Page 106 of Safety Net
"What?" I frowned, looking down at the print colors I'd okayed at the beginning of summer. That felt like eons ago, back when this whole musical thing was something I thought would die before it got started.
"Put those at the table by the front door," she instructed. "That's the last thing on my list. We're all set for tonight and even sold a few tickets online. Ellis set it up for me. He was right, I need to get online more for marketing."
"Everything's ready?" I was scared to ask, but needed to know. "Even the sets?"
"Yeah, they got dropped off and assembled last night." My aunt frowned. "Lincoln didn't tell you?"
I shook my head.
"He came by last night," she said. "He picked up Ellis, and they finished everything together."
"Lincoln was really here last night?" I asked.
"More like this morning," she said. "It must have been 3AM when Ellis and him headed out."
"Is he here now?" I asked, looking around the lobby as if I had missed the one person I wanted so desperately to see, to be held by, to be on the same page with once again.
My aunt nodded. "Found him sleeping backstage."
I started to go to the theatre, but she stopped me, saying, "But he's not there anymore."
My hand froze on the door handle. "Do you know where he is?"
"Left about ten minutes before you got here," she said.
I sighed. "Did he say where he was going?"
"Said something about flowers."
He'd spent all night driving around Tinsel for the sets. All morning putting everything together. And now, his afternoon consisted of flower shopping for me? It was utterly ridiculous. His priorities were once more out of order.
I pulled out my phone, ignoring the anxiety that would come with talking to him. The call went straight to voicemail. When I tried again and got the same result, my aunt reminded me,"You'll see him in a couple of hours. The curtain opens at three. He promised he'd be here. And guess what?"
"What?" My stomach dipped, expecting a last-minute crisis.
"Ophelia confirmed." Aunt Robyn squealed along with me. "I got her a seat right up front. Very VIP."
"Thank you." I burned with hope Ophelia will see even the smallest amount of potential in my work.
"I'm so proud of you, sweet girl." Aunt Robyn came closer for a second to hug me. "You've done so well, I hope you know that."
I nodded, my stomach all mixed up with butterflies that sourced their flutters from excitement rather than dread, a feeling that had been absent this morning.
People were actually coming to see my work. After everything my mentor said, I was still going to share my work with my hero… And Lincoln Hill was somewhere, severely sleep-deprived, looking for flowers.
"He didn't say what store he was going to?" I tried to put a little pressure on my aunt. The sooner I saw Lincoln, the better. I needed him to know I was okay. That we were okay.
"Girl, why would I ask that?" My aunt pinched my cheek before going back to the front desk to answer the ringing phone.
My cheeks burned, but I smiled anyway because maybe this would all work out. Maybe I hadn't ruined what Lincoln and I had.
I got busy helping my aunt with any last-minute things she had to do to prepare for the matinee. Once cars started filling the parking lot and my performers came through the door, my attention swung backstage.
"Hey," I greeted Halle, who sat in the dressing room, working on her makeup. "How are you?"
She smiled at me while keeping her hand steady to create a perfect black line across her eyelid. Halle made the other one match with little to no effort. "I'm perfect. Ready."
"Do you need anything?" I asked. "Water? A warm towel? Something to eat?"
