“Mr. Harrison said to spare no expense,” Jeeves/Ryan, putting up the finishing touches of some hanging lanterns, says from a ladder behind me.
“Seriously, how did you do this on such short notice?” I ask Sarah, convinced the answer is going to involve some sort of evil magic involving blood sacrifice.
“They were all your ideas. Mrs. Harrison has some amazing decorations already, and we have an Indian couple down the road who host a lot of great events too. And one of their maids owed me a favor.”
“Thank you so much for calling it in for me.” I take another long look around the tent. This is going to get me the show for sure.
“Oh, were you able to get the white shirts and fanny packs?” I ask.
“Yup.” Sarah points to the items sitting on the table next to the powders.
“Oh, let’s get them out of the packaging so they don’t know we’re trying to give them stuff from Target.”
We work on arranging the shirts to hide their common origins. We finish the task just before people start arriving.
“This is amazing!” Naomi says.
“Thanks, but it’s all Sarah and your employees,” I say.
A man in black workout pants and a white shirt appears from behind me to offer Naomi a cocktail glass.
I send a questioning look at Sarah over my shoulder and she mouths, “Themed cocktails.”
Seriously. Amazing.
“This is interesting,” Jack says.
“What are you having us do?” Cindy asks as she takes her drink.
“I’ll tell everyone when we’re all here,” I say, hopefully mysterious in a fun way.
“I think I know where this event is going...and I’m very excited for it!” Pari says, winking at me. “And impressed you got the Shaws’ rickshaw!”
“It was all Sarah,” I say.
Gavin gets to the tent second to last. He’s in the same shorts from the tennis day, and he has a tight white shirt on. Another one I can blame on myself for the shrinking prank.
He tries to make eye contact with me, but I avoid him and take a sharp left turn to help Sarah arrange the appetizers on the tables instead. Then Harrison comes and I turn back to the crowd.
“Hi, everyone. Harrison was kind enough to let me plan an event, and loan me the best employees in the universe to make it happen.” I send a grateful look to Sarah. “And since it’s March and the beginning of spring, we’re going to celebrate Holi!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Yes!” The Richmonds all cheer.
“We haven’t done a proper Holi in too long,” Pari adds.
In everyone else, I see a lot of blank faces. I rush to explain. “It’s the Indian festival of colors to celebrate the harvest, and spring, and good triumphing over evil and forgiveness and play and new love...” I clear my throat when I list that last one. New lovers, apparently, in this Indian’s case. “And well, a lot of things. To celebrate, everyone throws color powder at each other. And there’s music and food.”
Still with the blank faces.
“Like a color run with less running.”
A chorus of “Ohhh” comes from my audience. That figures.
“If anyone needs a white shirt they can get colorful, we have a selection on the table, as well as some fanny packs and plastic pouches for storage. For the powder.”
Everyone still looks a little unsure about the activities, so I take the lead and head to the powder baskets to start filling baggies. People start drifting over and picking their own colors.
