Page 103 of Oh, Christmas Con

The screen went dark before the auditorium lights slowly faded back on. She sat quietly, watching his face as he was illuminated by the lights above the stage. Her heart was beating so intensely she could see it thumping under her sweater. Her mouth had gone dry and suddenly she felt very unprepared to answer questions about what everyone just watched.

“Alright,” the emcee began, “what a fun time that was! Do we have a brave soul who would like to kick off the Q&A portion?”

A rebellious audience member yelled out, “Why don’t you two just make-out already?”

“I can’t see much from up here, but I know your voice anywhere, Tracy,” Maye said. “My cousin Tracy, everybody!”

“You know,” the emcee said, “while we wait for people to line up at the microphone, Tracy brings up an interesting point. Is there anything you two want to announce here at the premiere of your new show? Care to break any news?”

“I think the only news we’re going to break here is that Tracy is the ultimate heckler,” Chris said.

The audience broke into laughter and supportive applause.

The rest of the Q&A was filled with encouragement and laughter and joy from each person who contributed their questions and thoughts. Finally, the emcee announced that they had reached their last question, and turned the microphone over one last time.

“Hi, I’m Sheila, and I don’t know if you remember me but I was at the panel in July where we called my boyfriend and he proposed?”

The audience gasped and then cheered.

“Oh heck ya!” Chris stood up. “Of course I remember that!” Chris turned to Maye. “That was what kicked off this whole thing with you and me, Maye, remember?”

“Boy, do I,” she said. It was one of the more transformative moments that she could recall.

“How are you and the fiancé?” Chris asked.

The audience buzzed with anticipation.

“You mean ex-fiancé?” Sheila said flatly.

Murmurs spread across the audience.

“He’s in Paris,” Sheila said. “With his new girlfriend.”

The air sat still in the room.

“Oh, uh…” Chris was at a loss for words. “I’m sorry to hear that, Sheila. I think we all are.”

The audience nodded solemnly.

“Thanks,” Sheila said. “I find that this show doesn’t take itself seriously. Clearly, it’s very performative, the bickering and borderline flirting.”

“Well, that’s not entirely fair,” Maye said, slightly hurt by this comment.

“I think it’s fine because it’s just entertainment,” Sheila continued, “just not if people are taking your advice seriously. Which, I don’t know, you’re a real psychologist, so some people might.”

As Sheila continued talking, her words faded into the background. Maye knew she shouldn’t be offended by one person’s comments, but she couldn’t help it. Performative? What about her and Chris’s dynamic was a performance? They had a real connection and had even talked about their feelings. It didn’t feel performative to her. But was it possible that she was missing something? Something that was obvious to everyone else except her? Was she ignorant about what was going on around her again?

She looked at Chris. He was fully engaged in conversation with Sheila. Completely unaware of the anxiety spiral Maye was experiencing. All she had ever wanted was a simple, stationary life. Now look at her. Standing on a stage in front of an audience defending herself. Had she been fooled? Was this some kind of con?

The lights were blinding and her ears were ringing. It felt like a heat lamp was shining on her and the entire room was staring at her through a microscope. Her heart was racing in a whole different type of way now. Maye had worked so hard to be active again in her life, and she felt like it was all being thrown back in her face.

“Excuse me, I have to…” Maye dropped her microphone on her chair and rushed off stage.

“Maye! Wait!” Chris said as he sprinted after her.

She walked toward the green room, blinking the tears out of her eyes, when Chris caught up to her.

“Maye,” he said with his hands on her shoulders, “everything is going to be okay—”