She was coming to Boston. She was actually going to be there and Tom had never felt more relieved in his life. And what made it better was that Frank and Leo would be there. Which meant he wouldn't have to keep an eye on her.
Not that he thought anything would happen. At least, he hoped and prayed with every fibre of his being that nothing would happen…Julia would NEVER be so stupid as to risk the show and her career…and his career…on something like that. But still. Knowing that Leo and Frank would be there too gave him a safety net.
"For god's sake, I said bring up cue 33 BEFORE the beginning of the song unless you want them singing the first three lines in the dark!" Derek. Who would always snap Tom back to reality like a punch in the face. Tom watched the director run up to the front of the stage and turn to look up at the lighting box. "Hello? Is anyone up there actually moving faders up and down or did we hire some untrained monkeys to take over?" Tom shook his head. One day Derek might learn that tech moves a lot swifter if you don't spend all day insulting the backstage crew.
Tom looked over towards the door of the theater. Checked his watch. Tapped his pencil against the table. He was impatient. Doing this without Julia felt like running a show without his left arm. Derek had been asking him to make script changes and add extra lines…this wasn't his game. This was Julia's part of the puzzle. There's a reason he didn't write musicals on his own. He tried to concentrate on the rehersal happening in front of him.
"That's Marilyn Monroe, She's gorgeous!"
"Blondes are a dime a dozen in this city…"
And then a voice in his ear, "that is the worst line I have ever heard in a show."
"Julia!" Tom turned to see his best friend standing behind him, smiling.
"Looks like I've turned up just in time, what the hell is that?"
"JULIA!" Tom jumped up, grabbed her, kissed her on the cheek and threw his arms around her. "Oh thank god".
"Thank god is right" Julia said, hugging him back. "It's good to see you, Tom." She stood back and looked at him. "You're a terrible lyricist."
"Oh god I know…" He covered his face with his hands. Peeked through his fingers to see her smirking at him. "Oh my goodness I've never been so happy to see you!" Threw his arms round her again.
And then whispered in her ear "I thought I'd lost you. I thought you wouldn't come." He felt her squeeze him harder.
"Ok, as much as I hate to break up this touching reunion, we have a show to open and our bookwriter needs to undo the mess her composer has created for us. Julia, it's good to see you here." Julia stepped back from Tom and went to meet Derek as he kissed her on the cheek. "Please for god's sake do something about this godawful scene." The two of them walked off towards the stage. Tom sat down and watched them go. He had never been more relieved in his life.