Page 79 of Positively, Penelope

Text from Matt to Penelope:You’re taking the day off tomorrow, right?

Penelope:Why would I do that? We have an opening weekend!!

Matt:Penelope!

Penelope:I’ll trade you my fifth attempt at the Chocolate Strawberry Dream for a little favor??!!?? (insert heart eyes)

Matt:What favor? (insert grumpy eyebrows)

Penelope:I just snort-laughed, which regularly wouldn’t be a noteworthy occasion, but I may have scared the kid sitting beside me in the restaurant. Anyway, I’ll tell you next week after opening weekend. It will be a surprise.

Matt:The Chocolate Strawberry Dream better be worth it.

Penelope:Oh, it will be. You can totally trust me. (insert batting eyelashes)

Chapter16

From: Penelope Edgewood

To: Luke Edgewood, Izzy Edgewood, Josephine Martin

Date: October5

Subject: Plays and parades

You guys!My Fair Ladyhas had an AMAZING opening weekend!!! Matt said that all of the shows were sold out! SOLD OUT! Grandpa Gray said they hadn’t had sold-out shows in several years. The team is meeting on Monday to discuss some of the renovations, which will begin, in part, this week, but in full after next weekend’s shows. Narnia rehearsals will be happening then, but the reno crew plan to work around them. It’s all so exciting! And it’s giving me so many ideas for The Ashby Theater!!! I’ve emailed JMC some photos of The Darling House and some of my ideas, just to see whether she’d be open to them. (And yes, I still plan to wait and give her an answer later in the month.)

Oh, BTW, I’m attaching the video Grandpa Gray sent me from the parade. Just ignore the talking in the background. It’s Grandpa Gray, Matthias, and Alec. Well, Izzy, you may not want to ignore the talking. The accents are fabulous. Alec is much more pessimistic than I realized. Grandpa Gray is adorable. And Matthias, well, he’s my ally and friend. In fact, he actually takes my thoughts and ideas seriously without doing one of those eye rolls some men give me when I talk. It’s so infuriating. Luke does it, of course, but deep down I believe he has partial faith in me (please don’t clarify this if I’m wrong on my assumptions, Luke).

Anyway, Failte Feis reminded me of the parade back home, though Mt. Airy doesn’t have any royalty . . . and has a lot more dogs in the parade. When I get home, I’m getting a dog, just so everyone knows. And my own place, especially if I’m going to have such a very grown-up job.

Luke, I asked Grandpa Gray about the stage floor since I have no idea whatashis unless we’re talking hair color, and Grandpa Gray said yes. Then I told him about what you do and showed him some photos. He’s very interested in your skills. He says there are fewer and fewer stonemasons in Skymar and lots of people want to take preexisting buildings (like outbuildings or old houses) and turn them into vacation rentals. Tourism is a HUGE industry here. Along with fishing, textiles, energy things, and... reenactment weaponry. Seriously. Grandpa Gray said that Skymar is one of the top countries in the world that creates historical weaponry often used in movies. Cousin Jude would be ecstatic. I’m determined to find him a jeweled dagger just for fun.

This week Kinleigh is coming to help with the rehearsals for Narnia and we’re going to discuss her future as an intern. I’m so excited to start the training process with her like JMC did with me.

Penelope

PS: Is it strange to want to hug Grandpa Gray, Iris, and Matthias every time I see them? They are my favorite people in Skymar!

From: Izzy Edgewood

To: Luke Edgewood, Penelope Edgewood, Josephine Martin

Date: October7

Subject: Re: Plays and parades

Penelope! The float was amazing! I can’t believe you designed one even better than the one you created for The Ashby Theater during your gap year. I don’t know how in the world you were able to make Cherry Tree Lane on the back of a trailer look as if Mary Poppins was going to show up at any moment. That Bert was probably the best one I’ve ever seen in any performance!

Why did Alec seem so surprised that all these plans are actually working to save the theater? I adore that Grandpa Gray and Matt were so pleased! And Iris is the most adorable little fairy I’ve ever seen. I could see her as Goldilocks with all of her curls.

From: Luke Edgewood

To: Izzy Edgewood, Penelope Edgewood, Josephine Martin

Date: October7

Subject: Re: Plays and parades

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