Whisper To Me In The Dark (5 page)

"Ok. Get dressed. Let's go. Wear something warm. It's getting chilly out and it wouldn't do any good for the new leading lady to have a bright red nose."

Angelica suddenly was taken aback. Sometimes the fact that they spent so much time together, back and forth in each others apartments - was disconcerting. They shared an intimacy as if they had been married for years. It was so real. So true. Just so - weird - for lack of a better word. And that feeling was becoming alarmingly precious to her.

Chapter 7

Finally! Her time had come. She’d be the next Sarah Bernhardt! Ethel Barrymore! Lillian Russell! Anything to see her name on the billboard out front. Maybe she’d make it before Edward got there. Then she wouldn’t have to marry him. She could have the life she’d always dreamed of.

Angelica was shaking, from excitement or nerves, she knew not which and it didn’t particularly matter. The baubles hanging off her dress were visibly vibrating and making a clanking noise which drew stares from the other girls in the main dressing room. But she had a part in a play. An actual part! Ok, it wasn’t a speaking part. She was only a dancer, but a part is a part and soon she’d be taking Boston by storm. Taking the world by storm. She could see herself performing Shakespeare with Bernhardt. The audience screaming. Standing ovations! The thought of it all was making her dizzy as she flopped into the nearest comfy chair.

A statuesque beauty with golden skin and platinum blonde hair tied in a bun, charged by haughtily, leaving Angelica spinning in circles wondering what tornado had just hit her.

Angelica immediately felt the old ugly duckling rearing its ugly head, all of her old insecurities flooding back. An old ugly duck which felt like it was drowning and going under quickly. She was surrounded by so much beauty, she felt as if she were suffocating.

“
Don’t worry about her. She thinks she’s the star,” a tiny redhead whispered conspiratorially to Angelica, as she laughed and smiled, trying to stop the chair from spinning uncontrollably in uneven circles, as Angelica was starting to appear a little green.

Angelica smiled happily, thrilled to be talking to a hopefully new friend. So far all of the girls had been giving her the silent treatment except the secretary to the theater manager who had helped her get the dress she was to wear in the show. As prepared as she thought she was, she was clueless to the politics that went on in the theater – especially backstage.

“
Her name is Rita and she is the ‘Starhhhhh,'” giggled the redhead. “Don’t mind her. Just stay out of her path or you’re likely to get squished.”

“
Thank you for the inside information. I’m totally lost here,” whispered Angelica, so happy and relieved to have someone to chat with. “What is your name?”

“
I’m Bella. The ‘Starhhhh’ is Rita. Just stay out of her way and you’ll be fine,” replied Bella, as she patted Angelica comfortingly on the shoulder.

Their little party was broken up by a few high pitched screams and more than a few squeals of excitement as Cash poked his handsome head in the door, sending a few semi-undressed females running for cover.

“
Just wanted to stop by and say break a leg, Angel. Edward would be proud.” Cash’s eyes scanned the bevy of beauties in their various stages of undress, drinking in their loveliness and making mental notes that he’d definitely planned to use later. He may be stuck in Boston for a while, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have some fun.

Angelica beamed, happy that Cash had come to wish her luck, even though it was only in Edward’s absence, but she was definitely annoyed as she could see the wheels spinning in his head, looking for his next conquest.

Jealousy? Was she feeling jealousy? That was absurd. Cash was just an annoyance – a temporary disturbance in her life. Her babysitter until Edward got there. But why did she suddenly feel sick to her stomach?  Like she would cry? It was ridiculous.

Ok, no time for whatever this insanity was. She had to concentrate. Do a good job.

Angelica smiled graciously and replied, “Thank you Cash. It was kind of you to come.” But before Angelica could even finish her sentence Cash seemed to be out the door and as she could see, making a beeline right behind the “Starhhhh” Rita!

Suddenly girls swarmed around Angelica, making her strangely claustrophobic, all clamoring to know about the dashing, dark stranger.

“
Who is he?” asked a tiny brunette.

“
He’s just dreamy! Did you see his 5 o’clock shadow? He’s gorgeous!” asked a stunning, svelte blonde.

“
Did you see his dimples and his muscles? And his eyes!? I nearly swooned,” asked the beautiful blonde, as she dreamily curled her hair around her finger.

“
Is he yours you lucky girl? I would die if he were mine.” The comments were being thrown at Angelica so quickly and excitedly she was losing track of who asked what.

Angelica’s mind suddenly went blank as that horrible feeling of dread made her stomach flip once again.

“
... pay money to sleep with him.”

That phrase quickly woke Angelica up. She spluttered, “you said you’d let him pay you to sleep with him!?”

The striking titian haired girl laughed, “No, I said I’d pay money to sleep with him!” The rest of the girls collapsed, laughing and tittering hysterically, wholeheartedly agreeing with her assessment. Angelica pretended to laugh too, feeling strangely like a child who was having her toy stolen away from her.

Angelica was thrilled that she was so quickly welcomed into their private club, but that horrible feeling in her stomach just would not go away.

“
No, he’s my fiance’s brother. Just here for a little while until my fiance gets into town.”

“
Oh you lucky girl. His brother must be a dreamboat too,” replied the tall girl with the almond eyes.

“
Oh, yes, Edward is ... charming,” Angelica answered, lying a bit, as images of poor skinny, pale, short, non-poised, Edward floated through her frazzled mind.

***

Bella walked animatedly, admiring the reflection of her new dress in the store’s window. Rita, as always stared dreamily into her compact mirror, admiring her own reflection, adding another layer of bright red lipstick to her perfectly shaped mouth. Angelica was quiet, taking in all of the sites, just in awe of being somewhere so beautiful.

Angelica suddenly spied Cash walking into Trinity Church. The building was a mesmerizing site with its stained glass windows. It was so peaceful. So serene with the Worship of the Shepherds window and the Nativity windows. Angelica couldn’t imagine why Cash would be walking into the Church in the middle of the afternoon. 

As silly, and girly as it was, sometimes just the sight of Cash’s handsome chiseled face, with the 5 o’clock shadow he usually sported, made her heart thud so uncontrollably that she was sure Cash could see it pounding through her chemise. When she looked at him it was as if time stood still. Everything moved in slow motion. She’d heard juvenile teenage stories like that but she never thought it was something that happened in real life. But it did. It had and it was happening to her. Just the scent of his cologne made her legs weak and made her toes curl. The way she’d find herself covered gently with a blanket if she fell asleep made her feel so protected because she knew that Cash had checked on her during the night. Sometimes her heart was bursting with so much love for him she just didn’t know what to do anymore, it hurt so badly.

Bella noticed Angelica gazing at Cash and gave her a funny little knowing shove and smiled brightly. Angelica giggled but quickly composed herself so Rita wouldn’t notice. The less Rita saw of Cash the happier Angelica was. But it was too late. Rita had already glommed on to the shocked Cash as he returned down the front steps of the church.

“
What are you doing here?” Rita nearly purred like a cat. Angelica could definitely see her trying to sink her claws into Cash as it was. A feral cat would be a perfect description of Rita.

“
Just work related, that’s all,” Cash replied, uncomfortably, although Angelica could see Cash beaming at the way Rita ran her hands down his strong arms.

“
Have you been working out? Your muscles are just magnificent,” Rita asked, her voice sugar sweet, as she ran her beautifully manicured fingers up and down his shirt sleeves, feeling those exact magnificent muscles.

Cash looked up at Angelica and the way she was impatiently tapping her tiny pointed shoe. “What’s the matter Angelica? Cat got your tongue?” Cash asked.

Ok there were just too many rude responses that ran through her head at that exact moment. Responses that would have shut Rita up. Responses that would have made Cash’s jaw drop to the floor. “Oh nothing. We’d better be getting back to rehearsal. We’ve just been out walking about a bit. Just getting some fresh air.”

Angelica flipped her long blonde hair impertinently and said, “I’ll see you later tonight,” making sure Rita knew exactly what she was hinting at.

Bella pulled Angelica over as they started walking back and rolled her eyes. “Oh don’t worry about her. She’s got nothing on you.” Angelica smiled weakly since she knew Rita had everything over her. It was all too depressing to think about.

Rita continued her little chat with Cash, who continued his sickening beaming. Angelica thought she was going to be sick.

A block ahead, Rita came running toward them. “Hey girls wait for me. He just would not let me go you know.”

Angelica bit her lip until she thought she’d drawn blood. But she would not say a word. No matter how much she wanted to. No matter how much it hurt her heart. She would not say one witchy word to that witchy Rita. If Cash wanted her he could darn well have her.

***

Later That Night

“
So what case were you working on?” Angelica asked casually, belying her true irritation.

“
I wasn’t working on a case. I was in Church. It is a free country. I can enter a Church whenever I want you know.”

“
I never said that you couldn’t. You don’t have to get all belligerent with me. You didn’t seem to have a problem with it when Rita asked you,” Angelica replied, irritatedly.

“
Well I lied to her so apparently I did have a problem with it. I was in Church. Sometimes I go to pray. That surprise you? I haven’t exactly led the most exemplary life at times and it makes me feel better to go. Any other questions?” was Cash’s reply.

Oh darn. She was getting that feeling again. That one when her legs got all weak. All warm and fuzzy feelings for him. He was in Church! Praying. Could he get any more dreamy?

Cash sat at the kitchen table, leaned the chair against the wall and stretched his long legs and yawned. “Why are you smiling?”

“
Oh nothing,” Angelica said with a smile.

Cash looked questioningly at Angelica and laughed to himself. Sometimes he just did not understand what went on in that little head of hers. It must be some party going on up there or something.

Chapter 8

Angelica had to admit that she
loved
her new dressing room. I mean –
she
had a dressing room! Like she could find one thing wrong with that fact. Full length mirrors ran down one entire wall, giving the room an endless, open airy feeling, like being back home, under the blue sky, in the fields she used to play in as a child. The other three walls were painted a delicate pink, not too gaudy, not too subdued. Just like Angelica herself. Shimmering and shining but always in good taste. She’d make it her home away from home. Heck, it was a thousand times better than her home. She’d love to make it her permanent abode if she only could!

Angelica floated dreamily around the room, admiring her beautiful dress, with all its intricate pearls and cut glass sewn in made to look like silvery diamonds. Finally, finally she was leading the life she’d always wanted. She wasn’t suffocating back in that awful dusty one horse town.

A strange shuffling noise quickly brought her back to reality. Turning cautiously to see the source of the commotion, she noticed a massive  raven haired man abruptly filling her doorway, shutting out the light that illuminated the hallway. Suddenly aware of her state of near undress, she pulled her robe off the chair that complemented her beautiful new makeup table and pulled it close to her now shivering body.

“
Miss I only wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your dancing performance,” the raven haired man began, “and I thought I’d come back here to talk to you since I’m sure we have so much in common.” He leered at her as if she was a delicious piece of pie and he had been stranded on a deserted island for years with no food. He appeared to be at least a hundred years old if he was a day, at least in Angelica’s opinion.

Angelica thanked him as politely as she could while at the same time attempting to shoo him out the door. “That is so very kind of you sir. I truly appreciate it, but I am on my way out now. But thank you so very much for stopping by.” Angelica’s words stuck in her throat as she protectively pulled her robe closer. Why? Why had she stayed so late in her dressing room after everyone else had already left? How stupid could she be? The owner had told her to lock up after she was done. How foolish could she be to have stayed in that huge dark building all by herself just to luxuriate in her lovely new room?