โAy me! Sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?โโ Danny said, raising a hand to his heart. The other was clutching a script.
โโIt was. What sadness lengthens Romeoโs hours?โโ Isaac said in a booming voice, flourishing his hands wildly.
โThank God youโre not in the play,โ I mumbled in his direction and shook my head in embarrassment.
Danny, Isaac, and I were sitting on the bleachers at Alexโs baseball game. The seats were metal and burned in the afternoon light. I was wearing a skirt that forced me to sit on the edge of the seat to keep the skin on the back of my legs from getting scorched. My boyfriend was far out in left field, and I could barely see him since the sun was glaring in my eyes.
โโNot having that which, having, makes them short,โโ Danny recited.
When Isaac didnโt answer because his attention was focused on a possible home-run hit, Danny elbowed him in the side.
โOh, umโโin loveโ?โ he said, quickly looking down at his copy of the script. Danny was forcing Isaac to run lines with him so I could watch Alex play.
Danny sighed, embodying the lovesick Romeo, โOut.โ
Isaac stood up in excitement as the ball flew toward his cousin in the outfield. โDid he catch it?โ he demanded a few seconds later. โI canโt tell. The sun is in my eyes.โ
โHuh?โ I responded. I was trying to watch, but the humidity was making my head feel heavy, and it was hard to concentrate.
โNever mind,โ Isaac grumbled and sat back down on the bleachers. โYouโre not even paying attention.โ
โNeither are you,โ Danny told him angrily. โWe should be done with this act by now.โ
โDude, why do you even need to go over this? Youโve already had your costume rehearsal,โ Isaac complained. When Danny glared at him, he sighed and glanced back down at the script. โโOf love?โโ
โโOut of her favor, where I am in love.โโ Danny said his line without having to look down at the sheet.
โYouโre out!โ the umpire shouted at a player who tried to slide into home.
โYes!โ Isaac shouted, fixing his attention back down on the field. โWas that two or three?โ
โTwo, I think,โ I answered absentmindedly, but then Alexโs team began to jog back from the field toward the dugout.
Isaac rolled his eyes at me. โNot much of a baseball fan?โ
โNo, thatโs not true,โ I said, pressing a hand to my sticky forehead. โI love the Yankees. Itโs just thatโโ
โThat she canโt stop thinking about Cole. And you,โ Danny said, jabbing his cousin in the chest, โkeep forgetting youโre supposed to be helping me practice. God, Isaac, youโre a horrible Benvolio.โ
โHey!โ both Isaac and I shouted at the same time.
โIโm not thinking about Cole,โ I said, defending myself.
โAnd Iโm a great actor. Academy Award winning, thank you very much,โ Isaac said, shaking his finger back and forth in Dannyโs face.
โIsaac, if I remember correctly, you were the one who couldnโt play a tree in the spring recital without messing it up.โ
โThat was kindergarten,โ Isaac mumbled, but Danny wasnโt listening. โJackie, Iโm quiet, not blind,โ he told me. โThat dazed look thatโs been
on your face ever since you two came out of that closet says otherwise.โ
โSay what?โ Isaac demanded.
โI wasnโt like that,โ I said. โI swear.โ Because of his shy nature, Danny might have developed a certain affinity for perceptiveness, but this time he had it all wrong.
โSure it wasnโt,โ Isaac said.
Okay, so maybe I wasnโt telling the truth. Yes, I was thinking about Cole, but not in the way they thought. And that was exactly why I couldnโt quite concentrate on the baseball game. When we were playing hide-and-seek, Zack took forever to find us. Ignoring Bennyโs protest, Cole got impatient and opened the closet door. His shower was running, and he didnโt want it to get cold. Danny, who had been looking for someone to read lines with, had seen both of us tumble out of the tiny room. I was worried he would get the wrong idea and tell everyone. What would Alex think if he found out?
โThereโs nothing going on between me and Cole,โ I objected. โDanny, you saw Benny climb out of the closet too. Tell him that.โ
โWhat the heck was he doing in there with you both?โ Isaac said. โThatโs disgusting and definitely not PG-rated. Poor Benny is going to be scarred for life.โ
โWe were playing hide-and-seek,โ I said, starting to panic. โCome on, Danny, tell him the truth.โ
โI donโt know, Jackie,โ he said, his face straight. โCole didnโt even have a shirt on.โ
Isaac shook his finger at me. โNow thatโs naughty.โ He put his hand on my leg and grinned. โWhy wasnโt I invited?โ
โGod, youโre disgusting,โ I said, pushing him away.
โDid you rip his shirt off with your teeth?โ he asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.
โHe was going to take a frickinโ shower!โ I exploded.
A few moms sitting around us turned to frown at me. Both boys watched me for a moment before bursting into fits of laughter.
โWow, itโs fun to watch you squirm,โ Isaac choked out, and I punched him on the shoulder.
โWe were only kidding, Jackie,โ Danny said, wiping away a stray tear. โNot appreciated,โ I grunted, crossing my arms. I stared down at the
game, refusing to look in either of their directions.
โCome on, Jackie,โ Isaac said, putting a hand on my arm. โI was just messing around.โ
I stuck out my tongue and continued to watch the game going on below. โAre you going to ignore me for the rest of the day? Because I can be
quite annoying if I want to.โ Isaac started poking me repetitively in the cheek.
Pushing his hand away, I answered. โI sure can. Now be quiet. Alex is up.โ
All three of us fell silent and watched as Alex hit a grounder. It rolled right between two infielders, and he made it to second base before they could get the ball.
โGo, Alex!โ I shouted excitedly, jumping up and down.
โOh, Alex!โ Isaac squealed in a girly voice. โYouโre so damn sexy that I was making out in the closet with your older brother!โ
Danny choked on air as he tried not to laugh. I spun around and whacked Isaac on the shoulder again.
โDang, Jackie! Youโre going to bruise my delicate skin,โ he complained, rubbing the sore spot.
โGood,โ I said and sat back down to watch the next hitter.
Dannyโs phone rang. โHey, Dad,โ he said in greeting. โRight now?โ He paused. โOkay, Iโll be there in a few.โ He clicked his phone shut and turned to us. โI have to go pick Zack and Benny up from their soccer game.โ
At this, I frowned. There were still four innings left. Danny had driven us, so how would we get home if he left?
โIโm coming too,โ Isaac said and stood up. โBut what about the rest of the game?โ I asked.
โYou can stay if you want,โ Isaac suggested. โAlex rode his bike here.
He can give you a ride home on the pegs.โ
***
โYou did great today,โ I told Alex when he found me after the game was over. His team had won by three runs.
He pulled me into a hug. โThanks, Jackie. Iโm really glad you came.โ โYouโre all sweaty,โ I squealed, trying to squirm away. He was going to
ruin my shirt.
โYou donโt like that?โ he asked with a laugh, locking his arms tightly behind my back.
โNo! Alex, let go,โ I said, but gave in with a laugh.
Clouds had rolled in near the end of the game, covering the hot sun, but the air was still humid, making our bodies stick together.
โWhereโd everyone go?โ he asked, letting his arms hang loose.
โDanny had to pick Zack and Benny up. I wanted to stay, so I was hoping you could give me a ride home on your bike. Youโre not too tired, are you?โ
โA little,โ he said, slinging his arm over my shoulder. โBut it will be my pleasure.โ
We made it about halfway home when it started to pour. Alex pulled off the road and onto a gravel pathway that led to a small, rundown pavilion as lightning flashed across the sky. I jumped off the back of the bike and ran under the overhang to get out of the rain. Taking a ponytail holder off my wrist, I pulled my damp hair out of my face. After leaning his bike up against the brick wall, Alex pulled out his phone and called home. He had a quick conversation with someone and then sat down on an old wooden picnic table that was covered in graffiti.
โSomeone is coming to get us,โ he said.
I nodded, looking out over a grassy clearing. โWhat is this place?โ I asked.
There was a boarded-up concessions stand, and beyond the structure was a grassy meadow with a large section that was flat and brown. It looked like a dried-up pond.
โIt used to be an outdoor ice-skating rink during the winter months,โ Alex said, following my gaze out to what must have been the ice patch. Alex took one of my hands and rubbed my skin gently with his thumb. โEver been skating before?โ
It was a harmless question, yet I still felt a sudden jab at my heart. โYeah,โ I said slowly. โMy family had this tradition where weโd go to
the rink at Rockefeller Center on my momโs birthday. I donโt remember how it started since my mom wasnโt very good, but we did it every year.โ
Alex wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. โSorry, I didnโt mean to make you sad.โ
โIโm fine,โ I told him, resting my head on his shoulder. โItโs one of those nice memories. You know, the kind that makes you sad but you smile at the same time?โ
I could almost picture my family gliding across the patch of dried-up grass as I stared out at the meadow, and the memory was so captivating that it took me a minute to realize that Alex hadnโt answered me. When I turned to look at him, I found that his eyes were already locked on me.
The first time Alex kissed me, it was so unexpected that it made my stomach jump in excitement. At the time, I hadnโt known what to think because there was so much adrenaline soaring through me. This time as his eyes fluttered closed and he leaned in, I knew what was about to happen and I could feel the steady beat of my heart.
Everything about the way he kissed reminded me specifically of him. First it was a slow, barely there kiss, so if I rejected him he could pull away and pretend it never happened. But then, when he realized that I was in fact kissing him back, it was excited and sporadic. His hands never stayed in one spot. First they would be in my hair, then grasping my arms, and finally moving to my waist before the whole procedure would start over again. It was a little wet, but I didnโt think it was slobbery enough to call it sloppy.
At the same time, I didnโt have much to compare it to, so for all I knew, Alex could have been a great kisser.
As weird as it sounded, he reminded me of a puppy. Puppies are good, right? Everyone likes puppies. And just like a dog, he had boundless make-out energy. I needed a breath, to stop and surface, but Alex was pushing me down onto the picnic table.
Just as I was running out of air, a car horn honked from out in the rain and Alex quickly jumped back. Standing up, I tugged down my shirt, which had ridden up while we were kissing, and smoothed out the wrinkles. Alex shot me a cheeky grin before grabbing my hand and pulling me to the edge of the pavilion.
โWe can finish this later,โ he whispered before stepping out into the rain to grab his bike.
To shield myself from the downpour, I lifted my arms over my head and sprinted to the truck. When I reached the passenger-side door, I yanked on the handle, but it was locked.
โOpen up!โ I shouted over the rain, pounding my fist against the window. It was coming down so heavily now that I couldnโt even see who was inside. I heard the distinct click of the lock and threw myself into the truck a second later. โGod, itโs nasty out there,โ I said, patting down my hair. My shirt clung to my skin, and I could feel the crumbs of someoneโs morning Pop-Tart sticking to the back of my leg as I sat back.
Nobody answered, and I turned in my seat to find Cole behind the wheel. He was glaring out the windshield so fiercely that I was afraid he would burn a hole through the glass and the storm outside would pour in.
โYou okay?โ I asked, but there was a sinking feeling in my stomach.
When he said nothing, I knew he had seen Alex and me making out.
I waited in awkward silence as Alex threw his bike in the bed of the truck. The air-conditioning hummed softly, drying my damp skin and leaving behind a trail of goose bumps. I could feel the anger pouring off Cole, so I forced myself to concentrate on the radio, repeating the string of lyrics in my head. But he was impossible to ignore, and I found myself
wishing I had sat in the backseat. Finally, after three uncomfortable verses, Alex climbed in the back and Cole stepped on the gas, reversing down the gravel path at full speed.
โWhoa!โ Alex shouted as he was thrown backward before being able to buckle his seat belt or even breathe. The truck took a sharp left, back onto the main road, and Alex was thrown into the window. โWhat the hell?โ
โCole, slow down,โ I said quietly.
He narrowed his eyes at his brother in the rearview mirror but let up.
The rest of the ride home was completely silent, and an uncomfortable tension filled the small, confined space. It didnโt help when a love song started to trickle out from the radio, its melody sickly sweet. Thirty seconds into the cheesy lyrics, I leaned over and switched it off. Alex heaved a sigh of relief.
When we pulled into the Waltersโ driveway, Cole parked at the bottom of the hill. I turned to give him a puzzled look as he yanked the key from the ignition. We were going to get soaked walking all the way up to the house. Why wasnโt he parking in the usual spot underneath the basketball hoop? Cole answered my unasked question by pulling out an umbrella and getting out of the truck. He slammed the door shut, and Alex and I sat in shocked silence, watching him make his way toward the house.
โWhatโs his problem?โ Alex demanded.
Frowning, I told Alex what I had feared since leaving the ice-skating rink. โI think he might have seen us.โ
Alex shook his head. โJackie, I can barely see out the window right now with the rain coming down so hard. How could he possibly have seen us?โ
I shrugged my shoulders, not knowing how to answer his question. Even if Cole hadnโt caught us, he was definitely mad about something.
โSo what do we do now? I can call my mom again and ask for someone to bring us an umbrella,โ he suggested.
I shook my head no. โIโd prefer not to give Cole that satisfaction. Itโs only water and weโre halfway wet already. Besides, you still smell. A shower would do you good.โ
โBut my cell phone.โ
โJust leave it in the truck,โ I said, opening the door. โYouโre not going to die without it.โ
As we walked up the driveway toward the house, the rain let up. Giggles filled the air as we approached the front porch, and I looked up to find most of the Walter boys sitting under its shelter.
โWhat are they doing?โ I asked Alex.
โWatching for a thunderstorm,โ he answered. โHavenโt you ever sat outside during one? Itโs really peaceful.โ
โI lived on the top floor of an apartment building,โ I told him as water squished inside my flats. I should have taken them off before getting out of the car, since they were ruined for sure, but the gravel on the driveway was sharp and I didnโt want to cut my feet.
โOh right,โ Alex said. โWell, we do it all the time.โ
โEnjoying the weather?โ Nathan asked when we reached the house. Alex gave him the finger, and everyone burst out laughing as we trudged up the steps.
โJackie, you cold?โ Isaac asked. โYour headlights are on.โ
Resisting the urge to cross my arms, I answered him. โActually, I am. Maybe a hug would warm me up?โ I took a step toward him with my arms wide open. Isaac backed away quickly, not wanting to get wet, but Alex ambushed him from the side.
โDude, really?โ Isaac complained. โNow Iโm soaking.โ โThatโs what she said,โ Lee said, making all the boys laugh.
โNotย soaking,โ Alex answered Isaac, shaking his head in disagreement. Isaac had splotches of damp on his clothes, but it was nothing compared to us. โLet me fix that for you.โ With one quick push, Isaac was out in the rain. Danny gave Alex a high five as Jack and Jordan stepped out onto the porch.
โWhatโs he doing out there?โ Jack asked as he wiped his already foggy glasses on his shirt.
โWe donโt like him anymore,โ Danny said. โHe was voted off our island.โ
โReally?โ Isaac demanded from out in the rain. โWhoโs going to read lines with you then?โ
โDefinitely not you,โ Danny said, rolling his eyes. โYouโre terrible.โ Isaac smirked as he climbed up the steps. โโO Romeo, Romeo,
wherefore art thou, Romeo?โโ he called, descending upon his cousin.
โStay back,โ Danny said, jumping up out of his seat. โI donโt want to get all wet.โ
โToo bad,โ Isaac laughed and pushed him off the porch.
Lee burst out laughing. โHey, look! Romeoโs all washed up,โ he said, pointing a finger at his cousin. In response, Danny yanked him out into the rain. โWhat the fudge?โ Lee demanded.
Benny, who had been standing next to me quietly, tugged on my hand. โJackie, can I go out in the rain too, or does someone have to push me?โ
I broke into a grin. โIf you want to play in the rain,โ I told him, โgo for it. Iโll even play with you. First one to jump in a puddle wins?โ I asked.
Bennyโs eyes lit up, and he bounded off the porch in his yellow rain boots.
โCare to join me?โ I asked, grabbing Alexโs hand.
โIt would be a pleasure,โ he said, grinning at me, and we both stepped back out into the rain.
The cool water felt relaxing as it ran down my back, and I ran my fingers through my soaking hair, lifting the new weight off my neck.
โJackie! I beat you!โ Benny called.
โDid you, now?โ I responded, splashing toward him. โWell, guess what? Youโre it,โ I said and tapped him on the shoulder. It only took Benny a moment before he was chasing after one of his older brothers in a game of tag.
โYou know what this weather reminds me of?โ Jack asked his twin. โThat pirate movie we watched last night, where there was a sword fight in the middle of the storm.โ
โYou thinking what Iโm thinking?โ Jordan asked, picking up a broom.
He swung it at his brotherโs face. โEn garde!โ
Jack grinned and swiped a stick out of the flower bed. The two started to sword fight across the slippery wooden porch, pretending it was the deck of a pirate ship.
โI get to be the captain,โ Jack called.
โYou have glasses,โ his double said. โThat makes you a loser. Captains are never losers.โ With that, he pushed his brother off the steps with a quick jab of his sword. Jack fell back into a puddle of water and sprayed mud everywhere. When he stood up, his pants were covered.
โLooks like you shit your pants,โ Lee teased.
โWell, it looks like you shit your face,โ Jack shot back. He scooped up a handful of mud and threw it at his cousin, splattering brown muck on Leeโs face.
โOh, hell no,โ Lee said, wiping the mud off. He bent down and grabbed his own handful. โYouโre gonna regret that.โ He sent the mud flying in Jackโs direction, but he ducked and it sprayed across Nathan.
โWhat theโฆ?โ Nathan said in confusion.
โMud fight!โ Jordan shouted, throwing a goopy fistful at Danny.
Everyone joined in quickly.
โJackie!โ Alex called, dark sludge oozing out from between his fingers. โIโm going to get you!โ
โPlease donโt,โ I said, backing up slowly. โThis is a nice shirt. Youโre going to ruin it.โ
But Alex was still advancing on me, an evil grin on his face. Spinning on my heels, I dashed off in the opposite direction. Water splashed up to my knees as my feet pounded across the sopping grass. I could feel the exhilaration pumping through my body, and I stole a quick glance over my shoulder to see how close Alex was.
โJackie, look out!โ Danny called.
I turned in time to see Zack standing in front of me. His neck was craned up at the sky, his tongue stuck out to catch the falling raindrops. I nearly
crashed into him, but I managed to dig my heels into the ground seconds before we collided. Alex, on the other hand, wasnโt so quick to react and smashed right into me. We both toppled over, sending mud in every direction. On top of me, Alex winced.
โCrap, Iโm sorry, Jackie,โ he said.
I chose not to respond as I let everything sink in. The mud had splattered across my face, and I knew that my top was covered in it too, completely ruined. Part of me knew I should be mad because that was how I normally would have reacted, but something about playing in the rain was so completely freeing that, for once, I didnโt care.
โWell,โ I finally said, digging my fingers into the ground. โYouโll just have to pay.โ I smeared a handful of mud on his cheek. He blinked in surprise and then we both burst out giggling.
โThis is the most fun Iโve had in forever,โ Alex said. He bent down and pecked me on the lips.
โPDA alert,โ Isaac shouted from across the lawn, making us both glance up. โYou two are disgusting. Get a room.โ
Alex rolled his eyes, and when he turned back to me, I knew he was going to ignore Isaac and kiss me again.
โOh no.โ I pushed him off me. He looked confused for a moment, but then he saw me scoop up another handful of brown slime. โIsaac isย soย asking for it,โ I told him.
โWell,โ Alex said with a huge grin on his face. He stood up and held a hand out for me. โWe should give him what he wants.โ
***
As we filed into the school auditorium Monday night, the lights started to dim. We were running late, as usual, since it was nearly impossible to tear Katherine away from the kitchen. Given that she was such as amazing cook, sheโd decided to prepare all the food for the reception instead of paying for a caterer who she said couldnโt possibly make as good a meal as her. The result was that, for the past three days, there had been a tiny tornado in the
Walter kitchen as Katherine rushed about kneading bread, mixing sauces, and chopping up different roots, vegetables, and fruit.
Occasionally she would run out of an ingredient or realize that she had forgotten an item on her grocery list. Then sheโd panic until someone jumped in the truck and rushed off to the store to pick up whatever she needed. The wedding was still two weeks away, but with so many people to cook for, she had to start early.
When we needed to leave for Dannyโs play, Katherine was still at the sink, unconvinced that her kitchen was clean. Quite the opposite was true; I had never seen the place so sparkling. George was finally able to pull the rubber gloves from her hands and drag her to the car, but as soon as we pulled out of the driveway, Jack and Jordan realized they forgot the tripod for their camera, which they needed to film the play.
Five minutes later, Nathan remembered that he left the iron on and we had to turn back around again. When Parker noticed that she was wearing two different colored socks, everyone groaned in frustration. But this time, George told her to suck it up, and we continued on our way to the high school.
Only the row in the very back of the auditorium had enough empty seats for our entire group to sit, but we had to scoot by a family to get to the middle.
โOuch, thatโs my foot,โ someone hissed as the curtain opened. I sat down, Alex on one side and Nathan on the other.
โUp,โ Cole whispered to Nathan.
Nathan leaned forward and saw that Zack and Benny had taken the seats after Cole. He shook his head. โNo way, dude, Iโm not sitting next to those two monsters.โ
For that I was thankful. Since the party, Cole was different. Instead of his cocky obnoxious self, he was withdrawn and spent most of his time out in his garage. As a result, the dynamics of the Walter household had changed drastically. Without his outgoing attitude, which was the glue that got all of the guys and their different personalities to stick together, the
house was silent. Everyone did their own thingโthe days of baseball games and movie nights were fading.
On a rare occasion when I ran into Cole in the hallway, he would smile. However it was never a real smile, because it didnโt reach his eyes. I almost missed the smug smirk that was normally on his face. Alex on the other hand, was his happy-go-lucky, clueless self when his older brother was around. He flirted and laughed, acting like life couldnโt get any better. I tried to tone down the happy-couple vibe whenever we were around Cole, but Alex seemed to think that since his brother wasnโt acting mad, everything was fine.
It was a struggle for me to be around both of them at the same time when I could see so much happiness in one of them and so much hurt in the other. Knowing that I had caused all this didnโt help me feel any better. I didnโt want to feel the awkward tension of sitting between both boys for the entire play, because I wanted to focus on Dannyโs performance.
โToo bad. Iโm older than you, so I get to pick where I sit.โ
When Nathan laughed, a woman sitting in front of us turned around. โWould you both be quiet?โ
Cole glared at Nathan for a moment longer before giving him the finger and dropping into the only open seat next to Zack.
โHey, Cole?โ I heard Zack whisper. He held his finger an inch away from Coleโs cheek. โIโm not touching you.โ
โBoys!โ Katherine hissed at her younger twins. โIf you donโt behave yourselves, then no dessert at dinner.โ
They didnโt take their motherโs warning seriously because as the first actor stepped out onto the stage, I heard the twinsโ evil giggles.
***
โDanny, that was amazing!โ I exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. He had joined us outside the auditorium after the show, and he was still in his Romeo costume.
โTruly a heart-wrenching performance,โ Isaac said, wiping away pretend tears. โCan I have your autograph?โ Danny rolled his eyes and gave his cousin a small shove. They both laughed. โReally, dude,โ Isaac said, getting serious. โIt was great.โ
โThanks,โ Danny responded, nodding his head. Doing one of those silly man hugs, they clapped each other on the back.
โDanny Walter?โ a woman asked, coming up to our group. โYes?โ He turned to look at her.
โHi,โ she said, extending a business card. Danny took it from her outstretched hand and quickly glanced over the tiny text. โMy name is Jillian Rowley, and Iโm a talent scout from the Starlight Group. Weโre a theater company in New York, and I was wondering if you had a moment to spare.โ
โIโum, yeah!โ Danny said, looking back up. His face was neutral, but I had come to learn that Danny was very good at masking his emotions. The small stumble in his sentence said it all: he was ecstatic.
โWonderful,โ Jillian said and led him away from our group.
โWhat was that all about?โ Alex asked, joining us. One of Kimโs sisters had been in the play, and after it was over, heโd gone to find Kim to talk about the latestย GoGย news.
โDanny told me about a potential talent scout attending the play this year,โ I explained. โIt was why he was so anxious about auditions. He wanted to make sure he got the male lead in case the talent scout came.โ
He hadnโt said it, but I knew Danny thought his future depended on tonightโs performance. He hadnโt applied to college, not only because his parents couldnโt afford it, but also because he didnโt want to go. His dream was to be an actor, and even if nothing came out of this performance, he was going to move to New York City and follow his dream. It just meant that he was going to have to do it the hard wayโwaiting tables while auditioning for everything and anything.
โJackie?โ Katherine called. She and George were standing with the parents of the actress who played Juliet, and the other three were still deep
in conversation.
โYes?โ I asked, coming up next to her.
โWhat was that all about?โ she asked, nodding her head in Danny and Jillianโs direction. The woman was still talking, and he was nodding his head eagerly to every word.
โIโm not entirely sure yet,โ I responded. โBut she introduced herself as a talent scout for a New York theater company.โ
Katherine raised an eyebrow. โWell, now,โ she said, a flicker of a smile playing on her face. โThatโs interesting news.โ I could tell she was thrilled but was holding back in case things didnโt turn out the way we hoped.
โDid I hear something about a talent scout?โ Cole asked, appearing next to his mom. After the play was over, he was charged with taking the younger kids to the restroom. Now Zack, Benny, and Parker were chasing each other about the auditorium lobby, weaving in and out of the crowd, but Cole was done with his babysitting job.
โApparently the woman speaking with Danny is one,โ Katherine told him.
โWhat woman?โ Cole asked.
We all turned toward Danny and Jillian, but she was gone and he was making his way across the room toward us with a grin on his face.
โGuess what?โ he asked.
โShe wants to make you the next A-list actor in Hollywood, and youโre going to become so famous and rich that you can buy me a house?โ Cole asked. We all shot him a look, but Danny was too happy to care.
โIโve been offered a spot in their companyโs summer training camp. After the program, if things go well, I could be in New York productions this fall!โ
โOh, honey,โ Katherine said, pulling her son into a hug. โIโm so proud of you.โ
โCongratulations, Danny,โ I said, waiting for my turn to hug him. โThis is so exciting!โ
โThanks, Jackie. I really owe you,โ he said, pulling away from his mom to face me. โIf you hadnโt spent all that time reading lines with me, I donโt know if I would have gotten the part.โ
โThatโs not true,โ I told him. โBut Iโll accept your gratitude anyway.โ โSo when does this training camp begin?โ Katherine asked.
Danny hesitated. โThatโs the thing. Iโd have to leave for New York as soon as summer starts.โ When he saw the frown on his motherโs face, he added. โI am, after all, an adult and the company will provide lodging until I find a place to live.โ
โOkay, dear,โ Katherine said. โWhy donโt we discuss this later?โ
โAll right,โ said Danny. It wasnโt the answer he wanted to hear, but there was still a huge, excited smile on his face.
โMom! Mom!โ Zack and Benny shouted as they crashed into their motherโs legs. โWeโre hungry.โ
โCome on, Walter clan,โ she said, raising her voice so we all could hear her. โHead out to the cars. We have a celebratory dinner to prepare.โ