Pride and Joy

by M. L. Rice

  Bryce slowly settled down again. “NYU? That’s really, really impressive, Dani.”

  She shrugged. “I had a great time. It was a lot of work, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made. After I graduated I just started auditioning like everyone else. I wanted to make it on the Great White Way.”

  “Well, it looks like you’re doing really well!”

  “Right now. It took forever for me to get a good role. I worked for TKTS as my day job and only got bit roles for the first two years in New York. Off-off-off-Broadway stuff, bloody murder-victim extra in a film student’s thesis project, crowd scenes…This”—she pointed at Bryce’s playbill—“is my first big role! I had to really work on my dancing to get this. It’s definitely not my strong suit.”

  “That’s your voice.”

  “What?”

  “Your voice is a-frickin-mazing, Dani. I’ve always thought so. That’s what puts you ahead of the rest.”

  “I knew that finding you again would be good for my ego.”

  Bryce was pleased to see a distinct redness coloring Daniela’s neck and cheeks.

  Daniela’s food was brought over and set in front of her. “Do you mind?” She gestured toward the food.

  “Of course not. Go ahead.” Bryce silently sipped her coffee and watched as Daniela tore into her post-show meal.

  When she had slowed Bryce asked, “How is it being on tour? Do you miss being home in NYC?”

  Daniela leaned back in the booth. “Nah. This is what I’ve always wanted. I have no strong ties there, and although I love New York for being what it is, I don’t really like living there. It’s just too loud and chaotic. I’m thrilled to be on the road, seeing new places.”

  Bryce swallowed tentatively before asking, “Don’t you miss…anyone there? Someone special?”

  “I miss my friends, but no, there’s no one special. I’ve dated people on and off in school and in the city, but I mainly know theater people and they can be kind of…dramatic. Most of my relationships don’t last very long because of that. Two theater people in one tiny New York apartment is really tiring.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “And anyway, I was always way more concerned with my career than my love life. Besides, not many people can meet my high standards.” She smiled shyly at Bryce.

  For some reason the knowledge that Daniela wasn’t seeing anyone made Bryce incredibly happy. “Do you have a roommate? New York is expensive, isn’t it?”

  Daniela scoffed. “Right now I’m actually sharing a tiny one-bedroom apartment with three other people! All starving-artist types just like me. It’s a nightmare even though it’s pretty convenient. At least one of us is usually out of town on a job somewhere, so it’s not always crowded and rent is a lot lower for each of us this way. The one thing I really, really miss, though, is a view. Our apartment’s windows look out onto a brick wall. No sky, no greenery, just dull red brick. It’s so depressing.”

  Bryce sipped her coffee as Daniela finished her meal. “What about your family in Saltus? What happened there after I left for the academy? I never…I haven’t been back.”

  There was silence for a minute and Daniela looked uncomfortable. “I am glad to be out of Saltus. I visit at Christmas, but that’s about it. My parents and my brother are well. Dante is at SSU finishing up his BS in engineering, and Mom and Dad are still the same.” She rolled her eyes as she said it. “They’ve come around a little about the acting thing, though. They came to see me in my last show at NYU and I think Mom was really impressed. Dad was reluctant, but I think he liked it too. But otherwise, I haven’t really been to Saltus much since I graduated.”

  “Did anyone…ever talk about me?”

  Daniela rubbed the back of her neck. “You know our moms are close, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I guess your mom told some…stuff…to my mom. I never heard the whole story, but from bits of conversation I overheard from them and some people at school I gathered that you and your parents had a falling-out because of something that happened between you and Leah and that you were…kicked out…I guess.”

  “That’s basically it, yeah.”

  Daniela leaned forward, concerned. “Do you mind my asking what exactly happened? I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I’d like to know. It was like you fell off the face of the earth and it really upset me for a long time.”

  Bryce took a steadying breath. She might as well get it over with. For some reason Bryce wanted Daniela to know everything about her. They hadn’t talked in years, but she felt like she had just rediscovered a kindred spirit, a connection to her past. She knew she could trust her with the truth. “I hope you’ve had your coffee, because this is a doozy.”

  It took Bryce almost two full hours to recount the entire story of everything that had happened to her over the years. Both good and bad. To her credit, Daniela never looked appalled or shocked by anything Bryce told her. On the contrary, she appeared to empathize completely with Bryce’s feelings on the varying situations.

  By the time Bryce was finished, she was surprised to realize that she hadn’t even noticed Daniela take her hand across the table in a gesture of comfort. For some reason this caused a surge of fear in Bryce’s chest. How could this beautiful woman who had idolized her as a teenager possibly still think as much of her in her current condition? She was injured, not only physically but mentally.

  She shakily pulled her hand away and laid it in her lap.

  “That brings me to sitting in a diner with you in the wee hours of the morning.”

  “Wow. That’s a lot to process after eight years.”

  Bryce’s ears felt like they had just caught on fire. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to unload onto you. That was rude and…I’m an idiot.” She rose to leave. She didn’t know why, exactly, but she felt humiliated and exposed. Why had she just spilled her guts to this girl for two hours? What right did she have to dump all of her problems on her after just reconnecting?

  Daniela looked scared. “Where are you going?”

  “I can’t believe I just made you listen to all that. I’m so sorry. You just got done with an exhausting show and…” She stepped out of the booth and grabbed her cane. “You deserve better than me sniveling all over you the first time we actually get to talk. I don’t know what came over me.”

  “No! I didn’t mean it that way! I wanted to know! Bryce, I—”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t…feel well. Thanks so much for the show.” She placed a twenty on the table to pay for Daniela’s meal. She knew she was acting erratically, but every nerve in her body told her to flee.

  She had taken a few steps outside into the drizzly Seattle night when she heard Daniela ask almost frantically from behind her, “Did you like the flowers?”

  The oddity of the question made Bryce stop in her tracks and turn around. “What?”

  Daniela stood a few paces behind her, lips trembling. “Did you like the flowers I sent while you were in the hospital? I sent them with Jennifer and told her not to tell you who they were from. I was…too self-conscious to put my name on them. Especially since we hadn’t talked in so long.”

  Seconds ticked by as it sank in. “You sent that giant bouquet?”

  Daniela smiled feebly. “Yeah.”

  “I…I thought they must have been from my mother.”

  Daniela’s smile faltered. “Oh. I didn’t consider the possibility of you thinking that. That was pretty insensitive of me. I’m sorry.”

  “No! I mean, I’m glad to know they were from you. How did you even know?”

  “Word spreads fast in Saltus. Everyone there…well, almost everyone, apparently…thinks you’re a hero. ‘Local Golden Girl Swim Star Gets Injured in the Line of Duty’ stuff. You know how patriotic Texans are.”

  “Huh.” Bryce paused. “Well, thank you…for the flowers…and everything.” She hung her head.

  Daniela walked forward and stood only inches
from her. “Bryce, when I heard that you had been hurt…that was the first news I had heard about you in years. I had been too shy to contact Jennifer or Arati before that, and I couldn’t find you online—”

  Bryce shifted uncomfortably. “I wanted to stay anonymous after high school. I was humiliated by what my parents did to me. I got rid of all my social network accounts and crap. Sorry.”

  “Well, losing contact was really hard for me. I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you too.” Bryce smiled as she realized how much she meant it.

  There was a moment of silence before Daniela said, “You know, our show is here for a while. Do you think you’re up for hanging out sometime? I mean, I don’t want to intrude on your life or bother you, but I really would like to see you again.”

  Bryce smiled and warmth spread through her abdomen. “Yeah. Okay.”

  Daniela brightened and her perfectly white teeth dazzled Bryce. “Awesome! Here’s my cell number. Will you call me tomorrow? I may have another ticket for the show and I can get you backstage if you’d like a tour.”

  “You don’t need to bribe me.” Bryce playfully punched Daniela in the arm. “But yeah, that sounds amazing.”

  “Cool. Well, I guess I should get back to the hotel now.”

  “Is it far from here?”

  “No, only a couple of blocks.”

  “Let me walk you back. I want to make sure you get there safely.” Bryce didn’t know exactly what she could do in her current situation to protect Daniela, but she knew that nothing bad was going to happen to her friend on her watch.

  It didn’t take long before they stood outside of Daniela’s downtown hotel.

  “Are you sure you’ll be okay to get home?”

  “Definitely. My car is parked down the street.”

  Bryce noticed Daniela’s hair sparkling with the drizzle of the evening. “You’d better get inside. I’m sure getting a cold sucks for a singer.”

  Daniela smiled. “It does indeed.”

  “Thanks again, Dani. It really is amazing to see you again.”

  Daniela seemed reluctant to leave, but finally leaned in for a hug.

  Bryce embraced her awkwardly. The feel of Daniela’s body pressed tightly to hers sent long-forgotten waves of warmth and longing through her. She felt tall and strong, and she knew she wanted Daniela in her life from that moment on.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Did you go to the show? Did you talk to her?” Jennifer asked like a strict parent.

  “Yes, Jenn.”

  “Well?”

  Bryce grinned into her computer’s video camera. “It felt like we’ve never been apart. You wouldn’t know all this time has passed. I felt so comfortable with her. Just like old times.”

  Jennifer smiled back and relaxed. “Good. I was worried that you’d get cold feet.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Bryce said wryly.

  “Hey, it’s not unfounded and you know it.”

  “Shut up! I’ve been dealing with shit.”

  Jennifer shook her head sadly. “Bryce, you need to do something. You can’t just sit around and mope forever.”

  Bryce’s eyes narrowed. She knew she was trying to help, but it irritated her beyond belief to know Jennifer was right. “I’m enjoying my beer-drinking, burrito-eating time off, thank you very much.”

  “Bryce.”

  “Jenn.”

  She sighed. “Listen, I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do, but just consider it, okay? Getting out of the apartment will be good for you.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Bryce regretted it the moment she said it. It broke her heart to think that her best friend had to be the one to give parental advice instead of the real thing. She softened her tone. “Look, I’m getting out of the house tomorrow. Happy?”

  “Yes. But I hope you do something worthwhile.”

  “Does seeing Dani again seem worthwhile?”

  Jennifer looked delighted and she gave a small golf clap. “More than worthwhile. I know she’s been dying to reconnect.”

  “Thanks, Jenn. I’ll talk to you later, all right?”

  “Yeah. Have a good time for once, okay?”

  Bryce smiled. “I’ll try.”

  *

  Despite the lateness of the year the weather wasn’t too cold, few clouds were in the sky, and Bryce reveled in the sun beating down on her face. The park bench outside of one of the downtown office buildings had seemed like the perfect place to take Daniela for lunch. A day like this in Seattle was just too rare to spend indoors.

  “This,” Daniela said as she swiped her finger across the iPad’s screen, “is my dorm room at NYU. And this,” another swipe, “is me as Maria in The Sound of Music. Okay, your turn.” She put the iPad down and turned to see the pictures on Bryce’s phone.

  “Are you sure I’m not boring you with this? My pictures are nowhere near as interesting as yours. How can I compete with a picture of you screaming, covered in blood, and chasing down a football player?”

  Daniela laughed. “College Carnage 3. That paid all of fifty bucks. Plus catering, I should add.”

  “Well, that’s something.”

  “The catering was peanut butter and jelly on stale bread with a brown banana.”

  Bryce looked thoughtful. “But think of the amazing footage they’ll be able to use when you’re famous and on the talk show circuit in the future.”

  Daniela pointed at her. “See? I knew someone would get it.”

  Bryce showed her pictures of herself out on patrols, at her academy graduation, at Coast Guard balls, and on the podium at swimming competitions.

  “Girl, I don’t know how you think those are boring. Hot blond chick in a uniform? That’s kind of a thing for a lot of people, you know.”

  Bryce couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes. I do know. Firsthand.”

  “Will you walk me back to the theater?”

  “Of course! As long as you don’t mind going slowly.” Bryce grimaced and stood up from the bench where they had eaten their takeaway Chinese food.

  “I’m in no rush. I’m just glad you agreed to have lunch with me today. If you’re not careful, I just might try to blackmail you into joining me every day while I’m here.” Daniela said it jokingly, but Bryce caught her as she cast a quick glance in her direction.

  Bryce purposefully bumped into Dani as they walked. “No blackmail necessary. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to just sit and enjoy the air and good company.”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  Bryce could tell Daniela was happy. After walking in silence for a while Bryce said, “This seems almost like the old days, doesn’t it? I could be walking home from school with you.”

  “Don’t you dare bring up the babysitting thing.” Daniela poked Bryce in the side.

  “Oh, I would never!”

  “Thank you, Miss Montgomery.”

  Bryce laughed loudly. “Oh, hell no. We’re not doing that again. One more comment like that and I might just have to have lunch by myself for the next four weeks.”

  Daniela threw her arms up in surrender. “Fine! Fine. The thought of missing out on your company for the show’s entire stay in Seattle fills me with abject fear.” She smiled up at Bryce. “Better?”

  Bryce was pleased. “Better.”

  *

  For the next week Bryce made good on her promise and had every possible lunch and dinner she could with Daniela. Bryce was able to show her around the city she had fallen in love with, and Daniela was able to get her back into the world. Bryce was starting to relax into this new way of living and found that being around Daniela both calmed and excited her. Their conversation now flowed more easily and they laughed often. Bryce still tried to find seats in the corners of each restaurant to hide her face from the other patrons, but Daniela didn’t seem bothered by the way she looked.

  Every day Bryce spent with her pulled her deeper into an affection fr
om which she knew she wouldn’t be able to surface. It was happening fast, but she was falling for Daniela. No question in her mind. How could she deal with this on top of her already unstable emotions? What would she do when the tour moved on? The thought terrified her.

  Putting it out of her mind as best she could, Bryce had decided to take her friend on a whale-watching cruise to show her the beautiful waters of her old patrol areas. Now, as they sailed slowly out of the harbor, they settled into the normal easy banter they had spent the last week cultivating. “Tell me about your worst audition or most embarrassing moment onstage.” Bryce smiled with a wicked twinkle in her eye.

  “Oh, you would have to bring that up, wouldn’t you?” Daniela smiled and leaned back against the bench on the upper deck of the boat. “Well, I do have a good one…”

  When she didn’t elaborate, Bryce playfully bumped her with her left shoulder as they sat snuggled up next to each other under a blanket to keep warm. “You’re not getting out of this one. Spill it.”

  Daniela turned to her right and pretended to look put out. “It’s not fair having to tell you my stories without getting one from you.” She turned her gaze forward again and leaned in closer to an immensely pleased, but flustered Bryce. “So, you first. I’m listening.”

  “Okay fine. Let’s see.” Bryce thought back on her days at the academy. “I was standing in formation for inspection one day during my first year, right before the important spring regimental review, wearing my salt and peppers—the cadet parade dress blues.” Daniela shrugged, so Bryce elaborated. “The awesome-looking ones with a black jacket and white pants.”

  “Nice.”

  “So the inspecting officer stands right in front of me and says, ‘Cadet Montgomery!’ I say, ‘Yes, sir!’ and he goes, ‘Would you care to explain to me why you are standing here about to go out onto the parade ground in front of God and everyone with your uniform worn improperly?’ So I say, ‘Sir?’ because as far as I knew I was just as shipshape as it was possible to be.”