Chapter Two: Discovering Talent

Forty-five minutes later, Nathan stepped out of his bedroom freshly showered and wearing a white pullover that he could have sworn fit him loosely last week, but now was gripping him tightly across the chest and arms. Dismissing it, he saw dad right where he had been when Nathan went to the shower, at the table depressed. So Nathan wordlessly sat in the living room chair, and thumbed the TV remote to begin waiting.

Just a bit later Candy walked right into the house. She was wearing cut off shorts, and a yellow halter shirt that revealed her midriff. Kicking off her flip-flops as she entered, both Prescott men could see her smiling. They both smiled back.

“I know it’s a bit late for lunch, but I took a gamble and brought some anyway.” She said as she crossed the room to the kitchen and placed her bag on the table. Leaning over George she kissed him lightly and then began unloading the bag.

She had brought soup and sandwiches from a deli near her apartment, and they all ate together talking about her life. Candy sat in George’s lap through out the entire affair. The stripper detailed herself to the Prescott’s without prodding, and Nathan watched his father relax almost from the moment she entered, and finally settle into a zone of comfort as they all talked.

The name wasn’t Candy, but actually Melanie. She was only thirty years old, and lived alone, having no children. It seemed that she had divorced two years ago, and the ex had left her with nothing but bad credit. They had been living lavishly for their income, and he had ‘taken care’ of everything financially. After the split he took off to some other state and disappeared. The creditors had pounced on her afterward and she hadn’t tried to do anything but pay. The job she had as a secretary didn’t pay nearly enough to take care of anything though. Collections took her car, and the house she had bought with him. So her clothes had come down, and her income rose. Melanie had finally covered all the debts a few months ago, and was now just saving to leave dancing altogether. Her plan was to keep at it until her body said it was time to quit, and go back to secretarial work, hopefully with a nice house and car in hand.

Knowing what was going to happen next, Nathan made some excuses, grabbed his keys, and rose to leave. When he looked back through the window before starting his truck he saw Melanie pulling the yellow top over her head, still sitting in dad’s lap.

He was planning on buying a cell phone, and killing some time. But ended up meandering around the mall after purchasing a phone instead. Being in control of things made him feel different from the people he walked past. All Nathan would need was just one hair, and anyone of them would do whatever he asked. It made him feel confident, setting himself apart from them…special.

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