Machine by Normandie Alleman
15
Bridger
I wasn’ta fan of being in the spotlight, and I certainly didn’t like to be trotted out like the trained monkey for Dynassy’s family Independence Day gig, but I honestly didn’t know how to say no. The girl’s family was important to her. Hell, they were everything to her—her loved ones and her business all in one big shiny package.
Honestly, I knew I was living on borrowed time with her, so I wasn’t about to make waves when she told me how important it was that I accompanied her to “A Barnes Family 4th.”
I couldn’t get enough of Dynassy, her sassy personality, infectious spirit, not to mention that ass! Like a greedy kid eating all the junk food at the fair, I intended to gorge myself on all the Dynassy I could get my hands on. But when I was with her, I remained aware that once she found out what I really did to make money, I’d be history, so I’d better make the best of it and enjoy our relationship while I could.
A massive stage was set up in the park where Dynassy’s twin brother and sister would perform later that afternoon. Dynassy was supposed to join them for the last number. She only had to sing a couple of lines, but she was nervous.
“Bridger, I can’t sing worth crap,” she fretted in the car on the way over. “Why else do you think I never sing with my sister and brother?”
“So why are you doing it?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Lucinda talked me into it. She even convinced Nick and Eden to make an appearance. I’m not sure how she pulled that off, he hates her so much.”
Dynassy had told me about how their mother had tried to break up Nick and his girlfriend, Eden. I didn’t blame the guy for being pissed. The Barnes matriarch sounded like a piece of work, and I wasn’t really looking forward to meeting her.
“You’ll be fine,” I said, trying to reassure her. “It’s only a few lines.”
“And at the end, you’ll go out there with me, when Eden and the babies come out?”
“Sure.” I didn’t like the idea of being unveiled as the token veteran in the bunch, but I disliked the idea of disappointing Dynassy more.
This would be my first time meeting any of the Barneses, besides Ivy, and I had to admit I was nervous. Even though I didn’t view celebrities as anything more than regular people, it was intimidating to be in the same room with five of them who were all related.
Just before she took me into the trailer to meet them all, Dynassy rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t worry. They’re just my family.”
That didn’t help. I’d be nervous meeting the family of any girl I liked as much as I liked her.
But as I followed her into the ice-cold trailer, I plastered a smile on my face and shook a lot of hands as the introductions flew.
“Hi again,” Ivy beamed.
“Hi, Ivy. How’ve you been?” At least there was one person I’d already met, and if the smile on her face was any indication, she was going to be friendly.
“Hey, man. Good of you to do this.” Leo shook his head with admiration. “You’re a braver man than me.”
I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, and it must have showed on my face, because he said, “Meeting the girlfriend’s family and agreeing to be on TV all in one day? That’s brave, my brother.”
Relief flooded me, and we both laughed.
“Yeah, it’s a lot, but your sister asked, so I had to say yes.”
“Ouch!” He clapped me on the shoulder. “So you’ve got it bad, then?”
“I guess I do.”
“Shut up, Leo,” Dynassy griped.
“What?” Leo held up his hands then retreated. “Just making the guy feel at home.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Lucinda said, linking an arm with mine. “I’m so thrilled you’re here. Today is going to be a busy day, but I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.”
“Me too,” I said.
“Where’s Nick?” Dynassy asked.
“He’s with Eden and the twins. I got them their own trailer, screaming babies and all that. It’s behind this one if you want to go see them. Just be quiet in case the babies are asleep. Eden gets so mad if you wake them up.”
Just then the door to the trailer opened and Nick Barnes ducked his head inside. “Hey, anybody got any infant acetaminophen?”
“No. Why would we?” Lucinda asked impatiently.
“I thought we might have left it in here. I don’t know.”
“Hey, Nick, this is Bridger,” Dynassy said.
Nick looked up at me and extended a hand. “You work with Sal, right?”
“Sure do.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I said.
“Why do you need the medicine?” Dynassy asked.
Nick put his hands on his head. “Annabelle and Albert are both teething. It’s nonstop screaming unless they’re sleeping or nursing. I don’t think I’ve slept in days.”
“That’s why you should have let me hire that baby nurse for you, but noooooooo.” Lucinda turned to me, a new person to tell the story to. “But Eden wouldn’t hear of it.”
I felt like I was being drawn into a family argument, and I didn’t like it.
“We can get one of the runners to go pick you up some,” Dynassy offered.
“Oh, that would be great. Thanks.” Nick staggered out the door, and I hoped the guy got a nap soon.
Dynassy got on the phone and started giving instructions.
“Hey, Bridger.” Leo motioned to me from the back of the trailer.
Unsure if I should leave Dynassy, I followed him to the back where they had a couple of comfortable chairs and a TV.
“NBA 2K?” he asked, handing me a game controller.
Grateful for a distraction, I took it and sat down. “Sounds good. Who gets to be Nick?”
“That trash player?” Leo kidded. “You can have him.”
“All right then.”
So Leo and I played video games until his sound check, but he was back pretty quick, and that’s how we passed the time until the show started. At first I wondered if Dynassy might feel abandoned by me, but she and her mother seemed so busy running around checking on things, I’m not sure she missed me.
“It’s best to just stay out of their way on days like this,” Leo advised, and I could tell he had enough experience to know.
As I observed from a short distance most of the day, I formed the impression that Dynassy’s mother, Lucinda, was a true force of nature. She rushed around decked out in some frilly blue outfit that was heavy on the ruffles. Her hair was so black it was almost blue, and she reminded me of an older version of Veronica from the Archie comic strips.
She was much more charismatic than I expected, at one point taking both my hands in hers. “Bridger, we are so honored to have you here with us today. Thank you for your service. I don’t know what we would do without brave young men like yourself.”
“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out. Thanks for inviting me,” I said, and I was starting to mean it.
Her smile lit up, and she turned to Dynassy. “I think this one’s a keeper.”
Dynassy just smiled. It was then I noticed the cameras were rolling. This was going to take some getting used to, having everything that you did being filmed.
Once the show began, I had a front-row seat, along with several of the other veterans Dynassy had met at the wounded warrior event. We watched as Ivy and Leo put on a show that was a mixture of their pop songs and patriotic and Americana tunes.
Then they took a break and showed some clips on the Jumbotron of American soldiers returning home after deployment, then an orchestra played some of John Philip Sousa’s marches, and ended with a medley of songs about the American flag. Then Dynassy came out and joined Ivy and Leo for the last song, a rousing version of “I’m Proud to be an American.”
When it was her turn to sing, Dynassy belted out her line, and the crowd cheered. I wasn’t sure if she was aided by Auto-Tune or if she just nailed it, but either way I was proud of her. It wasn’t easy singing with her brother and sister, who had so clearly inherited their father’s vocal talent. Near the end of the song, she invited me up on stage, where she embraced me enthusiastically and kissed me on the cheek.
Was Dynassy using me to improve her public persona? I didn’t think so, but even if she was, I was no better, keeping secrets from her that I knew would change how she felt about me.
I knew that once she and her clan found out about my business, she would dump my ass. In fact, if the public found out, her reputation would take a nosedive, and she didn’t deserve that.
But did I come clean and tell her the truth about me?
Fuck no.
Why?
Because she was the answer to my wet dreams, the ones that had been nonexistent for the past five years. She was my boner fairy, and I was too superstitious and selfish to tell her the one secret I knew would make her bolt.
I had no business judging the Barnes’ motives, as mine were probably even more insidious, so I just smiled at the audience and was happy to be there.
Then a video popped up on the Jumbotron. It was an interview with Dynassy about her relationship with me. There was even footage of us dancing at the benefit.
As she hugged me to her, I stiffened.
Thousands of eyes were on me in the park—and millions watching me and this video online. I tried to keep from cringing under the lights, and forced myself to keep smiling.
Then Dynassy was onscreen again with her mother again saying how proud she was of me for the way I served our country. “His sacrifice makes you love him even more, doesn’t it?” Lucinda asked.
Dynassy nodded and Lucinda enveloped her in a hug. Then Lucinda inclined her head to the camera as if to say, “Aren’t they adorable?”
What the fuck? When I turned to look at her, she reached up and planted a big kiss on my lips.
The crowd went wild, the orchestra launched into the “1812 Overture,” and I strode off the stage.
Dynassy was right behind me. “Bridger, what’s wrong?”
I marched ahead, until I’d gotten out of earshot of the crew, then I turned to her.
“That was really awkward out there.”
“I didn’t know what Lucinda was going to show. I should have thought to warn you, but I honestly didn’t think it was going to be that big of a deal.”
“So you ‘love me’ because of my service? What the hell is that?”
“I don’t know. I do. I mean, I could…”
“Really? That’s how you tell me you love me? Or was that just a load of crap for your fans?”
She tilted her chin defiantly. “I have feelings for you.”
“Feelings? So that was just an exaggeration?” I paced the floor, fuming. “Your family is something else, Dynassy. How much of this is real, and how much of it is so you can look good on TV?”
“The internet. This special is going on the internet.”
“You know what I mean!”
“Okay, okay. Sorry. But no, it is real. I do have feelings for you. Bridger, I really like you. I think I am falling for you. I admit, I do hope it helps the American people see me as more sensitive and kind to vets, but that’s not why.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“No—I mean yes. I was worried about repairing my reputation after I fucked up and said that stuff about the homeless guy and it was all caught on video. That’s why I was at that veterans event where we saw each other in the first place. I thought you knew that.”
“I did, but I didn’t know how far you would take it.”
“You mean you didn’t know if I’d pretend to like you just to improve my reputation? Listen to yourself. Doesn’t that sound messed up?”
“Yeah, but I hate to tell you—your family is fucked up. Your mom is manipulative as hell, and scary charming. She tried to break up your brother’s family and yet he’s still here. What’s up with that? If that was my mother, I don’t know if I could forgive like that.”
“Look, I can’t control what happens in my family. Eden’s mother convinced Nick and Eden they needed to forgive Lucinda. Her mom’s all about peace and told them if they didn’t forgive her, the babies would suffer, and that it would eat them alive inside.” Dynassy shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure I’d be able to forgive her either if I was Nick, but Bridger…families are fucked up. That’s how they are. Ours is just more fucked up than most.”
“And you’re fucked up on camera.”
Dynassy laughed. “True.” She put her hand on my arm tentatively. “Listen, I’m sorry I didn’t warn you. I’m used to going out with guys who want to be on TV.”
My brain told me to stay mad at her, but the way she looked at me with those big brown eyes made me melt. “The internet. It’s going to be on the internet.”
We both laughed.
“Yeah. I’m sorry. This is all new for me,” she said. “I’m going to make mistakes.”
“Even newer for me.”
She hooked her arm through mine. “Maybe we can navigate it together?”
“Roger that.”
And I kissed her like I never wanted it to end.
