CHAPTER FORTY
July 9, 2010
Evening
Calvin felt a strange silence, scanned the ballroom for its source, then realized he’d caused it. He’d halted, frozen halfway across the room on his route back to the pedestal, too absorbed in the recording to keep his feet moving. The room’s audience held its breath as they watched him, waiting for him to embrace or push away, to run or put down roots, to surrender or fight back.
He waved awkwardly, and the crowd cheered as if he’d recovered from a life-threatening illness. As Calvin rejoined Randolf and Natalie, Natalie’s hand on his was clammy.
The vivid flower hues of the ball gowns screamed again, and the suits flashed with renewed sparks. The high concentration of the sight in this room was putting him into another trance, as if everyone and ev
