Whirlwind

53 - Part I

[Lamarr]

"So, New Year's Eve in Cali this year?" Mike slanted his eyes my way as his question reminded me just exactly what time of the year it was.

These last ten months leading up to now had zipped past me so quickly and everything unfurling in my life at this moment had approached so rapidly that I forgot it was November. We were officially stepping foot into what everyone refers to as the holiday season; those cluster of months where everyone is either planning some extravagant dinner for a bunch of family and friends they don't even really like, or you're plotting to invade someone else's home for the complimentary dinner and maybe even gifts.

Usually I find myself somewhat excited about it all. I anticipate flying down to Charlotte, hogging my mama's couch with my brother and baby cousin all while she and my Aunt Connie whip up something simple for their boys. I get excited about those seconds of downtime during dinner where we'd sit and catch up. We'd reminisce about the past and then go on to argue over whichever team in whatever sport is being aired those particular evenings. Because I had other shit to focus on, it slipped my mind that I had to be one or the other. I had to figure out not only where I would be on Thanksgiving, Christmas and possibly New Years, but where Riley and I would be.

"I guess so," I mumbled, rolling my thumb along the screen of my phone. There were a heap of emails and text messages I needed to respond to immediately. "Y'all not invited to our crib, but we can throw a small gathering at The Champ, I guess. I haven't hosted shit since Melanie and I were together, and that was like three years ago which means I don't plan on doing it now. Plus, Ry doesn't need to be worried about party planning. It'll just stress her out."

"Okay, so first, fuck you. I'm not about to act like your rude ass didn't just say I wasn't invited to your home," Mike revved up his argument as I chuckled, knowing exactly what was to come next. "You out of line, nigga. Here I am helping your ass pack up your unnecessarily large loft so you can move cross country in peace, and I can't even get an invite to your new crib? I hope UPack loses all your shit somewhere in Oklahoma."

"Don't go wishing no kind of negative shit like that on me," I snapped back, but my chuckling quickly shattered the gravity of my words. Mike shook his head before he dragged his eyes over to the window and regarded the stagnant New York traffic we were wedged in. "You know you're just gonna go behind my back and ask Riley anyways, so I don't know why you call yourself being pissy."

"You're right, I am. And my baby sis will disregard you and your irrelevant ass requests, since it is her house you're moving into." Mike pointed out. "Don't forget that."

"I pay rent now and the bills too, so it's our house." I corrected as the smirk stretched across my face set Mike off for a second time.

"Man fuck you, again." he hissed, and I immediately nudged his arm as I glanced up and acknowledged the middle aged Uber driver who sat quietly in the driver's side. His wandering eyes were peering into the rear view mirror and angled directly at me as they had been throughout our entire ride.

Initially I didn't think anything of his stolen glances. I just figured he was either repulsed by all the vulgar language being tossed around during the last twenty minutes or had recognized my face from somewhere like most people do. But now that we had locked eyes and for longer than an innocent second, and I realized his interest seemed to pique at a high every time Riley was mentioned, I was growing awfully uncomfortable. Mike hadn't even noticed and mostly because he had five of the many folded up cardboard boxes I had just bought propped up on his lap, blocking his view of everything in front of us. 

"My man," I leaned forward, placing my hand on his shoulder and politely smiled as his lips parted in shock. "Have we met before?"

"Oh. No sir," he replied, swiftly shaking his head. "But I do know you. You're a musician, correct? Uh, Cole. Right? I've seen your billboard plastered across Madison Square Garden before."