Heart Is Where the Home Is Ch. 01

“Uh, yeah. You’ve caught me, I guess.”

She didn’t respond. There was silence for a long time and I looked to see if the call disconnected. The call timer was still going up, I hoped she didn’t faint or something. That happened once when I met a fan in Vegas. It’s pretty unnerving.

She sat down at a blackjack table across from me and fell right out of her chair when we made eye contact.

“Hello?” I said. “Hello, Lainey?”

More silence.

“Lainey, are you still there?”

I looked at the phone and saw the call had now been ended. A moment later, Jen walked in and asked, “What’s up?”

“She figured out I was really me and she hung up.”

“Oh? I figured you would play it cool for a while before springing that on her.”

“I was holding back until she said Jim was her favorite actor. It kinda slipped.”

“Oh, Jeez. You and your jealousy of Jim. Get over it.”

“Shut up!” I said and threw a pillow at her. She left laughing.

***

I was amazed that she hung up on me. I wasn’t used to rejection and it bothered me a lot. I do understand that not everyone wants to deal with the spotlight of Hollywood fame, it’s hard on normal people. I decided to get some air and lament losing my chance with her.

“Mom, I’m going for a walk, I need some air. What do you want to do about dinner? Order a pizza?”

“Sure, Kinsey. A pizza’s fine.”

I kissed her cheek and walked outside. I looked around he had a warm feeling of nostalgia hit me. I missed small-town life.

When I was picked to play Jace Stryker, I hadn’t set out to be a movie star. I was a sideline reporter for ESPN doing College Football games. My professional football career never materialized, but I knew the game and I was good-looking enough, so getting a TV gig was easier than I expected.

It was a shock when my agent called saying they wanted me to be in a movie. Some casting director saw me doing a pregame show and wanted to have me audition.

My resemblance to the Jace Stryker comic book character never occurred to me up to that point. It was just blind luck that they saw me on that show. If I hadn’t grown a beard because of no-shave November, I may still be on the sidelines.

The rest, as they say, was history. The movie was a smash hit and started a new trend in Hollywood for superhero action movies. The next thing I knew I was a break-out star and the following movies that became the “Patriot Squad” series cemented my status as a bonafide success story.

A few streets down from my mother’s house, I came across a lanky teenaged girl playing basketball in her driveway. Her ball rolled away from her to the sidewalk in front of me, so I picked it up.

Instead of tossing it back, I took a jump-shot and made it. The girl clapped and tossed me the ball back.

I took another shot and after that shot went in, she said, “How about a game of one-on-one?”

I loved sports in general, and basketball was second only to football in my heart. It didn’t take a second to say, “Sure, I’m Ken.” I hoped she didn’t recognize me.

“I’m Melanie, wait! You’re not a rapist or anything are you?” She looked serious, while I almost laughed.

She didn’t recognize me, thankfully, but I laughed and said, “No, I’m a superhero.”

I was always putting my foot in my mouth, saying something dumb. I wished I could take it back but it was too late. I had to hope she didn’t put it all together.

She laughed and passed me the ball.

“Take it out on top and check it. Make it, take it, to ten.”

She knew how to play. Make it, take it meant if you scored you got the ball back. Checking it means that you have to give the ball to the other team or player before the play starts to be sure they are ready. When they give you the ball back, play begins.

I faked a move to her left, she bit, and I pulled up for an easy jump-shot.

“One,” I said as she passed the ball back.

I faked to her right and made another pull-up jumper.

“Two. You buy into the first move too much,” I said. “Stay in front of me and don’t bite so hard.”

“Easy for you to say,” she said with a sneer.

I moved to her right again and that time she swiped the ball away, dribbled around me easily, and made an easy layup.

“That’s one, old man,” she said.

She looked at my face and stopped dribbling.

“You really look like Kinsey Greer, you know that? He’s my best friend Keri’s favorite actor.”

“So I’m told.” I didn’t want to deal with a fan so I pretended to not be me, hoping the lack of a beard fooled the kid.

She flew past me and made another easy layup.

“Two.”

Just then a car pulled into the driveway and then the garage. A man I presumed to be her father came walking up and said, “Can I help you, buddy?”

He looked angry. Shit! It was inappropriate for me to be playing with that young girl. I needed to diffuse the situation and get going.

“Hi, I’m Ken. I was just passing by and got into a pickup game with Melanie.”

“Kinda strange for a grown man to pick up a game with a sixteen-year-old girl isn’t it?”

I was surprised at his anger but realized the man was only looking out for his daughter.

“You’re right, Sir. I apologize, and I assure you I mean to have no problems with your family. My Mom lives a couple of blocks over, her name is Janis Greer.”

He brightened up immediately and said, “Oh, I know Mrs. Greer. We’re sorry to hear about your dad. My name’s Ryan Evans.”

He shook my hand and said, “Oh—that makes you...”

His face softened and he looked me up and down.

“Yeah, that’s me,” I said cutting him off. “Look, I’m sorry again. I’ll continue on my walk. It was good to meet you and it was nice to meet you too, Melanie.”

As I walked away, I heard him say, “I was just worried about you, little girl. You’re lucky he wasn’t a rapist or something.”

She laughed and said, “I asked him if he was, and he said he wasn’t. He said he was a superhero.”

“That he is, baby. We should’ve got his autograph.”

“Shit!” I thought and picked up my pace.

“WHAT?” I heard two girls scream. “Double shit!” I thought.

Before I could run, I heard, “Hey, wait!”

Reluctantly, I turned and saw two streaks running at me at top speed. Melanie crashed into me and almost knocked me down. It was all I could do to stay upright and then I was shocked to see the other girl was Lainey.

“Lainey?”

Melanie spun around and saw her sister standing behind her.

“Holy shit! You really were on the phone with Kinsey Greer.”

“Told you,” Lainey said with a smirk.

I stepped around Melanie and said, “I didn’t mean to make you hang up on me. I understand if finding out I actually was the celebrity bothered you, I technically didn’t lie to you, ya know.”

I desperately hoped I could get back to where we started. Before she knew I was exactly who she said I looked like.

“No, it’s not that—well, yeah. I was shocked.”

Melanie stepped in between us excitedly and said, “Come back to the house. You have to give me an autograph and take a picture with me. My friends are never gonna believe this.”

“Let him be, Mel. His father’s funeral was this morning.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Kinsey. I didn’t know.” She looked generally remorseful.

It felt so far in the past. I was momentarily shocked that it had been just that morning. He was ill for months and had battled for years, so we were prepared for his death. His suffering was over and he was in a better place.

“Don’t worry about it. Come on, I’m happy to take a picture with you.”

I didn’t want to take a picture nor sign any autographs. I did, however, want to get to know Lainey better and if that meant indulging her kid sister in a few pictures, so be it.

She jumped up and down, grabbed me by the hand, and dragged me back towards their home with Lainey following.

When we got to the house next door to Melanie and Lainey’s, Melanie screamed, “Keri! Keri! Get out here quick.”

“Crap!” I thought, more people. I knew I should’ve run.

“Melanie, no! Leave the poor man alone,” Lainey chided.

A teenage girl came bouncing from the house. She had a cherubic, face and exuded happiness. Before I knew it, she was two feet away and I found myself envying her happiness. I smiled and said, “Hi, Keri.”

That was all she heard before she looked at me with shocked eyes, screamed, and fainted. I caught her as she fell to the grass, where I set her down gently.

I was horrified. This was the second time it had happened to me and I still didn’t know what I should do. Lainey acted like it was no big deal.

I couldn’t believe it, I was about to vomit from panic and she acted like it happened all the time.

“You had to bring her out, Mel! Now look at her,” Lainey said. “Go get a wet washcloth, quick.”

With shaking hands, I knelt next to her and sat the poor girl up. I felt bad for her and I was surprised she recognized me that quickly. I thought maybe shaving my beard wasn’t enough of a disguise after all. Then again, I suppose my voice was recognizable. It’s deep and raspy.

Mel came running back, this time with her mom and dad hurrying along in tow.

“Oh my God!” I heard, as I stood and turned around. Lainey held the washcloth to Keri’s forehead, while Melanie latched onto my hand all of a sudden.

“Hi, sorry about all of this,” I said. I looked down at Keri and back to the parents standing with their mouths wide open. “She was surprised, I guess.”

“I’ll say,” Lainey’s mother said as she ogled me from head to toe.

“Mom, this is my new friend, Kinsey.”

“It’s Ken, please. Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine, honey. Call me Angela.”

“Quit looking at him like he’s a smothered pork chop and help Keri,” Ryan said.

Angela snapped out of her staring at me and helped Keri stand up.

“You shaved!” Keri said after gaining her wits back. I silently thanked God she was okay.

“I can’t believe you shaved,” she said as she reached out and touched my face. A tear fell down her cheek.

“My God,” I thought. Jen was right—my fans were not going to be happy with my beard gone.

“Maybe he just wears a beard for the movies, sweetie,” Angela said.

“No, Mrs. Evans. He always has a beard,” Keri said, her eyes still moist, her frown more pronounced.

“Sorry, Keri. It was just time for a change,” I said. I honestly was sorry that I’d saddened her. While I hated much of the crap that went along with being famous, I did love my fans.

“Look, how about if we take those pictures now, okay? I’ve got to get back to my mom’s house.”

“Don’t move!” Melanie said as she ran into the house, I assumed for her cell phone.

“So you’re a local boy made good, huh? How come we don’t know about that?” Lainey asked. I was struck by the amusement that she spoke with. After her initial shock, it seemed she was enjoying knowing me suddenly.

“I never wanted Mom and Dad to have any issues, so I keep my private life, private. I do come home for Christmas or Thanksgiving most years, but I keep to myself mostly.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Melanie asked as she walked up.

“Melanie!” Angela shrieked, as I looked at Lainey. Her eyes were wide and rapt with interest.

“No, I haven’t been looking that hard for one.” Which was true. After deciding that I was done dating other celebrities, I hadn’t been looking.

“I’m single!” Keri said.

We all laughed and I put my arm around her shoulder. I said, “Talk to me in a few years, honey,” then I kissed her cheek.

She blushed and touched her cheek where I’d kissed it.

“Hey, sorry for all of the trouble, but I do need to get back. Could we take those pictures now, and I’ll sign whatever you’d like.”

“I’ll get a Blu-Ray and marker for you to sign it with,” Ryan said and scampered into the house.

Angela took many pictures of every combination of me and the girls. Lainey stayed out of them mostly but took a picture of her mother with me.

Ryan came back with a stack of movies and a sharpie. I laughed and gladly signed each of them for the father of the girl I was interested in getting to know better. There was no sense in upsetting her father on the day I met him.

“You’re missing the most recent one,” I said. “I’ll have a copy sent to you. Do you have the Jim Steel movies?”

He smiled and said, “Uh, yeah. He’s...”

“I already told him Jim Steel is my favorite actor, Dad,” Lainey said.

I smiled and said, “Well, nice to meet you all. I hope I see you soon, okay?”

Ryan looked at me funny and Angela’s eyes lit up.

As we made our goodbyes, Lainey said, “I’ll walk you home.”

Ryan and Angela smiled and seemed as happy about it as I was.

*** Lainey

“I’m sorry I hung up on you, I freaked out.”

Ken laughed and said, “It’s okay.”

“I was hoping to get to know you a little better,” I said projecting as much hope in my voice as I could muster.

“I wouldn’t mind that,” he said with a smile.

“For how long will you be in town, Mr. Movie Star?”

“I’m leaving Sunday afternoon. Did you want to go out tomorrow night?”

I felt like dancing in the street. I had a date with sex on a stick, Kinsey Greer.

“I’d like that. I get off at six.”

Was that cool enough? I hoped I didn’t sound too eager.

“Okay. I’ll pick you up at seven and we’ll have some dinner. That’s my house up ahead there.”

“It’s just a normal house,” I said.

“Yeah, what did you expect?”

“I don’t know. I guess a big mansion or something.”

He laughed and said, “I didn’t grow up famous. We lived right here in a little two-story, just like you and Melanie. Heck, I don’t even have a mansion in LA. Just a one-bedroom condo.”

“Really? I thought you stars made big money.”

“It’s not about the money. I’m just not a glamorous guy like that. In fact, I just bought a farm here to retire to.”

“Wow, a farm?”

“Well, a small one. I won’t have any crops or animals, just a lot of land and a lot of privacy.”

“You seem so grounded. I like that you’re not flashy and don’t have a big ego.”

“That’s never been my style. Plus, my mom would kill me if I ever got a big head.”

“Aw! Someone’s a momma’s boy.”

I liked that. He really did seem normal.

He smiled and said, “Unashamedly so. Well, this is me. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Can’t wait!”

He smiled and walked up the driveway. His sister was watching from the window and waved at me.

I couldn’t believe I had a date with Kinsey Greer. I wondered where he would take me as I floated back home.

*** Ken

“Well, little brother? Got a date with the hot waitress?”

I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed a slice of the veggie pizza.

“Don’t they have any meat out here in the country?” I asked, further avoiding the question.

“No way, Jose. Spill it,” Mom said with a smile.

“Yes, I have a date with Lainey tomorrow night.”

“Lainey?” Mom asked.

“I don’t know her last name. Her father said he knew you and Dad. His name is Ryan. Looks a bit older than me. She was our waitress today.

“Oh yes. That’s Ryan and Angela Evans. He’s a manager at the bank.”

“Kinsey and Lainey sitting in a tree, K I S...” Jen sang annoying me.

“What are you, six-years-old?” I shouted. “You reacted more mature when you caught me kissing Janie Hunt in eighth grade.”

Mom giggled and continued, “They moved here from Chicago, I think when they had their youngest daughter. Wanted a slower pace of life, if I remember correctly.”

“Can’t blame him for that,” I said, longing for the same thing.

“Sis, I’d appreciate you not handing my phone number out in the future. Especially the private cell number.”

“Shut up, jerk. You needed a date for the premiere and I found you one. You’re supposed to say thank you.”

“Whoa! I can’t take Lainey to the premiere. She doesn’t need that kind of scrutiny.”

“Let her tell you that. Mom goes every time.”

“Yeah, but Mom isn’t ever pushed in front of the rabid press. If Lainey goes as my date, she’ll be on the cover of gossip rags everywhere.”

“Doesn’t that go with the territory of dating Jace Stryker?”

“She isn’t going out with Jace Stryker. I’m not him.”

I hated when people referred to me as the character I played.

“Yeah, yeah. She’ll be fine. At least ask her, so I can book her flights and hotel. I’ll have to get her dress as well.”

“No, and that’s final.”

“Yes, Sir, Mr. Superhero.”

I threw a mushroom at her and Mom shrieked, “Quit it! You guys act like teenagers sometimes.”

“It keeps you young, Mom,” I said as I kissed her cheek and left the kitchen. Leaving a laughing Jen behind.

For a moment, I did consider bringing Lainey to the premiere. I decided against it immediately. I would hate subjecting her to that kind of life change in less than a week of knowing me.

***

“Going to work for Kate Ferrell, huh?” I asked Jen as we ate Mom’s eggs and bacon the next morning.

“Is that going to be a problem for you, Kinsey?” She asked annoyed.

“Easy killer. No, it’s just weird for me.”

It did bother me. Her working for Kate would keep Kate too close to me for my liking.

“I like what I do, Ken. I liked being your PA and you don’t need me anymore. I still have to work.”

“Jen, you never have to work another day of your life.”

I meant it sincerely. If she’d let me, I’d set her up in a second. I didn’t need more than a tenth of what I had liquid, and I’d still never need to work again.

“I don’t want to live off your tit forever.”

I laughed and said, “You’ve earned every dollar I’ve paid you and the retirement account I fund for you will continue to be funded. I’d have been screwed over or worse if you weren’t there looking out for me. Hell, if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have the guru.”

“Allen does take excellent care of you. He hates when you call him the guru though.”

“Well, he’s the best business manager I’ve ever seen. Of course, you did break his heart.”

“Hey, don’t go there. I told him I was a lesbian.”

“Only after you went out with him a dozen times.”

We laughed.

I felt bad for him at the time, I knew she was trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, but I also knew that she felt sure she was lesbian.

“Okay, that’s fair, but I hadn’t come out yet and he didn’t mind the threesomes.”

“Okay, TMI.”

We laughed and when she stopped she asked, “So, should I reserve you a car for your date tonight?”

“I’m perfectly capable of renting a car,” I said annoyed. Jesus, sometimes she made me feel so helpless.

“Oh yeah? Okay, I’ll let you handle it. You know where to find me when you need me.”

An hour later, after trying to figure out how to rent a car and failing, I had to admit defeat. I sheepishly asked her to rent the car for me. I guess I was lost without her and had to acclimate to the unsheltered real world soon enough.

***

I knocked on Lainey’s door and was shocked when Melanie opened it. She was wearing a prom-type dress and makeup.

“You look beautiful, Melanie.”

She blushed and said, Thank you. Lainey’s not ready yet, come and wait in the living room.”

She dragged me by the hand and when I walked into the living room I saw a half-dozen sixteen-year-old girls dressed similarly.

I was about to turn and run but one of them screamed. It wasn’t a second later before I was dragged farther into the room and had them all shouting at me at the same time. Questions were being fired at me from all sides and I began to panic slightly.

I never liked crowds and never liked being ganged up on by fans. I was trying to gracefully back away when I heard a loud finger whistle.

“Melanie! What the hell are you doing? Leave that poor man alone,” Ryan said.

“Ken, come over here. Let’s wait in the kitchen. You girls get on back to Keri’s.”

The girls moaned and I said goodbye to them. You’d have thought someone died by the way they left so forlornly.

“I’m really sorry, Ken. They have a dance at the school tonight and were supposed to be meeting next door. I guess Melanie wanted to show you off. Please forgive her.”