"So, Abby's opening Romeo and Juliet tonight, did you want to go with me?"
Seth asked as he poured himself a second bowl of cereal.
"Yeah, of course I do. How can I resist a classic? Plus my boyfriend and his little sister will be there. What time?" Anna applied some mascara and held the phone between her shoulder and ear.
"Well, we're leaving around 6:45. The show doesn't start till 7:30 though." He ate a spoonful of colored sugar balls which supposedly passed for a healthy breakfast.
"Great, I'll meet you there." She replied as she applied a solid coat of pink lipstick.
"Sure. See you in a few minutes." He finished off his bowl and threw it in the sink.
"Okay, bye." She hit the talk button on her phone, ending the call. Quickly, she grabbed her messenger bag and glanced back one more time in the mirror. She adjusted her pink beret and left the house.
-----
It was dark as Caleb Nichol stepped out of his sleek black sedan, and onto the blacktop of the parking lot. He took his usual solemn steps on his journey through the halls of Harbor, taking a steady left at a set of lockers, a right at the next corner and finally pausing a moment in front of the auditorium doors. It was as if he had never left.
"Caleb! Didn't expect to see you here," Sandy exclaimed. Kiki was at his side.
"Hi, Dad." Kiki avoided his glance.
"I couldn't miss the opening performance of Romeo and Juliet, starring my own granddaughter, could I?" He used his clichéd tone of voice and facial expressions.
"Glad you're here. I'm sure Abby will be glad as well." Sandy faked a smile even though he detested Caleb. "Enjoy the show." He replied as they entered the auditorium and went their separate ways.
-----
In another section of the theatre, Seth and Anna sat discussing random topics.
"You know it is gonna be Christmas in a few weeks." Anna stated.
"Yeah, it is. Chrismukkah for me, Christmas and Hanukkah combined. Long story, I'll tell you later."
"I'm afraid that it'll be weird because we got snow in Pittsburgh, and Newport is not gonna get snow."
"Well, you never know. I have friends in high places. Have you seen Return of the King yet?" Seth asked searching for something else to talk about.
"No." She replied non-chalantly.
"Well, we have to go then. It's so good. Not very true to the books, but it's very emotionally stirring."
"The last movie you told me to see wasn't that good. I got lost in all the translations myself."
"Well, that's just because you don't have good taste. We shall change you yet. I shall take you home, and rent you videos and you shall be my movie loving girlfriend, and I shall name you Anna." Anna laughed at his creative use of a movie reference that she actually got. She feigned pain at his comment about her taste and she smacked him on the arm. He in turn feigned pain from that, but it ended in laughter.
The lights went down and there was a hush over the crowd. He put his arm around her and she nestled her head into his shoulder.
-----
"What the hell is your father doing here? I thought he was never gonna speak to either of us again after that little scene I made at the party." Sandy asked just as the lights went down. He reduced his tone to a whisper.
"I don't know. He didn't say he'd never talk to the kids, just us." Kirsten tried to hush her husband as the two actors playing Sampson and Gregory entered the stage.
"He just makes me uncomfortable in my own skin being here tonight."
"I know, Sandy. Let's try and watch the play and forget about my father now, okay?" They both turned their attention to the stage. A young man playing Benvolio, and David playing Romeo came to center stage.
"Good morrow, cousin." Benvolio spoke.
"Is the day so young?"
"But new struck nine." He replied
"Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?"
"It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?"
"Not having that, which, having makes them short." Romeo replied in a sad tone.
"In love?" Benvolio asked again.
"Out---" Romeo replied.
----- Sandy perked at the sight of his daughter again. Plays weren't really his deal. He always got disinterested half way through. The attention span of a sponge.
Romeo had just asked what Juliet's name was, and he was now expounding on how fair she was.
"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, and, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."
David walked over to where Abby was standing in all her Victorian garbed beauty. They caught eyes and he held his hand up to offer a dance as the others were doing.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."
"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." She blushed as they danced. The sparks were easy to see between the two.
"Have not saint's lips and holy palmers too?" He asked.
"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." She became suddenly withdrawn.
"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."
"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." Pulling her away from the crowd, he kissed her softly on the lips.
"Then have my lips the sin that they have took." She replied.
"Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." He recited almost beggingly and kissed her again.
"You kiss by the book." She replied breathlessly after a moment has passed.
-----
They both ran off stage as the scene changed.
"You screwed up your last line." She replied as they both ran over to change their costumes.
"I did not."
"You did."
"I think I would know my own lines, Abby."
"Well, it didn't seem right as to what I recall." She retorted sharply dropping her dress and replacing it with a nightgown.
"I don't have time to argue about this, I have a scene to do. You always think you're right, so annoying." He muttered harshly as he threw off his mask from the dance scene and jogged to the opposite side of the stage for his next entrance.
Abby tied the crisscross laces on the top of her white nightgown. She listened to his scene and then climbed the stairs to the balcony to make ready for her own next entrance. On her cue she entered the dim key light that was focused on the balcony and David began to deliver the most famous lines from the play.
"But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid art far more fair than she: be not her maid, since she is envious; her vestal livery is but sick and green and none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven. Would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!"
There was a notable change in his voice at the beginning of the line. It had a harsher quality to it, one wrought with more irritation than undying love. Her lines two were given in a way lacking in what they had been at first. It seemed to Seth, and Anna and probably the rest of the audience that the mood had changed, and not for the better. Sure, the lines were there, but the depth of emotion felt at the beginning was gone.
The play continued on this way, its two main characters in the wrong spirit for the rest of the play until the end; the poignant death scene. At this point, the mood once again changed. It was back to the way it should have been. Something had snapped back into place. For David and Abby, that had been the fact that this death scene was so depressing that it had made them both rethink their little disagreement. The fateful story of the two lovers taught that life should be savored, not squandered.
The intensity in the room grew as David uttered his last, memorable lines.
"From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And, lips, O you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss. A dateless bargain to engrossing death! Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide! Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on the dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! Here's to my love!"
He took the bottle of poison and drank from it.
"O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." Kissing Abby on the lips lightly he collapsed on top of her lifeless body. The lights went down and the curtains closed and then after they had closed, the lights returned and the audience began to shuffle slowly out.
-----
He picked himself up off of Abby. She lay there for a second, just drinking in the moment and how amazing it was to be up on the stage.
"Abby?" He asked and she turned her head to meet his glance. "I'm sorry I went off on you like that."
"And I'm sorry I was telling you how to do your own lines. It was such a stupid thing to fight over."
"First fights are like that most of the time. Doing that last scene, I realized how dumb it was to be angry over what we were fighting about when these characters are dying for their love." Abby nodded and pursed her lips giving a sort of sorrowful expression. She sat herself up on the plastic wood table and looked at him a moment. "I should go. My parents are probably waiting for me." He kissed her quickly and waved.
-----
"Well, here's your car." Seth replied as he stopped.
"Yep, I had fun tonight. Thanks." She smiled. "You know I like your sister, have I told you that?"
"No, I don't think you have." He cocked his head and looked at her kind of oddly.
"Yeah, I'd like to get to know her better. She seems really nice, and very intelligent. Kind of like you, only I could go shopping with her."
"What are you talking about? You can go shopping with me. I'll prove it to you." He began to talk in a slightly more feminine voice. "Darling, I love the pink camisole and beret, they just work so well together. Oh! And the pinstripe pants are classic." She just laughed.
"You are such a little boy, Cohen." She replied wrapping her arms around his neck.
"And it drives you wild with desire doesn't it?" He replied wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing her against the car.
"Oh yes, it does." She giggled and he stopped her laughing with a hard, passionate kiss. The kind that made Anna stand on her tiptoes and lean in. Just as she did something landed on her head. Then something else, and then the rate increased until it forced them both to stop and look up. As they stared into the dark night, they saw little white flecks descending to the ground.
"Snow!" Anna exclaimed happily. She smiled and looked back at Seth.
"I told you I knew people. It looks like it'll be a good Christmas after all." He smiled and brought her back to the kiss.
"Goodnight, Anna." He replied pulling away and grabbing her hand.
"Goodnight, Seth." He repeated. He waved as she drove away. Then he walked over to beamer.
-----
"So, what was up with you and David in some of those scenes?" Seth asked his sister who was seated in the back with him.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there was this vibe--- like your acting sucked for a while."
"Seth!" Kirsten snapped.
"A vibe!! Seth, do you have to get involved in everything? A vibe! Good God!" She freaked out on him and stared intently out the window.
"Gee, PMS much." He retorted as she threw him a razor sharp glance. "Dad, she's being a cold witch."
"Whatever, Seth. I am entitled to my privacy."
"You had a fight, didn't you?" He said in a jesting tone. "You had your first fight, how cute!" He pulled at her cheek slightly. They pulled up into the driveway and Abby got out first slamming the door and storming up to her room.
"Seth, could you try to be a little nicer to your sister?" Kirsten asked.
"I suppose, but what fun is that. I'm just pointing out the obvious." Seth smiled a little bit and threw up his hands. His mother gave him nothing. "Goodnight." He replied as he trudged up the stairs.
Sandy turned to Kirsten. "What is with our kids?" She asked. "I just don't get them sometimes."
"I think they're too much like us." Sandy replied. "Are you tired?" He yawned.
"Not really." She replied.
"Are you sure?" He raised his fabulous eyebrows suggestively.
"Well---now that you mention it, maybe a little." A grin spread across her face.
-----
"Yeah, of course I do. How can I resist a classic? Plus my boyfriend and his little sister will be there. What time?" Anna applied some mascara and held the phone between her shoulder and ear.
"Well, we're leaving around 6:45. The show doesn't start till 7:30 though." He ate a spoonful of colored sugar balls which supposedly passed for a healthy breakfast.
"Great, I'll meet you there." She replied as she applied a solid coat of pink lipstick.
"Sure. See you in a few minutes." He finished off his bowl and threw it in the sink.
"Okay, bye." She hit the talk button on her phone, ending the call. Quickly, she grabbed her messenger bag and glanced back one more time in the mirror. She adjusted her pink beret and left the house.
-----
It was dark as Caleb Nichol stepped out of his sleek black sedan, and onto the blacktop of the parking lot. He took his usual solemn steps on his journey through the halls of Harbor, taking a steady left at a set of lockers, a right at the next corner and finally pausing a moment in front of the auditorium doors. It was as if he had never left.
"Caleb! Didn't expect to see you here," Sandy exclaimed. Kiki was at his side.
"Hi, Dad." Kiki avoided his glance.
"I couldn't miss the opening performance of Romeo and Juliet, starring my own granddaughter, could I?" He used his clichéd tone of voice and facial expressions.
"Glad you're here. I'm sure Abby will be glad as well." Sandy faked a smile even though he detested Caleb. "Enjoy the show." He replied as they entered the auditorium and went their separate ways.
-----
In another section of the theatre, Seth and Anna sat discussing random topics.
"You know it is gonna be Christmas in a few weeks." Anna stated.
"Yeah, it is. Chrismukkah for me, Christmas and Hanukkah combined. Long story, I'll tell you later."
"I'm afraid that it'll be weird because we got snow in Pittsburgh, and Newport is not gonna get snow."
"Well, you never know. I have friends in high places. Have you seen Return of the King yet?" Seth asked searching for something else to talk about.
"No." She replied non-chalantly.
"Well, we have to go then. It's so good. Not very true to the books, but it's very emotionally stirring."
"The last movie you told me to see wasn't that good. I got lost in all the translations myself."
"Well, that's just because you don't have good taste. We shall change you yet. I shall take you home, and rent you videos and you shall be my movie loving girlfriend, and I shall name you Anna." Anna laughed at his creative use of a movie reference that she actually got. She feigned pain at his comment about her taste and she smacked him on the arm. He in turn feigned pain from that, but it ended in laughter.
The lights went down and there was a hush over the crowd. He put his arm around her and she nestled her head into his shoulder.
-----
"What the hell is your father doing here? I thought he was never gonna speak to either of us again after that little scene I made at the party." Sandy asked just as the lights went down. He reduced his tone to a whisper.
"I don't know. He didn't say he'd never talk to the kids, just us." Kirsten tried to hush her husband as the two actors playing Sampson and Gregory entered the stage.
"He just makes me uncomfortable in my own skin being here tonight."
"I know, Sandy. Let's try and watch the play and forget about my father now, okay?" They both turned their attention to the stage. A young man playing Benvolio, and David playing Romeo came to center stage.
"Good morrow, cousin." Benvolio spoke.
"Is the day so young?"
"But new struck nine." He replied
"Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?"
"It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?"
"Not having that, which, having makes them short." Romeo replied in a sad tone.
"In love?" Benvolio asked again.
"Out---" Romeo replied.
----- Sandy perked at the sight of his daughter again. Plays weren't really his deal. He always got disinterested half way through. The attention span of a sponge.
Romeo had just asked what Juliet's name was, and he was now expounding on how fair she was.
"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, and, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."
David walked over to where Abby was standing in all her Victorian garbed beauty. They caught eyes and he held his hand up to offer a dance as the others were doing.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."
"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." She blushed as they danced. The sparks were easy to see between the two.
"Have not saint's lips and holy palmers too?" He asked.
"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." She became suddenly withdrawn.
"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."
"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." Pulling her away from the crowd, he kissed her softly on the lips.
"Then have my lips the sin that they have took." She replied.
"Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." He recited almost beggingly and kissed her again.
"You kiss by the book." She replied breathlessly after a moment has passed.
-----
They both ran off stage as the scene changed.
"You screwed up your last line." She replied as they both ran over to change their costumes.
"I did not."
"You did."
"I think I would know my own lines, Abby."
"Well, it didn't seem right as to what I recall." She retorted sharply dropping her dress and replacing it with a nightgown.
"I don't have time to argue about this, I have a scene to do. You always think you're right, so annoying." He muttered harshly as he threw off his mask from the dance scene and jogged to the opposite side of the stage for his next entrance.
Abby tied the crisscross laces on the top of her white nightgown. She listened to his scene and then climbed the stairs to the balcony to make ready for her own next entrance. On her cue she entered the dim key light that was focused on the balcony and David began to deliver the most famous lines from the play.
"But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou her maid art far more fair than she: be not her maid, since she is envious; her vestal livery is but sick and green and none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that? Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven. Would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!"
There was a notable change in his voice at the beginning of the line. It had a harsher quality to it, one wrought with more irritation than undying love. Her lines two were given in a way lacking in what they had been at first. It seemed to Seth, and Anna and probably the rest of the audience that the mood had changed, and not for the better. Sure, the lines were there, but the depth of emotion felt at the beginning was gone.
The play continued on this way, its two main characters in the wrong spirit for the rest of the play until the end; the poignant death scene. At this point, the mood once again changed. It was back to the way it should have been. Something had snapped back into place. For David and Abby, that had been the fact that this death scene was so depressing that it had made them both rethink their little disagreement. The fateful story of the two lovers taught that life should be savored, not squandered.
The intensity in the room grew as David uttered his last, memorable lines.
"From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And, lips, O you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss. A dateless bargain to engrossing death! Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide! Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on the dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! Here's to my love!"
He took the bottle of poison and drank from it.
"O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." Kissing Abby on the lips lightly he collapsed on top of her lifeless body. The lights went down and the curtains closed and then after they had closed, the lights returned and the audience began to shuffle slowly out.
-----
He picked himself up off of Abby. She lay there for a second, just drinking in the moment and how amazing it was to be up on the stage.
"Abby?" He asked and she turned her head to meet his glance. "I'm sorry I went off on you like that."
"And I'm sorry I was telling you how to do your own lines. It was such a stupid thing to fight over."
"First fights are like that most of the time. Doing that last scene, I realized how dumb it was to be angry over what we were fighting about when these characters are dying for their love." Abby nodded and pursed her lips giving a sort of sorrowful expression. She sat herself up on the plastic wood table and looked at him a moment. "I should go. My parents are probably waiting for me." He kissed her quickly and waved.
-----
"Well, here's your car." Seth replied as he stopped.
"Yep, I had fun tonight. Thanks." She smiled. "You know I like your sister, have I told you that?"
"No, I don't think you have." He cocked his head and looked at her kind of oddly.
"Yeah, I'd like to get to know her better. She seems really nice, and very intelligent. Kind of like you, only I could go shopping with her."
"What are you talking about? You can go shopping with me. I'll prove it to you." He began to talk in a slightly more feminine voice. "Darling, I love the pink camisole and beret, they just work so well together. Oh! And the pinstripe pants are classic." She just laughed.
"You are such a little boy, Cohen." She replied wrapping her arms around his neck.
"And it drives you wild with desire doesn't it?" He replied wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing her against the car.
"Oh yes, it does." She giggled and he stopped her laughing with a hard, passionate kiss. The kind that made Anna stand on her tiptoes and lean in. Just as she did something landed on her head. Then something else, and then the rate increased until it forced them both to stop and look up. As they stared into the dark night, they saw little white flecks descending to the ground.
"Snow!" Anna exclaimed happily. She smiled and looked back at Seth.
"I told you I knew people. It looks like it'll be a good Christmas after all." He smiled and brought her back to the kiss.
"Goodnight, Anna." He replied pulling away and grabbing her hand.
"Goodnight, Seth." He repeated. He waved as she drove away. Then he walked over to beamer.
-----
"So, what was up with you and David in some of those scenes?" Seth asked his sister who was seated in the back with him.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there was this vibe--- like your acting sucked for a while."
"Seth!" Kirsten snapped.
"A vibe!! Seth, do you have to get involved in everything? A vibe! Good God!" She freaked out on him and stared intently out the window.
"Gee, PMS much." He retorted as she threw him a razor sharp glance. "Dad, she's being a cold witch."
"Whatever, Seth. I am entitled to my privacy."
"You had a fight, didn't you?" He said in a jesting tone. "You had your first fight, how cute!" He pulled at her cheek slightly. They pulled up into the driveway and Abby got out first slamming the door and storming up to her room.
"Seth, could you try to be a little nicer to your sister?" Kirsten asked.
"I suppose, but what fun is that. I'm just pointing out the obvious." Seth smiled a little bit and threw up his hands. His mother gave him nothing. "Goodnight." He replied as he trudged up the stairs.
Sandy turned to Kirsten. "What is with our kids?" She asked. "I just don't get them sometimes."
"I think they're too much like us." Sandy replied. "Are you tired?" He yawned.
"Not really." She replied.
"Are you sure?" He raised his fabulous eyebrows suggestively.
"Well---now that you mention it, maybe a little." A grin spread across her face.
-----