One Fine Day
Page 21
“Mine, too,” Caroline said.
Epilogue
One Year Later
“Stop twitching,” Terry complained. “God, you’re as nervous as if you were on stage yourself.”
Jill shifted in her theater seat again. “I’m a hell of a lot more nervous than that.”
She had crumpled the program in her hands. The cover read Hits You’ve Never Heard, Redux and at the bottom of the page, the audience was informed that the program was sponsored, as it had been last year, by the Appelbaum Foundation.
“I’m not nervous, and my girlfriend is the star,” Terry pointed out.
“Naomi is fantastic,” Jill said enthusiastically. “The audience is eating her up.”
Terry smirked, but before she could turn on the smut, the lights dimmed for the second and final act.
The arias Caroline had chosen for this year’s program were equally as beautiful, and from operas equally as obscure, as last year’s smash. The kick-off for the RMO’s season was going spectacularly well, but Terry could see Jill getting more and more agitated as the finale neared. She reached over to give Jill a comforting pat, and returned her attention to the stage.
Naomi sang the last number of the evening, and she received a well-deserved standing ovation, led by Terry, who jumped to her feet and yelled “Brava!” until her throat was hoarse.
Jill muttered, “Here we go.”
“It’ll be fine,” Terry reassured her.
The curtains remained open as Caroline emerged from the wings. The applause grew thunderous, and Caroline curtsied graciously as the lights dimmed again and the spotlight hit her, center stage.
Terry listened to the little speech Caroline gave, thanking the audience and the opera sponsors. She described the RMO season to come, including Carmen. Terry’s heart almost burst with pride at the mention of Naomi Snow in the title role. It was Naomi’s big chance, and she could hardly wait for opening night next month.
Jill was practically coming out of her skin next to her when Caroline said, “We have prepared a brief encore, if you are interested. Unlike the numbers in this evening’s program, this is actually a very famous aria from a huge hit, but if you’ll permit us, I’d like for you to end the evening with this wonderful music. Is that all right?”
The audience went wild again. Caroline remained completely still on the stage until everyone fell silent. Terry felt Jill holding her breath.
Caroline commanded the stage as she had always done, the light seeming to come from within her rather than overhead.
The first notes floated, perfectly pitched, out over the orchestra, into the opera house, into the hearts of an audience who hadn’t heard Caroline Prince sing in almost two years.
“Un bel di vedremo,” she sang.
Terry glanced at the look of adoration on Jill’s face.
Her fine day had arrived.
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