Page 48 of To the Moon and Back

Apparently talking casually about pizza, of all things, withLauren was just what Carly needed. She stood. “Let’s do a show first.”

“Or that.” Lauren shrugged nonchalantly, like she could take it orleave it. “Means we get to kiss in just a little while. I guess we could dopizza later.”

“The extra cheesy kind.”

“Strings of cheese for days,” Lauren said. She glanced at thedoor. “We’re doing this?”

Carly nodded, finding the floor had returned beneath her feet.“Let’s give them the show they came for.” She took a deep, centering breath, asshe got her head on straight.

Moments later, she stood in the wings, listening to the recordedpreshow announcement, as every part of her shook. She turned to Lauren, met hergaze, and received a squeeze from their joined hands. She smiled and let it allfall away. Lauren made her entrance, and Carly watched her sweetly argue withTJ, the gate attendant, about missing the flight. To her surprise, lines she’dheard spoken a million times were greeted with laughter. Whoa. The audience wasactually enjoying their show. She stood a little taller, eager to get out thereand participate. Her dresser handed her Ashley’s attaché, and she made herentrance with purpose. When she appeared onstage, the audience applauded.Entrance applause because she was famous. Lauren told her this might happen.She paused until it died down and delivered her first line. Ashley was on amission and so was she.

For Carly, the performance alternated between racing past, andplodding in slow motion. Lauren had been correct. Carly felt the energy fromthe audience, and it gave her life. The connection between all of them in thatroom, experiencing the same story beneath the same roof, was overpowering. Sheunderstood midway through, that live performance could easily become an addiction,like the best kind of drug. She loved the screen, but the theater wasinstantaneously rewarding.

That Tuesday night, she went on the same journey with Lauren thatthey’d gone on together every day in rehearsal. The audience only enrichedtheir story and gave it texture. God, Carly could really get used to this.

When the curtain came down, the audience applauded and cheeredloudly. Lauren fell into her arms. It was hands down the best moment of Carly’slife, thus far.

“That was amazing,” Carly whispered.

“You were,” Lauren countered. “You’re so talented, Car. Really.You broke my heart back there.” There were tears in Lauren’s eyes when she saidit.

“It was you who stole the show,” she said, as they dashed into thewings, hand in hand.

When the curtain rose again, the audience applauded enthusiasticallyfor their cast members, and when it was Lauren’s turn to bow at curtain call,Carly watched in awe as the audience stood in unison. A standing ovation.Because of her recognizable name, Carly had been given the final bow. As shestepped downstage before the audience, she looked into the faces of each andevery person she could see through the bright stage lights. She took in themoment, then finally bowed, as her heart soared. Her year had been full of upsand downs, but this made it all okay again. She joined hands with Kirby andLauren as they all took their company bow together. She waved to the audienceand headed to the wings. The show was complete. She’d made it.

“What the hell just happened?” Carly asked, in the midst of themost intense rush of her life. She placed a hand over her chest. “Do you feelthat?” she asked Lauren. “Because I do.”

Lauren laughed, every bit as giddy as Carly. Trip raced down thehallway whooping. TJ put Kirby in a celebratory headlock. Lauren threw her armsaround Carly’s neck and hugged her. “That completely just happened, and it wasamazing.”

Lauren was in Trip’s arms next as they all took turns hugging eachcompany member. “Lala, my eyes only misted over eight times seeing you up therelike a star.” He kissed her cheek with a smack. “Maybe twelve. You dazzled.”Carly couldn’t have agreed more. Lauren had been versatile, charismatic, andlovable tonight, and the audience adored her.

“Cast party at The Argyle in an hour,” Trip announced to thecelebrating company.

Once alone, with the door closed behind her, Carly danced aroundher dressing room in silence, as one did when they’d just conquered a gravefear. She leapt onto the couch wearing her black pants and a bra and played airguitar in her private celebration. She couldn’t wait to see her friends, eatsome food, drink some wine, and maybe even dance a little bit more. Yet it feltso different from the partying she would do in LA. She couldn’t get trashed.Didn’t want to. Tomorrow, she needed to be sure she was fresh and ready forshow number two.

“Are you coming?” Lauren asked, bag on her shoulder. Somehow,she’d opened the door without Carly hearing her. “Or do you have another guitarsolo on the way.” She held up a hand. “Don’t let me stop you. It’s an enjoyableview.”

Carly glanced down at her nearly bare torso and the tops of thebreasts she had on display. Never one to feel modest, she hopped off the couchand walked slowly to her clothing rack. “If I’d known my performance was beingenjoyed, I’d have worked it a little more.”

“I’m not even sure that’s possible,” Lauren said, with a lazygrin. She wore a tweed jacket with a black belt and black boots that made herappear both smart and sexy.

“Give me ninety seconds and I’m yours.” Carly pulled a red sweaterover her head and began to pack her bag. She joined Lauren, and they walkeddown the hall together, with Carly’s arm around Lauren’s waist.

“Shall I drive or would you like to?” Lauren asked.

“Well, if you’re offering, how can I say no? I never pass up ajaunt in a Mini Cooper.”

“And why would you?”

When they exited the stage door, a series of bright flashes nearlyblinded Carly. She only stuttered for a moment. Though she’d been out of LA acouple of months now, she was still used to paparazzi. Yet the photographersweren’t magazine guys at all. These were members of their audience.

“Would you mind?” a woman asked. She thrust a Playbill and pen atCarly.

“Oh, no problem.” She signed her name and handed it back, realizingthat there were lots more patrons where that one had come from. In fact, therewas quite a crowd waiting for them. She moved down the row, just like any otherautograph line, but this one felt a little more personal. They’d all justshared an experience together, and that bonded them.

“Hope you enjoyed the show,” Carly said to a teenager. “It wascertainly a rush for me. Did you know it was my first time in a play? Ever.”

“I had no clue. I cried twice,” the girl said with a wide grin.“Is the other actress who played Mandy coming out?”

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