Tribute

lunch, an early drink. Where can we take you?”
    “Nowhere, but thanks. I’m working.”
    “Didn’t I tell you?” Mario let out a hearty laugh while Spock squatted on his haunches and stared at him with suspicious eyes. “Cilla is the most amazing woman. So many talents. You can spare an hour, cara .”
    “I really can’t. Especially if this is about performing in Mom’s show. I told her I wasn’t interested.”
    “We’re here to persuade you that you are. Perhaps you’d excuse us,” Mario said to Ford.
    “No, he won’t.” Cilla pointed at Ford. “You won’t.”
    “I guess I won’t.”
    Irritation tightened Mario’s mouth briefly. The grumbling growl from Spock had him eyeing the dog with some trepidation. “You have a chance to make history, Cilla. Three generations performing together. You saw Céline perform with Elvis? We have that technology. We can bring Janet onstage with you and Bedelia. One extraordinary performance, live.”
    “Mario—”
    “I understand you’re reluctant to commit to doing the full set of duets with your mother, though I can tell you—as will Ken—what that would mean to the show, and to you. Your career.”
    “The advertising and promotion we’ve got lined up,” Ken began. “We can all but guarantee sellouts in every venue. Then the cable special, the CD, the DVD. The foreign markets are already buzzing. We may be able to work a deal to attach a second CD, a special package, for you, solo. In fact, Mario and I were kicking around ideas for videos there. And you’re right, Mario, shooting here would add punch.”
    "You’ve been busy, haven’t you?” Cilla’s voice was as soft, and as meaningful, as Spock’s growl. “And you’ve been wasting your time. No. I’m sorry, Ken, I don’t believe Mario made it clear. I’m not looking to be persuaded or revived or promoted. You have no business talking to producers, promoters, advertisers about me,” she said to Mario. “You’re not my agent or my manager. I don’t have an agent or a manager. I run the show now. And this is what I do. Houses. I do houses. Enjoy the scenery on the way back.”
    She knew Mario would come after her. Even as she turned on her heel to stride away, she heard him call her name. And she heard Ford speak to Ken, caught the extra yokel he put in his voice.
    “Spock, stay. So y’all drove down from New York City?”
    “Cilla. Cara . Let me—”
    “Touch me, Mario, and I swear I’ll deck you.”
    “Why are you angry?” There was puzzled sorrow in his voice. “This is an insanely rich opportunity. I’m only looking out for your interests.”
    She stopped, struggled with temper ripe to bursting. “You may actually believe that on some level. I can look after my own interests, and have been for a long time.”
    “Darling, you were mismanaged. Otherwise you’d be a major star today.”
    “I might be a major star today if I’d had the talent and the aptitude. Listen to what I’m saying to you: I don’t want to be a major star. I don’t want to perform. I don’t want that kind of work. I don’t want that kind of life. I’m happy here, Mario, if that matters to you. I’m happy with what I have, and I’m getting happy with who I am.”
    “Cilla, your mother needs you.”
    “And here it comes.” She turned away in disgust.
    “She has her heart set. And the backers will do so much more with this addition. She’s so—”
    “I can’t do it, Mario. And I won’t. I’m not just being a hard-ass. I can’t. It’s not in me. You should have talked to me before you came here, and brought him. And you should listen to me when I say no. I’m not Dilly. I don’t bullshit, I don’t play. And she’s already used up all her guilt points with me. I’m not doing this for her.”
    His face, his voice, held nothing but sadness now. “You’re very hard, Cilla.”
    “Okay.”
    “She’s your mother.”
    “That’s right. Which makes me, let’s see. Her daughter. Maybe, this time—this one time—she could think about what I need, about what I want.” She held up a hand. “Believe me, if you say anything else, you’ll only make it worse. Cut your losses here. You’re smart enough. Tell her I said knock them dead, break a leg. And I mean it. But that’s all I’ve got.”
    He shook his head as a man might over a sulking child. He walked away in his excellent shoes, and got into the big city car with Ken to drive away.
    Ford wandered over, stared off at the