Page 52 of King of the Crease

“But I didn’t have to sing or dance at them. I don’t sing! I can’t dance! I tried explaining that to Mr. Calloway, but he said I couldn’t be any worse than Russell Crowe in Les Misérables.”

Hank has told me how smart Brody is, how he’s going to invent something that’ll change the world one day. Nicola Tesla never had to carry a tune.

“The school musical is in two weeks. They’re doing Little Shop of Horrors, and Mr. Calloway wants me to be this character Orin, an evil dentist. The kid who was supposed to play him broke his leg trying to sled off his roof. I’m going to have two solos! I’m going to have to sing twice!”

I managed to see Little Shop of Horrors when it came to Ardenia years ago. Orin is a very over-the-top, loud role. Not good for a kid who wants to blend into the background.

“Is this your only option?” Hank asks.

“I think so. If I can do those two solos, they’ll let that count. And I can put it on my transcript that I met the public speaking requirement. I can still get my application to Stanford by the thirty-first. But Dad, the singing! The dancing!”

“Maybe it’ll be good for you to step out of your comfort zone.” Hank shrugs, forever looking on the bright side.

“I like my comfort zone. It’s comfortable. Why do I need to sing and dance in order to get through high school? Isn’t school supposed to be about academics?”

“You’re like fifty years too young to be saying something like that. I believe in you, Brodster.”

Brody is unconvinced by Hank’s support. Hank seems lost on how to proceed. He silently apologizes to me.

I’ve never been a parent, but I take a stab at helping. I sit next to Brody. “I’ve seen Little Shop of Horrors, and Orin steals the show. His character is wild, crazy, over the top, fun. If you can pull that off, you’re going to be a legend. I once had to give an impromptu speech. I was terrified. But it turned out to be one of my most impactful speeches. People still compliment me on it.”

“Was the speech for accounting?” Hank asks.

It was for the UN.

“An accounting convention. About the future of income taxes.” I grab a piece of pizza. “You can do this. I think you have some theatricality in you, judging by the dramatic way we met. I think you’re going to be a hit.”

“And ladies love a man who can sing and dance. Look at all the women who swoon over Hugh Jackman,” Hank adds. “Let’s watch the Little Shop movie. Steven Martin plays your character.”

“There’s a movie?” Brody and I ask at the same time.

“Have you two been living under a rock? It’s settled. We’re watching it. And bonus! After the movie, we’ll go on YouTube and watch the original ending that was deemed too bleak by the studio.”

“You are a fountain of knowledge,” I tell Hank. Secretly, I’m swooning like a middle-aged woman watching Hugh Jackman.

Brody takes a breath. Hope rings his eyes. “Okay. I can do this. If this is how I’m going to get into Stanford, then I will…sing and dance.”

We have a wonderful dinner of pizza where Brody tells me all about his science projects and ambitions for the future. Hank watches him talk, bursting with pride. And I watch Hank, whose love for his son is oddly a turn-on.

I regale them with tales of tubing with Millie’s family, as well as going to the Christmas market in downtown Sourwood.

“You’re covering all of the bases,” Hank says, lounging on the couch. “There’s the Christmas train, but that’s more for young kids.”

“Millie said I don’t have the quote ‘emotional fortitude’ to handle a packed Christmas train with children.”

“Yeah. It can be a lot. Most kids cry when they have to leave, Brody included.” Hank raises his eyebrows at whatever memory he holds of it.

“I didn’t cry! Did I?”

“You did. And then you fell right asleep the second we got in the car to go home. The candy cane was hanging out of your mouth like a cigarette.” Hank chuckles at the memory, and I feel a brief spike of jealousy. Ever since coming to Sourwood, my biological clock has been ticking louder.

Hank sits up, a sneaky grin sliding onto his red lips. “You know where Nick hasn’t been this holiday season? The D’Angelos’ house.”

“Do they still do it?” Brody asks.

“Oh yeah. It’s bigger than ever. We should go!”

“I don’t know. Does Nick even want to see it?”