Holly's Heart Collection Two (36 page)

The audience applauded as I sang the reprise, then the curtain fell, ending the first scene. I ran into the wings, awaiting my next cue.

But, just then, a commotion broke out backstage. Andie grabbed my arm. “Jared’s real sick; he’s going home,” she said.

“He’s what?” I rushed to the chair where he sat with his head down. Leaning over, I placed my hand on his shoulder. “Jared, are you okay?”

He looked at me momentarily. A weak smile flitted across his deathly white face. “I’m sorry to let you down like this, Maria, my love.”

It was the sweetest thing he’d ever said. On or offstage.

Suddenly Mr. Barnett showed up. “What happened?”

“He’s been throwing up,” Andie explained while Paula and Kayla and all the others looked on.

Jared moaned. “I nearly blacked out.”

Quickly, Mr. Barnett turned to Andie and me. “You girls go ahead with the next two scenes. The captain isn’t on till scene four.”

Andie and I hurried for the stage, passing Danny in the wings. “The walking microchip could play your leading man,” Andie whispered in my ear.

“He knows the lines all right,” I agreed. But we both knew he could never pull it off. Besides, no one could run ship behind the curtains as well as Danny.

Worried about Jared, I took my place onstage, and the curtains rose slowly. It was hard to concentrate on my lines with the part of Captain up for grabs.

At the tail end of scene three, the music swelled as I headed for the von Trapp villa—eager, yet worried about the job of being governess for seven children. But I was
more
worried about my leading man, sick and trembling, backstage.

The audience clapped as the curtains fell again. Dashing backstage, I found the janitor cleaning up the floor near Jared’s chair. I didn’t have to ask why.

“His parents took him home,” Stan said solemnly.

“So now what?”

Stan stood up. “Better ask Mr. Barnett.”

Danny motioned to me from the wings. “Take your position, Maria,” he whispered. His flashlight led me to the floor marks. Next came Billy as Franz, the butler.

Not knowing who would play the male lead, I waited, jittery and tense. Next to passing out at the seventh-grade musical, having my leading man get sick was the next worst thing. I felt sorry for Jared, missing his opening night. But I was also sorry for myself and possibly the audience, depending on who was appointed the role of Captain von Trapp.

Then, suddenly Mr. Barnett strolled onstage. Wearing a navy blue sea captain’s uniform, he was as handsome as ever. Danny pointed with his flashlight to an easy chair on stage left. And the new Captain von Trapp sat down.

Mr. Barnett smiled. In the semidarkness my heart danced off beat. And together, we waited for curtains.

STRAIGHT-A TEACHER

Chapter 17

I remembered Miss W’s words the day she’d described how to create an element of surprise during creative writing class.
By bringing two unrelated entities together…
How right she was. Mr. Barnett and Holly-Heart acting the leads together? Now, this was some fabulous surprise!

Standing on the other side of the curtain, Miss Hess was explaining to the audience the necessary substitution of characters. The orchestra played a soft interlude as she spoke.

My mind raced ahead to the upcoming scenes. First, I would be introduced to Captain von Trapp at his Austrian villa. Then, several scenes later—the moonlit gazebo scene!

Then it hit me. I knew the perfect way to show Mr. Barnett my true feelings. Thinking ahead, I felt strangely calm. Like this was supposed to be. Fate had brought us together, and now we were here, onstage together, performing in one of the greatest romances of the century.

Slowly, the curtains rose. When the applause died down, I rang the gold-painted doorbell on the prop representing the double doors of the von Trapp villa. The butler, wearing his wig, opened the door to the grand hallway. Maria mistook the butler for the captain, and the scene was under way.

Once again, the incredible rhythm of dialogue and drama began to unfold. It took me back to the day I auditioned, when Mr. Barnett and I had played our parts as if we’d been born to them. Tonight, wearing his dazzling uniform, sparring verbally with me onstage, Andrew Barnett
was
Georg von Trapp. And I, his Maria.

In the silvery blue moonlight, two lovers sat beneath a gazebo, trees casting dim shadows across their faces. “I can’t marry the baroness when I’m in love with someone else,” the captain said after a long, endearing look. “Can I, Maria?”

Slowly, coyly, I shook my head.

“I love
you,
Maria,” he said, reaching for my chin.

I held my breath as he drew me close. Then, to make the audience think we were kissing, he turned the back of his head toward them, just as Jared and I had practiced. We held the stance while the crowd
ooh
ed softly. And as they did, I gently kissed his cheek.

There. Now he knew.

The orchestra played the introduction of “Something Good” as arms entwined, and eyes filled with tenderness, we sang our beautiful duet. It was surprising how well our voices blended.

At the end of the musical, we bowed repeatedly. Separately, and then together. We were a dynamic hit, Mr. Barnett and I. Quite obvious by the thunderous applause.

Afterward, people rushed onstage, presenting me with flowers. Mom and Uncle Jack were some of the first. Miss Hess was full of compliments, and so was Miss Wannamaker, who held hands with Mr. Ross as she carried on about the performance.

Later, when the audience thinned out a bit, Daddy came up to congratulate me. More flowers. I introduced him to Mr. Barnett, who stood nearby.

“Have you thought of studying drama?” Daddy asked me. “You are a wonderful actress.”

“I agree with you,” Mr. Barnett said. “Holly seems very comfortable onstage.”

“Thank you,” I said, blushing. But under all that stage facegoop, who would notice?

“I’ll call you from my hotel later,” Daddy said, hugging me.

“You made this night extra-special for me, Daddy,” I said. “I’ll never forget it.”

He waved and turned to go. As his figure disappeared into the crowd, I started to cry.

Touching my elbow, Mr. Barnett guided me backstage. “Can I help?” he asked.

I shook my head. “It’s a long, sad story.”

“Your father certainly loves you.” He smiled as I wiped my eyes. “Everyone does.”

It was a sweet thing to say. But did he include himself in the comment?

“You’ll be leaving soon,” I said. “And I’m going to miss you around here.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Holly,” he said kindly. Like a big brother. Then he smiled. “Well,” he said, his voice brightening, “if you were little older, I’d take you out for a banana split with extra strawberries and whipped cream.”

Instantly, his words struck home. “You
knew
?” I covered my mouth. “You knew it was me at the Soda Straw that day?”

“Hey, young nuns with flowing blond hair are few and far between,” he said, trying to suppress a grin.

We both burst out laughing. It was a welcome relief—especially after the pressures of seeing Daddy and being alone with Mr. Barnett like this.

“Thanks for keeping quiet about my stupidity,” I said, setting my flowers on a chair. “Did Miss Hess know?”

His eyes sparkled with mischief. “If she did, she never let on.”

I sighed. “Thank goodness.” Then I shot him a sly glance. “Are you and she…?”

He actually blushed, I thought. But he dodged my question. “About that banana split,” he said, turning on the charm again. “Where will you be four years from now?”

His friendly teasing made me laugh. “Four years from now? Oh, that’s hard to say,” I said, playing along. Now that I’d revealed my true feelings, I could relax and just be myself. Besides, I was beginning to see Andrew Barnett for what he really was—a good-looking, older, over-grown Jared.

Mr. Barnett glanced over at Danny and Billy organizing props for tomorrow’s show. “There
are
some pretty terrific guys your own age around here, in case you haven’t noticed.”

Just then Paula came out of the dressing room, carrying a large bouquet of red roses. “These are for you, Holly,” she said. “Someone left them during the last scene.”

I glanced down at the card. It read:
When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window. Always, Jared.

It was a line directly from the musical, where Maria tells Mother Abbess she feels called to work with the von Trapp children instead of staying on at the abbey.

Leaning my face into Jared’s roses, I breathed their fragrance deeply. “About those guys my age,” I said, smiling up at Mr. Barnett, “maybe you’re right.”

Jared’s illness turned out to be a twelve-hour flu, so we performed together the second night. Of course, we were fabulous together, but never would I forget my shining moment—the night I shared the stage with Mr. Barnett.

The last few days of the semester flew by, and my feelings for our student teacher began to change. For the better. I started to see him for who he was—instead of who I’d daydreamed he could be. A very cool teacher. A good friend. But not future husband material.

Of course, I never knew if he took Miss Hess out again. I decided it was best if I didn’t. Funny how that goes.

Before long, Miss W’s wedding day arrived. The faculty and the student body filled the auditorium during the final hour of the school year.

Miss W surprised everyone by wearing a full-length white gown with a six-foot train and a long white veil. Her smile was as sweet as a young bride’s.

“I better not be that old when I get married,” Andie whispered as “The Wedding March” came over the sound system.

Step by step, the matronly teacher made her way down the long aisle toward Mr. Ross, who was looking mighty spiffy in his long gray tuxedo.

“She’s really beautiful.” Tears welled up in my eyes.

We turned and watched as she stood beside Mr. Ross at the front. The minister motioned for us to be seated. As he began with “Dearly beloved,” I glanced down the row of seats.

My friends, each one, were within hugging distance. Jared and Danny sat directly behind me. Andie and Stan sat on one side of me, and Paula and Billy on the other. Amy-Liz and all the others filled up the seats in the row. Together we witnessed the blending of two lives in holy matrimony.

Next year, Miss W would be known as Mrs. Ross. Not only that, Andie and I would be at the top of the heap—ninth grade. We’d come so far, so fast. Where had the years gone?

Stan, Danny, and the Miller twins were heading off to high school. So many things were changing.

Mr. Barnett was leaving Dressel Hills to graduate from college, taking his fabulous T-Bird with him…and leaving behind a trail of pistachio shells.

Special days, special moments don’t last forever. Anyone knows that. Breezes of change blow hard and fast. And before you know it, skinny figures fill out. Kids grow up. Journals burst with top-secret information. Prayers get answered.

I smiled through my tears as the minister pronounced the happy couple husband and wife. We gave Mr. and Mrs. Ross a standing ovation as they walked down the aisle.