The camera portrayed the three contestants scribbling on their blue boards. The crowd held their collective breaths as Bennett frowned, crossed something out, and then hastily scrawled a different answer.
“Oh dear. One should always trust one’s first instincts,” Gillian murmured and began to worriedly rub her palms together.
Everyone looked concerned, but no one else made a sound. When Barbara’s answer was revealed as “What is Happy Days,” and Alex sorrowfully informed her that she was incorrect, the throng in the firehouse breathed a small sigh of relief. Barbara had risked half of her earnings, so she was still in the running if both male contestants had bet every cent yet had written the wrong answer.
Harold’s smug expression had returned. Alex informed the viewers that Harold’s “What is I Love Lucy,” answer was correct and noted that Harold had risked enough to assume the lead over Barbara. Finally, it was time to reveal Bennett’s answer.
Alex frowned as he tried to decipher the squiggles on Bennett’s screen. The first four words were clear. Most of the audience members followed along as he read, “What is I Love …” The word Lucy had then been struck through two times and replaced by another word. James squinted at the screen, but could not make out what letters his friend had written.
“I’m afraid our leader has crossed out the word Lucy, but I’m having some trouble figuring out what he wrote instead,” Alex began and squinted. “Not I Love Lucy but-”
“I love Gillian !” Bennett stated passionately and looked straight at the camera, his dark eyes reflecting the surprise every person watching him was also registering. “Not Lucy, not Jade. Gillian,” he muttered as though he was alone and not speaking to an audience of hundreds of thousands. “Son of a gun,” he chuckled. “I love Gillian.”
And with that, Alex hurriedly explained that Bennett’s wager had landed him in second place. He then hustled over to shake Harold’s hand, the theme music cranked up, and the credits rolled. The last glimpse James had of Bennett showed his friend pulling furiously at his mustache as he stared dumbly into space.
A woman at the next table whispered, “Now that is some good television.”
TWELVE
By the time Clint had switched off the television, two hundred pairs of eyes were fastened on Gillian. James, Lindy, and Lucy were also staring at their friend when she suddenly jumped out of her seat and scurried from the room, her bright red hair whirling around her head like an orange cyclone as she ran.
The sound of the door clicking shut following her abrupt departure spurred the room into life again. Tongues were soon wagging at a rapid fire, and Dolly was practically swooning in ecstasy at being present for one of the most dramatic events in the town’s history.
“Goodness gracious!” Milla exhaled. “Talk about being put in the spotlight. Should you go after her, James?”
“Knowing Gillian, she’s going to need some time alone. She’s probably heading straight for her meditation space or whatever she calls it.”
Lindy looked impressed. “You’ve got the name exactly right, James. She’s got a small room in her house with only a few pieces of white furniture and a pair of gauzy curtains. She lights candles and listens to a CD that’s supposed to remind her of the earth’s natural music-birds chirping and waves crashing. That kind of stuff.”
“We can leave her be for tonight,” Lucy said. “But I’m going over there in the morning. I don’t want to find her in her meditation room three days from now half-starved and dehydrated to the point of death.” She shook her head and then eyeballed James intently. “Did Bennett ever tell you how he felt about Gillian?”
“No. He never said a word. In fact, I don’t think he knew exactly how he felt until that question came up. You saw him. He was as shocked as the rest of us!”
Lindy giggled. “That man won’t be able to go anywhere in this town without someone asking him about his love life.”
“That’s true, poor guy. And Dolly’s going to rehash this story until no one can bear to hear it,” James added, gesturing at the gleeful diner proprietor who was no doubt putting forth a host of possible outcomes regarding Bennett’s declaration to a group of a chattering women.
The three friends took reflective sips of their coffee as they wondered the same thing. James noticed that no one was in any hurry to leave the firehouse, which, despite having a cement floor and an old furnace, seemed incredibly warm. Even Milla, who had seemed so tired earlier in the day, showed no inclination to depart. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and her eyes glimmered as she pointed to the front of the room. “Here comes the mayor. And she’s got a bullhorn.”
“Testing, testing.” The mayor’s voice burst out in a loud gargle through the mechanism.
James recognized the lanky, tousled-haired figure of Scott Fitzgerald when the young man sprang to the front of the room, made a quick adjustment to the bullhorn, and then whispered some directions to the mayor.
“Your sweet boys are here,” Milla said with a smile and James felt a customary swell of pride as he saluted the Fitzgerald twins, who had been sitting just out of his visual range behind his right shoulder. Willow and Lottie were also there, but while Willow gave him a friendly wave, Lottie didn’t acknowledge him at all.
Scanning the other tables, James saw Murphy seated with a group of handsome young firemen, her head bent over a pad of paper as her pen whipped across the paper.
Groaning, James pointed her out to his friends. “Guess what tomorrow’s headline will read?”
“That witch,” Lucy mumbled. “She can never leave well enough alone.”
Lindy gave Lucy’s hand a light slap. “Shame on you! She’s just doing her job. You two are not that different, you know. You’re both very devoted to your careers.”
Squirming at the thought that his former girlfriends shared similar personality traits, James was relieved when the mayor finished her brief conference with the fire chief and once again brought the bullhorn to her lips.
“Bennett Marshall has done us proud, wouldn’t you agree?” She paused and received only a smattering of applause. “Now, I know he didn’t win. We all saw that he could easily have won, but something interfered with his claiming that cash jackpot. That thing was love. Right there on national television he gave up on a heck of a lot of prize money and a chance to return for another night so he could become a quiz show champion. Everybody knows he could’ve done it in his sleep.” She surveyed her constituents. “He’s probably back in some strange hotel hanging his head in shame, but I say Bennett Marshall has shown the world what the true nature of a man from Quincy’s Gap is all about!” The mayor’s voice grew louder and more passionate.
“He’s our local hero!” A woman shouted.
The mayor smiled at her. “A man of integrity and courage, surely. A man who knows what’s important in life. And we’re going to show him our love and support and hometown pride by welcoming him back to his town in style !”
This time the crowd’s applause was resounding.
“Let’s give him a parade!” A man in the front row suggested.
An elderly lady near James stood up and shook her cane at the previous speaker. “It’s too damn cold to stand around outside.”