Chapter 9
When Peter and Margaret emerged from the costumes closet a few Narnia hours later, tears dried, fears overcome and feelings mended, the facts are these-
Peter, in a fit of pique to spite his co-actress, decided to practice Scene 4 of Act One with Margaret as a stand-in for Sophie.
Sophie, coming down the stairs as she had been before they left, could not help but stare at the rather passionate kiss transpiring between her costars.
Staring, she didn't have the presence of mind to watch where she was going and tripped over a can of paint, the same can of paint Margaret was so scared of earlier. (The paint spilled, ruining a perfectly good skirt of Sophie's and the edge of Margaret's charcoal sketch, but that is not the issue here.)
In short, Sophie broke her leg in two places and fractured her wrist on the way down, leaving her in the hospital for the next two weeks and counting her out of any production of 'The Swan Song'.
Subsequently, it was found that her understudy, Lottie, had contracted a bad case of the stomach flu over the weekend and was not allowed within a mile of another human not the doctor or her immediate family.
Allenby threw up his hands at this point and made for the worst of it until someone told him Margaret knew Sophie's lines and her understudy was quite well; he fainted from excitement and had to be revived with a glass of cold water to the face.
That week went by like a flash of lightning. Costumes were fitted, lights were put up, sets were painted, and Peter (though he hated to admit it) had a lot of fun kissing Margaret, though it was in front of a crowd of people who cat-called and told off color jokes behind their hands at every chance they could.
And then, just as soon as the mad dream had started, opening night was upon them. Peter knew his mother was bringing all three siblings to come see him, so proud of her son and his accomplishment.
Peter stood in the wings, waiting for the show to start, listening to the excited buzz of voices beyond the curtain- Allenby said they were playing to a nearly full house.
"Nervous much?" Margaret asked behind him, smiling as he turned around to see her in her costume. "Your hands are shaking. Very badly, I may add."
"You look better in that dress than Sophie ever did." Peter assured her as she did a little twirl for him.
"I wanted to look nice for your parents." Margaret smiled.
Peter stopped. "Parents?" he asked, hope springing into his heart.
Margaret stopped and corrected herself. "Parent and siblings." She apologized. Peter's face fell. "I'm sorry, Peter, I forgot…"
"Don't worry about it." Peter said, brushing it off a little bit more abruptly than he might have meant to. Kissing her hair, the only part of her he could kiss without potentially ruining her make-up, he felt more nervous now than he had before. I just wish it didn't have to be only Mother here…he thought to himself.
Mr. Allenby walked up with his clip board, straightening out a musty looking suit and tie. "Ready to knock them dead?" he asked excitedly, ushering them both onstage. "Don't worry, you'll do fine. Just remember, Margaret, not to scream too loud in the second act when Rorick kidnaps you." He nodded, placing them just so onstage, ready for the curtain to go up.
"Sophie always screamed too loud." Margaret whispered. "Oh, god, Peter, who am I joking? I'm going to mess this whole thing up."
"Margaret. You'll do fine. Once a queen, always a queen, right?" Peter assured her, smiling.
She nodded, managing a small smile as the curtain opened, any dark doubts fading away with the stage lights. There could be no going back now.
Those of you rooting for Sophie's downfall, (in this case literally), I hope you liked it. It was the best comeuppance I could conjure without straying too far from the script insomuch as the play was concerned- although I must give props to those of you who wanted Sophie to get slapped. I may work that in later.
This chapter is short by necessity- the next one is a tad longer.