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Maye stepped outside and the cold air took her breath away. When she had walked into the theater that morning, the sun was up in the bright, blue sky, shining away the nip in the air. By the time she stepped outside in the afternoon, the sun was already setting, and the cold air had moved in. She took a refreshing, deep breath and exhaled a big puff that quickly evaporated in front of her face as fast as the day had gone by.
The afternoon shows went even better than the morning shows. Chris called in a couple favors so an actor friend called in to each show for a few minutes. When it was almost time to watch the new movie, Maye was thoroughly exhausted.
“How are you holding up?” Chris sat next to her on the couch backstage.
“Spent,” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Well, I think you might get a second wind when you see the crowd out there for tonight,” he nodded toward the stage door.
Maye peeked from behind the curtain and gasped. Every seat in the theater was occupied.
“The Theater Director said that since they ran out of the free snacks, the concession sales have been breaking records,” Chris said as he joined her.
“Wow, look at what you’ve done here” Maye was in awe.
“What we have done here,” he said as he grabbed her hand and stepped closer to her. “You and I have done this together, and I have loved every second of it.”
She inhaled, torn between wanting to tell him how much she loved every second she had spent with him and wanting to kiss him deeply.
“Two minutes!” the stage director called from the side of the stage. “Two minutes to showtime!”
Maye froze.
“To be continued,” Chris whispered.
Maye found Tracy and the seats she had been holding for her and Chris just in time to catch the new movie’s opening credits. Watching a movie with a couple hundred friends, laughing at the funny moments together, guffawing at the ridiculous moments, and swooning at the sweet moments was a joy, but made it quite difficult for Maye to keep track of the things she would normally criticize. A highlight for her, and everyone in the crowd, was the moment when both she and Tracy were visible in the background of a scene. Cheers and whistles erupted and went on long after their time on-screen had passed. This didn’t prevent Maye from catching an editing inconsistency that showed Tracy in the background wearing two different outfits, and bringing it up to roaring laughter during their recording.
By the end of the evening, Maye could hardly keep her eyes open and barely understood the words coming out of her mouth.
“Well, I need to get working on editing these episodes. I’m going to get to bed so I can head out of town early. Congrats you two,” Jayce said as he packed up the last of the recording equipment.
“You up for a celebratory nightcap?” Chris asked.
Maye wanted to. She really, really wanted to. But she also wanted to sleep. “Raincheck?” She proposed.
“Totally,” he said. “Great work today, Maye. And everyone, great work, everyone,” he said as he looked around at the crew packing up for the night. “Come on, I’ll walk you out,” he grabbed her hand.
Walking outside, her hand in his, might have been the highlight of her day. That was, until they got to her car and he pulled her close to him and held her there, inches from his face. Suddenly she was back on the stage with him under the spotlight. An orchestra of strings played and lazy snowflakes landed on her nose. His eyes sparkled and he looked as if he was waiting for her. She nodded and he kissed her lips. She sank deep into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezed like she had wanted to do for so long. No peeping neighbors, no movie directors, no stage hands. Just her and Chris in that moment, together.
They moved back slowly, as if they were both savoring every second.
“I’ve wanted to do that for—”
“Me too,” he said. “Me too. I know it’s late and we’re both tired, but I’d like to talk at some point about what this could be. If that’s something you’re open to—”
“Yes,” Maye couldn’t get the word out fast enough. “I’d really like that.”
He smiled. “Good. Me too. Well, good night Maye Daniels. Sweet dreams to you.” He kissed her hand and opened her car door.
“Good night, Mr. Walker,” she slowly pulled her door shut.
- 32 -
Brunch Celebration
“Tracy just texted me,” Maye said as she and Chris followed the hostess to their seats at the Double Decker Bistro.
They weaved around tables and past the bar top, which was transformed into a buffet station with made-to-order egg scramblers, a pancake and waffle station, build your own parfait bar, and a scone-of-the-day-station complete with infused butters, and seasonal creamed honeys from the world-renowned Garden State Apiaries in New Jersey.
