looked at her. “If you ever need anything to help with nerves, I can get it for you.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
His offer was sweet and well meant, although she didn’t intend to take him up on it. Impulsively, she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss, much longer and deeper than the goodnight peck he’d given her.
Finally, she pulled away and stepped back. “Okay. Goodnight.”
Jake looked slightly dazed. “’Night.”
Gretchen turned and walked into the room she shared with Trinka. It was strange that she was only down the hallway from Jake but had never interacted with him before tonight. How wonderful that a person never knew where the day might take her. Life was an adventure, full of exciting possibilities. Smiling, she touched her fingers to her lips.
Scene Three: Opening Night
“I hate you. How can you be so calm?” Elena paced the Green Room from end to end, turned and retraced her steps. “The fact that you’re not nervous makes me more nervous.” She glared at Michael. “Please, no ad libs tonight. I can’t take it.”
“Who says I’m not nervous?” Michael turned up a three of spades and laid it on a four of diamonds, then leaned back and looked around the room. Everyone was preparing for the performance in his or her own way. Elena’s evidently included bitching at him.
Logan was like a squirrel on speed, bopping around the room, talking to one person or another. Right now he was busy teasing Cara, Elena and Trinka’s understudy. He hadn’t stopped chattering or moving for the past hour.
In contrast, Denny sat in a corner muttering to himself, either practicing lines or “becoming” Richard. Gretchen was at the make-up mirror staring at her reflection and humming quietly. Her eyes looked a little glazed, making Michael wonder if she was on something. The girl had been spending a lot of time with Jake Bosch over the past couple of weeks.
Some of the chorus members chatted together or sang bits of music. Others were drawn into themselves like Denny and Gretchen.
“Damn it!” Trinka stormed into the room. “I lost my lucky penny. Has anyone seen a penny?”
“Are you serious?” Logan asked.
“Yes. Shut up. It’s not weird. Athletes do it all the time—wear the same underwear while they’re on a winning streak or whatever.”
Logan tousled her hair as he passed. “You’re wearing underwear, Trinka? That’s gotta be a first.”
“I need my penny!” Trinka searched the counter beneath the make-up mirrors.
“Penny?” Michael asked Elena on her next pass.
Elena stopped walking. “She found it in the parking lot the first day of auditions and has carried it ever since, because she thinks it helped her get cast.”
Michael laughed.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a Dumbo’s feather. It works for her,” Elena said. “Not everyone is as cool as you. Some people need a little confidence boost.” She resumed pacing.
“Hah,” Trinka shouted, waving a tarnished coin. “It was in my pocket.”
“Whew! Crisis averted,” Logan said.
“Places in ten minutes,” the stage manager’s voice announced over the sound system.
Michael’s stomach lurched. He put down his cards and rose.
“Where are you going?” Elena asked as she passed him again.
“Outside.”
He exited through the rear door into the alley. The air was cool and fresh, except for the scent of garbage occasionally wafting from the dumpster and cigarette smoke from Bill lounging against the wall of the building.
“Hey. What’s up? Is it time?” Bill asked.
“Almost.”
“Nervous?”
Michael shrugged.
Bill offered his pack of cigarettes.
“No, thanks.” Michael walked to the mouth of the alley and stared down the street at the garish, neon lights marking restaurants and businesses. There was a queue outside a couple of currently trendy restaurants. The sidewalk was filled with people. He wondered if any of them were on their way to see the show. It occurred
“Oh. Thanks.”
His offer was sweet and well meant, although she didn’t intend to take him up on it. Impulsively, she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss, much longer and deeper than the goodnight peck he’d given her.
Finally, she pulled away and stepped back. “Okay. Goodnight.”
Jake looked slightly dazed. “’Night.”
Gretchen turned and walked into the room she shared with Trinka. It was strange that she was only down the hallway from Jake but had never interacted with him before tonight. How wonderful that a person never knew where the day might take her. Life was an adventure, full of exciting possibilities. Smiling, she touched her fingers to her lips.
Scene Three: Opening Night
“I hate you. How can you be so calm?” Elena paced the Green Room from end to end, turned and retraced her steps. “The fact that you’re not nervous makes me more nervous.” She glared at Michael. “Please, no ad libs tonight. I can’t take it.”
“Who says I’m not nervous?” Michael turned up a three of spades and laid it on a four of diamonds, then leaned back and looked around the room. Everyone was preparing for the performance in his or her own way. Elena’s evidently included bitching at him.
Logan was like a squirrel on speed, bopping around the room, talking to one person or another. Right now he was busy teasing Cara, Elena and Trinka’s understudy. He hadn’t stopped chattering or moving for the past hour.
In contrast, Denny sat in a corner muttering to himself, either practicing lines or “becoming” Richard. Gretchen was at the make-up mirror staring at her reflection and humming quietly. Her eyes looked a little glazed, making Michael wonder if she was on something. The girl had been spending a lot of time with Jake Bosch over the past couple of weeks.
Some of the chorus members chatted together or sang bits of music. Others were drawn into themselves like Denny and Gretchen.
“Damn it!” Trinka stormed into the room. “I lost my lucky penny. Has anyone seen a penny?”
“Are you serious?” Logan asked.
“Yes. Shut up. It’s not weird. Athletes do it all the time—wear the same underwear while they’re on a winning streak or whatever.”
Logan tousled her hair as he passed. “You’re wearing underwear, Trinka? That’s gotta be a first.”
“I need my penny!” Trinka searched the counter beneath the make-up mirrors.
“Penny?” Michael asked Elena on her next pass.
Elena stopped walking. “She found it in the parking lot the first day of auditions and has carried it ever since, because she thinks it helped her get cast.”
Michael laughed.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a Dumbo’s feather. It works for her,” Elena said. “Not everyone is as cool as you. Some people need a little confidence boost.” She resumed pacing.
“Hah,” Trinka shouted, waving a tarnished coin. “It was in my pocket.”
“Whew! Crisis averted,” Logan said.
“Places in ten minutes,” the stage manager’s voice announced over the sound system.
Michael’s stomach lurched. He put down his cards and rose.
“Where are you going?” Elena asked as she passed him again.
“Outside.”
He exited through the rear door into the alley. The air was cool and fresh, except for the scent of garbage occasionally wafting from the dumpster and cigarette smoke from Bill lounging against the wall of the building.
“Hey. What’s up? Is it time?” Bill asked.
“Almost.”
“Nervous?”
Michael shrugged.
Bill offered his pack of cigarettes.
“No, thanks.” Michael walked to the mouth of the alley and stared down the street at the garish, neon lights marking restaurants and businesses. There was a queue outside a couple of currently trendy restaurants. The sidewalk was filled with people. He wondered if any of them were on their way to see the show. It occurred
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