Page 38 of A Home for Harmony (Blossoms #16)

BEING HERSELF

“ F elicity,” Harmony said. “I haven’t talked to you in a while. How are things going?”

“Not good.” Felicity pouted. Her client always let her guard down with these sessions, but her videos to her followers showed a completely different person. “My followers were increasing and I thought I had it all under control.”

“I noticed you’ve had some good content,” she said. She tried to catch up with people that she had one-on-one sessions with. Not that she wanted to reach out and tell them they needed more, but just to see if it worked or if they were following her advice.

The fact Felicity was still two different people most likely meant others saw through the masquerading videos also.

“Thank you,” Felicity said. “I thought so too. I showed the kids being more natural rather than editing everything and only focusing on a few things. It worked. Even all the graphics I’m adding have made an enormous difference.”

The kids were authentic, Felicity not so much.

Harmony grinned. “I love editing and adding the graphics to videos. Those are what captivates them initially.”

“It took me a while to figure that out and I thought it was going great, but then I noticed Margo doing the same thing. Are you giving her lessons too?”

“I can’t divulge any of my client list to you,” she said. “But thousands of people have bought my instructional videos. I’m not the only one giving that advice out there either.”

“But it’s almost exactly what I’m doing and now her followers are increasing faster than mine. I don’t understand it. I feel she’s copying me,” Felicity said.

She found that funny, since it felt like Felicity was trying to emulate what Margo was doing.

“If she is, then take it as a compliment,” she said nicely. “That she likes what you’re putting out there.”

Felicity’s arms dropped from where they were crossed in front of her on the video call.

“I suppose. But I need your help. You said you’ve noticed what I’ve changed.

What else can I do differently? My husband is putting pressure on me to show some income or he wants me to do less of this.

Things are falling behind in the house.”

Harmony pursed her lips and needed to be diplomatic.

“You haven’t really come up with a point of view.

A focus. You’re posting cute and fun clips about your family, but not something where people can be drawn into wanting to continue.

I know you don’t want to hear this, but Margo’s Madness is exactly that.

It’s how chaotic her household is. That’s her point of view.

She doesn’t post anything that doesn’t show something that is a mess or a problem, even if it’s funny.

Viewers keep going back to see what other haphazard disaster will be next. ”

“Oh,” Felicity said. “I hadn’t realized any of that.”

“I’d start there,” she said. “Ask the kids what they like. What they are interested in. If you want them to be more a part of it, make it enjoyable for them and for the viewers to believe it.”

“They like to cook. They make the kitchen a disaster when they are done, but they always want to cook dinner with me.”

“There you go,” she said. “Start there. Do a few of them and see how it’s received. If that doesn’t work, try something else.”

“Thanks,” Felicity said. “I guess that makes more sense. I know you’ve got another call and I’ve got to get the kids in bed, but I have one more question. Do you ever find yourself getting messages nonstop from the same people?”

“Like what?”

“Mostly negative comments. It’s frustrating. I delete them, but they keep coming back.”

At least she wasn’t alone. Not that she thought she was.

“It happens. My best advice is don’t engage. It will almost always blow up in your face if you do.”

“Even if I want to defend myself?” Felicity asked.

“Even then.”

“Got it,” Felicity said. “I’ll try.”

“Let me know if you have questions,” she said and disconnected the call, relieved it went better than expected.

She looked at her watch and had five minutes before Danielle’s call and then she’d be out the door and going to Micah’s house. She was going to get there before he was home from work since Scarlet texted her she was in trouble.

She played it as best as she could in her head and let Micah know what was going on. She didn’t want to, but felt in this instance it was better that he didn’t get a shock when he came home and she was there rather than arriving after.

When her laptop rang, she answered.

“Hi, Danielle.”

“Hi, Harmony. How are you?”

“I’m doing well,” she said. “It looks as if you are too. I was checking out your vlog and you’re getting a lot of followers.”

“Thank you,” Danielle said excitedly. “Most of them are others that do origami, but I finally got my first instructional video up.”

“I saw that too. Great job!” Confetti exploded on the screen.

“It took me so long to start and stop and not sound so boring.”

It was dry, but it played into Danielle’s personality too. “You’ll get the hang of it the more you do it. It got a lot of views too. Be yourself and don’t force it.”

“I noticed that. And I’ve gotten several comments from people asking me to put more out there.”

“That’s wonderful,” she said. “Did you put any thought into a store?”

“I did,” Danielle said. “I’ve spent more time doing that. I got a big order for favors for a baby shower in a few weeks so I’ve been busy.”

“I’m so happy for you,” she said, clapping her hands. She went to the computer screen and put exploding glitter on it and had Danielle laughing.

“How do you do those things?” Danielle asked. “I think if I did that in my videos, it’d liven them up.”

“I can show you,” she said. “Is that what you want to talk about? Was there more?”

“That’s good for now,” Danielle said. “I guess maybe I just needed to hear a happy, friendly voice. An encouraging one.”

“I’m always here for that.” And it brought joy to her heart to know she could provide it without even trying and...being herself.

They spent twenty minutes doing that and Danielle was getting the hang of it.

“This is great. I learn so much from you. I can’t thank you enough.”

“You’re welcome. If you don’t have more questions, I need to get ready to go out.”

“Oh?” Danielle asked, her smile dropping. “I hope you’re having fun tonight.”

“I’m having dinner with friends.”

She couldn’t keep her life a secret forever. She found she didn’t want to either. But she wasn’t going to give details.

“Are you going to post pictures?” Danielle asked.

“No. There are parts of my life I keep private. You know what it’s like. Not everyone did that when we worked together.”

“You always did,” Danielle said. “You never even said much to me and we hung out together.”

She smiled. “Everyone has to make those choices in life and live with them. But you still have to do what you love. One piece of advice. People online aren’t always truthful and honest. Know who you’re with and what you say or open yourself to is worth your time and it doesn’t come back to make you regret it. ”

Danielle frowned. “I never thought of that, but now I will. Have fun tonight.”

“I will,” she said, hanging up.

She grabbed a change of clothes to get out of her leggings that she’d been in all day and then was out the door in five minutes.

“Thank you for coming over,” Scarlet said. “I’m so mad at my mother and now I’m in trouble.”

“Don’t blame your mother,” she said. “Your father is part of this too and you know he is only looking out for you. And you shouldn’t be mad at either of them.”

Scarlet frowned. “Does my father know you’re here?”

“He does,” she said, putting her hand up. “First, you should know that I’m aware of what is going on. I don’t want to be in the middle, but your father was upset and came to see me.”

“I’m glad he has you to go to.”

She smiled. “I’m glad he does too. I reminded him he was a teen once too. He actually asked me to come over tonight for dinner so that I could be here when he talked to you. Then you texted and asked me to come. Maybe you both had the same idea.”

Though Scarlet only wanted Harmony to stop without her father knowing. Harmony wasn’t playing those games and made that clear.

Scarlet gave her a hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you to talk to.”

She returned the hug. “You’d be just fine. I want to be your friend, Scarlet, but know that I love your father. I don’t want to be your parent and I’ll consider both sides, but I can’t start fights or have to pick a side either.”

“I know that,” Scarlet said. “But you said you didn’t get along with your mother either, so you understand.”

“I’m getting along better with my mother now. It took me years to realize that I should have been more honest with her about my feelings. Do you know who told me to tell my mother how I really feel?”

“Erica?” Scarlet asked.

“No. Your father. I listened to him and tried it and it’s working. He’s a pretty smart guy.”

“He is,” Scarlet said. “But I’m in so much trouble. I know it was stupid.”

“Everyone makes mistakes,” she said. “But listen to him and why he was angry and concerned.”

“I know why,” Scarlet said. “He worries about me. He has to know all my friends and doesn’t know Colby. I’m only really friends with Colby because of Eli and that’s wrong. Colby is in my class, but Eli is a year older.”

She nodded her head. “Do you not like Colby? Have you not given her a chance to be friends? Or you feel guilty because you think you’re using her?”

“I felt guilty. She’s nice and all, but we have nothing in common. I’m trying to get along with her because I like her stepbrother.”

“Maybe your motivation in the beginning wasn’t the best, but no one says you have to be best friends with the sibling of the guy you’re interested in.”

“I know,” Scarlet said, sighing. “Dad said he’s bringing pizza home. He didn’t want me to cook. It’s because he doesn’t want me distracted when he wants to talk and I’m cleaning up.”

“You know your father well, don’t you?”