SF Chapter 162: 18-years-old III
After a while, Dani wandered around between the tables.
"I need to say, son, I like the girl," Evelyn commented about Prudence.
"Her? Or the fact that her father has a yacht?" Charlie spoke sarcastically.
Evelyn didn't bother to reply to her other son. "Where is her family, anyway?" she asked.
Dani gestured with his head. "It's her grandma."
His mother blinked in surprise as she saw who was standing beside the girl - Berta, Charlie's housekeeper. "Her?" she exclaimed in disbelief.
"Well, we can't have everything perfect, can we?" Evelyn said in her usual venomous tone.
"Oh, so that's something you have in common with Berta, Mom," Charlie chimed in again. "The feeling is pretty mutual."
"Anyway," Dani interjected before the two started bickering.
He didn't think much about defending Berta because she knew very well how to do it herself. Besides, Berta had also said some not-so-polite opinions about Evelyn - not that they were untrue, though.
"I have two things to announce," Dani said, getting their attention, as well as Lisa and Alan's, who had been talking among themselves.
"First, for the future: I decided to treat myself - and the whole family - to a trip to Texas to watch the Super Bowl from a VIP box! Who's in?"
"Watch the Super bowl? Not bad," Charlie nodded in agreement, as well his fiance.
"I'm in," Alan also smiled.
He wasn't really a football fan, but a free trip with everything included - and a VIP box - was impossible for him to refuse.
"I think I'll pass," Evelyn said, going the other way. "Texas is not for me, darling."
"Okay," Dani didn't think much of it. "Now, the second thing is for today. We're going to do a talent presentation. It'll mostly be singing, since we have many people who like it."
"Oh, this I can work with," his mom replied. "Charles, you will be my piano accompaniment," she commanded.
Charlie let out a deep breath and looked at his mother, then glared at his brother, annoyed for bringing up this idea.
"That I'd like to see," Lisa said excitedly. "Charlie, you could perform singing too," she encouraged.
[Charlie and Lisa commentary]
"Lisa works in the music industry," Charlie revealed. "Now she's working as an agent."
"Yes," the blonde confirmed. "That's how we met," she said, gesturing between them.
[Commentary ends]
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Dani said the same thing at the next table, where his dad, Gloria, Claire, Phil, Mitchell, and Cam were sitting.
"I'm totally in," Cam yelled excitedly - he was a big football fan.
"Weren't the playoffs today?" Mitchell tried to join in.
"Yes," Dani confirmed. "It's Panthers vs. Patriots in the final."
"But it doesn't matter. It could be next year's Super Bowl. Thanks to Dad, I'm always sure my team won't be in the Super Bowl."
"Daniel!" Jay scoffed.
[Jay and Dani commentary]
"Mitchell was never a football fan," Jay began telling the story. "But thankfully, Daniel liked it very much."
"And you made me a (Cleveland) Browns fan," Dani said, resentful of his father.
"I'm from Ohio-" Jay started to explain, but his son cut him off.
"God damn it, Dad. We haven't won a single title since I started watching. None." Dani complained.
"Not even close! The only time we made the playoffs, two years ago, we lost after having a 17-point lead. We even stopped existing for a few years!"
"Daniel, in sports, it isn't about winning," Jay added trying to input his wisdom.
"Yeah, right," Dani snorted. "You're always talking about how you watched Jim Brown, Otto Graham, and Lou Groza - and how bad we are now!"
"Good old days," Jay didn't argue. He had grown up watching the Browns dynasty of the '50s and the Jim Brown era of the '60s.
[Commentary ends]
"We're in too," Phil said with a goofy smile. "A trip with the whole family will be awesome!"
Claire simply placed a hand on her husband's shoulder.
"Now, about the second thing. We're doing that family talent show, extended to friends as well," Dani revealed.
"Ay, I want to sing," Gloria said excitedly.
Jay widened his eyes. "Uhm, Gloria, I think—"
"It's already full, Gloria," Daniel lied. "There are already too many singers."
He started listing them: "me, Mom, Charlie, Prudence, Hilary, Dylan, Amanda, Haley, Alex..."
"Ohh," Gloria made a disappointed face while Jay breathed in relief. She was a very terrible singer.
"You can do that awesome magic trick," Dani suggested.
"What magic trick?" Gloria asked, looking at him oddly.
"Jaaay!" Dani imitated her high-pitched voice. "Bam! A grumpy old man appears!"
He went to the other table before he could get scolded by his father.
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Dani went back to the table where the girls were sitting.
"You're also invited, Dylan," Dani said casually.
"Cool, man, thanks. I haven't watched much NFL, but I think it's nice," Dylan smiled.
"Besides, I've always wanted to visit Texas. I love Texas toast!"
Alex paused for a moment and gave Dylan a judgmental look, but held back from making a snide remark.
"Have they announced the headliner yet?" Mischa asked. She and Lexi weren't really into sports, but the Super Bowl was an event that was hard to say no to.
"Yes, Janet Jackson," Prudence replied.
"Oh, yeah, Prudence," Dani said, hugging her. "You're a lifesaver. Now I can say I also root for the Seattle Seahawks."
Lexi tilted her head. "What?"
"You know I'm a Browns fan, right, Lexi?" Dani remarked. "We're like one of the worst teams in the league," he said, frustrated.
"Oh, oh," Haley exclaimed. "I remember Dani throwing tantrums because his team never won anything," she laughed.
"Can they just win one?" Haley imitated a near-crying little Dani, making everyone laugh.
"Oh," she added, remembering something else. "I remember Dani using Alex, sitting on his shoulders, to start training."
"So I was used as a weight?" Alex said, stone-faced.
"You loved it," Dani retorted. "'Dani, do it again,'" he imitated, then turned to his other niece.
"And Haley got all jealous. 'No, no, my turn now!'"
"I..." Haley paused, "did not!" she tried to deny.
Dani ignored her. "God, my shoulders used to hurt because Haley was a little chubby."
"I was definitely not!" Haley kicked him under the table.
Everyone laughed, until Lexi pointed out, "I don't understand the Seahawks part until now."
"Prudence's dad is the owner," he revealed nonchalantly. "So it's fair that I root for the Seahawks now!"
"Your dad owns an NFL team?!" Alex widened her eyes.
Prudence nodded. "Daddy bought it like six years ago. That's why I'm also a football fan. I used to watch all their games."
She turned to Dani. "Maybe that's why I was a bit of a tomboy."
"Oh," she thought about it, "maybe that's why I also like girls," Prudence added casually.
"What?!" Haley and Hilary yelled in disbelief.
"Ha, me too!" Dani and Prudence high-fived.
He turned to the other girl by his side.
"Nope!" Amanda just raised an eyebrow and left Dani's hand hanging, since he was clearly trying to include her.
"Boooring! Boo!" Dani booed her.
Prudence asked Dani, "So you're also rooting for the Blazers?"
"Huh? Your dad also owns an NBA team?"
"Yep."
"Absolutely..." Dani paused, "not!"
"No way! That's too much!" he emphasized. "I'm a Lakers fan at heart, since I was a little kid!"
"I watched our three championships in a row live at the Staples Center! 2000 to 2002. Shaq and Kobe," Dani said pompously.
"Besides, the Blazers are terrible, Prudence. They haven't won a championship in a long time."
"So you're a bad loser - and an even worse winner," Lexi said flatly.
Dani just covered his mouth mockingly. "Knicks, pfft," he sneered. "Wait another thirty years to see an NBA championship."
Lexi just stared at him unfazed. But then she kicked him under the table after he stuck out his tongue and made an "L" on his forehead with his fingers.
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Author's Note:For someone who grew up watching the Cleveland Browns in the 1950s and early 1960s, the team was somewhat comparable to what the Brady/Belichick Patriots represented to someone growing up in the 2000s and 2010s.
Also, for anyone who didn't catch it, Prudence's dad is Paul Allen, one of Microsoft's founders and one of the richest men in the world at the time.
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