I stared out my office door into the main room. It was quiet, none of the usual activity and excitement of getting ready for a show. There was no show at the Olympus tonight and we were running the whole operation with half the staff. An aura of sadness hung over the place. What a mess our audition at The Haven had turned out to be. We never even got to have the audition at all before World War Three broke out. How would I lure them back? I glanced at my bank book. Flipped open to the latest page. A couple weeks ago I’d started paying for the show from my personal finances. No, don’t worry. It’s okay. Once the show opens and is a hit… I shut the book. I didn’t want to think about that.
When I stepped outta my office, I could see our Greek statues as tall as our high ceilings, gracefully bowing toward the fountain and the lake. Both the fountain and lake were in perfect stillness. They would come to life again for the show we had scheduled for Friday. But the quietness and the stillness of now… I thought back to when Jule and I had just come home from Paris. How glorious she’d looked in that royal blue silk gown. She danced just about every dance with Max. He looked completely dashing in his tuxedo. Elegance. The kids will never know elegance. I suddenly felt horribly sad. Sadder than tears, even. I had to let go of all that.
Lucille had left a stack of mail piled high in the middle of my desk on top of the dailies.
I reached for a large envelope with an elaborate logo in the return address. Under the address it said INVITATION.
“So, this is it.” I received many fancy invitations throughout the year. Attending these events were part of my job, but I knew this one was not the usual industry invite. This one was special. I opened the envelope and pulled out a white card with an embossed design of gold ribbons around the edge. In the center, my name embossed in gold—Miss Alice Huffman—and under my name the words:
‘You are cordially invited to attend the after-show reception at Sardis Restaurant for the
opening of The Baker of MacDougal Street , staring Juliana Styles. Two tickets for the show are reserved in your name December 10, 1956.
I stared at it a moment, thinking, this should be my day too. A big lump sat at the bottom of my stomach. I took a deep breath, trying to rid myself of the rock of jealousy, anger and longing. I didn’t want such ugliness to sit in my stomach, but … I took in another breath. Funny, it used to be me who was always getting her to take deep breaths. As I breathed out again, an ease settled over me... Oh, well, she’ll have Richard. And he will drive her right out of her mind. I laughed. Not vindictively. I didn’t feel vindictive right then. It was a laugh that came from an enjoyment of the craziness of being human.
I pushed the invitation back into its envelope, but something prevented it from going all the way in. I moved the invitation out of the way and inside I found a folded piece of lavender note paper, now crumpled because I’d pressed the cardboard invitation against it. I drew out the paper, smoothing it out on my desk. It was a note from Juliana.
* * *
Dear Al,
Well, this is finally going to happen. You were the one who saw this for me and believed when I was convinced it was too late. How I miss you at rehearsals. You gave me strength and got me to take on my fears. I know that if I am any good in this opera it will be because of you pushing me beyond walls I thought I could never get past. I’m sure you’ll be tempted not to come to the show or the after-show reception. I wouldn’t blame you. But that show and that reception is just as much for you as it is for me. Even though we can’t be together in the way we would like, please let me honor you this one time. Please come.
With love,
Juliana
* * *
I read it over a second time, making sure I hadn’t misread her words. Then, I rose from my chair and walked into the main room. The Maxine Goddesses, in rehearsal outfits, stood near the stage sipping coffee, some smoked. Max was laughing and having a smoke with them. I signaled him to come over to me.
“Did you get your invitation to Juliana’s after-show reception?” I asked, when he got close enough to talk privately.
“You know, it’s only protocol,” he said. “We’re only on the invitation list because we’re in the business not because she knows us—or wants us there. She probably doesn’t even know we were sent one.”
“She sent me this in the same envelope.” I held up the note. “She wants me to come. She wants to honor me for all I did for her career.”
“Well, she should, but… “What are you going to do?”
“Will you be my escort?”
“Oh, hon, I can’t. I already made other plans for that date before I got this. It’s something I can’t get out of.”
“What? Some cute young thing is coming over. You can’t get out of that for me?”
“It’s a little more complicated than that.”
“Aren’t all your liaisons?”
“Do you have to go?” he asked.
“No. But yes. I did build up her career to get her to where she is now. I thought she didn’t notice how much I put into it, but this note… She does know what I did. That means something to me. It’s not her fault we’re not together, you know. It was Richard and his darn detective. That last year with her was—a miracle. We were so happy. And that last weekend together… Well, forget about before. This is business. I need to check up on a former client like I do any client current or previous. I have to make sure she’s doing everything I taught her. I want her to succeed. It’s good for my reputation. You taught me that. And I’ll be able to renew contacts and make new ones.”
“Isn’t there a friend you can take to this?”
“If I go with a girlfriend everyone will think I’m gay.”
“Women your age can go to the together without too much suspicion. Men can’t, but women sometimes can.”
“Because everyone knows they’re spinsters. Like me.”
“And most spinsters I know are gay girls.”
“Bingo. Told you so.”
He shook his head. “Go with a group. Three or four girls. No one ever thinks twice if a group of girls go to the theater together. Don’t you know a few girls you can…”
“I do! One of them has this big crush on Juliana. She would love to go to this.”
“Terrific! I’ll give you my two tickets. You can invite three friends.”
“Yeah!” I was finally excited to show off what a big shot I was.