So Night Follows Day Pt. 27

Denise then detected the anticipation in Helen's face, as she now became aware that several seconds had passed and the reporters were waiting for her to say something. She leaned forward, toward the jumble of microphones that she didn't even want to think about what they looked like all pointed at her like this.

"I... uh... won an essay contest." Denise said.

"An essay contest!" Helena replied, half a beat too early for it to have registered in her brain, making it obvious that she was just going along with what Denise said. "That's right. 'Why I Want to Visit the Lovely Beaches of San Finzione,' I think it was called."

"Conservatory." Julie corrected.

"Conservatory!" Helen shouted. "Yes, the Sofia de San Finzione Conservatory of the Arts, the world's finest, of course." She stepped back from the mics and mumbled to Julie. "Never correct La Contessa, Skanky Cow."

"Don't use Denise to plug your next ad campaign." Julie hissed back, before moving forward.

"Thank you, Cuntessa!" Julie said cheerfully, stepping into Helen's previous place at the microphones. She opened her purse and took out a stack of cards. Helen lit her new cigarette behind Julie, blowing a long stream of smoke into the back of her first girlfriend's head as she tried to smile for the cameras. "Yes, I'm afraid you've actually caught us planning something, where La Contessa will, no doubt, be in attendance, this being her plan and all." Julie grinned and gave the tiniest, satisfaction-deprivingest cough she was able as the cloud of smoke made its way around her head to billow out in front of her face. "So, we're a bit busy now, but why don't you guys pass my business cards around, call sometime next week, see if we can do an interview, maybe."

The reporters felt compelled to pass Julie's business cards around, as though everyone must get one. And that they were certainly going to try to get an interview with Julie Equals next week and make that event. They were thinking up new questions for La Contessa already.

La Contessa resumed her place at the podium. While the reporters were looking down, making certain everyone got a card, she broke off the front half of her cigarette, lit the back half with it, and crushed out the front part. When they turned back, they noticed her cigarette was almost gone.

"Yes, by all means, call Julie next week for an interview. But I've reached the end of this, you've all got stories to file. Don't forget to turn off all recording and video equipment, take a plate of barbecue if you're so inclined, and leave in an orderly manner, ignoring everything going on over here. Thank you. Ciao!"

Julie gave Helen a slight scowl, as she took in the significance of Helen's last statement to the journalists now packing up their equipment and heading over to the grill.

* * *

Susan back. The reporters were heading across the street to the Greens' barbecue. Some stayed behind to take down the podium. Julie, Helen, and Denise had stepped back into the driveway, so they could pack everything up.

"'Don't correct La Contessa???'" Julie growled at Helen.

"Well, not when I'm working, Mistress." Helen said with a smile. Denise was standing behind her, not sure what to make of what was going on between her older friend and her heroine. She'd heard Troy and Julie's whole "Master/Mistress thing," but I could see that hearing Helen say it to Julie filled her mind with questions she already knew that Julie wouldn't answer. Helen turned around to face Denise.

"Hi, Denise." She said shaking Denise's hand and giving her, not Helen's patented Delighted-to-Meet-You smile, but a sincere one. "I'm Helena, it's nice to finally meet you, however, I'm afraid that before we can really talk, I have to see to some of the other reporters that are still across the street. If you'd care to wait in the house until they're gone, then go on over and grab a plate, there's plenty of food over there. Tell 'em I said it was ok. Oh yeah, that reminds me; Troy and Julie's neighbors across the street and their guests... well, I'm told you're quite interested in San Finzione, so I'm sure you know what Ultimados are. And come to think of it, there's another friend of mine in the house now, who... You know what, Denise, it's a safe bet that anyone big and scary that you see around here when I'm in town is probably with me."

Denise smiled back, her eyes finding another few microns to widen further.

"It's nice to meet you, Helena. I'll be fine waiting at Julie's house."

Julie took the vibrating string that was Denise into the house. I walked up to Helen.

"So, what now?" I asked her.

"Now, I go deal with the reporters who were hard-of-hearing, go in and chat with Denise and see if Troy's got a board game big enough for six players until it's time me, him, and Mander to go to the Auction."

"Troy's going?"

"There won't be any trouble now, and a Money Man in there could come in handy. I have another reason, too. For now, let's go grab a plate ourselves. I'd kind of like to be surrounded by Ultimados when Julie fully realizes that I just commanded all those reporters to spend next week blowing up her phone, looking for interviews."

My mouth opened. Then laughter came out. We walked over to the Greens' yard.