My sweet boy.
There is a stream of celebrities in front of us and behind. But no group is getting as much attention as we are though.
“Frenzy, Frenzy, a photo please…look this way.”
“Look this way, Lennox”
“Hugo! I love you!”
We reach the entrance of the venue, the sound dampens as we get through the doors.
Lennox takes me in his arms. “You’re OK, babe. We’ve got you.”
Entering the ballroom, I feel faces turn our way, like a mob of meerkats. There is a stage, a dance floor, and then rows of white-cloth clad tables.
“Hello, darlings,” a voice calls out loudly. And then Teddy and Clara join us. Clara comes straight over to me and pulls me into a hug.
“You all look marvelous,” she declares, standing back and smiling.
“Thank you, so do you.”
A server has been hovering close to us and takes the moment to step forward and guide us to our seats.
Lennox instantly snatches up name placement cards off the table. “Christ, we are not getting stuck with them all night.”
He digs in his pocket and gives the server a $100 bill. “Can you go get Teddy Jones and Clara Duville’s seating tags, and swap them out for these ones?”
The server nods happily, clutching his tip.
“Razzle and Dazzle sitting next to Hugo?" exclaims Lennox. "I wonder who they paid to make that happen?”
Razzle and Dazzle are a pop-uo who had won American Idol a few years ago. They are also notoriously idiotic.
Hugo pours me some wine from the bottle waiting in the ice bucket by the table.
The fact that the guys are so comfortable and playful is truly helping me to relax. I sip my drink and start to really look around the room. It is jam-packed with big players in the music industry.
I recognize a lot of faces. Some just from them being well known. And some because I have met them before.
Hugo gives another server a wad of money to go and fetch a bottle of vodka.
“Teddy likes gin,” I reminded him. “Thanks love,” he says, calling the server back and giving him more cash.
Talking of Teddy, the ultra fake-tanned man comes over.
“Harmony! Want to dance with an old fart?”
I don’t want to leave the side of my guys, but Teddy leans forward and whispers in my ear. “I’ve been a tabloid target many times dearest. Take it from me, the best way to beat ‘em, is to show you don’t give a damn.” He offers his arm, I gulp and take it.
“Good girl.”
I try to relax in Teddy’s arms.
He keeps up a stream of hilarious commentary, so I soon find my anxiety easing a little.
“Good lord! Maurie should know better than wearing skinny trousers, his legs look like a couple of chopsticks! And look over there…” Teddy swings me around. “Looks like Carlie has exploded her face with fillers. Her cheeks are so huge she looks like a hamster.”
Ugh, Carlie Canterberry. My heart sinks. Is Screech going to be here? Teddy feels me stiffen.
