Above the Noise (42 page)

“All right, Gracie, but I don’t think I can be there before ten.” I yawned and rubbed my eyes then watched my big diamond sparkle in the morning sunshine.

“Becki, that would be amazing! It doesn’t start until then, so that’s perfect. I’ll be at the registration table, where my assistant was supposed to be, but the flu had other plans for her.”

“It’s funny, that day I spent with you at the school, I was so uncomfortable. But, I’m looking forward to spending time with those same kids today. Is that weird?”

“Not at all. You’re going to be the mom of a special needs kid, and everything within you is getting you ready. I really think that kind of thing happens naturally and can’t be forced.”

“Can I bring Calon?” I looked over at him, catching his deep green eyes looking back at me. He smiled.

“That would be awesome. You two can run a couple of the carnival games with Samantha.”

“Did I meet Samantha when I was there?” I stood up and walked to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee for Calon, who I knew would be ready to pass out by lunchtime. In rock star world it was still night time until about three in the afternoon.

“No, Sam is nineteen. She was an accelerated student and graduated earlier than most special needs kids. She’s who I turn to when I need to count on something to get done quickly. She helps me in the classroom sometimes, but she wasn’t there the day you were there.”

“Sounds good. I think I hear Calon moving around in the bedroom. We’ll be there as soon as we can be.”

“Just be here by ten. The kids will love that a real rock star is running the carnival games.” She giggled. “Oh, crap, I gotta go, one of the food trucks is parking in the wrong spot. See ya when you get here.”

Calon and I leisurely got ourselves ready, ate some breakfast, and decided we would walk out to the school grounds. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and Calon’s schedule didn’t allow him a lot of daylight. I knew he’d enjoy it immensely. Besides, there weren’t many things hotter than Calon in a pair of Aviators. That sight stole my breath.

We walked hand in hand down the sidewalks and crossed campus into the little residential neighborhood that bordered it. We came out of the tree-lined streets and stepped onto the grounds of The Extension School. The green expanse of the grassy lawns spoke volumes about the care that went into the school. The actual building was at the back of the property, and Gracie’s carnival was set up in front of it.

“Wow. She planned this all herself?” Calon was like a wide-eyed child headed toward his favorite place on earth.

“The faculty helped her and local businesses offered their services for free, but the planning and coordinating, that’s all Gracie. She loves this place. She even said she’d like to continue working here after graduation. I think she and Jake are considering staying in Knoxville. Couldn’t you see them living in one of those little Cape Cods we just passed?”

“Definitely. What would Jake do? He’s a business major, right?” Calon helped me hop over a puddle.

“Yeah, I guess he and Buzz are trying to work something out. I think he’s talked to Jake about possibly running the place.”

“That would be great.” There was a twinge of sadness in Calon’s eyes that I didn’t quite understand.

“What are you thinking?” I squeezed his hand and stood on my tippy toes to steal a kiss.

“Don’t get mad at me, but there’s always been a part of me that sometimes wished we hadn’t made it so big, so fast. I really love Knoxville. I love playing at Mitchell’s. I love the campus town feel. Ya know?”

“I do.” I’d been feeling the same way, but was so afraid to say anything to Calon for fear he would make a rash decision and sacrifice his dream just so I was as happy as I could be. I wasn’t willing to let him do that, but it was comforting to know he felt the same way about Knoxville that I did. Besides, I was pretty sure most bands would tell you that they second-guessed their search for fame in the beginning of their careers taking off.

“Guys! You couldn’t have gotten here at a better time. Not only did my assistant leave me, but I’ve had two people call in late.” Gracie had three or four pencils sticking out of the messy bun that sat on the very top of her head. She held two clipboards and had a walkie-talkie clipped to her jeans.

“Just tell us where you want us.” Calon put his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to settle her nerves.

Gracie smiled and took a deep breath. “I just sent Samantha over to the games area, but she’s going to need your help lifting some of the partitions into place. Calon, could you help her with that?”

“You got it.” Calon jogged over to a short blonde girl trying her damnedest to lift part of a structure into place. I could see her wide smile when she saw him coming her way. She dropped the piece she had been holding and ran up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“She’s a huge fan.” Gracie smiled and watched them through the introductions we couldn’t hear. Calon’s demeanor was so relaxed. Samantha had Down syndrome.

“She’s beautiful, Gracie.” I instantly pictured Abigail in her teens. I smiled, knowing I’d be proud of her from day one. I was already proud of her for being such a fighter and beating the odds in a womb that wasn’t supposed to work.

“She really is, inside and out. She’s one of the higher functioning students with Down syndrome we’ve had, and she has more energy than anyone I know.” Someone squawked over the walkie-talkie, and Gracie handed me her clip boards. “Becki, I just need to you check off the students’ names as they arrive. They all should have name tags, but make sure they all stop to check in. It’s part of their Life Skills class to follow appropriate directions when out in a crowd.”

“You got it. Now, go, BFF, do your thing!” I was so proud of her. The administration at The Extension School would be stupid not to hire her full time after graduation.

I eventually got to go work the games with Calon and Samantha. I couldn’t remember the last time I had so much fun or laughed so hard. The kids who came through were just adorable, and we gave out prizes to everyone. It was Gracie’s rule. “Everyone wins for their attempt,” is what she told us.

“So, Samantha, what do you do for Gracie?” There were a couple times when things were happening on the main stage that the games area was kid-free. I used that time to get to know Samantha. Her personality was so inviting, you couldn’t
not
want to know her.

“I’m her assistant on Wednesdays. Wednesdays are the days I read to the kids and do special art projects with them. I love the kids. I love to make them happy, because they make me so happy.” She smiled and went back to organizing all the darts according to color. Then she started laying out the replacement balloons for when the next round of students came through her Balloon Pop game.

“Do you live at the school?” Calon asked as he picked up a couple balloons the wind had blown off the counter.

“Thank you, Calon. You’re very nice.” Calon smiled and nodded his thank you. “No, I don’t live here. I live in one of those houses over there with my mom.” She pointed to the houses that bordered the school property. The ones I imagined Gracie and Jake living in.

“Just you and your mom?” Questioning whether she had siblings or not came from my subconscious because until that moment I hadn’t thought of the fact that I probably would never be pregnant again. This pregnancy was such a miracle, there was a good chance Abigail would be an only child.

“Yep. She’s a nice mom, and she’s super funny. Maybe you can meet her today. Wow! Your ring is very sparkly!” She took my hand and inspected my ring thoroughly.

“Thank you. Calon and I are getting married.” I loved saying that. Calon winked at me and smiled.

“That’s sweet.” Samantha patted my hand and smiled as some more kids walked up to her with tickets to play her game.

I shuffled back to my station and blew a kiss at Calon, who was helping a little boy at his station hold his putter correctly to make a hole-in-one. Everything about the day was perfect. The man of my dreams, my best friend, and my newly found comfort level with kiddos with special needs; something that came out of nowhere but cut my fears of becoming Abigail’s mom in half.

It was a long day, but one I felt honored to be a part of. Even though my feet hurt, and I was sure I had blisters, I didn’t want the day to end. Each and every one of the children that came through was beaming with joy.

“You guys want to do dinner? Jake just called, and Buzz isn’t feeling well again, so he’s gotta run the bar tonight. I thought we could grab a pizza out somewhere or something.”

“Sounds good.” I was starving. Gracie, Calon, Samantha, and I stood at what had been the registration table and watched the last of the groups leave through the carnival gates.

“Samantha, you coming?” Calon winked at her, and his invitation stole her breath.

Samantha wrung her hands, looked at Gracie and stuttered her way through a, “Yes.”

Gracie had thought of everything. She knew how exhausted she’d be at the end of the day, so she had a whole team of janitors from the school volunteer to break everything down and get it all back to the places that had donated it.

“LOS ANGELES HAS
a lot of great things, but I have yet to find pizza as good as Brother’s Pizza.” I spoke with my mouthful and grease dripping down my chin, but I didn’t care. Five more minutes and I may have passed out from starvation. Calon grabbed me some funnel cake about half way through the day, but that wasn’t even close to being enough sustenance for a woman with child.

“Becki, you eat a LOT!” Samantha giggled when she said it, which made everyone else laugh along with her.

“I know. I really do. Do you know why?”

Samantha shook her head and sank her teeth into the tip of her next slice of pizza, knowing I was two pieces ahead of her already. Her eyes bounced back and forth between me and Calon.

“Because, I’m feeding two people with this pizza.” I smiled and waited for it to sink it, not completely sure she would understand.

Samantha ducked her head down and looked around like she was about to dispel a secret. She whispered as loudly as you can and still call it a whisper. “You’re having a baby?”

“We are.” Calon smiled and puffed his chest out like a stereotypical proud papa.

“A baby. I’ve never held a baby before.” She smiled shyly.

“Well, you can hold Abigail. I’m sure you’ll be a natural.” Just the thought of her with a baby in her arms was precious.

Samantha smiled at me from ear to ear and took another bite of pizza. I thought about the things I’d read in the literature Dr. Daily had given us. I understood that Samantha was mentally a young teenager, and that she was comforted by order and structure. I’d become quite the Down syndrome encyclopedia over the last month, knowing our baby would have the condition. I guess it was our first glimpse into the natural adaptation parents make for their children.

“Do you work anywhere else other than Gracie’s class, Samantha?” I smiled at Gracie, knowing she was reveling in my comfort level around Samantha.

“I work in the cafeteria at The Extension School on Mondays and Fridays and with Miss Gracie on Wednesdays.” She smiled and wiped her hands on her napkin. “What do you do, Becki?”

“Well, I was the manager for Calon’s band, but now that I’m having a baby, I’m going to stay in Knoxville, so I’m close to my doctor. Someone else will be taking over my job with Calon, so I won’t have a job until I find a new one.” I was going to die of boredom. So, Calon and I decided it would be a good idea to explore jobs I could do from home. That way I could have an income before the baby came. And after she was born, when I felt up to it, I could continue to work from home. It seemed to be the best plan. Babies were expensive.

“Gracie!” We all jumped when Samantha’s voice hit a more-than-a-whisper volume. “Gracie! Can Becki come work at the school? Please, Gracie?”

“Well, actually, in a staff meeting last week they were mentioning the need for a website with information and articles about the school, the events we run, and maybe even interviews with current and former students.” Gracie looked at me and smiled, and I knew exactly what she was thinking. “Becki, it’s pretty much a publicist’s job but without the high salary I’m sure being a rock star’s publicist plays.”

“Well, technically, I was Calon’s manager. He didn’t pay me as much as I was worth, but I let him work it off…” I stopped myself before saying he paid me in sex, when I realized Samantha probably didn’t need to be privy to the same information Gracie was privy to. Calon squeezed my leg under the table and smiled. He’d been really quiet, just saying a couple words, the whole time we’d been at Brother’s. So, when Gracie and Samantha started discussing the job opening at the school, I turned to Calon. He was watching every nuance of Samantha’s movements. He was completely still.