Pharaoh Ch. 08

Chapter 8: WGPD Part 1 The Start

All day long we heard the screech of horns blowing, sirens wailing, bands playing, military salutes to the boys in Mongolia, kids screaming, firecracker explosions, cap guns, real guns, announcements. Every winner, every runner-up and every shortcake competitor had to be named and congratulated at top volume. Street parking and babysitting were free for the day; kids under 18 were banned from the competition (though almost all of them watched later on streaming); Miss Rolling Rock 2302 would be appearing at tent J at 2 p.m. together with The Groovy Rolling Rock Rock and Roll Tide Explosion Band; youth basketball and cheering went all day till 10 p.m.; lottery ticket sales ended at 3. And then more screams, more bands, more laughter, more explosions and bottle-rockets, more singing, some of it the bad, drunken kind of singing. More tumult on our street, on every street.

White Girl Pride Day had finally arrived.

Alicia and I were home of course, not due at the venue till 4:30 p.m. I tried to get her to relax, tried getting her to nap for a few hours at noon. But it was no use. Not only was the place too noisy for a nap, she was so keyed up I was afraid she might burst into flames.

We ate a light lunch of salad with a few nuts for protein. She drank her health drinks to stay hydrated, she applied moisturizer. She was in baggy high school gym shorts, bikini briefs and a little t-shirt. No bra. By 2 p.m. she was vibrating with energy and did 100 sit-ups, then stripped for her second shower of the day. Her cunt looked perfect but I knew she wanted to run the razor and apply her oils again.

She looked down at her pussy and said, "I'm just glad it's not my period." Then, "Poor Danielle."

At 3 p.m. Alicia kicked me out of the bedroom to do a final check. She didn't want me to know in advance her selection of dress, makeup, lingerie, bikini. Wanted me to see them with everyone else so I could give the best feedback possible for the Pharaoh finals.

At 4 I carried everything to the car, dodging bottle rockets and hockey pucks from the neighborhood kids. Alicia came out looking beautifully refreshed, calm and possessed, cheerful and eager. She had transformed herself, not a hint of nervousness. I smiled with love. She checked that I had everything and slid into the front seat of the car. We arrived about 10 minutes early. Got VIP parking (for once) up by the stage. I ran around to get the door for her.

I could hug her then. These weren't the clothes. This wasn't the makeup. Just had to be careful with her hair.

As I hugged her I whispered, "Be brave now. You've got this. I love you."

My sweet Alicia nodded. She kissed my cheek and smiled, but couldn't speak. She turned and disappeared into a gaggle of contestants.

I carried in the bags together with the other husbands and boyfriends. Everything had been planned to a T. There was a spacious dressing area set up with her name, our name. I carefully hung the dress bags, stowed her cosmetic bag, placed her personals in the bins and left.

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I guess I was fooled a little by the VIP parking. When I walked out to the seats I found I was on my own. Surprising that the husbands wouldn't be taken care of. The seats were about half filled at 5 p.m. We still had an hour. I had to wander almost half way back to find a seat on the aisle. I didn't want to be trapped on the off chance that Alicia would need me during the show. Plus I had two fresh shirts and two pair of new pants in the trunk of the car. Just in case.

I looked around. The crowd gave off a excited buzz of happy chatter. Seats were filling up fast. Ten rows ahead of me I could see Willy. Good God but that red hair stood out like a fireball in a dark night sky. I shuddered. Way over to my left I saw Alicia's parents and brother. Lucky guy, just turned 18. I breathed a sigh of relief that Mr. and Mrs. Podomatskiavich hadn't seen me, and was happier still that Alicia had convinced them that earlier today was not a good time to visit.

I spotted Elizabeth's husband Bernie and Danielle's new boyfriend together towards the front. They must have delivered their girls quite early. I wondered if the boyfriend was as bummed about Danielle's period as Alicia and I had been. I couldn't spot Sam's husband Arnie or Janie's boyfriend Ben. I could see Alicia's girlfriend Lisa, the one who was now 22, sitting by herself at the very back. Sad. Her husband Billy still had not been heard from.

At 5:30 Jason and his wife Rachel, she's Roger's (middle) half-sister, walked up just beside me. By this time they'd have to sit pretty far away from the stage. He saw me and said gruffly, "Good luck man," then hurried on past. She just glared. It made me wonder whether Ed and his wife were around. I couldn't see them. Then I wondered about Roger. He must be here with his wife MaryBeth. I couldn't see them either and then realized they'd be in the very front with the other uppers.

I stood to look and saw them almost immediately, dead center maybe eight rows from the stage. But standing was a mistake.

Willy's voice boomed out across the crowd of people separating us.

"Yoong Jeff-er-ay! Jeff-er-ay!! O'er here laddie."

I was forced to catch his eye. No telling what he might have done if I pretended to have gone deaf. So I waved and mouthed the word "Hello."

"Jeff-er-ay." His voice had grown even louder. Everyone around had their eyes glued to us. "Jeff-er-ay, best er luck mah mukker." Friend he meant. But not his best mukker, no chance of replacing Eric in that category.

I waved a limp hand in acknowledgment of his good wishes. He turned away and I thought we were done. I sat back down, down low enough to hide.

But I was wrong. When I glanced up Willy was standing on his chair calling to me again. "Jeff-er-ay! Yer sweit lassie. Yoong A-leesh-e-yer. Best 'er luck tae 'er tay. She micht nae win! But we're aw in fer a treat whur sh' diz o' nae."

I nodded in appreciation and sank down further in my chair. Willy climbed back down with evident pleasure at a job well done. By now the entire audience was watching, couples and friends together nodding and elbowing and laughing.

My nose! But it was clean there.

When I was able to glance around I saw that almost everyone was sporting one of those new quantum recording devices, the ones that simultaneously take 4—D video and still shots from every angle. Something about charmed particles, whatever they are. These girls would be well documented.

The other thing I realized was that about half the crowd was drunk. That half including the elderly couple to my left. She was screaming non-stop, waving a banner that said Donna Frantz, crying out "My grand-niece! Donna, Donna, Donna. My baby's baby's niece." He was falling asleep, snoring into his wife's shoulder.

She snapped him out of it and they rose unsteadily to squeeze past my legs. I could see friends of theirs motioning them down to a better pair of open seats. On the way past he managed to whack me in the head with his elbow. Smarted like a son of a gun. Bony old b______.

As I winced, Stony popped from nowhere right into the seat beside me.

"Where did you come from?" I said, rubbing the sore spot.

"I've been up behind you the whole time. Watching. Who's your buddy?" she asked with a grin. Her eyes glanced forward towards Willy.

"Long story," I said. "Maybe some other time."

"Oh, of course. I'm sure he meant well. Don't be embarrassed."

"Hmmm."

"Please. Be careful. Your nose OK?"

"So far so good." Stony knew all about my little problem.

"Just think of Alicia. Be positive. I saw her in the paper and she looked incredible."

"Yeah," I said, brightened as always by Stony's good cheer and support. "Yeah."

"She's so pretty, gorgeous actually. Made me laugh too."

"What?"

"What she said. Keyhole Club."

"Oh." I had to gather my thoughts. Tricky comment. "Oh...aahh...you know about that?"

"Dude! Every girl in this town knows, even if no one says it in polite company. Surprised she got away with it." She wore a big happy all-in-this-together smile. Like I said, she cheers me up.

"We all know....not that we can all have one." She giggled merrily and elbowed me in the side. I think she has bony elbows too, and the blow hurt more than I wanted to let on.

"Aaah...OK."

Stony is as cute as can be. But I'd seen her in jeans. Her thighs are a little stout for a keyhole.

I rubbed my side discreetly as I glanced at my watch. 5:45. That's when Briana appeared out of nowhere. Just like Stony had.

She was as surprised as I was. She looked down on me and smiled. "Jeff. My man!" Inappropriate but in character. She reached back to push her hair behind her ear. For a second I recoiled at the thought that she was about to high-five me, to call even more attention my way.

She didn't but I was shocked that she would show up. After the press about her immorality. I'd be under a rock somewhere. It wasn't my business, but I know if it had been Alicia.... Still, I shouldn't have been surprised. This was "crazy old me" Briana.

"Where's Draymond?"

"Aaah....we tried to get in down front...you know, the uppers section. I'm allowed cause of...Hey listen, Sugar, can you pop over one and let me talk to my friend?"

I was shocked again. The entire event so far one shock after another. A white girl addressing a black woman that way! Calling her "Sugar"? Bossing her? Not done! No, not at all. Even if she could tell Stony was middle, even if she didn't know that Stony and I were colleagues, even if she didn't know we'd been in conversation. Still.

I could feel that Stony agreed with me. No way would she have been used to this sort of treatment. She made a little face. I figured she'd refuse the request, wondered even if she might call Security. Briana looked at her without expression. They locked eyes for a few uncomfortable seconds. Finally Stony sighed, a good long meandering, tuneful sigh. Briana continued to look at her, now with a pleasant, cherubic grin. Stony stood and shifted to her left.

Course Briana is at least a year older than Stony, if that makes a difference. Does it?

Briana squeezed in and went on, "...tried you know down front...it's a mob scene down there...only one seat left so naturally...Dray had to take it, you know? They more or less made him take it...so then I just wandered back and here you are."

"Aaah."

"You pumped?" she asked with a huge open grin. Such a nice friend, despite the immorality.

"Oh, aaah, yeah. Of course. By the way I'd like you to meet...." I took the opportunity to introduce the two girls. They looked one another over warily and shook hands.

Bri registered her earlier faux pas then and apologized to Stony, and then to me. "Sorry. I had no idea you two were together."

Which I could tell made Stony feel a little better but somehow made me feel a little worse. What if Alicia ever thought...

"Ummmm....not together...we...umm..well she...well..."

Briana and Stony said, "Shhhhh" in unison.

Eddie C. had come on stage to begin the proceedings.