Page 22 of Throuple Next Door

Austin took her by the hand and led her halfway up the theater. “We remove the extension. Then we change the entire show. The models come down the center of the theater, past everyone, and then over to that side the stage, up and over, then down the other side, and exit down the side aisle. We close that entire side of the theater except for the first four seats and use only this side. It will make the entire show more intimate and give everyone a good view. But we need people and we need them now. The event is in four hours, and there’s a lot to do.” His head ached, but he had a plan. “What do you think?”

Chris smiled. “Okay. That’s what we’ll do.”

Austin pulled out his phone and sent a text to the neighborhood group explaining that he needed help. Then he called Weaver.

“Help…,” he said. “The show is going to crumble.” He explained what was wrong. “I need you, Randy, and Louise. Get down here as fast as you can.” Messages started coming in from the group, but he ignored them at the moment. “I’ll explain everything when you get here… and bring drills and hand tools. We’ll need them.” He hung up and checked his messages.

Sorry. We’re out of town. Hope everything works out.

We’re camping this weekend. But good luck. Hope you fix the issue.

Austin groaned as another message popped up from Dan, their next door neighbor. Cassie and I can be there in ten.

Austin grinned and pumped his fist in the air. “Any luck?” he asked Chris as she ended a call.

“I started with the guys, and most said they could get here early.”

“People from my neighborhood are coming, and so are the guys.” He texted Randy to bring his truck. “We’re going to need to haul all this away.”

“We’ll break it down and put it against the very back wall of the stage for now. The main curtain will be closed during the who anyway. Later, everything will need to be carted off.”

Austin shook his head. “Call one of the local construction companies. There is a ton of plywood and bracing that can be reused. I bet they would pay you for the materials since they are barely used and can be easily recycled into other projects. But that can be done after the show.” He intended to make the very most of all their resources.

“What is it you need?” Weaver asked as he strode in with a toolbox in hand, Randy right behind him, both of his men in T-shirts that showed off their muscled arms.

“We need to take all that down. The carpenter messed up, and it isn’t going to be strong enough. The entire show is being reworked on the fly, but I can’t rehearse it with the models with the extensions in place.”

“Okay.” Randy and Weaver strode down and began getting out the tools. Soon, the drills whirred, and sheets of plywood flooring came loose. Chris directed where to put things as some of the neighborhood people joined them. Cassie grabbed another drill, and she loosened screws as Dan joined Randy in hauling parts backstage.

Some of the models began to show, and they joined in, getting the extension down in what had to be record time. A steady stream of people hauled pieces up behind the curtain, and the sounds of multiple drills and hammers filled the theater.

As the rest of the models came in, Austin got them together, while Louise passed out coffee and water to everyone who needed it. “Everything is going to be different from how we rehearsed it,” Austin told the models an hour and a half before the show as the last of the old setup was removed. “The clothing will be the same, but you will be walking a different route. So, everyone follow me.”

“Where will we gather?”

“Backstage just like before. Chris will signal you when we are to start, and she will lead you along the side of the theater wings back to the lobby. You’ll come in through those main doors.”

“What about the ropes?” Randy asked.

Austin barely took a breath. “Use them to close off everything from that section of seats over that way. No one is to sit there.” He turned back to the models. “As I was saying. You’ll walk down the center aisle of the theater from the lobby. Everyone follow me.” He stood tall and walked slowly to the front. “Then cross over to the right, where you’ll climb the stairs to the stage, walk across, stopping in the middle to turn and strike your pose just the way we rehearsed it. Then continue, slowly descend the stairs, and exit down the side aisle. Move slowly and steadily, just like we rehearsed. No faster. Give everyone a chance to see you and the garments.”

“Why are we doing this?” one of the models asked. “Everything was working so well.”

Austin couldn’t argue with him. “It’s because the carpenter messed up and didn’t shore up the extension well enough. It came apart, and while we might have been able to fix it, we didn’t want to take any chances, so we’re making this change.” He looked out at the faces and smiled. “You are all going to be great. Go and walk the route a few times over the next ten minutes. Make sure you feel comfortable, and then go back and get dressed for your first looks. We have hair and makeup people ready, and they are going to need some time, so the sooner you’re ready the better.” He sat down, watching as each walked the route and then exited the theater. This just had to work.

“Weaver and I are going to take Mom with us so we can change,” Randy said. Austin hugged both of them, with Randy enveloping him in his arms. “You’re going to do great, so don’t worry.” He kissed him, to a few catcalls, and then they took off. Austin wished he had a chance to change clothes, but the show had to go on, and it was his job to make sure it did.

“That was a cluster and a half,” Weaver said as they rode back to the house. “But Austin seems to have it in hand.” It had been a lot of work in a very short time, but the task was done, and the theater had been cleaned up, so it looked like the mess was never there.

“He can do anything,” Randy said. “I just hope everything goes off tonight.” He dropped his mother off at her hotel. ‘We’ll be back in twenty minutes, so be ready.”

“I will,” Louise said and went into the hotel while Randy took off. He pulled up in front of the house, and Weaver hurried inside and upstairs, starting the shower before stripping off his clothes. He washed quickly, getting out as Randy got in, taking but a second to admire the hunkiness on display. Weaver dried off and got dressed, putting on the clothes Austin had chosen for him. While Weaver was at it, he found the outfit Austin had planned to wear and put it in a garment bag. By the time he was dressed and had everything ready, Randy joined him, and they retraced their steps to the hotel, where he picked up Louise in her glittery black dress.

Randy found a place to park less than a block from the theater. “You two go inside, and I’ll find Austin so I can give him this,” Weaver said, carrying the garment bag inside. He messaged Austin and met him in the wings. “I thought you might need this.”

Austin broke into a huge smile. “Thank God. I thought I was going to have to go out there looking like this.” He leaned in for a kiss and was gone.

When Weaver returned to the lobby, a number of other people had gathered for the show. It looked like a good turnout, and just before the main doors opened, even more people showed up until the lobby felt pretty full.

---