Page 18 of A Silenced Midlife

"Thank God for Michelle's family watching Selby," I muttered, pulling the front door shut behind us. "Last thing we need is him in the middle of this."

"Would've been a sight, that's for sure," Drew replied as we jogged down the porch steps.

We hopped into his truck, and Drew steered us down the road, the bed and breakfast only a few turns away, maybe a half a mile.

We pulled up to see the B&B owner on the front lawn, her hands at her mouth.

"Hey, what's going on?" Drew called out as we approached.

She just shook her head, clearly at a loss for words, and that's when I saw a tourist pacing, arms flailing, her voice a high-pitched string of panic.

"This can't be happening. This isn't real." she cried out.

Drew and I exchanged a look before I stepped closer to her. "Hey, it's okay. What's wrong?"

"I came here for my cousin's wedding, and now—now this? This is insane." She grabbed my arm, her grip tight. "You do see it, right? Tell me I'm not losing my mind."

I patted her hand, trying to sound reassuring. "No, you're not crazy. It's all part of a stunt."

"Stunt?" Her voice wavered, but I could see her breathing slow down a fraction.

"Yeah," I said, keeping my tone light. "It's all planned."

I squinted at the empty spaces around the garden, focusing my energy. In moments, the illusion of cameras popped into existence, tucked away in the shrubbery, and peering out from behind trees.

"Look there, and there," I said brightly to the tourist, pointing at the fake equipment. "You're going to be on TV."

She blinked, her hysteria waning a bit. "What are you talking about?"

"Surprise! This is a new hidden camera show. Pretty wild, right?" I beamed at her as if we were sharing an inside joke. "And Drew will pay you $100 for your trouble, even."

Drew's eyebrows rose, but he played along, reaching for his wallet with a hint of reluctance. "Here you go," he said, handing over a crisp hundred-dollar bill.

"Thank you, Mr. Drew," I chimed in as the woman took the money, still looking perplexed.

"Sign this," I said, producing a piece of paper out of thin air.

I consent to being on camera.

She studied the paper. "That seems pretty basic."

"Yep, just sign and date it. We need to keep things simple, you know? It's going to be great if the networks pick it up." I kept my smile fixed, praying she'd buy it.

"Oh, it's not even picked up yet?" she said with a note of skepticism now.

"Right, it may not even air. But fingers crossed!" I tried to sound hopeful, encouraging her to feel the same way.

"Okay then," she muttered, scribbling her name across the bottom.

"Come with me," I said, touching the tourist's arm and steering her towards the B&B owner who stood by the door, wringing her hands. She gave me a grateful look and ushered the tourist inside.

Once they disappeared into the house, I let out a sigh and focused on the task at hand. I closed my eyes briefly, feeling for the threads of the spell that had conjured the cameras. With a silent command, I pulled the magic back, the illusion dissolving into nothingness.

"Is it over?" The B&B owner was back.

"Yeah, all good now," I replied, trying to sound reassuring.

"I... I just..." She looked like she was about to cry or scream, maybe both.

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