Page 51 of A Certain Step
Willa nodded. “Yeah, true. Fine, anyway, that’s what I’m currently dealing with.”
“Do you reckon he feels the same way?” Mum asked.
Willa closed her eyes for a beat. “Marie asked me the same question. I don’t know. I can’t think about that right now, even though it’s exactly what I’m thinking about. Ugh, nothing makes sense, Mum.”
She could feel her mother smiling through the phone. “Well, it’s a good thing you’ve always been someone who could escape into a role. You’ll smash it, I’m sure.”
The compliment filled her with a bit of ease. “Thank you. I’m going to go prep some more. Is Dad sick, too? Do I need to check in on him?”
“He was. He’s the one who brought it home to me, but he’s fine now. I’ll give him the news, and we’ll phone you together tomorrow.”
Willa smiled. “Okay. Love you, Mum.”
“Love you, too, my darling. Break a leg!”
Sahar and Ethanboth sauntered into the dressing room, talking excitedly about something she couldn’t quite decipher from the first few words. Ethan brought over her drink and the bagel.
“We told Jay you’re making your Elizabeth debut tonight, and he was extra meticulous with your drink,” Sahar noted.
Willa’s lips quirked upward. “Thanks a million. You two are the best,” she said. Pushing the straw in, she took a sip, the smooth, cold liquid hitting in all the right ways. No one made her coffee the way the baristas at Amanda’s did, but something about the taste today was indeed different. It wasn’t like he had changed the flavor, but maybe it was the thought of it—the care and attention. She could swear things like that made all the difference in the world.
Ethan turned to leave, but she stopped him. “Where are you going?”
“My dressing room?” he replied, making it sound like a question.
She pouted slightly. “Stay for a bit?”
What is wrong with you? Let him go.
He gave her a familiar smile, a little crooked, light in his eyes, and contentment written all over it. It was a smile she loved profoundly, coming in right after her favorite one—teeth bared and eyes gleaming as though the sun shined straight through them.
Ethan turned back, walked over to where she sat, and leaned against the vanity. “Are you still nervous?” he asked Willa.
She bobbed her head in a slow see-saw motion. “Eh? Yes and no.”
Sahar bumped her shoulder with her fist. “That’s way better than a full-on yes.”
“I suppose so,” Willa started to say. “I think what’s also bothering me is knowing how many people are going to be disappointed that they won’t be seeing Naomi or Lea. I hope their family is okay.”
Sahar nodded. “Yeah, I wonder what happened and if there’s anything we can do?”
“I imagine one of them will tell us when they can. And then we could maybe talk to Jeanie and see what would be most helpful,” Willa answered.
Ethan sighed. “Yeah. I don’t think Dina can say anything. And knowing Naomi, if it’s really bad, she won’t say a word to any of us until we’redone with tonight’s show.” He took a sip of his coffee and then turned to Willa. “And you’re not going to disappoint the audience, Wills. It’ll be the opposite. You’re going to stun them.”
She looked at him like he was speaking another language. “That’s a generous statement.”
“It’s the truth,” he rebutted.
“He’s right,” Sahar agreed.
They were both wrong, and it was wild how they couldn’t see it. Naomi was a force to be reckoned with—the type of performer who made her scene partner better and stronger. And that, despite her feelings for Ethan, was another reason she feared the audience would question whether they got their money’s worth. But she wouldn’t show them how hard she was fighting against her demons or the inability to comprehend that maybe she also belonged on that stage.
She pushed the bagel up from underneath the paper bag, holding on carefully so she wouldn’t have to use her hands. She took a bite and chewed thoroughly before speaking. “If I fumble this, I expect you both to buy my coffee for a year. The price for false belief.”
“And what do we get when you’re met with a standing ovation?” Ethan propositioned.
“Whatever you want,” she replied.
