Broadway Lights

by Jen Calonita

  "I'm sure it will," I say, trying to compose myself now that the woman is giving me nasty looks. "How did you get roped into this one?"

  "Your mom spotted me," he admits. "She said it would help her out if I would do it so I agreed to be a good sport. How could I say no? The woman fed me dinner the last few nights."

  Dylan has been hanging out with me in the afternoon, which means he's around when I have my early (four-thirty PM) dinner before the show, so Mom has been feeding him too. Matty seems to think Austin wouldn't like Dylan eating with us, but as I told Matty, Austin isn't around to gripe. He's not even around to talk to! Our pledge to make nightly phone calls at the same time seems to have dissolved in little over a week. Now whenever we do talk, one of us is blaming the other one for not calling. Or we flat out forget. I've been with Dylan so much this weekend, I forgot to even try reaching Austin.

  Wow. That makes me a terrible girlfriend, doesn't it?

  "I'm so sorry," I tell Dylan in between giggles.

  "Don't be," he says. "This stuff tastes great." He takes a finger and swipes his left cheek and then sticks the finger in his mouth. "Seriously, try it."

  "Eww." I make a face. "I'm not eating off your chin!" Nadine is laughing so hard now she can't control herself.

  Dylan swipes a dollop from a nearby container. He holds it out to me. "Don't pull a face like that until you try. Come on, darling. Take it."

  Skeptical, I wipe my index finger along the length of his and stick it in my mouth. Nadine coughs. Of course, someone catches a picture, but I don't say anything. Wow. That's not bad. "Peppermint?"

  "And lime," says Dylan with a smile. I'm starting to see his face now that he's almost completely wiped clean. He touches his cheek. "Hey. Your mom is right. My skin is baby soft."

  I can't help but commend her. "She knows her products."

  Nadine, finally composed, grabs my elbow. "I'm going to grab a daisy mojito. I'll be right back. Kaitlin, we have about two hours before the car comes."

  "I'll go too," Rodney says. "I could use another sundae."

  "Gotcha." I look at Dylan. "So you decided to take a day at the beach yourself, huh?"

  "Yeah, I'm heading back in a little while with Riley." He shifts uncomfortably. "She hired a car for us."

  I love how Dylan has all these cute British phrases I've never heard before--like hire a car instead of rent a car. Or waiting in queue instead of waiting in line. Or bits and bobs when he means this and that. He sounds so cute. I sigh. Keep it professional, Kaitlin!

  "It's nice Riley is here too," I lie. I certainly don't need another lecture about how I can improve my performance or my Broadway education.

  "Liar," Dylan says, watching me, and a rogue white blob drips down his face.

  "You have a little spot on your cheek." I grab a wet wipe and scrub gently at his face. Our faces are kind of close and when I lock on his green eyes, we stare at each other. I quickly look away even though Dylan is still staring at me. I feel very hot all of a sudden. Must be the ninety-degree weather.

  "Kaitlin, I know you have a partner and I'm not the type of bloke to get in the way of that," Dylan starts to say, sounding all soft. "But I can't help feeling a connection between us."

  Oh, no. He trails off as the wind picks up, sending my hair all over my face. He brushes my bangs away and I take a deep breath, barely moving.

  I will myself to turn away, even if he is giving me goosebumps. "Dylan, I--"

  "Oh! Sorry! I don't mean to interrupt such a private moment. Wait. Dylan?"

  We both turn around. Riley's hair is spilling around her face and bare shoulders, her pink embroidered cotton dress swaying in the breeze. She looks as confused and uncomfortable as I am. I feel like I was just caught doing something very wrong. Why aren't I pushing Dylan away more? I love Austin.

  But Austin is not here and he's never around, a little voice says.

  Still! He's my boyfriend. I love Austin. Dylan is cute, but that's it.

  So then why do I feel so confused?

  "I didn't know, I mean, I..." Riley trails off, sounding the most unsure I've ever heard her. She looks down, her hair creating curtains around her face. "I didn't know you and your partner broke up, Kaitlin."

  "We didn't." I say it so fast I don't even take a breath. "Austin and I are still together."

  "Oh, I see." Riley's tone turns sort of chilly, which isn't normally how Riley sounds. She may have a lot to say about me, but she always says it pleasantly. Right now she actually sounds upset. "I guess you two were just rehearsing your lines for the love scene in the show. That's why you look so chummy."

  "Riley." Dylan starts to walk toward her, but she backs away. I look at Dylan oddly. His face is strained.

  "No, don't let me interrupt this moment for you two." She sounds shaky. "Kaitlin needs all the help she can get with that scene. I'll see you later, Dylan. The car is coming around two PM. Later, Kaitlin."

  I look at Dylan and his face is all twisted and bothered. What's up with that? Could there be a history there I don't know about? I'm so curious I can barely hold my tongue.

  "I should look after her." Dylan seems flustered so I don't push it. "Can we finish this later? I really want to talk to you about--" I manage to nod and he takes off without even saying goodbye.

  I push what just happened will Dylan and Riley out of my head and look for Nadine and Rodney. I walk over to the Darling Daisies area and see Mom is busy talking Katie Holmes's ear off about daisies. Katie looks miserable. Matty is holding court in a nearby cabana with a group of giggling teen girls. I decide to look for Liz and/or Sky instead. Both of them like to lounge, so they might be by the pool. On my way there I stop a few times to talk to people I know or to people eager to introduce themselves. I'm actually surprised to see so many stars in town. I had no idea this many people spent time in the Hamptons. I run into Vanessa and she tells me about that shop Mom loves, Blue & Cream. Ashley is with her and she raves about the Hampton Social @ Ross concert series. It's an exclusive concert series where people pay big bucks to see acts like Billy Joel or the Jonas Brothers. It sounds like there is a ton to do and it almost makes me wish I had more time to do it. Maybe I can squeeze a full weekend in before we head home in August.

  There's still no sign of Nadine, Rodney, Sky, or Liz anywhere, so I sit down by the pool for a minute and decide to have one of those cool-looking peach iced teas the waiter is serving. Then I lean back on the lounge chair and close my eyes. I have a good hour or more before I have to leave and I am sort of exhausted from the drama of this morning. I guess there's no harm in lying here for just a few moments. It feels as though I've barely closed my eyes when I feel something cold and wet dripping on my chest. I jump.

  "Oops!" Lauren Cobb is standing over me with an ice cube. She's wearing the tiniest dark brown bikini I've ever seen. Ava is standing next to her with her hair in a turban, and she's wearing a pink terry beach cover-up over a teal bikini. Calou is in her arms. He's also wearing a pink bandanna. He growls at me. Both girls have on large, oversized Chanel sunglasses that I suspect are brand-new. There is a gift suite here and I saw a sunglasses station. Two of their posse are wearing TEAM LAVA T-shirts (they have a picture of two Barbies on them that look like Lauren and Ava). "Super sorry. Did I get that on your last-season dress?" Lauren asks.

  My mood darkens. What are these two doing here? And why the heck are they at the same party as me? There are nine million events going on in the Hamptons on any given weekend. The two of them stare at me like I'm a rat and they're snakes. I've seen them do this to others when I used to hang out with them. I notice they have the paparazzi with them. Of course. But I'm not getting into an altercation. Not at Mom's event with her people here. And besides, I'm trying to be so good and avoid being as obnoxious as they are. But if there was ever a time to forget my vow, it would be now.

  It takes all of my willpower to say, "It was an accident." I grab a towel and dry off.

  "Not." Lauren sounds like a
horse when she laughs. "I did it on purpose and it felt good." She high-fives Ava and they both smile for a nearby camera.

  I roll my eyes. "I have to get going." I scan the crowd for Sky and Liz, but still don't see either of them. Nadine and Rodney are MIA too. Where are they? It's almost one-thirty--I guess I actually fell asleep for a bit--and we have to leave by two PM. I should call Nadine. I start texting her.

  "Back to Manhattan for your little show, right?" Ava sounds giddy and I'm not sure why. "How's that going?"

  "Great," I boast, not looking up. "Couldn't be better."

  "Bet you're being little Miss Goody Two-shoes and getting there early every night," Lauren adds and looks at Ava.

  "I've never missed a performance," Ava mimics my voice.

  "That's right." I ignore her sarcasm. "Bye, ladies. Don't forget to wear sunscreen. I wouldn't want you to look like lobsters by tonight." I start walking away.

  "Why don't you stick around and see for yourself?" Lauren asks.

  "I'm working," I call over my shoulder. "I'm leaving for the city now."

  "No, you're not," the two of them say and burst into giggles.

  I slowly turn around. "What are you laughing about?"

  "You." Ava is barely able to get the words out. "You're stranded."

  "If you've done something to my mother's ride, you've screwed up." I shrug. "We're not heading back together. Nice try, though."

  "We're smarter than that." Ava is totally cool. "We canceled your car. Just now. Saw the driver waiting out front and told him you weren't leaving. We told him you were canceling."

  "That's impossible." I try to remain calm, but I'm freaking out. "There is no way the driver would have believed you."

  "He would if someone posing as you called him to confirm the cancellation." Lauren's eyes are big and misleadingly innocent. "Your ride is gone. And good luck getting another one on July Fourth weekend. Especially with half an hour notice. That's how much time you need, right?" She walks toward me slowly as the color drains from my face. "To get back in time and be ready for your little performance. Oops!" They laugh even harder.

  I'm too upset to zing it back to them. Instead I race off to find Nadine. I do two laps around the party, looking like a crazy person, I'm sure, before I actually spot her. She's walking toward me with Matt, Rodney, Liz, and Sky, who strangely look similar in their long summer printed dresses. Neither are talking to each other, but they're not yelling either.

  Nadine sees my face and her jaw drops. "What's wrong?"

  "The girls--" I don't stop for a breath. "Canceled my car," I get out. "Lauren." GASP. "Ava. They're here. Nadine, I won't make it back in time." Everyone's faces are stricken.

  "Where are they?" Rodney growls.

  "That's impossible." Nadine fumbles, and her hand reaches around in her bag for her binder and her BlackBerry. "I have a confirmation number. The car has been here since one. I ordered it early just in case." She starts dialing while I stand there, panicked.

  "I'm with Rod. Where are they?" Sky growls. "I'm going to give them a piece of my mind!"

  "Me, too!" Liz's chin tightens. Any second I expect the pair of them to pick up lightsabers and tear after the Gruesome Twosome. "They've gone too far this time."

  "I'm going to find Mom," Matty says, and runs off.

  "I did not cancel the car!" I hear Nadine yell into her phone and my heart sinks. They really did it. I look at my watch. If I leave right now, I'll make it. If I don't, I won't have enough time to prep, but I can still get there. I need a car right away.

  Nadine grunts angrily. "They did cancel your car, but don't panic. I'm going to call a few other car services right now." Nadine sounds worried, even though she's not saying it. "DON'T MOVE."

  "Kaitlin, it's going to be fine, don't freak." Liz touches my arm.

  "Yeah, we'll get you back there in no time," Sky adds. She looks at Liz out of the corner of her eye. Liz eyes her too. Neither says anything.

  "I'll call some people too," says Rodney, and starts to dial. "We'll get you there."

  "If I miss the show on this short notice, Forest will kill me!" I'm trying not to hyperventilate. "My understudy can't perform on Saturday night. That's the most important show of the week! People are paying to see me."

  Liz's phone rings and she grabs it. "Uh-huh. Yeah. Are you serious? NO! You tell her! Okay. Okay!" She hangs up and looks at me nervously. "That was Matt. Your Mom is MIA. Something about driving to get more daisies for the facials. She's not answering her phone."

  "I'm dead." I want to pass out. I knew the Hamptons were a bad idea on a work day! Why did I listen to Mom?

  "I called three car services, but no one has anything available till four-thirty PM," Nadine says, wincing as she says the words.

  "No one is free," Rodney adds. "Everyone is out already."

  "This can't be happening." I sink into a nearby white wicker chair. "This cannot be happening. I can't miss the show. Why would I think I could do a one-day trip? I'm going to kill Mom!"

  "Hey, cut yourself some slack." Sky puts a hand on my shoulder and I wince as her spiky black beaded bangle scratches me. "Nadine says Dylan was out here too."

  "DYLAN! OF COURSE!" I yell, startling everyone, as well as a couple kissing on a lounge chair nearby. "I'll get a ride with him. I'll be right back." Before rushing off, I turn and hold up my palms to them. "Don't move!"

  I race to the front of the house where all the cars are lined up with the valet. Dylan was leaving at two as well, so if I can catch him, I'm saved. I run up and down among the town cars and Priuses, but I don't see him. Just when I'm about to turn around and head back to Liz and Sky, I see a girl in a stiff pale pink dress.

  "Riley!" I run toward her and grab her shoulders. "Thank God you're still here." I practically hug her I'm so relieved to see her. "I need a ride back. These girls canceled my car and we were supposed to leave by now. I can't get another car this quickly. I need a ride with you. Is that okay? I'll just call Nadine and tell her." I start to dial.

  "No." Riley's voice is so quiet, I almost think it was the sound of the wind howling against the side of the weathered shingles on the house.

  I look up, confused. "What did you say?"

  "I said no." Riley sounds eerily calm. "We don't have the room. The car is full."

  "But it's just you and Dylan!" I protest.

  "It's a small car." Riley's mouth starts to turn up in a little smile.

  "Riley." I'm trying to be patient, but I'm going to lose it any second now. "I know you like Dylan, okay? And it looked like something was going on between us before but it wasn't."

  Riley's chuckle is high and off-pitch. "Rubbish! You can lie to yourself all you want, but you're as into Dylan as he is into you." Her face twists slightly. "I should know since Dylan and I were once partners. Then I dumped him for some tosser and I instantly regretted it. But it was too late. He met you at auditions and you were so lovely that the wanker was smitten. He never looked back." She looks so sad I almost feel sorry for her.

  "I'm sorry, Riley." I know how I would feel if I were in her (less than desirable) brown Easy Spirit sandals. "Maybe you can still fix things with him. I'm not interested in him that way. I swear! You can tell him that, okay? Take him to lunch or something. Get him alone." Riley seems to be mulling the idea over. "But right now, I have something more important I need to worry about. I need a ride. If I don't get in the car with you, I might not get back at all."

  But instead of changing her mind, Riley actually starts to walk away. "Riley!" My voice is so panicked it comes out like a squeak. Even some of the waiting drivers turn around.

  Riley waves. "Sorry, darling. You gave me a brilliant idea there. If I don't take you back to the city with us, then I have Dylan all to myself to tell him the truth. Thanks, treacle."

  "Riley, please." I'm begging now. "This is for the show. You wouldn't mess up the show, would you?"

  "I would never mess up the show," Riley says evenly. "And with you n
ot there, I won't be. Your understudy is superb."

  I start to panic. "I'll call Dylan!" I blurt out. I don't want to use this card, knowing now how she feels, but I have to. I'm desperate. "He'll take me. He won't leave me here."

  Her smile is sort of creepy, just like the gap between her two front teeth. "That might have worked if he actually had a mobile with him." I feel my stomach lurch and I know it's not from the weird daisy salad I tried. "He forgot it at his flat. Didn't he tell you when you were getting cozy by the beach?" I start to blush. "Well, got to go. And don't think of following me and begging either. I'll tell Forest you can't make it."

  I burst into tears and crumble against the valet stand. One of the valets has been watching our spat and he hands me a tissue. My entourage comes running.

  "What happened?" Sky asks. "Didn't you get a ride?"

  "She wouldn't take me," I sob. "She refused." I fill them in quickly, in between huge gulps and blowing my nose. The valet continues to hand me tissues as I sob. Liz and Sky offer words of encouragement while Nadine continues trying every number she knows.

  "You'll get back." Liz pats my back soothingly.

  "They can't start without you," Sky agrees.

  "We'll make sure you get there," Matty adds.

  "We won't let you miss the show," Nadine tells me, sounding both delirius and determined.

  Rodney is still on his cell phone and he's asking everyone at the party if they have a car we could borrow... for six-plus hours since that is the amount of time it would take to get the car to Manhattan and back out here. Without traffic. Groan...

  "Excuse me, miss?" I look up at the valet and I realize he looks a lot like Matty. "Did you know this house has a helipad? Maybe you could take a helicopter back to Manhattan. The owner does all the time and I believe it's only a half hour ride."

  I stop sobbing and look at the others. Sky breaks into a smile.

  "Where is the owner?" Nadine asks, grabbing the valet by his white Polo.

  "He's out back," says the guy, startled. "Cecil Caren. He's the short, pudgy guy in the Cave tee. He loves that show you guys were on, by the way."