Raise the Curtain

by Kirby Hall

  Chapter 36

  “That’s great, thanks,” Alexa said to the girl helping her zip the back of her dress during her latest costume change.

  “Did you see the super cute guy sitting by Bekah out there?”

  Alexa’s heart soared. She hadn’t been able to see out into the audience because of the angle of the lights since the play started. West must’ve made it. She bit her bottom lip. “He is cute, isn’t he?”

  The girl nodded, but looked confused by Alexa’s response as they hurried into their positions for the start of Act Two. Perched on the corner of a wooden house Alexa sighed. She knew he’d be there.

  “Alexa,” Josh hissed.

  Her head snapped up as she scanned the people huddled at the edge of the curtain. It didn’t take her long to spot Josh waving a hand at her. The music started up from the orchestra pit, drowning out whatever Josh was trying to say. She shook her head at him and looked down at her costume. Had she missed something? Nothing seemed out of place. She looked at him again.

  He pointed to the curtain and tried to mouth something to her. A few of the dancers crossed between her and Josh and she missed what he was trying to tell her again. She shook her head at him as the curtain began to rise. Whatever it was would have to wait. Desperate to look about a hundred times more relaxed than she felt, she fell back against the side of the house too fast and grimaced when the corner hit her spine.

  She covered the grimace with a smile and swung her leg lazily as the dancers filed in from both sides of the stage. As was her job at this point in the show, she leaned her head back and tried to look as though her mind was in the clouds. It wasn’t hard since she couldn’t stop wondering what Josh was trying to tell her and why the girl had given her a strange look when Alexa had agreed West was cute.

  Near the end of the dance, Alexa tried to glance toward where Bekah was sitting and caught the full blast of the spotlight. Seeing stars, she opted to keep her eyes on her focal points and wait to ask Josh what his deal was later. As for West, she’d steal a few minutes with him after the show.

  The second act flew by faster than the first. Alexa ran a hand over her hat and stood tall in the white dress she was wearing for the final song. Any other time she would be fawning all over the wedding dress, but right now all she could think about was the daunting note awaiting her. She’d only come close to hitting it once all week. She and Mrs. Brale had come up with a backup plan, but dropping the key took something away from the song. Alexa straightened her shoulders. She would make it work.

  “Hey, great job,” Josh said from beside her. He paused to wipe sweat from his face. “So, did you know Graham was coming?”

  Alexa stared at him as though he had three heads. “Graham?”

  “Yeah, he’s sitting out there beside Bekah.”

  “He is?”

  “Yes, that’s what I was trying to tell you.” Josh rolled his eyes clearly annoyed she was having trouble keeping up with the conversation.

  But, what would Graham be doing here?

  Alexa craned her neck to try to see out into the audience, but she couldn’t see Bekah’s seat from where they were waiting.

  “I take it you didn’t know then?”

  “No idea. Maybe Bekah brought him to surprise me?”

  Josh shrugged. “She didn’t mention it to me.”

  The music started again and Josh stepped out into the light, leaving her alone with her confusion. If Graham was sitting beside Bekah, where was West?

  The stage manager’s assistant poked her, making her jump. “That’s your cue.”

  “I’m here. There’s no need to fret,” she improvised as she stepped onto the stage. The other actors on stage laughed and worked it into the show and together, they rolled through the lines until the final dance number and song began.

  Alexa stepped into the arms of the senior playing her love interest and with each turn, she glanced into the audience. He spun her out, buying her a few seconds to scan faces, before spinning her back in. They circled the stage again, their voices carrying with everyone else’s. He spun her out at the edge of the stage, where she scanned the faces in the crowd. There was no sign of West.

  They joined together again and whirled around until they reached the opposite side of the stage. With a wink, he spun her away from him for the final time and left her there to start her solo. They would join together again in the center where they would pretend to get married, but first she had to nail her solo. Fresh butterflies sprang to life insider her. As she took one last opportunity to study the faces in the audience, a familiar green hoodie caught her eye, immediately calming her nerves.

  She breathed a sigh of relief and then froze when she saw the familiar face of her father standing beside him. What the . . .

  West nodded to her and smiled.

  The music from the orchestra changed tempos as the final love song started. She began to sing, the song so engrained in her it seemed to come out without her having to try. She was more thankful than ever for the extra practice because she wasn’t sure she could think straight.

  How was her father there? Why was he there? He’d never wanted to come before, never shown any interest. What had happened to get her dad to the show? And, with West of all people?

  She started to walk toward the center of the stage where her future stage husband waited for her with an outstretched hand. As her gaze swung across the audience, she saw Bekah and Graham grinning at her and suddenly joy rose up in Alexa’s chest that couldn’t be contained. It was as though her heart was smiling for the first time in forever. Her happiness at the sight of those she loved built and built like the pressure inside a volcano. All the months of sadness and confusion were gone; pushed aside and quieted by the fact that everyone she cared about most in the world were there for her.

  When it was time for the final note, she opened her mouth and abandoning all fear, she went for it as tears sprang to her eyes. Applause rang out from the audience and the other performers waiting in the wings as the rest of the cast joined in for a final reprieve. They’d done it. And, the show had been wonderful.

  She caught West’s eye and smiled as the curtain dropped so the cast could lineup for curtain call.

  Josh moved in beside her and squeezed her hand. “You were awesome. Nice move adding real tears.” He leaned in close to her ear. “You do know you can’t actually win a Tony for a high school show, right?”

  She bumped him with her hip and laughed as the curtain raised and she stepped forward to bow. A whistle sounded from the crowd and Alexa laughed again. She saw her dad who was clapping and smiling up at her. This moment, she thought, this feeling right here. This is why, Daddy.

  She wished she could explain it to him. Make him understand how she craved the stage. The excitement. How she loved the rush and practice and the accomplishment. She looked at him again, his smile wide and wondered if she’d have to, or if somehow, he understood now.

  She stepped back, the curtain dropped and she was swept into arms and hugging everyone and anyone who stepped in front of her. When she finally caught up with Josh, she was out of breath from laughing and talking to everyone in the cast and crew.

  “Ready to go party?” he asked.

  “In a minute. I have to get out there. My dad’s here.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “With West.”

  “Seriously?” Josh took a step back. “I’ll go out with you. In case you need a referee.”

  She grinned at her oldest friend who was wearing a powder blue suit with the tie undone and hanging down his chest. They looked like two kids who’d been playing dress up in their grandparent’s closet. “You mean so you can see Bekah.”

  “That, too.”

  They pushed through the side door and stepped into more hugs and congratulations. Bekah pushed some random k
id out of the way and draped an arm around Alexa and Josh at the same time.

  “Nice work, guys. Pizza?”

  “It’s like you can read my mind,” Josh said.

  “Hey, Punk.” Alexa knelt down in front of Graham. “Thanks for coming. You weren’t too bored, were you?”

  “Not too bad.”

  As she stood, her dad stepped over and pulled her into a hug. “You were amazing, Alexa. Truly.”

  Pressed against his chest with the comforting feeling of his strong arms around her, she dared to believe he would be okay; that her family was somehow whole again. “I’m so glad you came.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back so he could look at her face. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not. I’m your father.” He brushed a thumb across her cheek the way he used to do when she was little. “I should’ve been there for you. I should’ve understood, but after your mother I . . .” When her dad’s voice caught, a sob caught in her throat. “I guess I just want to protect you the way I couldn’t protect her.”

  “Oh, Daddy,” she buried her face in his chest again and let the tears fall. As people milled about the room around them she couldn’t help but feel they were finally grieving together instead of just trying to survive.

  “Your mom would’ve been so proud of you.”

  Alexa pulled back and swiped at her eyes. “I wish she could’ve been here.”

  “Me, too.”

  Her gaze wandered over to where West was leaning against the wall with one knee bent so that one of his shoes was resting on the paint.

  “Go,” her dad said.

  She stared at her father with wide eyes. “But—”

  “It’s okay.” Her dad nudged her toward West. “Go now. We’ll talk later tonight.”

  She hugged her dad again and crossed over to where West was waiting.

  “Nice dress,” he said after looking her up and down.

  She ignored his smirk. “How’d you do it?”

  He raised an eyebrow and pushed away from the wall until they were only a breath apart. “What makes you think I did anything?”

  “Because you’re you and you’ve been helping me ever since you started talking to me.”

  “Ah,” he snapped his fingers, “So, that’s where I made my mistake.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “You did not just say that.”

  He laughed. “Get over here.” He pulled her against him for a hug.

  As his familiar smell surrounded her and the lines of his body melded against hers, the final pieces of her perfect night fell into place.

  “I love you, Alexa, and you love your family.” He said it against her hair where no one else could hear. “I told you I’d make things right with your dad.”

  She looked up and saw his own happiness reflected in the deep brown of his eyes she loved so much. “Thank you for what you did.”

  “Anything you need, A-money.”

  She rolled her eyes and laughed as he pulled her against him again. While her family and best friends talked together close by, she realized for the first time since she could remember, her heart was full.