Dance (23 page)

Jared
wanted to get him back on the phone, but he realised he didn't have Fenix’s
number. Jared did the first thing that came to mind – dialled his agent.
Samantha would be able to find Fenix’s number, Jared was sure of it.

He was right.
An hour later Jared stared at the text he’d just gotten from Samantha
containing Fenix phone number.
A few simple digits that would
connect him to Fenix.

Without
hesitation, Jared dialled the number. It rang for several long moments before
voicemail picked up.

“
Dammit
, Fenix!”
Jared yelled and disconnected.

He
tried again, and again until Fenix’s phone switched directly to voicemail
without even ringing.

“Fucking stubborn bastard!”
Jared growled and started pacing around the living room, wondering what to do.
He couldn't just forget about it and move on with his life as if nothing had
happened. He knew,
knew
, that
something was wrong and he’d be damned if he just stood around and pretended
otherwise.

He
dialled again.

“Sam,
it’s me,” Jared said into his phone when his agent picked up. “Do you have
Cathleen
O’Riley’s
number?”

“Jared, calm
down,” Cathleen said after Jared launched into a rapid interrogation about
Fenix.

“I
won’t calm down until you tell me what going on, Cathleen. Why is he suddenly
calling me in the middle of the night? Why isn’t he picking up when I call? Why
isn’t he
happy
?”

Cathleen
sighed heavily before responding.

“He’s
been in a bad shape
lately,
I won’t lie to you about
that.”

“Shit,”
Jared muttered and covered his eyes with his hand.

What have you done,
love?

“He
called me about an hour ago and said he needed to talk with me and that it was
urgent. We have a meeting this evening. I don't know what this is all about,
but he sounded good, better than I’ve seen him in a long time. That’s why I’m
surprised at what you’re telling me about his phone call to you.”

That
calmed Jared down a bit, knowing that Fenix hadn’t done something, like
slitting his wrists or overdosing on sleeping pills, because frankly, that’s
how he’d sounded on the phone.

“OK.
I’m glad to hear that. Just promise me something, Cathleen. Call me after you
talk to him.”

“Jared,
you know I can’t discuss my client’s private meetings with you...”

“I
know
,
that’s not what I’m asking. Just call me to tell
me he’s alright. That’s all I need to know. Please?”

Reluctantly,
Cathleen agreed before Jared ended the call.

Thankfully,
it was Monday and Jared didn't have a show that day – he wouldn't have been
able to concentrate on anything until Cathleen called him back. Grabbing his
gym bag, Jared walked out of his flat, hoping like hell Fenix would figure out
whatever was wrong in his life and be able to fix it.

Chapter twenty three

Fenix

“Are you sure
about this, Fenix?” Cathleen asked for a hundredth time since their talk on
Monday. They were sitting in her office three days later when her PA informed
her that the people they were expecting had arrived.

“I’m
sure,” Fenix said.

“Invite
them in, Andy,” Cathleen said to her assistant. A few moments later the door
opened and three men in expensive suits walked in.

Elijah Goodwin, Bernard Morton, and
Cayden
Anderson – the producers of
Poison
.

After
everyone had shaken hands and settled around the table in Cathleen’s office,
coffee cups in front of them, Goodwin took a thick folder out of his leather
briefcase and passed it to Fenix across the table.

“I’m
sorry it took us so long to organise this meeting, Fenix. We should have offered
you the new contract a while ago, but...” Goodwin began with an apologetic
smile that was not entirely sincere.

“But
you had to wait and see if I’d win the Tony because the
Osbert
theatre wouldn’t sign the new contract without it, right?” Fenix interrupted.
There was no point in beating around the bush. All of them had been in this
business long enough to know how it worked. The
Osbert
theatre wanted to write ‘A Tony Award winner’ on the posters advertising their
main feature, and if it wasn’t
Poison
it would have been some other show.
Poison
had missed out on the Tony for Best Musical, but Fenix winning must have been
enough for the
Osbert
theatre if the producers had
waltzed in here, offering Fenix a new contract.

“You
know how it works, Fenix,” Anderson shrugged unapologetically. “Broadway
requires excellence.”

Fenix
rolled his eyes. He was sick of this shit. He pushed the folder back across the
table towards Goodwin and leaned back in his chair.

“I’m
not signing this,” he stated blankly.

All
three producers raised their eyebrows in unison. It was comical. Fenix could
see their world crashing and burning behind their eyes. Everyone in this room knew
Poison
would not be as successful
without Fenix. They also knew the
Osbert
theatre
would never sign them on for another season without Fenix.

“What
do you mean? You haven’t even read it! We’ve increased your pay and we’ve
amended the terms like you wanted...” Morton began, but Fenix interrupted him.

“I
don’t care about that,” he said, leaning forward, resting his forearms on the
table. He looked each of the men straight in their eyes before he spoke, focusing
on Goodwin. “I want
Poison
to move
back to the West End.”

All
three producers gaped at him in shock. Goodwin spoke after he managed his bearings.

“London?
You want us to quit Broadway and go back to
London
?
Are you insane?”

“No,
I’m not insane. And yes, this is exactly what I want in order to sign that
contract.”

Goodwin
laughed humourlessly, and said,

“You
can’t do that!”

“Watch
me!” Fenix replied, getting tired of the whole thing. He was getting restless
and wanted out of the room as soon as possible. “Without me, the
Osbert
theatre will not sign
Poison
for another season. I won the fucking Tony, not the musical.
I’m your star. I’m the one who’s pulling the audience in every night. I’m the
one who rehearses and dances and has sacrificed everything for this fucking
show!” Fenix hadn’t even realised he’d pushed his chair back and was standing
up, leaning over the table and yelling. The three men in front of him stared at
him in shock.

“Fenix,
please sit down. Let me take care of this,” Cathleen said, walking closer to
him and helping him back into his chair. She’d been quiet during the meeting so
far, but Fenix knew it wasn't because she’d changed her mind about supporting
him in this. It was because she wanted him to try and handle the situation
himself like he’d wanted. Obviously, he’d failed.

Fenix
nodded and fell back in his chair gracelessly. The producers continued to stare
at him before Cathleen spoke and attracted their attention.

“Gentlemen,
what Fenix said
is
true, even though his delivery
wasn’t very polite. I have spoken with Queen Victoria in London, and they
assured me they would welcome
Poison
back with open arms. Their current main musical is going on tour overseas in a
month and they have not yet signed a new contract, even though they have had
preliminary talks with the producers of another show. However, I have to let
them know by the end of the day if we’re serious about this, and then we can
move on to discussing the details and contract terms,” Cathleen finished
smoothly, unflinching under the producers’ bewildered stare.

“You
can’t be serious about this,” Bernard Morton said, more in astonishment than
anger. The three men were still in a state of shock, and Fenix wondered if it
was going to take them a long time to recover because he really wanted to
leave.

“OK,
look,” Fenix began, calmer this time. “If you don't want to accept this offer,
then don't. I’ll walk right now and you’ll be free to find your next big star
and stay on Broadway. If you’re willing to go knocking on theatre doors,
explaining to everyone why the Tony Award winner Fenix Bergman has been
scratched from your poster, then fine. Take that risk. I don’t care either way.
I’ll find another job in London easily enough, but I’m going back there with or
without
Poison
.”

Goodwin,
Morton, and Anderson exchanged looks, seeming to communicate silently between
them, before Goodwin spoke.

“We
need to discuss this in private before we make a decision,” he said as he stood
up. “We’ll be in touch by the end of the day.”

“That
went well,” Cathleen said, shortly after the door closed behind them. Fenix
rolled his eyes and leaned his head over the chair’s back, looking at the
ceiling and not giving a damn if it went well or not. “I want to make sure
you’re prepared for the outcome, Fenix. Are you ready to hear them say ‘no’?”
Cathleen asked.

“They
won't say ‘no’,” Fenix huffed in distaste. “All they care about is making money.
Poison
is going to attract huge
crowds if it returns to London and they know it.”

“Fenix...”
Cathleen began with a sigh, but he interrupted her.

“I
can’t go on like this anymore, Cat,” he said quietly. “I thought Broadway was
all I ever needed to be happy,” he continued and laughed sardonically. “I was
such a fool! What I need is someone to hold me during the night when I wake up
screaming in pain because my muscles are seizing with exhaustion. What I need
is someone to share the fucking Tony award with because it doesn’t mean
anything just gathering dust on the shelf.”

“Don’t
say that. That award is a testament of your hard work. You deserve it.”

“I
know I deserve it. But I also know it’s not worth it.” Fenix stood up
–
 
this
was getting
all too intense for his taste. He wanted the conversation done with so that he
could go to his empty apartment and start packing his few belongings into a
suitcase.

“You
know you could have had anybody to take Jared’s place, right? You didn't have
to do this alone...”

“But
that’s exactly it, Cat – it’s
his
place. I don't want anybody in
his place
.
I want
him
. I haven’t felt anything
remotely resembling happiness ever since I walked out of our home and left him
alone and broken. I don't even know if he had someone to pick up the pieces I
left behind.” Fenix started pacing, itching to get out of this office, this
city, this
life
. “It’s time for
Poison
to go back home, Cat. It’s time
for
me
to go back home and pray that
he’d take me back.”

“What
if he doesn’t? You haven’t exchanged as much as a birthday card during the last
two years. What if he’s moved on, Fenix? What if you risk everything you’ve
worked so hard for just to get your heart broken again?”

“I
have to try,” Fenix said with finality before he walked out of his agent’s
office.

Chapter twenty four

Jared

It was too
fucking early to be summoned to the theatre on a Sunday morning. Jared flopped
on the seat next to Adam and sighed dramatically. His best friend didn't look
bothered by Jared’s lack of greeting or his apparent bad mood. Glancing to his
right at Jared, Adam mumbled something that might have been ‘hello’ or ‘fuck
off’ – Jared couldn't be sure – and continued to play Candy Crush on his phone.

Great.

Jared
looked around the hall and saw that most of the staff, including actors,
dancers, tech support, even the cleaners and ticket sellers,
were
already present. He couldn't see anybody from
Underground
but he supposed they were all still sleeping after last
night’s show. No self-respecting late night performer woke up before noon on a
week day, let alone on a Sunday.

The
stage was lit up and empty, as if waiting for something to happen any minute.

“What’s
going on?” he asked Adam.

“Fuck
if I know,” his friend replied without glancing away from his phone.

Jared
shrugged and took out his own phone. He had a strict rule not to check his
email or reply to work related messages on a Sunday, but he didn't have
anything better to do right now. He might as well check if anything needed his
immediate attention.

An
email from Fenix Bergman titled ‘Don’t delete. Read it. It’s important’ made
all the
air rush
out of his lungs with an audible
gasp.