He had barely reached the cab when cameras started flashing. Dawn pushed the door open and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him into the cab. People crowded the door, continuing to take pictures as the cab began to pull away from the curb. Inside the vehicle, Dawn and John were laughing hysterically. "God, can you imagine what this is gonna look like? " Dawn kept turning around in her seat to look at the media circus forming behind them. "I can see it now, Divine Caught in Curbside Rendezvous with local Waitress." John thought about the accuracy of her statement. His mother would have a field day with this. He looked over at Dawn. She was probably the only woman who hadn't made a big deal out of who he was. The restaurant faded into the distance behind them. Within minutes, those paparazzi would be in their cars in pursuit. Jayne was going to be furious. He pulled his phone from his pocket and shot her a quick text. "Left restaurant with waitress. I love you and I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening. Will call when on my way back to the house." He paused for a moment before sending. "P.s., Shutterbugs got us, may need to prep for that." He sent the message and put his phone back in his pocket. He couldn't explain his actions to himself much less to his sister. He had never been one to play it safe when it came to public interactions but tonight seemed like it was begging for trouble. He glanced over at Dawn. her hair cascaded in soft curls over her shoulder as she took her hair down. Next, she slipped her heels off and put them in her bag, retrieving a pair of blue flip flops. John chuckled as she slipped them on. She was beautiful. "What's so funny?" she asked. "Nothing, I just don't come home often so its always refreshing to see real people." John slid down his seat slightly and rested his head on his fist as he looked out the window. "What do you mean by that? You mean you don't always jump into random taxicabs with women you just met?" Dawn shot a teasing smile at John. Sitting up straight and placing his hands in his lap, John suddenly became more rigid. "I meant no offence, I just meant that I prefer the company of actual people to that of people my family would prefer I associate with." Dawn found his reaction curious. She related to what he said.

  "Let me ask you something Mr. Divine."

  "Call me John."

  "Let me ask you something John. When you come "home", who do you look forward to seeing?"

  John thought for a moment. "My siblings and nephews mostly. Some old friends, and some folks I hold dear."

  "And why do you choose to see them?"

  John began to loosen up. " They care. I'm sure the news paints me in a rather unflattering light around here. That makes some quick to judge. Makes socializing pretty tough.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  She was familiar with John Divines reputation. Unlike some people, she preferred to form her opinions of people based off of her own interactions with them.

  "Well, here is what I suggest. If those people are the only ones who "care" about you, then those are the only people who matter. Fuck the rest of them." John laughed at the crassness of Dawns statement. "I'm serious! You have to make your own family in this world, and family is those whom you call family. Not those who have some blood bond with you. You will drive yourself up a wall crazy if you keep trying to change yourself to fit what others think you should be." John was touched by her comments. She had never met him before, and yet she somehow knew exactly what to say. "Thank you Dawn." Dawn raised her eyebrow. "How did you know my name?" John reached a hand out and flicked her name tag. "You introduced yourself at the table, remember?" Laughing in unison, they looked at each other for a moment before John suddenly remembered why they were in the cab in the first place. "Hey." he asked, while giving the driver an address. "How do you feel about barbecue?"

  The taxi stopped at the end of a long dirt driveway. John paid the bill and rushed out to open Dawn's door. He extended a hand as she exited the vehicle. Off in the distance, you could see strings of lights woven between tall trees and there was a smell of Brisket and Boudin in the air. As the cab pulled away, John started walking and turned to look at Dawn. Knowing where they were headed, the woman of the house would thwack him over the head if he didn't walk with her. Bending his arm towards her, he beckoned her to follow him. Dawn looked at him and crinkled her nose. Johns heart jumped. What was that about? She walked up to him and instead of taking his arm, she put her hands on his waist and began untucking his shirt from his waistband. “What are you doing?” he laughed. After his shirt was free, Dawn looked at him. “If we are going to some shindig in the woods, you are gonna stick out like a sore thumb with your shirt tucked in. You need to relax dude.” Dawn held her hand out. "Give me your phone." John didn't budge. Not accepting his reluctance, Dawn reached her hand into his front pocket, pulling herself closer to him as she grabbed his phone. He smelled so good. Old Spice. Retro, but she liked it. After removing his phone, she powered it down and put it in her bag. "You can have it back at the end of the night." Dawn turned and walked ahead of him toward the soiree. John stood there slightly perplexed for a moment and took after her. She was awfully perceptive. He hadn’t said anything about where they were going. Frankly he was surprised she hadn’t asked any questions. “I could be an axe murderer you know” he said, catching up to her. “True, but we just got our picture taken together like a million times so I figure I’m safe”. She looked at him jokingly before letting him once again take her arm and continue walking down the path. He wasn't going to be able to think about anything but her for the rest of the night. Tomorrow, he would devote all of his attention to what happened to Jason. He would be the devoted brother, the reliable son, and the upstanding member of society. Tonight, he was going to be himself. It may be the last chance he got to do so.