Текст книги "Forgive Us Our Trespasses"

Автор книги: M. L. Steinbrunn

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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

Wednesday

Brooks

I about shit myself when I got the call Saturday evening from Jen, of all people. She didn’t say much just that I needed to meet with her tonight, Wednesday, at Three Kings Tavern. Just the place I want to be, reliving one of the worst fucking days of my life. She didn’t have to say what she wanted to talk about; I know what’s on her agenda, and it probably includes some kind of humiliating public torture, followed by testicle removal. Considering I might lose an appendage, I guess tonight might get bumped up to the worst night of my life. Good thing we’ll be at a bar. I’m going to need a lot of alcohol.

I told Lakin to show up in an hour to save me from the she-devil. Of course, being my brother and wanting forgiveness for his support system fuck-up Friday night, he not only agreed, but also promised to show up sooner and hang out in the wings.

I’m not surprised when I walk through the doors to see that the place is not all that busy. It’s a Wednesday, after all. I came straight from work, so I’m still in my pristine charcoal suit and black dress shoes. Needless to say, I don’t match the décor. I dressed up on Friday because I thought I was going to get my girl back and propose. Tonight, I just stick out like a sore thumb, and the looks that I’m getting as I pass the people enjoying their evening tells me that I’m right–I look like an out-of-place douche.

I squeeze through the small clusters of patrons in my hunt for Jen. Finally, I find her, sitting alone at a bar top that would seat a whole hell of a lot more people than just the two of us. The size of the table leads me to believe that I’m walking into an ambush. I look around, scanning the crowd for Amanda and Carly. If Campbell is still in town, I’m sure she will be here, too. Damn my luck.

I saunter up to the table and give Jen my best ‘hi, but what the fuck is going on?’ look. Her response is a little-miss-innocent smile, but I know better than to ever really trust this firecracker. While I know that she held my secret for so long, I also know that she is passionately loyal to Vivian and would do anything to protect her, even if it’s at the expense of my limbs. “Where is the rest of your posse?” I ask as I slide onto the barstool across from her.

“They are here somewhere. The band is playing again tonight, so Campbell is probably backstage, and knowing Carly, she’s in the bathroom calling home to check on Olivia,” she answers before tipping back her Coors Light beer to take a quick drink. She wipes her mouth and then calls a server over. “I wasn’t sure what you would be in the mood for, or I would have ordered you something.”

“Well, my order would kind of depend on what type of meeting this is. Do I need something to dull the pain, or am I here on friendly terms?”

She looks past me into the crowd, then up to the server, and then back to me, causing me to turn around in my chair in an attempt to follow her visual search. “He’ll have a beer, as well, please,” she says to the waitress without addressing me at all. I don’t really appreciate her speaking over me. I should order something different just to piss her off, but if she’s going to play nice, then, I suppose I will, too.

“Okay, Jen, what is this all about? You and I both know that I’ve lost Vivian for good, so I’m not quite sure why I’m here unless you’re just looking for extra bitch points and want to rub it in my face. If that’s the case, I don’t plan on sticking around.”

The server returns with my drink and I take a long pull, staring at her over the neck of the bottle. Her response is only to tap her fingers on the table like I’m boring her.

“Look, you know I want Vivian to be happy, and if that’s with you, great. If not, well, I’m fine with that, too,” she snarls once I place my drink back on the table.

“Don’t sugar-coat anything on my account, Jen,” I bark back. “What a great friend you are,” I add, allowing my sarcasm to hang in the air.

“That’s why I’m here, dickhead. I’m her best fucking friend, and she has been miserable since you guys crashed and burned.”

“What? You’re going to help me get her back?” I ask, leaning onto the table, now finding interest in this convoluted conversation.

“Sorry, my part’s already done. I just had to get you here. Sit back, relax, and drink your beer; you have a lot in store for you tonight.”

“What the fuck, Jen? I don’t think this is very funny.” I feel myself getting angry. I know Jen can be sneaky, but damn, this woman has taken her skills to a new level. I feel fucking stupid and gullible. I’m sitting here sharing a beer with someone that has nothing to say to me, and has no intention of helping me get Viv back. What a complete waste of time. “You need to tell me what’s going on,” I demand.

“You need to do as you’re told,” she says, picking up her beer and purse from the bar top. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to use the ladies.” She tips her beer to me in a goodbye, and leaves me alone at the table.

What the fuck just happened?

I start peeling the label off my beer waiting for what, I have no clue. I’m not even sure why I’m still here. I guess my curiosity is piqued enough to stick around for a little longer. I’m sure all of Vivian’s girls will take their turns lecturing me on what a piece of shit I am, then I’ll be let loose to crawl home alone and wallow in self-pity like I have for the last few days since Vivian told me she never wanted to see me again. I keep hoping that she’ll change her mind and call or text, something. I still carry around her ring in my jacket pocket. I can’t bring myself to return or sell it. Having it close to me makes me feel like I still have her, and I’m not ready to let her go. I’ve never been able to let that woman go.

I’m alone for only a few more minutes before my next girl-of-college-past appears and takes a seat at the table. At least this one is a little more benign. “Hello, Carly, good to see you. What do I owe the pleasure?”

“Cut the shit, Brooks. I’m not exactly thrilled to be here,” she sneers.

Okay, maybe I was wrong. Mad Carly is something new, and I’m not sure I like it. I decide silence is my best means of protection, so I just raise my hands in surrender.

“I know everything that happened, and I don’t like it, Brooks. Vivian is my friend. I love her like a sister, and that’s why I’m here. I don’t give a flying fuck about you or your happiness, but I do about hers. So I’ve come here to have a come-to-Jesus meeting with you.”

Her fingers are laced together and folded on the table. She has no drink, and her eyes are severely narrowed on me. This is purely business, and in this moment, I feel horrible for the poor shmuck who married her, because Carly can be downright scary. I consider myself a very confident man’s man, but this woman is forcing my balls to shrivel and die.

I push my beer away and lean back in my chair, waiting for the wrath to ensue. I gesture for her to continue, which is apparently the wrong move because I see her nostrils flare.

“In college, I thought you were a womanizing man-whore and other than your good looks, I never saw what Viv saw in you. Then when we all thought you cheated on her, I wasn’t surprised. To see that your adult life hasn’t ventured off that course, it only makes me think less of you. However, whatever you and she had behind closed doors has made her happy. You brought out the Vivian that no one else could. I understand that none of what appeared on the outside was the actual truth of the situation, but I still don’t like it. I think Vivian deserves the world, and if you aren’t prepared to give it to her, then I suggest you walk away, because even though I seem like the nice one, I promise I have the best Rocky Mountain Oyster recipe, and if need be, I know of plenty of places to hide a body. Are you catching my drift?”

Not wanting to poke the bear any more than I already have, I merely nod a response.

“Good. I’ll keep an eye on you, Brooks,” she says sternly, then like a light switch, she shifts gears and smears a smile on her face. “Enjoy the rest of your evening,” she adds sweetly.

Good God that was the most frightening downshift known to man. Here, all this time, I thought Jen was who I needed to worry about, but wrong again. Carly can throw down like no one’s business. I flag down the server to order something stronger. If I have to sit through any more lectures, I might drown myself in the alcohol behind the bar.

The waitress slides my Johnnie Walker Black across the table and I take a sip, allowing the burn to reach every centimeter of my throat. I take a second to let my mouth cool down, letting the ice clink in the glass. It provides a nice distraction from the clusterfuck that I just sat through. I bring the glass to my lips once more, and just as I let the amber liquid hit my tongue, I’m lurched forward, causing me to choke on my drink.

I look behind me for the asshole that bumped me, and I’m met with a beaming Lakin. I take a piece of ice from my glass and launch it at him. “You prick, what the hell?’ I say through the hacking breaths and tears.

“That’s not any way to greet the person who’s here to save your sorry ass.” He laughs as he takes a seat with his scotch. “Besides, I was just politely patting you on the back; I think you’re just a little jumpy. Those women must have put you through the wringer tonight.”

“You have no idea, Lakin. This was a waste of time. Let’s just finish our drinks and head out. I should be home with Grace anyways; it’s a school night.”

“Just take it easy there, big brother. The night is still young; Grace is fine. Besides, I think if you stay around long enough, you might find that this evening will turn out better than you expected.” The devilish grin that he isn’t even attempting to hide does nothing to improve my mood.

“You’re in on whatever this is, aren’t you?” I say, slugging him in the arm. “You little shithead, you’ve known what’s going on, that those women would corner me like that, and you didn’t even give me a heads up. What happened to brotherly love?”

“Hey!” he whines. “You know I bruise like a peach,” he adds, rubbing his bicep. I’m not buying the pussy show for a single second; Lakin has competed in mixed martial arts since we were kids. I guarantee that punch hurt me more than it did him.

“Suck it up, Nancy; you have some explaining to do.”

He only laughs and takes another slow drink of his scotch. His eyes leave mine and track someone behind me. I turn around to see Campbell approaching the table. Fucking marvelous. The next girl-of-college-past is here for one last kick to the balls. Lakin is seriously going to pay for this. If the fucker didn’t have his own money, I might have considered cutting him from my will.

She looks like some kind of 1950s pinup. Her ebony hair half pinned on top of her head and bright red lipstick match her red dress and black open-toe heels. For someone that never ventured far from her Hendrix tee, jeans, and Converse, she looks drastically different. Grown-up and sophisticated, her friendly demeanor is now mixed with a blend of confidence and sex appeal that Cam not only lacked, but avoided when I knew her before. I look to Lakin, and yes, he’s taken notice. I give him a look that says ‘put your tongue in your mouth and your eyes back in your head before I help you adjust your face.’ He complies, and we both stand when she’s within a few feet of the table. She holds a hand up and smiles, gesturing for us to sit back down. “There’s no need, Brooks. I come in peace; take a load off.” She laughs.

Her warm, easy smile melts into me, and I remember again why I liked Cam; she was never overly dramatic like Jen or emotional like Carly. She gave everyone a fair break, which was more than she ever got. I never really had friends that were girls, but Cam was that girl that I considered worthy of the label. She really cares for people, like Vivian does, and she has a quality that makes you want her to be taken care of. I wish I could have kept in contact with her, but considering how things ended with Vivian in college, having contact with anyone from that time wouldn’t have been possible.

I stand up anyway, and reach out to give her hug. I always knew that she was the one that talked Viv into giving me a chance back in college, and even if she and I won’t be together anymore, I’m grateful for the brief time I had with Vivian, and I owe that to Campbell. The least I could do is show my appreciation.

She taps my back, barely returning my embrace. I forgot how uncomfortable she is with physical affection, so I give her one more squeeze and take my seat. “It’s good to see you, Cam,” I say while Lakin pulls out a chair for her. Yeah, I can see the wheels in his head turning–good luck with that, baby bro. I would eat my own foot if Cam ever agreed to date my brother. She gives him a look of appreciation, which only encourages my brother even more. I take a drink and roll my eyes; this is definitely not why I’m here.

She finally directs her attention back to me when Lakin sits down, pushing his chair closer to Campbell. “Have you figured out why you’re here yet, Brooks?” she asks, skipping over all introductory niceties.

“I don’t know what to think, Cam. At first, I thought I was invited here to receive the royal ass-chewing of a lifetime, and then I thought maybe you guys were going to help me win Vivian back. Now that even Lakin is in on this master plan, whatever it is, I have no fucking clue. But I would really like to be filled in; all of this is getting pretty damn old. Is Vivian here? Or did you girls plot to make me look like the prick that I already feel like I am?”

“She’s here, Brooks.” Those simple three words cause me to spring out of my chair, and I begin looking around for her. Vivian brought me here. Her girls were hurdles, and who the fuck knows if I passed, but if she brought me here, maybe that means she still wants me, could still love me. I feel myself begin to sweat and breathe heavily with anticipation and nervousness to see her. I’m so zoned-in on finding her that I completely tune out what Campbell is saying until I feel her grab my arm and pull me back to my chair.

“You won’t find her. She’s here, but I’m not quite ready for you to see her yet,” she says, reclining into the back of her chair and crossing her legs. I turn around but remain standing; if Vivian is here, I want to see her. I’m done with the bullshit games these women have put me through tonight.

“What do you mean you’re not ready for me to see her? Don’t you think that this is between Vivian and me? I’m not sure why all three of you have stepped in tonight like middle men. We are fucking grown adults, who should be working things out like adults.” I stand, shoulders squared and arms crossed, ready for the fight that I’ve been waiting for all night. I’m tired of playing nice; if Vivian is ready to talk to me, then she needs to get her ass out here and talk to me.

Campbell begins to laugh hysterically. She doubles over, placing her head on the table, and when she leans back up to gather air, she has to wipe tears from her eyes. I glance over to Lakin, and he looks as lost as I am. What the fuck is happening tonight? I have entered some kind of estrogen-induced twilight zone. Cam was my only chance of escaping and getting to Vivian, and now it looks as though she too has overdosed on the Kool-Aid.

“Sorry, Brooks,” she says, trying to catch her breath. “It’s just, you have absolutely no reason to get all worked up; in fact, you’re about to get everything you ever wanted. I just need you to calm the fuck down and answer a few questions for me.”

“Are you kidding me? You tell me Vivian is here, but you want me to play a round of twenty questions? This has to be a joke.”

“Look, Brooks, I like you; I always have. I know good people and bad people, and you’re good people. Jen and Carly don’t see it, but Vivian and I do. I want to help, but I won’t unless you answer a few questions first.”

I plop down in my seat in a huff, cross my arms once again, and give her the nod to ask away.

Cam takes a napkin from the center condiment island and dabs her make-up, which ran during her hysterics, and takes a drink of the water that the server brought over soon after she arrived at the table. Cam has been here a lot with the current band she’s promoting, and I’m sure the workers here are familiar with her dislike of alcohol.

She settles herself and begins to fire away. “When you set Vivian up to think that you cheated, was it to avoid telling her about your father?”

Well, we definitely aren’t going to ease in with some simple ones, are we? I should have known they would have sent Campbell in for this type of inquisition. I lean in on the table, rubbing my face in my hands, contemplating my answer. I know that I can’t lie to Campbell; besides, she would see right through me. “I wasn’t trying to avoid anything, Cam,” I sigh. “If I knew that she would have still loved me despite who my father is, I would have told her and let her decide. But I loved her too much to put her in that position. I knew that if I left, made her believe that I wasn’t worth chasing after, then she would have found Will. He cared about her, always had. I thought he was the better man, and she deserved to be with someone like that.”

“That’s what I thought. So why didn’t you tell her this time around?”

My back straightens at her tone. It feels like she’s implying that I was maliciously trying to keep things from Vivian.

“I wanted to; I tried so many times. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The more I thought about it, the more I thought about what it might change. I don’t have contact with Raymond. He’s never been a part of my life. Nothing would come from her knowing, other than hurting her, and I would do anything to keep from hurting her. But then he showed up, and my plan crumbled. I had to face it, but this time she ran.”

“You know I, more than anyone, understand where you’re coming from, Brooks, but not trusting her with the truth, protecting her or not, was a bit on the shady side,” she calmly says as she rubs my forearm. Her attempt to comfort me throws me a bit; it is very out of character for her.

“One more question, I swear,” she says, removing her hand and squaring her shoulders. “Do you promise to love that woman the way she deserves and never keep anything from her again, whether it’s for her own good or not?”

I match her posture and meet her eyes, trying to convey every ounce of emotion I have into my final answer for her. “Campbell, I love Vivian more than I thought was ever even possible. Whether I’m with her or not, she is the only one that I could ever want. All I’ve ever wanted to do is give her what she deserved, even when I thought she deserved more than what I am. I would be honored just to have the chance to try and be that man for her.”

She smiles, and I can see the tears beginning to build in her eyes. I try to hand her a napkin, but she shoos me away. “That’s all I needed to know, Brooks. Hang tight. We will all be back soon.”

“Vivian too?” I ask anxiously as we all stand up from the table.

“She smiles and pats my arm. “Vivian too.” She turns to Lakin and offers her hand to shake but he immediately grabs her fingers and guides her hand to his lips. “It was lovely to meet you, Campbell,” he says smoothly, and then kisses the back of her hand. She peers over to me, and I act like I’m going to throw up, which makes her laugh. Lakin backs away and shoots a death glare at me.

Cam turns on her heel and leaves us men alone once again. Lakin follows her with his eyes until she becomes lost in the crowd. Damn, this kid is clueless. He wouldn’t have a shot in hell with Campbell. I slap his back, similar to how he did when he greeted me, and take my seat again, laughing.

“What?” he asks, offended.

“Don’t even think about it; Cam is out of your league, and she’s not the type to play. It’s all or nothing with that girl.”

“What, like I couldn’t be serious?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Lakin. She’s not the type that would go for you, let alone have anything to do with a guy like you.”

“Well, fuck you, too, big brother.”

“Oh now, don’t take offense. She’s just on a different wavelength; that’s all.”

“Whatever.” He slouches back, completely pissed. He’ll have to get over it; I wouldn’t let him near Campbell any more than I would have let him near Amanda when we went to the zoo. Those situations always collect collateral damage. No, thank you.

I laugh at his childish response and excuse myself to go to the restroom. I need a break from the emotional whirlpool that this table has become tonight. The bar is quickly filling up for the band that is supposed to take the stage soon. As soon as I step away, I already feel the weight of the previous conversations begin to lift. I’m hopeful that when I return, Vivian might be sitting there, and I can finally have the chance to explain things to her and not her friends. Her face is the only one I want to see.

Vivian

“Oh, my God, I think I’m going to throw up. Is he really out there? Do you think he’ll leave when he sees me? There is a reason why men are supposed to do this; women are too emotional for this.”

Amanda fluffs my hair for the hundredth time, and I smack her away. She’s been quiet since I explained everything to her, but after I gave her a little time to digest it all, she was supportive. The calls home were not as pretty, but I wasn’t expecting them to be. They will get over it; they always do. Even if my family is not entirely on board, I’m glad my friends are helping to pull this off. Even Katie stepped in to watch all the kids tonight, and agreed to keep it from Brooks.

Jen swoops in with a shot of vodka. “Here, hun, drink this; it will take the edge off.” She places the glass in my hand and physically moves it to my mouth. I throw it back, feeling the familiar burn of the alcohol, and I shiver as it makes its way down my throat.

“Like a champ!” Jen whoops before slapping my ass. The sound of her hand on my ass cheek echoes loudly, matching my yelp. I’m wearing the same tight green number that I wore on my first date with Brooks, so I would bet there is a red hand print under the thin fabric of the dress that would match the hair on top of my head.

“Geez, Jen, settle down,” I complain as I delicately rub my ass, trying to lessen the sting. Campbell joins us backstage, eyeing the situation before her. “Jen is a little amped up, and is having trouble keeping her hands to herself,” I explain.

“Just as long as she keeps her hands off my band,” Cam laughs. “Brooks is ready whenever you are. Jen and Carly got him wound pretty tight, but I think you guys are ready.”

“Excuse me?” I scowl at Jen. “You were supposed to get him here, and then you guys were supposed to keep him entertained to keep him here, not interrogate him. What did you guys do?”

“Oh, settle down, Viv,” Carly interrupts. “He’s fine, no permanent damage done. Besides, we didn’t say anything that didn’t need to be said.”

I look to Cam for reassurance, and am met with a supportive yet half-hearted smile. “He said everything that I needed to hear; I can honestly say that you deserve the man that’s waiting for you out there.”

I pull her into a tight hug, which surprisingly she returns. “Thank you,” I whisper, and I feel her nod into my shoulder.

“Now, go get him,” she says, backing away.

I take a deep breath and take a peek out at the swelling crowd mingling around the stage. The urge to throw up flares up once more, then I step away from the curtain to gain my bearings. I look back once more to my dearest friends, who are all silently encouraging me to get my ass out on the stage to take the leap that I’ve waited ten years to have the opportunity for. I close my eyes to take in the moment, letting my mind clear of all the pent-up anxiety, worries of loss and regret, and fears of rejection that I’m too late. My breath calms and I step out onto the stage, opening my eyes to see a faceless sea of bodies. The crew has turned off the stage lights, leaving a single spotlight directed at me. I can feel my body begin to move more and more towards the microphone, and I send out a silent prayer that I remember to keep my arms down at my sides so I don’t flash everyone my ever-expanding pit stains that I can feel developing under my arms.

There was supposed to be a single table with a lamp on it to help me find Brooks in the crowd of people. I look out into the masses and locate the table, but I only see Lakin sitting there. My heart sinks into my stomach at the thought of Brooks leaving, and I look back to my friends for a little extra nudge. They saw and talked to Brooks; they would know if he left, and surely Lakin would have come behind stage to warn me, so I step up to the mic and let my heart spill out.

“Good evening, everyone. I have been given permission to steal the stage for a few minutes, so if you would all bear with me, that would be wonderful.” I scan the audience for any dissension in the ranks, and I’m met with complete silence. Any chatter that had filled the void was now eaten up with my awkward address to the mob. In my mind, I keep replaying my mantra I’ve had since I crafted this plan, ‘You’re a superstar. You not only wear the big girl panties, you own the panty store.’

“Just a few nights ago, one of the most wonderful men I’ve had the pleasure of knowing stood up on this exact stage and put his heart out there for me. It was the sweetest gesture anyone has ever done for me, but instead of being forgiving and understanding of his flaws and working through our fears together, I rejected him. I trampled his heart and walked away so viciously, I now need to seek his forgiveness.”

I notice movement towards the back of the crowd of motionless bodies. I don’t need to see him to know that Brooks is on his way to me, and it gives me all the incentive I need to continue my speech.

“I need this man to know that I have forgiven his trespasses, and now I’m seeking the same redemption from him. He is my forever, and…”

Brooks

As soon as I come out of the men’s room, I see a crowd that has gathered around the stage. I bypass the route to my table and slowly head in that direction. When I hear Vivian’s voice over the speaker system talking about me up on stage last weekend, my leisurely-pace transforms into a speed walk that would make the jazzercise lady proud.

I feel every one of her words absorb into my soul and cannot get to her fast enough. The sea of people before me is frozen in place listening to her plea for me, making it difficult to get to the front. I don’t even bother saying excuse me as I bump into people trying to weave through the bodies. I earn a few dirty looks, but I don’t give them a second thought, as my entire attention is on the gorgeous woman on stage that is saying everything I could have ever wanted to hear from her.

I come to a standstill when she references my tattoo. She now knows the entire meaning of it, that I’ve felt that my father’s sins were my own, that it was only her who could release me from the debt of that turpitude, and if she accepted me knowing it all, I would give her eternity. I’m still at least fifty feet away from the stage, glued in place, mesmerized by her words like everyone else.

“He is my forever and…”

“Stop!” I shout over the heads in front of me. I know where the rest of that sentence is heading, and I refuse to let her steal the words that she deserves to be told. I have waited since the moment I woke up in her dorm room for the chance to ask her to marry me, and I’ll be damned if she asks me first.

The attentive crowd turns to see the source of the disruption, and I begin to race as quickly as I can to the stage, to Vivian. As I pass, people begin to separate, allowing a path for me, and when I reach my destination, I hop onto the stage. Instead of rushing to Vivian right away, I fight that instinct and proceed towards her slowly, waiting for a green light from her. When she smiles at me, that all-consuming body tingling-smile, I storm forward. As soon as I’m within arm’s reach, I cup her cheeks and pull her into me, crashing my lips to hers. I want her to feel my forgiveness, my gratitude for hers, and I want her to feel every ounce of love I have for her.

With a slow lingering kiss, I feel her smile against my mouth. “You’re here,” she whispers.

“My place is where you are, Clover; that is never going to change,” I murmur back to her, sealing it with a kiss on her palm.

Looking into her inviting eyes, I see that this my moment to claim this woman as mine forever, and I plan to seize it. I always thought I would be nervous, that I would feel hesitation and stumble through the words, but instead, I’m overwhelmed with the light of this woman and the love she has for me. “Vivian, I have something I need to say,” I tell her. She nods, but I can tell I’ve made her a little apprehensive. I maintain a serious expression, squeeze her hands, and begin my own speech for her.

“I have scars on my heart that you will never begin to understand, but make no mistake, they don’t make me weak. They make me strong enough to love you. They make me want to love you more fiercely than anyone will ever be able to love you.” I see emotions swirling in her eyes, threatening to pour over onto her rosy cheeks, but I continue. “For a long time, I didn’t think I deserved someone as perfect as you, but Vivian, after all of these years, I’ve finally realized something.”

“What’s that?” she asks through the tears that have escaped.

“That we are perfect together, and because of that, we deserve each other. I want a forever with you, Red. Will you marry me, and live a forever with me?” I let go of Vivian, reach into my jacket pocket, and take out her ring, holding it out to her, hoping like hell that she’ll take it. The spotlight shines on the center diamond, causing sparkles to refract off the ceiling of the club, earning gasps and awes from the entranced crowd.