Santa Monica, CA, 1994
Hurley stood, loading his suitcase into the back of his friend Johnny's van. His mother came out, her hands crossed.
"You will behave yourself, Hugo?" she said. It was a strange mix of concerned questioning, an order, and 'if you don't, I will smack you' in her voice.
"Mom, please," Hurley said. "I'm seventeen. It's just a school. Have I ever gotten in big trouble?" Johnny snickered from where he stood nearby. "Come on, man," Hurley added, turning to Johnny. "You're not helping."
"Hugo," Carmen said. "I better be getting letters. And phone calls."
"Yeah, mom, I promise," Hurley said. "Can I just..."
"And you will--"
"Mom?" Hurley interrupted. "Can I just... I don't want this to get emotional in front of Johnny. Please?"
Hurley found himself pulled into a tight hug, then kissed on the cheek. "You make new friends. And remember, Jesus is watching you."
"Yeah, I will," Hurley said. He kissed his mom on the cheek and waved. "I better go. I got a flight to catch."
Hurley got into Johnny's van and shut the door.
"Right on," Johnny said. "What airline you flying again?"
"Oceanic," Hurley said. "Flight 1623."
"I can't believe you're leaving me," Johnny said. "We're pals, best friends, compadres."
"It's for my mom, really," Hurley said. "I think I... bum her out or something."
"Hey, none of that now. And Hurley?" Johnny said.
"Yeah?"
"Unlike your mom, I will come punch you if you don't write me a letter or four," Johnny said.
"Dude, that is so not cool," Hurley said with a little pout.
"You just remember," Johnny said with a smile. He started up the van and they headed out to the airport.
"You will behave yourself, Hugo?" she said. It was a strange mix of concerned questioning, an order, and 'if you don't, I will smack you' in her voice.
"Mom, please," Hurley said. "I'm seventeen. It's just a school. Have I ever gotten in big trouble?" Johnny snickered from where he stood nearby. "Come on, man," Hurley added, turning to Johnny. "You're not helping."
"Hugo," Carmen said. "I better be getting letters. And phone calls."
"Yeah, mom, I promise," Hurley said. "Can I just..."
"And you will--"
"Mom?" Hurley interrupted. "Can I just... I don't want this to get emotional in front of Johnny. Please?"
Hurley found himself pulled into a tight hug, then kissed on the cheek. "You make new friends. And remember, Jesus is watching you."
"Yeah, I will," Hurley said. He kissed his mom on the cheek and waved. "I better go. I got a flight to catch."
Hurley got into Johnny's van and shut the door.
"Right on," Johnny said. "What airline you flying again?"
"Oceanic," Hurley said. "Flight 1623."
"I can't believe you're leaving me," Johnny said. "We're pals, best friends, compadres."
"It's for my mom, really," Hurley said. "I think I... bum her out or something."
"Hey, none of that now. And Hurley?" Johnny said.
"Yeah?"
"Unlike your mom, I will come punch you if you don't write me a letter or four," Johnny said.
"Dude, that is so not cool," Hurley said with a little pout.
"You just remember," Johnny said with a smile. He started up the van and they headed out to the airport.