Chapter Ten
“Ready?”’Herb asked coming in the kitchen door at four o’clock in the afternoon
“I’m ready.” Hannah took her purse off the hook by the door and ducked into the coffee shop to tell Lisa and Michelle that she was leaving for an orientation meeting with the producer of the talent show.
“Sorry about this,” Herb said, backing the cruiser out into the alley and heading for Jordan High. “I know you had work to do, but they said that if we didn’t show up, they’d scratch us from the lineup.”
“That’s okay. From what you told me it shouldn’t take long.”
Hannah leaned back and shut her eyes as Herb drove the short blocks to the school. She was tired and she really needed to catch a nap. Unfortunately the commute wasn’t long enough to do more than rest her eyes.
The front two rows of the auditorium were packed with contestants when they got inside. Hannah recognized the Langer Sisters, the Little Falls majorettes with their lighted batons, and Smokey Winslow clutching his banjo. “This looks like more than twenty acts to me,” she said to Herb as they took seats in the unoccupied third row.
“They’re up to twenty-six,” Herb said, glancing at the program he’d taken from the stack in the lobby. “We’re number twelve, right before Perry and Sherri’s dance demonstration.”
Hannah’s breath caught in her throat as a tall, dark-haired man walked onstage and took up a position behind the podium. It was Bradford Ramsey and the very sight of him made her feel slightly queasy.
“There’s the host of the show,” Herb said, watching as he switched on the microphone. “He’s a professor from Macalester. I’m pretty sure Michelle knows him.”
“Right,” Hannah said, wishing that weren’t the case.
“Hi, Herb,” someone tapped Herb on the shoulder and Hannah looked up to see Perry and Sherri Connors. “Is it okay if we sit next to you?”
“Sure.” Herb turned to Hannah. “Do you know our local celebrities?”
“I certainly do! Sherri is one Regency Ginger Crisp with a glass of skim milk, and Perry is two Walnut Date Chews with a cup of Twining’s Breakfast Tea.”
Perry and Sherri laughed as they slipped into two seats next to Hannah and Herb. “Are you doing your magic act?” Sherri asked Herb.
“Yes, and Hannah’s my assistant. My cousin usually goes on with me, but she’s got a bad case of the flu.”
“That could be what you have,” Perry said, turning to look at his sister.
“But I feel okay now.”
“I know, but it comes and goes.” Perry turned to Herb. “She’s not running a fever, but she can’t keep anything down. Don’t you always run a fever with the flu?”
“I don’t know. Mary Kate’s mother didn’t say if she was running a fever or not.” Herb gave a little shrug and deferred to Hannah. “Do you know, Hannah?”
Hannah shook her head. “It could be a mild case of food poisoning, I guess. I don’t think you run a fever with that.”
“That’s probably it.” Sherri seized Hannah’s explanation eagerly. And then, when everyone turned to look at her, she gave a little laugh. “I don’t want the flu. That can last for weeks. I’d much rather believe it’s something I ate.”
Bradford Ramsey tapped the microphone for attention, and then he began to speak. “I want to thank everyone for taking time out of their busy day and coming here for orientation,” he said. “I promise not to keep you long. I just want to brief you on where things are and what procedure you should follow for the actual performance tonight.”
Hannah listened as the man who used to hold a place of importance in her life told them about the cash prizes and how the winners were to be chosen. Then he said that they were to sit in designated rows in the audience, and he told them when to come backstage to the dressing rooms.
“If you’re in act ten on the program, you won’t leave your seat until act eight starts,” he said. “That will give you the rest of act eight and all of act nine to get into your costume and get ready to go.”
“How do we know when to come out of the dressing room?” one of the Langer sisters asked.
“There are slave speakers in the dressing rooms. They’re hooked to the microphones on the stage and you’ll be able to hear what the audience hears. When the applause at the end of the act begins, I want you to come to the wings at stage left or stage right and wait for me to introduce you.”
“Stage left if our act is an even number?” one of the guys in the second row asked.
“That’s right. Stage left if your act is an even number, and stage right if your act is an odd number on the program. It couldn’t be simpler. Just remember that when you leave your seats in the audience, walk quietly up the side aisles, go straight down the hallway, and enter the backstage area through the green door.”
“Will we get to rehearse it before the show?” one of the Little Falls majorettes asked.
“Yes. When we’re through here, one of my student helpers will walk everyone through it. Just remember that when you pass through that green door, it will take you past the wings. That means you must be very quiet as you go to your respective dressing rooms to put on your costumes and your makeup.”
There was a little sound next to her, and Hannah glanced over at Sherri. The young dancer was gripping the arms of her seat so tightly that her knuckles were white. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“I … I think I have to go to the ladies room. Can you let me out, please?”
Hannah stood up to let Sherri pass, and Herb did the same. She watched as Sherri hurried up the aisle and into the lobby, racing in the direction of the restrooms. Sherri’s face had been pasty white and Hannah had noticed beads of sweat on her forehead. It was clear that Sherri was ill.
“Did she go to the ladies room?” Perry asked Hannah.
“Yes. I think she’s really sick, Perry.”
“So do I. She keeps telling me it’s nothing, that she’ll be fine in a day or two, but I’m getting worried. This has been going on for over a week.”
“Has she seen a doctor?” Herb, who had been listening to their conversation, asked.
“Not yet. I offered to take her a couple days ago, but she said it wasn’t necessary.” Perry just shook his head. “I think it’s because we don’t have insurance.”
“But I thought the Home carried medical insurance for all of you,” Hannah said.
“They do, but we’re not living at the Home anymore. Sherri and I graduated from Jordan High last May and both of us got full scholarships to the community college. We’ve been there for a year now and we’re living in an apartment in that new building on campus.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows. The upscale apartment complex was the community college’s alternative to a dorm. The lovely building was only a year old, and Hannah had heard that it was quite expensive. It sported an indoor spa, a recreation room with all the latest in video games, wireless Internet connections in every apartment, and food service in an adjacent building that was more restaurant than cafeteria.
“I know,” Perry gave a little smile, as if he knew what she was thinking. “It’s really expensive to live there, but our place is the smallest unit and it comes with our scholarship. All we have to do is vacuum the hallways, clean the windows in the lobby and the spa, and replace burned out light bulbs. And the college placement service found us jobs. Sherri works all weekend as a student secretary at the English department, and I’m on the city grounds and maintenance crew. I work a half-day Friday and all day Saturday. Our tuition’s paid and between the two of us, we earn enough for books and personal stuff.”
“Sounds like a good deal to me,” Herb said.
“It is. Not bad for two kids from the Home. And now we’re the chief fundraisers. Right before we do our dance number, I have to get up to make a pitch for donations to the Home.”
Hannah thought Perry sounded a little bitter, but she didn’t comment. It couldn’t have been easy growing up as an orphan in the Winnetka County Children’s Home. Herb, however, wasn’t that restrained.
“Sounds to me like it’s payback time,” Herb said. “The Home helped you out and now that you’re successful, they expect you and Sherri to help them out.”
“You’re right,” Perry replied, and a frown crossed his brow. “Sherri doesn’t seem to mind doing it, but girls had it a lot easier at the Home. There were fights every night in the boys’ wing, and most of the time they just left us alone to slug it out.”
Hannah said nothing. She knew the Home was doing the best it could with overcrowded conditions and not enough staff.
“It wasn’t all one big happy family, the way they try to make you think it was,” Perry continued. “There were rough times, especially for the boys. You have no idea how many times I had to fight just because I took dance lessons.”
“I’m sure you did.” Hannah did her best to smooth things over. “It must have been very difficult growing up without your parents.”
“Not really. We never knew them.”
Perry’s face was hard and Hannah decided the hurt was too deep for platitudes. She glanced at her watch and said, “Do you want me to go check on Sherri? She’s been gone for over five minutes.”
“Would you?” Perry looked grateful. “Thanks, Hannah. I’d really appreciate it.”
Herb stood up and Hannah exited the row. She walked up the aisle to the lobby and took the hallway to the ladies room. As she opened the door she heard the sound of someone being very sick. A moment later there was a flush, and Sherri came out of a stall.
“Are you okay?” Hannah asked her.
“I think so.” Sherri headed for the sink and splashed some water on her face. She dried it with a paper towel, washed her hands and dried them, and then she turned to face Hannah. “Did Perry send you to check on me?”
“It was my idea, but Perry seemed glad that I offered.”
“He worries too much. I’m really a lot better now. I can go back to my seat.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?” Hannah asked, reaching out to feel her forehead and hoping that she wouldn’t take offense. “You don’t feel hot. I don’t think you’re running a fever.”
“I couldn’t be running a fever. I’ve been taking aspirin every four hours for a week now.”
“Maybe you’d better see Doc Knight and find out what’s the matter. If it is the flu, he can give you something stronger than aspirin.”
“I don’t think I need a doctor. I should be okay now. I took some antacid for my stomach.”
Hannah wasn’t a great believer in over-the-counter remedies, but she decided not to say that. Instead she handed Sherri a tissue from the dispenser. “You’d better fix your makeup. Your lipstick’s smeared.”
“Thanks.” Sherri turned to the mirror to wipe off her lipstick and apply new. “I think you’re right, Hannah.”
“About what?”
“Food poisoning. I made some tuna salad and I forgot and left it out on the kitchen counter. I stuck it in the refrigerator the next morning, and I ate it for dinner that night. Maybe it went bad. I heard you’re not supposed to leave things made with mayonnaise out in hot weather.”
Hannah shrugged. “I guess that could be it. How long ago did you eat the tuna?”
“I don’t exactly remember. Maybe a week ago, or a little longer? I just bet that’s it.”
“It could be,” Hannah said, but she doubted it. As far as she knew, a mild case of food poisoning didn’t last a whole week. Or maybe it did. She’d studied literature, not medicine.
“We’d better go.” Sherri turned from the mirror and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Perry gets nervous if I’m gone for too long. I think it’s the twin thing. We were all we had for so long, and he looked out for me in the Home and everything. He forgets I’m grown up now and I can take care of myself.”
There was a knock on the ladies room door and Hannah opened it to find Perry standing there. “Is everything okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine, Perry,” Sherri said, giving him a big smile. “I just had a little stomach trouble, that’s all.”
“Okay. As long as you’re sure you’re all right.” Perry waited for her to exit the ladies room, and then he took her arm.
“Are they ready to show us the wings and the dressing rooms?” Hannah asked, following the pair to the hallway.
“Yes. They’re going to take us in groups of five. The first ten have left, so we’d better hurry.” Perry turned to Sherri. “Ready?”
“You bet! I’m …” Sherri stopped and Hannah watched in horror as her face turned pasty white again. “I have to go back in. I’m so sorry. I’m sick again!”
Once the ladies room door had closed behind Sherri, Hannah turned to her twin. “Take her to the doctor,” she said. “I think this is more serious than mild food poisoning or the flu.”
“Me, too.” Perry said, looking more than a little frightened. “I should have taken her earlier.”
“It’s not your fault. She didn’t want to go. But you should take her now. And tell Doc Knight to put it on my bill.”
“That’s not necessary. You don’t have to pay our bill. I know Doc’ll let us pay him something every month until we can …”
“No,” Hannah interrupted him, thinking fast. It was obvious that Perry wouldn’t accept what he thought was charity. “I need a few things done at The Cookie Jar, and you can do them whenever you have a spare minute.”
“Like what?” Perry looked a bit suspicious, like he wasn’t quite sure if Hannah had real work for him or not.
“You can mix up concrete, can’t you?”
“Sure.”
“I need my back step repaired. It’s got a crack and it’s only going to get worse this coming winter. And then there’s the pantry.”
“What about the pantry?”
“We’re reorganizing it and we’ve got heavy bags of flour and sugar, and great big containers of various supplies. I don’t want to lift them, and Lisa shouldn’t lift them either.”