Page 101 of Together in Harmony
“Relax, lambkin. She is just a washed up wannabe. You, on the other hand, are dancing with music royalty. She must be so jealous.”
That makes me laugh. After another few minutes Teddy whirls me back over to my guys.
“No running, no hiding, sweet thing,” he commands, before taking the seat that used to be Razzle or Dazzle’s.
“Well said, dear,” says Clara. “We are family, we will always have your back.”
“Like a mafia family who are going to take down anyone who hurts you,” adds Lennox.
“I keep telling you guys, Screech is not worth jail time.” I know the boys are joking, but it still fills my heart to feel so protected.
An hour later and the music is booming.
Food has been served, and cleared away and drinks are flowing. And flowing, and flowing. At one point I freeze, sure that I’ve just seen Screech, but as I stare, I see it is just another guy with greased back hair.
My imagination is on overdrive.
I take turns dancing with my guys until a boy band, that was big in the early aughts, takes over the floor as they try to recreate one of their famous dance routines. One table away from us, a kids TV star-turned-pop princess is throwing up in a silver ice bucket.
Teddy keeps bringing over people to introduce me to. “She’s a peach,” he tells a rapper from canada. The rapper shakes my hand, then wanders off.
“Do you even know who that was, Teddy?” asks Asa.
“Not a clue dear boy!” Teddy laughs. “But I could see all the ladies hanging off him, so thought he was probably popular.” He calls out to a distinguished looking man in a purple tuxedo and small gold glasses.
“Ralph, old boy. Come and meet my friend.”
The man comes over, sitting in a spare chair. “Ralph Mazzotti, arts writer at the Times,” Teddy tells me. “Ralph, this lovely lady is Harmony.”
Ralph raises an eyebrow.
“Yes,” I nod. “Clash Towers daughter. Are you the critic who went to both the philharmonic, and Carlie’s show on the same night?”
“Guilty as charged,” he says. That article had completely trashed Carlie's performance.
“I think you have very good taste, and are a very good critic,” I tell him, making his eyebrow raise even higher.
“I’ll tell you what I think is very good,” he says. “That new song the band has put out, Meadowsweet? I saw a viral video. It’s such an evolution from them, very exciting.”
“It’s great isn’t it!” says Teddy. “And did you know this
talented girl wrote the lyrics?”
“You did?” Ralph’s eyebrows are well into his hairline now. “There was something so charming about the lyrics. Witty, concise, yet still poignant. Reminds me of this poet my teenage daughter is crazy about. Some online blog called ‘Just a Couple of Notes’.
“No,” I whisper. “Really?”
“Do you know the blog?” Ralph asks me.
I look around, why I’ve kept my blog a secret I don’t know. Just a habit really. Also, I've never been sure if the work is any good. But, if this New York Times critic likes it, maybe it’s time to ‘fess up.
“Well, actually. That’s my blog.”
“Ah-ha! That, my dear, is why I am the best critic in New York. I have a nose for this stuff. Very good, very good.”
I cannot wait to get home and tell the guys all about this conversation! Ralph leaves and identical twins bounce over to our table. “Mercury Rising! We love you.”
The girls go over to Lennox. “Wanna dance with us drummer-boy?” they ask, making it obvious more than a dance is being offered.
