The False Exit Page 24

  “Thank you,” she managed. They continued to applaud. “Thank you!” she said again when they quieted, “I’m sorry about what has happened to Diane and that she is unable to finish this journey with you. Of course, we’re all wishing her a speedy recovery. In the meantime, I’m happy to be able to step in and help. I also want to take a moment to thank each of you for the love and support you have shown me throughout what has been a very difficult time. I want you to know that it was hard to leave like I did, but I hope that you understand that it would have been even harder to stay. Regardless, at this moment, it feels good—it feels right, to be here with you.” The cast applauded again. She quieted them, “That is enough about me! Gary, I’d like you to run the show tonight. I’m just going sit back and observe. I want to get an idea of where you wonderful people are in the process.”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” Gary said. “Okay, let’s show her what we’ve got. Places from the top.”

  The cast stepped off the stage and disappeared into the wings. Anna Marie made her way back to her favorite seat in the house. Mark started playing the opening of the first number, and the lights flashed on and off several times.

  “Sorry,” Greg called from the booth. “I have no control over the light board again. It’s doing its own thing!”

  “HE’S BACK! IT’S THE GHOST GUY AGAIN!” Damion called from behind the curtain.

  Anna Marie pushed her head into her shoulder and took a deep breath.

  “IT’S A SHORT IN THE BOARD, DAMION!” Gary hollered from backstage. He stepped out from behind the curtains. “GIVE IT A FIST BUMP, GREG!” he called to the booth.

  “I got it!” Greg called back.

  “That ghost guy is Anna Marie’s ex-husband,” one of the cast members whispered in Damion’s ear.

  “Oh Sweet Demons of the Devils!” Damion squealed in a high pitch whisper. “Oh my lord in heaven above! Why didn’t anybody tell me that? You people know that I have a heightened sensitivity!”

  “ACTORS I WOULD APPRECIATE A LITTLE MORE PROFESSIONALISM. YELLING FROM THE CURTAINS IS NOT AN ACTOR’S JOB, THANK YOU!” Gary called out from the side of the stage.

  Damion poked his head out from behind the curtain, “Sorry, my bad. I had no idea. Sorry Ms. Anna Marie. No disrespect, I didn’t know.”

  “It needs to stop,” Gary said as he stepped back to his position stage right.

  “Yes, sir. Sorry Ma’am—” Damion waved. He fell back behind the curtain. Anna Marie chuckled and shifted in her seat.

  They began again. The rehearsal was elevated by a fresh energy that ran through the group. Anna Marie made notes of the trouble spots and creative changes she intended to make. She was sure she could easily bring the cast up to her expectations. It felt good to be back in her favorite seat in the house, but the lobby loomed like a dark ominous shadow behind her. She refused to cross through it, and she couldn’t ignore its unrelenting presence. She would get comfortable and lost in moments of joy that danced on the stage in front of her and suddenly it would creep up from behind her again. It was a continuous rising wave that she could not escape. When the cast took a break at intermission, she walked all the way around the building to avoid using the bathroom in the lobby.

  During the rehearsal, Liz was standoffish with both Gary and Mark. She recognized that Shayla was distant with everyone, and Jenna continued to buzz around Gary. Every time Jenna approached him, Gary’s eyes would dart across the room searching for Liz. Part of Liz wanted Gary to flaunt his attention to Jenna. The other part of her was still fighting jealousy. She was lost in the confusion.

  Mark looked amazing. He’d worn all black with a stunning pair of leather Givenchy boots. He didn’t’ seem to be paying attention to anyone. He was focused and severe. Liz felt ashamed that she’d been distracted and wasn’t carrying the same professionalism.

  At the end of the run, Anna Marie stood up from the back of the theatre and made her way to the stage.

  “Thank you for your time and your talents. I’ve seen what I need to see, and I’m excited to work with you all. This is a very talented cast. It’s going to be an excellent show! I see several new faces in the crowd; welcome,” she said.

  “Welcome back. It is good to have you here,” Shayla said. Several of the other seasoned members echoed her sentiment.

  “Thank you,” she said. “We’re going to break early tonight. Tomorrow before we start, I’ll give you my notes along with an idea of the direction I would like to take the show. Thank you again for the warm welcome and—” She gestured behind her toward the flowers she’d propped between the seats in the back. “—the beautiful flowers.” She looked behind her again. She didn’t see the flowers. The cast broke away. Liz went to Anna Marie.

  “It’s so nice to have you back.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “And, thank you for the flowers. I just don’t know where they went.”

  “Hold on,” Liz said. She disappeared into the lobby as several other cast members gathered around Anna Marie to welcome her back. Liz found the flowers on the table in the lobby. What was going on? Was Bill right? Did someone think it was funny? Were they messing around or innocently placing them there. Who would do that? “Kevin?” she said under her breath.

  She walked back into the theatre and handed Anna Marie the flowers.

  “Thank you, where were they?” she asked.

  “They must have fallen below the seats,” Liz said. She walked away quickly, not allowing Anna Marie to question her.

  “Everyone is glad to have you back,” Bill said as he walked Anna Marie to her car.

  “It feels good to be back,” she said.

  “Good, I’m glad you are feeling good about it. Can we meet in my office at ten tomorrow?”

  “I can’t. I’m sorry. I have an appointment with the attorney. You were right. I called in right after I talked to you. He agreed that starting back to work would give me the financial verification that I need to get Annie! I want to get that ball rolling immediately.”

  “That’s wonderful! Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “I don’t think so. Thank you. Besides the verification, I just have one last big step. I want to meet with Darci face to face before I pick up her daughter.”

  “That is going to be tough.”

  “I know, but I have to do it.”

  “You are a good woman, Anna Marie. Darci is fortunate.”

  “It’s sad, Bill. The whole situation is just—,” she shook her head.

  “I know. But, things are moving along. You’ll have Annie out of the system soon and that will help.”

  “Yes, it could be just matter of days now! Can I meet with you after lunch instead?”

  “Of course,” he said. “You’ll have some paperwork to complete for the board. I’ll have it here for you anytime tomorrow afternoon. How does that work?”

  “Perfect! Thank you!”

  “After you complete the paperwork, you’ll be the boss again,” he winked at her.

  “Stop,” she said, “I was never the boss. We were always in charge together.”

  “Well, it may have been contracted like that, but it always felt like you were the boss, and I was doing my best to help you out. At least that is the way I liked to think of it.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Well maybe it’ll be different this time. Maybe I will feel like I’m doing my best to help you out?”

  “Nope,” Bill smiled, “that’ll never work. We do best when you take the lead.”

  “How about after work?” she asked.

  His expression withered and anxiety weakened his voice, “How about if you take the lead here, and I take the lead after work?”

  “I think I like the way that sounds,” she said carefully.

  He paused and picked up her hands. His eyes were filled with remorse. “Good, because I’m going to ask you to trust me. I want you to work on crossing that lobby. I know you are avoiding it. I understan
d, but it’s something you will eventually need to do. I also want you to be able to concentrate on you. You and Annie. Get her settled into your life. Take care of you, and take care of Annie. Make that your priority. I want you to do that for me, okay.” He returned her hands to her side. “I promise, I’ll continue to be the same friend that I’ve always been. I’ll be right here when you need me.”

  “Bill, I need more than a friend!”

  “I need you to be sure of that,” Bill said. “We’ve done really well as friends. I don’t ever want to ruin that.”

  “I don’t understand. I’m finally ready for more.”

  “I need you to be absolutely positive,” he said.

  “I am,” she insisted.

  He closed his eyes for a moment. He let out a sigh and opened them again. “You have so much going on, Anna. Let all of it happen first. Get strong again and see how you feel from the other side of it all.” He tapped the side of her arm and added, “No matter what happens, there is one thing you can always be absolutely sure of. I will never stop loving you and I will never stop being your friend.”

  She stood in disbelief as he walked away. ‘I’ll never stop being your friend.’ echoed in her head. She heard the rest of it, but the friend part pained her. She dashed to her car before anyone could see her cry. Why was Bill hurting her? Didn’t he know she needed him? She’d finally come around and he wasn’t there like she thought he would be. He was there only loving her as a friend.

  She wiped her cheeks and sat in the chilling reality of her tears. She cried too often. He was right. She wasn’t ready. She shouldn’t be needing him. Every time she felt she was strong she was faced with another weakness. She needed to face the truth, she was still wounded. Nobody can truly love or be loved with a wounded heart. What if her heart healed and no longer had a place for Bill in it. It didn’t seem possible, but neither did any of the other things that had recently interrupted her reality and changed her life.

  47

  “Are you sure this meatloaf is the healthy version?” Clifford asked as he took another bite.

  “I’m sure,” Mary said.

  “It just seems too good to be true.”

  “It’s true! The regular version has bacon and cheese on top.”

  “New rule!” he said. “We do not use the “B” word in this house!”

  “Bacon?” she asked.

  “You said it again!”

  “You can have turkey bacon. I should have put that on top. Darn, why didn’t I think of that?”

  “Mary, it’s absolutely perfect the way it is.”

  “Well I’m glad you like it,” Mary said. “I’m just sorry that you don’t get to taste my real cooking, in the regular versions.”

  “What you’re making for me is perfectly wonderful! It’s probably best that I don’t even know what I’m missing. It makes me appreciate what I have a little more, if you know what I mean.”

  “I do!” Mary said, “I certainly do.”

  “Doesn’t matter what you make or how you make it; it all tastes fantastic!”

  Mary put down her fork and locked her eyes on him. “Clifford, why are you interested in me?”

  “I need someone to cook for me,” he joked. She didn’t laugh. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. He gave in with a smile. “The first time I saw you, I was immediately drawn to you. It felt like I’d lost you a long time ago and I’d found you again. You were sitting there in the theatre lobby playing the piano with Elsie and Verde singing behind you. I walked up to you and that is all I’ve ever wanted since. That’s the best I can explain it. I want to be close to you. If I’m in a room, I want you to be in the room with me or at least in a room close by. I feel like something is missing when I’m not with you. I could’ve stayed in heaven. I liked it there except for one thing. I didn’t want to be that far away from you.”

  “Really, Cliff? Is that how you feel?”

  “I do. I feel like I have to be with you or something is wrong,” he said.

  Mary looked toward the corner. “Apparently you could have hung out with me all the time if you stayed dead. Kevin hangs out with you.”

  “Poor Kevin, he isn’t happy here, believe me. I wouldn’t be happy like that either. He is in some sort of waiting period.”

  “I just don’t get it.”

  “You don’t get what?” Clifford asked.

  “I don’t get how you can see him or even why you can see him. I know you see him. I just don’t get it. I don’t get why you can see him but not every other dead person.”

  “I don’t get it either, but that doesn’t matter. Now that I’ve been to heaven, I feel different about life on earth. I don’t worry about what I don’t understand. I don’t have to. Once you realize that you’re surrounded in love, support and everything you really need, it sort of frees you to enjoy the ride.”

  “You do have a sense of peace about you. I like being around you Cliff, but you did get me all unnerved when you started telling me that you’re going to marry me.”

  “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m closer to you on this earth. Even if you don’t marry me, I’ll still be making the journey at the same time and on the same planet that you are. I’m at peace with that.”

  “How is it that you are so resolute?” she asked.

  “I just am. Joy is an endless progression if you allow it. Of course, you add a great deal happiness to my life, but my infinite joy isn’t dependent on anyone else. There is no need for you to feel any pressure, Mary. I’ve already been blessed by your friendship. Anything more is just more. Anything less is still enough to be thankful for. Thank you, Mary. Thank you for today.”

  “Clifford?”

  “Yes?”

  “Could you tell Kevin to look away? I’m about kiss you and I want it to be a private moment.”

  “He already left.”

  “Good,” she said as she picked up his empty plate and landed an innocent kiss on his cheek.

  “One thing is for sure,” he said.

  “What is that?” she asked.

  “If you stick around, I’ll never need a defibrillator for this old heart. One little peck on the cheek from you and my heart jumps!”

  “I’m still going to carry aspirin,” she joked.

  “Ok, but I hope you’ll try a kiss first next time.”

  “Let’s not have a next time.”

  “I like that idea. I know my heart is pumping strong right now. I can feel it pulsing in my chest. He looked down at his shirt. “Look at it, you can see it beating for you!”

  “Just don’t let your heart run too fast ahead of mine. I have a nice, healthy, slow and steady heartbeat. I get uncomfortable when things start to jump too quickly around me.”

  “I’ll do my best! Let me get those dishes,” Clifford said as he lifted himself out of his chair.

  “I’ve got it. You go rest on the couch!” she demanded.

  “I have to get myself moving again. I need the exercise. I have to start to do something besides rest on the couch,” Clifford said.

  “Okay, how about you go rest up on the couch so that when I’m done with these dishes you’ll have enough energy for me to join you.”

  “Oh my heart! What are you saying? You are going to join me on the couch?”

  “I meant—join you for exercise. I assumed you wanted to go for a walk before Liz gets here to pick me up. I’ll join you for a walk!”

  “Oh, of course,” he grinned, “slow and steady.”

  “Yes, slow and steady,” she chuckled as she set the dishes in the sink.

  48

  Liz picked up her grandmother from Clifford’s and dropped her off without revealing her plan to meet Mark. She checked her phone before she left the driveway. There was a text from Mark, On my Way.

  See you there, she replied. She’d kept her plans from her grandmother because she didn’t want any reasonable influence to change her mind. She felt the need to follow her heart without any ju
dgment.

  Mark’s car was already on the lot when she pulled up. She opened the door and immediately felt a sensation of serenity. The bar had the same enchanted effect it had on her the first time he’d brought her there. The blue and amber LED lights glowed from the ceiling. The gentle twinkling lights of the black granite starlit walls gave the room the feeling that anything was possible. She spotted Mark talking to the bartender. She was a beautiful tall blonde who appeared to be several years older than both of them. He waved Liz over.

  “Hey,” Liz felt her body sigh as he focused all of his attention on her. “I’m glad you came. I hope you don’t mind, I ordered you a drink,” he said. “There’s no reason to order anything but a blue martini here.” He glanced at the bartender for approval. She nodded at him with a flirtatious grin as she filled the glasses. Mark shifted his eyes back to Liz.

  “Are you hungry? Can I order you something?”

  “I ate. Thank you though,” Liz said. She lied to him. She was lying to herself too. She felt that if she kept it to drinks it would be less of a date and more of an opportunity to talk things out.

  “You go ahead—if you’re hungry.”

  “No,” he said, “we’ll start with drinks.”

  Start? What did he mean by that? Mark handed her a drink and ushered her to a booth. He slid in across from her and held up his drink.

  “Cheers!”

  “To what?” Liz asked with a cautious smile.

  “How about—to having Anna Marie back!”

  “That works!” She raised her glass to his.

  “And, to us! We’re back—here again.” He smiled deviously over the rim of his glass while he took a sip. “Good?”

  “Amazing,” she said.

  “Liz, why are we here?” he asked.

  “Wow, you cut right to the chase!” She let out an uncomfortable giggle. “I don’t know; you asked me. Why are we here?”