Chapter 16

“I love my critical-thinking class,” David told his dad. “It challenges me to reassess my beliefs.”

After flying back from Tucson, David had come straight to his house in Malibu, and he and his dad were up early, drinking tea on the roof.

“I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“My critical-thinking professor challenged us to examine one of our beliefs and use facts to prove or disprove it. We were to ignore all the rhetoric around the issue and look at the hard data.

“He pointed out that the government is probably the leading purveyor of misinformation, that politicians spout either twisted truth or, in some cases, actual lies to fit their agenda. And the press isn’t much better.

“His point was that we have to learn to think for ourselves.

“You know how I got on my high horse and gave Governor Blackfarmer a hard time about not spending enough money on the homeless?” David asked.

Looking back, that might not have been one of his most shining moments.

His dad nodded that he’d heard about it. To make his point, David had turned his birthday into a fundraising event and donated the money to various charities.

“Did you know that Los Angeles County has spent, by a conservative estimate, some $6.5 billion in the past ten years addressing the homelessness issue? During that time, the number of homeless people in the county increased from about 39,000 to more than 83,000. What does that tell you?” David asked.

“That funds aren’t the problem,” Rob said.

“The issues here are different from those back home, where initiatives like rapid rehousing could help the newly homeless as a bridge until they can get their feet under them. What LA is facing is the worst kind: the chronic homeless. By worst, I mean the hardest to solve.”

The chronic homeless include the drug-addicted and the mentally ill, neither of whom seem to feel a need to get off the streets. The technical definition was an individual who’d been homeless for at least twelve months or had been on the street on at least four separate occasions in the last three years, totaling at least twelve months.

“So, what’s the answer?” Rob asked.

“I don’t know,” David admitted. “What I do know is what’s being done now isn’t working. I think asking the government to solve it is probably a bad idea. When was the last time the government solved anything?”

Rob chuckled.

“My dad used to joke that you should be terrified when the government comes to you and says, ‘We’re here to help you.’ I think he got it from Reagan.”

“I know I’m being flippant about it. The government will have to participate in the solution,” David confessed.

David’s mom joined them.

“What are you two talking about?”

“David is trying to solve the world’s problems.”

“How about he rousts the kids and gets their day started?” Carol suggested.

“I was enjoying the peace and quiet,” Rob said.

“Maybe you can wait another half hour,” Carol agreed.

David was sent to fetch his dad another tea and his mom a coffee. He also found the coffee cake Rosy had hidden in the pantry.

That day’s scene opened with the cast at the coffee house talking to Mick before Nikki showed up.

“You guys don’t understand that kissing is as important as any part of it,” Monica said.

Dexter snorted at that absurd statement.

“Monica’s right. A kiss will tell you everything you need to know about a guy,” Janelle said.

“I think for us, kissing is like the price of admission before you get to go on the E-ticket ride at Disneyland,” Forest said.

“It’s not that we mind paying for the ticket ... it’s just not why we bought it,” Dexter said.

“Are you guys talking about sex?” Mick asked.

“And cut! Good work, everyone. Let’s get set up for the next scene,” Abigail called out.

The next scene had Mick explaining being married to Nikki.

“You’re married?”

“I am. To a wonderful woman named Nadia.”

Nikki looked like her head might explode.

“So, tell me, how will your wife feel about what you and I did at your apartment?” Nikki asked.

“Don’t worry about it. I imagine she’ll be okay with you because she’s okay with Kirsten.”

“Kirsten? There’s a Kirsten?”

“Kirsten is my girlfriend.”

Nikki tilted her head to the side to try to see if Mick was lying to her.

“Okay,” she drawled. “What kind of relationship do you see us having if you already have a wife and a girlfriend on the side? And how did you get a girlfriend when you just moved here?”

“A sexual one, and I met Kirsten in Germany,” Mick answered.

“In Germany? Huh,” Nikki said as she tried to wrap her head around what he’d said.

“Do you want to go back to my place or yours?” Mick asked.

“Mine. I don’t want to do the walk of shame knowing you have someone lined up for later,” Nikki said.

“Great! That’s probably for the best because Nadia might be home. Let’s go.”

Nikki didn’t look happy, but she got up and followed Mick to the door.

“And cut!”

“How did your soap go today?” Alex asked when David got home.

“They got me to show my butt again. My character is a total man-whore.”

“So, like real life?”

David flipped his roommate off.

“When will your man-whorishness be on display? I’m asking for a friend.”

“Monday, I bare all,” David said.

“You mean the full Monty?” Alex asked.

David shook his head ‘no.’

“They aren’t paying me, so only my backside.”

Cassidy had told Tracy and Pam about Monday so they could DVR it. Somehow, all his girl friends had sent him snarky messages over the weekend. Cassidy might not get her fancy cupcake after all—and if she kept it up, she might be staying in Illinois.

“Speaking of which, Wren asked about you, and she wondered if you were ever free to ... uhm ... study.”

David gave him an annoyed look.

“Don’t be like that. Once she gets started ... let’s just say she’s frisky,” Alex said to plead his case.

“Then why don’t you ‘study’ with her?”

“She shot me down. Wren said she’d rather study with Big Cat,” Alex said. “Come on, man, say you’ll do it.”

“No,” David said without even having to think about it.

“Fine,” Alex said and then brightened. “I heard a rumor.”

“I probably don’t want to know.”

“This, you do. It has to do with your pet, Emily.”

“Just tell me.”

“She’s about to wear out that vibrator you gave her.”

David smiled, knowing he’d done a good deed.

“Now Chloe wants to go into your room and look at your sex-toy drawer,” Alex added.

David thought it would be worth it to give Chloe the strap-on. Alex would regret being a smartass. Well, his ass would probably smart, anyway.

“Only if she lets me pick something out for her.”

“Deal!” Alex said.

David rubbed his hands together and gave his evil mad scientist laugh.

“Oh, crud,” Alex said.

“Lube is your friend,” David said.

It was Alex’s turn to flip David off.

After he dropped Sadie off at school, the light bulb came on. He knew what he could use Lexi for.

“David?” Lexi asked with worry in her voice.

“How are you settling in?”

“Fine. The view from my balcony is spectacular, and everyone is so friendly,” she said, reassured by the small talk.

“Good. I have a job ... no, two ... for you. Cassidy is returning to LA on Sunday, and I still have a lease with that fancy car dealership where I got the Porsche. I want you to have them send over the safest vehicle they have that she can handle with one hand,” David said.

“I remember them. I’ll call and get that taken care of.”

“The second will take a little more work.”

David explained Sadie’s situation and her mother’s money worries.

“I’ll talk to her mom and get everything set up. I’m sure a GoFundMe page would do the trick if I could use your social media to make the ask,” Lexi said.

“Yes, let’s do that. While you’re at it, talk to Cassidy. She said her dad was spending money on her care. I also have a list of charities I’ll send over,” David said and then had another thought. “If using my name isn’t enough, I’m sure some of my friends could be persuaded to help. I’m thinking Halle, Ben, Isabel ... oh, and Crazy Pants.”

“You’re still mad at me, aren’t you?” Lexi asked.

David didn’t think that needed a response.

“Focus on Sadie and Cassidy first. Tell Megan when it’s all set up because I might as well donate to people who really need it.”

Okay, he wasn’t a hundred percent sure Cassidy needed it, but that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t both appreciate and accept the money.

“I bet that Megan might have some other causes she thinks are worthy. If I remember right, she acts as your gatekeeper for all the hat-in-hand requests,” Lexi said.

“This might turn into a new option for you. You could work with charities to find new sources of funds. I bet if you approached Holistic Wealth Management, they have clients who need to donate to offset their tax bills. Instead of giving it all to the local opera house, they might give some to worthy causes that actually do what they say,” David said.

“Would you support it if I did?” Lexi asked.

He knew what she was asking. Lexi was in Monaco without a net, so to speak.

“If you do a good job with Sadie and Cassidy, I’ll have Megan hire you so you have health insurance and the like. You can also stay in the condo,” David promised.

“I’ll get right on it,” Lexi said and hung up.

Tami was right; he should cut his ties to Lexi. But, if directed, she could be a force for good. He didn’t need a Lexi who hated him, had too much time on her hands, knew far too much, and could cause him real problems. Tami would just have to understand.

This week’s guest on Trojan Inquirer was Amy Stackhouse. Tracy had begged David to get her because she was the only female football coach in the Pac-12. David introduced Coach Stackhouse to his friend.

After the opening introductions, David let Tracy conduct the interview.

Tracy: “How did you get into football?”

Amy: “My father is the owner of the Arizona Cardinals. Growing up, I was a tomboy and went to work with my dad. When I became a teen, I told him I wanted to get involved in the business. He told me I had to find my own way and that football wasn’t in the cards.”

Tracy: “But you’re now coaching. Something had to have changed.”

Amy: “I became a psychologist and opened a practice focused on helping athletes. My dad’s team had some players who weren’t performing as they felt they could, so I asked if I could help ‘fix’ them.

“That’s where I met Coach Merritt. He’d been a player for my dad, and when his career ended, he was hired to coach defensive backs. When he got the USC job, he needed a coach. He remembered me from his time in Arizona, so he hired me.”

Tracy: “Your job is special teams and helping troubled players? I bet David’s a handful.”

Amy looked at David with a big grin.

Amy: “I’m starting to think he’s unfixable.”

Then she got serious.

Amy: “Quarterback is the most complicated position in football. If it were just a matter of throwing a ball ... Well, there are a lot of players who can do that. The really good ones are hard to find, so most teams have to develop them. It takes a mixture of raw athletic talent, a focused determination with attention to detail, and leadership. A quarterback has to be a vocal leader who makes everyone around him better.”

Tracy: “And David?”

Amy: “He’s a work in progress that shows promise. I have to say that I’m quite impressed with his work ethic. I predict our fans will be pleased before he’s done here at USC.”

The two of them talked for another twenty minutes, but it was the first part that would end up on the Pac-12 Network on Saturday.

Crystal was printing her paper that was due in her afternoon class when she heard screams from downstairs. It sounded like an intruder was killing her sorority sisters. Without thinking, she sprinted from her room and bounded down the stairs.

As she reached the first floor, more blood-curdling screams erupted.

She burst into the living room to see Taylor with the pledge class, all giddy about something on TV.

Taylor saw her and bounced off the couch.

“Replay it! Crystal has to see this.”

Crystal watched the TV and saw her boyfriend on the screen. She deduced that this must be that soap he was in. She frowned when a gorgeous woman was at his door. Somehow, David had forgotten to clue her in about that part.