[7] Character Study

[lesandra]

Prompt: Muse Revival #143
"Life is not a solo act. It's a huge collaboration, and we all need to assemble around us the people who care about us and support us in times of strife." - Tim Gunn

May 2013

Don, Ricky and the rest of the guys had truly outdone themselves.

Les stood near Don's car and watched the party around her decked out with music, gifts, congratulations banners, balloons, a BBQ manned by a family friend and naturally, races off in the distance. She was grateful that when Don and Ricky took up the helm a couple of years ago, that they'd moved the races out of town a bit where they were less likely to be interrupted. It had taken some time for people to get used to it but eventually people made the trip out because it was truly an experience.

If you had asked her just five or six years ago if this would be their lives, she'd have scoffed and said no way. Hell, she would have said they would be lucky to even graduate high school at the rate they were going in middle school.

Especially Jason and Scott.

"You know, this party is for you too, right?" Don asked as he walked up to her with a smile, holding onto a beer. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and looked around the party. He wasn't surprised that it was so well attended. It was true that people enjoyed a good party (especially the likes that they threw) but it wasn't just that. This was a special graduation party and the people who were here tonight were regulars and those that knew their graduates well.

"I know, I'm just taking it all in," Les said, wrapping her free arm around his waist. "I could never imagine that this would become our lives. When we met you guys and you offered to teach us all about cars, then taught us to drive...I didn't expect what doors that would open."

Don's mouth curled up as he thought about that twelve year old Les standing in his back yard and confronting him, asking him if he had been serious with his offer. "Hell, I couldn't imagine what all you four would bring to our lives either," he admitted, looking down at her with a warm smile.

"What, you mean the constant heartburn, migraines and near heart attacks with all the trouble we got into? 'Cause I bet you could have lived without all that," Les teased him with a smile. While she played it off, she took his words to heart.

He chuckled and tightened his arm around her, bringing her in for a side hug. "All of that and more," he agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He stood quiet for a moment as he watched the crowd before turning his attention to the race that just got started off in the distance. "Honestly though, when you four came along and we started having dinners together, you all added something deeper to all of our lives. We weren't just friends anymore, we became a family and if you asked any of us, we wouldn't change that for the world."

"Hey, hey - you guys know the rule, there's only one deep talk allowed a month and we already had that one with Abby and her news. You know we can only handle so much and it's a party," Nathan said, walking over to the pair with an easy going grin.

Les rolled her eyes with a laugh, returning Don's hug before looking over at Nathan. "Just because you can't handle it, Nate, doesn't mean the rest of us can't."

"I told him not to come over but the boy doesn't listen," Abby said, having followed Nathan over with a similar roll of her eyes.

Les laughed because that was not a surprise. She watched as one by one, more of the guys joined them until the whole group stood together again. Growing up, she'd thought she was lucky to have Scott, Abby and Jason as her best friends and didn't need anyone or anything else. She'd thought that's all she needed then but now... now she couldn't imagine not having any of these guys in her life. They had pushed them to do better than their parents and made sure they made decent enough grades so they could graduate. It had been frustrating at times but they'd done it and they were here and... she was actually thinking of going to college!

"Thanks, guys... for believing in us when we might not have always believed in ourselves," she said, looking at all of them in turn before giving Scott a warm smile. "Maybe especially Scott and Jason, we all know they were the biggest trouble makers."