Love and Hope
Dusty Tyler stands by the side of the stage in the auditorium awaiting her cue from Danny Amatullo who is acting as stage manager. The kids are rehearsing their latest production and Lydia, Leroy, Paul Seger and Mr Shorofsky sit in the auditorium stalls making notes on improvements for the show. Dusty is nervous as it’s her first leading lady role and Jesse is her love interst. This doubles the pressure for Dusty as over the last few months she has developed strong feelings for Jesse. They had actually gone out on what she thought was a date but Jesse just saw them as friends. She knew he wasn’t interested in the romantically but she couldn’t change her feelings. They had got stronger in recent weeks since Nicole had died. She’d seen Jesse hurting and wanted to reach out to him. If only Jesse felt the same way....
Lost in her own thoughts Dusty doesn’t hear Danny give her the cue for her entrance. Jesse repeats the line and Danny frantically taps Dusty on the shoulder.
Danny: “You’ve missed your entrance!”
Dusty snaps back to reality: “Oh Sorry!”
Feeling embarrassed she rushes on to the stage and the play continues. From the corner of her eye she notices Mr Seger writing a note on his pad.
Music starts to blast out of the sound system and Jesse and Dusty launch into the production number.
"Oooh, ooh, Every time you touch me.
Oooh, ooh, Every time you touch me.
All the Midnight Shadows fade away.
Heaven above me, looking down into my eyes.
Wrapping around me. God I’m so glad you found me.
I feel your embrasses, holding me in paradise.
Love when you love me.
Heaven is fine above me.
Oooh, ooh, Every time you touch me.
I can feel the sun inside me, start to rise. (It’s rising)
Oooh, ooh, Every time you touch me.
All the Midnight Shadows fade away. (Fade Away)
Heavenly lover, I wanna love you all night long,
Coming together, making it last forever.
Oooh, ooh, beautiful dreamer, I love you sleeping next to me.
Where love is flowing, deep in the afterglowing.
Coming together, yeah yeah.
Oooh, ooh Heaven above me, looking down into my eyes.
Wrapping around me. God I’m so glad you found me
You’re on my mind, oooh, all the time
Oooh ooh, Every time you touch me.
I’m in Heaven.
Whoa Heaven, Heaven Above me,
Oooh, Heavem everytime you touch me.
Oooh Ooh, Heaven, Feels like Heaven above me.
Oooh, Heaven everytime you touch me.
Heaven above me.
Oooh Ooh, Heaven, Feels like Heaven above me.
Oooh Ooh, Heaven, Feels like Heaven above me.
Oooh, Heaven everytime you touch me.
Heaven above me.
Oooh Ooh, Heaven, Feels like Heaven above me."
Jesse takes Dusty in his arms and glides her around the stage as they sing and dance to the song. Dusty enjoys being close to Jesse. She likes the feel of his strong arms around her waist and as she looks into his eyes she feels safe and secure. She feels his breath on her cheek and longs for him to kiss her. Not concentrating she messes up the lyrics to the song.
Lydia stands up and claps her hands: “Okay people stop lets take a quick 5 minutes break and this again.”
Seger also stands up next to Lydia: “Miss Tyler I’m not too sure what the problem is here but you missed your entrance to the scene and now your timing of the musical number is off. Is there anything wrong?”
Dusty feels embarrassed and wishes the stage would open up and swallow her whole.
Dusty: “I’m sorry Mr Seger. I’ll work harder I promise.”
Seger: “Be sure you do.”
As the students take their break the teachers discuss what they have witnessed.
Lydia: “I hope I haven’t made a mistake casting Dusty in the lead. I knew it would be a stretch for her but I was sure she could pull it off.”
Seger: “Well we could try it out with Reggie instead.”
Leroy: “She’s not that bad. Yes a little rough around the edges but these are rehearsals and that’s the time for people to make mistakes. Just as long as she learns from them. Besides Dusty will be crushed if you replace her now. She’s waited a long time for a lead so we need to give her more of a chance.”
Lydia smiles proudly at Leroy, thinking how he’s matured over the years.
Lydia: “Well said Leroy, but what I think Mr Seger is worrying about is if the show fails because of Dusty, how will she feel then?”
Seger: “Exactly! Hurting her now may actually be kinder than letting her fail.”
Shorofsky has been listening intently to the conversation and rubs his beard with his hand.
Shorofsky: “I don’t think the problem is with Miss Tyler’s ability. I think she has a crush on Mr Velasquez and that is affecting her performance. She’s like a love struck puppy following him round and now she has the opportunity to perform romantic scenes with him, I think it’s too much for her.”
Lydia: “Well whatever it is we need to fix the problem and quickly, we only have 2 weeks of rehearsals left.”
Leroy interupts: “I know what it feels like to have a crush on someone you’re working closely with. I’ll talk to her.”
The teachers nod in agreement and Lydia feels sheepish as her colleagues look at her, remembering she was the object of Leroy’s crush last year. To interrupt everyone’s train of though she claps her hands again.
Lydia: “Okay people I think it’s a good idea if we break for lunch. Everyone back here in an hour and hopefully we’ll all be a little more focused this afternoon.”
Dusty breathes a sigh of relief glad of the break.
In the make up room Doris stands expectantly in front of the mirror. It feels like it’s been hours since she started talking to Lisa about who needed her help but it had only been a few minutes. Lisa is now visible in the mirror and she stretches out her hand to the side of her. Doris watches as another hand takes Lisa’s and the arm of a second person comes into view.
Doris looks anxiouisly to see who it is. Suddenly the door to the dressing room opens and Dusty stands there.
Dusty: “Sorry Miss, I didn’t think anyone was in here. I was just looking for a quiet place to think.”
Doris is thrown a little off guard and looks nervously around the room. To her relief the mirror has returned to normal.
Dusty: “Are You okay?"
Doris nods slowly: “Yes I’m fine, you just startled me, that’s all. I was just leaving...”
Doris looks around the make up room again and walks slowly to the door. She doesn’t really want to leave, she'd rather stay and find out who Lisa was going to introduce her to but realises that nothing is going to happen while Dusty is in the room.
After a few seconds Dusty calls over to her.
Dusty “Miss could I talk to you? I could really use some help.”
Doris mutters to herself: “There’s a lot of that going around!”
Dusty didn’t catch what was said: “Sorry Miss did you say something?”
Doris smiles: “No, it's nothing. How can I help you?”
Dusty sighs: “I’m not really sure where to start.”
Doris encourages her: “Just take your time and tell me what is wrong.”
Dusty takes a deep breath: “We’ll there’s this boy that I really like. Actually it’s more than liking him I think I’m falling in love with him.”
She pauses for a moment and then continues. “But he doesn’t want me. He’s not interested in anything more than friendship. But I can’t stop thinking about him. He’s wonderful.” (After another brief pause) “Why do I want someone that doesn’t want me?”
Doris smiles: “Oh Dusty, this sounds like the story of my own life and probably millions of other woman before us. I always fell in love with the gorgeous guys who were never going to be interested in me. I know it hurts but you’ve got to believe that there is someone special out there for you and eventually you’ll find them but we can’t make people feel things they don’t just because we want them to. It doesn’t work like that we need to have patience.”
Dusty nods: “I know you’re right. The problem is we are both in a play together and I have to kiss him and sing love songs to him. My feelings are really getting in the way and it’s making me mess up. I’m scared the teachers will kick me out of the play.”
Doris: “I see, well that does make things a little more difficult. I think you need to see this as an acting exercise. Imagine this guys is the biggest dork there is and you really don’t want to go anywhere near him, let alone kiss him.”
Dusty giggles: “I’m not sure I can do that with Jesse.”
Doris: “Sure you can. As an actress you’ll be called upon to do some things that you really don’t want to do. There’s bound to be plenty of times when you have to kiss people that really are dorks and you don’t want to kiss, so this is the same only in reverse.”
Dusty starts to feel a little better: “You’re right. It’s not worth getting myself worked up about. I’m going to out there and give a good performance, the audience deserve that. They aren’t interested in my personal problems, they just want to be entertained. If nothing else at least I’ll get the chance to kiss Jesse and who knows maybe when he kisses me, he might be interested ater all.”
Doris smiles: “That’s the spirit.”
There is silence for a moment which Dusty breaks.
Dusty: “So did you find yours?”
Doris is puzzled at first: “Find my what?”
Dusty: “Your Mr right? You said eventually we all find that someone special.”
Doris pauses for a moment thinking back to the disaster her marriage had been.
Doris : “Let’s just say I thought I’d found him but things didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped.”
Dusty: “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Doris: “Well, when I say you’ve got to believe, I actually mean we’ve all got to believe there is someone special out there for us.”
Dusty smiles: “Thanks Miss, I better go I’ve got some practicing to do.”
As Dusty leaves the room Doris hears a voice talk to her.
Leroy: “Dusty I’ve been looking for you.”
Dusty: “Mr Johnson, you’re not going to kick me out of the play are you?”
The door closes and Doris can no longer hear their voices. She moves over to the door and presses her ear against it but Leroy and Dusty must have moved because she can’t hear them.
Doris sighs standing with her back against the wall wondering what to do next. After a few moments she notices the mirror light up and knows that means Lisa will appear again.
The orange and blue lights swirl together until Lisa is standing there.
Lisa: “Doris, we don’t have much time.”
Lisa stretches out her hand again and another person’s arm flashes into view. Doris can see the outline shape of another woman standing next to Lisa but can’t tell who it is.”
Doris: “Who is it Lisa, I can’t see them properly.”
Lisa takes the figures hand and squeezes it as though she is pressing the power to appear into the other person’s body. Doris wonders if it will be her Mother as it has to be someone who has died but what would her Mother need help with.
The figure begins to take more shape and Doris gasps as she realises who it is.
Doris: “Nicole, is that you?”
Doris feels a chill all over her body. It’s one thing seeing Lisa as a ghost but another thing seeing the ghost of someone she actually knew.
Nicole: “Yes Doris, it’s me. I’m sorry if I scared you or made you angry but I need your help.”
Doris watches and remembers how beautiful Nicole was. The lights in the mirror seem to enhance that beauty. Suddenly a wave of guilt sweeps over Doris.
Doris: “I’m sorry Nicole that I couldn’t save your life. I really did want to.
Nicole smiles: “It’s okay Doris there’s no need to explain, I know you tried but it wasn’t meant to be. (She pauses) Listen Doris I’m hoping that you’ll try to help me again as there’s something I left undone.”
Doris nods: “Okay, what can I do for you?”
Nicole: “I need you to tell Jesse that I love him and we should never have split up. He needs to know how I really feel about him so that then I can move on.”
Doris smiles as a tears well up in her eye and she nods her head: “I’ll do my best Nicole, but I don’t have any control over where I go and what I do so it could take awhile.
Nicole: “I know, but Thank You Doris, this means so much to me. I should have said it while I had the chance. Why do people never say the important things? I’m the lucky one I have someone like you I can reach out to but other people don’t get that chance.”
Doris swallows hard remembering the unsaid things she had when her own mother died.
Doris: “I know, I’ll do my best for you Nicole I promise.”
Nicole: “Thank you Doris, I know you will. I have to go before I drain all of Lisa’s power.”
Doris returns Nicoles smile as she watches her friend fade away.
For a moment there is silence which Lisa finally breaks,
Lisa: Doris can I ask you something?
Doris nods: “Sure.”
Lisa: “What are you wearing? You look like someone trying to recreate their youth. If you go to the radiator, you’ll find your normal clothes are dry now".
Doris smiles again: “Thank You Lisa”.
Lisa then disappears and the mirror turns back to normal. Doris moves over to the radiator and finds that her clothes are now dry. She pulls the crop top over her head but it gets stuck on an earring so the top is covering her face. At that moment the door to the makeup room opens and a voice says: "Oh, sorry I didn’t realise someone was changing, I‘ll find somewhere else”.
The person leaves the rehearsal room but Doris recognises the voice as belonging to Jesse. She quickly manages to free the top from the earring puts he own clothes back on, then runs to the door and calls out.
Doris: “Jesse! Wait, I need to talk to you!”
To be continued....