Disclaimer: You've already read it thirteen times… on with part II!
Despite Carmen's help with her presents, Carlotta missed call by a half hour. The police presence that morning had set rumors one again flying through the Opera House, and when Carlotta was not in her dressing room an hour before the show, panic ensued.
She apologized profusely for her lateness and flew through her make-up application and costuming, before grabbing her journal. She admired the diamond bracelet on her wrist and set off in writing with great fervor that she did not hear the five minute call. In fact, she was so entranced in her writing (thoughts about the upcoming meeting with her mysterious lover) that she almost missed her first entrance. She arrived backstage with literally one minute to go before her entrance.
All through that night's show, she couldn't shake her secret admirer from her mind. When she proclaimed her love to Mario (and Ubaldo), he was on her mind; when she killed Scarpia for her lover, he was on her mind; when she killed herself, he was on her mind.
When the show was over, Carlotta hurried to her dressing room. It was 11:15. Had the show really taken that long? They had started late and the intermissions had run late. She sighed. 45 minutes to go.
As she sat in front of her mirror brushing out her long auburn locks, Carlotta wondered what midnight would bring her. In addition to dreaming that this man of her dreams was Ubaldo, she had also come to the realization that her admirer could be anyone from a chorus member to Joseph Buquet; for the sake of both her mental and physical health, she prayed that it wasn't Buquet.
Whoever it was, she was about to find out. Was she ready? After twelve long days of dreaming, was she really prepared to find out who had stolen her heart? She felt butterflies in her stomach as she stood up and walked around her dressing room.
11:55. Time to go.
She headed out the door and as soon as she turned to lock it, she had a horrible thought: what if he didn't show up? She stopped abruptly. Oh my God… what if he didn't show up? No, no, that was impossible… of course he'd show.
What if it was someone totally repulsive? What if it was a madman?
Carlotta tried to shake her mind of all negative thoughts as she made her way into the garden, She could hear the faint sounds of a string quarter in the background, and there were rose petals scattered on the floor. She followed the trail of petals until they led her to the center of the garden.
It was a beautiful December night, not too cold and with a gorgeous full moon. She stood there glancing up at the moon when she felt two familiar hands slip around her waist. She was about to turn around when she stopped herself: she had waited twelve days… she could wait a few seconds longer.
"Beautiful night, is it not, Signora?"
Carlotta smiled and her heart rejoiced as she let out a tiny giggle. She'd know that beautiful accent anywhere! She let her head relax on his chest and he immediately began to kiss her neck. Her breathing became erratic and she had to take in a breath through her mouth. She was in pure heaven.
Suddenly he stopped kissing her neck and Carlotta spun around.