As soon as I start to sort through and organize my songbooks and sheet music, I find the envelope that Trevor gave me. I stare at the message on the front of the envelope. Is it really that big of a deal to open it with Trevor? He probably already opened his anyway. I start to tear into it but I stop. This was one of her last requests of me; I need to do as she asked. I decide to send Trevor a text. I should at least check with him before I open it.
Have you read the letter yet?
I take the letter and tuck it safely inside my grandmother’s journal.
I’ve almost finished organizing my entire room when my phone rings. It’s Cassie finally calling me back from yesterday.
“Hey. Sorry for the delay. Mark and I were out pretty late last night.”
I don’t know why I get so nervous when I have to apologize to her. I must have some younger sibling inferiority complex.
I tell her about my conversation with Georgie about her bridal shower and how badly I feel.
“So, I guess you were right when you said I was selfish. I never thought about it until you said that, and I think yesterday everything finally clicked. I even thought about how horribly I acted when Mom and Dad decided to sell the house. I was impossible.”
I’m expecting a big I told you so but she surprises me.
“I was out of line when I said that. I know you’re trying to find your path and make the right decision for your future. And I appreciate that my opinion matters to you. You wouldn’t come to me if you didn’t trust me.”
This is true, and Cassie has always made the right decisions. Of course everything has always come easy to her, maybe there is something to that whole yoga and meditation thing.
“I do but you were right when you said I need to stand on my own two feet and not always be looking to everyone else for help.”
“Maris, you’ve done that,” she interrupts. “You made the decision to move to a new city. You left family, friends, and even your boyfriend to do that. I admire and respect you for making that decision. I know it wasn’t easy.”
This makes me smile to myself.
“Well, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve made the decision to join Liv’s performing arts company. I’m just waiting for my boss to get back so I can make it official.”
“That’s great news, and you know, if it doesn’t work out you can always try again. Broadway isn’t going anywhere.”
That’s what Zack said. And speaking of Zack, I’m dying to tell Cassie about him but I hold back. Considering we’ve spent a very small amount of time together, it’s way too soon.
“I went to yoga today,” I say proudly. She starts to laugh and gives me one of her famous lectures on how good it is for me and how much I need to go on a regular basis to improve.
As soon as Cassie starts the lectures that’s my cue to end the call. I thank her for listening, and I really do feel so much better after coming clean about my feelings.
I finally finish cleaning up my room and carry my laundry bag out to the living room.
“Hi, Maris.”
When I turn around, Kyle is standing in the doorway to the kitchen. At first, he catches me off guard, but then I realize he’s here for Layla.
“Hey,” I say, dropping the laundry bag on the floor.
“I’m just waiting for Layla,” he says awkwardly.
“Kyle, you don’t have to feel weird. I’m totally cool with all of this.”
He relaxes a little.
“So, Layla says you’re talking to Zack?”
Okay, that was kind of abrupt, but I know he’s just trying to make conversation. I try to tone down my smile without looking like a silly teenager.
I shrug. “We’re getting to know each other, but long distance is difficult.”
He nods. “Yes, it is.”
“I’m ready,” Layla says, coming out of her room. “Oh.” She looks a bit uncomfortable at first.
“You guys have fun today,” I say cheerfully.
I wander back to my room and sit down on the bed. I’m sincerely happy for Kyle because I really like Layla. There’s something about the two of them that fits, and who knows, maybe she was meant to move in with me so I could bring them together. Doesn’t everything happen for a reason?
When I look at my phone, there’s a message from Trevor.
I haven’t opened it yet. I was waiting for you.
I take out the letter and hold it in my hand. I wish we could do this over the phone.
“So, how about we do this over the phone?” I ask as soon as he answers.
“Are you trying to avoid spending time with me?”
He’s so arrogant.
“No. But you don’t live here so there’s no way we’re going to do this in person. Let’s just do it now.”
This is ridiculous. Why am I arguing about this? Would Beatrice really care if we opened them in person or over the phone anyway? At the same time, I still feel like I can’t go against her wishes.
“I will be in Jersey for work next week. How about I just pop over and we can do it? Um . . . open the letters of course.”
Typical Trevor, he thinks he’s funny. I ignore his comment and finally agree, but only because I’m ready to see what it says in this envelope.
After we hang up, I hold the envelope in my hand.
“I’m sorry, Beatrice,” I say out loud.
Chapter 23
This is really happening. I’m sitting in the café waiting on Giselle to arrive. And the worst part is Liv had an emergency so she won’t be here. So, it will be just Giselle and me, having a civilized conversation. I have no clue how this is going to go or what she’s going to say since Liv is not going to be here. So, whatever is said here today is my word against hers. Maybe I should record the conversation? Is that against the law?
“Hello, Maris,” Giselle says warmly, as she leans over to give me an air kiss. Once again, her outfit doesn’t disappoint. She’s wearing tight black leather pants with a red corset top. Considering it’s the middle of the day on Wednesday, she looks horribly out of place. I look around and notice a few people staring and whispering. Oh well, if she doesn’t care, then I really shouldn’t judge.
“Hello, Giselle,” I say politely.
She snaps her fingers to call over the server who isn’t the slightest bit amused at the way she’s been summoned.
“May I please have a bottle of sparkling, and the cheese and charcuterie plate? Thank you, love.”
“I’m starved.” She tells me after the server walks away, mumbling something under her breath. I personally wouldn’t touch anything this girl serves now.
Giselle lets out a deep sigh. “So, let’s talk. I’m sorry I was unable to meet with you and Liv the other day.”
I force a smile. “That’s fine.”
Before I can say a word, Giselle begins talking about LivElle and how fantastic it’s going to be. She goes on about how she finally feels like she’s a part of something wonderful and how many people she wants to help. Then, she talks about how she’s trying to become more charitable and with the help of Liv (and an excellent therapist) she’s becoming a better person. And to her credit, she’s working hard to convince me. The question is whether she’s sincere or not.
“I think the company sounds wonderful,” I tell her. “I just want to make sure there are no issues before I take such a big step . . . I mean between you and me.”
She sips her Pellegrino. “You mean because of Trevor?”
I nod. “Yes, because of Trevor.”
I decide not to hold back because this is why we’re here. We might as well get everything out in the open if there is any hope of this working. She places her glass down, and for the first time since she’s sat down, she’s completely silent.
“Trevor and I are not together . . . right now.” And there it is, she’s staking her claim. “I think I told you once before that he’s always had issues with commitment. I don’t know if you knew this but I was his longest relation
ship until his grandmother stepped in.”
Is she really bringing up Beatrice right now?
“Beatrice never approved of me. Of course, Trevor and I had our issues like every couple, but once she voiced her disapproval of me . . . well, that’s when the real problems started.”
I’m surprised at how open she’s being with me. I remember the first night I met Trevor and Giselle, they were arguing about something.
I watch Giselle’s expression change, and a vulnerable side of her I’ve never seen begins to peek out. I guess this is the side of her that Liv knows, and I’m sure Trevor has seen it as well.
“Trevor’s never satisfied, and every time we had a fight he would complain about me to his grandmother. It’s no wonder she hated me as much as she did.”
The server comes back with her cheese plate and places it down in front of her. I can only imagine where that cheese has been now.
“Can I get you anything?” she asks me with not one ounce of enthusiasm. It couldn’t be any more obvious how much she dislikes her job, or maybe it’s just our table.
“Not right now. Thank you,” I tell her.
When the server walks away, Giselle begins talking again.
“It wasn’t Beatrice’s fault; she saw me as the bad guy and there was no changing her mind. I really tried with her, too. I offered to take her places, to get her hair done, but she would always say no.”
I know this is true. I remember being at Beatrice’s house and Trevor telling her that Giselle wanted to take her out. Beatrice wanted no part of it, and she talked about how much she disliked Giselle all the time. I should’ve known there are always three sides of every story, and only one side is the truth.
“And now that she’s passed away, I think he’s completely lost because she’s not here to give her approval anymore. It’s like he doesn’t know what to do with his life.”
I’m listening intently. Up until this point, Giselle was always portrayed as the bad guy. I certainly saw her that way and with good reason. She was never nice to me before this.
“Anyway, the truth is I still love him and I probably always will. More than I’ve ever loved anyone, but sometimes things aren’t meant to work out the way we want them to.”
I’m not sure what’s coming over me but I actually feel a tiny bit sorry for her right now. Of course, I know she probably brought a lot of this on herself.
“I saw you sitting with him at the funeral,” I say nonchalantly as I play with my straw.
She shrugs her shoulders. “Despite everything, I know how close he and Beatrice were and I was trying to be there for him. And after the funeral, it actually felt like things were getting back on track for us, and then, poof, he was distant again.”
I fold my arms and think about what could have changed. Suddenly, I remember the letters from Beatrice. He must have found those letters in his things, and I’m sure he was thinking the same thing about her purpose in writing those letters to us. It was never a secret that Beatrice wanted Trevor and me to be together. But like Giselle just said, just because you want something doesn’t mean it will happen.
While we’re being honest, I know I need to be honest with her, too.
“You know Beatrice and my grandmother were friends, right?”
She nods. “Yes. And I know Beatrice was trying to play matchmaker for you and Trevor.”
I grit my teeth. I admit that catches me off guard, but I guess it’s better that she already knows so I don’t have to be the one to tell her. “She thought it was more than a coincidence that we met each other, and the fact that she and my grandmother had been friends . . .” I stop.
She munches on a piece of cheese.
“Maris, you don’t have to give me an explanation. I know you and Trevor had a thing for a while. Trevor can be very charming, and women usually just fall at his feet.”
I’m starting to feel uncomfortable. I most certainly didn’t fall at his feet. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid him at all costs because I was with Kyle and he was with Giselle.
“Well, after Kyle and I broke up and you two broke up, we did go out a few times.”
She holds up her hand. “And let me guess, it’s been an off-and-on thing ever since. He probably calls you when he’s in the city and you’d visit him when you went home . . .”
Trevor must have told her about our courtship, for lack of a better word.
“Maris, do you still have feelings for Trevor?”
I shrug. “Honestly, I’m not sure what I feel for him. It may be just because of the history of our families that draws me to him. But regardless of that, I’ve recently met someone else.”
I don’t know why I mention Zack, and it will probably get back to Trevor and that’s okay. I guess I’m just trying to create an open line of communication. The vibe between us has changed, and even though I know that we will never be close friends or even friends, I think we’re starting to come to an understanding. At least, we should be able to have a cordial working relationship.
A little while later, Giselle and I walk out of the café together.
“So, now that we’ve had a chance to talk, are you ready to sign on with LivElle?” she asks, putting on her very expensive Tom Ford sunglasses.
One corner of my mouth curls up. “Liv knows my plans.”
She nods. “I suppose we should have done this a while ago. But, I guess timing is everything.”
Yes, it is.
After Giselle and I say our good-byes, I slowly walk down the busy street and I realize I might be the only person who’s not in a rush. Sometimes it’s hard not to be in a rush in this city, but right now I’m just trying to take everything in. I still remember the day I came here to meet with Selena, and then shortly after when I made the final decision to take the job. I was scared and excited all at the same time.
Today, I’m having that same feeling. I’ve heard people say change is good, and hopefully I’m making the right change for my life.
I consider calling Trevor and telling him about my meeting with Giselle, but I think it’s better that I don’t open that can of worms. Besides, I’m expecting Giselle will tell him all about it. He will be here soon enough, and we will open our letters from Beatrice. After that, who knows?
Chapter 24
Selena is back from her vacation, and I’m in complete panic mode. I really don’t want a repeat of what happened with Lucy at Do-Re-Mi. Selena has gone out of her way for me, so of course I feel really bad about leaving. I just keep reminding myself of all the doors that are going to open for me.
I nervously pace outside Selena’s office. I hate to bother her the morning she gets back, but I can’t hold this in any longer.
“Do you have a few minutes to talk?” I ask, popping my head in.
She waves me in. “Sure. As long as you don’t mind me answering some emails? As much as I love taking vacations, returning to work is always the worst part.”
I nod my head and take a deep breath. My voice is trembling as I explain the offer to her. She’s abandoned her emails and is listening to me. Her expression changes but she doesn’t look mad.
“Are you leaving Manhattan?”
I shake my head. “No, I will be traveling a bit but I’m staying here, at least for now.”
She purses her lips. “The students are going to be terribly upset.”
I hang my head. “I know they are, and I’m really going to miss them,” I say, trying to hold back the tears. “And what makes this even worse is I feel like I’m abandoning you after you took a huge chance on me.”
She reaches over the desk and places her hands on mine.
“Maris, I knew when you came here that it wouldn’t be forever. You had your eye on the prize, and even though you’re not getting the exact prize you are were hoping for, you’re still doing what you have to do.”
I look down at my hands. I don’t think I can speak right now.
“When do you start?”
I shrug my
shoulders. “The planning is in the final stages. We have a trip to London coming up. So, I imagine it will be soon.”
We continue our conversation, but my mind continues to wander. She even asks if I wouldn’t mind teaching until LivElle officially launches. Of course I agree because I can’t afford to be out of work at all.
See You Later Broadway (Broadway Series Book 2) Page 15