Waiting in the Wings

by Melissa Brayden

  “And how is it we plan to do this?” I asked, completely taken with her excitement.

  She thought for a moment before settling on an answer. “I plan to be charming.”

  “Charming,” I murmured. “Very crafty of you. And does that usually work?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “Oh, well that sounds promising. Let’s give that a shot.”

  We walked up the winding sidewalk to the small store when something in the window caught my attention. “Wait, the sign says All Prices Firm.”

  She shook her head. “The sign lies. It’s part of the game.”

  I nodded. There was a lot to learn. As my hand found the doorknob, Adrienne reached out and covered it with hers, arresting my progress. “Probably better if you let me do the talking,” she whispered.

  “That won’t be a problem,” I whispered back. “I’ll look around while you work your antique magic.”

  Once inside, I kept my promise and decided to give Adrienne plenty of room to negotiate. As she examined each rocking chair in detail, I moved through the store silently studying the eclectic group of objects I found there: cabinets, pressed glass, oil lamps, cast iron tools, and of course, many more rocking chairs. A jewelry counter at the back of the store caught my attention and I wandered over. I stared through the glass, scanning each piece in the display case before zeroing in on a beautiful silver locket. On the front was an applied decoration in the shape of an anchor, slightly raised.

  “The anchor was a sign of stability and hope in the Victorian era,” a voice informed me. I looked up at the older woman smiling back at me from behind the counter. She had rosy cheeks and kind eyes. “Would you like to see it?”

  I returned her smile. “I would.” She picked up the locket delicately from the case and placed it in my hand. It was small, but certainly noteworthy. I ran my thumb over the anchor, fascinated by its rough texture. I flipped the locket over and was met with nothing but a smooth expanse of sterling, quite a contrast to the front. There was a small inscription at the bottom.

  To My Love, Forever is Ours.

  I stared hard at those words and wondered who had selected them and for whom. How had their forever played out? Had they lived the rest of their lives together as promised, or had it ended in unexpected heartbreak? In that moment, I’d have given anything to know. I handed the locket back to the shopkeeper and thanked her for her assistance.

  “Anytime,” she said.

  I found Adrienne still at the front of the store, deep in conversation with an older gentleman, most likely the husband of the woman I’d spoken with. Adrienne was smiling and laughing, doing her best to be charming, I supposed.

  “You have to try the chocolate ice box pie at Alberta’s Bakery,” I heard the man say as I approached. He was shaking his finger at Adrienne as if to chastise her. “It is the best this town has to offer in the way of homemade desserts and well worth a trip over there.”

  “I’ll definitely put it on the to-do list. I’m a bit of a pie aficionado.”

  Okay, now that part was true. I could attest to Adrienne’s affinity for all things sweet. She’d sell out her own grandmother for a worthwhile piece of chocolate almond fudge. Once she saw me standing there, Adrienne tugged on my elbow and pulled me into the conversation.

  “Jenna, you have to see this chair. Arthur says he can work with me on the price. It’s perfect for my place in the city, don’t you think?”

  Truth be told, I’d never seen her place in the city, but I was an actress and I could take cues. This must have been part of her bargaining strategy. So without missing a beat I said, “Oh wow, you’re right. It would compliment your other…pieces nicely.”

  “That little beauty there is listed at six twenty-five,” Arthur said. He stroked his chin. “But because you are such a darling young lady, I can see my way to letting you take it for five fifty.”

  Adrienne seemed to mull this over for a few moments, looking the chair over once more. “Would you take four fifty, perhaps?” She batted her lashes at him for added effect. I had to resist rolling my eyes at her obvious tactic, but was also a little amused by it.

  Arthur shook his head as if she were twisting his arm and he didn’t know if he could bare it. “Five twenty-five, firm, and that’s as low as I’ll go, even for a pretty girl. What do you say?”

  “I’d say there are some mighty attractive ladies in the store today, Pop.” The male voice from over my shoulder took me by surprise. I turned around to find none other than Ethan, the friendly volleyball player, standing there grinning at us.

  “Did you say Pop?” I asked.

  “That I did. This is my father, Arthur Merritt, and this is my family’s store.” He raised his eyebrows at me quizzically. “I gave you my card, but I take it from the surprised look on your face you’re not here to see me.”

  I didn’t have the heart to tell Ethan I hadn’t looked at the card, but instead nodded and did a circular gesture as if putting it all together. “No, actually we were doing a little antiquing today and just stopped in. I think Adrienne and your father are doing some really intense wheeling and dealing. I don’t know who to root for.”

  Arthur laughed and Adrienne did her damndest to look appropriately betrayed, but eventually smiled back at me.

  “Well, maybe I can help,” Ethan said. “What is your friend hoping to pay for this chair?”

  I looked at Adrienne and when I received a nod of approval, I leveled with him. “Four fifty.”

  He seemed to consider the offer for a moment or two. “What would you say to…sold?”

  “I’d say I think I’m a prodigy at this whole antique thing.”

  “Beginner’s luck,” Adrienne mumbled quietly to Arthur as she leaned into the arm he’d placed around her in congratulations. “Would you consider shipping it for free?” she asked, looking up at him with big hopeful eyes.

  “Not a chance,” he said. Ethan and I burst into laughter as the pitiful look on Adrienne’s face was simply too much.

  For the rest of the afternoon, Adrienne dragged me from store to store as she rummaged through piles of knickknacks, examined a million pieces of furniture, and chatted up the local shop owners. Admittedly, this was so not my element. After the second store, I found myself more interested in watching Adrienne than doing any real shopping. I noticed how adorable she was when deep in thought. Pensive was a good look on her. She also had a habit of tucking her hair behind her ear when she was having trouble making up her mind about something. My favorite though had to be the smile that would start at her eyes and overtake her entire face when she stumbled onto something she considered a rare find. She would hold it up and show it to me, a proud grin on her face as if the item would change her entire life. She took joy in the simple things. She always had, I reminded myself. It was contagious and being around her seemed to brighten my outlook.

  “What are you smiling about?” she asked as she drove me back to the cottage. The sun was setting, and the pinks and oranges swirling on the horizon had such a calming effect. It made the drive peaceful, serene.

  “Just basking in the glory of my antique success, I suppose. You have to admit I had the biggest score of the day.”

  She looked at me, dubious, but said nothing.

  “Come on, without me you would have never gotten that rocking chair for less than five hundred dollars.”

  “Oh, you mean without you and your not-so-secret admirer. Are you going to give him a call and maybe go to dinner sometime? He’s pretty handsome, Jen.”

  “Let’s ask the Magic Eight Ball in my head.” I paused for effect. “It says ‘outlook not so good,’ which is great news because he’s not really my type.”

  “Oh, well. Easy come, easy go. But seriously, thank you for coming with me today. I hope it wasn’t too painful.”

  “I had a lot of fun.”

  “You did?”

  “Of course I did. It wore me out though. I think I need sustenance.”

 
She looked at her watch. “Wow, I guess it is late. Time flies.” She pulled into the driveway and slowed the car to a gentle stop. She seemed nervous. “I guess I’ll see you soon. How long are you staying again?”

  “Until Tuesday. I have the cottage for two more nights. What about you?”

  “Well, I checked out of the hotel. I was going to head back tonight, since my plans with Kim changed.”

  “Why don’t you stay?” I asked. It was impulsive, I know, but I promised myself and Lanie that I’d take a few more chances, and that’s exactly what I was doing.

  Adrienne stared hard at the steering wheel as her thumb traced the pattern of the leather. She looked up at me, her eyes clouded with confusion. “Honestly, Jenna, I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  I understood and could identify. Instead of black and white, there seemed to be all shades of gray. I didn’t have all the answers, but I knew for certain I didn’t want her to leave for the city tonight. “I have the extra room. You’re welcome to stay. Or there’s always the couch. You seem to like the couch.”

  She managed a grin. “It is pretty comfortable. But are you sure? After everything, maybe it’s just best I go.” She looked back at the steering wheel.

  “Age, look at me.” She dropped her hands completely from the wheel and forced herself to raise her chin. Our eyes locked. “You and I have some bumpy history. We have to acknowledge that. And yes, there are some issues between us that aren’t exactly resolved, but we’re doing okay, right?”

  “Yeah. I think so.”

  “Then come inside and let’s order a pizza because Lord knows we’re both too tired to cook.”

  She nodded once, a small smile making its way to her lips, and we made our way into the house.

  *

  It was after nine, and the half-empty pizza box taunted me from across the table. I’d already eaten two slices and decided it was best I leave it there if there was even the slightest chance I’d be working in a high intensity dance show in the near future. “Can I interest you in another?” I asked, opening the box for Adrienne.

  “Tempting, but no. You have to admit it was pretty good pizza, and I’m a New Yorker so that says a lot.”

  I rolled my eyes at her. “Whatever. You New Yorkers think you have the market sewn up when it comes to pizza.” I carried the box to the fridge. “But I’ll have you know there are other fine pizzerias in the world. Boston has some great ones, by the way.”

  “I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree on this one because it’s clear to me you’ve never been to Lombardi’s and are thereby operating without all the information. I forgive you for what you do not know.”

  I looked back at her with mock gratitude. “Thank you, your highness. Now, might I interest you in some wine? There’s a bottle of red in the cabinet.”

  “I’ll take a glass, yeah.”

  I poured the glasses and we moved into the small living room. The temperature had dropped outside so I took the liberty of starting a small fire in the fireplace. As I turned back to Adrienne sitting on the couch, I smiled because she looked completely cozy. Her feet were tucked underneath her and she cradled her wine glass in both hands as if to warm it. I took a seat on the other end of the couch and relaxed. It had been a long day, and though it had been fun, it was nice to just veg a little.

  We sat in silence for a while, entranced by the fire and lost in the way it danced. It was Adrienne who spoke finally. “I never told you, but I loved Tenth Avenue. It showed a whole different side of you, Jenna. I was proud of you for making it.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “It’s strange admitting this, but I wondered what you’d think of it, if you ever saw it, that is. I used to do that sometimes, try to figure out what you’d think of things. Then I’d realize what I was doing and get angry at myself. Stupid, I know.” I got up and walked across the room toward the fire, staring into it, embarrassed by what I’d confessed.

  “It’s not stupid at all,” she said. “We were important to each other. I think that’s only normal. It is comforting to hear I wasn’t the only one thinking about us, and I did…think about us.”

  I turned around, perplexed. “I wouldn’t have guessed that. In fact, I was sure you didn’t.”

  “Why would you think that? That’s ridiculous.”

  Here we go. The feelings I’d kept under lock and key for several years were bubbling to the surface with renewed vigor. “Because you were the one who walked away. When I asked you to wait for me, to make it work between us, you said no.” My voice sounded angry. I didn’t want it to, but it did. “For you to do that, to be able to do that, told me everything I needed to know about where you stood. So, no, I didn’t presume you spent much time thinking about me after that day.”

  Adrienne sighed and shook her head in frustration. “You still don’t get it. It had nothing to do with how I felt about you, Jenna. I was crazy about you. But it killed me to know you weren’t willing to sacrifice a job for me. Yes, you offered me a small role in your life, but it felt cheap.” She looked at the floor and her voice softened. “I felt unimportant, like you were trying to fit me in, and I was tired of feeling unimportant to the people I cared about. Do you know what that’s like? For once, I wanted to matter most. And it hurt too much when you made it clear I didn’t.”

  I considered this. I thought of the way Adrienne’s parents had treated her since she was a child and realized how my actions might have seemed similar in her eyes. This new understanding of how she must have felt washed over me in a painful rush and I felt an ache in my chest when I looked at her. “Listen to me very carefully. I would never have wanted you to feel that way. There was no one who mattered more to me than you did. I’m so sorry if I didn’t make that clear.” There were tears gathering in her eyes as I spoke. “I took the job because I was young and stupid and so driven toward my goal that sometimes I could only see two feet in front of me. Then when you never asked me not to go, I took that as a sign that you weren’t all in. If I’d thought you were—”

  “Would it have changed anything?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. I can’t speak for that girl from four years ago and I don’t want to. I can tell you that I know who I am now and I see a lot of things I would do differently. For what it’s worth, Adrienne, I’m so sorry.”

  She shook her head. “It’s not just on you. We both made a lot of mistakes. I should have been more understanding of how big a chance you had in front of you.”

  I nodded my head and we sat in silence as I reflected on all that had gone wrong.

  She stood up, shaking herself out of it with a smile. “Ancient history, right? If it’s okay with you, I think I’m going to call it a night. Guest room this time.”

  She started to go and I decided it was now or never. I mustered every ounce of my courage and spoke to her retreating form. “You know, it’s hard getting over someone in the public eye. I did my best to avoid photos of you in magazines, and keep images of you off my TV screen.” She turned around, a questioning look on her face. I pushed forward. “It was hard, but eventually I did it, and moved on with my life. Then the film happened. Working with you was so different than I thought it would be. It was you again. Not the face in the photos, but rather the girl I used to know who loved cookies and ice cream late at night and has to beat everyone at bowling. Only this time our connection was reestablished slowly, and I feel like I’ve gotten to know you in this whole new way.” I shook my head ready to make the final leap. “You’re all I think about, Adrienne. You’re all I want to think about.” She didn’t say anything. In fact, there was very little expression on her face and I felt a deep sense of dread for what I’d just revealed. “What am I doing?” I whispered mostly to myself, as I turned back to the fire. I felt exposed and fragile, and wished deeply that I’d kept my mouth shut.

  Adrienne set her wine glass on the end table. “Um, I don’t know what to say to that. What I can tell you is that for years I did a lot of
what you just described. I wondered what you were doing, what your life was like, who you were seeing. But that felt wrong.” She slowly closed the distance between us as she continued. “I made myself turn off my thoughts of you because I was angry and hurt by how it all ended. But as I stand here now, I want so badly to believe what you’re telling me because I don’t want to ignore the feelings I have for you anymore. I’m tired of doing that.”

  She stood in front of me. “If you don’t want this, tell me to stop now.” Ever so slowly, she brushed a strand of hair from my forehead. I inhaled at the touch. She took my wine glass from my hand and placed it on the mantle. “Or now.” She brought her forehead to mine and we stood there for few moments, breathing the same air, our bodies less than an inch apart. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. “Last chance,” she whispered, meeting my eyes before her gaze dropped, settling decidedly on my mouth. She dipped her head slowly and brushed my lips with hers, feather light. She pulled back and looked at me, nervous. Adrienne had made the first move and now she was looking to me for reassurance. The unabashed need I saw in her eyes mirrored my own.

  If she needed reassurance, I could give it to her. I moved my hands into her hair and pulled her lips to mine, devouring her mouth. She kissed me back, giving as much as she was getting. Her mouth was hot and incredibly demanding in a good way. It was as if I couldn’t get enough. Her tongue was a wondrous thing that traveled the inside of my lips and beyond with skilled precision. My body seared on the inside and my stomach tightened. I wondered how I could have lived without this for so damn long. Her hands were on my hips now, pulling me firmly against her body. I reached around and cupped her buttocks, pulling her closer still. Adrienne whimpered into my mouth and moved her hands under my shirt, up my spine. I hissed in a breath at her warm touch on my bare skin. My head was spinning and I could scarcely think, my body aching with urgent arousal. Each touch was amazing and torturous at the same time. I rocked my hips against Adrienne as she kissed, sucked, and licked the expanse of my neck. I couldn’t take much more. “Stop, stop, stop,” I managed. “I’m dying here.”