STAGESTRUCK - The Complete Series

by Ward, Alice

  “Gotcha,” I said with a nod. I twirled fettuccini onto my fork as I asked my next question. “You seem to know a lot about the people who work here. Have you been here long?”

  Lisa nodded as she swallowed a bite of her chicken parmesan. “I’ve been in the city for six years and I’ve worked here for five and a half of them. I could tell you stories about some of these people that would make your stomach turn.”

  “Is there anyone in particular I should avoid?” I was expecting her to hear Max’s name but Lisa just shook her head.

  “Just the guys I’ve already told you about. Everyone else is basically harmless… though you shouldn’t tell Terri, another of the waitresses, anything that you don’t want the entire block to know.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind… anyone else?” I prodded. “What are the bartenders like?”

  “They’re both great. Chelsea’s been here even longer than I have and Max just came on a few months ago. They’re both really professional, they engage the customers but they’re careful not to over serve. Chelsea is older; I think she’s in her late thirties. She’s married and has a little girl, so she mostly works days. She’s the bar manager, she does all of the inventory and ordering. Max is just a few years older than us; he’s a fantastic bartender but he’s really a writer. He’s pretty good; I wouldn’t be surprised if he moves on soon. He’s not like the other guys here, either. He’s never come on to any of us or made inappropriate jokes. Some of us have wondered if he even likes women.” She laughed.

  I smiled and tried to hide my confusion; the man she was describing didn’t match the image of Max I’d created in my head. ‘He must be good at faking it.’ I thought to myself. ‘Of course he wouldn’t want the people he has to work with everyday knowing what a slime ball he really is.’

  The bell chimed as the first dinner customers pushed open the front door. “We’d better get to work.” Lisa said as she rose from her seat. “Take our plates to the kitchen and meet me back up front.”

  Lisa and I spent the next six hours rushing through the restaurant delivering plates, refilling drinks, and keeping our customers happy. One of the other waitresses called in sick, and half way through the shift I started taking tables on my own. While I was working with Lisa, I managed to avoid the bar area; once I was on my own, I didn’t have a choice. Nearly everyone wants wine with Italian food and I had to place a few dozen orders with Max. Each time, he wordlessly filled the orders without making eye contact with me. I held my head high and pretended not to notice. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of rattling me.

  At the end of the night I’d found a new friend in Lisa, made almost two hundred dollars in tips, and been ignored by Max Shepherd so many times I lost count.

  CHAPTER 5

  “Oh my GOD!” Janette exclaimed. “Oh what I’d have paid to see your face when you spotted him behind the bar!”Her tone held the appropriate blend of shock and amusement.

  “It was pretty bad.” I admitted before taking a long drink of my beer. I’d been home from my first shift at Orlando’s for about two hours. I’d taken a long shower and washed the smell of marinara sauce out of my hair before calling Janette and inviting her over for a few drinks and a much needed venting session.

  “How did he react when he saw you?” She asked. “Was he creeped out, like he thought you were a stalker or something?”

  “No,” I laughed. “Actually, I was surprised by his reaction. He seemed… happy to see me.”

  “Kate, I TOLD YOU!” Janette groaned in frustration. “Not all guys see sex on the first night as a bad, dirty thing. Your mom means well, but her advice is outdated. This is New York City… it has a pace and a mind of its own, and it’s easy to get caught up in. Guys here don’t think that your trashy if you hook up with them, they think that you’re bold and adventurous.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but why take the chance?” I argued.

  “Because if you don’t, you’ll end up all alone,” she scolded me. “So he was happy to see you… what did he say?”

  I took a deep breath before explaining. “He asked if I got his messages. I said that I had, but that they weren’t why I was there. I commented on the awkwardness of the situation and told him that I was the new waitress. Then he got standoffish and told me that he could act like an adult at work, regardless of what had happened between us. THEN he spent the rest of the night giving me the silent treatment like an eight year old child.”

  Janette groaned again. “Kate, what is WRONG with you?” She asked bewildered.

  “What are you talking about?” I insisted. “How was I supposed to handle it?”

  “When you saw that he was happy to see you, you should have returned the sentiment. You could have said that you’d gotten the messages, but you dropped your phone in the sink and lost his number. Then, you could have commented on how happy you were that fate had landed you a job at the exact same place he works! It would make a great ‘how we met story’.” She finished with a smile.

  “Yeah,” I agreed sarcastically after finishing my fourth beer. “We had a random hook up one week and became coworkers the next. That’s a great story, Janette, really something you want to share with your grandchildren one day.”

  “There’s your mother talking again.” Janette said, shaking her head. “We’re twenty-one years old, why in the world are you worrying about your grandchildren? You could get hit by a bus tomorrow… focus on the here and now.”

  “Okay, fine.” I huffed. “I’ll focus on the here and now. But that doesn’t mean that I have to date Max Shepherd.”

  “I’m not telling you to date him.” Janette countered. “I’m merely pointing out that not being able to handle the fact that you slept with him isn’t a good enough reason to treat him like a piece of trash.”

  “I understand what you’re saying, Janette. Really, I do.” I assured her. “I know that I’m a little old fashioned, and that that’s part of the reason I dislike Max so much. But honestly, I’m a good judge of character and I just get a strange vibe from him. I don’t think that he can be trusted.” I didn’t mention what Lisa had said about Max; the information didn’t support my argument so I saw no reason to bring it up.

  “Well if that’s the case, why don’t you just quit? I think it would be easier to find a new job than work in such an awkward situation. Besides, you have plenty of money to fall back on. You could take your time and find something that you really enjoy.” She suggested.

  I shook my head. “I can’t do that. It may be my old-fashioned upbringing coming out again, but I don’t want to touch my savings unless I absolutely have to. The longer that account stays in the black, the longer I can stay in the city. And you know how hard it is to find work in this economy. If I quit Orlando’s it could be months, a year even, before I get another paycheck.”

  “Didn’t you come here to be a star, Kate?” Janette asked me skeptically.

  “Of course I did, why would you even ask me that?” I was drunk and growing impatient with her attitude.

  “Because right now, you’re acting like you lifelong dream is to be a waitress at Orlando’s. A lot of people come to New York with the exact same dream you have. They want to be stars and they bust their asses, book their own auditions, and pray that an agent will one day take a meeting with them. Those people take jobs just like you have, but because they don’t have a choice. And do you know what happens to those people, Kate?”

  “No, but I’m sure that you’re going to tell me.” I sighed.

  “The stress gets to them. It all gets to be too much. Something has to give, and it can’t be the job that keeps a roof over their heads. Some give up completely and go back to where they came from. Some give up on their dream but stay in the city. None of them end up with their name in lights.”

  “I can handle it.” I answered defensively.

  “But you don’t have to.” She replied before I could continue. “If I was in your shoes, I’d be living it up! Yo
u’ve just moved from a small, wholesome Midwest town to the most exciting place on earth. You’ve been here for a week: you haven’t seen the Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, or the Statue of Liberty, but you HAVE seen Orlando’s employee break room. There’s something seriously wrong with that Kate.”

  “I went to the flea market…” I argued halfheartedly. I knew that Janette had a point. I’d been so caught up in my determination to survive in the city that I forgot to actually enjoy it. “Okay, I’ll admit that you’re right.” I told her. “I’m not going to quit my job until I have a new one lined up, but I will do a better job of exploring my new hometown. I’m off on Thursday, do you have plans?”

  “I’m working later that night, but I’m free during the day. I’m off tomorrow night, so I can get up and moving at a decent hour… how did you manage to get a Friday off?” She asked.

  “Lisa said that that after the girl I’m replacing quit, Steve covered all of the regular shifts. They didn’t think they’d hire someone so quickly. Today and tomorrow are my training shifts, and I’ll start my regular hours on Monday.” I explained.

  “So you have one last weekend of freedom!” Janette exclaimed. “We have to do something… lots of somethings! The band is booked for Thursday and Friday, but I’m off on Saturday night. Maybe everyone could come to the Friday show! We could part all night, have a lazy recovery day on Saturday, and then do some sightseeing on Sunday!”

  “That sounds great!” I agreed. “I just have to make it through tomorrow…” My excitement disappeared as I remembered that I’d have to face Max again.

  “Listen Kate, I’m sorry if I seemed out of line earlier.” Janette said with tears in her eyes. The tears were inspired more by the six pack of beer she’d drank and less by actual remorse, but I was drunk too so it didn’t matter. “I just really like you. I feel like we’re becoming friends and I don’t want to see you end up like everyone else.”

  “It’s alright,” I assured her with tears of my own. “I know that you’re just watching my back… I really appreciate that.”

  Janette laughed and wiped her eyes. “Look at us, we’re sloppy drunks. I need to chill out… I’m too emotional. I know that you’ve said that you wouldn’t care if I…”

  “Do you have pot?” I interrupted with an excited whisper.

  She smiled and nodded.

  “Can we smoke it?” I laughed.

  “If you want…” she replied hesitantly. “What made you change your mind?”

  “I don’t know.” I laughed, knowing full well that the alcohol had changed my mind. “I guess I’ve gotten wrapped up in the pace of the city… I’m feeling bold and adventurous.”

  Janette rose with a laugh and set off to retrieve her marijuana.

  ***

  Thursday morning, I woke to someone pounding on my front door. I stretched, disoriented at first, and wondered who could possibly be outside. ‘It must be Janette.’ I thought. ‘No one else knows where I live.’ I glanced at my bedside clock; it was nine-thirty in the morning. ‘Janette never gets up before noon. Something must be wrong.’

  I jumped out of bed, darted to the living room, and flung the door open. Janette was jumping up and down in the hallway with a giddy smile on her face. “Kate! Oh my god! You’re never going to believe what’s happened!”

  “What is it?” I asked, relieved that the news seemed to be good.

  Janette jumped past me and into the apartment. “I just got off the phone with Serena. The new run of Kinky Boots is about to start. The actor that’s playing Lola has been really impressed with Serena’s work so he gave her five ORCHESTRA seats for OPENING NIGHT!” She finished with a shrill squeal.

  “Are you serious?” I asked in disbelief. I backed out of the doorway and gestured for Janette to come inside. She stepped in and set off for the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

  “I’m completely serious.” She called out. “You, me, Bridget, and the guys will get to watch the show in some of the best seats in the house.”

  I joined her in the kitchen and perched on the countertop.

  “So when is it?” I asked with a yawn. As excited as I was about the show, I was completely exhausted. I hadn’t expected to see Janette until at least one o’clock, so I’d stayed up early the night before researching the best reviewed photographers to take a new set of head shots. As Janette answered, I reached up and grabbed a coffee mug from the cabinet.

  “A week from today,” she smiled as she fetched a mug of her own. “Do you think you’ll be able to get off work?”

  I groaned. “I’ll call Steve right now and ask off. But if things keep going the way they have been, I doubt that I’ll make it another week without walking out.”

  “I take it things with Max didn’t go any better yesterday?” She asked knowingly.

  I shook my head. “Still the cold shouldered silent treatment.” I sighed. “He’s got this sneer that he gives me every time I walk in to the bar area. Lisa noticed it yesterday and asked what I’d done to piss him off. I gathered from her tone that, no matter what I had to say, she was on his side. So now she’s being weird with me too…”

  My second training shift had been exponentially worse than the first. Orlando’s was uncharacteristically slow on Wednesday, and Steve quickly cut the staff to the bare minimum. I stayed because I was technically still in training, though Lisa let me take tables on my own again after I passed the menu quiz. The entire shift had gone by at a snail’s pace; anytime the dining room was empty Lisa sat down at the bar, and I had no good reason not to join her without explaining my scandalous history with Max.

  Lisa made polite conversation and I tried to play along, but I was uncomfortable and distracted by Max’s presence. I wasn’t really paying attention to what she was talking about, and twice I responded to her questions with completely inappropriate, unrelated comments. She was already irritated with me, so when she noticed that Max seemed upset with me she happily jumped on the bandwagon. I’d spent the rest of the night keeping my mouth shut and focusing on work; by the time I left the restaurant, every napkin in the place was folded into a sunburst and filled with silverware.

  “That sucks, Kate.” Janette said sympathetically. “But on the bright side, you don’t have to think about that place again until Monday. We have a fantastic weekend ahead of us, and a once in a life time night just a week away.”

  I smiled and agreed that she was right. For what seemed like the hundredth time since I’d arrived in the city, I thanked fate for dropping me next to Janette. She’d introduced me to some fantastic people and one of my biggest dreams was about to come true. I’ve always been infatuated with Broadway, but I’ve never actually seen a show on The Great White Way. But in one short week, I’d be sitting at one of the most glamorous events of the season. It suddenly dawned on me that I had nothing to wear to the big event. I took a long sip of my black coffee and turned to Janette.

  “So… what do you want to do today?” I asked hopefully.

  “Shop,” she replied immediately.

  I beamed. “I was hoping you’d say that! I have nothing to wear to the show! I don’t even know what you’re supposed to wear to a night like this, much less where to buy it.”

  “I’ve got you covered.” Janette smiled. “We played an after party during fashion week this year. I know all of the chic current styles. And as far as where we go, well that’s easy: Manhattan of course.”

  “I’m not sure that I can afford anything from Fifth Avenue.” I sighed.

  Janette laughed. “Not every store in the fashion district is high-end.” She explained. “Though I do want to browse through Fendi and Prada, just to drool and daydream. And who knows? Maybe you’ll stumble across something that inspires you to loosen those purse strings a little. You’ve showed amazing restraint since you got here, but if there was ever a reason to splurge, this is it.”

  The comment about my purse strings made me a little uncomfortable. I haven’t told Jan
ette how much money Mimi gave me; she hasn’t come right out and asked for a number, but she brings it up a little more often than she should. The number is in the six figures, which isn’t something I want to flaunt.

  “We’ll see,” I said with a hesitant smile. I glanced at the stovetop clock and then looked down at my pajamas. “The next train leaves in forty-five minutes. I can be ready in twenty, if you want to get going.”

  “Perfect,” Janette agreed with a happy smile. She was already dressed and ready for the day. “I’ll pop back to my place and make us a quick, portable breakfast. Do you have travel cups for the coffee?”

  “I think they’re still in a box somewhere…” I said, glancing around the room. I’d unpacked all of my necessities, but the bulk of my things were still stacked around the apartment.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Janette assured me. “I’ll grab some of mine. See you in fifteen?”

  “Sounds good,” I agreed.

  CHAPTER 6

  As promised, Janette returned fifteen minutes later with travel mugs and breakfast sandwiches.

  “It’s nothing special,” she told me as she extended a sandwich. “Just turkey bacon and egg whites on wheat.”

  “It’s delicious.” I assured her after swallowing my first bite.

  I slung my purse over my shoulder and we ate our breakfast as we walked to the subway station. We spent the entire ride describing our dream outfit for the Kinky Boots premier. I envisioned myself wearing something bold hued and sophisticated. Janette, of course, had her heart set on something black.

  We got off the train at Fifth Avenue and I was immediately intimidated by my surroundings. Back home in Waterloo our ‘shopping district’ is Central Mall, where the GAP is considered high-end. Stepping on to Fifth Avenue was like stepping on to another planet, and I didn’t know where to start.