Just Starting Out
1.4 - Blue Velvet
Well into the writing process of her first book, the title to be determined, Kayla realized something. She and John… they’d worked so hard on their life for so long. It was about time the two of them rewarded themselves.
It helped that she had the feeling her book was going to be a smash hit, and John had now been promoted pretty highly in the programming company he was working for. There were very few above him in rank, to the point where everyone he worked with and sometimes met up with in Newcrest was now below him.
Smiling to herself, Kayla closed her laptop, then, leaving it on her bed, she got and headed over to her bedroom door. Opening it, she spotted John, hard at work at the desktop computer in the living room that he called his office. The headphones he was wearing blocked out any sign that she’d entered the room.
Kayla crept over to his side, then quickly tapped John on the shoulder, causing him to jump.
“Kayla!’ John exclaimed. “Don’t scare me like that… I’m trying to work.”
“I know, I know. I just want to talk. Just for a second,” Kayla smiled.
“Kayla, this is kind of important.”
“Oh, come on John! You work hard enough. You can take a tiny little break!”
“Okay, okay fine. Just for a second,” John grumbled.
Kayla gestured for John to follow her. “Walk with me.”
John rolled his eyes but did as she asked, grumpily following her out through the front door. Kayla stopped once they had a good view of the house, then turned John around by grabbing onto his shoulder, forcing him to look at her and the house.
“Look at this place,” Kayla said dramatically, gesturing towards the house. “You’ve got a good job at that programming place- whatever it’s called- and I finally feel like I’m heading towards a book that might actually be successful! I found a friend in Melody, and you’ve found friends in your coworkers! Especially that Lillian you’re always talking about…”
“Lillian is just a friend Kayla, there’s nothing more to it than that. But… I guess you do have a point that we’re actually managing to live instead of just existing in Newcrest now.”
Exactly! My point here is that we’ve managed to build a life for ourselves here, John! So… I think it’s about time that the two of us took a little time to ourselves… and rewarded ourselves.”
“Reward ourselves, huh? With what exactly?”
“That depends, John. You see, I have certain big ideas, as well as smaller, less exciting ideas. You see, having you for a brother, John, means I need to prepare the ideas that are less thrilling as you don’t seem to know how to have fun. You’ve never been spontaneous a day in your life, so unless that changes…”
“Oh, that is so not true Kayla!”
“Really? Alright then, name one time in your life you were spontaneous,” Kayla said, crossing her arms. “Go on. I’m waiting.”
“...ugh, okay fine! What’s your most biggest, most spontaneous idea? We’re doing it.”
“Well. I thought it’d be fun to go to Sulani… but I know that’d be pushing it. And I respect your lifestyle, dear little brother of mine.”
“Older brother, you mean,” John grumbled.
“Okay. Here’s a real plan. We’re going to head home to Willow Creek and surprise mom and dad.”
“Really? That’s your big spontaneous plan? Alright… just to prove that I’m not as bland as you think I am, we’re also going to hit up that local bar, the, uh, Blue Velvet!”
“You? Hitting up bars?” Kayla laughed. “I never imagined the day would come where either of us would casually hang out at a bar, let alone together. But alright, let’s do it!”
The next day and one lengthy train ride later, John and Kayla arrived at their parents’ place.
Sharing an excited look, they both quietly counted down from three, then knocked on the door together. A minute passed, then a tired looking Adrienne opened the door. Upon seeing the both of them, her eyes immediately lit up.
“Kayla! John!” Adrienne exclaimed, holding out her arms to her two precious children. Kayla and John both hugged her.
She stepped back and took a look at the two of them, tears in her eyes. “You two have both grown up so much. Please, come in! You're father is going to be so excited to see you!”
They headed inside, and walked towards the living room, where Jameson was watching sports.
“John, Kayla, it’s been too long,” Jameson said standing up and smiling warmly. “Almost - what, a year? - since we last saw you. We’ve gotta do this more often.”
“We all knew us moving to Newcrest would end up this way,” John said as he fell into a hug from Jameson. “I tried to fight all of you, but hey! It all worked out. At least we’re able to visit sometimes.”
Adrienne crossed her arms. “ Well, you two could have stayed. You know, that one house in the neighborhood with the teens is still available, if you’re willing to deal with the certain degree of absurdity that comes with most teenagers. Trust me, I’d know. Had to deal with two of them!"
“If John and I knew that coming all the way down here would just mean a lecture, maybe we shouldn’t have come at all…” Kayla said jokingly.
“You’re right, you’re right. I’ll stop,” Adrienne laughed. “I’ll go grab us some drinks.”
As Adrienne headed into the kitchen, Jameson settled back down into his seat on the couch, and Kayla and John sat down beside him.
“So, Kayla. When John called last week, he said that you’d found a real winner of an idea for your next book. Mind sharing?” Jameson asked.
Kayla clasped her hands and took a deep breath. “Well, you see, ever since mom convinced me to start going to yoga classes, I’ve been obsessed with organizing your life and mind in a way that will allow one to reach a sort of inner peace. And I thought, why not write a book about my journey there? It’s what I spent most of my time trying to achieve, so I can’t say I want for any experience.”
Jameson nodded slowly. “I’m really excited for you, Kayla! Good luck, that sure sounds like a winner. I can’t say I know much about or really want that lifestyle for myself, but I’ll definitely check it out once it’s published.”
“That actually… means a lot. Thanks Dad.”
John cleared his throat. “Well. In updates in my personal life, I’m now part of the team working directly under the head of my programming organization! And, uh, this is supposed to be a secret, so it has to stay between us, but my boss? Nancy Landgraab herself.”
“The Landgraabs, huh? That’s certainly a big name. I just thought you were working for some startup programming company, what changed?” Jameson asked.
“I was always working for the Landgraabs,” John shrugged. “They just like to keep who runs the company under wraps because they’re definitely not the most popular family in the world. In fact, they only reveal who the boss is to the people at my rank in the company.”
“It’s always sounded shady to me, but he makes so much money that I can’t complain,” Kayla muttered.
“You be careful, alright John? I’ve heard nothing but bad things about that family, and the last thing I want is for you to be caught up in one of their messes.”
After Jameson’s ominous warning, Adrienne brought out the drinks, and the four of them enjoyed dinner together. Following that Kayla and John finally headed out to the Blue Velvet, a local bar they’d passed many times as children.
Stepping in, John shook his head slowly, a slight smile on his face. “We passed this place so many times on the way to the library, or the museum, or even the park, and only now that we live in a whole other city do we finally get to enter…”
“Almost feels like we shouldn’t be in here still,” Kayla laughed. “Come on, let’s go grab some drinks.”
John and Kayla headed over to the bar, and ordered their favorite drinks from Newcrest.
Taking a sip of hers, Kayla’s eyes widened. “This is good! Holy shit, does this bar know how to brew a good drink!”
“No kidding,” John smiled, shaking his head. “No surprise now that this place has been open as long as either of us can remember.”
At one point, a snooty looking blonde haired boy walked into the room, his nose up in the air as if he was above everyone else. John’s eyes widened in recognition.
“That’s Malcolm Landgraab!” John whispered to Kayla urgently. “He’s my boss, Nancy Landgraab’s son. I’ve even heard that she might pass the company down to him! Oh, this is not good I don’t want to meet my boss’s son for the first time slightly hung over…”
To John’s horror, Malcolm took a beeline for the seat right beside him.
Smiling as if he was really proud of himself, Malcolm looked John dead in the eyes. “Don’t want to meet me after a few drinks? Maybe you should have kept your mouth shut, because now you had better impress me if you want to keep your job. So. Tell me. Who are you? How do you know who you work for?”
“I’m, uh, John Brooks… I work directly under Nancy in the programming sector of Landgraab Industries…” John said carefully.
Malcolm frowned. “Mom did say she’s recently promoted someone who lived far, but I never pictured someone who lived in Willow Creek, of all places.”
“We actually-“ Kayla started, but Malcolm, cut her off. “And you. You’d better watch yourself. You shouldn’t even know that your brother… boyfriend… whatever works for the Landgraabs. If you slip up… you’d better watch yourself.”
Kayla’s face froze and she didn’t try to speak up to defend John again.
“But yes, John whatever your name is, my mom’s already started to talk about me taking over as head of the company. I’ll be your boss before long, so you’d better play nice with me.”
Malcolm got up, ready to walk away, but John shakily called after him. “It was, uh, nice meeting you, Malcolm.”
A funny look crossed Malcolm’s face, and he turned back around. “Their drinks are on me,” he yelled to the bartender.
He then turned back around and walked stiffly out of the bar.
“That was weird…” Kayla muttered.
“More like terrifying,” John muttered, nursing his drink.
“You’re really going to end up working under that guy?”
“I sure hope not,” John said, shaking his head. “Hopefully Nancy stays alive for a long time yet, because while she may be terrible, I’m sure everything would be much worse under a reign of terror headed by Malcolm.”