The Heat Seekers

• • •

“The show’s coming on!” Janessa shouted up the stairwell. “Hurry up!”

“We’re coming,” Tempest said, as she and Kensington descended the stairs.

They sat back down on the sofa next to Janessa and took turns grabbing handfuls of popcorn. Tempest picked up one of the glasses of cherry Kool-Aid Janessa had on a bamboo serving tray and did a close inspection for loose nail fragments. Janessa glanced over at her and rolled her eyes, knowing Tempest was acting stupid as usual.

“What is this mess?” Kensington asked as Raoul suddenly appeared on the screen in a pair of red, white, and blue bikini briefs.

“Raoul’s Midget Gladiators,” Janessa replied. “It’s the bomb!”

“Say what?” Kensington couldn’t believe her eyes or ears as dozens of midgets flashed across the television in the background while Raoul explained the activities for the evening: midget mud wrestling, midget wall climbing, and midget boxing.

“Hello, ladies, what’s up?” Geren asked, walking in the front door and spotting the three of them propped up on the living room sofa.

“Shhhhhhh, baby!” Tempest yelled out excitedly. “Raoul’s Midget Gladiators just came on.”

“Great, I’m just in time!” Geren threw his coat on the banister and rushed over to grab a seat in his recliner. Raoul’s show was his favorite. In fact, he and Raoul had become good friends. Geren was even advising him on his investment portfolio. “Janessa, can you pass the popcorn, please?”

CHAPTER 30

beginnings

“janessa, I need to see Geren. Go get him for me,” Tempest demanded.

Janessa straightened Tempest’s ivory veil. She was almost in tears; she’d never seen Tempest look so stunning. “You’ll see him in a few minutes when you walk down that aisle. You look so beautiful. Makes me want to start boo-hooing.”

Tempest took Janessa’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “You better not start crying, because then I’ll start, and there’ll be mascara everywhere.”

Janessa started giggling. “Well, we wouldn’t want that.”

Tempest looked Janessa square in the eyes. “I really need to talk to Geren before the wedding.”

“Tempest, are you crazy?” Janessa protested. “It’s bad luck for him to see you in that dress.”

Tempest sat down on the vanity stool in the choir makeshift dressing room. “I’m not leaving this room until I talk to him.”

Janessa had an eerie feeling overcome her. “Uh-oh, you’re not getting cold feet are you?”

“No, of course not,” Tempest cackled. “I just need to ask him something important.”

“Whew, you scared me for a second!” Janessa exhaled the breath she’d been holding in. “I couldn’t picture you having second thoughts about marrying Mr. Wonderful.”

Tempest blushed. “He is wonderful, isn’t he?”

“I don’t even need to tell you. He’s your man, not mine.”

“I would never have second thoughts about Geren. I love him with all of my heart.”

“Then ask him the question after the ceremony,” Janessa suggested.

Tempest stood up and grabbed Janessa by the arm. “No, get him for me, please,” she whined. “I’ll hide behind something so he won’t see my dress, but I need to see him. I need to be able to look into his eyes.”

“How come?”

“So I’ll know he’s being honest about his answer.”

“His answer to what?”