Having made their way to the stage, Dr. Bloom and his train of mothers and sons began to take their seats. As Will went to sit in the front row next to Justice Kavanaugh his mother immediately objected.
"That's where
mommy
needs to sit Will," she carped at her son while at the same time flashing her perfect smile to the newest member of the high court, "so people can see her with Mr. Justice Kavanaugh."
"But mom . . ."
"But nothing," Danielle sharply replied, "you belong in the second row - behind me."
Quickly realizing that could interfere with the plan forming in her head, Rachel Miras shrewdly offered a compromise.
"Why don't you go ahead and sit next to your mom Will," she proffered, "I can take the seat behind her and Mrs. Duncan can sit next to me."
Afraid to respond on his own, Will Parnell looked pensively at his own mother for her approval.
"Fine," snapped Danielle annoyed now by the continuing clamor of the band, hooting young men and dancing cheerleaders, "just sit down -
all of you
."
As Dr. Bloom stepped up to the podium at center stage, Rachel Miras and Emily Duncan exchanged smiles due in no small part to the slight loss of poise they had just witnessed in the usually unflappable Mrs. Parnell's personality. To this point only they knew that Danielle's minor psychic unravelling was a mere precursor to a completely different type of unravelling they hoped the audience would soon witness.
* * *
"Gentlemen," . . . Eric Bloom began to no avail in an attempt to capture the attention of the raucous crowd of Gonzaga boys, "gentlemen
please . .
."
But despite the respect that should have been afforded the headmaster of the elite institution, bedlam instead prevailed. The senior pep band, entranced by the cheerleaders in front of them and the imperious MILF sitting cross-legged on the stage above, paid no attention to Dr. Bloom's calls for quiet nor did the football players themselves who began to lead the student body in a spirited rendition of "On Gonzaga," the school's fight song for over a century. As the dispirited leader tried his best to corral his young charges, tapping again on the microphone at the podium to ensure it was working, the patience of one Danielle Marie Parnell began to run thin.
"If he doesn't get control these little savages
immediately
. . .," the brown-haired beauty snapped at her son who appeared more interested in the ensuing revelry - and the cheerleaders - than in his own mother's entreaties of frustration.
"It doesn't seem like your son is paying
you
any attention," came the whispered voice of a smiling Emily Duncan over Danielle's right shoulder adding to the frustration of the comely counselor.
"Nor is
Mr.
Justice Kavanaugh," added Rachel Miras snidely into the lovely lawyer's left ear as she nodded at Brett Kavanaugh who seemed also to be a bit annoyed, "perhaps
you
should do
something