Page 77 of The Summer Request
Lisa took a few steps back. People were rushing to get closer and she didn’t want to get swept up to the front.
“By being here today, you are taking the first steps to self-actualization! Give yourselves a round of applause!”
Blah.
For the next half hour, Lisa had to periodically look down at her feet as Lou droned on and on, saying words saturated with enthusiasm, but without any substance.
Finally, he passed the microphone off to one of his many volunteers and ran off stage.
Lisa watched him emerge, surrounded by security, and be whisked away to the VIP tent.
Perfect. She sent a text to the group. “On schedule.”
The woman onstage waved a dramatic hand and spoke into the microphone. “Lou Emerald, everyone!”
The crowd cheered, and she nodded, a smile frozen on her face. Lisa thought she could make out a glint of terror in her eyes.
She was one of theirs. An Emerald who had crossed the line.
“You’ll hear more about our sessions from Lou later,” she said, her voice echoing. “Next up, we’ve got some music to kick off the day!”
She ran off and the lights dropped. A moment later, the stage erupted with brilliant shooting flames so bright that it blinded Lisa, forcing her to look away. When she looked again, a woman had emerged from the darkness, dressed head-to-toe in a white pantsuit, bedazzles throwing the light on her shoulders.
The first chords ofI Won’t Be Bringing Home the Bacon Anymorerang out, and the crowd went wild for Valerie Villano.
Michelle adjusted her headset. As the manager of the Heartfelt Tenderhooks, she had access to everything backstage and she was trying to keep her cool so she didn’t mess up.
A text came in from Lisa. “No sight of him, no movement from the VIP tent. We have a minute, maybe?”
She clicked her microphone on and spoke. “Let’s give Val thirty seconds before we send her the signal.”
Kelly, the event coordinator, responded immediately. “Got it.”
Michelle had liked Kelly from the moment they’d met. She had a loud, booming voice and a cackling laugh. After an introduction through Chloe, Kelly told her all about her first Emerald session eleven years prior. She’d lost her two-year-old daughter in a car crash and her entire world had crumbled.
A friend had dragged her to an Emerald event. That was when she’d met Justine. That was when things changed. Justine showed up at her door every day for the next three months, forcing her to go to coffee, dinner, ice cream – anything to keep her moving. Justine introduced her to other Emeralds, and slowly, Kelly made friends.
She attended all of the free Emerald sessions, and though she wasn’t sold on the whole thing, she did think it gave her something to look forward to. No one judged her there, and she felt like she had a path to a new life.
That was the precise moment when Lou convinced her to take four thousand dollars’ worth of sessions. She didn’t have the money, but Lou had generously allowed her to take Emerald credit to pay back later.
Now, after years of leading her own sessions and volunteering at events, she only owed seven thousand and three hundred dollars, thanks to the interest she’d accrued.
The music cut out and Val’s voice boomed through the speakers. “How are you all doing today?”
Cheers erupted from the audience.
“What a crowd!” Val beamed and blew a kiss. “Some of you might know me, but most of you probably don’t. I’m Valerie Villano, and Justine Emerald was one of my dearest friends.”
Michelle held her breath as a slow chaos rumbled through the staff. The people around her clutched their headsets. They started talking quickly and running off in different directions.
The timer had started.
She ran to the computer connected to the jumbo TV. The venue had recommended a more sophisticated system, but since Lou was unwilling to pay, he’d ended up with whatever the Heartfelt Tenderhooks had brought along with them.
Sucker.
The guy manning the computer had taken off, summoned by Kelly as per the plan. Michelle stared at the screen, out of breath and hands shaking.
