beginning to seriously regret telling a soul what she'd planned. And apparently the two souls she'd told had assembled half of Berkeley to watch. There was an impressive and growing crowd milling around the big warehouse near the Oakland Harbor.
Some thoughtful witch had illusioned the signs on the building. She was guessing Aervyn was the culprit, given that they now said Monstr Truks. That might not make Elsie any calmer. It was, however, doing a good job of keeping the waiting audience in the dark.
If Elsie didn't take the dare, then this was going to be the suckiest thing she'd ever done to someone else on purpose. And Elsie was her friend.
You had enough faith in her to set the dare, said a brisk voice in her head. Caro, walking up with a flock of ladies from the knitting store. Don't go all wimpy on her now. She'll need you to poke her a little.
That had been the idea yesterday. In the cold light of morning, it was looking insanely stupid and more than a little mean.
"There's not a mean bone in your body," said Caro, closer now. "A few stupid ones, but I'm not seeing any of those poking out today."
Lizard jolted as warm arms enveloped her in a hug. They should be saving all the gooey stuff for Elsie.
Caro chuckled in her ear. "I just don't want you to puke on me, girl. Get that backbone of yours straightened up. I sleep just the other side of the wall from Elsie's bedroom - you're not the only one who hears her dreams."
Lizard breathed - and discovered that her desperate need to puke had eased off some. "Am I crazy? Maybe dreams stay inside your head for a reason."
The look Caro leveled at her was the kind that made grown women squirm. "Sometimes it's those things inside your head that need to come out and play the most."
Lizard wasn't sure they were talking about Elsie anymore.
And then the crowd noise doubled, and they weren't talking at all. The star of the show arrives. Good luck, girl. And with that, Caro was gone, melted back into the sea of faces.
Jamie got out of the car first, turning and waving to the crowd. Holy shit, he sent to Lizard. Where'd all the people come from?
Frack. I thought you invited them.
A few. I wouldn't have done this to her. She's gonna freak.
She's tougher than you think, sent Jennie calmly. And obviously more loved than any of us knew, including her, I suspect. Is she coming out?
Nat's working on that. Jamie looked a little worried.
"That's your cue, sweetheart," said a rich voice in Lizard's ear.
She turned in shock - for old people who lived far away, Vero and Melvin did a lot of traveling.
"It's a stage you've created for her." Vero swept her arm grandly, taking in the crowd, the slightly dingy warehouse, and the morning fog. "Now you need to ask her to make an entrance." She pushed on the small of Lizard's back. "Go. She needs you now."
Lizard stumbled forward, legs liquid with fear that Elsie might never even make it out of the car.
The first eyes she saw when she ducked her head into the car were Nat's. A glance full of tranquil strength, and then she slid out of the seat and motioned Lizard into the car.
Getting in was one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She looked over at her roommate. "You going to puke?"
"I don't know." Elsie sounded like one of Scrooge's ghosts. "I don't even know what you want me to do yet, or why, and I'm already terrified." She picked at the simple black pants on her legs. "They told me to wear clothing for yoga, but I don't think all those people are here to watch me do a handstand."
Well, that might be one of the things that happened inside the warehouse, but it probably wouldn't be the audience favorite. And Caro was right. If Elsie was going to face this thing, she needed a little poking. "I've been thinking that a lot of those people out there have been going too easy on you."
Elsie's head flew up, eyes sparking. "Too easy?"
"Sure." Lizard tried to put on her obnoxious delinquent persona. It was harder than it used to be. "They're all treating you with kid gloves. 'Let's see if Elsie can be a little silly.' Is that what you want at the end of this? To be silly?"
Her roommate's face fell. "I love