Gamer Girl (25 page)

The cro
wd moved toward the dining room and Sarah joined the choir backstage. They were singing a short program, twenty to twenty-five minutes, just long enough to get everyone served with drinks and their salad. The pianist who played in the lobby would play for the choir.

Jason moved to the
microphone. “Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the Little Blue Community Choir. We hope you enjoy our presentation.”

They opened with a medley. One of the col
oratura sopranos opened with the first verse of
O Come, O Come Emanuel,
which segued into
Once in Royal David’s City
and ended with
O Holy Night.
Then the choir sang secular holiday songs,
Silver Bells, Let it Snow and The Christmas Song.

They were supposed to be don
e, but Jason took the microphone and said, “One of our choir members is an employee of your company. She is also my student. So, Sarah, please come down and sing,
I’ll be Home for Christmas
.”

Sarah was shocked but
did not make a scene. With a look to Jason that promised payback, she took the microphone, waited for her cue and sang her heart out. Sarah’s team leapt to their feet to give a standing ovation, but Sarah did not take a bow. Instead, she moved away from the mike and indicated the choir. The applause grew louder and she slipped back into her place on the riser to take the bows with her group. The curtain closed. 

“Thanks, everyone. You were wonderful!” Sarah told them all. “There are some tables out there with your names on them, so go, enjoy! Merry Christmas!”

Jason remained behind. “You’re really leaving?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t tempt you with additional solos can I?” Jason teased.

“
I’m going back to San Diego and sort some things out. After that, who knows?” Sarah kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Jason. You’ve done so much for my voice.”

“Any time, Sarah.” Jason went out front to find his table.

Sarah found her chair at her team’s table and thought the food was tasty; she had to force herself to eat. Surrounded by her team and their wives, husbands, boyfriends and girlfriends, all happy and made even more so by the fact that
Wickerworld
had been resurrected and was doing well, Sarah felt utterly alone. According to plan, dessert was served in the foyer so the hotel could set up the main room for dancing. When the band was tuned, they opened with
In the Mood,
to
get everyone’s attention, and then really went to town with dance music from the thirties, forties and fifties.

T
he DJ would start an hour later than the band. For now, ballroom music was the only game in town while Sarah was still checking up on things. She had hoped this would keep her from being asked to dance but it didn’t work.

“Hey, Sarah, how about dancing with me?” Martin held out his hand. “Don’t worry, this dance is Andrea Approved.”

Sarah smiled at that. “Sure Martin.”

He led her out onto the floor for a foxtrot. “You know
you’re welcome to stay.”

Sarah looked over his shoulder at Eamon dancing with
Danielle. “That’s a bad idea. I think it’s time I go home, Martin.”

“I understand. I think you’re making a mistake, but I understand.”

They continued around the floor. Martin was a smooth dancer and easy to follow. “You dance well,” Sarah acknowledged.

“Andrea insisted. She loves to dance, and I love to please her.” He managed to catch Sarah’s eye. “Once I gave in and started learning, I found out I liked dancing too.” He walked her back to her table, but before she could sit down, John came up.

“Hey, mind favoring me with a dance?”

“Sure, John.
”

The band struck up another foxtrot. “Now that’s fortunate, because I don’t know how to waltz,” John told her.
He didn’t know how to foxtrot either, but that didn’t matter. Most of the people on the floor right now couldn’t foxtrot. They were swaying back and forth. “You know, everyone is a little pissed at your right now.”

“What did I do?”
Sarah asked.

“You wouldn’t let us give you a going away party for one thing. That means no brownies, no lemon bars,
and no bagels. We feel…deprived.”

Sarah smiled at him. “I could send round some goodies to make amends.”

“You know that’s not the real reason, Sarah. You’re part of our team. You’re some kind of weird combination of cheerleader, slave driver and saleswoman that everyone has come to appreciate. You should be taking us into the next phase.”

“Mr. Byrne and I had an agreement. I would see the DLC through, and he would let me resign. As I said, I took the job to save as many Rainwhite jobs as I could. And I did.” Sarah leaned closer to John and lowered her voice. “I can’t do this much longer, John. I promised no emotional displays, no sad emails. It’s getting hard to do that. I’d like to leave with my head still held high.”

John stopped a moment, pulled Sarah a little closer and then kissed her cheek. “It’s going to be all right Sarah. You’ll see. You’re a hell of a lot stronger than you know.” John grinned. “Let’s hope Nicole didn’t see that kiss. She’ll paint my fingernails while I’m sleeping again.”

Sarah laughed
. She remembered when Nicole had done that to him. The guys teased him for days. John took her back to the table and Sarah checked her phone. The DJ would start in about ten minutes. Sarah went downstairs to make sure he had arrived and was setting up.

“Remember, save the Karaoke for later. Let everyone get a little juiced first,” Sarah said.

“You got it, Miss Adams.”

Sarah went back
upstairs to the main ballroom and checked her phone once more. She hoped she could slip out by eleven. By then, everything would be in place, everyone would be having a good time and she wouldn’t be missed.

“Sarah, darlin’, I’ve been tryin’ to find you all evenin
’.”

Riordan was standing by
her. “Come on over. Cate wants t’say hi to yah.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Byrne. I didn’t see you on the guest list. I apologize for being rude.”

“Eamon had us come at the last minute and I noticed you haven’t been payin’ much attention to our table,” Riordan said. “Come on, let’s see Cate.”

Sarah allowed herself to be led over to where Catherine was. “Sarah, sit down, you l
ook done in,” Catherine said and Sarah complied. Eamon was out on the floor dancing.

“You must think I’m really rude, but I honestly didn’t know you were here, Catherine. I’ve been so busy.”
Don’t let song end, don’t let the song end,
Sarah thought.

“I know. I’ve watched you run around here all night. I don’t suppose this party has been much fun for you.”

“I’m on the clock. This was one of my projects.”

“Well, Riordan and I just wanted to say that you are always welcome at our house, Sarah. Come and see us.”

“If I get back to Kansas City, I’ll come out. I promise,” Sarah told her.

Catherine looked shocked. “You’re leaving?”

“I’m going home to San Diego.” Sarah tried to smile, but it wasn’t working. And the song ended. Eamon was coming back to the table.

“Excuse me,
I…I have to go.” Sarah got up and headed for the door, leaving Riordan and Catherine staring after her.

Sarah hid out in the ladies for awhile
, and then she grabbed her purse and coat, started out the door and almost fell down the stairs. The cold rain that had fallen earlier in the evening transitioned to a slick morass of sleet and freezing rain. Sarah tried to walk, but it was impossible in high heels, so she took them off and walked across the parking lot barefoot. By the time she reached her car, her feet were frozen and her car was encased in a solid sheet of ice. Cursing to herself, she started back toward the hotel door.

“Give me your purse, bitch!”

Sarah turned around to find some greasy guy dressed in slouchy pants and a hoodie had appeared out of nowhere. “What?”

He grabbed hold of her purse. “GIVE ME YOUR PURSE, BITCH!”

Sarah totally lost it! She yanked her purse back so hard it opened and everything went flying. The guy was brought forward by the momentum and Sarah kneed him in the groin. He doubled over in pain, and she began hitting him her one of her shoes.

“You scum-sucking son-of-a-bitc
h, you freaking low life,” She screamed at him, pounding him with her shoe. More in self-defense than anything else, the guy got hold of Sarah by her dress and ripped it as he pulled her down. She landed hard on her hip. He tried to rise, but Sarah yanked him down again, screaming in his ear. “I hate you, I hate you, you, you shit, you.”

Sarah was still trying to hit him
as they both struggled to their feet. By now Sarah was scratching and punching in addition to screaming. The guy grabbed her by the hair and twirled her around and they both landed on the ground.

“Leave her alone, or I’ll kill you!”

The guy saw Eamon approaching as fast as he could on the slick ice. The man, with Sarah swinging her claws at him, rolled over on his hands and knees, scrambled on the slick pavement until he reached the grass divider and then took off.

“Come back, c
ome back you son-of-a bitch, you….ASSHOLE!” She threw her shoe at him, then clenched her fists and screamed again before she burst into tears.

As she searched for her things, she found that the contents of her purse were scattered everywhere
.

“Sarah.
”

She
was squatting down seeing if anything had rolled under the car. “Go away, just go away,” she cried.

“I’m not going away,
Sarah. You’re hurt,” Eamon said in a voice that was calmer than he felt.

“
Leave me alone. I need to find my stuff.”

Eamon started looking
, found her purse and brought it back to her. She stuffed her belongings inside, while Eamon retrieved her shoes and her coat. He found her phone, but it was in pieces. Sarah’s dress was torn down the front and Sarah was so wound up she hadn’t even noticed. He put her coat around her shoulders.

“I have
my keys, my ID.” Sarah started to open the car door.

“No.”

Sarah tried to pull the door open. Frozen; it was frozen. “Damn!”

“
You are not leaving.”

“Who the hell are you to tell me I can’t leave?” She screamed at him.

He took her by the shoulders and shook her once. “You have a hunk of hair missing. Your face is scratched. Your feet are almost frost bitten and the front of your dress is down around your waist. You aren’t going anywhere until you get cleaned up and checked out. Besides, look at this parking lot! It’s solid ice! You really think it’s a good idea to be driving home, as upset as you are on solid ice?”

Sarah started to shake.
“You cold?” Eamon asked.

“Adrenaline. It’s left over adrenaline with nowhere to go.” Sarah started to run a hand through her hair. “
Ow!” Her hand came away bloody.

“You have a cut.”

Sarah realized he was right. She was in no shape to drive. “Can you get me back inside unseen? I don’t want a fuss. I don’t want people fussing.”

“Sure.” Eamon picked her up in his arms.

“Put me down, I can walk.”

“Have you seen your toes? I’ll go slow,”

They started across the parking lot, but even Eamon had to admit that they weren’t going to make it unless Sarah walked. The parking lot really was glass now. Reluctantly he set her down. “Come on.”

They made their
way clumsily across the lot and back to the hotel. Eamon opened a service door that led to the kitchen. The people stared. “Could you have a first aid kit brought up to Room 1278? Miss Adams has had an accident.”  He looked around. “Is there a service elevator? She doesn’t want to be seen this way.”

“Yeah, over here.”

One of the bellhops took them up in the service elevator and Eamon tipped him. “Please bring us a first aid kit.” He made two calls. “Mom? Yeah Mom, I found her. She’s okay. You have your room key, right? Good. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“John? John
, are you still in the hotel? Good, can you come up to 1278? Okay.”

Sarah went t
o the bathroom and took off her coat. Her dress was a total ruin so she stripped to her panties and put on the terry cloth robe hanging on the door.

John and the first aid kit arrived at the same time. Eamon showed him in and when he saw Sarah, the first thing he
did was round on Eamon. “Did you do this to her?”

“N
o!” Both Eamon and Sarah exclaimed together.

“I
headed to my car and some tweaker tried to steal my purse,” Sarah explained.

“
She beat the hell out of him before he managed to get away,” Eamon finished. He pointed down at her feet. “Check her toes out, John.”