Betsy smiled at Michelle and spoke in her typical soft voice. “Sweetheart, you weren’t getting married to Tom and your mother and I knew it, but didn’t tell anyone. Tom’s mother was on the phone with your mother before your plane ever took off from the runway. I might add the conversation was not very pleasant.”
If looks could kill, the one Scott saw on Michelle’s face was unusually deadly. “She called my mother and told her we weren’t getting married? Is that what you are telling me?”
William took a puff from his cigar and blew the smoke in the air. ”According to what Betsy told me on the trip over here today, she actually called five or six times.”
Michelle looked directly at both of them and spoke in a soft voice, but Scott knew from experience she was furious inside. “From this point on, I will handle this myself. I can fight my own battles and I really didn’t want my mom to hear any news from that witch.”
Without the wisdom of forethought, Scott said something when he should have kept his mouth shut. “What a wimp.”
Michelle turned quickly and looked at him. “Are you calling me a wimp?”
Scott could see a slight grin on William’s face as he chose to stay out of the fray. Scott then focused his attention on Michelle. “I was making a reference to Tom. I have better sense than to call you a wimp.”
Michelle grinned for a moment, and only a moment, to let Scott know she was not angry with him. “I would like to tie his mother’s apron strings around his throat. What a jackass. I wonder if his mother will go along with him to meetings should he make it to the corporate world.”
Betsy cleared her throat is a way that caught their attention. “As I was saying, we would not have interfered if we thought you were going through with the wedding. However, we all agreed that the time had come when the two of you had things that you both needed to say to each other and you needed to get on with it.”
William made his case with far less tactfulness. “Good Lord above. I have seen some lengthy courtships in my life, but the two of you take the cake.”
Michelle couldn’t help but grin at her uncle as she chose to defend their hesitation. “Excuse me. It so happens Scott and I had already planned to sit down Wednesday night and have a long talk.”
Betsy once again intervened. “Michelle, when you and Scott agree to make popcorn, the two of you usually end up eating a bowl of ice-cream.”
Michelle was now smiling at Betsy. “What is that supposed to mean?”
William came to Betsy’s defense. “It means if the two of you start out for the North Pole, there is a good chance we will find you somewhere in the South Pacific. The two of you get distracted when you try to deal with each other.”
Michelle then turned to Scott. “Do you agree with what they are saying?”
Scott shrugged his shoulders and replied, “It sounds fairly accurate to me.”
She had a look of defeat as she spoke. “It sounds right to me too. I’m not sure what that says about us.”
William stretched his arms across the table. “It says that you needed a kick in the ass to get you headed in the right direction. Can I assume we now have you moving down the right highway?”
Scott spoke while looking at Michelle for conformation. “I think we are on the right highway and I don’t think there are any more exit ramps for us to take. Wherever we are going, we are going to get there together.
Michelle then looked at Betsy and William. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell anyone about the wedding being called off. I wanted to take a few days and make sure I was doing the right thing before I said anything. This thing between Tom and I has been going downhill since the day after he asked me to marry him, but I’m okay now. Actually, I am better than okay. I’m very happy right now.”
William nodded his head. “That’s good news that I can carry back to New Bern. I’m sure both sets of parents will be happy to know you are both doing well.”
Michelle was watching Scott as she replied, “I called mom this morning to tell her all was right with the world.”
William glanced at his watch. “Good. Betsy and I have a tight schedule, as I need to be home for my one o’clock nap. I think Mark and Sally told you both that I have a proposition for the two of you.”
“She did mention the possibility, but she didn’t give either of us any details.” Scott replied.
William leaned back in his chair before he spoke. “We would like to offer you both the opportunity to come and work for Brother Willy’s Traveling Salvation Show.”
While Scott was about to burst out laughing, Michelle was able to contain her laughter long enough to speak. “I don’t think I am familiar with that company.”
Then, Michelle started laughing which got Scott started. It took several minutes for them to regain their composure during which time William waited patiently, as he too was smiling. Finally, he spoke and his serious tone returned. “I can assure both of you that this offer is not even close to what you think it is.”
Scott managed to stop laughing, but Michelle put her head down on the table, as she was yet to control her laughter. After a moment, she raised her head and looked at William. “I can assure you that Scott is not remotely qualified to engage in the act of salvation.” She then burst out laughing again.
Scott put his arm around Michelle. “I haven’t noticed you wearing your angel wings lately either.”
After a few more minutes, she looked at Betsy and William and apologized. “I’m sorry. We don’t have a clue what you are talking about and the idea of Scott and I saving souls is just a little far out there.”
Betsy looked at them with an expression that suggested she was about to challenge them. “It’s funny that when people hear the word salvation they almost always assume our effort has something to do with the deliverance from sin. Salvation can also mean the liberation from ignorance or illusion. Or, it can also mean preservation from destruction.”
Betsy’s serious tone and message was sobering to both Michelle and Scott as their desire to laugh quickly faded away. William chose to follow up on Betsy’s comments as he relit his cigar. “What you most likely are not aware of is the fact that you have already been introduced to Brother Willy’s Traveling Salvation Show.”
Scott looked at Michelle and then at William. “I’m not following you? Could you be a little more specific?”
“On Wednesday night, you read a script in which you were both made to realize the time would come when you would have to say goodbye to each other. Scott was led to tell Michelle that he had been in love with her for years, and Michelle told Scott the two of you made a mistake and you should have been in love with each other rather than friends. You were both reading a script of what life was going to look like for you somewhere down the road, if nothing between you changed. You both were forced for a moment to understand the pain of separation.”
Betsy joined William in their explanation. “You have been living an illusion for most of the time you were together. Salvation came when you achieved liberation from your illusion that you could just go on forever being friends and that nothing would ever change.”
Michelle was expressing her doubt as she challenged them. “Are you saying that the few sentences we spoke in the barn changed the course of our life?”
At that moment, Scott was not convinced that William and Betsy were wrong, but he was very interested in hearing their answer.
Betsy was the one to accept Michelle’s challenge. “The words were one factor in the equation. However, if you could have seen the look in your eyes when Scott told you he was in love with you, then you might better understand. The biggest single factor that changed the course of your life was when Scott took you in his arms and kissed you. In keeping with the role, he could have given you a short kiss and the play would have ended. He didn’t do that. He held you very close and your kiss lasted for some time. More to the point, you continued to hold each other long after the lights had faded to black. That’s what changed
the course of your relationship and your life.”
Michelle was not ready to acknowledge the accuracy of Betsy’s statement, but gave Betsy’s words her full attention. Michelle and Betsy were watching each other as though there was some type of mental link between them. Whatever was going on between them was beyond Scott’s skill level to figure out.
Scott chose to address his question to William. “What are the broader implications for what you are saying? You didn’t start the Salvation Show just for our benefit. You must have had a bigger game plan than that.”
William decided to offer Scott a better explanation than they had been given. “If you were to drive through a small town and see the Salvation Show, you would think that you are seeing a typical religious revival. But that is not what we are doing.”
Betsy spoke as she glanced at William. “I think for you to really understand what we are all about, you would need to come on the road with us once. We are going to a little town called East Kings Ridge next week and we would like for the two of you to come along.”
William continued her lead. “I think it would be best for you to see what is going on before you make a decision to work with us. Then if you want to be a part of our group, we can talk more about it. As it stands right now, Michelle would act as our business manager and Scott would be a general manager.”
Scott looked at Michelle as he spoke to see if she would agree with him. “Mr. Broughton, I don’t know you very well, but I have a feeling this is going to be well worth my time. You didn’t get where you are today by going on wild goose chases. I would like to go.”
Michelle echoed his sentiments. “I know you both very well and I am almost positive you are up to something, but I’ll bet that whatever you are involved in will be interesting. I will be happy to go along.”
William stood up and pulled the chair out for Betsy. “Great. Then it’s all set. We will be leaving from the Farm on Tuesday morning at 8:30. You are welcome to stay here until Sunday morning but I have another guest using this place next week.”
CHAPTER VII
Betsy and William had declined the invitation to stay for lunch, leaving Michelle and Scott to grab a sandwich and get ready to spend the afternoon on the beach. Scott was sitting in a rocking chair on the deck waiting for Michelle for at least fifteen minutes before she joined him. She had something on her mind and it took only a few moments to find out what she was thinking.
“Scott, do you consider yourself to be an observant person?”
“I think so, why do you ask?”
She then began to make her point. “Tell me what Betsy and William were wearing today.”
Scott thought for a minute and replied, “Betsy had on long white pants with a pink top. William had on older jeans, a white knit shirt, and tennis shoes. I think Betsy had on sandals.”
In her typical playful manner, she smiled and nodded her head. “That’s right and now I have another test for you. What is the difference between the swimsuit you were looking at yesterday and the one you are looking at right now?”
Scott was sure they were the same, but there apparently was something different that she wanted him to notice. The only problem was he could see nothing different. “I really don’t see any difference.”
She moved closer to him as she became more insistent. “Look closer and see if you notice anything different.”
Hoping for a clue, Scott tried to narrow down the options. “Is the difference in the top or the bottom and is it in the front or the back?”
She replied patiently, “The difference is in the top and bottom and in the front and back. Just keep looking until you see the difference.”
After a few more minutes, Scott had to confess he saw nothing different about her. “Listen Michelle, I am more than willing to spend the next five hours looking at your top, bottom, front, back, and all the rest of you. The view is pretty good from where I am sitting, but I just don’t see a difference.”
She sat in his lap with one arm around his neck as she touched the end of his nose with her finger. “Here is the difference between the swimsuit you were looking at yesterday and the one you are looking at today. The suit you were looking at yesterday was being worn by one of those four little college girls who are staying in the house down the beach from ours. The suit you are feasting your eyes on today is being worn by me. Are you starting to see the difference now?”
The best defense is a strong offense, at least in theory. Scott began to make his weak case. “I didn’t really notice the girl in the pink suit with the straps that tie behind the neck who apparently did not buy the right size top.”
Michelle was smiling at this point. “Actually, I was not thinking about the girl in the pink suit.”
Scott quickly realized that for him to admit some guilt might be better and more effective than total denial. “I understand now. You are talking about the girl in the blue bathing suit that untied her top while she was lying on her stomach. The only reason I noticed her was that I was curious about what she would do if someone dumped a glass of cold water on her back. Would she jump up, thus exposing herself to the world, or would she fight the cold shock and hold her position. These are the questions we as a society must answer.”
Michelle continued her assault. “That is not a major question for society. Besides, I was thinking more about the girl who was so uncoordinated that she couldn’t catch the Frisbee that just happened to land a few feet away from you. It was amazing how many times during the course of the afternoon she would walk over to you before slowly bending over to pick up the missed Frisbee while making sure you missed nothing she was pretending to hide.”
Michelle’s inquisition was not ending and Scott had no choice but to try more denial. “I didn’t realize anyone was playing with the Frisbee, so I could not have paid any attention to this alleged girl.”
Her stare almost insured him this defense was ineffective. She then continued her prosecution. “Neither the young lady nor her boobs are alleged. They were clearly entered into evidence.”
Speaking once again without forethought, Scott replied, “You got that right!”
Michelle’s mouth opened wide. “Excuse me!”
This time he spoke with full damage control in mind. “All I was saying was you’ve got the right to your opinion based on the facts as you saw them.”
Michelle began to make her eloquent closing argument. “On Wednesday night when you so thoughtfully took of my top in the hot tub, you surrendered all of your future rights to be interested in other girls. When you made love to me, you surrendered all of your future rights to look at other girls. I just wanted to call this to your attention before we go down to the beach today.”
Scott kissed her cheek as he began to play defense. “I am so glad you’ve brought this new rule to my attention. I mean, who knew.”
Michelle kissed him and replied, “You’ll know from now on.”
He became serious with Michelle for the first time. “Put your mind at ease. There is a saying that goes something like this; why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home.”
Michelle smiled before she stood up. “I’m not worried about you.”
As they were walking down the steps, he stopped Michelle to make a point and perhaps settle his own curiosity. “The girl with the Frisbee was being fairly obvious about what she was doing. When she threw the Frisbee, she was dead on target, which suggests she has played with a Frisbee before. Therefore, it would be reasonable to assume she can catch the Frisbee if she so desired. Here is my question. She knew you and I were together, so what was she trying to accomplish?”
Michelle stared at him for a moment before she continued her walk down the steps. “I’ll explain it to you sometime. However, I do you credit for being observant.”
Once they were settled on the beach, Scott started a conversation they were both ready to have. “I have a feeling we are going to spend an interesting couple of days starting next Tuesday. There is a
lot more to the Salvation Show than meets the eye.”
Michelle was facing the ocean, as she remained silent for several minutes. “Something unusual happened a few months ago. I went to a pool party at Uncle William’s house to celebrate Betsy’s birthday. We got there in time for lunch and spent most of the afternoon around the pool. My brothers and I went swimming for a while and then they left to go see something on the farm. I was lying down on a lounge chair and went to sleep.”
She paused to take a sip from her drink at which time Scott chose to tease her. “Were you wearing a sexy little swimsuit?”
She shook her head in frustration. “Do you want to hear my story or talk about the very conservative one piece bathing suit I was wearing that day?”
“How conservative was it?” He asked.
“Put it this way. If I was wearing it today, I wouldn’t blame you for looking at Frisbee girl.” She replied.
“Okay, you’ve lost me now. Let’s get back to the story.” He replied.
She shook her head as she continued. “I woke up but didn’t open my eyes, but I heard them talking about taking the show to Western North Carolina. William made the comment that some political leader would be hung out to dry when they got finished.”
Her story made him curious. “Are you saying they might use the Salvation Show to bring down the politician? If so, how are the two things connected?”
She handed him a bottle of sunscreen, “Would you put this on my back please? I don’t know what the connection would be unless they use the show to target their message to average people.”
Scott took the bottle from her and replied, “I would rather put the lotion on your front. Anyway, why not just take out an ad in the paper or do a TV commercial.”
Michelle leaned forward as he started to squirt the lotion on her back. “I’m sure you would like to smear lotion all over Frisbee girl, too. What I learned in my marketing class was to tie your message to the person’s emotions for the strongest and longest lasting results. If they can link their message to someone’s religion, then they have them locked into their idea.”
Brother Willy's Traveling Salvation Show Page 6
