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Chapter 16
“Thank Heavens!” Carnie exclaimed, obviously happy with this change in plan. A far cry from how Erika felt.
“You can’t.” she said, trying desperately to find a reason. “You don’t know the lines.”
He made a face and went to follow Carnie to the change room. “I’ve been at every rehearsal, and believe me, they’ve been permanently imbedded in my brain.”
She grimaced hard and drew in her bottom lip. “You still can’t.”
Throwing her a look over his shoulder, he said, “Why not?”
Erika followed him hopelessly, trying hard to conceive of a plausible reason. “Because—because—“
”For pity’s sake, Erika,” he reached the tent and would have ignored her and ducked his tall frame inside, but she stopped him with a breathless cry.
“There’s a kissing scene!”
That did bring Jay to a halt. He froze a
nd looked down at her and the oddest look entered his eyes. She had no idea what it meant, but there was no chance to decipher its meaning for it vanished just as quickly.
“There was no kissing scene in rehearsal,” he stated.
“Well, obviously not,” she said with a weary sigh. “I can’t very well kiss thin air. I needed Ryan for that.”
His jaw tightened and a muscle twitched in his cheek. “I suppose you did. So take the scene out.”
“I can’t,” she replied, feeling frenzied. “It’s the climax of the whole play. It was to have the audience walking away feeling deeply moved, as if the play touched them personally.”
He looked a little flabbergasted. “You want to keep the kissing scene?”
“I can’t,” she said again, disheartened.
“Why not?” His voice sounded slightly peeved like he had just been insulted.
“Well, you know I can’t—I mean—we can’t—it would be improper,” she finished lamely.
“Fine, leave it out.”
“But the audience needs to feel that physical connection between the star-crossed lovers.”
“Then leave it in,” he sighed, beginning to sound irritated.
“I can’t do that!” she cried, shocked he would even suggest it.
“Look, Erika,” he frowned heavily down at her. “Take it out, leave it in, I don’t care. Just make up your mind.”
Her entire play was ruined. Erika felt close to tears.
Carnie stuck her head out of the opening of the makeshift change room. “Come on now, Jay. We don’t have that much time.”
“Well?” He shot her an impatient look.
Erika sighed with disappointment. “Leave it out—of course.”
“Fine,” Jay said, and then disappeared into the tent.
Inside the change room, Jay snatched the ridiculous costume from Carnie’s hand with far too much force. He hadn’t meant to, but Erika had converted his pleasant mood into a bad foul.
