Chapter Thirty Three

2004

"Look. I'm talking to these guys, they're thinking about making a musical out of our story."

I about choked on my coffee. Frankie, Bobby and I had gone out to lunch because Bobby wanted to tell us something.

"Our story? Like as in..." I started.

"As in our success story."

Frankie shook his head. "I don't know, Bob. I just—"

"You're worried about everyone freaking out if they found out about everything, right?" Bobby nodded. "Look, I am too. But these guys... They're really adamant about doing this. Now originally, I was just thinking about doing sort of a Mamma Mia thing, like ABBA did. But they said that it would be better if we just did something like this. Tell our story. No one knows it anyway, except for the people closest to us."

"And us." I added.

"Well, yeah."

"I don't know." Frankie shook his head again. "Can you imagine what people are going to think about us?"

"That's what going to keep bringing them back." I said. "Look, Frankie... I think it's time. This isn't the 1960's anymore. It's 2004. It's time. Past time actually."

"But if we do this..." Bobby started. "We have to do it all the way. No lies. No bullshit. All truth. You guys got it?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "Frankie?"

"Frankie?" Bobby raised his eyebrows. Frankie held out his hand.

"Let's do it." He said. Bobby grinned and shook his hand.

"So have you hired anyone? Like writers, directors? Producers?" I asked.

"I did hire a couple of writers." Bobby nodded.

"Who?" Frankie asked.

"Their names are Rick Elice and Marshall Brickman. They're book writers. I also got this director, Des McAnuff."

"Oh, I like him." I nodded.

"You don't even know who he is." Frankie teased.

"I do too. Did you ever go with me to see Big River? No you did not. It was brilliantly done."

"I already read Huckleberry Finn; I didn't need to see the musical!"

"Maybe you might've needed to."

"I didn't need to do anything."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Bobby raised his voice a little to get our attention. I looked at him.

"Hi. Don't mind him; he's a grumpy old man." I tried not to laugh as Frankie smiled and shook his head.

Bobby shook his head, smiling a little. "Well. We are going to have lunch with Rick and Marshall tomorrow. I never thought that I would say this but be on your best behavior. No banter."

"Why not? They could write us like that. We always banter." I shrugged.

"Not when we first met." Frankie shook his head.

"No when we first met, you saw me wearing Mary's lingerie and straddling Tommy."

"What?" Bobby almost spit out his coffee as Frankie tried not to laugh.

"That was so awkward." He shook his head.

"What am I hearing?" Bobby looked shocked. I laughed.

"Those lessons Tommy had me do to learn how to be sexy for you involved a very...awkward...teaching lesson by Mary."

"Awkward as in they were both wearing lingerie and Tommy...well..."

"Tommy was having the time of his life." I laughed.

"Yeah, I would've been too." Bobby took a drink of his coffee.

"We're putting that in the musical." I nodded.

"We're not putting that in there." Frankie shook his head.

"Oh yes we are." Bobby said, with finality.

!

La Jolla Playhouse—San Diego California, October 5, 2004

We sat in the audience, me messing with my hands. We were a few minutes into the musical, and I was biting my lip. On the other side of me sat Bobby and then beside Frankie was Tommy. Beside Tommy was Crewe, who I could tell was more excited than the rest of us. Finally, it got to how we met.

"Hi..." said Stage Tyler. The young girl was from Los Angeles, but her Texan accent was spot on. She must've been working on it for a while. Stage Tommy stopped what he was doing.

"Hi." He mocked the accent.

"My name's Tyler Hampton. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the show."

"Well la di da. Go on home. Mommy and Daddy are probably worried about you."

"Tommy..." Stage Frankie muttered.

"I don't have parents. At least, I don't count them as parents..." Stage Tyler cleared her throat.

I was already in love with the show.

!

"Come on! Don't be shy!" Stage Mary yelled. "I do all the time! Just shove them!"

"But... But..." Stage Tyler stuttered.

"Just do it!"

At this, the door opened and Stage Frankie had a look of shock on his face.

"What the hell is this?" his voice almost broke. The crowd lost it, everyone was laughing. Stage Tommy was speaking in Italian as Stage Mary and Frankie were arguing. Finally Stage Mary took the actor that portrays Frankie offstage. Stage Tyler started to get up but Stage Tommy held her in the position.

"What?" Stage Tyler's eyes widened.

"Don't. Move."

"Why—Oh dear Lord..."

"Yeah..."

"Someone's alert."

The crowd was laughing so hard. I looked over at Frankie, who was covering his face a little but laughing, and then looked at Tommy, who was cracking up, making the "perfect" sign. He looked at me and I was trying not to laugh. I high fived him. That day was a very awkward encounter indeed. I heard Crewe whooping. Apparently, he had a favorite part of the musical already.

!

"Listen to me... Listen. Listen. Tyler!"

"What?"

Stage Tyler and Stage Crewe were talking backstage before Sherry.

"First. You need to calm down. Breathe in through the nose, out the mouth. Okay?" Stage Tyler did as told. "We okay now?"

"Uh huh." Stage Tyler nodded.

"Good. Good girl. Look. All of you are going to be brilliant out there. Trust me, when you get out there, you forget the audience is there. Okay?"

He was never so right.

!

"Bobby..." Stage Tyler smiled. Stage Bobby was looking at his piano, but then looked up at her.

"What?"

Stage Tyler giggled. "Oh... You know..."

"I do?"

Stage Tyler hopped into his lap. "I'm pregnant."

"You're what?"

Stage Tyler nodded and the two hugged and kissed a couple of times before getting up and Stage Bobby starting to leave.

"What're you doing?"

"I'm calling the guys!"

I looked over at Bobby, who was smiling. He looked back at me and I took his hand in mine. Except now, it was more of a friendship thing.

!

"I broke up with Frankie."

"Why?"

Stage Tyler and Stage Lorraine stood there, talking in what was the hallway. It was obvious that the Stage Tyler was pregnant at that time. They made me a little bigger than how I was in real life, but I guess I kind of made up for that with the triplets. Stage Lorraine smiled and shook her head.

"It was time. Besides... He loves you more than he loves me." Lorraine smiled softly and she walked offstage. Stage Tyler walked up to the door that led to the apartment and knocked on it.

"Frankie?"

"Lorraine?" Stage Frankie's voice came from offstage.

"Do I sound like Lorraine? No. I'm not Lorraine. Can I come in?"

"Door's open."

Stage Tyler walked into the apartment, and Stage Frankie was sitting on the couch. "You know, Tyler... I think I'm just done with relationships. What's the point of 'em?"

"Well... Don't they make you happy?"

"In the beginning."

"Well..." Stage Tyler sat next to him. "Then why will you give up?"

"Because they always end in arguments. I don't know. I just... I'm done."

"You don't have to be. I bet you anything the right person is under your nose and you just don't know it yet. Or you haven't met them yet. I don't know. But it'll happen." Stage Frankie looked at her. "I promise."

Stage Frankie leaned in to kiss her, and Stage Tyler seemed to get a little nervous, but the two kissed. I felt Frankie grab my hand and kiss it. I looked at him and kissed him gently before pulling away.

!

I felt his hand tighten on mine. I bit my lip to hold back my own tears. We were at Francine's funeral, and I could hear quiet sobs beside me. I looked at Frankie next to me. His eyes were filled to the brim with tears. I leaned over and gently whispered, "Are you okay? Do you need to leave?"

"No, I'll be fine..." Frankie shook his head and kissed my cheek. "Don't worry."

!

At the end of the show, the crowd stood and clapped and cheered louder than any other crowd I've heard.

And believe me, that's saying something. I looked at Frankie.

"What do you think?"

"I think they liked it."

"Like?" Tommy raised his eyebrows. "You think you know crowds? Look, I know crowds, alright? They loved it, myself included." He smiled.

"So did I." I took Frankie's hand again. I looked at Bobby. "I don't know who did the casting, but they were brilliant."

"I agree." Bobby nodded.

"You know something?" Tommy said, over the crowd.

"What?" I looked at him.

"Nicky would've loved this."