Page 19 of One Last Puck

“Let’s get this show on the road.”

Marcus led me over to where Zack was already setting up in the living room.

“Have a seat.” He waved to the makeup chair, and I obliged.

Marcus didn’t waste any time getting started on my face.

“Do you mind if I make a call?”

“No at all,” Marcus replied. “Just make it quick.”

I nodded, taking out my phone and dialing my mom back. If she didn’t hear from me soon, she would for sure send the police by to check on me. The phone didn’t make it through the first ring before the beautiful face that mirrored mine appeared on the screen.

“Morning, Mom!” I greeted her wearing a don’t cuss me out smile as Marcus prepped my face for makeup.

“Faye! You know I was about to alert the authorities, right? She answered, Lavell!” she yelled into the background.

I was sure she was alerting my father. She had probably been scaring him half to death all morning.

“I told you she was fine, Mariette! Hey, baby!” he shouted from wherever he was in the house.

“Hey, Daddy!” I replied. “Sorry to give you a scare. I slept in late. I had an eventful night.”

And an eventful night it was. In full, my mom was my best and only friend. I wanted to give her the rundown on my encounter with Mr. Jaxton Saint, but with Marcus and Zack here, I couldn’t risk them running their mouths and spreading my business all over the internet. It was going to have to wait until tomorrow.

“Understandable, baby. How are the pre-award festivities treating you?” my mom asked. The warmth in her voice brought a smile to my face.

“Everything is so amazing, Mom. You wouldn’t believe all the famous people I’ve met. I scheduled eight people to be on my show!” I said, trying to keep my giddiness under control.

“Oh, wow, baby! That’s so good!” Her face lit up with pride. “See? I told you this was going to be your big break.”

I smiled, nearly tearing up as I stared at my mom.

“You did!”

“All your hard work is paying off, baby. Everything always happens in God’s timing. You just gotta trust the process.”

I nodded, appreciating her words. My parents had been the only people keeping me going after Avery had passed. Any friend I had back then hadn’t stuck around through my grief. My parents never missed a chance to let me know they had my back, even if that meant covering my bills while I launched my podcast.

“Thank you, Ma. You don’t understand how much you and Dad have helped me along the way.”

“You don’t understand how much you being out there living your dreams means to us. My baby is blossoming into the star I always knew she was. I been telling everybody in town.” She was smiling ear to ear, making me smile. “Have you met Zion James yet?”

“Not yet, Mom.” I sighed, shaking my head, knowing that was a request of my father.

“Make sure you get a picture for your father. He’s already told everyone you met him.”

“Great. Now, I gotta actually get close to him.”

I shook my head, and Marcus’s frustrated face came into view. I needed to wrap this up.

“Mom, I’m in hair and makeup. I have to call you back.”

“Okay, baby. Go ahead and finish getting glammed up. Send me pics.”

“I will, Mom.”

I ended the call and sat back in the chair, allowing Marcus and Zack to work their magic on me as thoughts of Jaxton Saint played on repeat in my head. Letting curiosity get the best ofme, I navigated to his social media page. I’d been following him for a while now, but I’d never been down his page. Scrolling through his photos, I clicked on the picture he’d posted last night.

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