Chapter 19: Back to Normal

Monday it was back to the usual grind, although a lot of kids had comments about Friday's presentation/circus/embarrassment—pick one. I didn't see Adams all day. Maybe Mr. Williams chewed him out and he was home pouting?

Monday afternoon Beth and I were walking over to the theater building for rehearsal when Steve caught us, "Tommy, is it true you're giving half of your award to the team?"

"Yeah, I figured I'd split it between you guys and Emergency Services. That is if you guys can find a use that doesn't include nude cheerleaders."

"Rats," he chuckled. "So much for the next orgy."

"Well, maybe you can get Beth and Cindy to do a dance for you? OUCH!" Damn, I swear Beth sharpens her elbow—just for me!

Steve just laughed, "The biggest secret in school is that our parties aren't much different from anybody else's. Oh, a little more beer maybe, but I haven't seen a naked cheerleader yet!"

Beth looked at the two of us, "What is it with guys and cheerleaders?"

Steve and I exchanged a look. "Let's see ... a bunch of great-looking girls bouncing around wearing tight sweaters and short skirts, flashing their panties all the time? I dunno, Steve, what's the attraction?"

"Yeah, that pretty much covers it," he laughed.

"MEN!" was Beth's response as she marched off to the theater.

Greg and I had finished up the lighting plot and started re-programming the light board when Mr. Franks called the quartet on stage. Now barbershop quartet music sounds easy but it's not. Close harmony is one of the hardest things to learn—especially if the singers don't have much of a music background, and these guys didn't. Neither Greg nor I can sing a note, but listening to the quartet was getting painful even for us when Mr. Franks called a break.

"Gentlemen, this isn't working. Tell you what, I'll make up a set of MP3s for each of you that'll have your parts by themselves and separate files with all four parts together. Your homework assignment—" groans all around, "—will be to listen to your parts and get them down, then sing along with the group cuts. Let's see if that helps."

The quartet shuffled off the stage to make room for Beth and Tony. They'd had their music down almost from the beginning, so they were working on lines. Surprisingly, it didn't bother me when Tony held Beth and kissed her. I was expecting the green-eyed monster to make at least a bit of an appearance, but by this time I knew Beth and I had something special between us and kissing Tony was just part of the show for her.

After the rehearsal I drove Beth home. We both had piles of homework to do so no time for—what did they call it in the show?—canoodling. Weird word.

Things got back to the normal insanity after Monday. School was school, the show was coming along, and Beth and I seemed even closer than before the blizzard. Tech week rehearsals and run-throughs even seemed smoother than usual.

Then it was opening night.

Nerves are always tight the first night of a run and this was no different. We went out for a light dinner and then back to the theater.

"Tommy, I'm getting scared again! I know I'm going to mess something up!"

"Beth, this is the same pre-show nerves you had before Dark of the Moon, remember?"

"Yeah, but this is a bigger show, and I've got to SING!"

"And you'll do great. You and Tony had the music down almost before rehearsals started. And I haven't heard you drop a line in weeks."

"Do you always listen when I'm rehearsing?"

"Yup. I like listening to you and your singing is wonderful. You've got a great voice. I'm glad you decided to do the show."

She snorted, "Like I had a lot of choice! Between you and Mr. Franks!"

I stopped and turned her so we were facing each other, "Do you really feel like we forced you into this?" Suddenly I was feeling guilty. Had I pushed her into something she really didn't want to do?

"Oh, I guess not. It's just the old me trying to get out."

"Beth, you're going to be fine. Now, like I told you before Moon, get into your costume and makeup and spend some time with the rest of the cast. You'll be fine. You've got a great partner in Tony—he's been doing shows since he was a little kid—if you do make a mistake, he can get you out of it and the audience won't even know."

"Oh, I suppose. Give me a kiss for luck?"

"Wishing someone good luck before a show is taboo in theater. That's where the expression "Break a leg" came from. So instead of a kiss maybe I should take you over my knee for a good paddling!"

"Don't you dare!" she growled as she grabbed me for a soul-wrenching kiss. And people wonder why I love the theater!

I went back to the light booth, slapped Greg on the back, and put on my headset, "Okay, folks, let's commit some theater!"

There's something about the overture to a musical. Sure, it introduces the music to the audience—though by the time a Broadway show hits the school circuit everyone knows the music anyway. But the main reason is to set the mood, get the audience ready for the evening's trip. Then the curtain rises on a small town in Iowa...

The show was going great, the audience was obviously enjoying themselves and the cast was hot: the first half-dozen songs and dances were flawless—the barbershop quartet even had their harmonies down. Then came Beth's—excuse me, Marion The Librarian's—first solo:

Being in love used to be my fav'rite dream.
Oh, yes.
I've been in love more than anybody else has.
I guess.
My first love heroic'ly ran the streetcar.
I tingled at ev'ry clang clang.
Next I fell for the principal
But, oh that teacher who sang "In the Gloamin'."
Knee-deep in love--what a lovely dream!
And yet, somehow,

BANG!

Beth stopped dead and looked around. The orchestra came to a ragged halt and the audience started eyeing the exits, thinking it was a gunshot, but it was the lamp in one of the lights that had failed—explosively!

Beth wasn't sure what to do next. The interruption had thrown her off and I could see the panic starting when Tony walked onstage and stopped outside the window where she was sitting.

"What a beautiful song! Is there more? And yet, somehow sounds like there's more to the story," Tony ad-libbed.

Tony's subtle prompt was just what Beth needed and she continued—a capella until the orchestra caught up...

Me deep in love's only half of what I'm longing for now.
I still love my being in love with someone,
But tell me, why couldn't there be
Somebody being in love with me?...

After she finished the song, Tony ad-libbed a couple more lines and walked off so she could continue the scene. It was a perfect example of scene-saving improvisation.

Intermission came and Greg and I hurried backstage—Greg to change the lamp and me to see if Beth needed changing—what had happened to her could have shaken a seasoned performer, let alone someone as inexperienced as she was.

I found her hanging onto Tony, her shoulders shaking in a delayed reaction. Tony saw me walk up and deftly steered Beth into my arms, "Here's Tommy, I think he's worried about you."

"Oh, Tommy, I just lost it out there! That bang shook me up so much!" I pulled her close to me and could feel her body vibrating. "Hey, don't worry about it. Remember what I said about trusting Tony? If the audience even noticed it, your recovered beautifully! Just don't dwell on it. You've got the next act to do yet. I sent Greg up to have a stern word with the lights not to do anything like that again!"

That got a chuckle out of her—exactly what I wanted and I could feel her relax.

"Isn't theater exciting?" I asked her.

"That's okay, I can live with a little LESS excitement, thank you!" Her laugh was just what I was hoping for—the crisis was past and she was ready to go on again. Just in time too, I gave her a quick kiss as Greg walked up and we headed back to the booth to dowse the house lights and start the next act.

The rest of the performance was problem-free and Beth looked like she was really getting back into the character—her panic forgotten.

After the curtain calls and congratulations from parents and friends we headed off for the Palace for some 'za before heading to the cast party.

Jeanie met us at the door, "Sounds like you had an exciting evening, Beth."

How do waitresses do it? Have they got their own faster-than-light communications system that keeps them up on everything that goes on in town? Just amazing.

Then with a big grin she took us back to the snuggle booth and all was explained—there sat all four of our parents, grinning from ear to ear. Well, there goes the neighborhood!

After our parents had congratulated Beth again, they got up and said they weren't planning on staying. Turns out they'd snuck out while we were still busy talking to people after the show and headed over to surprise us. I guess they just wanted to prove they could do it. Personally, I'm not sure I liked the idea of being that predictable.

Beth and I moved into the booth as Jeanie came back and grinned at us, "You've both got some special parents there. I hope you realize that."

"Oh, yes, ' Beth answered, a little tinge of red in her cheeks. "Almost as special as Tommy here.

"As a matter of fact, he's so special, I'm going to let him order the pizza tonight. Even if it doesn't have onions!" What did I do to deserve a gem like her?

I ordered a large sausage, pepperoni and shrimp—and two of Atlanta's finest— then excused myself. Coming back from the john, I stopped to talk to George, the manager. He nodded, a sneaky little grin on his face as I went back to our booth.

After Jeanie brought our Cokes, Beth and I just talked for a while, waiting for our pie.

"Oh, God, what a night!" Beth started. "I just froze out there! Then I remembered what you'd said about Tony, and there he was! Talk about a relief!"

"See, I told you it was going to be fine. Beth, you've got a lot of talent, you just need a bit more self-confidence. Just think of—"

"Don't mention that bitch in the mirror! Like I said before, every time I think about her, I end up over my head again!" Beth grabbed me, "At least I've got you for a life preserver," she said with a snuggle and a quick kiss.

I heard Jeanie clear her throat just before she came around the corner, pizza in hand. Just as she set it down the first strains of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah came bursting from the sound system—George had timed it perfectly! It took Beth a second to recognize the music, then she grabbed a slice of pizza—sans onions!—and leaned over to me, "Wise ass!"

Life was good!

When we'd finished our meal Beth wanted to visit the farm. It looked like this was turning into an opening night ritual. I love the theater!

As we pulled off the road into the farm, I thought back to Beth's opening night explosion during Moon. Tonight was more a case of simply enjoying each other's company—no rush, no screaming urgency, just two people who loved each other and wanted to show it.

As we climbed into the back seat—it was only March and still too cold for an alfresco romp—I lightly bit Beth's ass.

"Eek! What was that for?"

"I just wanted to see what a librarian tastes like," I said as innocently as I could.

"Then you'd better get to the librarian before you start," she said as she pulled her jeans and panties down. I crawled between her legs and started nibbling at her knee, slowly working my way up. "Dammit, Tommy! Quit teasing!"

"Shhh," I said, "You'd think a librarian would know to keep it quiet."

Beth just grabbed my head and pulled me up to her center, "Don't argue with the librarian! Oh, God that feels wonderful!"

I ran my tongue up and down her outer lips, then used my thumbs to separate them so I could concentrate on that little nub that never failed to send her over the top. At the same time I slid my middle finger into her and that did it. "Ohhh, Tommyyy, I'm almost there! Don't stop! Don't stop!" she yelled as she beat on my shoulders with her fists when she went over the top. When she quit shaking, I sat up and tried to catch my breath.

"Oh, Tommy, are you trying to kill me? That was unbelievable!"

"Glad I could help. Uhh, is the librarian still hungry?" I asked as I pulled my own jeans and underwear off.

"Mmmm, yeah. What's on the menu?" she purred.

"How about the special of the day?" I said as I climbed over my love and eased my way into her heat.

Once we recovered, we got dressed and drove back into town. The cast party was at Steve's house and was well underway by the time we got there.