Chapter 5 – Dinner
Disclaimer:
Same as always. The play "Romeo and Juliet" belongs to Shakespeare, I suppose.
A/N:
I'm sorry that it took longer than expected, but there were MANY tests at school ;-)
About one hour had passed and by now, Cal and Clark were waiting for the dessert the maid would bring them soon. They had talked about everything considering business, but to Clark it seemed as if his friend was bothered by something. Finally, he decided to ask.
"You seem to be distracted by something, Cal," he stated carefully, not wanting to offend his friend.
Cal frowned. He wasn't sure if he should tell Clark about everything. He had planned to keep Rose's and his story to himself, but, after all, Clark was his friend.
"I received a letter from someone… someone of my past. We didn't get along very well then, so I owed her an apology."
"Her?" Clark wanted to know, getting extremely curious. "You never told me about any women except your mother and your maids. May I ask who she is?"
"Of course, but I've to insist that you don't tell anyone about it. I'm not proud of anything that happened and I don't want people to talk about it…"
"I won't tell anyone. I would just like to know what's bothering you."
Rose was nervous. In about an hour, she would be standing on stage in Boston's biggest theatre, performing a role in the newest play.
Although her nervousness before taking part in a premiere was something that amused Capricia and the other actresses, Rose couldn't help herself. She always asked herself if she was good enough to perform, if the audience would like her.
With a deep sigh, she entered the backstage area to be faced with Capricia's worried expression.
"Where were you hiding, Rose? We've all been searching for you. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, except for my nervousness, but that's normal," Rose joked. "But why did you search for me? I'm not late, am I?"
Capricia gave her friend a confused look.
"Of course you're late. Ms. Jefferson said that we should be here at five o'clock in the afternoon. Now it's six."
"When did she say that?"
"One week ago when we…. Oh, you were ill, I remember. No surprise you didn't know about it. I should have told you. But now come on, let's get you into your costume."
Rose smiled as Capricia led her behind the stage. Despite her nervousness, she was looking forwards to taking part in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It had taken them several weeks to get the play ready for stage, but it had been worth the effort.
"There you are," Ms. Jefferson exclaimed, obviously relieved to see Rose. "I was already worrying that we would have to use Lady Capulet's understudy..."
Rose smiled.
"But now that you are here… Please change and get ready for the performance. The guests should arrive soon."
About two hours later, Rose was standing behind the stage, peeking through the curtains to see what was going on outside. It was the final scene and she was waiting for her last appearance in the play. With a sad expression, she watched Jeremy Young, a young member of their troupe, and Capricia perform Romeo and Juliet.
"ROMEO: How oft when men are at the point of death
Have they been merry! which their keepers call
A lightning before death: O, how may I
Call this a lightning? O my love! my wife!
Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty:
Thou art not conquer'd; beauty's ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
And death's pale flag is not advanced there.
Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet?
O, what more favour can I do to thee,
Than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain
To sunder his that was thine enemy?
Forgive me, cousin! Ah, dear Juliet,
Why art thou yet so fair? shall I believe
That unsubstantial death is amorous,
And that the lean abhorred monster keeps
Thee here in dark to be his paramour?
For fear of that, I still will stay with thee;
And never from this palace of dim night
Depart again: here, here will I remain
With worms that are thy chamber-maids; O, here
Will I set up my everlasting rest,
And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
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, unsavoury guide!
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!
Here's to my love!"
Rose watched their Romeo drink the poison and 'show' signs of having trouble to breath. Although she had seen him perform this scene over and over again, it still filled her with fear and sadness.
Wiping a single tear out of the corner of her eye, Rose focused her attention back on the play.
"ROMEO: O true apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die."
She watched the actor fall down beside the 'sleeping' Capricia. There was a short conversation between two other actors, then between Juliet who had awakened and one of those two, then Juliet was alone again. Alone with her dead husband.
"Juliet: What's here? a cup, closed in my true love's hand?
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end:
O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after? I will kiss thy lips;
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
To make die with a restorative."
Capricia kissed the 'dead Romeo' and found that his lips were still warm. Then another actor said something from behind the stage.
"Juliet: Yea, noise? then I'll be brief. O happy dagger!"
‚Juliet' grabbed ‚Romeo's' dagger, said one last sentence and stabbed herself. Rose watched the whole scene while trying hard to keep from crying as she had done quite often during their practice.
Capricia fell on the young actor and seemingly died. There was an awkward, sad silence outside, then the play went on. Her role didn't give Rose much time to think further about the scene, so she just went on the stage and continued.
"Well…" Clark mused. "I understand that you don't want anyone to know about this…"
Cal had just finished telling his story and his friend was, of course, quite shocked and surprised. As he had seen Clark's face for the first time, he had almost regretted telling him about it, but the older man's reaction hadn't been all that bad.
With a small smile, Cal rose to his feet.
"As much as I would like you to stay, Clark, I have still some work to do… I'm sorry."
"No problem. It was a nice evening, I hope we can do this again soon. I would like to know what happens to you and that… Miss Dawson."
TBC
Merry Christmas to all of you
Please send me a review for Christmas ;-)