Turning to look behind her, Lynn could not help but feel for her friend Tina. Tina, to her surprise, had learned that her travelling by train to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, was not the best laid plan. It seemed, that a mear two hours out of the station, Tina had learned that the constant rocking of the train car had made her well beyond motion sick. By the time they had finally figured out what the problem was, Tina was too sick for the dramamine to have any effect.
Now that they had reached their destination, Tina was looking a little better, but was still a little wobbly. As Tina started to descend the steps, onto the platform, Lynn walked over and offered her a hand.
'Hey Tin, you gonna be okay girl?' Lynn asked, as she helped Tina down the steps.
'Yeah, I am feeling much better. That last time throwing up really helped,' she said in all candor.
Ann, walking down the steps behind Tina, looked to Lynn and smiled a weary smile. She, like Lynn, had been very worried about Tina. It had been a rough trip. In fact, they had decided that maybe the bus was the plan for their return trip home.
As the three friends walked across the platform, and up to the train station house, they saw Mardi Gras posters plastered everywhere. They told of the upcoming street parties, and the many acts and performances scheduled.
Walking over to the bulletin board, Lynn stopped and set her bags down. The poster that had caught her eye first had been the one with the knight in shining armor atop a pure white steed. As Lynn stared at the poster, she got a warm, comforting feeling deep in her stomach. She thought of what the person under the armor may look like. What he may be thinking. And who he may be.
Tina, feeling alot better once getting back on solid ground, walked up behind Lynn, and placed her hand on Lynn's shoulder. 'Whatcha looking at kiddo?' Tina asked. Lynn smiled, and turned to look at Tina.
'Oh, nothing,' she replied, 'just daydreaming.'
Ann walked up to the girls, and looked at the poster. 'I say he is gay, or has 2.3 children, and two ex-wifes.' As Tina and Lynn each turned to look at Ann, the trio broke down in complete laughter. Then, picking up her bags, Lynn turned to Tina and Ann.
'What say we find our hotel, check in, and do some sightseeing before all the parties start?' The other two girls looked to each other, then back to Lynn.
'Sounds like a plan to me,' Ann stated. 'Lets get hoppin then,' Tina chimed in.
Walking through the train station house, and to the curb, the trio hailed a cab, and climbed in. As the cab pulled away from the station, a lone figure, hidden within the shadows of the train stations overhang watched until the cab was out of sight. Then, stepping into the sunlight, he smiled to himself, hailing a cab of his own.
==========
Arriving at the same hotel that the trio he had just observed were staying at, he hung back until they had finished registering. Then, once he was sure that they were on their way to their rooms, he walked across the lobby, and up to the main desk. When he did, the desk clerk turned, and recognizing him, smiled brightly.
'Ah, monsieur, what can I do to be of assistance to you?' the clerk queried.
'The three women that were just here, what are their names and room numbers?' he asked. The friendly smile quickly disappeared from the clerks face, and was replaced by a blank expression. *Well done* he thought to himself, *could not have done better myself*.
The clerk shifted uncomfortably, the raising his chin, responded. 'I am sorry, monsieur, but that information is not to be given out by any member of the staff.'
Smiling at the clerk, the man reached into his pocket, and pulled out a rather large bundle of bills. Taking a bill from the middle of the bundle, he casually laid it on the counter, and pushed it towards the desk clerk. The clerk, scanning the area to make sure that no one was watching, reached out, and took hold of the bill. He slid it the rest of the way across the counter, and into his pocket. Then smiling, he turned the register around, indicating the lines that the trio had just signed.
After reading the names and corresponding room numbers, the man looked to the clerk, and tilted his head in a *thank you* gesture. Then, turning on his heel, he headed across the lobby, and to the elevator.
Once on the elevator, he punched the number seven, and stood back. After only a few moments, the doors slid silently open, and he exited into the dimly lit hallway. Walking down four doors from the elevator, he looked around, then softly rapped his knuckles on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened, and he looked up.
'Did you get the necessary information?' the man on the other side of the threshold asked. The man only nodded yes in response, a bright smile on his face. Then, after motioning for him to enter, the other man closed the door silently behind him.
Walking into the room, the man was greeted with the back of his third colleague. He was looking out the window, out over the boulevard. When his colleague turned around, the man was still smiling.
'I take it all is as planned?' the colleague asked. 'Right on schedule.
They have no idea what is about to happen,' the man answered.
The colleague smiled, slyly, then turned and looked back out over the boulevard. 'Good. Very Good.'
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After having dropped their bags off in their rooms, and taking a few moments to freshen up, the three adventurous friends took in as much sightseeing as they could. They had always heard about the beauty that was New Orleans, but until they had experienced it themselves, mear words had not done it justice.
After spending the majority of the remaining day in the French Quarter, browsing through little gift and antiquities shoppes, they decided that they had better get back to their rooms and get ready for the main reason they had decided to take this trip in the first place. The Mardi Gras street party.
After having arrived at the hotel, and stopping at the front desk to pick up messages, they were each surprised to find waiting for them a ticket to a Mardi Gras party at a little place in the city's Garden District.
'This is way strange,' Lynn said. Tina and Ann only shook their heads in agreement. 'I mean, me winning the trip in the contest to begin with was a surprise, but now tickets and invitations to a party on top of that. I don't know, this is way scary.' Tina and Ann looked to each other, then back to Lynn.
'Are you sure that the tickets weren't part of the grand prize, and that you had to actually get here before they were given to you?' Ann asked. Lynn, furrowing her brow in thought, looked up from the ticket in her hand, and nodded.
'Well, I guess that makes sense. I mean, I was so shocked learning that I had won, that I never really looked to see what all the trip entailed.' Lynn commented.
Tina, throwing her hands up, smiled. 'Well, that must be the answer then. And think of it, a party, in the Garden District!! This is gonna be so cool!!' Tina squealed. Then, looking at both her friends, Lynn smiled and laughed herself. 'Well, then, I guess it would be a good thing if we were on time,' Lynn stated.
Tina and Ann, nodding in agreement, started for the elevator, with Lynn trailing behind them. Lynn, still feeling a little uneasy about the new tickets, slapped them against her palm. Then, deciding to not look a gift horse in the mouth, moved onto the elevator with her friends.
As the door closed, they had already began talking about their individual choices for costumes.
Watching the trio in the lobby, from behind his newspaper, he followed their progress to the elevator. Once they stepped onto the elevator, and the doors closed, he couldn't help but smile. Then, thinking that the party was close at hand, and that he, too, had to get into costume, he folded the newspaper and laid it on the sofa cushion beside him. Standing, and tugging at his sweater, he started across the lobby. As he did, a young female approached him, timidly. When she got within a few feet of him, she stopped, and he turned and smiled at her.
'Pardon me,' the young girl began, 'but aren't you...' Before she could finish, he nodded.
'Yes, I am,' he replied. The young girl, momentarily stunned by the fact that he was whom she thought he was, just stood and stared. Continuing to smile, he reached out and took a small book and pen from the girls' trembling hands. 'Would you like me to sign this?' he asked.
The young girl only nodded. He then opened the small book, and after writing in it, closed it shut, and handed it and the pen back to the girl.
She took the book, still staring at him, and slowly began to back away. Then, before turning from him, she got her voice back. 'Thank you,' she said. He tilted his head in response, then turned and headed for his room.
========
After having arrived at the party, and handing their tickets to the door man, the trio entered the large ballroom, and took in the festivities. Lynn had not known what each of her friends had decided to come to Mardi Gras as, they had all agreed to keep it a secret until the last minute. So, when they all rendevoused in the hotel lobby, in the same outfit, they broke out in laughter.
They had each decided to dress as a female equivalent of a Musketeer, right down to the sword, knee high boots, and feather in their caps. The fact that they had all chose the same costume should not have really surprised them, but they laughed from the hilarity of it anyways.
Now, as they entered the ballroom, side by side, they could only imagine what people would think. Granted, dressed this way, with swords strapped to their hips, and black sequin masks hiding their identities, they did make a formidable trio. But then, it was Mardi Gras, and stranger things had surely been known to happen.
Deciding to separate, and scope out the food and frills, the trio headed in three different directions. After wondering around the room for a few moments, the trio regrouped back in the middle of the room. When they did, Tina was virtually jumping out of her skin in anxiousness.
'Uh, Tin, you been in the dramamine there girl?' Ann joked, and Lynn covered her mouth to keep from laughing.
'Funny Ann,' Tina quiped, 'No!! You will not believe what I just overheard that group over there saying,' Tina said, as she pointed to a group of people near the front of the room.
They stood near a large stage, and when they had entered, Lynn had just assumed they were just partygoers like the rest. But, as Tina continued, it turned out that the group was in actually the contest organizers. Lynn looked to Tina then.
'Wait, the contest organizers? MY contest organizers?' Lynn asked. Tina nodded enthusiastically.
'Yes, and you will not believe what else. Guess, go ahead, guess,' Tina teased.
Ann placed her hands on her hips, and started to guess, but before she could say one word, Tina interrupted. 'They said that three very MAJOR television stars are scheduled to make an appearance at this party. Can you believe that?' Tina yelled, totally over come with excitement.
Lynn and Ann looked to each other, then back to Tina. 'Oh, is that all? Shoot, we thought maybe they were giving away money or something,' Ann said, shooing Tina out of her way. Ann then stepped over to the nearest table, and got herself a cup of punch. Tina, the wind somewhat gone from her sails, only watched Lynn and Ann with disbelief.
Lynn, noticing Tina watching her and Ann, looked up. 'What? What is it now?' she asked.
'I can not believe you two are so calm about this!! I am about to die here,' Tina replied. Lynn huffed, and looked around.
'Do you really think that anyone that might remotely interest us would be here?' she asked.
Before Tina could answer, a man, dressed as a knight in shining armor walked up to Lynn, and tapped her on the shoulder. When Lynn turned around, her mouth dropped open. She could not believe her eyes. It was the knight, from the poster at the train station, come to life. As Lynn stood there, her mouth hanging wide open, the knight spoke.
'My friends and I could not help but overhear your conversation about there being actors or some such appearing tonight. Anyone of any interest that you know of?' the knight asked.
Lynn only stood and stared. Then, after Tina had nudged her in the back, Lynn closed her mouth, and looked around, embarassed.
'Uh, what did you say?' she asked. The knight repeated his question for her, and then waited.
'Oh, we don't know,' Lynn offered, 'Tina here overheard a group of promoters talking about it. But, if you want my opinion, it is probably either some one we have never heard of, or that little guy from Fantasy Island.' As Lynn said this, the group chuckled, and the mood lightened a little.
'Well, lets hope they are a little more appealing than that,' the knight said.
As the group continued to talk, they were joined by the knights two friends. They were dressed as a harlequin, and as a pirate.
The harlequin walked up to Tina, and taking her hand, lightly kissed her on the backs of the knuckles. The pirate then walked up to Ann, and bowing before her, removed his hat in a grand gesture. Both men were wearing eye masks
After spending hours talking and chatting, Lynn had to admit that she was having a splendid time. She still did not know who her knight in shining armor was, but that did not matter. She felt more at ease with him now, than she had with anyone in a long time. As they swapped stories about work and friends, they were attention was averted by a voice over the speaker system.
'Ladies and gentlemen. The midnight hour is close at hand, and you know what that means. It is almost time to reveal yourselfs. But, before we do, we would like to thank our celebrity guests. They are in the crowd, amongst you, and we appreciate all their help in promoting this event.'
As the speaker said this, Tina scanned the crowd, trying to spot the aforementioned celebrities. Then, turning to Lynn, she giggled. 'They are in the crowd!! Can you believe it? I wonder who they are?'
Lynn only smiled to her friend, and then turned to the knight.
'Would you be disappointed if it were not who you thought it was?' the knight asked, in reference to the celebrities.
Lynn shook her head. 'No, not in the least,' she said, smiling up at the knight. 'I have enjoyed the company I have kept tonight too much to even think about any celebrities,' she said. Before the knight could reply, the announcer spoke up again.
'Okay...countdown...five...four...three...two...' As the countdown proceeded, Lynn, Tina, and Ann looked to each other, smiling. When the announcer yelled one, the trio ripped off their masks, and turned to their newly made friends.
When they did, they could not believe what they saw. Standing before Lynn, holding his knights helmet in his hand, rested on his hip, was Bruce Payne. Standing in front of Ann, with a sly grin, was Eugene Glazer. And standing in front of Tina, holding his harlequin mask in his hands, was Roy Dupuis.
The friends looked to each other, then back to the men. As the party
continued around them, the trio heard only the heart beats of the three men in front of them. After a few moments, Lynn spoke up.
'How... I mean... why...' she stammered. Bruce smiled, and looking down at his feet, paused a moment. When he looked back up, he looked Lynn straight in the eye.
'Joel arranged for you to win this trip, Lynn, after we asked him to. We wanted to meet each of you, and did not want to scare you off by telling you so. So, we had a *mock* contest, that you were already slated to win. That way, we could meet you here, and maybe get to know you better,' Bruce offered.
'But, but, why would you want to meet us?' Lynn asked.
Roy cleared his throat, and the group looked to him. 'Because we liked what you wrote on your mailing list, and wanted to get to know you better.' The girls looked to each other, then back to the men.
'You mean, you guys actually READ what we write on our Covert Lovers list?' Ann questioned, timidly. The three men all nodded in unison. Then, as if knocked over by some unseen force, the three Musketeers fainted, and thudded, right then and there.
Bruce looked from the Musketeers, to Roy and Eugene, and laughed. 'Now, why does THAT not surprise me?' he said jokingly. The three men lauged out loud, and looked down at their three newest friends, passed out cold on the ballroom floor.
As the last story was told, and the patrons began to stand and leave, she smiled to herself. She had really found a treasure when she had walked into this little out of the way place. Standing, and heading for the door, she couldn't help but wonder how many people had heard these very stories, and how it had touched them. Had it made them feel the way it had made her feel? She would probably never know.
Exiting the small club, and walking down the street, she noticed that the streetlights had come on. They cast a somber glow on the darkness of the night. But, that didn't scare or deter her. She had just heard some of the most heartwarming and funny stories in her life. And, no matter what, she would not be leaving New Orleans the same person who had arrived.
With this last thought, she turned, and headed back the way she had came earlier that evening. As she did, she found herself whistling a jaunty tune to herself, with a new found spring in her step, and a smile on her face.
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I would like to extend a thank you to both Nikita507 and Northstar for their wonderful contributions this week. I thoroughly enjoyed them both, and got a little giggle out of them as well!!