Chapter Three
"It was a nervous two weeks waiting for this call back," admitted Troy, leaning against the piano.
Karen smiled. "Believe me, I know the feeling well."
"Not now, surely," quipped Troy. "I bet you didn't have to lift a finger to get this part."
"That's true," reasoned Karen. "But I did spend a year working with these people, mostly in an ensemble role. I think that can count as a gruelling audition. I still had to audition for other roles since. That's the thing with this business; you never know if there's someone better out there. And of course, you always want the best."
"I feel so new though," said Troy. "I only really decided to give this a real go six months ago. It's like I'm miles behind everyone else."
"When I first started I had a very light resume," said Karen, putting a hand on his arm. "Everyone's got to start somewhere."
"I like your hair by the way," said Troy, with a grin. "I mean the blonde was hot but the brown is the classic Karen Cartwright."
"Thanks," laughed Karen, ignoring the light blush on her cheeks. "I don't recognise myself in the mirror yet but I'm sure I'll get used to it again."
"Are you two done? Julia wants a quick word with all the guys about a change to the lines" came a surly voice from behind them. Karen looked round to find Derek looking his usual miserable self. Whilst she wasn't used to the brown hair yet she also wasn't used to seeing Derek. She'd lived her life trying to put him behind her. To pretend that he wasn't a big deal. Whenever he came up in interviews she just said vague pleasantries as though he was purely an acquaintance she once knew.
"Yeah, I'll go over now," said Troy, smiling defiantly. Karen looked at him wide eyed, not knowing a lot of people to stand up to Derek, albeit subtly, other than people higher up than him, Jimmy and on occasion her or Ivy. She gave him a quick smile as he walked over to where Julia was sat on the long table at the back of the studio.
"Why do you have to be like this?" asked Karen, raising an eyebrow. "You could be more encouraging than nasty."
"That wasn't nasty, darling," said Derek dryly. "You of all people should know this is just my usual self."
She frowned. "No, you see Derek that I of all people know that that's not your usual self. Not when you let people in."
"I thought that I would have changed your mind on that," admitted Derek, cocking his head to one side.
"That's not what I like to think," said Karen softly, still frowning. "I know you but that doesn't mean I know what you think or what you think of me. That's the bit I got wrong."
His eyebrows furrowed. "Darling, you know I always thought… highly… of you."
"You know what, now's not really the time to be talking about this. Or in fact, there never will be time because it's simple. I got hurt by something you did. You did something that you thought wouldn't hurt or you did and just didn't care. It's not three years ago, I'm not the same girl who would just probably forgive you at a smile. Mainly because you don't need to apologise. Like I said, I got it wrong."
"You look like the same girl all those years ago now," said Derek. She watched as she raised his hand as though to grab one of her brunette curls but he paused and then ran hand through his own dishevelled hair. The distance between them had never felt further.
"Well I'm not," glared Karen, walking away to the others by the table. "And I'm not your darling either."
"Derek, you didn't apologise did you," remarked Julia, as they sat watching everybody pack up their stuff.
"She said I didn't need to," replied Derek, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair.
Julia snorted. "That's not an out; you still need to apologise no matter what she says. I think she wants to avoid the confrontation as much as you do. If you apologise, she can get on with her life."
"She should have got on with her life already," frowned Derek. "I'm not to blame for that, so why hasn't she?"
"It wouldn't help things if I told you," said Julia, taking her glasses off with a sigh. "She needs to tell you and she won't do that until you apologise. Until you can be her friend again."
"We don't have to be friends," said Derek grumpily. "We just have to be able to work together."
"Derek, you know what shows are like," sighed Julia, taking her glasses off. "We're one happy backstabbing horny bitchy family. If you want this show to be great, you need to be friends with Karen. You two make magic on the stage together."
"I want this show to work," drawled Derek. "And so does she. Please stop worrying."
Before Julia could reply they were joined by the rest of creative team. Karen was smiling, Eileen had a gleam in her eye and Tom looked smug.
"We've definitely found him," announced Eileen. "I think Troy is perfect."
"He was good," conceded Derek begrudgingly. He had hated watching him duet with Karen. The chemistry was great, their voices complimented and they looked good. This, as a director made him happy, as someone who didn't like to be proved wrong, it did not.
"He was the best," said Karen, rolling her eyes. "I think we should send out a contract to him before another show does. He's new to this but it won't be long before somebody else notices him."
"She's right," agreed Tom. "He was a perfect Christian; young and sweet, a lovely voice, obviously besotted with the leading lady."
Karen blushed. "That is called acting, Tom."
"Whatever it is, it was beautiful to watch," he replied with a grin. "But there are other shows out there he could fit into as well."
"Derek, do you have a problem with Troy?" asked Eileen nicely, contradicting the shrewd look in her eyes.
"No, I don't," admitted Derek. "He can sing, act and dance. He's boy-next-door good looking and he wasn't as nervous as he was in the first audition. He's broadway star potential."
"Then for the love of good be happy," snapped Tom impatiently. "This is going well, things never go this smoothly for us."
"If Troy wants the job then by all means he has my approval."
"I know it's not really my place but please can I be the one to tell him?" asked Karen. "It's just that, I understand how he's feeling and I know exactly how he's going to feel. It'd be nice to be the one who gets to share that with him."
"I think that's a marvellous idea," smiled Eileen. "You two will be working a lot together, and I think it's important for my two leads to have a good working relationship. Please note the term 'working' in that sentence."
"If it would make you feel better, Eileen, then you should know I have no plans to ever get involved with anybody in this industry ever again, especially somebody on the same show as me," explained Karen. "Not that my private life is any of anybody's concern either."
"Smart girl," chuckled Eileen. "You should find yourself a barman instead; much better than the men in this industry."
"The last time I did end up with a barman it turned out he'd written a best-selling musical, so I think I'll stay clear of those as well," replied Karen darkly.
"Me and Tom are sitting right here you know," complained Derek.
"I'm gay so it doesn't count and you singlehandedly invented the bad reputation of men in this business so you have no right to complain when they're badmouthed by beautiful ladies," quipped Tom.
"I may have invented it but I no longer uphold it," said Derek haughtily. "In fact, as we're done here I intend to go home and see my little boy. I have long ago swapped playing with dancers to playing with plastic dinosaurs and toy cars."
"I'll send out a schedule to everybody at some point tonight," said Eileen dismissively. "Hopefully rehearsals will be starting as soon as next week. Karen, dear, can I have a word?"
"Of course," answered Karen, getting her bag together and smiling goodbye to Tom and Julia. Derek had slipped out without even looking at her. "What did you want?"
"I want to know if working with Derek is something you are up to?" asked Eileen gently.
"I believe I answered that question when you offered me the job," said Karen evenly.
"I did, and I want to have faith in the answer you gave me because what I do have faith in is that when you and Derek work well together you work very well together. Every director has a leading lady or man that they click with - a partnership that has an even more profound chemistry than the actors on stage. I thought you were his leading lady."
"We may not be any kind of partnership (not that we ever were) but we can still work together. I want to be a part of this show and whilst I may not have a personal interest in Derek of any kind, I still think he's a great director," said Karen softly.
"Derek has been a good friend for many years, whilst I use him to get the best out of him professionally, I've also only ever wanted the best for him personally too," informed Eileen. "I'm glad he has settled down but I don't think he was capable of it until he met you. I think you were also a good friend to him and it seems a shame to watch that go to waste."
Karen frowned. "I was his friend but that was three years ago. Please don't credit me with anything, its Ivy he's settled down with and changed to be with. I assure you, Derek and I will be able to work together and we will make this show a success."
"I'm sorry for being so personal with you," apologised Eileen. "Getting the old team back together has caused a bit of a storm on the Broadway circuit and after everything that happened the last time, I feel like we have a lot to prove."
Karen placed a hand on her arm gently. "I want to prove it too."
"Hey, is this Troy?" asked Karen, her phone wedged between her ear and her shoulder as she flicked through the dresses in her wardrobe.
"Yeah, who is this?" he replied, she could hear him shushing somebody in the background, some sort of sport on the tv maybe.
"It's Karen, Cartwright," she added on, uselessly.
"I'm fully aware which Karen you are," laughed Troy. "What can I do for you?"
"I have some good news for you actually, I'm sorry to tell you over the phone but I'm not very good at keeping good news to myself, you've got the part!"
"What? Oh my god!" exclaimed Troy, his voice full of disbelief. She could hear in muffled tones as he was telling someone else the news. "Ben, I got it! I got the part."
"Troy, are you still there?" asked Karen, a wry smile on her face.
"Yeah of course, sorry, I was just telling my roommate," explained Troy.
"I know it's very short notice, but I was wondering if I could take you out tonight? I need to buy you a glass of champagne to celebrate."
"That sounds great, although I'm more of a beer guy," admitted Troy.
Karen laughed. "I can celebrate with beer too. Let me get ready and I'll text you where to meet?"
"This is unreal. I can't wait." Karen hung up the phone afterwards and continued looking through her wardrobe with a smile.
"So you are getting involved with a cast member?" grinned Ana, leaning against the doorframe, clearly eavesdropping.
"No, I'm taking him out to celebrate that is it," said Karen, rolling her eyes. "I want to show him that cast members can be friendly. It was horrible when I first started on Bombshell."
"Just be careful."