Chapter 10 IN NEW ORLEANS

Before Gabriella's return to the prince palace, Steve had to make a private call to Mr. Weber, the Music Director and producer of the show which he was actively but temporarily placed in charge of in the Director's absent. He told him everything that transpired since he had been unavailable in Monaco for two weeks after the last audition including the accident which almost got Matt fired for his clumsiness.

The absence of the Music Director that fateful day when Gabriella went to the theatre hall for the sole purpose of rehearsing her role for the show after getting chosen to take the lead role in the show, was as a result of the Director's urgent trip to New Orleans so as to secure some financial funding for the show from one of the affiliated and leading companies in the fashion & lifestyle industries present in the city after finding out late that he would run at a financial loss if he were to organize the show on his current budget which turns out to be too little to cover the expenses of the show.

He arrived at New Orleans no less than an hour before midnight and only got to appear at the company building located at the central avenues of the city of New Orleans where he had intended on visiting the following morning. He went there along with Max Anderson, one of his employees who had similar duties as with that of Steve whom the Director had left in charge of overseeing his personal affairs as well as the activities needed to make the show a huge success. He had left Max to bring along with him a black briefcase which contains the files and documents about the music project that was at the brink of completion and strode with magnanimity into the lobby of the company after making a grand entrance into the very company that he had partnered with for twelve years. He was basically a shareholder in the company and a lot of the workers in the company knew him well enough to be friends with the Managing Director who, accompanied by his personal secretary, coincidentally appeared at the receptionist desk in the lobby to leave behind his message of cancelling his appointment exactly few moments before Mr. Weber showed up at the lobby along with Max after he came in through the main entrance.

The Managing Director's Personal secretary was the first to caught sight of Mr. Weber heading in their direction and quickly tap his boss's left shoulder to get his attention before gesturing at Mr. Weber whose flamboyant white tuxedo did much to express his affluence to the bystanders who saw him walked in. The Managing Director saw the intruder and knew at once the real reason why the Music Director had suddenly appeared at his company after flying several miles away from Monaco city. He knew at once that his plans to cancel his appointments to make out time to meet a woman he has been dating for some months was about to prove abortive with the unexpected appearance of the man who was the last person he had wanted to see at the very early hours of Monday Morning.

"If it isn't Director Mason, my long time pal and co-partner." Mr. Weber said lifting his hands in the hair the moment his eyes met with that of the Director Mason. Mason was left speechless at the shameless way he was greeted by Mr. Weber and felt slightly embarrassed to greeted in public under the close watch of the staff workers. Not only was Mason furious with the way Mr. Weber had done without considering the fact that his loud voice echoed at every corner of the lobby but he was bewildered at the shameless way he expressed himself without paying much attention to the people staring at him as well as his employee when the walked in. Mason knew the Music Director well enough to be a man who loved to the center of attraction and sighed heavily at the visitor's affront since he was not at all surprise at the fact that the visitor was acting fabulously in front of his employees.

Mr. Weber noticed the discontentment in their face and wondered if his greetings were too much for the Managing Director to bear but he was not at all bothered by the fact that a lot of the people at the lobby were now staring in their direction.

"Is something wrong or are you shocked to see me here all of a sudden?" Mr. Weber asked as he approached the Mason and his personal security.

"No.....Everything's fine except for the fact that you should have called to tell me you are coming sooner." Mason said offering Mr. Weber a handshake as soon as the visitor got to where the Managing Director was standing in front of the counter of the receptionist desk. Feeling at ease with the fact that he was warmly received by Director Mason, Mr. Weber accepted his friendly gesture and shook him in return.

"My bad. I just wanted surprise you and I believe it worked judging by the look on your faces." Mr. Weber said with all dignity in his words. At that moment of reunion, the

"Oh really? Is this surprise about the loan you've been asking for over two months, now?" Mason asked trying to make sure his speculation was wrong about Mr. Weber seeking a contract loan for his music project which he clearly was not ready to give even though he had the funds to finance four of the same project in a heartbeat.

"Sure it is. I didn't think you'll still remember my last request." Mr. Weber replied smiling.

"And I'm sure you still recall my last answer." Director Mason retorted.

"Which wasn't friendly." Mr. Weber said grinning. "Tell you what why don't we discuss this in your office and there I will show the papers of the project I have been seeking that loan for." Mr. Weber suggested.

"Mr. Weber, to be honest, I don't think that's a good suggestion or a good time to be talking about this right now." Mason replied checking his wristwatch.

'Come on, Mason. Last time I didn't try persuasive enough with just barely a face to face meeting with nothing to show for it and I believe if you take a look at the project we can fashioned out some mutual interest for both parties." Mr. Weber explained at full length convincingly but Mason was adamant.

"Sounds convincing but it seems to me that you are not listening." Mason replied.

"I don't understand. Where are you going?" Mr. Weber asked in confusion.

"If you aren't aware where I'm headed right now, then let me clear your doubts." Mason answered.

"Please do." Mr. Weber replied shortly.

"I am kind of late for a private meeting and I can't right now look into your paperwork for the project. I'm sorry but it can't be today. You just have to make a reservation and come back tomorrow which will be suitable for us to discuss this in person." Mason said about to leave.

"Make a reservation only to come back here tomorrow?" Mr. Weber murmured to himself in displeasure since he was not anticipating that Mason was not going to have the time for him to be present in his meeting and did his best to hide his displeasure even though he hated the idea of making a reservation which he absolutely did not plan to do in the first place.