Page 19 of To the Moon and Back

“I wasn’t. I do it all the time. Most stage managers do.”

That pulled Carly up short. Running lines would actually beincredibly helpful. She’d worked on her own in her apartment, but she hadn’thad that extra person to read with her. The only time she’d been afforded thechance to work on a give-and-take was opposite Evelyn, and that had been onlystressful.

“It’s not uncommon, actually. Especially with wordier shows, likethis one. The playwright had a lot to say.”

Carly sighed. “You have no idea. When are you free?”

Lauren glanced around. “As soon as I’m done putting the room inorder.”

Carly couldn’t believe her luck. “Well, then I will help you inrepayment.” She spent the next few minutes following orders and enjoying seeingLauren in her element, in charge, and with a plan. Just when she thought Laurencouldn’t get any more attractive, she had to go and own a very simple task.

Once they slid the rehearsal couch up against the wall, Laurengrabbed her script, grabbed a spot on that couch, and tucked her feet beneathher. The overhead fluorescents in the room were off and a floor lamp providedsoft illumination. “What scene would you like to run?” Lauren asked.

“The last scene we ran today, with the teakettle, and the talkinga lot line?”

“Act one, scene four.”

“Yes, that one. I felt like I was all over the place and not zeroingin on my objective or the connection to Mandy. At that point? It should beundeniable that these two are meant to be, and it just…isn’t.” It was the lastscene before intermission, when the first version of the couple was at theirpeak of happiness, the moment a romance novel would have come to a close. The goal,as Ethan had described it, was to build the couple up as so in love, destinedto be together, that the audience is dumbstruck to see them miss out on therelationship entirely in act 2 and instead witness how their lives play out ifthey’d never met. “If there’s no lost relationship, the narrative fails. Nobodywill care.”

“Got it,” Lauren said, as she located the scene. Carly, newlyoff-book for act 1, didn’t need her script.

She looked over at Lauren, who would be reading the first line inthe scene. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“So, we’re doing this?” Lauren said, reading the line as Mandy.

Carly, as Ashley, took a deep breath. “Do you know what you’d begetting into? I let teakettles whistle too long on the stove. I scream whenspiders show up. I know I’m not the easiest person to love. I’m pretty sure Ijust lost my job, and my cat moved out. I’ll probably be homeless myself in amatter of—”

“Ashley?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re talking a lot.”

Carly grinned. She liked the way Lauren said that line, with akind of playful affection. She’d never heard it delivered that way. It gave hera shiver. She kept going. “Should I stop now?”

“You should definitely stop,” Lauren read. “I have a lot of thingsto figure out, but one of them is definitely not you. You’re staying.” She’dlifted her gaze to Carly’s for that last line and inspired another shiver.Carly was struck—this was what it was supposed to feel like between them.

As they got farther into the scene, Lauren brought warmth, comedy,and a very human vibe to the character of Mandy. Carly felt like she’d stumbledupon a gold mine with this rehearsal session, as it informed so many newchoices she hadn’t yet considered. When they finished their fourth run-throughof the scene, she stared at Lauren, who still sat on that rehearsal couchagainst the wall.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lauren asked, with acurious grin.

Carly shook her head. “I just didn’t see that coming. Have youever acted before?”

Lauren sighed. “It’s all I ever wanted to do when I was younger.Be onstage, tell amazing stories, hear the audience applaud.” She shrugged.“Wasn’t meant to be.”

Carly didn’t understand. She moved to the couch and took a seatnext to Lauren. “Why do you say that? You’re fantastic at it.”

“I don’t know that I would go that far. Didn’t get many jobs. Makethat one. A voice job for a nightclub commercial that aired only on the radio.I played the part of a happy college girl, thrilled with the drink options.”

“I’d buy those drinks based on what I just heard.” This whole conceptwas blowing Carly’s mind and her entire perception of Lauren. “You were outthere auditioning? What happened? Why would you give up if it’s what youwanted?”

Lauren nodded, and embarrassment flashed. “I tried to make a go ofit. Didn’t work out.” She shrugged, as if stuffing down the regret of what hadnever been. “After a while it became clear that I was on my way to being aprofessional waitress and part-time out of work actress. What I really wantedwas a way to pay my bills in the midst of something I love.” She gestured tothe space around them. “And here I am. The learning curve was steep, and Istarted at the bottom, but I like to think I’m damn good at my job.”

“You are. Don’t get me wrong.” Carly tucked a knee beneath her.This new information had her keyed up and intrigued on top of the high she’djust received from the nuanced scene work. “Tell me about a favorite role ofyours.”

Lauren laughed. She was so pretty when she did that. “I can tellyou about the time I received my first lead role. We didPeter Pan Jr.in middleschool. I was cast as Wendy, and it was the best thing that ever happened tome. I’ll never forget the afternoon I saw my name posted on the cast list.”

Carly was rapt. “Get out. What happened?”

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