The Mysterious Case of the Mayflower Dame

Chapter 1: A Distant Star (Part III)

Listening to my surroundings I can hear a clicking sound in one of the rooms. It appears that the sound is emanating on the last room way back, there are stands of flowers and other paraphernalia placed on the side of the door itself. Walking a bit closer to it the door suddenly opened and Eleanor came out well-groomed for the event. Although I can verify that it is her, I believe her manager is also on the same page, I can tell even if I am three rooms apart from where they are. Her manager is behind her tail holding some sort of black suitcase with a thick leather handle.

“I need to know all the schedules that I have so far.” Eleanor said as she kept on walking

“Darling we are still to fill your appearances up, you’ve rejected quite a majority of it.”

“It’s because I find no interest in simple gatherings, you know how much I value my figure.”

As they came closer to my direction Eleanor looked at me with familiarity. At first, she seems hesitant to ask but after verifying her own contentment she went in front of me.

“You must be Jonathan are you?” Eleanor asked in glee.

“I am, indeed.”

“How long has it been?”

“Eight whole years I think. You’ve been affixed to your career to the point you’ve taken it religiously.”

“Is that a compliment? Hmm, I believe it is.” She said winking

Then her manager went in between our discussion. “Time’s a wastin, we need to get to the stage for your first appearance.

She turned to me acknowledging my presence. “My name is Cecil. I’m the one in charge of her schedules and pretty much all of the stuff concerning her appearances.” Cecil said, greeting me with a handshake.

  Eleanor’s manager looks like the office type of lass: someone that wears glasses, and she has this habit of tilting it whenever she is looking at something or someone. Her gestures ever since I’ve laid eyes on her are on a professional level. Her eyes are brown and her black hair is tied up in a bun. Even the way she wears her clothes is quite admirable, a laced long sleeve with a black coat for the sake of the cold weather, a black skirt with chain hanging out telling me that she has a pocket watch at her disposal.

“Nice to meet you!” I replied with a smile. This is a business engagement that’s why I expect this much formality and finesse. She handed me Eleanor’s bag just for safekeeping. I can see that she already got her hands full as of now.

  Looking at my watch, it is almost nine a.m., time moves so quickly like a thief. Since I am on my escort work, I carried some of the personal effects such as her bag as we walked towards the backstage with the managers waiting for her arrival. The pressure is indeed on as my other co-officer already has his subject on the stage, she is the main event. The lights on the stage suddenly went dim, gracefully she started walking up the stairs as music is playing in the background. Lights slowly highlight her every step and as soon as they saw her radiant face the crowd went into uproar.

  The blending of smooth classical music and the way she carries herself on the stage truly is a marvelous sight to see. Her crimson gown glows whenever the lights hit, it’s as if she is wearing stars on a bloody masquerade. A faint smile for every nook and corner of souls cheering, a deadly smite that can render anyone helpless at her feet. I myself seem to be victimized by her splendor but admiration is not enough to express how utterly disturbed and uncomfortable I am with the different Narcissus that I am seeing now.

“She is such a work of art don’t you think?” Asked her manager

“Indeed.”

“I’ve heard her speak of you once or twice now.”

“I do hope those are good ones though.”

“Well, it is a yes and slightly no.” Her optimism is hard to grasp, considering that it was supposed to be a compliment.

“Usual enough, there’s always a catch for a lad like me.”

Chuckling to herself, she thinks that it is a laughing matter at least from her own perspective. “You two were classmates before I believe? She also said that you two were close”

“Yes, that was a long time ago. I think when we were on eleventh grade; I lost track after all these years.”

“She’s like the ugly duckling you know, or that is how most people see her.”

“She wasn’t a duck before. Even without the spotlight, she has been the center of the universe. It appears that the space that she has isn’t enough to the point that she chose to expand her influence.”

“I can agree on that one.”

   Then we were halted for a moment, after Eleanor’s entrance she suddenly went to the center of the stage and did what was something I refer to as “her poison”. She started singing with the lights adjusting in accordance to the mood that she wants. The crowd is silent, listening to every bit of note coming out of her beautiful lips. The band was controlled by a strong aura of seduction as most of us are in awe of her elegance.

  She is singing one of her own personal soundtracks from her movie, “The Chord of the winds”. It was a famous theatrical play turned film, made and produced by non-other than Rene Iglesias, one of her mentors and co-actors. This song right here is one of the best in terms of technicality and arrangement.  The lyrics, the tone and even the mood of everybody in this cold weather—everything was made for her to shine bright on stage.

  We also had cameras pointing at her but even they cannot escape the charming allure of her voice, and I am satisfied that even the people watching from their televisions, those who are listening over the radio, can feel the same thing as if they were here. Every pitch, every octave takes us into a vast ocean of emotions and all of us are drowning into it.

  The entire place became her domain, with the crowd carefully listening, and enjoying each and every moment. After a few minutes of that scrumptious performance, the music and lights went back to normal and immediately all of the crowd stood up clapping their hands and cheering her name.

“Well would you look at that.” I said to myself as she dominates the floor. The hosts are having a discussion with her on stage in regards to her performance and of course all good things can be heard from them.

“This is hers right?” I said to her manager since I’ve been carrying this bag since we got here.

“I’ll take that if that’s what you mean.” She said as I returned the bag to her.

Just in time, Eleanor went down the stage and walked towards us.

“Did you like my performance?” she asked the both of us with excitement.

“You were stunning dear, I was moved!” said Cecil

Then she looked at me teasing me with her eyes, it’s as if she knows my answer already.

“I know you are hard to please john, spare me the insult.”

“You know me too well,” I replied with a smile but deep inside I was carried by the splendor of her beauty in unfathomable ways that I cannot express by words. I can only act dead every once in a while so I hope she doesn’t push my limit.

“Shall we go to my room then? Let’s have a bit of a celebration as we wait for the evening event.”

  We all agreed to that but again, I am on duty. It is most likely that I can only stay for a brief period of time to talk about some things. For some reason being an officer can be a legitimate pain in the arse if you are in the middle of important events and I have to say, that has been a fact for as far as I can recall. The hosts are back on their tracks in keeping the rest of the crowd in company, I expect some performances later on until lunchtime. I have to establish efficient ways to use the rest of the day wisely or else I’ll be stuck at home in front of a battering ram of a typewriter.

(To Be Continued)