~Saturday morning~
“Ok bye mom. I’ll page you when the meeting is done.” April shut her car door and waved as her mother drove off. She straightened her now wrinkled navy blue long skirt. She started to walk up the stairs of the building. Remembering the first time she went here and how scared she was. Now April wasn’t scared. In her hand she held a small picture of Taylor with a few lines from “I Will Come To You.” It gave her courage.
“Ms. Hogan?” A voice from in back of her said. April turned around.
“Oh hello Mr. Garret.” April smiled and extended her hand. They shook it and walked towards the elevators.
“I’m glad that you could make it. Where is your friend?” He asked while they were in the elevators going up to the conference room.
“She couldn’t make it. She had something to do with her family today that she couldn’t get out of.”
“That is too bad. Here is our stop.” He ushered her out and they turned right towards the room in which they would be having the meeting. Mr. Garret opened the door for April. She thanked him and walked in. There were already people in there. “Ok now that everyone is here lets get started.” Mr. Garret said taking his seat at the head of the long black table. April took the seat to the right of him.
“How many candles do you think we should have ready?” A young man in his mid twenties asked April and Mr. Garret.
“There are a lot of Hanson fans around here. Some I’m sure will bring their own candles, but I know that a lot more won’t.” April informed him. The man wrote something down and looked back up.
“Next order of business the color of the candles. We here at Yankee Candle Shop have many colors and fragrances of candles.”
“If I may Mr. Garret?” April looked over at him. He nodded for her to continue.
“I don’t think that there should be any fragrance to the candles. If others bring candles that smell different there could be an awful smell. Also the color should be just white. That is if anyone else has any suggestions. I’m just a kid to all of you. My opinion probably doesn’t mean anything.” April looked around the table. The people that she stared at had to be in their late 30s early 40s.
“No my dear. This was your idea and your opinion is greatly appreciated.” A lady said putting her hand onto Aprils. “I think that her idea of no fragrance and white candles is a really good idea. Its plain, but yet it looks really good.” Everyone in the room agreed to what she had said. April felt confident in that her decisions where actually being used. She opened her hand and placed the picture in front of her. She stared at it for a second.
This one is for you Taylor. I hope you aren’t feeling any pain anymore. April thought to herself.
“I think that we do need fire fighters on the scene also.” Mr. Garret suggested. It was a good idea because there were going to be a lot of candles burning. There was a nod from everyone and they went onto the next order of business.
“You said on the news that there are going to be guest speakers. Do you know who they are?” April asked.
“Yes we have a few booked. Or course you and Monique are going to speak right?”
“I don’t’ know about Monique, but I’m going to speak. Taylor was and still is a great influence on my life.” Everyone around her smiled at her. Nobody could believe that they were talking to an almost sixteen year old. She seemed so much older.
“Ok well its 11:30 now. I think everything that we wanted to accomplish is done. April will you keep me informed on just how many people you think are going to be. You said you could get people from on-line to come right?” Mr. Garret said as they were leaving.
“Yes I have already sent an AD to a lot of people. So far I have over 200.”
“That is good. Keep on trying. If there are too many people for the Tweeter Center to hold we can use the parking lot and stuff. We are going to hook up speakers so outside can hear it. I have another meeting so please keep in touch.” Mr. Garret walked away and April went to the phone and paged her mother.
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