Eye Candy
Page 45
Kong wore a tuxedo jacket and bowtie as well, but no shirt. His tuxedo coat was sleeveless, providing full range of motion for his monstrous arms.
VanCat boasted a fine tuxedo jacket as well as pants, though he, too, seemed to have opted for no shirt. He swayed in place with his eyes closed, feeling the music as all four hands played all twenty-four strings on both necks of his one-of-a-kind guitar.
Danny spotted Moshe and Tikva on the dance floor, close to the stage, alongside Helen and Sparky, Romeo, and Oberon. Moshe, Sparky, Romeo, and Oberon wore classic tuxedoes with white ties. Tikva and Helen each wore dazzling evening gowns.
“There they are,” said Danny.
Tikva noticed Danny and Candy and waved. She alerted Moshe, Helen, Sparky, Romeo, and Oberon, all of whom began waving wildly.
Kong finished the tune with a powerful, staccato drum solo, and the song ended.
“Thank you,” Blackie spoke into the microphone. “This next tune goes out to all the lovers and the players out there. And we’d like to dedicate it to two very special people who are simply perfect together. It’s called Dance, Dance, Dance.”
The song began with four soulful, echoing notes on VanCat’s guitar, repeated.
Whitey came in on the bass.
Kong’s drums joined in.
Blackie began to sing.
The song unfolded, becoming a peppy funk jam interspersed with a beautiful melody. Blackie’s red eyes gleamed as he sang about the holiness of lovers being in love, always and forever.
Together, Danny and Candy strode onto the dance floor.
Danny and Candy began to rock and sway, feeling the music, letting their bodies move at will and without thought.
The others also took to the dance floor. Rory and Harley; Tim and Maggie, Isaac, Nik, Gali, Copper, and Turing; Floyd and Susannah; Howard; Zammy and Delilah; Atom; Blendo; Rony and Poo; Rukara; Bella; Bernard and Prima; Canary and Laura; Larry and Charlotte.
Danny and Candy danced, surrounded by their friends.
Whitey, Kong, and VanCat eased into a rhythmic jam. Blackie took the mic. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for being here this evening. If everyone would please rise.”
The guests seated around the dance floor stood. The rear of the tent was cozy with all the attendees who had come in from the lawn.
“Right now,” said Blackie, “I have the distinct pleasure of making two very important introductions. First, coming to the dance floor, the most caring, hardworking, devoted politician I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. . . . Put your hands together, please, for Vice President David Stein!”
Everyone clapped and cheered. Two spotlights illuminated as David ran onto the dance floor and dropped to his knees, executing a perfect power slide. David got to his feet and took a bow.
“And now, ladies and gentlemen,” said Blackie, “put your hands together for the Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2048, one of the most amazing and influential men of all time, and the fifty-first president of the United States of Americaaaaaa . . . President Les Grossmannnnn!!!”
Les stepped onto the dance floor, lit by the spotlights. His tuxedo jacket had been abandoned, leaving his white shirt, black suspenders, and matching cummerbund. His bowtie was absent and his shirt sleeves had been rolled up. Sunglasses concealed his eyes, gleaming in the spotlights. He had lost weight (and most of his body hair), and a lean, muscular physique was evident beneath his white shirt.
Les began to move with the beat, bobbing his head in time. He reached into his shirt and withdrew a gold medal that hung about his neck. He joined the other dancers on the floor.
Blackie and the guys resumed the song in full tempo.
Les slapped a crisp high-five with Danny, kissed the back of Candy’s hand, and then executed a perfect backflip, landed in the splits, and came back up to his feet dancing.
Danny and Candy joined Les in the celebration, as did everyone. Poo went so far as to leap into the air, kicking off his shoes in a fit of joy.
Surrounded by their friends, Danny and Candy danced, danced, danced, danced all night long, yes all night long.