Page 75 of Allure

“In three minutes,” he mumbles. “Just updating attendance. Why? What’s up? Did you walk?”

“No, I didn’t walk. I just need to go to New Age Grocery.”

“Now? For groceries or…”

“Arne has given out all of my flyers, so I’m going to give him more.” I hesitate and then plunge ahead. “If you want to come with…”

“Sure. And done. If everyone else has left…”

It’s smooth, giving Arne the flyers, but then he drops a bomb when he hands me a card.

“A news reporter found out about the class. They want to interview you for TV.”

I’m dumbfounded. “Me? Sensei—”

“You were attacked. You are the one in charge of the event. I’m pretty sure they want to talk to you.”

“She’ll do it,” Declan says. “I mean, Brooke, your name is on the flyer.”

“Yes, but it’s his dojo,” I argue.

But my complaints fall on deaf ears, and I realize Sensei purposely had me do just about everything for this without his help because he wanted this. He wanted it to get out that I had been attacked, and it might get back to my mom, and it’s all going to blow up in my face. Had Arne been the one to tell this reporter Wanda Spredemann about when I had been mugged?

It’s too late now, though. Wanda moves quickly after I call, and the very next day, outside of the dojo, at five o’clock, she’s there with a van and a single cameraman.

She's a beautiful woman, maybe in her forties, but the only giveaway is her eyes. She tells me what questions she'll ask, and I debate begging her not to mention my being attacked but don't. If she thinks it'll help get more women to sign up…

Although it might also serve as a deterrent…

“What’s wrong?” she asks nervously. “We’re going on live in five.”

“My attack…”

“I debated whether or not to mention it. It will be in the article on our website and in the physical paper, but for the news segment now, I won’t. We want to help the women, to give them confidence, and I think…”

The cameraman coughs.

“Are you ready?” Wanda asks.

“Sure.”

And she introduces herself and then me, has me talk about why I started karate in the first place, and honestly, I just look at her. It’s as if we’re having a simple conversation, so long as I ignore the mic she holds.

“Brooke, can you give our viewers the details of the event one last time?” she asks.

Now, I stare at the camera and freeze, but then I pretend the lens is Declan, and I easily rattle off the details, the address, date, and time, as well as reminding the women to call or email to register.

“We hope to see you there,” I finish with a grin.

The cameraman lowers his camera and gives us a thumbs up.

“You did great,” Wanda says. “You spoke a little fast in the beginning, but once your nerves settled, you were spot on. I hope this helps!”

“Me too. Thank you.”

By Friday afternoon, the number of women calling to sign up themselves, their daughters, their sisters is so staggering that I don't know if we'll have enough room for all of the women. That's such an amazing problem to have, though! I'm starting to become excited about this.

CHAPTER26

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