Inevitable and Only(68)
“Thanks,” said Robin, “but I never go out with the cast after a show. Ruins the fun for the students.”
“Yes, thanks kindly,” said Julian. “You should go, Zeph,” he added, giving him a little shove. “Do you good to add on a few pounds. You’re turning into a beanstalk this year.”
“All right,” said Zephyr. “I’m in.” He checked to make sure no one was around before giving his dads a quick double hug, then followed me out to the lobby.
“Benediiiick!” Rina yelled. “Over here! Come with us!” She waved wildly, giggling. Sam had one arm around her and one arm around Tori. The three of them were acting so giddy, I wondered if it was really just water in the water bottles they were sipping.
“I’m riding over with Micayla and Heron,” I said, “if you want to join us instead.”
“I think they might need a driver,” Zephyr said, frowning at Rina, Sam, and Tori. “I’ll meet you guys there.”
The whole cast showed up, which meant we packed the tiny Charmery. Heron and Micayla and I shared an enormous sundae. Priya and Kieri sat with us, too. Priya ordered a double scoop of Fat Elvis (banana, peanut butter, and marshmallow), and Kieri had a cup of Vegan Chai Coconut Cookie. Zephyr just ordered a hot chocolate, which he took to a corner table where Troy and Davis from the tech crew were having a heated discussion about something that sounded like a video game. I caught the words “battle ninja,” “fighter pilot,” “super jets,” and “donkey tiara.” Or maybe I’d misheard that last part.
Zephyr seemed distracted—I tried to wave him over to our table, but he didn’t see me. He was looking down at his phone a lot. I wondered if it was Ava texting him. He left early, after making sure that Rina, Sam, and Tori could get other rides home. They had stopped drinking from their water bottles and the ice cream seemed to have sobered them up, which was a good thing—I didn’t want them to get us kicked out of the Charmery.
I felt my stomach twist, and I wasn’t sure if it was the lactose or not. If they’d managed to get that wasted while still on school property, what was the party at my house going to be like?
The Sunday matinee was our best performance yet. I think we all felt the urgency of the last time, and everyone gave a hundred and ten percent. Rina, as Dogberry, was so perfectly over-the-top that I got a cramp in my stomach from laughing silently in the wings. Tori and Priya drew out the Claudio-Hero rejection scene at the altar a little longer than necessary, but not enough to make it cheesy—just enough to really milk the audience. I heard quite a few sniffles as Zephyr and I bent over Priya’s limp body and Friar Francis advised us to pretend that Hero was dead, so that her father, Leonato, would repent for the terrible way he and Claudio had treated her. Then Zephyr and I had our big scene where Benedick reveals his love for Beatrice, and the stage kiss. I thought Zephyr pulled away a little sooner than usual, oddly. Everyone else was drawing things out, savoring, trying to make the show last a little longer before it all evaporated.
Because that’s what was happening, and we all knew it. After the curtain came down, we’d never be able to perform this play again. Not even if we gathered all the same people together and wore all the same costumes and recited all the same lines. The momentum came to a halt with that last round of applause, and even if we tried to re-create this production someday, it would never be the same. We would never be the same cast we were today on this stage.
Way to be a faucet-face like Dad, I told myself, trying to keep my eyes dry. Rina was taking her curtain call and the audience was cheering. She bowed, spun around, and did a cartwheel off into the wings. Then it was time for Benedick and Beatrice’s curtain call. Zephyr grabbed my hand and we ran out onstage. The audience erupted for us. We took a bow, then another. Then he released my hand and I thought, Well, now it’s really over.
As I followed him off stage, I wondered if he’d even come to the cast party tonight. He didn’t seem to like big groups of people.
I made my way out to the lobby, where all the Woodburys, plus Max, were waiting. Mom, Dad, and Josh were right next to them. I didn’t see Elizabeth—maybe she hadn’t come.
“That was pretty cool,” Josh mumbled, brushing the curls off his forehead and smiling at me. “You kicked butt.” And from Josh, that was a full-blast marching band of a compliment. I grinned back and pulled him in for a hug until he squirmed.
“Oh, Cadie,” Mom said. “You were wonderful. I wish I’d been able to see it more than once.” She hesitated. “I wish … well, not that it matters now.”
I hugged her, too. “It’s fine, Mom. Really.”
She held me a moment, stroking my hair. I’d forgotten what a great hugger Mom was.
Then she cleared her throat, pulled out a to-do list, and started spouting last-minute reminders: “Now, let’s see. Don’t forget to turn down the heat when you all go over to the Woodburys’ tonight. But not all the way off, the pipes will freeze.”
“Mom!” I said. “I know. Go on vacation. Everything will be fine.”
Dad looked at his watch. “We were supposed to leave for the airport seven minutes ago, honey.”
“Right,” she said, and gave me another big hug. “Mija, you were incredible, absolutely incredible. Be good. Call us if you need anything. We’ll have our cell phones on whenever we have a signal.”