Alexis looked at Graham, then swept her eyes toward Chris. “What’s going on?” she asked again, more firmly.
Chris relaxed and took a step toward her. “Nothing. Just a little misunderstanding.”
Graham nodded. “I was just leaving, sweetheart. I’ll see you this weekend.”
“Sure, dad,” she said, unconvinced. “This weekend.”
She walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek.
“See you later, hon,” he told her. With a single glance toward me, he stalked out the door and hopped into his Audi. I breathed a sigh of relief as he peeled out of the driveway.
Alexis split a glance between Chris and me. “I’m not stupid, by the way.” She crossed her arms over her chest in typical teen fashion.
Chris’s eyes widened. “I never thought you were. Besides, why do you say that?”
“I see the news. It’s plastered all over the internet. It’s not true, is it, mom?” she asked, pleading for some kind of explanation. “You and Chris? You know, when he was a teenager and all?”
I shook my head vigorously. “No, honey. You know how that stuff is all lies. Just the media. None of it’s true.” I took her hand and led her to the couch. Sitting her down, I put my hand on her knee. “The truth is I did know Chris when he was a teenager. I was his counselor back then. He needed me, and I needed him for very different reasons. There was nothing inappropriate between us like the media is portraying. When we met again several months ago at the concert, everything changed. But, we’re both adults now. Okay?”
Alexis nodded. “Okay. I didn’t believe any of that crap anyway.”
I smiled, relieved. “I knew you didn’t. I just wanted you to know the truth.”
“Thanks,” Alexis said as I wrapped my arms around her.
Giving her a squeeze, I whispered, “As Abraham Lincoln once said, you can’t always believe the crap you read on the internet.”
She laughed. “I know, mom. You’ve always told me that, but I really get it now.”
For the most part, Chris’s transition from the tour had been a fairly easy one, except the occasional run-in with the paparazzi. I’d learned to cope with the sensationalistic media propaganda. Every now and then, a blurb would run in the tabloids insinuating an inappropriate relationship between a juvenile client and his former counselor, and for a few days, I wouldn’t be able to walk through town without all-knowing eyes glaring at me. We’d learned to ignore the judgmental stares from little old ladies in line at the grocery store. They’d glance at the celebrity gossip headlines then peer at us. Finally putting two and two together, they’d look down their noses in disgust at our clasped hands. It was exhausting and comical at the same time.
Chris loved living in his new apartment and working in the recording studio. We’d spent several weekends repainting and remodeling to get them ready. Jeremy and Tommy even came to visit for a week to check everything out and get some practice time at the studio before they started recording the new album. I’d kept my distance that week so they could get a lot of work done, but was eager to meet the guys for the first time that Friday night.
“Look guys, Salem will be here any minute. I need you to be on your best behavior.” I tore through the apartment, trying to clean it up a little before she got there. My band mates were slobs. Salem shouldn’t have to deal with the nastiness I’d had to put up with while they were here this week. “Damn, Tommy, ever heard of a trash can?” I griped as I tossed the half-eaten Chinese takeout box and empty beer cans in the garbage.
Tommy kicked his feet up on the coffee table. “Damn, Chris. What’s the big deal? She’s just a girl.”
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Jeremy glared at Tommy, giving him the ‘I’d-shut-the-fuck-up-if-I-were-you’ look.
“What?” Tommy asked, ripping a bite of cold, leftover pizza off with the sides of his teeth like an uncivilized barbarian.
“You’re disgusting, man,” Jeremy groaned, and threw a pillow at him.
“What?” Tommy repeated. “I mean, who is this chick? She is just a girl, right?”
I hadn’t really talked to the guys much about Salem or my whereabouts during my free time since the day they gave me shit about her. They knew there was a girl, but they didn’t know much more than that. I’d just let them assume whatever they wanted. So I guess the fact that Tommy didn’t have a clue was my own fault.
“She’s not just a girl,” I stated, matter-of-factly. “She’s the girl.”