The ten wagons stood at attention beneath a temporary canopy, compliments of Osborne's Department Store. Bright bows, ribbons, and hand-painted signs decorated their frames with a festive air. Susan was busily trying to organize the dignitaries as they trailed onto the parking lot, chattering and waving, ignoring her futile instructions. When Nigel arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief and immediately pressed him into service, helping to organize the different groups.

More time was wasted, as he had to stop and converse with each new face, listen to introductions and answer questions. Finally, they managed to get the foursomes arranged in front of the correct wagons and stifle enough of the gibbering for Susan to make herself heard. The members of the various committees hovered at the sidelines, their appearance solely for continuity and support.

"Where is she?" Ross whispered to Jean, anxious for a glimpse of their centre of attention.

"Wagon eight. See Allen next to her, in the blue golf shirt?" Jean held his arm as though expecting something momentous to happen.

"You mean that blonde with the long hair and sunglasses?" Ross craned his neck.

"Yes, and just look at Allen." She bit the words off in disgust.

Behind them, Tiffany nudged Patty and winked.

"Christ, are you sure that's a man- Gavin?"

"Quite a looker, eh Ross?" Tiffany leaned between the two, locking eyes with Jean.

"Wow! I sure didn't expect- are you sure?"

"Shhh, keep your voice down." Jean caught a look on Tiffany's face that made her tilt her head quizzically, and when Tiffany just stared, smiling, she half closed her eyes, the shoe dropping, and nodded, silently commending her husband's lover for her devious machinations.

"I think he looks terrific." Patty offered in a meek whisper.

"Terrific? I think he looks more than- ooohff!" Jean's elbow caught him just below the ribs, and he winced in an apology.

Ellen was shocked. She had expected to see Gavin exposed and humiliated as soon as he arrived. Instead, she was hard-pressed to believe that it was Gavin she was looking at. Denise nudged her arm and wiggled her eyebrows.

"I told you so."

"It's amazing," Ellen agreed. "I can't believe he had the nerve to go through with it."

"Who are we talking about?" Melaine squeezed in among the group watching the proceedings.

"Ga...lleria," Ellen said, catching herself.

"Oh, the model. Where is she?"

"Over by Allen," Denise said. "The blonde in the green sleeveless sweater and grey slacks."

Melaine leaned past Patty's shoulder, whispering a pleasant hello as she studied the woman with whom Allen seemed so engrossed. "She is quite pretty, isn't she?"

"I think he looks fabulous." Patty said, instantly turning red and biting her lip.

"He?"

Tiffany stepped back to Melaine's side and cupped a hand to her ear, whispering intimately. Melaine shot her a stunned look, jaw dropping and eyes widening. "You're joking!"

"God's truth, honey, ask some of the others." She turned to Ellen and Denise, seeing them nod.

Susan was thanking everyone for their cooperation and reminding them of the starting time Friday night, as she waved goodnight to the scattering crowd. The theatre critics had cornered Nigel, and appeared to be in deep conversation, so she felt it was a good opportunity for an introduction to the mystery model. Allen was leaning with one hand against the wagon, next to Galleria's head, talking softly, as Susan approached.

"Excuse me, Allen. I haven't met Miss Preston yet." She smiled and stuck out a hand. Moderately relieved, but still sweating inside, Gavin stepped away from Allen, smiling politely and taking Susan's hand. "I'm Susan Ho, it's a pleasure to meet you finally. Felicity wasn't sure whether you would be interested in our celebration or not."

"The pleasure's mine," Gavin said, retrieving his hand.

"If you've got a minute, I'd like to introduce you to some of the committee members. It's nice to know the people involved when you're pressed into service like this." She touched her arm warmly.

"Uh, uh- I—"

"Galleria and I were just going to grab a coffee," Allen interjected; seizing what he thought was an opportunity and quickly losing his bravado under Susan's irritated stare.

"Let's meet the others first, then maybe we can all go for coffee together." She linked her arm in Gavin's, and the two moved off across the lot to where the others waited, expectantly.

He was dying inside. The over reactive response from the women was bad enough; the way they purred and cooed over his outfit, his hair, and—in a surprisingly titillating way—his figure, was bad enough, but the recognizable looks he received from the men unnerved him completely. His attempted excuses to be excluded from the evening fell on deaf ears, and he found himself swept along with crowd, the ominous Denise on one arm, and the loose-limbed, buxom Tiffany, on the other.

"Love your shoes," Denise said, leaning into him, as they walked in a loose group back through town to the coffee shop. "Did you get them here?"

"If she did, it wasn't at Daryl's, "Tiffany declared. "That's my husband's store," she added by way of explanation. "His stuff is crap."

"Uh no, my wi...sest move was shopping in Toronto." The near slip sent a slither of perspiration down his side.

"For a minute there I thought you were going to say wife." Denise laughed maliciously, squeezing his arm.

"Heh, heh- ahheh."

"So what's the modelling biz like?" Tiffany probed.

"Oh, you know, a lot of changes, a lot of sitting still for hours..."

"How about nudes? Do you pose nude for any artists?"

"Sure she does, all artists pose their models in the nude at some time or other, right, Galleria?" Denise taunted.

"Well..." Thankfully, they arrived at the patio coffee shop and Susan was organizing the group around one large, round table. He hung back; hesitating until Tiffany shuffled him to a chair next to Allen, amused to see Patty hurry to Gavin's other side.

"So are we drinking or klatching?" Tiffany boomed, taking her own seat on Allen's opposite side. A number of conflicting responses divided the group; one part settling for a large carafe of wine, and the other choosing coffee.

Susan pulled her chair up close to Nigel, one hand automatically dropping to his thigh. He leaned on the table, hoping to shield her action from the others, knowing it would be useless to protest. To his right, Melaine was still gawking surreptitiously around Tiffany, at Gavin, searching for some indication that he wasn't she.

Next to Susan, Ross, Jean, Ellen and Denise completed the circle around to Patty, who was resting on one elbow, sitting sideways and talking to Galleria. The waiter arrived bearing a large tray with the wine carafe and a large pot of coffee, and set it in the middle of the table for them to serve themselves.

"I think what you've done is fantastic," Patty whispered to Gavin, beneath the gabble of the others. "I'm really very...impressed." He faced her with a stricken look. She leaned closer. "I know all about it." Leaning closer still. "It's actually quite a turn on." Her large, doe eyes swallowed him in one admiring scan.

"Bottoms up." Jean sang, holding her glass high. "To a great team and a successful Jubilee." A chorus of 'cheers' went round the table, and Gavin found, that instead of coffee, he had a large goblet of wine, which under the circumstances he was more than happy to have, although a straight scotch would have served him better. Patty clinked her glass against his and sipped thirstily, sparkling eyes glued to his.

"Since Galleria's one of the dignitaries, and the only one among us who's going to get a ride tomorrow," Jean spoke up, noticing Allen had shunted his chair a little closer to his left, "I propose we ask her for the next toast." Everyone heartily agreed, lifting glasses and waiting with anticipation.

Gavin licked his lips and swallowed hard, raising his wine glass and stuttering a bland, simplistic wish for a successful event. They all cheered loudly and laughed, some at Jean's intimidating manoeuvre, and tossed back their drinks. Susan squeezed Nigel's knee with suggestive force, while Gavin choked on his drink, feeling the light weight of Allen's fingers creeping across his.

More carafes of wine were ordered, leaving the coffee pot untouched, and the mood became lighter and louder. Finally, the patio lights flashed three times indicating the coffee shop was closing, and as everyone finished their drinks and began to stand, scraping chairs and milling about in the following darkness, Gavin swung his legs away from Allen, trapping one of Patty's between his own. She leaned forward, placing a hand on his thigh, and winked.

"I'll take care of the bill," Susan announced. "It can come out of our budget." She picked up her purse and turned to Nigel. "Wait a minute and I'll drive you home. Does anyone else need a lift?" She called to the parting group.

"I wouldn't mind, if it's not too much trouble," Patty raised a limp hand. "What about you Galleria, can we drop you somewhere?" Her words slurred slightly. Gavin stayed rooted in the chair. The plan was to meet Felicity across the street after he'd managed to get away from the meeting. Panic dried his throat.

"Sure that's no problem," Susan agreed. "Where do you live?"

"I- uh, I'm not going uh, home just yet..."

"Well we'll drop you wherever then." Susan handed a credit card to the waiter and beamed a smile through the darkness.

He wanted to disappear. They were all staring now, waiting for a reply, and he thought desperately, blurting out what he felt was his only hope. "I- actually I have to go to uhm, the Proctor's. Yes. Felicity wanted to arrange a schedule for my next sitting."

"Super!" Patty cried, missing an intended clap with her hands. "That's almost next door to me."