"How was your meeting?" Mark asks.
I have to say, I am a little taken aback. I can't remember the last time Mark asked me a simple question like 'how was your day?' I can't help but smile. It's the simple things I miss the most. That is what love is all about, isn't it? The simple things. After all, we don't fall in love with fancy dinners and expensive gifts. We fall in love with good morning kisses and cooked breakfasts, the random 'I am thinking about you' text even on a busy day. We fall in love with the little things like slow dancing in the kitchen even when there is no music playing or laughing so hard that you cry and your stomach aches. It's the little things you do everyday to show you care, no matter how silly they may seem. That to me, is love.
"Pretty good actually." I say confidently. "I was a bit nervous at first but..." Before I am able to finish my sentence Marks phone rings and he takes it out of his pocket.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWx5FV7WKP7
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"Excuse me, I have to take this." he apologizes. And just like that, the Mark I know is back. He stands up and walks outside to take the call. I am left sitting alone in a 4 star restaurant with the bottle of wine in the ice bucket being the only reason I am still holding it together. I pour myself a glass and think back to the moment I entered the transparent doors.
***
The theater is so beautiful inside. It took my breath away the moment I walked in. I am walking through the narrow aisles towards the crowd of people gathered on the stage when an unfamiliar man jumps off the stage and run towards me. By the looks of it he's in his late sixties, almost completely bald. A very short, old man, yet clearly hyper and still enjoying life.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOlOiqu7Lk
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"You must be Leah!" He shouts enthusiastically.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsq66zAqLS
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"Leah Conner. It's very nice to meet you." I say. I give him a warm smile. He takes my hand in his and instead of shaking it, he pulls me into a firm hug. For a moment I feel like one of his old friends.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD40VyegEDr
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"The pleasure is all mine. I'm Larry Williams, the producer. Come, let me introduce you to everyone." he says, grinning from ear to ear. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozPgb1zZi2
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He walks me to the group of strangers casually sitting legs crossed on the stage floor, chatting and laughing. Everyone looks so comfortable and relaxed. I immediately smile at the sight.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5XVjKsXnh
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"Everyone! This is Leah, our new song writer. " Larry reveals.
Everyone greets me with so much warmth and friendliness. It is going to be an amazing two months, working with an incredible group of people, hopefully making a few friends along the way. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLiNkh0EM3
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There isn't one awkward encounter. Except if we count the embarrassing conversation I had with Mr, still dont know what his name is, outside the theater. Where is he? I think to myself as I realize I haven't seen him yet. I look around the theater. He is not in the group. I am slightly relieved. I don't know how I am going to look him in the eyes again after thinking he was trying to flirt with me. Stupid, Leah! I don't think I ever felt so embarrassed in my life.
I am talking to Barbara and Quinn, playing two sisters in the musical, with Barbara playing the lead female role of the younger sister 'Abby' and Quinn playing the role of the jealous and much older sister 'Vivian' when I hear Larry from the other side of the stage screaming "Leah!"I will have to get used to that very quickly. I turn around and see Larry walking up to me with the one person I dreaded seeing again.
"Leah, I want you to meet Logan, starring our lead male role." Great. "He will also be assisting you with the song writing." Larry adds. Oh, wonderful! I think to myself, still holding on to the awkward smile on my face. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpllVQaFWY3
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"Lovely to meet you, Leah." Logan murmurs. "I look forward to working with you." I can feel my cheeks burning up again as he reaches out his hand to shake mine. He is so relaxed and calm. It's as if our previous conversation never happened.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGymTeD800
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"Nice to meet you too, Logan." I say, placing my hand in his.
****
"Excuse me, ma'am ?" My thoughts are interrupted by a black headed waitress standing in front of me with a plate of shrimp salad in each hand. I pull myself together and give her a smile.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WFK24tAd2
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"Thank you." I say politely. I take away my wine glass so she can sit down the plate. I look down at the salad bowl staring me in the face. "Thank you, it looks delicious." I lie. I hate shrimp salad. Of course Mark ordered for both of us as he always does. Rich people food, that's all it is. It tastes like nothing but they eat it anyway because it's expensive and the model looking housewifes need to mantain the 'perfect' image. I would rather have a juicy cheese burger, greasy fries and a chocolate milkshake. Fuck the salad!
"Can I get you anything else? Perhaps another bottle of wine?" the waitress asks. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbi0zcwCNpd
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She takes the empty bottle of wine out of the ice bucket. Shitballs! It's empty? I immediately look at my watch. It's been 35 minutes. I drank a whole bottle of wine by myself in 35 minutes! I feel my cheeks burning up. "I guess we do need another bottle, thank you." I say shyly.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKh4sBWOLx
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"Certainly Ma'am." She says politely.
I search the restaurant for Mark. All I see is vastly rich people eating salads and drinking the most expensive champagne. Woman gossiping about other rich housewives and husbands clearly annoyed with the conversation. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijmd575lZb
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My eyes reach the lobby but there is no sign of Mark.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcoca5UJ1F
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Where is he? He has been gone for 35 minutes. I send him a text letting him know that our starters arrived. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvFcVHKOzx
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The black headed waitress arrive with the second bottle of wine. "Thank you." I say politely as she place the unopened bottle carefully in the ice bucket. "Please let me know if you need anything else." She turns around and head to another table. Before I can stop myself, I open the second bottle, poor myself another glass and as I take the first sip, my thoughts go wandering off again.
****
The air is chilly as I walk down the stairs outside the theater. The sky is painted in shades of pink and orange. I feel more excited and relaxed. The meeting was a huge success. We spend most of the time sitting on the stage laughing and telling jokes. For a moment I forgot about Mark and all my problems. Every single person made me feel apart of the group. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcjBjg8Apy
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As I am making my way across the centre I hear someone calling after me. "Leah, wait up!"376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNx9RBw7zdr
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I turn around to find Logan rushing up to me. As soon as he catches up with me, we walk side by side through the centre towards the street. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMefqDB5iTo
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"Did you enjoy meeting everyone?" He askes breaking the silence.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMhA4xrXx7
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"Very much. Especially Larry." I chuckle.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJfGzLwswU
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Logan laughs. "You will get use to him. He is like a father to all of us." He says softly.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNnI55iTbD
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"I'm sure I will." I say, smiling at the thought. "Your group is pretty close. Do you know each other apart from the musical?" I ask.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpx5qUYdgwy
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"We have been a group for about 2 years now. Larry doesn't like change. He has a hard time trusting new people. He use the same group of people for all his musicals. And to be honest I think we are pretty much all he has. We are his family." I look up to Logan as we are walking. I can see the emotion in his eyes. He really adores Larry. I can understand why. Apart from being a giant energy bunny, I don't see how anyone can be unhappy in his presence.
"It must have been difficult for him to employ me then. What happened to the previous song writer?" I ask 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTsEf8cel0
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"Bailey quit the morning after she found out she was pregnant. She always told us her husband wants her to be a stay at home mother. By the way, you do not need to worry, I think Larry really likes you." He says with a smile.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPc1gYSrLAb
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"That's to bad. I don't think I would ever be able to give up my job." I reply.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwlg1Aa107
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"As far as I heard she didn't have much of a choice." He says.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7irzvJXNA
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"I know the feeling." I quietly murmur. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXEomlbjut
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As we reach the pavement Logan turns to me and asks "Where is your car parked?"376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPBCAeG2ez
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I look over at the busy street, there is no taxi in sight. I think I will have to walk.
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"Oh, I walked to the theater. I will get a cab to take me back to the hotel." I say quickly. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLMBdHMDFT
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Logan looks at me with one eyebrow raised. "It's getting dark. You will not be able to get a taxi very soon. Do you need a ride?" he asks.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPrdnOx8Nj
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I feel my body temperature rising.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErrCvIO4At
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"It's not a problem. If I do not manage to get a cab soon I will walk back to the hotel. It's only a few blocks and the fresh air will do me good." I smile at him hoping he would drop the subject. 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzgFEQ8hop
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"Don't be silly." He says. " Come on, I will take you back to the hotel."376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqsL2gf0dx
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