Page 72 of Private Tutoring
“Bu—”
“No.” I slashed a hand through the air. “No more excuses. You can’t sing like this.” I rubbed the pain from my forehead. “I need to talk to Dean Carpenter. Class dismissed.”
Everything I’d been afraid of happening closed in around me. Leighona didn’t have a prayer of regaining her voice by opening night, and even if she did, she had lost the ability to reach the high notes. I had no understudy thanks to Dean Carpenter. I couldn’t blame Harmony or my feelings, so the dean made a good scapegoat.
I slipped out the back door amid the shocked looks from the rest of my students. The trek to the administrative building gave me plenty of time to build up my argument. By the time I entered the lobby and crossed the black and white tiled floor to the dean’s outer office, I had a plan.
His secretary took one look at me and waved me on through. I shot her a thankful smile and pushed the door open.
Dean Carpenter sat at his desk, a pair of bifocals perched on the end of his nose. He peered at me over the rims, his expression going dark. “That face means you have nothing good to say.” He sat back with a sigh. “What’s wrong?”
“The production ofLes Misérablesis not going forward without a new singer as Cosette.” I sank into the chair and bounced my knee to keep from jumping up and pacing. “Harmony was the understudy for the lead role. My current student cannot sing due to a strained voice, and I don’t have time to train anyone else to take over the role.”
There it was, all my problems laid out in a row.
“What are you asking?” Dean Carpenter rocked his chair forward and back in slow motion.
“I need you to let Harmony come back.” I held up a hand before he cut me off with a negative response. “Only for the scheduled performances. She will not be part of the student base.” I reeled him in for the kicker. “This show is sold out every single night. Without Harmony, I cannot put on the show. We’ll have to refund all the tickets.”
“All the…” Dean Carpenter sat forward so hard his chair bounced. “That’s not possible.”
“It would be a nightmare.” I bargained for this reaction and wasn’t disappointed when he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s the best solution for the problem. Harmony knows the part. She practiced for it, and even though we messed things up by being too personal, it is myprofessionalopinion that she is the only one who can pull this off.”
I didn’t go so far as to plead, but I let the silence speak for me. If I knew the dean, he’d already budgeted—and probably spent—the money from the ticket sales we sold months in advance.
He continued to rub his head. Sweat gathered on his temples and slid down his cheeks.
I found the room almost chilly, so he must be reacting to the stress of the situation.
“Only for the course of the musical.” Dean Carpenter raised his head to glare at me. “She will not take part in any classes. And the four of you will conduct yourselves in a manner that is becoming to this institution.”
“Yes, sir.” I had no trouble promising that. I’d promise anything for an excuse to call Harmony and tell her about the role. If she didn’t take my call, I’d find another way. Nothing was going to sway me from this course. Harmony was meant to play Cosette. It was the kind of production that started careers, and Ihad already received emails from a few prospective agents who mentioned stopping by to see what I had for talent this year.
Dean Carpenter stood. “It’s settled then. I’ll leave it with you.”
I grinned as I shook his hand before backing out of the room. A whistle burst from my lips as soon as I stepped outside. My glasses fogged from the sudden change in temperature and humidity, so I stopped near the pavilion to clean them.
My phone pinged a text message. I squinted at it in the bright sunlight, then thumbed a response to Stephen. Apparently, he and Roberto had something they needed to talk about. There was only one thing that came to mind, and I shoved my glasses in place as I took off toward the parking lot where we’d agreed to meet.
Stephen and Roberto stood in front of my car, the two of them looking more animated than they had in days. My heart gave a hearty thud that had nothing to do with the sudden exercise.
“What’s going on?” I stopped to catch my breath, mopping sweat off my face with a towel I took from the trunk.
“You tell him.” Roberto slapped Stephen on the back.
Stephen hesitated. “You sure?”
“Absolutely.” Roberto’s smile held enough warmth to power the solar system. “It’s your story to tell.”
“Well.” Stephen grunted and rubbed the back of his neck. Sunlight beat down on us, but no one bothered to move from the asphalt radiating heat waves. “I had another visit from Delilah. She was the one threatening Harmony.”
“Get to the good part.” Roberto made rolling motions with his hands. “We can talk about all the bullshit later. He needs the good news as much as we did.”
Stephen smiled and damn if the man didn’t laugh a little. I’d worried none of us would ever hear that sound again. “Okay, okay.” The grin widened. “Harmony’s pregnant.”
The ground disappeared from beneath me. One second I was upright, fully functioning and capable, and the next, I was floating on air with nothing to hold me down.
A heavy hand clamped down on my shoulder. Roberto peered into my eyes. “We’re concerned that Harmony left for the wrong reasons. With the blackmail and pregnancy, she was probably overwhelmed.”
