Tell them Nick sent you. You'll get a discount."

I nodded, and he walked off.

"Hey! You interested in meeting some cute young girls tonight?"

He was already on his next target.

Before I dropped his card into the trashcan, I took a quick scan. The club he was referring to was a strip club.

Curiosity killed the cat, and lust killed all men. It dawned on me that I had seen more naked boys inside a locker room than I had seen real women naked. So against my better judgment, I walked into that club.

It was karaoke night. The ladies dancing on the side were accompanied by terrible singings from the men who were trying to woo them. I sat in the back, watching this horror show unfold.

A scantily dressed woman approached me from behind, and she put her hand on my shoulder.

"You have a favorite song, sweetie?"

She held up her ipad.

"Uh..."

"Come on. You can't be worse than that guy."

She gestured at the chubby man on stage. Some people were booing him. He just slapped his butt and continued singing. "Sure..."

I took her ipad and browsed through the selection. I wanted to sing Radiohead's "Creep," but someone already beat me to it. So I picked Adele's "Someone Like You" instead.

Without any liquor, I tried to fill my brain with sugar from the unlimited soda refills they provided. "Only in Vegas," I thought to myself.

"Up next, Michael!"

The topless M.C. called my name.

"Everyone give him a big hand!"

I was used to the scattered applause from being on the road with our band; only hometown bands would get the standing ovation.

"Dancing next to you'll be Rebecca. Make sure you sing in tune so she doesn't boo you off."

Rebecca pouted, showing me her frowny thumbs down look. I half-smiled back.

I could feel my heartbeat increasing. The trick I learned in school was to count my heartbeat, inhale, exhale and think about someone naked. But this time, I didn't have to think; they were all around me. Being aroused wasn't really helpful in this situation, so I just kept my eyes on the screen, trying not to look at anything else.

The piano intro began, and I channeled my sad inner British lady and started the depressing tune. It was very easy to get into the lyrics, because I pretty much just did all that. The only way for it to be more fitting, Brooke would have to become a lesbian and marry a woman.

I was never a flashy performer. While the other men danced and even stripped on their turns, I just let my voice follow the melody.

When the chorus came, there was dead silence in the room... Even I was surprised by my own falsetto! Everyone kept quiet for the remainder of the song.

A guy off stage pulled out his cellphone and started recording. I didn't want this to go on the internet, so I just awkwardly turned my back... Then the security guard came and asked him to stop, but he kept explaining to the guard that he was filming me and not the girls.

I was able to maintain my composure and finish the song.

"...sometimes it last in love, sometimes it hurts instead..."

Those words... I couldn't have said it better myself.

The guy was not filming anymore. I set the microphone back on the stand and quickly stepped off stage. People cheered and whistled. The guy who was filming before gave me a high five. This might actually be the biggest applause I received, which was quite sad now I thought about it...

Rebecca was clapping on the side. Her boobs were wiggling a little. For some reason, I was too shy to look; it was a strip club, and I did pay to see her nude.

I needed another refill after that... When I got to my empty cup, someone familiar was there waiting for me.

"Michael?"

It was April...