Brooklane Community Center Beat of the Drum

[James Carter]

Glamour CHARM in effect

Carter can be a bit thick in the head sometimes. Oh he ain't dumb, but he misses little things at times. Who doesn't. But even he can figure things out when they're spelled letter by burning letter into a travel map.

M-U-S-I-C

Yeah... well... guess it had been a while since Carter took his wife out for a date night. From there it was just a matter of proximity, opportunity, and preference. The last was easiest because there was very few types of live music Darla did not enjoy.

As for the other two points, we'll a charity concert was just the thing, and it was close which was all Carter cared about. A charity for kids with cancer with a lot of bands donating their time to play and proceeds going to research. Darla loved the idea and Carter loved not getting burned by an angry ghost.

Night if the event, Carter rolled up in the caddy, threw down for the ticket and a thousand as a donation (all crumpled but perfectly fine bills), and made his way in for the evening.

He was dressed rather simply in slacks and a tank top, though his glamour put him in nice jeans, a button shirt, and light blazer. Darla- when he caught glimpses of her in reflections, was on his arm in a beautiful evening gown of black sequins. She had skin and bright red lips in a pretty smile.

He could tell she was having fun since she looked... well like a person.

Good. He was glad to give Darla a fun night out. If the music was good too she might even leave him alone the next time he got into a gun fight.

[Mina Straus]

look

Mina clocked out of the Honey and Ivy and dead to the world. She sprawled in the cramped seating, her knees pressed uncomfortably into the back of the seat in front of her, her head leaning against the windowpane. The train car clacked through the dark tunnels, brief lights strobing past as the vibration coaxed her to sleep.

She spent all of Saturday on her feet and was scheduled to open tomorrow. Granted, opening would be for the noon crowd, but it was still that back-to-back work that made her grimace. This wasn’t every weekend, and she couldn’t bemoan the extra money in her pocket. Besides, she was covering the shift for a friend, so that made her suffering more worthwhile.

Her eyes fluttered, almost closing, almost giving in to sleep, when she snapped upright with a gasp. Puffy, bloodshot eyes pinned wide, Mina exhaled and sat up straight. She trembled and clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms, and jabbed her knees into the seat in front. The pain fought her exhaustion. It gave her something to concentrate on. Passengers sleeping on the metro was nothing new, but she couldn’t drift off in public. Jaw tightening, she ground her teeth. She needed to stay awake, and wouldn’t be able to do that in a clattering train car.

Walking now, the warm night air made her crave a sharp winter’s breeze. A plastic CVS bag hung heavy with energy drinks. It bounced off her knee and was sent spinning as she stumbled down the street. Red Bull in hand, she slowed her pace to guzzle what was left in the can. She listened to the dregs tinkle inside as she shook it. She needed a distraction; this caffeine high came with a crash.

It was then she heard the music.

Bleary eyed, she ambled closer. It took her a moment to figure out why there was music coming from the community center. She tossed her empty Red Bull in a trash can and slapped down a portion of her tips from tonight for a ticket; told them to keep the change (her donation for the event).

Mina made her way inside, fishing out another can from her plastic bag as she did.