Page 38 of Bless This Hot Mess
Carrington grinned knowingly, “It’s okay. Ronald has already shared his secrets with me. People tend to do that.”
“They… they do?” Japheth asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
Carrington’s gaze shifted to Japheth, full of amusement, “Oh yes, Japheth. You look full up to the brim. Feel free tostop by my desk later and you can spill. You’ll feel alotbetter.”
Rebekkah, confused but intrigued, glanced at Ronald, “What did Ronald tell you?”
“Oh, just that he’s not Jewish…” Carrington replied, smirking.
“Well, of course not, this is a Christian radio station,” Rebekkah laughed, if a little awkwardly.
“And that he’s agnostic,” Carrington added, their tone light but knowing.
Rebekkah blinked, thrown for a second, “Oh. Well, he’s open to Jesus. Right, Ronald?”
Ronald, nonchalant, gave a small grin, “Right. I’m not afraid of no ghost.”
Carrington gave a low chuckle, looking skeptical, “Sounds like astretch. But hey, I’m not here to judge anyone’s faith. Only their fashion. And in that department, Ronnie is just fine. Unlike… well, some other points of the Trinity triangle.”
Japheth looked down at his outfit, brow furrowing, “Do you not like vests?”
“Not worn as a shirt, no,” Carrington replied, deadpan.
Rebekkah, glancing down at her feet, shifted nervously under Carrington’s hawklike evaluation, “Is it… what? Is it my platform sandals?”
Carrington paused, raising an eyebrow, “Are you being funny?”
Rebekkah stammered, “Uh… Yes! Hahaha!”
Carrington’s eyes glinted, “Then yes. Don’t wear them again. You represent WWJD radio now. Are you ready for your meeting with Emma-Lou? She’s excited to hear your ideas for the Trinity Radio Hour. Itisan hour, live on the air, so I hope you’ve been sharpening your pencils and dulling them withideas.”
Rebekkah could hardly contain her excitement, “Oh my gosh, that sounds so incredible. TheTrinity Radio Hour! Yes, we’re ready, right, guys? We’re pretty sure she’s going toloveour new direction.”
Carrington waved them forward, “Well then, let’s not keep her waiting. Follow me.”
Ronald stood tall, flashing a grin as he hitched up his pants, “Don’t mind if we do.”
The heavy oak door slammed behind them as Emma-Lou whirled around, her eyes blazing with disbelief.
“No fudging way!” she barked, her voice rising as she pointed toward the closed door. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this, and I don’t want anyone else overhearing this cockamamie! Jiminy Cripes! You three want to Weird Al Yankovic a bunch of top forty music?!”
Ronald leaned back casually, unfazed by her outburst, “If we ditch the organ music and chanting and…”
Japheth interrupted, on the defence, “Notallthe chanting. We can still have some hymns.”
Ronald shrugged, “Rebekkah’s really good at rewriting lyrics, so we just sample…”
“STEAL!” Emma-Lou shot back, her hands now firmly planted on her hips.
Rebekkah raised her hands in surrender, “It’s more of a sample really, but just to all get on the same page, sure, we’ll use your language.”
Ronald jumped back in, “We steal these pop, rap, country and R&B hits, but then we rewrite the lyrics to talk about what’s really going on in people’s lives, right here in GreaterNapanee. You know, to start conversations people really want to have.”
Rebekkah nodded enthusiastically, “We get to give listeners something fresh.”
“Yet still funky,” Ronald added with a grin.
Emma-Lou scowled at them; her disbelief now tinged with frustration, “How in H-E-double hockey sticks willthathelp us? We’ll be just like every other maleficent morning show!”
