Chapter 84 Echoes Of Lavender

• The Lumière Theatre pulsed with anticipation as the house lights dimmed. Brandon leaned forward, his breath caught in his throat, fingers curled tightly around the armrests. Beside him, Britney sat perfectly still, her face a mask of polite interest that didn't quite reach her eyes.
• The curtain rose, revealing a stage transformed into a dreamscape. Gossamer fabrics in shades of purple billowed like clouds, while delicate lavender blossoms seemed to float in midair, suspended on nearly invisible wires. At the center of it all stood Eliot Bassett, a figure both frail and powerful, patches of his gray hair catching the soft light like a halo. He was going bald from the cancer.
• As Eliot began to speak, his rich baritone filled the theatre, releasing words that held the audience spellbound. Brandon found himself transported, carried along on the current of Eliot's emotions as he spoke of love found and lost, of regrets that he suffered through the years.