Later that evening
Linnie-
"Hey, Miss Powderkeg, can I get a selfie?" asked a stage hand as I exited yet another interview for one of the all day news networks.
"Of course!" we lean in "Say, Pantsuit!" "Pantsuit!" We say together.
I'm in New York doing yet another round of interviews. This is crazy; it's been 6 months since that video went viral and it's still has buzz. It's made history for having the most views of any YouTube video ever and it's only been a short time. My press agent, Larry, has me doing interviews all over the country most of which I do remotely.
Local tv stations, commercial endorsements, morning talk shows, daytime talk shows, late night talk shows, radio, podcasts, newspaper and magazine; you name it! I've even been asked to host SNL and not only that, the video has been optioned for a movie or a tv series and every major movie studio in Hollywood have been beating down our doors. To say it's a little overwhelming. I try to not let it go to my head but sometimes it's very difficult. I've been getting asked out on dates numerous times and I always say I'm in a very serious relationship.
Speaking of which, me and Donny are doing amazingly awesome. I don't know how to describe this feeling; it'd utterly indescribable! Neither of us have experienced a more passionate and intense, yet caring and compassionate love in our lives than these past 6 months. I don't know if this is still considered the honeymoon period but if it is I hope it lasts forever. I find myself falling more and more in love with him with each passing day. He's the reason I've been doing all this press; at first I didn't want any attention from it but he encouraged me to do it; said it could bring in big money and get exposure for the store.
As for my Boutique, as you may have heard it's been expanded and revamped thanks to all the royalty money I get from the video and all the subsequent interviews. Business was beginning to decline prior to that but Ashley did the most wonderful thing for me; she quit her agenting job to become manager of the store (technically co-manager with me but let's face it, she's the one running the show even when I am there which unfortunately is rare these days). We merged with Kenny's restaurant and now it's called the Art Bistro.
Since that incident of the video where I confronted my father about his interference and then Donny kissing me and professing his love for me for the whole world to see. Unfortunately, hardly any of the interviews I do want to talk about that part, I'm not sure why. Larry said he thinks it's because the media want to portray me as a single young woman to attract more male viewers. He's even told me to change my relationship status on social media even if it's a lie which adamantly refuse.
My love for Donny is worth far more than what any of this attention could bring and if it were up to me, Donny would be with me in every one of these engagements. He did do some of them with me in the beginning but then the different studios and companies only wanted to interview me. Donny says, in the ever sweet way that he does, that the world loves the idea of a young, hot, independent woman who's willing to stand up for herself. I love it when he calls me hot; no one's ever called me that. Of course, Spencer never did but now because of the video, I get double takes from men everywhere and I'm always being praised for my looks on social media. I must say, I feel very flattered and I'm even guilty of having a slight ego boost from it.
Anyways, enough of the video nonsense. I'm on somewhat good terms with my father as both Donny and my mother convinced me to have a long chat with him while he's under house arrest at his home in Connecticut because he's highly likely to go to prison for life. My mother officially filed for divorce and even though I didn't speak with her for awhile after she told me the real reason Carl left all those years ago (that she was having an affair) we're back on fairly good terms. My whole life I resented my father for leaving while in reality, it was her fault he left and she's now rooming with Ashley in the upstairs suite at the store.
Speaking of my mother, I've been daydreaming so long that I didn't notice that she's been blowing up my phone for some time. I'm about to go do another interview but this seems important if she's calling and texting non-stop.
"Hey, mom," I say, "what's up?"
"Oh, thank God, finally!" she's all in a panic, "Are you okay?! I've been trying to reach you for close to an hour! I was frightened they got to you!"
"What are you talking about, Mom," I say, she's scaring me, "I've been in the City all day doing interviews. You were frightened that WHO had gotten to me?"
"There's no time to explain right now," she says quickly, "you said you're doing interviews; I assume you're in a building with very tight security."
"I guess so," I say, I'm getting more nervous by the second, "I'm about to do another interview!"
"Don't do it," she yells, "you'll be a sitting duck with a target on your head for the world to see. You need to call Donny now; he's in even greater danger!" Okay, now she mentions Donny could be in trouble now I'm panicking! "Where is he now?!" she demanded.
"I don't know!" I glance at my watch, "He should be on the road heading home from law school by now! Now will you please tell me what's going on?! I can't call him if I don't know what to warn him about!" I'm already causing a scene in the hallway of this building; I quickly hurry to the ladies room. Thankfully, there's no one else in there.
"Call him and tell him to get off the road immediately!" She screams like she thinks Donny's going to die and the waterworks start to pour out profusely. "Tell him to pull into a grocery store or even a gas station where there's a lot of cops around! The road is the absolute worst place for him to be! Just call him and tell him that! Russ may've already warned him but for yours and my peace of mind you need to call him! I would do it but they've probably bugged my phone which means I have to hang up right now!" I'm so terrified and confused; I've never heard my mother like this in my life. I'm also deathly worried about Donny! I almost want to run out of the building to run back to Jersey but my mother said not to!
I have to call him right now! What am I waiting for!?
Donny-
Russ already contacted me about what's happening when I see Linnie is calling me while I race home in my Jeep! I don't care what Russ or Teresa say, my top priority right now is Chester! All he has protecting him right now is an older woman with a shotgun and a service dog!
"Hey, Gorgeous," I say in a rush (she doesn't want me calling her babe since that's what Spencer called her so I just call her the only term of endearment that fits her), "I know why you're calling. Russ told me the gist of the story. Are you okay? Are you still in the City?"
"I'm fine!" she says in a panicked whisper, "I'm in a heavily secure media building! Where the hell are you, Sexy Boy?!" I can't believe even in this tense situation she still manages to be adorably funny with that term of endearment she gave me.
"I'm on the road, headed back home!" I yell
"No!" she shrikes, "my mother said that's the absolute worst place to be. Do you know who's after us!? And why!?"
"Russ said it's members of the Irish Mob," I explain hurriedly, "he used to run with them before he met my mom and cleaned up his act. The why I'm not sure but your mother seems to know what's going on! Carl's somehow mixed up in this!"
"Oh, Carl, what did you do now!?" she asks
"Try to keep me from coming to your birthday party!" I say. I know she was asking rhetorically but it's important for her to know this.
"Nevermind that old goof, right now!" she yells hysterically, "Please, we've only been together a relatively short while and I don't even want to think what I'd do if I'd lost you."
"Ditto, Gorgeous," I say back, "but I have to protect my brother! He's my only priority right now, especially knowing you're safe right now! Try to find somewhere safe to stay tonight in the City and then you can come home when there's daylight."
"No way, Jose!" she screams, "I'm not losing the love of my life because he's being the best brother in the world. I'm taking an Uber home now and you can't talk me out of it!" She hangs up the phone before I get a chance to respond. I wish she would listen to me but goddamn I'm lucky to have found someone to love me so stubbornly in my life.
Just when I'm thinking that, I start to see some cars chase me. Please! I don't care what happens to me right now, I just need to make sure my brother and girlfriend are safe and that they know I love them....
Find out more about what happens here in the pages of Cogs of Deception; I begin writing imminently.
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