by Jane Tara
It couldn’t be.
It was. She knew it. She’d hoped beyond hope that Tad had visited the theater while Rhi was there. She’d called him and asked him as much.
“Rhi told me about your visit today. Tad, I’ll only ask once…have you been inside the theater?”
“Crystal, have you?”
“Not since…”
“That makes two of us.” Tad’s voice shook. “I don’t know what she’s playing at, but I’m calling my lawyer tomorrow.”
“Tad, darling…if that’s what needs to be done, then you know I’ll support you. But I’m asking, don’t make that call for a week. Let me try to sort this out.”
“My lawyer will sort this out.”
Crystal decided to play to his compassionate side. “Just say Rhi is struggling with some issues. What do you think will happen if she hears from your lawyers without having some support in place?”
“He sighed. “She does need help. I might’ve exacerbated things recently. I really did try to stay away from her but down on the beach one day…you don’t need the details, but Crystal, her reaction to me asking her out made my blood run cold. She has some serious issues.”
“Let me deal with this first, before you evict her.”
“Okay, Crystal.”
Crystal knew she needed to sort this out now. For Rhi’s sake. Her head hung as she cried tears of heartbreak, as fresh as the ones all those years ago. Time hadn’t erased the pain. Nothing would. She knew that now. Back then, at least she had hope. Hope that she’d move on, meet someone who filled her heart and soul more than—or at least as much as—he did.
It never happened.
Damn it.
She placed the fork back in the cutlery drawer and the pie back in the fridge, and returned to her room, where she dressed.
It was time to have it out with him.
She grabbed a wrap on the way out and pulled it tight around herself. The crisp night air hit her and woke her up. She decided to walk. It wasn’t far and would give her time to gather some strength.
The houses were dark, the streets quiet. Normally, she loved this time of night, but right now it felt ominous. Crystal glanced up at the moon and gave a little nod. She arrived at the theater and walked around the back. An owl hooted as she approached the door. She simply knew she wouldn’t need a key. Sixth sense. The door was slightly ajar, although she was sure Rhi would have locked it. She pushed it open and stepped inside, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Crystal had eyes like a cat, but still regretted not bringing a torch. Finally she was able to make out the shapes and shadows of the backstage area and she went inside. She knew instinctively where to go. The silver star twinkled in the dark and she pushed the dressing room door open. Thirty years disappeared in a flash.
He was waiting there, stretched out on the sofa, his arms folded behind his head.
“I was wondering when you’d catch on.”
Chapter 27
Half-a-dozen fresh oysters, followed by venison steaks with stroganoff sauce and fries, and red velvet cake for dessert. Crystal kept going through the meal in her mind. She was going to cook the most amazing St Valentine’s Day meal ever. She mentally ticked every item on her list, over and over. Chocolates and wine. Tick. Bubble bath and lingerie. Tick. She wanted the night to be perfect. Crystal didn’t have any money to go out and celebrate St Valentine’s Day, but they could still celebrate it here. In fact, at home in bed was their favorite place in the world. So he told her, over and over.
It was one of those bone-breakingly cold New York nights, when icicles hung from your face. But Crystal felt warm; she had all winter. She was madly in love. Kip Daniels was wild and charming and loved her too. They’d been inseparable for months. At first she’d been wary. Kip could have anyone, so when he’d started chatting her up at her local cafe she was naturally suspicious. Not that Crystal had self-esteem issues—she knew she was sexy. She had one of those pinup girl–type bodies, which men loved. All curves and boobs, topped with blonde waves and baby blue eyes. But she wasn’t beautiful, like Brigid. She didn’t have that type of bone structure or style. Crystal always felt that she looked like she’d tumbled out of bed (she did, which was part of her appeal). She always had mismatched socks, or a button that had popped open. Her hair was always tousled, no matter how much she’d styled it. And her lipstick was always slightly worn and smudged, as if she’d been kissed long and hard.
Lately, she had been. Kip acted like he could never get enough of her, which was convenient because she certainly couldn’t get enough of him. But it was more than passion and attraction that kept drawing them together. It was the meeting of two very similar minds.
Crystal was smart and sassy and Kip loved matching that. Kip was used to women fawning over him. Crystal didn’t fawn. Instead, she told exactly what she thought, and she adored their verbal sparring.
He wasn’t even fazed when she admitted to being a witch.
“Knowing a witch may one day come in handy,” he said.
Crystal lugged the groceries through the entrance and into the kitchen. She’d arranged with Brigid for them to have the apartment to themselves. Brigid had promised to go on a date.
“I’ll get some poor sucker to spring for dinner for me,” she said. “I’ll give you two some space.”
Crystal smiled at the thought of it. She knew she was at risk of looking ridiculous most of the time now, walking through life with a goofy grin on her face. But what the hell, she was in love.
She placed the shopping on the table. She was going to cook up a storm wearing her nicest lingerie and nothing else. Kip was conveniently running late, which gave her time to dress (or undress) and freshen up a bit. She walked toward her bedroom. Strange. She couldn’t remember leaving the door closed this morning.
But as she placed her hand on the doorknob, she knew. It was one of those moments when time stood still, for what felt like a century. In that space she had time to think, reflect, ponder all the outcomes…but still she chose to turn that knob. She knew, but she opened the door anyway.
And there was Kip, in all his naked splendor…having sex with someone else in her bed.
Crystal’s heart cracked. She heard it. She felt it. Her world would never be the same. A sob caught in her throat, and Kip jumped, realizing she was there. Crystal saw the woman. She calmly sat up and looked at Crystal, as if she’d intruded on them. Her own room!
“We didn’t expect you home for ages,” Brigid said.
Brigid moved out later that night. She took Kip with her. It was two years before Crystal saw either of them again.
*
“Have you been haunting this place all this time?” Crystal was in shock. He looked exactly as he had the day he died, right down to his costume of black pants and billowy white shirt.
“I’ve thought of it as passing time.”
“You’re a ghost. You’re stuck here. It’s a haunting.”
“Well, I’m not up-to-date on the lingo, but being a witch, you’d know.”
They stared at each other, both swinging between the delight and the sheer horror of seeing each other again. And in such confronting forms.
“You’re my mother’s age.” Kip was obviously shocked. “You look good though.”
“Don’t fucking lie. I look fat. You look dead. Jesus, Kip, what the hell happened to us?”
“Well, a roof fell on me and I’m guess you ate too many cream buns.”
Kip and Crystal looked at each other and cracked up. She covered her face, but when she looked up again, they laughed some more. They laughed and laughed until both were doubled over in hysterics. The laughter bounced off the walls and rang out through the theater.
“The neighbors will hear us,” Kip said.
“No, you idiot, they’ll just hear me and think I’m laughing by myself.”
That made them laugh even harder.
Crystal held her sides. “Stop making me laugh, you bastard. I need to catch my breath.”
“Me too. Been trying for twenty-eight years.”
And off they went again.
Finally, Kip placed a hand on his forehead. “Oh, how I needed that. How I’ve needed you. Where have you been?”
“Outside. I had no idea you were in here.”
He was drinking her in. “It’s so good to see you, Cryssie.”
“Christ, I’ve missed you, Kip. I have. I really have.” Her voice caught. She was overwhelmed with emotion.
He understood, so changed tack. “Tell me about Tad.”
Crystal’s face lit up at the mention of his name. “He’s a wonderful man. Good and kind and talented.”
“Talented? Is he an actor?”
“A musician. He’s in a band with…my daughter, Tye.”
Kip drew back. “You have a daughter?”
“She’s twenty-eight.”
The hurt was clear in his eyes. “Of course you have a child. You continued to live.”
“Kip—”
He shook his head, trying to absorb the shock. “Stupid really that I never even considered that.” He gave her a forced smile. “Married?”
“No…never married.”
“Cryssie…why?”
“Why do you think?”
He tilted his head slightly to the side, as though absorbing her from every angle. “I don’t know what hurts more. You moving on without me…or being unable to.”
“Things didn’t go to plan, did they?”
“I did once say I wanted to live in the theatre.”
Crystal chuckled. “That’s right, you did.”
Kip grew serious. “I saw you. When I died, I saw you come to me. I was floating above it all. I saw the light. All those clichés were in fact happening. And you…Crystal, you took my pulse and then let out a cry.”
“I’ll never forget.”
“It was a moment of such magnitude. Your loss. Witnessing that—it was bigger than my actual death. It was the moment that I realized how much you loved me.”
“How could you not know, you fool?”
“Because I was exactly that. A fool.”
“But we were in a good place when you died, weren’t we?”
“We were. It was happiness I didn’t deserve.” Kip placed his hands on his chest. “Oh Christ, my heart hurts. Not a beat in nearly three decades and the goddamn thing aches.”
It broke the tension and they both chuckled.
“What’s it like, Kip?”
“Well, I can’t speak for every ghost, but my experience has been rather dull.”
“But what’s it like?”
Kip appeared to pick each word from the ether, carefully. “You know how an amputee still feels the leg that’s missing? Death is like my whole body has been amputated. I feel things in my heart, and my groin, but before I feel alive, even for a moment, the feeling has gone. The feeling is stronger than a memory, because it’s actually physical, but it’s fleeting. I tend to drift around, content enough, but then something will happen to cause that strong response…and I try hard to hold onto it, to feel it, to experience it as I would in life…but away it drifts…” He looked dreadfully sad. “My feelings are as ghostly as my form.”
“Is that why you’re drawn to Rhi? She makes you feel something?”
“She sees me. That’s all.”
“Oh c’mon Kip, it’s more than that.”
“If you’re suggesting that something’s going on between us, it’s not. Even in death I have remained loyal to you.”
“I bet you were beating back the offers.”
“Rhi asked me out.”
Crystal put her head in her hands. “That poor girl. You have to tell her—or I will.”
“Spoil sport.”
“What are you playing at?”
“Nothing.”
“Yeah right, and I’m a size six.”
“Yes, you’ve put on some poundage old girl…still as sexy as hell though.” He sat up and grinned at her.
“You know, I’d forgotten what a vicious tongue you had.”
“C’mon, Crystal…you never forgot my tongue.”
Crystal waved a hand as though she was about to slap him. Dead for years but he still managed to get her all flustered.
“And I’m only teasing you know. About your weight. If I were alive—”
“Stop changing the subject. We’re talking about Rhi.”
“Okay, okay, you caught me. But it’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. Perhaps some harmless flirting. She’s a pretty girl and I haven’t had much to do with pretty girls for way too long.”
“And what a coincidence that the pretty girl is Brigid’s daughter.”
“Brigid who?” Kip opened his eyes wide. “Oh, psycho bitch from hell Brigid?”
“That’s the one.”
“Yes, that is a coincidence.”
“Did you set that up?”
“I wish I could take credit for it, but I’m stuck here. It was the Fates who drew her to me.”
“Did you know who she was straight away?”
“I did. But don’t ask me how. Some things I just know, but only when they’re in front of me. I have no idea what’s going on anywhere else.”
“You were like that when you were alive too.”
“Ouch.”
“You have no idea why she’s here?”
“I’m guessing it’s to undo what was done!”
“No, you egotistical idiot. Jesus, even in death it’s all about you.”
“Then what?”
“She’s here for Tad.”
Kip’s face dropped at the mention of his son. “That can’t be. They’re not compatible.”
“They’re a great match.”
“She’s a witch.”
“So am I.”
“But you’re a good one.”
“So is she.”
Kip suddenly rose up toward the ceiling, his face thunderous. “Her mother is an evil fucking bitch.”
Crystal matched his temper. “You look pretty goddam scary yourself right now.”
“I won’t allow it.”
“Settle down or I’ll call a priest.” She waved her finger back at the chair.
Kip drifted down but continued standing.
“You realize you’ll mess it up for Tad if you keep playing with her like this. Be a good father. Lay off. What’s she to you anyway?”
“She’s renovating my theater for me. She keeps me company. She appreciates my acting. Damn it Crystal, before you walked in here tonight she was the only person who talked to me in three decades.”
“I know you’ve missed having people around.”
“Not people. You. And Tad. The rest is meaningless. I missed you both. I still do and you’re right in front on me. Rhi is a beautiful, interesting and very alive diversion from the aching emptiness. She has the same dreams I did—to do this place up.”
Crystal shook her head. “Well, that dream is about to fail—Tad wants to throw her out of here. She put an audition notice for Hamlet in the paper. He was furious, which of course confused the hell out of her because she thought performing Hamlet was his idea.”
Kip pulled a face. “Oops.”
“I see you still do that cute face thing when you’ve royally fucked up.” It reminded her of the day she found him in bed with Brigid, although she didn’t say that.
“I didn’t mean any harm. I enjoyed pretending to be alive. I was going to play Hamlet.”
“That would be an interesting performance.”
“What will we do?”
“I’ll work something out.”
Kip fell silent. He hung his head and stared at the floor. “It’s so unfair,” he said. “I worked like a dog to open this theater. I wanted to see the curtain fall, not the goddamned roof. It was meant to be my moment. The moment.”
“We have many moments, Kip.”
“Only those living say that. You’ll arrive on my side and realize there were only one or two. That wa
s mine.”
“Yes it was, just not how you expected.”
They sat in silence for a while.
“So does Tad have feelings for this girl?”
“Yes, he does. Confused ones, admittedly. Given half a chance, they could be good for each other.”
“Damn it, Crystal. How will I entertain myself now?”
“All about you again.” Crystal smiled at him. “I’ll think of something, okay?”
“And will you come back? It’s been wonderful seeing you again.” He gave her a cheeky grin. “All of you.”
Crystal rolled her eyes. “I’d slap you if you existed.”
Chapter 28
Rhi woke from a kaleidoscope of strange dreams and images. Tad had two faces and both of them were speaking to her at once. She kept trying to listen to the real Tad, but didn’t know which one he was. And the more she tried, the louder his voice got, until she couldn’t bear the noise and she covered her ears.
Light was pouring through her window. From sunshine, not burning crosses. It was a beautiful day and she really needed to face the rest of the world, not just her friends. She needed to face Tad and beg him to reconsider evicting her. She couldn’t imagine losing the Majestic or leaving Hamlet. Not now. She needed to find out why he’d auditioned for her. What he’s been playing at.
She grabbed her iPad and propped some pillows behind her back. She checked her emails. There was one from Candace, the head of the women’s ministry at the Hamlet Evangelical Church, with their Bible study times attached in a PDF. Ren, the senior drama student, had emailed expressing interest in stage managing for Hamlet. She also added a PS: “Know any good love spells?” There were two other expressions of interest from people she didn’t know, wanting to audition. She quickly replied to them both, explaining that the play had been postponed.
Then she banged out an email to The Examiner, apologizing for the inconvenience but asking for a retraction on the audition notice, and the promise that a new play would be announced shortly.