"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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4TMyeRTX9
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL7Vy0nBjQ
"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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2u8CmQT1xX
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbZDoXEpsR
"You must be Leah!" He shouts enthusiastically.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtV0MuN4S0h
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hasoe20Is
"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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuS8QZ34cQ8
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAog9rnmoCh
"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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA0OFeH6AA
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIaVjfdA7W
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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SjwUlnm9F
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlfP5O4Q3d
"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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwv1dkBRqb
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEIxCVQU9W
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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WeOzyXbIv
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JK7j1oBBY
"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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MAJ6jeuu5
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24OwjM3DVV
"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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbATj7C8VZ0
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0iPjngDF6
"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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkNGQQxrID
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAyaL8XTJ2
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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFWSaKA9Rp
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqs5Rsx1lFc
"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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlWDkdjnDZ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVj6Jld1O3
My eyes reach the lobby but there is no sign of Mark.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuScHHZeGo
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUaf1p5cn4
Where is he? He has been gone for 35 minutes. I send him a text letting him know that our starters arrived. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfhv0pfMAI
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XMqRM5dWP
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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3823PaLvPA
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDRNsqPQ2k
As I am making my way across the centre I hear someone calling after me. "Leah, wait up!"451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11TuLaxK5h
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBethv9iMe
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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvetJqmU0a
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0S8y73oTX
"Did you enjoy meeting everyone?" He askes breaking the silence.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIriguIXPf
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfM9PGN2Ijp
"Very much. Especially Larry." I chuckle.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4SEXc1Sef
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnoyqLYezK
Logan laughs. "You will get use to him. He is like a father to all of us." He says softly.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTvDGDwLTJ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhN67CkmrKW
"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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2t9GJ9o6m9
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwoPjjviYd
"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 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsxoMbUyjv
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z8da7w6Wp
"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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkhUaDg4Cs
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7aw87UPNe
"That's to bad. I don't think I would ever be able to give up my job." I reply.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcv96xgWSY
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LfKJK9jBg
"As far as I heard she didn't have much of a choice." He says.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DqG0hjNB8
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiAorxxn7Q
"I know the feeling." I quietly murmur. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6JS1w1Auc
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZPHEDWStF
As we reach the pavement Logan turns to me and asks "Where is your car parked?"451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfDBREDq6u
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeScdcbByJm
I look over at the busy street, there is no taxi in sight. I think I will have to walk.
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnrMNHz9wh
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3n9VWoWgql
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGEj4fZuzn
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2kBeMOnJY
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglbwfT06pm
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tpSjYLNNU
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7paa8zkAEL
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91VkqeSPiz
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLycROibF7y
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXb6o2lVjS
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PaxPxyVJ3
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXP2X2rakQ
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEx0qmf3Xf5
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL3FMHdm7S
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAIv1OzCyp
"Oh, I walked to the theater. I will get a cab to take me back to the hotel." I say quickly. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPachNm8gh7
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9BGQg0XwR
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.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡez3Pi0XytD
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtrWQVZnu0
I feel my body temperature rising.451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEQ4LBq3a8
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08YWxyz56C
"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. 451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqqkOJshNc
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5McBa0Zf1
"Don't be silly." He says. " Come on, I will take you back to the hotel."451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb60zvFHN1I
451Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAutuYQwdJ0
