Chapter 11

Lights up!

JESSICA "Even though you told me all about your disability, I still care so very much about you, and how you feel, Daddy!"

ROBERT "J-bird, I don't have a clue what would've happened to me, if I hadn't had your mother back then! She was my rock ... my guiding light! She took care of me after I came home from the hospital, cleaning and redressing my bandages. I had stitches above my right eye, a one-inch gash in my left leg where I landed on a railroad spike, along with my broken leg and my hip replacement surgery!"

JESSICA "But Daddy, what happened that caused you and mommy to start fighting so much all of the time!"

ROBERT "She must have thought I should have recovered faster, and she actually accused me of faking my pain to keep from doing things around the house. I was totally bedridden for a month after I came home!"

JESSICA "But she still took care of you, didn't she?"

ROBERT "She was helping with my physical pain, but I'd started going through some mental anguish, I ... never told her about! I didn't want her to hurt ... I was taking one for the team, Jess!"

JESSICA "I don't remember this time in your life at all Daddy, how old was I, when all of this had happened?"

ROBERT "You may have been only two, maybe three years old, J ... your mother started to work part-time to help pay the bills, and I hobbled around, trying to keep up with my cute as a button little girl!"

JESSICA "Oh, I remember racing you ... and you had a cane, so you must have been getting better, because by my next birthday, you weren't using it any more, and you started catching me when I ran from you!"

ROBERT "J-bird, I was ... afraid to catch you. I was afraid of what I might do if I caught you! I'm sorry Jessica! I'm so very sorry for the things I did when ... you were so young and innocent! I'm ashamed of myself!"

"Maybe, you should get out ... get out of the tub ... get out of the house ... get out of your father's life! When you're older, with your own children, please remember that the most important thing you can do, is to love them without any conditions ... unconditional love, Jessica! That is what your love, for your father, and your children must be ... unconditional!"

I had really started sobbing and I couldn't get it together at all; thank goodness she had a long speech for me to recover during.

JESSICA "Oh, Daddy ... that's so beautiful to hear you say all of that! I want all of those things; including unconditional love with the man of my heart's desire! I'm not ashamed of anything I've ever done, or anything we've ever done! We've been together every night since mommy left, and we don't go to sleep until we've satisfied each other completely, whether you're filling up my mouth, or my butt, or even if you are filling me to the brim with your seed, I love you Daddy ... I love you Daddy! Show me ... show me now, show me how much you love me!"

She ripped off her bikini top, leaving the clear one that showed her nipples very clearly. The audience, as a group went, "Ooh!"

ROBERT "Jessica, I haven't been using a condom at all, have you been taking your birth control pills? We don't want to do anything stupid now, do we?"

JESSICA "Oh, Daddy, I stopped taking my birth control pills right after mommy left! I knew that you loved me and I wanted to satisfy you so much, I wanted there to be a chance we could have the life together that you and mommy once had ... and I wanted your baby, so badly ... I decided to stop the pills and let our bodies decide what is best for us! My period is over a week late, I want to begin 'My Life With My Father!"

We started to simulate sex, and when she started to moan,

BLACKOUT — fast curtain

We climbed out of the spa and put on robes, Phyllis came out.

Curtain opened!

They were all standing up, applauding, cheering, crying, and ... who knows what else. The curtain closed and Karol and I quickly put on some decent clothes for the 'meet and greet' when the patrons come backstage to say Hi and tell you how much they liked you. Or not!

We came out of our dressing rooms at the exact same time, and we kissed each other and walked over to the crowd of people.

Chester Babcock, the Board President, came up to me and said, "Michael Manning, I can't believe I just saw you play that part! It was easily, the best thing I've ever seen you do before. And this wonderful young lady is the brightest light to shine in this theatre in thirty years. You two were fabulous! I'm normally turned off by language like that in a play, but you all made it feel so natural ... like we were watching real life."

"Well, Chester, I couldn't have done it without Karol, We're engaged, but we're waiting for the play to finish its run before we get married."

"Engaged, that's how you two made it look so real? I would like to tell the both of you something, I don't say often, 'That was fucking awesome!'" Chester said.

Ruthie and Mika came up to us crying and Ruthie said, "Daddy that was the most amazing show I've ever watched before. The hate you showed for Phyllis was perfectly pitched, and the love you showed for Karol was remarkable as well," she gave each of us a great big hug.

Mika walked up to Karol and said, "I love you, Mom!" and hugged Karol for the longest time.

Phyllis and George walked up to us and he said, "Thank you for auditioning, thank you for taking the part, thank you for picking the redhead, and thank you for the best night of theatre I've enjoyed in my lifetime! Oh, and thank you for Phyllis as well. If it hadn't been for you two and our little role-playing in the Spa, we wouldn't be where we are right now."

The rest of the board members came up and gave their approval of the play, and of us.

I turned to Karol and said, "Happy Birthday," and kissed her, not caring about all of the people in the room. I love this woman so much. Thank you Louise ... for your blessing!

As the next few nights of the show went on, to full houses and standing ovations, the plans for the wedding went into full motion.

We decided to have the wedding and the reception at our place. Orders were placed for flowers and food, getting the promise of some wiggle room in the dates. We kept the invites to less than two-dozen.

Monday night we all went back up to Santa Fe, as we had promised. We walked into the theatre, and Randall and Carol came up to us and we got caught up.

"I read a review about your play, Michael and Karol. Carol and I hope to come see it this next weekend! I can't wait to see it; it apparently is not for anyone under eighteen, huh?"

"No, Randall — I sure wouldn't recommend it? There's very adult language, stage violence, partial nudity, and simulated sex," I said.

"Well, that list makes me want to see it even more!" Randall said, with his wife slapping him on the chest in apparent mock rage.

"So, Randall ... what's scheduled for tonight?" George asked.

"We're going through, in order, all of the music in the show," Randall said. "Oh, and there's an announcement you missed because of your Tech week. I not only directing and playing the Beast — I'm also playing Gaston!"

"WOW!" Phyllis said.

"Oh my goodness, Randall!" said Karol. "How can you possibly play both roles? Aren't they on stage at the same time?"

"Actually only during the fight scene at the end. There are going to be some stunt doubles, along with some very fast costume and makeup changes, but my co-director Marcus and I have it all plotted out. You guys ready to sing tonight?"

"Yep," I said. "We vocalized on the trip here. Could we possibly get a karaoke copy of our specific music, so we could practice to what really is going to be played? You could email it to us, I remember putting my email address on the form I filled out."

"I'm certain my music guy Maurice can do that for you guys. Let's get started," Randall said as we all sat down at a table, with sheet music in front of us.

Randall said, "Don't worry about being note perfect tonight people! That's what rehearsal's are for. Maurice, please play the prologue..."

From that point on, we went from music to song and back to music again. That Maurice fellow is easily the most talented keyboardist I've ever heard. A lot more gifted than anyone who plays at the Union Avenue Community Theatre, that's for sure.