Page 26 of Curtain Call
It wasn’t a question. Riley sheepishly knew the right answer.
“Alright.”
“Let me go put some things away and I will meet you in the lobby.”
Mac heads backstage and starts picking up some tools that were lying on the ground.
Riley pulls out his phone as he makes his way back down the center aisle, through the doors, and into the lobby. He shoots Colin a text to let him know they were taking off for a little while to grab lunch. He could have walked down the hall to his office, but he didn’t want to intrude on his meeting. It could be his last chance to secure an investor to save the theater.
Riley: Starving. Grabbing lunch with Mac.
Riley: Join us when ur done?
The reply goes silent.
Scene10
Setting: Boston Symphony Hall
Boston, Massachusetts
Riley
“Beautifully done, everyone. All right, take ten.”
Riley is on stage with a clipboard in hand looking rather official as twenty kids push one another as they run backstage to take a much-needed break. Riley smiles toward them as the last kid exits. He has never been in this kind of role before but seems to have a knack for this sort of thing.
“Or thirty,” Jax mumbles before looking up and smiling at Riley. “See this is why I called you. You’re so good with them and I’m not. You have the patience of a saint.”
“And you my friend, have the patience of a squirrel.”
Riley tosses the clipboard at Jax, who manages to catch it like a Frisbee.
“He’s right you know,” Jessica, the creative director says making her way toward the stage on the orchestra level. “If you ever want to teach permanently, call me.”
Jessica, a former Rockette in NYC, has been a lot of fun to work with today. She and Riley hit it off instantly, mostly by making fun of Jax, but also by their love for the theater and the kids. Jessica is also a mom whose daughter is in class and is already being groomed to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
Riley laughs off the offer. He’s worked too hard to make it on Broadway, but that doesn’t stop that little seed from messing with his mind. Could he change careers? He could move back home, set up a house with Colin, and get a puppy. He wonders what kind of puppy they would get. A small cute one he can carry in a bag, or a big therapy/guard dog type? STOP! Riley grins before shaking his head as if the thoughts would just fall right out of his ear.
“So, tell me more about your little reunion with Colin. Things are going well I assume because you have been in a love haze all morning,” Jax comments while twirling his finger in the air toward Riley.
Love haze? Riley was once so head over heels for Colin, but love? Teenage-hormone-lust maybe. If they ever took it to that level, what would happen if it didn’t work out? They cuddled when they were in high school, recently kissed, and held hands that were more out of excitement and dragging one another and not romantic. Riley’s mind skipped while he thought of that ‘L’ word. They are acting like boyfriends. Showing each other affection. Riley is so confused.
“It was awkward at first, but we quickly fell into our old rhythm,” Riley said smiling ear to ear.
“More like you fell intohim,” Jax teases with a wink.
“I’m not kissing and telling.”
“You don’t have to; it’s written all over your face.”
Riley blushed pink across his cheeks.
“I feel like the other shoe is about to drop at any moment. Like, this is all too good to be true.”
“Stop it,” Jax demanded a little too forcefully, “you deserve your happily ever after.”
“But,” Riley’s tone takes on a more serious note, “as I texted you the other day, his theater is struggling financially and he needs help. I can’t help but think about it all the time now. How can I ask him to start something with me if he’s already stressed about that? Not to mention we go back on tour after the new year.”
