Arresting Grace Part 14

"Oh, come on," said Samantha. "You guys are so lame. Do something enjoyable"

"Okay, I'd take $2 million to throw away."

"Javier?"

"Invest and give some to charity."

"What would you do, Michael?"

"I'd give 10% to my church." Samantha jabbed me in the shoulder. "You didn't let me finish," I said. "I'd have some fun, too."

On New Year's Eve, I went to Chris and Rebekah's for dinner. I came home early and, at midnight, prayed on my knees for an hour, as did Jessie. I regretted not kissing her when the hour struck, but if I wasn't going to be with her, I didn't lament being home for the night. There was something poetic about it, two hearts reaching out to G.o.d at the turn of the calendar year. New hope, a fresh start. "Lord, give us hope," I prayed. That weekend was a lot of praying. For her, her parents and their relations.h.i.+p. We talked for hours, every morning and every night.

Rankin gave a sermon once where he said he was getting a PhD in "Morgen-ology" (his wife). Cheesy, perhaps. But a striking notion, to know someone on such a deep, intimate level. I told Jessie, "If we're going to be together, you'll have to have to earn a degree in 'Michael-ology.'" It was a frightening thought. We, as humans, spend years harboring secrets-joys, some regrets, thoughts we hide from the ears of friends and eyes of the world. But we all want to connect on that level with someone who knows us better than anyone else, our secret fears, dreams and wishes. It takes revealing oneself, unveiling hidden layers of one's character. It's the only way to rise above the mora.s.s of broken relations.h.i.+ps around us. I don't know why the Christian divorce rate is higher than the culture's, but I won't settle for a relations.h.i.+p that mirrors the failures around me; and I know it begins by revealing the ugly truths of my life, as well as those areas in which I take pride. We grew closer than ever that weekend, though it was spent apart.

The next Tuesday, Walter asked about everyone's New Year's. "What did you do? Did you stay in town? Did you go anywhere? Did you drink? If so, how much? And how did you get around? Some of you weren't here last week. We talked about New Year's resolutions. I asked if you had any and what they were. If you weren't here last week and want to fill time, you can tell us any resolutions you might have made.

"Benton, you can go first."

"I went to a friend's. I got drunk." There was a brief silence. "Hey, I'm just being honest."

"Why did you get drunk?"

"It's fun."

"How did you get there?"

"A friend who wasn't drinking took me."

"Okay, good. Did you wake up with a hangover?"

"No, not really."

"Courtney, what about you?"

"I was in Virginia."

"What did you do?"

"I was at my sister's with her kids. Didn't drink too much. We were playing Rock Band."

"Rock band?"

"It's a video game with guitar, drums..."

"Never heard of it. Is it like Guitar Hero?"

We told him yes, just with the other instruments.

"How many drinks did you have?"

"I don't know. New Year's Eve, I went with a friend to a show his band was playing. He wasn't really drinking."

"How many did you have?"

"Maybe six."

"Did you have a hangover the next morning?"

"Yes."

"Charles, how about you?"

"I don't think I got drunk. At least not a blackout. Maybe a brownout. I was with some of my friends."

"What were you drinking?"

"Vodka."

"Courtney, what about you? What were you drinking?"

"Wine."

"Benton?"

"Beer."

"See, guys. People have this a.s.sumption that the type of drink matters. It's not true. All alcohol affects you the same. Javier, what about you?"

"Some friends of mine got together. We took a cab to a party and then came back to my place."

"Good. I'm glad to hear no one was driving. What were you drinking?"

"Champagne."

"Look at this. You guys are across the board. Michael?"

Mine was low key, as said. However, Damon and I went for a run on New Year's Day and, after we finished, stopped by Angelica's restaurant to eat. Angelica gave me a big hug (She gave Damon a hug too, though she didn't know him) and asked about Walter and everyone else.

Walter was ecstatic when I told him. "Please tell her h.e.l.lo if you see her again." He continued. "Samantha, how was your holiday?"

"On Christmas Eve, my boyfriend and I stayed home and cooked a standing pot roast."

"Wow. At this time of year, it better have been good because that's about twelve, thirteen dollars a pound."

"It was $65. What we did was take half and eat it the next day. We got so much meat out of it. I drank champagne. My boyfriend doesn't drink. He's epileptic."

"That works out well. You need to keep him around."

"Listen, guys," said Walter. "It never hurts to find friends who don't drink."

"Then we went to Vegas. I didn't drink there. Both my mom and stepdad are in the program so we don't drink around them. I put together an audition tape for a Cher impersonator the next day."

"What did you sing, 'If I Could Turn Back Time?'"

"No, I figured everyone would sing that. I did (singing) 'Do you believe in life after love?'"

"Wow, that was really good," said Benton.

"Well, she was a Bobbie Dazzler."

"That's right! Don't mess with the Dazzlers!"

"I didn't realize how old she is," said Samantha. "She's like 65, 66."

"Still looks great, though."

"Of course, she's had so much surgery her navel is pulled up to her chin."

"Louisa, how about you?" Walter asked.

"It was good. I went to a party in Toluca Lake."

"Did you drink?"

"A little. Not much, though. My husband drove."

"Good," said Walter. "I'm glad to hear that. That's a long drive, too, from Toluca Lake. You know, I came this close (holding fingers together) to being in a relations.h.i.+p with Mary Tyler Moore once. I was at a party in Toluca Lake. Really fancy party. I was there with the woman I was seeing at the time. This was right at the end of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. It had just been cancelled. She walked in alone. She looked gorgeous, all put together. She was stunning, really. A friend introduced me and we talked for a long time. I couldn't do anything, though. I was there with a date. I couldn't get her number, although I suppose I could have found a subtle way to ask for it. But sometimes, you can just tell. You connect with someone and it's so strong. That was a fun party. She was waiting for her friend to show up, who never did. You know who it was? Betty White."

"Betty White? I'd date her. Right now, I would. She's got s.p.u.n.k."

Samantha grew animated. "I did a pilot for the new Pyramid with Betty White. She was extremely cool."

"Pyramid? They're bringing back that show?"

"You know how they recycle game shows."

"Everything is cyclical," said Walter. "There are no new ideas."

Chapter Twenty.

Who would have thought I would be reflective, perhaps a trace sad, to leave the 541 cla.s.s? The first time I walked in, I expected to find drudgery and shame. What I found was a blessing.

Still, I was looking forward to getting my Tuesdays back.

Louisa was getting out of her car when I pulled up. I thought about the interlock device and my stomach tightened. I tried not to look at her car again. I chained up my bike and said h.e.l.lo.

"Is this your last night?

"It is."

"Lucky."

"I'll come back and see you guys," I said with a wry grin.

"Yeah, right, just like they all do."

I pointed to the covered plate she was holding. "What is that?"

"I baked these for you and James last night."

"Thank you," I said, slightly taken back. "I can't believe you did that."

A new guy was sitting in the cla.s.sroom when I entered. A big guy. I mean, a really big guy. Hardly fit into one seat.

"So this is it?" Walter said.

"This is it."

"How does it feel?"

"I'm not going to lie to you-it feels great. I'm going to miss you guys, though."

"Yeah, right."

Louisa set the plate of desserts on Walter's desk. I took one. "That's ridiculously good. What is it, a pumpkin square?" I grabbed another and ate it in one bite.

"Everyone I've ever given the recipe to has loved it. Even my friends who don't like pumpkin ask me to make them."

"I have to get one more."

"They're for you. Take as many as you want."

Samantha entered. "Oh, you lucky son of...!!! You can't leave. It's going to be boring without you."

"Here, have a pumpkin square. Louisa made them."

"Oh, my gosh. They look so good."

"They're jamming."