Page 16 of Proof

“Hold on there, little lady!” Duke said with concern. “Don’t you go hurtin’ yourself now.”

“Oh, wow! Cullen! Thank you! Wow!” Luna proceeded to open the drawers. The first thing she pulled out was a copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, then a Backstreet Boys CD.

A copy of One Last Time by psychic medium John Edward was also in the drawer. She held it up. “See? I’ve been validated!” Luna had read the book when she was twelve and became an avid fan of Edward’s show, Crossing Over, when it aired in 2001. She begged her parents to watch it with her to prove she wasn’t a loony tune. At the time, Cullen countered, “It’s on the Sci-Fi Channel.” She’d stuck her tongue out at him back then—and did so again now.

“Okay, Miss Smarty Pants. How about we get this into the shop, and then you can have your trip down memory lane,” Cullen urged. “I am sure Duke has other things to do.”

“Oh, that’s alright. I got nowheres to be,” Duke responded.

“Let’s not encourage her, okay?” Cullen snickered. “Come on, Duke, let’s unload it.” Cullen pulled the lever that lowered the loading dock platform to meet the back of the truck. Then he hopped down the portable steps.

Luna wrapped her arms around the old dresser. “I am so happy to see you again.” She rested her ear on the top of it. “What’s that? You’re happy to see me, too? That’s terrific.”

Cullen disengaged her arms and looked up at Chi-Chi. “Did you know she also communicates with inanimate objects?”

Chi-Chi folded her arms and grinned. “They say that is a sign of a highly intelligent person.”

“Oh, geez. Now I’ll never hear the end of it.” He grimaced.

Luna gave him a peck on the cheek. “You are the best, Cul!” Then she scooted out of their way. “I can’t wait to see what else is in this treasure trove.”

“Maybe it will keep you out of trouble,” Cullen joked.

“As if.” Luna smirked.

Once the dresser was secure in the workshop, Duke said his goodbyes. “Give your folks my best. I sure miss workin’ fer ’em.”

“I’m sure I can find a few things for you to do over here.” Cullen handed the man 500 dollars.

“Much appreciated,” Duke said, then realized Cullen had overpaid him by 400 dollars. “Cullen, this is too much!”

“I can’t hear you,” Cullen said, as he hoisted the platform up. Everyone waved, and Cullen shut the door as Duke drove off.

The diversion of Duke’s arrival had lightened the air. Chi-Chi was no longer feeling guilty, and Luna was feeling brighter, knowing Chris would be coming. Plus, she now had mementos to explore. And Cullen was walking on air. He’d taken the first step by proclaiming his relationship with Chi-Chi to an outsider. Now all he had to do was tell her in private.

Chapter Five

Stillwell Center

Tuesday

Luna could barely pull herself away from the keepsakes in her former bedroom dresser, but Ellie needed her help. A local college group had planned to have an awards ceremony and formal dance at a nearby hotel, but the ballroom was flooded due to a water pipe fiasco, and the only place that could accommodate one hundred people on such short notice was the atrium at the center. It was all-hands-on-deck. They had two days to work a miracle.

Luna ran up the stairs to Ellie’s office, with Wylie galloping behind. Ziggy and Marley were lounging on their plush dog beds when Wylie bounded in and joined them. Luna and Ellie sat across from each other and began going over the details.

In addition to their food kiosk at the center, The Blonde Shallot specialized in catering and was able to create a simple menu—the guests were teenagers whose palates were less than demanding. The Cheese Cave could provide charcuterie to be placed on the high-top tables, and The Flakey Tart was now responsible for one hundred tortes. Since monitoring everyone’s drinking age would be impossible, Victor Deci from The Wine Cellar contacted his distributor and ordered several cases of nonalcoholic beverages, including Mockaritas in place of Margaritas, Mockapolitans in place of Cosmopolitans, a pseudo sparkling rosé, and fake beer. Nathan would keep a close eye on the partygoers to be sure there weren’t any flasks or other surreptitious means of smuggling in booze. No one was leaving the center inebriated.

Suki Kyoto, owner of Between the Folds, offered to hang her origami work among the trees in the atrium to give it a festive vibe. Devon Scott from Blowin’ in the Wind agreed to arrange several of his wind chimes in the garden area. Alex volunteered to wrap twinkling lights in the trees inside and out. Everyone was determined to turn the teenagers’ catastrophe into a night to remember.

Luna was busy making arrangements for the band. They were already booked for the gig; now she just had to figure out where to put them. She and Ellie went over the plans. Food and beverages would be served in the atrium, and the band would be on a riser in the garden area, where the patio could serve as the dance floor.

Ellie went down the checklist. “Looks like we have everything covered.”

“What about valet parking?”

“Good idea.” Ellie phoned Sunset Valet and booked them for the evening. “I have them under contract, and we haven’t used our maximum dates this month,” she explained once she was off the phone.

“Were the students able to get their deposit back from the original location?” Luna asked.

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