"How was your meeting?" Mark asks.
I have to say, I am a little taken aback. I can't remember the last time Mark asked me a simple question like 'how was your day?' I can't help but smile. It's the simple things I miss the most. That is what love is all about, isn't it? The simple things. After all, we don't fall in love with fancy dinners and expensive gifts. We fall in love with good morning kisses and cooked breakfasts, the random 'I am thinking about you' text even on a busy day. We fall in love with the little things like slow dancing in the kitchen even when there is no music playing or laughing so hard that you cry and your stomach aches. It's the little things you do everyday to show you care, no matter how silly they may seem. That to me, is love.
"Pretty good actually." I say confidently. "I was a bit nervous at first but..." Before I am able to finish my sentence Marks phone rings and he takes it out of his pocket.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmFfyI6EGk
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfA2f8OrE7
"Excuse me, I have to take this." he apologizes. And just like that, the Mark I know is back. He stands up and walks outside to take the call. I am left sitting alone in a 4 star restaurant with the bottle of wine in the ice bucket being the only reason I am still holding it together. I pour myself a glass and think back to the moment I entered the transparent doors.
***
The theater is so beautiful inside. It took my breath away the moment I walked in. I am walking through the narrow aisles towards the crowd of people gathered on the stage when an unfamiliar man jumps off the stage and run towards me. By the looks of it he's in his late sixties, almost completely bald. A very short, old man, yet clearly hyper and still enjoying life.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhvluI2V6Y
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQLPkw5Vz1
"You must be Leah!" He shouts enthusiastically.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpeNeDaomY
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRN3IgjDjdW
"Leah Conner. It's very nice to meet you." I say. I give him a warm smile. He takes my hand in his and instead of shaking it, he pulls me into a firm hug. For a moment I feel like one of his old friends.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tXMSMaFkX
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4fRAXHQSH
"The pleasure is all mine. I'm Larry Williams, the producer. Come, let me introduce you to everyone." he says, grinning from ear to ear. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLloEG2CC3h
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePWUyxkjkf
He walks me to the group of strangers casually sitting legs crossed on the stage floor, chatting and laughing. Everyone looks so comfortable and relaxed. I immediately smile at the sight.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSnea9vem8
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxThBlJhlj
"Everyone! This is Leah, our new song writer. " Larry reveals.
Everyone greets me with so much warmth and friendliness. It is going to be an amazing two months, working with an incredible group of people, hopefully making a few friends along the way. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkNNdouJ3v
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMnz3gqj4V
There isn't one awkward encounter. Except if we count the embarrassing conversation I had with Mr, still dont know what his name is, outside the theater. Where is he? I think to myself as I realize I haven't seen him yet. I look around the theater. He is not in the group. I am slightly relieved. I don't know how I am going to look him in the eyes again after thinking he was trying to flirt with me. Stupid, Leah! I don't think I ever felt so embarrassed in my life.
I am talking to Barbara and Quinn, playing two sisters in the musical, with Barbara playing the lead female role of the younger sister 'Abby' and Quinn playing the role of the jealous and much older sister 'Vivian' when I hear Larry from the other side of the stage screaming "Leah!"I will have to get used to that very quickly. I turn around and see Larry walking up to me with the one person I dreaded seeing again.
"Leah, I want you to meet Logan, starring our lead male role." Great. "He will also be assisting you with the song writing." Larry adds. Oh, wonderful! I think to myself, still holding on to the awkward smile on my face. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Z2fiWSqRm
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeas7ex6gII
"Lovely to meet you, Leah." Logan murmurs. "I look forward to working with you." I can feel my cheeks burning up again as he reaches out his hand to shake mine. He is so relaxed and calm. It's as if our previous conversation never happened.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsBssLj2QD
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCUsWS4pf1
"Nice to meet you too, Logan." I say, placing my hand in his.
****
"Excuse me, ma'am ?" My thoughts are interrupted by a black headed waitress standing in front of me with a plate of shrimp salad in each hand. I pull myself together and give her a smile.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpNTRCTf5n
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31lT90ar0W
"Thank you." I say politely. I take away my wine glass so she can sit down the plate. I look down at the salad bowl staring me in the face. "Thank you, it looks delicious." I lie. I hate shrimp salad. Of course Mark ordered for both of us as he always does. Rich people food, that's all it is. It tastes like nothing but they eat it anyway because it's expensive and the model looking housewifes need to mantain the 'perfect' image. I would rather have a juicy cheese burger, greasy fries and a chocolate milkshake. Fuck the salad!
"Can I get you anything else? Perhaps another bottle of wine?" the waitress asks. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFmepaVwNu
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtqsSpyUxv
She takes the empty bottle of wine out of the ice bucket. Shitballs! It's empty? I immediately look at my watch. It's been 35 minutes. I drank a whole bottle of wine by myself in 35 minutes! I feel my cheeks burning up. "I guess we do need another bottle, thank you." I say shyly.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxoDUAsbMB
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjv8Xx0uOJg
"Certainly Ma'am." She says politely.
I search the restaurant for Mark. All I see is vastly rich people eating salads and drinking the most expensive champagne. Woman gossiping about other rich housewives and husbands clearly annoyed with the conversation. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtePhpmamK
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ra5hL9ANb
My eyes reach the lobby but there is no sign of Mark.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzbMDFsf7L
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccNOP2gb4W
Where is he? He has been gone for 35 minutes. I send him a text letting him know that our starters arrived. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCbmdN96hl
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWh6VCOSJz
The black headed waitress arrive with the second bottle of wine. "Thank you." I say politely as she place the unopened bottle carefully in the ice bucket. "Please let me know if you need anything else." She turns around and head to another table. Before I can stop myself, I open the second bottle, poor myself another glass and as I take the first sip, my thoughts go wandering off again.
****
The air is chilly as I walk down the stairs outside the theater. The sky is painted in shades of pink and orange. I feel more excited and relaxed. The meeting was a huge success. We spend most of the time sitting on the stage laughing and telling jokes. For a moment I forgot about Mark and all my problems. Every single person made me feel apart of the group. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQDQL7H5UN
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOvkQ9tjpe
As I am making my way across the centre I hear someone calling after me. "Leah, wait up!"392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7bKemEckt
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRoJCtZ8DZ
I turn around to find Logan rushing up to me. As soon as he catches up with me, we walk side by side through the centre towards the street. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGCk3bWpnu
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7YfWVuyQ7
"Did you enjoy meeting everyone?" He askes breaking the silence.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMHPhGzB27
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEqXHQ0PoD
"Very much. Especially Larry." I chuckle.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkqJ2S0884
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNE2dFnrSV6
Logan laughs. "You will get use to him. He is like a father to all of us." He says softly.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd39ERM1c0
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAc4U1HaW5
"I'm sure I will." I say, smiling at the thought. "Your group is pretty close. Do you know each other apart from the musical?" I ask.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE90Hz8BcDN
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuoPDxapv4
"We have been a group for about 2 years now. Larry doesn't like change. He has a hard time trusting new people. He use the same group of people for all his musicals. And to be honest I think we are pretty much all he has. We are his family." I look up to Logan as we are walking. I can see the emotion in his eyes. He really adores Larry. I can understand why. Apart from being a giant energy bunny, I don't see how anyone can be unhappy in his presence.
"It must have been difficult for him to employ me then. What happened to the previous song writer?" I ask 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyPyJPx088
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixHLyw8XjM
"Bailey quit the morning after she found out she was pregnant. She always told us her husband wants her to be a stay at home mother. By the way, you do not need to worry, I think Larry really likes you." He says with a smile.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQ4gsrFcRn
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGU2mNMHiNV
"That's to bad. I don't think I would ever be able to give up my job." I reply.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR25p7068p
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbjXfbFKyp
"As far as I heard she didn't have much of a choice." He says.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrC3EtCJkXi
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCa70m6ccp
"I know the feeling." I quietly murmur. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsrdueyAB3
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jehnnHFRD
As we reach the pavement Logan turns to me and asks "Where is your car parked?"392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tgXc9cXeB
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaKf6vyoiS
I look over at the busy street, there is no taxi in sight. I think I will have to walk.
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0A2AHzHsL
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LuwGWtjj8
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAh7MwHfbjN
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ClSUAXAHY
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BvzEhDcS8
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBIHCteUrQ
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DqGV34mo7
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym4fUytkPz
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jTe1179dD
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUTu4lsJGy
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ekvxOkup2
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBwiw6YVpZ
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOcv1XdEHY
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡux5gPFYI4d
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebKrvWdJEN
"Oh, I walked to the theater. I will get a cab to take me back to the hotel." I say quickly. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9VUImla7J
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFM3SPCgYOT
Logan looks at me with one eyebrow raised. "It's getting dark. You will not be able to get a taxi very soon. Do you need a ride?" he asks.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9Xm3lC5LT
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsrMkAD6nN
I feel my body temperature rising.392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgmjsUh96T
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcwRmf3amk
"It's not a problem. If I do not manage to get a cab soon I will walk back to the hotel. It's only a few blocks and the fresh air will do me good." I smile at him hoping he would drop the subject. 392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcjRL237Vt
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGbxfZw8VO
"Don't be silly." He says. " Come on, I will take you back to the hotel."392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXb3hBqedAy
392Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeg7kBW3CVU
