by Laura DeLuca
“For the record, though I choose to remain single, I have no qualms with men,” Sharon said as she took a sip of her Guinness. “There are plenty of good ones out there. And speaking of the gender, I do believe Drew just walked through the door.”
Lainey’s neck snapped around so quickly she almost got whiplash. She immediately spied the crimson robe wading through an assembly of cops and robbers. Drew caught her eye across the room and waved. Relief instantly washed over Lainey. She didn’t realize how worried she’d been until she knew Drew was safe. She cared about the guy a lot more than she was ready to admit out loud.
“If the waitress comes around, can you order us a cola and a light beer?”
She hadn’t spoken to anyone in particular, but Sharon nodded, and Lainey practically overturned her chair in her haste to get to Drew. Before she stepped away, Elisa groaned. “Whipped much?”
Lainey ignored her friend and moved to meet Drew halfway across the bar. She might’ve been embarrassed by her over exuberance if his smile wasn’t as wide as her own. As soon as he reached her, he tried to pull her into an embrace. Though Lainey longed to feel his arms around her, she settled for kissing him at arm’s length before pulling away and pointing to her boobs.
“Can’t hold me too tight right now,” she kidded. “You might burst my implants.”
Drew grinned as he admired her cleavage. “Those are some pretty interesting props you have there. I think I got the short end of the stick with the gray hair and slippers.” He shoved the end of the pipe into his mouth, offering a sideways grin.
“You’re definitely debonair, but look at you,” Lainey exclaimed. “You’re shaking like a leaf. Where’s your jacket?”
She rubbed her hands up and down his arms, trying to massage away the goose bumps she could feel through the lightweight robe. Drew humored her cosseting. “I never had to worry about jackets in L.A.,” he admitted. “So I don’t think about it now until I’m already out the door. It’s okay though. Seeing you in this outfit has my blood pressure rising already. I’ll be warm in no time at all. I normally prefer brunettes, but you certainly make one sexy blonde.”
“And you have that distinguished, older guy thing going on with that gray hair. I can say you’re my sugar daddy.” Lainey tousled his wig. Though she’d been pretty gentle, the movement made him flinch. She studied him closer, squinting to get a better view in the dim lighting. “Are you okay? You seem a little gray in the face as well as the hair.”
“I’ve got a bit of a headache,” he admitted, obviously with reluctance. “It’s no big deal, but I won’t complain if you’ll spot me a few aspirin.”
Lainey’s anxiety returned tenfold. She didn’t like to see him in pain, and getting these headaches so often made her think about things like brain tumors or aneurisms. Her overactive writer’s imagination always got the better of her, but she didn’t want to seem too clingy by making a big deal out of nothing.
“Come on and sit with the girls at the table,” Lainey offered. “I’m sure I can scrounge something up.”
Drew looped his arm around her waist. “Sorry it took me so long to get in. Blanche accosted me at the door, along with a photographer. She said to wish you a good night. Seems she’s all ‘tuckered out for the day.’“ He made quotation marks with his fingers and did a surprisingly accurate imitation of Blanche, making Lainey giggle.
“I’m sure that won’t be your only photo op tonight,” Lainey warned. “I know Erin has been waiting all day to get some pictures of the bunnies with Hefner. She already coerced Stephanie and me into a few awkward tail shots which she promptly posted online.”
“Hmmm. Remind me to send her a friend request.”
While they walked, Lainey could feel Drew again taking a moment to appreciate her uncustomarily tight clothing. Though other men gawking at her made her uncomfortable, she didn’t feel self-conscious with Drew admiring her. In fact, it made her feel sexy. It was fun role-playing, just taking a night to step away from the norm and try something slightly ... kinkier. Nothing wrong with spicing up the relationship.
“Look! Here comes Hugh!” Stephanie cheered.
As soon as they arrived at the table, Erin proved Lainey’s prediction accurate by pulling out her digital camera. Sharon became a temporary photographer while Erin forced Lainey, Stephanie, and Drew through a half dozen poses. They all took turns on Drew’s lap, lifting their fishnet-covered legs onto his chair. In one, she even made him pretend to drink from Lainey’s shoe. Somewhere in between the photo shoot, he managed to wash down a few aspirin Lainey passed him on the sly. He was a really good sport, but despite his cheerfulness, Lainey could tell he wasn’t quite himself. Even in the low lights, she could see the dark circles under his eyes and every time he thought no one was watching, he’d rub the back of his neck. Lainey was about to ask him if he wanted to sneak out early when Trevor took the stage, again clutching the batch of white balloons. Haroula joined Trevor on the platform, absolutely stunning in her sequined flapper gown. The booming bass was cut off when the deejay handed their hosts the microphone.
“We need your attention please,” Trevor requested. It took a while for the overcrowded bar to fall into a hushed silence, broken by the occasional cough or clank of glasses. Everyone at their table took a moment to sip their drinks until Trevor finally continued. “The night is still young, but we’ve already gathered over eight-thousand dollars in donations. That doesn’t include the physical contributions people have been dropping off all day.”
“That’s right!” Haroula gushed after a round of clapping. “We have more than twenty moving vans in route to Ocean County as we speak, filled with clothes, food, and even furniture.”
The applause that followed was so loud, the drinks on the table trembled from the sheer force of it. Beside her, Drew press his fingers against his eyes. She placed a comforting hand on his knee, and he offered a smile that was weak at best. Lainey was even more certain it was time to go. She’d done her part for the evening, but she had to wait until Haroula and Trevor stepped off the stage. It would be rude to walk out in the middle of their big announcement.
“Like many of you, I’ve lived here in Cape May County all my life,” Haroula continued. “Folks always make jokes about New Jersey. I’ve never understood those people. I always like to say, my life is everyone else’s vacation. We’ve got the beach, an awesome amusement park, and so much more right at our fingertips.” More than one head bobbed in the crowd, including Lainey’s. “Even after facing down this disaster, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I’ve always loved New Jersey and everything it has to offer, but today I love this community even more. Because when it came right down to it, when our own were in need, we proved we’re tougher than those bigger states give us credit for. This past week we’ve showed the world we’re Jersey strong!”
Haroula pumped her fist in the air, and Lainey couldn’t help herself. Pride in her home state took over, and she found herself hooting, cheering, and stomping her feet right along with the rest of the crowd. She was pretty sure their group was the loudest of them all. No matter what other differences they had, and even though Stephanie wasn’t normally part of their inner circle outside the office, there was something every one of the women at that table had in common. They were all Jersey girls, through and through.
“Okay, okay.” Trevor waved his arms to signal silence, and the audience waited expectantly, wondering what else the bar owner could possibly have up his sleeve. Lainey figured it out when he removed an envelope from the express mailer attached to the balloons. “We told you how much was raised so far, but I have in my hands what I believe is another donation, made from an anonymous benefactor. There was a note inside this package instructing me to open the sealed envelope at seven o’clock sharp so I could publicly reveal the amount.”
“It’s already after seven, Trevor.” Haroula checked her watch. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to see what this is all about. How about the rest
of you?”
“Wooooo hoooooo!”
Elisa screamed so loud, even Lainey had to flinch and she wasn’t nearly as close as Drew. The locals were certainly enthusiastic. Lainey was more than a little curious herself, but she was more concerned with her boyfriend. He sipped his beer nonchalantly, but she could tell he was hurting. She decided they’d leave as soon as Trevor revealed the contents. It wasn’t going to be much longer. The sound of paper tearing echoed through the stereo system as the bartender ripped open the envelope. When he yanked out the note, his mouth fell open.
“Holy shit!”
Trevor wasn’t speaking into the microphone, but his voice still carried to where Lainey sat in the front row. His face was flushed with shock, and he had trouble getting back on track. The same expression was mirrored in Haroula’s features after she yanked the note from her suddenly inarticulate co-host and read it over herself.
“Wow.” Haroula blinked a few times. “It appears ... it appears we have a donation of fi—five hundred thousand dollars to The Red Cross.”
“There is one condition though,” Trevor added, having to shout into the mic to be heard over the gasps and cheers. “While our sponsor has specified this was a gift with no strings attached, I think they wanted to make it fun. So there is a request geared to someone in our audience tonight. It really isn’t much to ask considering the size of this check. All they want is for us to play a song.”
“Play Wildwood Days!” someone called from the crowd.
“No, On the Way to Cape May!”
Trevor shook his head. “Both fine choices, but this request is actually very specific. Both the song and the performer have already been named.” He cleared his throat for dramatic effect. “Miss Lainey Riccardo...” He waved at Lainey from across the room, and she was certain her mouth dropped to the floor. “It seems you have a fan.”
“M—me?” Lainey stammered.
She suddenly felt like she’d stepped into a dream sequence. Everything around her moved in slow motion, from the excited cheers, to Haroula and Trevor motioning her to join them on the stage. Someone donated five-hundred thousand dollars and in exchange, all they wanted was for her to sing a song? That had to be a dream. Or maybe a nightmare.
“Yes, Lainey, we’re talking to you!” Haroula urged her forward with a flick of her boa. “You wouldn’t want to let our benefactor down, would you? Come up and join us.”
Lainey didn’t budge. Suddenly her heart pounded faster than a jackhammer. At the same time, it was wedged up in her throat, making it impossible for her to speak. She certainly couldn’t get up and sing. It wasn’t even karaoke night. There were no cheat sheets with the lyrics scanning across a computer monitor. How could she possibly know the words to whatever random song had been chosen? Not to mention there were about two-hundred more people in attendance than there were on a typical Friday night, including a few lingering reporters ready to make her embarrassment even more public. It was complete insanity for anyone to ask this of her. It’s not like she was a professional.
“You better get up there.” Drew nudged her shoulder. “You’re keeping them waiting.”
Lainey’s mouth was still hanging open. She finally snapped it shut, but she didn’t utter a single syllable.
“Everyone is staring at our table,” Erin added. “You missed your chance to run for it. You can’t possibly get out of this now.”
“Don’t be nervous,” Sharon whispered close to her ear. “Think of all the good that money will do. Focus on that. Forget all about the crowd, and pretend we’re the only people here. You know we’ll back you up.”
Sharon’s calm voice always had a way of settling Lainey’s nerves, even when she was covered in green paint with a fake hooked nose glued to her face. Nodding, Lainey forced herself to stand on trembling legs and pushed forward toward the stage. Her water boobs jostled as she moved and again she felt self-conscious about her skimpy clothes, especially now that every pair of eyes in the bar were on her.
“Come on, Lainey.” Trevor offered his hand to help her up the steps. “Don’t be shy. It’s not like you haven’t done this before.”
Once she stood beside Trevor, Lainey stared alternately at her shoes and at Haroula. The hostess had snuck over to the deejay and the two whispered conspiratorially. While they waited, Trevor handed Lainey the microphone. Her hands were so slick from nervous sweat, she almost dropped it, and her heart thumped so hard it was actually painful. For a second, she thought she was having a heart attack. Or a panic attack. Maybe both. Beside her, Trevor was no help. He smirked instead of doing something useful, such as giving her instructions on what was expected of her.
Feeling clueless, Lainey laid her hand over the mouthpiece, causing a loud screech to echo across the bar. A few people in the audience flinched, and even Lainey grimaced. “What am I supposed to sing?”
Trevor shrugged, a wide grin on his face. Her former classmate was enjoying this way too much. “The instructions said not to tell anyone, including you. You’ll know when the music comes on. But don’t worry. Whoever sent the letter swears you know this song by heart.”
That wasn’t much consolation. There were lots of songs she knew by heart when she sang along with her car radio. Remembering them when she was facing down such a massive audience was another thing all together. Besides, no one who knew her normal itinerary could possibly afford such a large sum of cash. The whole thing was insane, but her school chums weren’t giving her much choice. As soon as she moved her hand away from the microphone, Trevor leaned over to make one final announcement.
“Let’s all give a nice round of applause to our little song bird ... Lainey Riccardo! And remember, people, this song is worth five hundred grand.”
The thunderous applause rocked the stage, but that had nothing to do with why Lainey trembled so badly. Even without her glasses, the faces staring back at her from the crowd were way too clear, way too vivid. Some people acted bored while others appeared amused. Even her friends and Drew rooting for her didn’t make her feel any better. She wished this was over. She wished the stage would suddenly collapse and swallow her up. She wished it really was a dream and she would wake up from it already. But that was all before the music began to play. Music she would’ve recognized anywhere, and which instantly filled her with an inner peace and tranquility.
The song was Nelly Furtado’s, I’m Like a Bird.
It was one of her favorites and definitely a tune she knew by heart. All apprehension vanished as Lainey opened her mouth to sing along to the ballad. Stage fright trickled away as the music enveloped her, taking her somewhere else completely. She forgot about the audience. Hearing the lyrics brought her back to her favorite spot on the beach. She could almost feel the wind whipping against her cheeks as she flew back and forth on the swings. This music was the very expression of freedom for her, and Lainey truly felt as though she were alone on the seaside flying through the air. She knew every word by heart, and her voice was strong and fluid.
“You go girl!”
Someone shouted from the audience. It might’ve been Stephanie or maybe Erin, but it was hard to say. When she reached the second chorus, a few people joined in, bringing her at least partially back to reality, back to the bar. She should’ve been at least a little nervous. As much as she adored this song, she’d never sung it for karaoke before. Even now, the only way they could accomplish the request was to have her sing alongside Nelly in a harmonic duet. She couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would’ve chosen it. It wasn’t something people listened to every day since it was over a decade old. It was sort of her beach music. No one knew how much she loved the nineties ditty, not even her friends. No one but Drew.
He couldn’t have!
Lainey came very close to missing a note as it suddenly dawned on her who must’ve made that anonymous donation. She clutched the microphone tighter as her voice inched toward a crescendo. She sought Drew out in the crowd, hoping she could somehow convey her gratitu
de with her voice. He watched her with rapt attention, as though drinking in every note. It was the same way he’d observed her the day they met on the beach for the very first time. That evening he’d caught her singing this very same song at the top of her lungs.
It took every ounce of willpower Lainey had to keep her voice from cracking with emotion as she finished the final verse. What an amazing thing to do. So much more romantic than diamonds or flowers. Drew had found a way to give her something that had more meaning than any material gifts. He’d given to the community she loved in a way she’d never have been able to, and even made her a part of it by getting her up on the stage. As much as she enjoyed the rush, she couldn’t wait to finish up and get back to Drew, to tell him how much she loved him. If she didn’t know it before, she knew it now without a doubt. Lainey was thoroughly and completely in love.
“Wo—ow! I think that performance was definitely worth the price tag!” Haroula came over to put her arm around Lainey when the song ended, and Lainey gladly relinquished the microphone to the hostess. She was out of breath and sweaty, but also excited and eager to get to Drew.
“I completely agree!” Trevor announced. “Thanks so much, Lainey. And a huge thank you to our anonymous contributor! If you’re out there, I hope you know your gift is going to make a big difference to a whole lot of people. Now I think it’s time to move onto the raffles. Gotta get all the technicalities out of the way before the real drinking begins.”
A few chortles erupted from the audience and people began shifting through their things to find their tickets. Luckily, Lainey was able to sneak away while Haroula stirred up a giant bucket of raffle stubs. Their table in the front of the stage really shouldn’t have been that hard to arrive at, but along the way at least twenty people stopped to congratulate Lainey on her performance. Some were old friends from high school or work, and others were guys who were obviously more interested in her temporary triple Ds than her singing abilities. It took her forever to wade through the spectators. When she finally got to her friends, Drew was nowhere in sight.