****
The next day was quiet enough. Alex and Jake were busy with work all day, so that left Sasche to entertain Amanda. Unbeknownst to Amanda, Sasche had connived her brother into meeting them for an early dinner. After shopping and doing the tourist thing all day, Amanda was tired, but it was a good tired.
"I can't believe I just spent that much money! I'm going to have to ship all this stuff home!" Amanda burst out laughing while they were in the cafe having coffee.
"Oh I know. If Jake finds out that I spent this much money... wait, we're not married..." she winked and also burst out laughing.
"How do you do it Sasche?"
"Do what?"
"Live day to day knowing that it might be your last? Jake's job isn't exactly 9-5."
"Well, each of us might not make it home. You, you work in the theater. Look at all the hazards there. The crazed fans and such. I just love Jake with 110% of my heart and soul and let the morning come when it's time. I don't worry about tomorrow with him."
Amanda sat back and looked at her coffee.
"You're thinking about Frank."
"Yeah. Is it that obvious?"
"I know love when I see it. And I know that Frank loves you, he just can't say it. There is no other reason he'd be so damned stupid. He left you because of what you just asked me about." At Amanda's puzzled look she leaned forward, her arms folded in front of her on the table.
"Da was Anti-terrorist for the British Army. I know what it's like to live day to day, waiting for that phone call or knock at the door to say that someone you love is gone. When I lived in New York, I dated a fireman. I got that knock at the door after the World Trade Center was destroyed. So again I know what it's like. Frank wanted to spare you that pain Amanda."
"He had no right to make that decision for me Sasche!"
"I agree, he didn't. But Frank is putting you above himself, your well-being above his own wants or needs."
Amanda had been about to say something when both of their cell phones went off. She answered hers as Sasche answered hers. Within a few seconds Sasche was excusing herself with the excuse of a missed private lesson. That left Amanda to talk to Harrold, her agent.
"How are the talks going?"
"Everything is just fine precious. You let me worry about the details."
Amanda sighed. She'd have been just as happy to keep the current terms of her contract with 'Phantom', but Harrold seemed to think she could get more for doing the same performance. "I want this to be over with as soon as possible. Are they countering what I'm being offered for Dolly?"
"You know they are kid. I've got both producers panting after your petticoats. Trust me."
"Remind me again why I couldn't keep the current terms of contract?"
Harrold sighed on the other end of the phone. "Because, Mandy girl, you're famous now. No one has made a bigger splash as Christine Daae since Sarah Brightman."
It was then that Frank walked in. She spotted him at the door, the rest of Harrold's words falling deaf to her. Their eyes met for a moment, then he walked over.
"I got to go Harrold. Let me know what they say." She clicked off her phone and stood up. "Frank..."
"Amanda."
"What are you doing here?"
"Looking for Sasche. You?"
"She just left. Something about a missed private appointment."
Frank blinked, then the corner of his mouth crooked up. "That scheming little chit. She set us both up."
Amanda chuckled. "She means well. Frank?"
"No, Amanda."
"You don't even know what I'm going to ask."
Frank looked at her.
"Dinner. You, me, a restaurant. That's it. Nothing else. We talk like normal human beings. I'll even turn my cell phone off so Harrold can't interrupt."
"Nothing? No pressing me about what I did?"
"No. I promise. Besides, Sasche went through all that trouble of setting us up, why disappoint her?"
"Do you still like Moroccan food?"
****
The next day was quiet enough. Alex and Jake were busy with work all day, so that left Sasche to entertain Amanda. Unbeknownst to Amanda, Sasche had connived her brother into meeting them for an early dinner. After shopping and doing the tourist thing all day, Amanda was tired, but it was a good tired.
"I can't believe I just spent that much money! I'm going to have to ship all this stuff home!" Amanda burst out laughing while they were in the cafe having coffee.
"Oh I know. If Jake finds out that I spent this much money... wait, we're not married..." she winked and also burst out laughing.
"How do you do it Sasche?"
"Do what?"
"Live day to day knowing that it might be your last? Jake's job isn't exactly 9-5."
"Well, each of us might not make it home. You, you work in the theater. Look at all the hazards there. The crazed fans and such. I just love Jake with 110% of my heart and soul and let the morning come when it's time. I don't worry about tomorrow with him."
Amanda sat back and looked at her coffee.
"You're thinking about Frank."
"Yeah. Is it that obvious?"
"I know love when I see it. And I know that Frank loves you, he just can't say it. There is no other reason he'd be so damned stupid. He left you because of what you just asked me about." At Amanda's puzzled look she leaned forward, her arms folded in front of her on the table.
"Da was Anti-terrorist for the British Army. I know what it's like to live day to day, waiting for that phone call or knock at the door to say that someone you love is gone. When I lived in New York, I dated a fireman. I got that knock at the door after the World Trade Center was destroyed. So again I know what it's like. Frank wanted to spare you that pain Amanda."
"He had no right to make that decision for me Sasche!"
"I agree, he didn't. But Frank is putting you above himself, your well-being above his own wants or needs."
Amanda had been about to say something when both of their cell phones went off. She answered hers as Sasche answered hers. Within a few seconds Sasche was excusing herself with the excuse of a missed private lesson. That left Amanda to talk to Harrold, her agent.
"How are the talks going?"
"Everything is just fine precious. You let me worry about the details."
Amanda sighed. She'd have been just as happy to keep the current terms of her contract with 'Phantom', but Harrold seemed to think she could get more for doing the same performance. "I want this to be over with as soon as possible. Are they countering what I'm being offered for Dolly?"
"You know they are kid. I've got both producers panting after your petticoats. Trust me."
"Remind me again why I couldn't keep the current terms of contract?"
Harrold sighed on the other end of the phone. "Because, Mandy girl, you're famous now. No one has made a bigger splash as Christine Daae since Sarah Brightman."
It was then that Frank walked in. She spotted him at the door, the rest of Harrold's words falling deaf to her. Their eyes met for a moment, then he walked over.
"I got to go Harrold. Let me know what they say." She clicked off her phone and stood up. "Frank..."
"Amanda."
"What are you doing here?"
"Looking for Sasche. You?"
"She just left. Something about a missed private appointment."
Frank blinked, then the corner of his mouth crooked up. "That scheming little chit. She set us both up."
Amanda chuckled. "She means well. Frank?"
"No, Amanda."
"You don't even know what I'm going to ask."
Frank looked at her.
"Dinner. You, me, a restaurant. That's it. Nothing else. We talk like normal human beings. I'll even turn my cell phone off so Harrold can't interrupt."
"Nothing? No pressing me about what I did?"
"No. I promise. Besides, Sasche went through all that trouble of setting us up, why disappoint her?"
"Do you still like Moroccan food?"
****
