Planning Forever After (Book 3, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 30 - Performers

"Are you fucking kidding me? You are an event planner? You really have gone up the success ladder."

"Not the planner. I'm only an assistant."

"Well, I would switch places with you instead of cleaning buildings. Look at you! You are all shiny and looking well! Now, tell me, what's this event about?"

"I'll tell you all about it when Tara and Cole get here."

"Oh, Tara is also coming? I haven't seen her in a while," he bites his lower lip to avoid smiling at the thought.

Micah has had a crush on her for as long as I can remember and I'm curious to see how he reacts to this reunion. While we wait, we catch up on other things, mainly about what we did after leaving the circus. It feels so comfortable and familiar to have him around, and I wonder why I didn't initiate this earlier. These are the people I grew up with and who know who I am and where I come from.

Tara and Cole, a pair of siblings, arrive, and it's just like old times. Cole is a cheeky bastard who loves a good joke, and Tara is her bubbly self. Micah tries to not stare at her while we exchange greetings and quickly catch up. I feel tempted to tell Tara about his feelings, especially when she tells us she's still single.

"As I told Micah, I'm working with an event planning company. We are currently planning a wedding for two grooms with a circus themed reception."

They all burst laughing and I don't know at what specifically: the fact that I work in events, or that is a gay wedding, which will piss me, or that is about the circus.

"Who on earth picks a circus theme?" Tara says to no one in particular.

"Someone who's never lived in one, obviously," Cole says between giggles.

"I'm sorry, but the day that I marry, I want it to be in a pretty place and surrounded by flowers. Not in a dirty tent that smells like animal shit and stale popcorn," she shakes her head and her brother mentions all the other gross things that a circus tent can smell like.

"Shut up and listen to him," Micah says, but I can see that he's also skeptic.

"We won't have a crappy tent. I have rented an open field at the Sea Rose Park in the Lonstino Fairgrounds and a company will set a white tent. A stylist will transform the space into something nostalgic. You know, like the good parts that people remember after going to a show and not the backstage that we all know," I open a folder and show them the concept sketches from Valerie.

Their eyes widen at the beautiful drawings. In the past months, I've seen space transformations that leave me speechless and I have no doubt she'll outdo herself with this job.

"This is beautiful, no doubt," Cole looks closely at the drawings. "But where do we fit in here? There is no center ring, or a stage."

"I'm aware of that. What did we learn from old Franklin? What is the most important circus element?"

"Surprise," they all say at the same time.

"That's right. I'm glad you all still remember that. By now, the guests have received their invites and they are probably expecting the usual; a center ring with acts, clowns, magicians. Everything that is more associated with a children's party. You, my friends, will surprise them. I have some ideas and I would love to work them further with you."

"Like what?" Cole asks.

"Remember when we used to hang out at bars and you would do small tricks? People didn't even have time to react and were left wondering how you did it. It can start like that and develop into something bigger, more complicated."

"I get what you mean," his smile turns wicked.

"Micah, I want you to think about items that you can juggle or balance that are unusual. Imagine you are passing by a table and pick something random and start to juggle it."

"You mean like bottles, flowers, a purse? Flatware?" He quickly grabs packs of sugar, stands up, and juggles them. Rose, the café's owner, gives us the stinky eye, but the people surrounding us watch him in awe and clap enthusiastically when he catches all the tiny bags and places them back on their holder.

"This reaction is exactly what I would like to see from the wedding guests," I say and make a note on the page.

"What about me?" Tara asks. "I understand how Cole and Micah can integrate what they do, but I don't see what I can do."

"Can you still do contortion and balance acts without disturbing a thing?" I ask.

"My mom always said I could be a cat burglar," she says proudly.

"My suggestion is to keep your act the biggest surprise. The only restriction is nothing with fire. They prohibited open flames at the fairgrounds after a fire they had over twenty years ago. As you can imagine, they want nothing like that to repeat."

"Is the tent strong enough to hang from fabric?"

"I like where this is going," I nod. Then, from my folder, I pull out three contracts that I distribute to them. "If you want to do this, we will pay for your services."

"Didier, have you gone nuts?" Cole looks at the paper with a shocked expression. "This is close to a week of wages at the circus. On good days!"

"It's what you deserve. Your unique skills will make this a wedding to remember."

"You can bet on that. We really need to practice," Micah smiles. "It can't be random acts. There needs to be a flow, a purpose. And who are these grooms?"

"Carter and Dennis, those are their names, are amazing people who have gone through a lot. Their love has helped them conquer the toughest of circumstances. Our goal is to give them a great wedding."

"And they will get memorable circus acts to make it even more special," Tara says. "Why don't we meet at my place during the week to come up with a seamless plan? I'm getting ideas."

All three react enthusiastically, and I'm filled with joy and hope. We head to the counter to order lunch between bouts of laughter and remember the good times while growing up at the circus.