The Role of Her Lifetime Read online

  “This looks interesting,” Ashley said as she first looked at it.

  Marie turned back to Jackie, but Jackie had moved away and was talking to someone else.

  The opera conductor called for attention. “Let’s run through this a few times so you’ll be familiar with it. This is an abbreviated portion, but it should give us a sense of how you sound together.

  “This is at the ball. The prince has asked Ella to dance, but she recognizes him as the boy who played a nasty trick on her at the market a few days before and stole an apple from her. She’s still mad at him. She has just told him that as a prince, he’d make a lousy frog. In fact, he couldn’t even pass for a toad. Everything has immediately stopped, and there is nothing but silence.”

  He nodded to the pianist, who hit a chord to establish the key and then struck one note.

  The audition piece was an argument of sorts between the Prince, who swore he loved her and wanted Ella to marry him, and Ella, who demanded he stop this foolishness and go away. Given his reputation, she’d never believe a word he said. His lines were lyrical and romantic; hers brisk and harsh. In places, the dichotomy was quite comical. It ended with a duet of “Leave me alone” and “Please marry me.”

  The last six lines held over for several measures in harmony.

  The conductor nodded. “Not too bad. Once more.”

  They sang it again.

  “All right.” Another man, the one who had guided all the auditionees into the back room, stood. “I have to tell you all that we’re trying to cast the leads.”

  There were murmurs of surprise.

  “We’re looking today to see how you react with each other and how you blend, so please take this as seriously as you can,” he announced. “Now, if you’ll all please be patient, this may take a while. This will be sort of a round-robin. Be ready to step up. The first two we want to hear are Ashley Sheppard and Naomi Chappelle.”

  Everyone else sat down. Jackie sat next to Marie.

  “This is so exciting,” Jackie whispered to Marie, who nodded back at her with a huge smile.

  Ashley and Naomi sang through the music. Ashley’s voice was pure and bright. Marie could see why she got so many roles. Naomi’s voice was strong and dark. They sang it twice.

  “Bill Fletcher, please take Ms. Chappelle’s place.”

  A young man hurried forward. You could tell he hadn’t been to many auditions and was extremely nervous.

  Young, Marie thought. Probably in his early twenties at most. Maybe that’s what they were looking for. The women auditioning for Ella would have to wear a lot of make-up to make her look that young.

  He and Ashley sang. Billy’s voice was strong and clear. He had a promising baritone, a young baritone. No one could judge his quality because no one had seen the entire score and script.

  One of the judges wrote something on a piece of paper and nudged the judge next to him to read it. The second judge looked down and then nodded several times.

  “Jacolby, please.”

  Marie took a deep breath and replaced Billy. Ashley smiled at her. They started the piece. It was easy for them to sing with each other. They knew each other so very well. Their glances and gestures seemed natural. Their voices blended well, too.

  When they had finished, the three judges lowered their heads together.

  One judge said, “All right, Ms. Sheppard, you may sit down for now. Ms. Allenson?”

  When Jackie stepped up, she squeezed Marie’s hand before they started. Then they began the piece. The performance with Jackie felt even better. Marie realized she looked at Jackie more than she’d looked at Ashley because she had to see how Jackie reacted to her.

  The afternoon continued until all combinations had sung together more than once, some several times. By the end, they all knew each other and the music rather well.

  “Thank you all for coming here this afternoon. You all did excellently. We have a lot to consider. You’ll hear from us in a few days.”

  Everyone applauded. As they were getting ready to leave, Ashley came up to Marie.

  “We’ll have to go out to dinner sometime,” she said. “You have my number. Give me a call.” Ashley gave her a kiss on the cheek. Marie returned the kiss. Ashley shouldered her bag and walked out.

  Yes, it’s the same old Ashley, Marie thought. Flirt, leave suggestions, but let someone else make decisions.

  Did she want to go through that again? Did she really? Of course, Ashley had been an excellent lover. This time, however…

  Jackie came over to Marie. “What do you think?” she asked, interrupting Marie’s thoughts.

  “It’s hard to tell. Billy did really well, if they want a true male in the role. Naomi was good, too.”

  Jackie nodded. “I think it’s between Ashley and Janelle for Ella. They were both wonderful.”

  “I think you were better,” Marie said with a big smile.

  Jackie gave her a playful push. “Don’t say that. You’ll jinx it.”

  Marie laughed. “But it’s the truth.” She took a breath. “I couldn’t tell what the judges were thinking. There were no facial expressions. I’d hate to play poker with any of those three.” She took another deep breath and paused in thought. “Yes, you were better. You’ll get the part.”

  Jackie hugged Marie and then slipped her backpack onto her shoulders. “Thanks for the complement. I think you have it, too.”

  Marie rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

  Jackie chuckled at the reaction. “Well, we’ll know in a couple days,” she said softly.

  Marie picked up her bags, and they both walked to the elevator. Once on the first floor, they left the building.

  “Which way are you going?” Marie asked as they stood on the sidewalk.

  “I’m going uptown, west side. I’m meeting a friend for dinner.”

  “I’m headed downtown,” Marie said, “I guess I’ll see you when the rehearsals start. I know we at least got chorus parts.”

  “Yes. At least that.” Jackie laughed as she turned toward uptown. “Bye!” She waved as she walked away.

  “Bye,” Marie called as she started toward the subway station.

  Was today a good day or a bad day? Marie had no better idea about the opera results than she’d had when she woke up this morning. In her mind, Naomi Chappelle was her main competition. One other woman seemed too short to pull off the role, and the boy seemed too young against any of the women. If Naomi got the role, maybe they’d cast her as an understudy. She didn’t even want to hope she’d be chosen.

  Chapter 2

  The next morning, Marie’s best friend, Chris Anthony, walked into the apartment. It was really Chris’s apartment, but Marie had been apartment-sitting while Chris was away on a four-month tour.

  Chris and her cello had soloed in front of twelve orchestras around the country. Instead of coming home between performances, she stayed where she had last performed so she could relax and practice. Paying for two or three nights in a hotel was cheaper and less time-consuming, and especially less exhausting, than flying home, just to fly out again two days later for another upcoming performance.

  “I’m back!” she called as she dragged her suitcases and cello into the hallway. “I’m home!”

  Marie stuck her head out of the kitchen where she’d just started a pot of coffee. “It’s about time you got your bony ass back here.”

  It wasn’t uncommon for them to be rude to each other. They’d started it years ago when they were roommates at Juilliard. Both knew neither was serious.

  Chris ignored Marie as she threw her garment bag onto the chair. “How the hell have you been?”

  “It’s always the same,” Marie groused. “I had an audition and a call-back for an opera role, but I haven’t heard anything yet.”

  “When was the call-back?” Chris asked.

  “Yesterday.”

  “Damn! Give them a little time. They probably have a lot of important things to do. They can’t be calling e
veryone right away to tell them to forget it.”

  “Forget it? I was one of the finalists for the lead. At least they’ll give me a chorus job, maybe even an understudy.”

  Chris took a deep breath. “Then they’ll call. Just give them time.” She took another deep breath. “Any calls for me?”

  “For you?” Marie saw the opportunity to fall back into their usual banter. “Who the hell would want to talk to you?” She paused. “Cheryl called twice. She wants to hear from you.”

  Cheryl was the leader of the string quartet Chris had played with for almost ten years.

  Chris nodded, then asked, “Car didn’t call?”

  Car, or Caroline Weldon, was the love of Chris’s life, but they had had a serious quarrel before Chris signed for her tour and hadn’t talked since.

  Marie frowned. “Sweetie, you know it’s over. After you told me what happened that last time, I doubt she’ll call you.”

  Chris frowned, too. “You’re right, but I’ve got to go talk to her. No one can kick me out of their life without me fighting it.”

  Marie studied the woman in front of her. She’d never seen Chris so fired up. Determination glowed in her eyes.

  “I just took what she said without even answering any of the accusations. She called me a coward, and I proved she was right by just letting her throw me out. I didn’t even fight it. I never argued with her. This time, I’m going to prove I’m not a coward. I’ll say what I want to say. I’ll tell her, damn, I’ll show her where she was wrong.”

  Car had accused Chris of wanting other people to make decisions for her so she wouldn’t have to take the blame if something went wrong. Marie knew that, throughout the tour, all Chris could think about were things she should have said to Car.

  “Bravo, girl. Fight for what you want.” Then Marie softened her voice. “It’s good to have you back, Chris. I missed your sorry butt.”

  “I hope you missed more of me than just my butt.” Chris laughed as she threw her big suitcase up onto the couch.

  “Well, I missed your ass the most. You know how I like to kick it.”

  “In your dreams.” Chris opened the suitcase and took out a clean shirt. “I’ve got to get this straightened out. From what Ryan and Wilson said, she didn’t mean a word of it. She was just pushing me to take the tour.”

  Ryan and Wilson were two gay actors who were Car’s friends. Chris had met them and had become close when they all vacationed together. She’d stopped to visit them in California when she had two days free between concerts.

  Marie nodded. “It does sound like something she’d do, hon.”

  “I’m going up to her place and make her admit it. Even if she’s got another girlfriend, I can’t leave this like it is. I have to know what her intentions really were.” Chris finished buttoning her clean shirt. “Is my car parked near here?”

  Parking in Manhattan was always hard. One had to be aware of which side of the street was legal to park on for a particular day. Parking during the daytime hours was always only one side of the street so street sweepers had room to work. Also, you had to fight others in the neighborhood for a space.

  “Your car is all gassed up, and I had the oil changed last week. I didn’t use it much but I kept moving it so you wouldn’t be ticketed. It’s parked down the block.” Marie pointed in the correct direction. She picked up the keys from a tray on the kitchen counter and tossed them to Chris.

  Chris hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Marie. You’re the best friend I ever had.”

  Marie stuck her tongue out. Chris did the same.

  “Do you think you’ll stay there tonight?” Marie asked.

  “If she hasn’t got another girlfriend and she’ll have me, I’d love to stay there. We have a lot to talk about, if she’ll let me in. Even if we don’t reconcile today, there’s a lot we need to discuss…a lot I need to say to her.”

  Car lived north of Manhattan in a gated mansion overlooking the river. Chris knew the code to get in. Hopefully, Car hadn’t changed it.

  “Good luck. I hope I never see you again.”

  “Me, too.” Chris grabbed her purse and walked out of the apartment.

  Marie looked around the living room.

  Damn, she thought, she’s home for less than a half hour and look what a mess she left.

  The big suitcase was still open, clothes were spread all over the chair. Chris’s cello blocked the hallway.

  I guess you got used to hotel bellhops and maids doing everything for you. I’ll do it this once, but don’t get used to it, Ms. Anthony.

  Marie closed the suitcase and carried it and the garment bag into Chris’s bedroom. She stood the cello up and parked it beside the couch where Chris usually left it. Then she went into the kitchen to nuke herself a cup of coffee, which had gotten cold while they talked.

  For the rest of the day, Marie rambled around her apartment, cleaning places and rearranging the closets. With Chris back, she would probably have to look for another apartment and move soon. She also waited impatiently for the telephone to ring, but it never did.

  * * * *

  On Tuesday, Marie’s house phone rang just as she walked in the door from work. “I hope that’s the opera company.”

  She worked for a travel agency, whose slogan was “Please Go Away.” She was getting tired of booking people into vacations she’d never get to go on.”

  She got the phone before the fourth ring, but it wasn’t the opera company

  “Where the hell have you been?” she growled at Chris. “You walk in here after being away for four months, and you rush right back out again. And you left this place a mess! Your clothes and your suitcases were all over the place.”

  Chris chuckled. “I’m sorry, hon. I was in a rush to get here.”

  “When you didn’t call for two days, I thought you had a real fight and killed each other.”

  Chris laughed loudly.

  “So?” Marie asked.

  “Well, we sort of…uh…well…”

  “Uh-huh. So is she taking you back?”

  “Yes,” Chris whispered.

  “Did you have to displace anyone?”

  “No. In fact, I suspect she didn’t go out much and stayed at home most of the time.”

  “Was it hard to change her mind?” Marie asked.

  “Not at all. Ryan was right. She only yelled at me to get me to rely on myself and stop asking her to make my decisions.”

  “Good for you. I know that’s what you wanted.”

  “I am so happy and relieved. We’ve talked and talked. I think we got everything straightened out. If we missed something, it shouldn’t be hard to talk about. I finally told her I loved her,” Chris said.

  “I don’t know why you didn’t tell her months ago.”

  “Well, I was a coward,” Chris admitted. “I didn’t think she wanted me to love her.”

  “You were wrong.”

  “I sure was, and she loves me.”

  “Is this where those sappy violins start in the background?”

  “They’ve been playing for the last two days.”

  “So what are you going to do now?”

  “Well…want to sublet my apartment?”

  Marie had always loved Chris’s apartment. It was in a rent-controlled building in an older neighborhood of the city. There were only eight apartments in the building. The managers kept it clean and fixed everything as soon as something happened. Also, the neighbors were very friendly, and Marie felt safe there. She had become friends with the couple across the hall.

  “Why the hell would I want to sublet your apartment? That’s the most stupid question you have ever asked me, Christine Anthony.” There was no other way to answer than rudely. She sighed. “Of course, I want your apartment. Are you sure? I don’t want to get my hopes up, just for you and Car to change your minds. I’d have to move out in a week or so.”

  “I’m very sure. I’m definitely moving in with her. We both made mista
kes all those months ago, but we’ll do our best to make everything right.”

  “Well, congratulations, Chris.”

  “You know what else? She drove all the way up to Syracuse to hear my concert there. She was in the audience, and I never knew it. She said it was the best she ever heard me play.”

  “Well, she’s never heard you with a full orchestra, just with the quartet.”

  “True. A full orchestra does make anyone sound better.”

  Marie glanced down at her answering machine. It blinked. “Did you call here before?”

  “Nope. Got you on the first try.”

  “Then I’m going to hang up. There’s a message on my machine. Hopefully, it’s the opera company.”

  “You still haven’t heard anything?”

  “I’m hoping this call is from them.”

  “Then I’ll get out of your way. Talk to you soon. Good Luck.”

  Marie just looked at her phone. “Well, no sense waiting. Whatever it is will not change just because I’m not answering it.” She pressed the play button.

  There was one call waiting. It had been left at 1:42 that afternoon.

  “Ms. Jacolby? This is Arthur Lundgren from the Windsor Opera Company. We have a role we want to offer you. Would you or your agent please get in touch with me as soon as you can?” He ended with his name and phone number. He repeated it.

  Marie replayed it. To her amazement, it was exactly the same the second time…likewise the third.

  “Me or my agent?” Marie gasped.

  They’d never asked for an agent before. Chorus jobs were just, Show up at seven on such and such a day.

  What was this? And a role? Which role? An understudy? One of the prince’s friends? One of the Ladies? A stepsister? Oh, my God. Could it be the lead? She’d never had a big role before. Well, not a professional role. She’d had major roles in school and in community groups, but never a paid one. She’d thought she’d spend her life in the background, in the chorus.

  Shit, what do I do? I never had an agent. I’ve never needed one. Well, Chris Anthony, it looks like you’re good luck for me. An apartment and a job all in five minutes? I love your apartment. Oops, my apartment. She grinned as she made the correction. Hopefully this job will pay well. But an agent? What do I do? I don’t have an agent.