Chapter 2 - Announcement
Strains of music, the hum of conversation, and the rumble of laughter can be
heard several miles from Luke's Club. In a mansion, rival in size and grandeur
to that of the Quartermaines, on the other side of town, is an old woman. She
sits, silently, upright in an antique chair, and slowly looks around the room.
Two men stand by the door, dwarfed by her, not in size but in presence, for she
exudes power, wielding it like a weapon.
“Come. What have you to report?”
“Nothing new, I'm afraid,” the unfortunate man responds.
“And what of you?” she asks of the second man.
“We are in position, awaiting your word to continue,” the other man says, more
sure of himself than his friend was.
“Good.” Slowly, she stands, walks to a table by the side and pours herself a
drink. She downs it, and calls out, “You will both hear from me in the near
future. For now, you may leave.”
Grateful, they quickly exit, glad to have left with their lives intact.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back at the club:
The crowd went wild, and the emotionally drained singer left the stage to go
talk to Lucy and Kevin.
“Hey mom, when did you arrive?”
“Just in time, baby, just in time. You look fantastic tonight. Not that you
don't usually look great, but especially tonight!”
“We're very proud of you, sweetheart,” Kevin joins.
“Thanks Kevin, I'm glad you made it. Where's dad?”
“Don't worry, he'll be here. It’s not like Scotty to miss a party!”
The three of them dissolve into fits of laughter, knowing what is still to come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outside in the parking lot, 100m from the entrance to Luke's, stood a young
couple under a traffic light.
From far, one could easily mistake 17 year old Jared Scorpio, and his
girlfriend, Belinda Harrison, only 16, for 20 year olds. They stood there,
kissing passionately for several minutes before they were forcible broken up.
“Timing, Mother!” were the first words to come out of Belinda's lips.
“Dear, you're wanted inside. You missed your cousin's song and I know she'll be
disappointed if you're not there for the next one. Hello Jared.”
“Hey Mrs. Harrison.” An uncomfortable shuffling of the feet and suddenly the
pavement looked really interesting from his point of view.
“You know full well that we're divorced. I'm going back to my maiden name. Call
me Stanton, Ms. Stanton. Or just call me Cara, we're practically family anyway!”
Belinda stifled a giggle as Jared went red. She was used to her mother by now.
“Sure, Cara!” Bolder now.
“I'll be there in a minute, Mom. Tell Serena that I'll talk to her soon. She'll
understand.”
Cara pursed her lips. “Very well. I'll see you inside in 10 minutes.” With that,
she walked off. Belinda burst out laughing.
“What's so funny, Lindy?”
“That's my family for you! Sure you know what you're getting into?”
“I'll take my chances.”
He kissed her again, and she lost all hope of getting inside anytime soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elsewhere in the crowd, a middle-aged man lights up a cigar. He pushes through
the people, and climbs up on stage.
“Hey there everyone,” he calls out, not at all shy about being in the center of
attention. “Good to see you all here. Well, for those of you who DON'T know me,”
he pauses and shows his smirk off to the audience as they all laugh. “I am Lucky
Spencer, and it is my privilege to have invited you all here tonight to
celebrate a big event… probably the biggest event of my life.”
“We've heard that one before, Lucky!” called out a voice from the crowd,
followed by laughter.
“Well, this time, I mean it! I'd like to call a very special lady up onto the
stage at this point in time. Come on! You know who you are!”
An elegant lady with pale skin, sparkling, deep brown eyes and dark brown hair
cut fashionably into a bob around her ears, in a navy crop top, exposing her
death white stomach, and a short black skirt, stood from her position at a
central table, flashed a shy smile and slowly walked along the pathway created
for her by the parting crowd. When she reached the stage, Lucky stretched out
his hand to her, which she accepted, and walked over to the microphone.
“Hi,” she nervously said to which some members of the crowd responded in kind -
more laughter.
“I guess we've got some news,” at which point she stuck out her left hand,
showing all the shiny diamond ring on her fourth finger. “Lucky asked me to
marry him last night!”
Lucky put his arm around her shoulders and finished “…and she said 'Yes'!”
The crowd could not be contained, as voice level grew to astounding heights.
Several people went up to wish the couple their congratulations, but most were
content to talk about it in their own small groups.
Suddenly, a draught swept through the room as the door was swung open. A figure
was silhouetted in the darkness by the background lights in the parking lot.
Emily Bowen-Quartermaine stepped into the club for the first time in years and
cried out “No!!!!!”
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