Page 49 of Paths Crossing, Episode Four: Ash & Audrey
"It's okay. I saw it on Friday. Glad I could help."
"Is Josie here?"
"Yeah, her and Luna. And others, too. Ash is here," she said.
I was already turned and heading back to the door, and I stopped and looked back at her. "What?"
She smiled. "Ash is here. He's with his family. They're in the third row, right in front of me." She smiled, waved, and started to drive off in search of a parking spot.
I had no time to hesitate. My body was in get-dressed-mode, and I rushed through the backstage area and went to my station to get the costume off and back on as quickly as possible.
Was Ash there?My heart was racing violently to get changed and ready before I was needed on stage. I rushed so quickly to get those fishnets out of their package and onto my legs that I forgot to breathe. I rushed and ripped and tugged and pulled. I slipped and slid and yanked and adjusted. I was gentle but swift with those stockings. I had several steps to complete with my costume after the fishnets, and I did them all with such focus that all I could hear was my own heartbeat.
The costume and makeup were only part of all I had to remember and accomplish backstage. I had to help with set pieces. I had to sing and dance in scenes with the ensemble after my main number. All of those responsibilities were present in my mind, but I kept going back to what Carly had said about Ash.
He had given me no reason to believe that he was coming back to Montana this weekend. If he was truly there, he had done an amazing job of keeping it from me.
And then, before I knew it, it was time for me to go onstage. I made my way over to the wings, where I knew we would go on.
"He had it comin'!"Collin sang from behind me as I walked up to my castmates.
"What are you doing back here?" I asked, since he usually watched from the front.
"I just came back to tell you ladies that you have absolutely murdered that song this weekend. I'm so proud of you all. You have slayed this scene every performance." He put his hand on my shoulder. "Great job, newb, you're really killin' it." I thanked him, and then he looked at everyone else and said, "You all are, ladies! Enjoy this last show, and break all your legs!"
"Thank you!" we all said to him as he turned to walk away.
"Did you get new fishnets?" Gwen said, staring at my legs.
"Yes," I said, turning. "Just a few minutes ago. Thank goodness."
"What happened?" Sadie said. I started to explain, but Landon came by with his headset, looking serious and putting his finger to his mouth like we should all be quiet. He was one of the backstage assistants, and he took his job seriously. We all just trailed off from our conversations since we were about to go on.
I was in the number with five other women, and we each had our own cell door—a tall, rolling frame with an eight-foot-tall chain link door. We used them throughout the whole number. Mine was the worst one. It was one of the disadvantages of being new to the theater. My door had been traded a few times by different girls who were more assertive than me, and I ended up with the worst one. It wasn't that they were bullying me, I just didn’t understand how things worked or how to take up for myself in this environment.
Collin had someone grease my wheels, and I smiled as I shifted it with my hands, thinking it wasn't the worst one at all. It was probably the best one now. It was smooth, and I grinned, thinking that was one thing I could relax about.
"You're Mona," I said to myself. "Just go out there and be Mona." I spoke so quietly that it was inaudible. I had a mic tapedto my cheek, and knew they would turn it on just before I went on stage. I wasn't sure if it was on yet or not, but we were in the moments when it would be close.
I didn't say another word. I was on the end, and I was able to shift my door around without anyone noticing. It was smoother than ever—even better than the first one I had.
This was about to be fun.
He was there. Ash.
Now that I was looking for him in the audience, I easily spotted him. He was in the third row in the center, and after I caught sight of him, I immediately blurred my vision and made myself forget.
I sang and danced like I had practiced. I pretended it was just Luna and me in our living room. I pretended that I was the type of woman who would go ballistic and kill a man if she caught him cheating.
My door swung around and spun like a charm.
I knew it was my last time to perform this with these people, and I gave it everything I had. I was oblivious to the audience. I had no idea they were in front of me. My world ended at the edge of the stage. It was a cool, groovy, sultry scene, and I wasn't the only one getting into it. All of my castmates were on fire. Our song looked and sounded great—I could just feel it. I made a mis-step or two, but it was one of my cleaner performances.
My adrenaline was on overdrive, and the scenes passed quickly after that one. I fulfilled all of my responsibilities, dancing and singing in the ensemble and moving set pieces.
Before I knew it, it was time for bows.
I tried to look at the audience and take it all in as I was bowing.
