Choosing America's Next Superstar (19 page)

“Well, even when I was in school sports, playing against my best friends, I wanted to win at all costs,” Charlie said. “Maybe it’s just my competitive nature.”

“I don’t think this is exactly the same thing,” Corey said. “Like I said, we’re both already winners. Regardless of who comes out on top, we’re both likely to benefit from the competition. Sometimes the runners-up have far more successful careers than the person who technically won.”

“Say what you want,” Charlie replied, “but I just know that even though there is no one on earth that I love more than my big brother, if I were competing against him in a contest, I’d want to win. When it comes to competition, it’s not a matter of love… it’s war.”

“Well, that’s how you’ve got to think of it,” Jimmy said. “We have competed against each other a lot in our lives. We’ve played games, sports, even made bets with each other. We do both want to win, but in the end, what is more important? Winning or being brothers?”

Charlie smiled and placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “That’s a dumb question,” he said.

“Exactly. And your question to us is the same way. Corey and I love each other, and that’s much more important than winning.”

“Oh,” Charlie said jokingly, “I was gonna say kicking your ass was way more important than being your brother.”

“I’ll pull this car over,” Jimmy threatened, “and we’ll see who kicks whose butt.”

“
W
ELCOME
to Owenton, population thirteen hundred,” Jimmy said as they passed through the city limits. There wasn’t much to the town itself, but Corey didn’t mind. It made him feel right at home. His northern Michigan town was about the same size, though with a slightly larger population. “Mama’s making lunch for us, but if y’all want to get some snacks for later, we can. I gotta stop here at this gas station.”

“Doritos!” Charlie declared.

“Boy, you’re gonna turn into a Dorito,” Jimmy scolded. He winked at Corey. Corey loved the dynamic that existed with Jimmy and his little brother. He wished that he and his sister shared a rapport like that. Lanie and he had been close when they were younger, but not so much anymore.

As they stepped into the service station, Corey felt like he’d gone back in time. It was not laid out at all like a modern convenience store. Instead it looked like an old mercantile or something. “This is more like a little general store,” Corey observed. “They have everything in here. Sugar and flour. Breakfast cereal. Fresh-made deli subs. Even fishing equipment.”

“And live bait,” Jimmy added. “This here’s where we buy our worms ’fore we go out fishin’.”

“Seriously?” Corey said, laughing.

“Y’all want some soda?” Jimmy asked.

“Sure,” Corey said. “But when you come to Michigan, we don’t call it soda.”

“What do y’all call it up there?” Charlie asked, intrigued.

“Pop,” Corey said.

The brothers laughed. “That there is what y’all call your daddy in these parts.”

The boys loaded up their arms with a few types of chips and sodas and made their way up to the counter.

“Afternoon, Mr. Jimmy,” the middle-aged woman behind the counter greeted him. “Charlie.” She nodded toward the younger boy.

“Afternoon, Miss Evelyn. I’d like you to meet my friend Corey. He’s from Michigan, and he was in that singing competition with me. Remember when I went to New York a few weeks back?”

“Ah, I sure do. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet ya. You gonna be on TV too like Jimmy here?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Corey said. “We both have to go to California in January for the rest of the competition.”

“We are so proud of our Jimmy,” Evelyn said. “To think a local boy from our own hometown has made it so far. You know, Jimmy, this whole town is pullin’ for ya. When I see you step foot in my very own store, my heart just a races. I feel like I’m in the presence of greatness.”

Jimmy was blushing, but he nodded politely at the matronly lady. “Why, thank you, Miss Evelyn. That there means a lot to me, and I feel a bit like I’m in the presence of greatness myself. You run a fine establishment here.”

“Oh,
pfft
,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “But thank you, Jimmy. And good luck to both of ya. No offense, Mr. Corey, but I’ll be pulling for Mr. Jimmy.”

“None taken, ma’am,” Corey said. “I’m pulling for him myself… I mean I’m pulling for both of us.”

“There ya go,” she said.

It wasn’t until they’d chatted at least a good ten minutes that Miss Evelyn finally began ringing up their purchases. “Oh, I almost forgot,” Jimmy said. “I need to get some gas. Forty dollars, please.”

“I just can’t believe how friendly people are here,” Corey said as they got back to the car.

“It’s called southern hospitality,” Charlie said.

“It’s a far cry from New York City,” Jimmy added.

“Well, I like it,” Corey said.

“If you liked Miss Evelyn, wait’l ya meet Mama. She’ll be kissin’ all over your face,” Charlie warned.

“Mama gets a little emotional sometimes,” Jimmy said.

“I think I’m gonna like your mama.”

“See that building there with the ‘Quick Lube’ sign? That there’s where I work.”

“Wow, at least your town has one,” Corey quipped. “The town I’m from has one quick lube and one McDonald’s, and about forty churches.”

“We have a lot of churches too, but we also got a Burger King.”

Jimmy pumped the gas, and the boys got back in the car. “There’s a grocery store here, down on the next street, and we have a hardware, couple diners, and a bar. Frankfort’s a little over a half-hour’s drive from here if we need anything else.”

“Daddy works in Cranetown,” Charlie said. “An hour’s drive from here.”

“Really? He drives that far every day?”

“He works in the Toyota factory there,” Jimmy explained. He’s a foreman. It’s a good job, but when he got the job, he didn’t want to move the whole family. Daddy grew up here. Says it’s worth the drive to live in his hometown and raise his family here.”

“What about you?” Corey asked. “How do you like it here?”

Jimmy glanced over to him, then looked back to the road. His expression pensive, he lowered his voice. “I really do love it here. I love my family, my hometown….”

“But…?”

“But sometimes I want more. Ya know what I mean? I want to see more of the world, go places, do things that I can’t do in this little town.”

“Like being on
America’s Next Superstar
?”

“Yeah, like that.” He winked at Corey, then slid his hand across the seat and rested it on Corey’s leg. “Know what I really want?”

“What?”

“I’d love to do some traveling. Make a living with my music, but have a home of my own to always come back to. If by the grace of God I’m successful, I’d like to make things right with my folks. Pay them back for all they done for me over the years, and then get myself my own place.”

“You have a big heart, Jimmy,” Corey said, placing his hand atop Jimmy’s and squeezing it.

Jimmy responded by massaging Corey’s thigh with his thumb and fingers. “This right here’s our humble home,” he said, pulling into a long, gravel driveway. Jimmy started laughing. “And that there’s Mama, waitin’ for us on the front porch.”

Corey peered out the window at the modest, ranch-style home. It was nice—very homey—but far from palatial. It was just an average home, typical for the all-American family, and Corey could easily visualize Jimmy growing up here.

Jimmy laid on the horn as they approached the house, and his mother stepped off the porch and approached the car. The three boys piled out, and Mrs. Sawyer stepped over to Corey. “You must be Corey,” she said. “I’m so excited to finally meet you.” She wrapped him in a warm embrace, kissing the side of his face.

“I told ya Mama would kiss all over yer face,” Charlie said.

“You hush,” she said. “I can kiss who I wanna kiss. My oh my, you’re the skinniest little thing. Worse than Jimmy!”

“I’m sure you’ll fatten him up while he’s here,” Jimmy joked. “You got a whole seven days to make sure he gets his fill.”

“Well, I got dinner waitin’,” she said.

Corey couldn’t believe how warmly he’d been accepted into Jimmy’s family. He’d feared it would be awkward, that he and Jimmy might have to hide their relationship, but so far it had been exactly the opposite. If only his own family was as accepting of him as was Jimmy’s. Corey was beginning to worry how Jimmy would feel when he came to Michigan. He knew his mother and sister would not give Jimmy anywhere near the warm welcome that Corey had received in Kentucky.

“This
is lunch?” Corey exclaimed when he looked at the table. It seemed more like Thanksgiving dinner. There was a huge platter of fried chicken, a heaping plate of cornbread, homemade stuffing, creamed green beans, corn on the cob, and an enormous strawberry-rhubarb pie.

“Mama cooks enough to feed an army,” Jimmy explained.

“Now, I don’t usually make such a big meal for lunch, but this here was a special occasion.”

Mrs. Sawyer grilled Corey with questions throughout the meal, asking him how he’d liked his experience in New York. She asked him about his family and his hometown, what he wanted to do with his life besides singing. She was about the sweetest and most genuine person Corey had ever met other than Jimmy. He could see where Jimmy got his manners.

“Mrs. Sawyer, I think this was the best meal I’ve ever had,” Corey said truthfully.

“Now you stop,” she said. “That there is such a sweet thing to say.”

“We’re lucky,” Jimmy interjected. “Mama’s a great cook.”

“I’ll help clean up,” Corey volunteered, pushing his chair back.

“No, no, you boys head on downstairs. I’ll take care of this mess.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m absolutely positive,” she said. “You’re our guest.”

“I think I’m gonna go lie down,” Charlie said. “I’m a little tired.”

“Are you okay?” Jimmy said, suddenly looking worried.

“I’m fine,” he assured everyone. “It was an early morning… lot of excitement. I’m just gonna take a little nap.”

Corey looked into Jimmy’s face, which registered his genuine concern. Mrs. Sawyer got up from the table and retrieved something from the kitchen. “You didn’t take your noon meds,” she said, handing some pills to Charlie. “Do you need a pain pill?”

“No!” Charlie responded, shaking his head. “I’ll be too drowsy. I’m just gonna lie down a few minutes.”

She stood there as Charlie swallowed his medication, and then she led him down the hallway to his room.

“Will he be okay?” Corey asked Jimmy.

“He gets tired easy, after the surgery. Going with me to Lexington was quite an adventure for him.”

“Wow,” Corey said. “It makes me feel bad. I should have just rented a car….”

“Nah,” Jimmy said. “It ain’t your fault Charlie wanted to come with me. It’s probably good for him, actually. The more he gets out and does things, the stronger he’ll get. Come on, I’ll show you my room downstairs.”

Corey followed Jimmy down the hall and then into a stairwell that led to the lower level. At the base of the stairs, they stepped into a large open room which appeared to be like a family or entertainment room. Corey’s eyes immediately went to the piano.

“Wow, you have a piano,” Corey said.

“Do you play?”

Corey nodded. “I’ve been playing since I was in the first grade, but I always had to practice at school. We don’t have our own piano at home.”

Beside the piano was an array of other musical instruments, including Jimmy’s guitar. “This here is where I write most of my songs.”

“Really? You write your own music?”

“I wrote you a song too,” Jimmy said, stepping closer to Corey.

“I love you so much,” Corey whispered, only a split second before he felt the heat of Jimmy’s lips crushing his own. Corey closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Jimmy’s broad shoulders, savoring the taste and smell of the man who was now the center of his universe.

“Come on,” Jimmy said, “I’ll show you my room.” He took Corey by the hand and led him to his bedroom. And that’s when they really got serious about kissing.

L
ATER
that evening, after Jimmy’s father got home from work, the family had a big supper. Corey was anything but hungry, after having indulged at lunch. Jimmy explained to him that lunches were typically not so bountiful, but it was his mom’s way of welcoming Corey to their home.

Jimmy’s dad had a far more reserved personality than the rest of the family. He was not unfriendly, but he wasn’t talkative the way Charlie and Mrs. Sawyer were. Some extended family—cousins, aunts, and uncles—and a few neighbors came over later in the evening, and they all gathered downstairs.

The lower level had a sliding glass door that led out to a large patio, just off the family room. This allowed guests to mingle indoors and out. Corey was pleased to discover that Mr. Sawyer also had some musical talent. He played guitar, and soon the three of them were entertaining the crowd. Corey played piano while Jimmy and his dad were on guitars. Jimmy and Corey took turns singing, and sometimes sang together. With some songs, everyone joined in. Mr. Sawyer claimed he didn’t have a singing voice, but from what Corey could hear, he did all right.

The celebration continued well into the late hours of the evening, in spite of the fact that it was a weeknight. Charlie appeared to be feeling much better, and after his nap and a hearty supper, he seemed to have regained energy.

Finally, when everyone had cleared out for the evening, Jimmy’s parents informed the boys they were going to call it a night. Charlie insisted he wasn’t tired yet and turned on the big-screen TV in the family room. Corey and Jimmy sat down with him as he surfed the channels. Once he settled on a movie, he quickly dozed off, slumping onto the leather cushion. Jimmy waited about ten minutes, and then very quietly walked over and scooped the boy up into his arms and carried him upstairs to his bedroom.

When Jimmy returned, Corey was still sitting on the sofa, waiting for him. “Where am I sleeping?” Corey asked.

“Officially or actually?” Jimmy asked.

“Actually….”