Pop: Chapter 15b

    "Funny you should ask that," I say as we reach the bottom of the stairs, "as the wedding was originally supposed to take place tomorrow."

    "What happened to change that?"

    "Well, I am a best-selling author.  Maybe you caught my interviews on morning television earlier this week?"

    "Nope.  Can't say I have."

    Sam had a partial smirk, the way only eighteen year old boys can get away with.  Otherwise, he was keeping silent, leaning against the wall as we were waiting to open the door to the basement story.

    "Anyway, Addie and I had everything planned out.  We were going to have the rehearsal dinner tonight, the wedding Friday evening, spend the rest of the weekend partying and then go on the honeymoon trip Monday morning for a week.  This was all planned out back in December."

    "I also had a book tour planned for this winter and spring.  It was going to start in New York this past February.  However, the first week of events had to be cancelled due to a massive snowstorm."

    "Norbert," he says.  "I remember seeing that one on TV.  Shut down the city for almost a week."

    "Well, those first dates had to be made up."  I skip by the fact that I think winter storms should be given names.  Stupid really.

    "My publisher rescheduled dates starting next Friday, right in what was supposed to be the middle of my honeymoon.  They didn't reach out to me or my agent until everything was already set in stone.  A few choice words were exchanged, but I couldn't get the dates changed. I'm just glad that they had left the past week free so I could go to Sam's graduation."

    Sam doesn't even nod his head.

    "Fortunately, we still had the make-up date for the third Saturday in June.  Unfortunately, you were booked that entire week for a convention.  What's worse, the church is running a vacation bible school that week as well, so we couldn't hold the dinner there either."

    "What about the reception area?  Couldn't you hold the dinner there?"

    "Nope.  Outdoors, right across the street from the church.  Won't be set up until that morning.  So, we decided to just keep tonight's date for the rehearsal dinner and have a smaller, more informal meeting the night beforehand to make sure we've got everything figured out."

    "On the bright side, Sam has a special orientation meeting tomorrow at UK, so that works out best for us.  No conflict of interests.  I also got to schedule some extra dates on my tour for the Lexington area this week.  I hated that I wasn't originally going to come here, since I still consider here my home."

    Sam gives me the eye and huffs as I say this.  Better get going before he does something stupid.

    I open the door and let them through, Sam still staring at me sullenly.  I hear something a few doors down as a woman pops out.  Basic black business attire, but with heels high enough so that she towers over Mr. Phillips and almost over me as well.

    "Lee Anne.  I was wondering where you had run off to.  How's everything coming along in the commissary?"

    "Everything is coming along perfectly, sir." I could tell that Lee Anne was feeling a little condescending to her boss.  "The caterers are finishing up the food now, and will take it upstairs as soon as the cleaning staff finishes up.  Mr. Burton?"

    "Yes," I return the look she finally gave to me.  Neither one of us tries to shake hands.  A slight nod is more than sufficient.

    "We have partitioned one of the second floor rooms for your party.  We kept it separate from the soccer meeting, but the cleaning staff will make sure that no one accidentally disturbed anything.  The caterers will take care of any cleaning afterwards, while our crew will finish up first thing in the morning.  You won't have to worry about anything.  One of our aides will even be here to lock up."  She ends in a genuine smile. 

    "You won't have any problems tonight."

    Famous last words.  I just hope she's not wrong.