“Oh, okay. Well, I’m good with flowing and expanding,” I answered, nodding like I understood what in the hell she was talking about.
“Far out,” Forrest said. “We’ll catch you later.” With that they wandered off.
“I think that Braden will also be handling most of the speaking for them as a couple.” Adam laughed and I glared at him.
“Forrest is too old and too skinny. Do you agree?” I asked him irritably.
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s not Forrest and it’s not Rain even though she’s pretty tall for a woman,” Adam agreed.
“Well, the room is packed with white guys of average height and weight, do you see him anywhere?” I asked.
“I don’t think so but it’s kind of hard to tell,” he answered, looking around. “There are so many average-looking guys here, which just makes it all the scarier.” I saw someone else on the move, coming in our direction.
“Greetings!” said a short skinny guy with black-framed glasses and wild red hair that stuck up in several places. He was wearing a T-shirt with a Star Trek insignia on it. “I’m Stew Morrison and I’m an organizer of this conference. We’re so happy to have you with us. Are you here because you’ve made contact or just because you want to learn the truth?”
“Well …” I started but Braden cut me off tactfully.
“We’re open-minded and curious people,” he said with a smile.
“I see! Well, that’s wonderful!” Stew was looking at Braden carefully. “You look a little familiar. What do you do?”
“I’m a lawyer,” Braden answered in a friendly tone. “We all are actually.” We introduced ourselves to Stew and he turned his attention to me. “You look familiar too. I could almost swear that I’ve seen you two somewhere recently.” I was about to explain that he might have seen a picture of us together in the engagement announcement but Adam jumped in.
“So, Stew! Is this the whole gang assembled here?” he asked.
“Oh, no. There’ll be more people arriving tomorrow and even more still tomorrow night when we all go out on the watch. Stella, who’s also a group member, has psychic abilities and she has a strong feeling that this is the year that our visitors will return. Here, let me introduce you.” He looked over and waved at a woman standing near the bar who looked like she was having a conversation with the air beside her. She looked over at Stew and began walking in our direction.
“Stella, let me introduce you to …”
“She’s psychic. Maybe she already knows our names,” I joked.
“What’s that?” Stella asked the chair to her left. Nobody was actually sitting in the chair at the moment so I thought she meant literally.
“That’s a chair,” I said helpfully.
“Her name is Gabrielle,” Stella continued.
“Do you name all of your furniture?” Adam asked with a smile.
“She’s speaking with Emily,” Stew explained. “One of our resident ghosts.”
“Uh huh,” Cam said. “I take it that you and Emily have met, Gabrielle?”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I know some Emmas …”
“Hang on a second!” Lily jumped in. “You’re saying that there’s a ghost sitting in that chair and the ghost knew Gabrielle’s name?”
“Yes, Emily knows many things,” Stella said with dramatic flair. She should meet the pecker. She seemed to be glancing back and forth between Lily and Adam though. That actually made me wonder …
“Emily must read the Philadelphia Inquirer,” Jess said with a smile.
“I sense skepticism,” Stella said a bit reproachfully. “There’s too much negative energy here now. We must be moving on.” With that she and Emily left.
“She’s a bit touchy,” Stew explained. “Let me know if you need anything.” He smiled and moved on.
“Don’t be snarky with the crazy ghost lady,” I said to Jess as soon as Stew was out of earshot. “We need to get in good with these people.”
“You guys were messing around with her too,” Jess said with a smile.
“I don’t think that you should openly share who your relatives are with these people, Gabrielle,” Adam warned.
“He’s right, Gab,” Cam agreed. “A senator’s son and the daughter of a powerful CEO might not be the most popular folks in a room filled with conspiracy theorists.” Three more people started moving our way.
“How nice to see some new blood here this year!” said a squat, middle-aged guy who reminded me of an accountant “Stephen Jebson!” He shook our hands. “I’m an accountant.” Hey! Did I call it?
“Mathew Sinclair. I work in the hospitality industry,” said a second man, who reminded me of Liberace but more flamboyant. He had tinted hair, a hot pink shirt and a diamond earring.
“I am Raoul,” said the third man, like that meant something. He had jet black hair with enough grease in it to lube the entire parking lot. He also had a shirt unbuttoned halfway to his navel and about fifty gold chains. Sexy. We introduced ourselves yet again to the newest arrivals.
“We haven’t had anyone new at the conference in a while,” Mathew offered.
“Well, we’re kind of new to the UFO world,” I explained.
“You have picked a good year to come,” Raoul said. “Some believe that de ship, she ees coming at last. You have met Stella? Yes?”
“And Emily!” Adam said with a smile.
“Have you met Rain and Forrest too?” Stephen asked.
“They were abducted back in the sixties!” Mathew volunteered, sounding very excited. “Forrest was anally probed!”
Just then Rain stepped behind a small podium that had been set up at one end of the room. She tapped on a microphone a couple of times, creating a sound loud enough and shrill enough to pierce my brain, and then proceeded to get the ball rolling.
“If you would all please have a seat. My friends, it’s wonderful to see you all here again this year, and we’re fortunate enough to welcome some new attendees.” Every eye in the room turned to us. We shared a friendly wave. “As most of you know, Overbrook Lodge is located in what is considered a “hot spot” for paranormal activity and it’s probably that which drew our visitors from space here in the first place. As is our tradition, we’ve invited local historian Leland Harding to get the flow of information going. So, for those of you who are familiar with the fascinating tale, just sit back and relax and for our newcomers, we are very happy to be able to enlighten you and open your minds to the truth and the mysteries that surround us.” She did something with her arms that looked vaguely hula-like. “Without further ado, Leland Harding.”