Page 44 of Curtain Call
“Did you enjoy the photography?” Riley asks.
“Overall, yes. Some of it was a bit heavy but the shots told a story. That’s what I love about photography.”
“I feel the same way about singing. The lyrics are like storytelling. The right song, in the right moment, can mean everything.”
The two of them sat there splitting a chicken salad wrap and a couple of glasses of wine. Riley was hungrier than he thought but didn’t want to spoil his dinner either since it was already mid-afternoon.
“I forgot to tell you, the donation page has already made about $5700 for your theater, and Jax text earlier that the silent auction is going crazy. People are loving the items from Broadway they were able to collect. I think we might just make our goal.”
Riley raised his glass to Colin, and they clinked before they each took a sip in celebration.
“I still don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done.”
“You already have.”
“What do you mean?”
“You brought me here, and I get to spend some time alone with you. No Jax. No Mac. No theater. No audition. Just us. Best Christmas gift ever.”
At this moment, Colin almost declares his love for Riley. He thought it was the perfect moment. The words bounced off the back of his lips several times before his nerves overtook him. After a few minutes wrapped inside his own head, he finally drummed up the courage. He opened his mouth and was quickly interrupted.
“Will this be on one check or two,” the waiter asks.
“I’ll get it,” Riley held up one finger.
“But it was my idea, you should let me get it,” Colin insisted.
“Yes, but you paid for our tickets in here and got us into the Time Magazine exhibit. Let me do this.”
“Deal.”
Looking around the room at several entrances to other exhibit halls, “Where to next?” Riley asks.
Colin looks up toward the exposed modern stairwell and then around the room at the different signs, “let’s start over there.”
To the left behind them, through the glass double doors, is Art of Europe.
Colin stood holding the door for Riley, and after walking in, they are greeted with hard-paste white porcelain animals.
“That’s odd. There is this one random monkey mixed in with all these birds,” Colin comments looking at the display.
“That’s art for you,” Riley says over his shoulder while looking at the wall of colorful ceramic plates and figurines. Colin steps up to Riley’s side when the blue and white ceramics from the Netherlands catch his eye.
“Those are gorgeous. We should get us a set for Christmas dinner,” Colin jokes.
“Yes, and that monkey over there can be the centerpiece.”
“Not festive enough,” Colin tries to take a serious tone.
“We’ll put a Santa hat on it.”
“And a scarf.”
They both grin in unison.
As they enter through the right doorway, they are welcomed with similar statues to the ones at the symphony, except these weren’t wearing the festive Santa hats and scarves. Colin was a bit disappointed.
As they walk around, they joke about which paintings would look best in their palace, and which statue would accent the flowers best in the east garden. They both decide Michelangelo’s David is best suited for them. Something to do with having guests look at a flaccid penis while sipping cocktails was humorous. Neither of them is above middle-school humor. The statue of David was not on display at the MFA.
