5. Filling the Gap #4
Ronald crossed his arms, leaning back against the office door, still catching his breath, “And we can call our own shots? Sing what we want to sing? Jive about what’s really going on?”
Emma-Lou paused, considering, “If we do this, you’ll have to grow an audience, and Suwarna will be keeping me briefed on the data.
If we do this, we stay true to our roots.
It’s still a Christian show, and this is a Christian station on a holy mission.
If I fork off that path, my parents will be spinning in their watery grave. ”
“Like tadpoles in a whirlpool,” Suwarna’s voice crackled over the intercom.
Emma-Lou blinked, “Suwarna?”
The intercom buzzed again. “Yup, I’m still here. That was quite a show. It’s okay, I’m up to speed. I’ve been listening to the whole meeting on your office intercom.”
“Oh… okay,” Emma-Lou muttered.
Suwarna’s voice carried on, “As VP of Business Affairs, my perspective is that if we do this, we need to stick to the plan. As Programming Director, I firmly believe we need star power to survive. And having a few popular secular artists swivel their attention our way couldn’t hurt.
Maybe we could snag an interview with Tom Cruise or Jonathan Taylor Thomas. ”
Carrington chimed in from across the room, where they’d been staring out the window. Their eyes were bright with excitement and the opportunity to correct their superior, “They aren’t musicians, Suwarna… but I agree, Tom and JTT would be excellent studio guests.”
The intercom buzzed again, “I know you’d share my sentiment, Carrington. Listen team, we know a Hail Mary is a shot you take when you think you have nothing to lose. But we have everything to lose; the radio station, my company car…”
Emma-Lou frowned, interrupting, “Wait. You have a company car?”
The intercom buzzed once more and Suwarna continued, “...and an audience of listeners in Greater Napanee and the Land O’Lakes region who may not even know we exist. And Emma-Lou’s life; that also hangs in the balance.”
Rebekkah’s eyes widened in alarm, “What?!””
Suwarna plunged forward, undeterred, “So, we need to send up one mighty prayer. And I think these three very middle-aged-looking teenagers could be our salvation. In conclusion, as Faith Facilitator at WWJD, let’s do this!”
Japheth jumped up, fists pumping, “The Trinity Radio Hour is happening? It’s happening!”
Ronald grinned, “Told you.”
The intercom crackled to life again, “Since Emma-Lou’s parents didn’t have a chance to send me to law school before they were flushed and grew tails… I should mention I think it would be prudent to stay present, stay calm, and hire a lawyer regarding your sampling versus stealing dilemma.”
Emma-Lou stood up, nodding toward the trio, “Rebekkah, Ronald, Japheth. For people I have only recently met, I am putting a lot of responsibility in your hands.”
The intercom buzzed once more, “Her life, basically.”
Carrington sighed dramatically, “And your company car!”
Emma-Lou raised her hand to cut them off, “If you can get approval from a lawyer to proceed with your Christian cover song plan, then gosh, darn-it, I know it’s a Hail Mary but let’s do it!”
Ronald looked confused for a moment before turning to Rebekkah, “She means a Halle Berry, right?”
A sudden knock on the door interrupted the room’s charged atmosphere.
Carrington’s head snapped up as they sniffed the air, “Rino?! What are you doing here?”
The intercom buzzed, and Suwarna’s voice filtered through, “Sorry. I buzzed him in. Emma-Lou, Rino Ferrari is here to see you.”
Emma-Lou sighed, already standing from her desk to greet him, “Yes, I can see that. Hello, Rino.”
Rino Ferrari strode in confidently, dressed in a sharp, emerald suit that fit him as snugly as a second skin, his olive complexion radiant under the office lights.
“Emma-Lou, I’m sure you’ve got a lot to catch up on.
Let me bring you up to speed. We usually drop on Thursdays, but we’ve had a heavy week, and I need to deposit early. ”
Japheth and Carrington simultaneously chimed in, their voices overlapping, “I’d like to volunteer to help lighten his load.”
Carrington shot Japheth a sideways glance, “Oh, I see you Japheth.”
Ronald raised an eyebrow, “If you two are just gonna argue, I’ll be a gentleman and help him out; would be my pleasure.”
Carrington’s eyes narrowed in Ronald’s direction, “Ronald! I giveth and I can taketh away. Do you want Hanukkah days off or not?”
Rino chuckled, seemingly amused by their bickering, but his tone turned serious as he unzipped the large black duffel bag he carried. “I’ve been saving up, it’s gonna be a big deposit.” ZIP!
Rebekkah’s eyes widened, “Holy Mary, mother of… is that body bag full of cash?”
Ronald took a step back, hands raised, “I’m gonna bow out. Getting BDSM vibes from that body bag. Sorry, not really my scene, as much as I’d like to help.”
Japheth blinked, visibly confused, “I admit, I thought we were talking about something else; something that might start with a cocktail and end with a bubble bath. But I’m still happy to be of service.”
Rebekkah smiled sweetly at Japheth, “That’s very charitable of you, Japheth.”
“A kindly man benefits himself. Proverbs 11, verse 17,” Japheth recited, nodding sagely.
Rebekkah placed a hand on his shoulder, “May His joy rain over you.”
Japheth grinned, raising his hands in the air, “Fingers crossed!”
Rino smirked and turned his attention back to Emma-Lou, “Have you ever been on a cruise, Emma-Lou? They’re just magical.
Such a fantastic way to travel. My family sent your parents on their little trip to Bermuda.
It’s a real shame what happened. Just heart-breaking.
But business is business, right? We gotta keep moving forward. ”
Emma-Lou tried to maintain her composure, “Exactly, that’s what we were just talking about.”
“Glad to hear it,” Rino continued smoothly, “My family likes your station; we’ve liked it for a long time, seeing as we’re Catholic.”
Japheth leaned in, his eyes dropping to Rino’s chest, “I noticed from the crucifix in your dark, swirly, generous display of chest hair.”
Rino let out a chuckle, “Speaking of generosity, my family has been very generous to WWJD and Emma-Lou’s family for many years, but lately, we’re missing the gratitude in return.”
Japheth, still unsure where this conversation was headed, frowned, “I’m sorry, we’re in the dark here. We just started working at WWJD.”
Rino’s smile was patient, but his eyes had a hard edge, “Let me illuminate it for you. I’m solving their economic crunch with a weekly donation in cash.
Then all they gotta do is return that donation to me the next week with a bank draft.
And around and round we go! WWJD stays afloat, and no one disappears. ”
Rebekkah stiffened, her voice a whisper, “No one disappears…?”
Emma-Lou’s face paled, “But Rino, how will we repay the, umm… loan so quickly? One week is…”
“Generous,” Rino cut in, his tone silky but menacing as he fixed his gaze on Japheth. “Wouldn’t you say…?”
Japheth quickly stepped in, his voice tight, “Japheth.”
Rino pointed at him, grinning, “Right. Right. Nice to meet you Jamiroquai. Not a loan, Emma-Lou. It’s a donation… on rotation. Now that we understand each other, I gotta split. Le Chateau Menswear, follow me, and I’ll give you the rest of that deposit. Ciao.”
With that, Rino zipped up the bag and turned, his heavy footsteps in fine Italian leather boots echoing ominously as he strode out of the office. The door closed behind him, leaving a suffocating silence in the room.
Japheth blinked, his brow furrowed, “Me? Did he mean he’d give it to me?”
Ronald gave a quick glance at Japheth’s outfit, “You’re the only one in silver pants.”
Carrington arched an eyebrow, “And a pleather vest.”
Japheth placed a hand on his stomach; his face filled with a mix of excitement and dread, “I have this rollercoaster feeling in my stomach, it’s like we’re in the God…”
“Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name…” Rebekkah crossed herself and felt her hand tremble.
Suwarna waltzed in, a smile plastered unconvincingly on her face, “Everything okay in here? Everyone okay in here? I’ll just do a quick body count; I mean head count. Oh geez.”
Emma-Lou, her face flushed with frustration, spun around to Suwarna and Carrington, “Suwarna, Carrington. Tell me the truth. How long has this been going on?”
“Your parents and the Ferraris were very close,” Suwarna replied flatly.
“Oh my God! Like… family?” Emma-Lou gasped.
Carrington nodded, their tone matter of fact, “That’s a good way to put it, yes.”
Rebekkah, always one to find the silver lining, turned to Japheth, “Strange. You’ve always wanted to drive a Ferrari. Your dream car.”
Ronald gave a little shrug, “Serendipity?”
Rebekkah furrowed her brow, “Time will tell.”
Ronald’s eyes lit up as something else crossed his mind, “Oh! Do we still get the Kia Rio as part of this deal?”
Emma-Lou’s frustration bubbled over, “Does that seem like a priority? Right now?”
Ronald shrugged innocently, “Well…”
Carrington, cutting him off, spoke sternly, “We don’t have time to renegotiate your contract right now. What we have is a big bag of cash that needs to be cleaned quickly.”
Ronald looked at the duffel, “A body bag. I think that kind of reopens negotiations.”
Carrington’s smile was thin but sharp, “We’ll talk about it. Over drinks. Thursday. Six. You’ll pick me up.”
Rebekkah’s eyes widened in alarm as it all dawned on her, “Is this illegal?”
“Erm…” Suwarna’s voice trailed off as she crossed to the wall of Emma-Lou’s office to carefully study a framed photo of a radio station sponsored pancake breakfast in a farmer’s field that suddenly caught her attention.