Daddy's Boy

In the Lights

A/N Oh God... I have an interview... wish me luck lovelies...
The last of this is nearly all written and edited. Enjoy!

"I can't do this." I mumbled, running my hand through my hair.

"Yes you can baby. Deep breath." Edmund held me close, stroking my hair back after I mussed it. I took in another deep breath like he said and blew it out slowly.

"Do I look okay?" I frowned down at my black suit and again he tipped my chin back up to look at him.

"Déjà vu. You look perfect. Didn't I tell you to stop worrying. We went over how this will go. Just remember what you want to say and it will flow together nicely. You can do this Brendan. I am going to be right there. You may not be able to see me, but I am right there the whole time. Okay baby?" His voice was soothing. I wanted to curl into his arms and block out the world. Today, however, I couldn't.

I had to go for the interview. I had to go back to the station and do the event live. I had to remember all the things I wanted to say, and all the things I planned to avoid. I gulped and felt my man squeeze me against him for reassurance. It was time. No more standing around. He pulled back to take my hand and lead me to the elevator, just like last time.

"Which car do you want to take?" He offered to me. I shrugged. Did it matter which car you took to the execution block? I sighed at my own melodramatic thoughts.

"Let's take the comfy car today. It has darker tinted windows." I replied. He agreed and walked me to it. He buckled me in and I breathed in his warm, masculine scent as he hovered over my lap. I closed my eyes and pretended we were just going on another date. It was just another day. Just another day... that I would be baring part of my soul for the world to see. Sigh.

They ushered us in the door and took us to the makeup room. I was split up from Edmund and placed in front of a mirror while numerous people fussed over me. Edmund took very good care of me, so there was really little for them to do. Mostly it was just powdering my skin so my sweat didn't gleam under the lights. I tried to look over to Edmund a few times, but he was out of view.

"Come on, you are almost up." The man with a clipboard said to me. I nodded and followed him to the set. It was quiet in the hall and a light was on outside the room with 'quiet' in bright red letters. He whispered a few last minute instructions and checked me over. A microphone was clipped carefully to me and my clothes smoothed. He raised a finger to his lips and opened the silent door to lead me inside.

I watched with interest at the people who moved and adjusted the large cameras in the room. Another man gave hand signals to the different people behind the scenes. Vivian finished with the last guest and they said goodbye, gracefully bowing themselves off camera like a seasoned pro. He passed by me with a curious look and I gave him a quick, nervous smile.

"We have a special guest with us today, please welcome... Brendan Riley." Vivian was calm and composed in her cushioned seat as she watched me walk the plank. Although it was only a few paces from off camera to the set, it felt like a lifetime to step into the lights. Then they were shining down like small suns and I was trembling ever so slightly with my effort not to let my easygoing mask slip.

I gave a short greeting to her, with a brief kiss on the cheek and then waved casually to the camera. Eye contact for the audience meant looking into those hollow black lenses that sucked your soul out, if you let them. I was trying not to let it unnerve me. I was in one of my power suits, so my business mask was firmly at the forefront of my mind.

"So how does it feel, being a celebrity couple of the century and role model for the gay community?" She went for the jugular. I chuckled a bit at the direct cut to the chase and shook my head a little.