Leslie nods. "Now what did you want to tell me?"
I smile. "In case you were wondering, I finally finished my show. I'm presenting it to Tabitha so she can see it before she finally invests."
Leslie shakes her head. "Oh really? What a surprise. It's about time you told me." She laughs. What a glorious sound.
"Oh my God, would you two kiss already?" Tabitha's voice rings out.
Leslie's head tips back in laughter. Don says, "I think that's another quote for the book."
Once Leslie's looking at me again, I take her jaw in my hand and say, "Tabitha's our boss now. If she says we should kiss, who are we to disappoint?" Leslie shakes her head slightly as I lean in. It's enough to make me pause, my own lips inches from hers. "No?"
Her breath hot on my mouth, she whispers, "I'm done doing what someone expects me to do. I can't live my life anymore for someone else's expectations. I have to do what's right for me."
Oh.
I start to pull back. As I do, Leslie throws her arms around my neck, pulling me in tight, kissing me with a hunger and passion that surprises me. Finally, she lightens the intensity. "And kissing you will always be what's right for me."
Epilogue
"So you're officially an actress now?" Meri's voice has the same level of enthusiasm it always does. As innone. She peers down at the playbill. "Leslie Layne. Doesn't have much character."
"But it's better than Moose. You know, an image that conjures up the dancing hippos fromFantasia."
Meri sinks back in the chair in my dressing room. "Oh God, you're right. I absolutelyloathethe name. Sometimes I think Kaukauabulumakau would have been better."
I raise my eyebrow at her.
Finally, her hard veneer cracks and she laughs. "Oh, you're right. They're both terrible."
"But they're part of who we are. The strong fabric that weaves throughout our family and history and blood. But totally terrible names. Especially for a ballerina."
Except that's not how I identify anymore.
I'm so much more than that. I'm Leslie. I'm driven and passionate. I'm a good friend and a loving girlfriend. I'm a teacher and a teammate. I'm an actress and a dancer. I'm a sister and a daughter.
I'm not the best at any of them, but I do my best. There's a big difference.
"Okay, now shoo. I've got to get ready." As Meri stands, so do I. Awkwardly, I move to hug my big sister. She cocks her head. Right. We're not there yet. "Thanks for coming though. I appreciate you traveling all the way out here to see my show."
She shrugs. "Mom told me I had to."
I don't doubt it. "She is a force to be reckoned with."
"And she told me that Sergei fromHollywood Dance Off!would be here, and he's hot. I want you to introduce me to him."
"You watch that show?" I did not picture Dr. Meri Moose, Ph.D. to be the type to waste her time with such frivolity.
"Oh my God, yes. That andThe Bachelor. I'm totally addicted. So can you hook me up?"
I have to laugh. She looks like a kid, asking her mom to get a candy bar at the checkout of the grocery store. "I can't hook you up because he's dating my boss's best friend, but I can introduce you to them all. I'm sure we can get some pics for social media at least."
Meri claps her hands and does a little jump. "This is totally worth it then." And she leaves.
I try not to read too much into it.
Josh comes walking into the dressing room. "You almost ready?"
I smile. "I was waiting until you came back before I put my lipstick on."
