At 11:59 p.m., I could hear the guests counting down from inside the main house.
The voices grew louder.
I stood beside my window holding my tea.
Eight.
Inside the house, champagne glasses were raised.
Seven.
Lauren stood beside Caleb, smiling for everyone around her.
Six.
Caleb’s parents stood nearby, surrounded by their friends.
Five.
I glanced at my laptop. The network shutdown was ready.
Four.
The caterer was still holding my deactivated credit card.
Three.
Lauren lifted her glass.
Two.
I took a slow breath.
One.
The house erupted.
“Happy New Year!”
Confetti exploded through the living room. People hugged. Couples kissed. Champagne spilled. Music blasted from the speakers.
And then the clock changed.
12:01.
Everything stopped.
The television went black. The music disappeared. The wireless speakers went silent. The colorful smart lights suddenly reset, flooding the entire room with harsh white light.
The effect was almost comical.
One second, the guests were celebrating in a glamorous party. The next, they were standing beneath bright overhead lights surrounded by half empty glasses, dirty plates, and confused expressions.
People looked at their phones.
“What’s happening?”
“Did the power go out?”
“Is the internet down?”
Caleb immediately pulled out his phone. He tapped the screen repeatedly. Then he walked toward the router.
I watched from my window.
He checked the cables. He restarted the equipment.
Nothing worked.
The network was gone.
Then I noticed the caterer. He was standing beside Lauren. His expression had changed completely. There was no longer a professional smile on his face.
He held up the payment terminal.
Lauren looked at the screen.
Her smile disappeared.
She tried the card again. The machine rejected it.
She frowned.
“Try it again.”
The caterer did.
Declined.
Lauren looked embarrassed.
“There’s probably a problem with the machine.”
She handed him another card. He processed it.
Declined again.
Caleb walked over.
“What is it?”
The caterer quietly explained. The final balance was over $3,000, and he needed payment immediately.
Lauren looked toward Caleb.
“Use your card.”
Caleb’s expression hardened.
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?”
“My limit is maxed.”
Her face went pale.
“What about your father’s card?”
“You know, I don’t have access to it.”
The conversation was becoming louder. Several guests were beginning to notice.