the noisy chatter, the mothers who come in with chubby babies and rambunctious toddlers.
I stand at a table in the kitchen, focusing my attention on decorating a cake and trying not to think about the fact that I have to tell all these people. I have to tell Allie, all my mom friends, Nicholas and Bella’s teachers, the café staff…
But if I can’t even say the word to myself, how in God’s name am I going to tell anyone else? How will my friends react? Will they start treating me differently?
“He’s here. Omigod, I’m so nervous.” Allie darts through the kitchen doors, looking a little frazzled. “He’s with Kelsey and Archer in the Castle Room. Wow, that cake looks beautiful.”
“Not bad, huh?”
Pleased, I step back to look at the round cake decorated with smooth, blue fondant and embellished with curlicues of white icing shaped like tornados.
The meditative act of decorating the cake, not to mention the combined excitement and worry over Kelsey and Archer’s meeting with the Storm Hunters producer, is a welcome contrast to the shock of my diagnosis. I need to be at the café right now, not only as part of my routine but for my emotional well-being.
Allie and I arrange the cake on a tray along with a carafe of fresh coffee and go up to the Castle Room, which we’ve closed for a “private” event. It’s a big deal that David Peterson flew in from LA just to meet with Archer and Kelsey about the show. The question is what he wants to talk about.
The three of them are sitting at a table by the window, and Allie and I pour coffee and slice the cake. I glance at Kelsey, who looks cool and collected in a navy suit that matches the blue streak in her hair. She gives me a smile of reassurance.
Allie puts pots of cream and sugar on the table before she and I retreat to the wait station.
“Should we leave?” she asks.
“Probably.”
Neither of us moves toward the stairs.
“Do you think he’s going to fire her?” Allie whispers, pretending to rearrange the clean glasses.
“I don’t know.”
I’m worried, though. The Cruella de Vil thing is snowballing on the heels of all the Archer fangirling, and I can’t help thinking the Storm Hunters producers won’t want to continue the series with a villainous woman in the leading role, even if she is one of the most preeminent scientists and tornado experts in the world.
On the other hand, Kelsey is nothing if not a self-sufficient woman who gets shit done, so even if she does get fired, she’ll find a way to turn it around to her advantage.
Allie and I edge a little closer to the table so we can eavesdrop…er, I mean accidentally overhear.
“As you know, we are very excited about what’s happening with Archer here.” David reaches over to squeeze Archer’s arm. “Very excited. We really believe he’s the key to giving the show a new life. And, Kelsey, in light of the recent negativity over your role in the animal rescue—”
Here it comes, I think as my heart begins a slow descent.
“—we’d like you to consider a new storyline,” David continues.
Kelsey blinks. “What kind of storyline?”
“A storyline involving you and Archer,” David explains. “You’ve kept your relationship pretty quiet, but it’s time for us to play it up, give it more air time, emphasize it. The premise is fantastic—a hot guy who rescues animals and fixes things, and a sexy, brilliant scientist with a fiery temper and a serious case of bitchiness.”
“Hey.” Anger flashes in Archer’s expression, and he starts to push his chair back. “Watch what you—”
“Archer,” Kelsey puts her hand on his arm, her tone mild, “it’s not untrue.”
“Well.” He sits back down, still looking annoyed. “The sexy, brilliant part isn’t.”
“Look, these are just archetypes, you know?” David holds up his hands in a placating gesture. “Characters you play. We’d do a whole flirty thing between you two, stage some fights and making up, play with the whole ‘will they or won’t they’ question, and then end the season with…”
He draws his voice out, as if trying to heighten the anticipation.
“End the season with what?” Kelsey asks.
“A live, on-camera wedding for the finale!” David says, spreading his arms out in a grand gesture.
Allie gasps. Kelsey and Archer stare at David.
“What?” Kelsey finally says.
“I’m telling you, ratings will go through the roof,” David continues, shaking his head when Kelsey starts to speak again. “I know, I know. You don’t want to