Premiere: A Love Story (31 page)

Peter held her hand, and for an instant, it was exactly like the movies, he thought. The room became a gauzy fuzz, and Sam was the only thing in focus. It was so clear now, and even as he felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his shirt, Peter was certain.

“Thank you, Samantha, Sam. Now,” with one hand shading his face, Peter looked up to the lighting booth, “if I could please have my lighting cue, Gordy.”

The house lights went dark, and the stage flooded with the most fantastic blues, oranges, and pinks. Marvelous lighting, as if they were standing right in the middle of a sunset. Peter whispered: “If I’m going to do this I thought we might as well create your favorite time of day. Sunset for you, Sam. Gotta love the theater.”

He kissed her hand. Sam was bathing in that beautiful light when Peter turned toward the audience.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience, I give you the final scene of
Looking In.
”

What?
“Peter, I don’t have any lines. What are you . . .”

“All you have to do is respond to what I say. This is
our
ending, you don’t need lines. We’re going to finish this up with messy, real life. Kinda like reality television, but hopefully better.”

He laughed, and Sam tried to swallow past the swell in her throat.
Maybe he was actually losing it,
she thought and squeezed his hand harder.

“Listen and say what you want to say. Don’t worry, I have most of the lines. Oh, and pay no attention to the hundreds of people staring at us, just look at me.”

He laughed nervously this time, his hands were sweating.

Sam started to shake. They were quite a pair
.
She did exactly what Peter said, mostly out of complete terror. He held both her hands and faced her.

“Samantha Cathner, I . . . I’ve loved you my whole life. I’ve written pages about you and to you. My first thoughts of friendship, laughter, love, comfort, passion, all have you swirling around in them. I wasn’t ready for you the first time. I blew it. But I came back, and even though you say you don’t want me, I don’t believe you. You wanted a plan. I have one.”

He flipped through the pages on the yellow pad. They were filled with writing and arrows. Sam saw the words “live in New York and summer in Pasadena.” She took the pad and turned the pages. It was a plan. He’d written it all out with little notes in the margin that said: “Ask Sam.”

Sam held the pad to her chest and for the hundredth time, tears welled in her eyes. The audience clapped and Peter continued.

“You drive me absolutely crazy.”

Sam laughed.

“And I know I scare the hell out of you when I climb into my head, but it doesn’t matter. A light turned on in our world that day under the bamboo, Sam, and our lives have never been the same. You are my shelter from the storms in my mind, and in your eyes, I am everything I’ve ever hoped to be. We will always be scared of losing each other, that’s part of needing, and I need you desperately. I love you, Sam.”

He squeezed her hand, and the audience was silent, like they didn’t want to disturb.

“This is our path. We are part of the same beginning and the same sunset, the same Sunday morning breakfast and Saturday farmer’s market. So, I’m here onstage with you and I’ve got my game plan. I’ve followed your need for tradition and already spoken to your father.”

Sam didn’t think it possible, but Peter suddenly looked even more nervous. His hand was shaking as it left hers and reached into his pocket.

She stopped crying and looked at her parents in the audience who were now both crying for her. She was squeezing the one hand of his she had left as Peter dropped to one knee right there on the stage in front of everyone. If the audience knew Peter the way Sam knew him, they would see that this was the most spectacular gesture of love and courage.

“Samantha Cathner, I love you with everything I am, you are my very best friend. This play is about our past. I promise to make plans and cherish you every moment, for the rest of my life. This is the only ending that works. Will you, will you marry me?”

Peter looked up into Sam’s eyes, the eyes he knew so well, and saw that he was loved. He knew her answer. He knew after that day at the Huntington. He knew when they were on Catalina. Even when she pushed him away, he still knew. He gave her space and made a plan. Now Sam knew she needed to stop blubbering and find her ability to speak. The theater was silent. Sam wasn’t sure anyone was even breathing. Peter was still kneeling, holding an exquisite antique diamond ring in a quilted box. She pulled him to his feet and looked deep into those eyes. She knew she would spend the rest of her life with Peter Everoad and that she would look back on this day thousands of times. She wanted to remember it. Remember Peter, those eyes, his plan, and their very own beginning. Through her tears and a radiant smile Sam said: “Yes.”

The theater, onstage, backstage, and in the audience erupted, clapping, and hooting. Well, Grady was the only one hooting. Peter shook as he put the ring on her finger and then held her face and kissed her as if no one was watching. He gently wiped the tears from Sam’s eyes and whispered across her lips: “You were right. Reading your own lines is much better.”

They both laughed, Sam smelled Life Savers, and he kissed her again. Everyone in the theater was on their feet as Sam and Peter turned toward the actors onstage to acknowledge their performances, as the clapping continued. They then turned toward the audience for their own curtain call.

Holding Peter’s hand and looking out over the people who supported them and challenged them, Sam and Peter knew this was only the beginning, the premiere, of their life together.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank:

The Pasadena Playhouse and the community that keeps her going.

The Catalina Island Conservancy for protecting and pre-serving one of my favorite places.

Maya Rock for editing me into fewer words, more meaning.

Mr. Kenyon, at Barry Goldwater High School, for putting me on my very first stage.

About the Author

Tracy Ewens was born in San Francisco and enjoys traveling to far-off places—both around the globe and in her mind.

She believes television is highly overrated and almost anything worth saying has come from either Anna Quindlen or Robert Fulghum.

Premiere
is her second novel, and the first in her
A Love Story
Series. Tracy lives with her husband and three children in New River, Arizona.