Page 54 of Every Star that Shines

Smiling, she leaned into his kiss and wrapped her arms around him. And they didn’t pull apart for a very long time.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Caleb sat near the back of the dimly lit Mackenzie Playhouse theatre during Sunday rehearsal, relishing the break from constant activity. In one hand, he held a Butler Bros. Construction travel mug—a gift from Noel—that contained a homemade cappuccino to combat his exhaustion. His other hand rested on the spiral notebook balanced on his knee. The page was half-filled with a list of play-related tasks for the week in his scratchy handwriting, and his pen remained poised but still above it.

Harvest had been wrapped up earlier in the week, but he had spent the day before helping Delanie shoot her music video with the kids. The constant push of being on the go had taken its toll, and he fought his heavy eyelids. But in only two more weeks, the play would be over. He could survive this hectic schedule for that long.

Only two more weeks and Delanie will be going back to Vancouver.

He pushed the thought away. No sense dwelling on the future at the expense of enjoyment of the present.

Onstage, his daughter quipped a line, then seamlessly started into her solo, supported by a chorus of townsfolk and the accompaniment of the handful of musicians set up on the floor in front of the stage. Emma had exceeded even his expectations of her abilities, and from what she had told him, he wouldn’t be surprised if acting and the theatre became a lifelong passion of hers. Especially with Delanie’s input and influence, and under the continued guidance of Violet Butler. The spritely music teacher stood in front of centre stage where she could direct both the kids singing above her and the musicians crammed into the narrow space between the stage and front row on either side of her.

Delanie stood in the third row, her back to him, with a clipboard tucked against her hip. She was watching everything intently, occasionally stopping the action to give directions to a kid who went the wrong way or for the group to check their sight-lines so no one blocked anyone else from view of the audience.

Caleb watched her, pride filling his chest. She had been so nervous about doing this, but she had risen to the challenge as much as Emma had. Even Amber seemed to be giving Delanie more respect these days, begrudging though it might be. Maybe that was due to how Celeste was killing it in her role since Delanie had been helping her out. Amber had even agreed to Celeste being part of the music video, which meant all the main cast kids—and even a few of the chorus kids—had participated. After the full day of shooting and reshooting the big musical number from the finale yesterday, the kids were super confident. Not only with their number, “Every Star that Shines”, but in their parts and with each other. It was nice to see—even if Caleb wasn’t the only one whose energy seemed a little low this afternoon.

He took another sip of coffee. There were few things more satisfying than a well-made cup of cappuccino, but seeing people he cared about live up to their potential was one of them.

Someone slid into the seat next to him, and he turned to see Monica settling into the chair.

“Hey,” he greeted her.

“Hey.” She looked at the stage, her attention on Emma. “She’s doing great, isn’t she?”

“Better than. She looks like she was born to be there.”

Monica nodded, continuing to watch Emma sing and dance, but her gaze seemed to be looking right through her.

“Everything okay?” Caleb said. “You look distracted.”

She glanced at him with a tight smile. “Actually, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

His gut clenched. What now? “Okay, shoot.”

Monica gave Emma one last glance, then twisted to face him. “Dave got a call from his mom last night. His dad isn’t doing so great. She was wondering if Dave would consider moving home to help run the body shop and eventually take it over.”

Caleb’s chest tightened. “Move home? Doesn’t his family live in Ontario?”

Monica nodded. “Brampton.” She fidgeted with her engagement ring. “We talked about it, and he said yes. We’re moving.”

Caleb’s heart reared and kicked him in the throat. “And what about Emma? She needs her mom, Monica. You’re going to leave her behind?”

She shook her head. “That’s why we need to talk. I . . . I want to take Emma with me, Caleb. I hope you understand.”

Heat flooded through Caleb. Monica wanted to take his daughter and move to Ontario? He put his travel mug in the chair’s cup holder and turned to face her. “She needs her dad too,” he said through gritted teeth. “How can you do this to her? To me?”

His conscience pricked him—hadn’t he been considering asking her a similar question about Emma, except to move in the opposite direction? But right now, all he could think about was that Emma might be moving across the country, away from him. And Brampton was a lot farther away than Vancouver.

“You could come too,” Monica suggested. “I’m sure there are plenty of electrician jobs out there.”

“The trades don’t pay nearly as well out east, and you know it.” He clenched his jaw and stared at the stage. Emma finished her song and Delanie directed the kids to move offstage so the next scene could be run. “This is about Delanie, isn’t it? You’re upset that we’re together again, so you’re giving me an impossible decision.”

Monica gave him a hurt look. “You think I’m making this up just to break up you and Delanie? Come on, Caleb, you know me better than that. I know you might find this hard to believe, but I do actually want you to be happy. And if that’s with Delanie, then that’s the way it is.” She glanced toward Delanie. “You two were practically written in the stars, much as I hate to admit it.”

“Sorry, I’m just . . .” He floundered for words. “I’m not sure what to say. I was already facing a hard choice, but it has now gone from hard to impossible.”

“What do you mean?”

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