Chapter 14. September Song
Linda had, as she said she would, hit the pavement the day after the play closed looking for another role. New plays were opening all over the city, some actually looked promising. It seemed like a guardian angel was watching over her and the choices she was making, for she decided not to rush into the first role presented to her. She was surprised when her agent called asking if she'd be interested in a soap role. Linda had never thought soap roles were very challenging, and had refused to ever go to even the initial interviews before. Something deep in her soul seemed to be telling her not to be so blasted quick at turning this one down.
Going in for the interview and reading over the part, Linda found she liked the idea. Terms were agreed upon and Linda began to prepare for her role on the small screen. She would be appearing three days out of five for the first two months. The role was challenging and out of the ordinary. She was not playing a nurse, or a house wife, but a high powered business woman, a new paper publisher. The role had more depth than anything Linda had ever read for and she was really looking forward to the work.
Jeremy had been asked to teach a class at The New School, and give workshops on acting. He was enjoying it as a nice break from pounding the pavement. His agent was thrilled, seeing the flyers with Jeremy's name as free publicity. Having taught the odds on class before was a big help, for Jeremy knew what to expect. The benefit of teaching workshops and having seminars gave him some time to spend with Linda.
The day after the closing night party, a picture of Sarah and Hayden in what looked to be a compromising situation was printed in the papers; with a caption asking serious questions. It seemed that the world wanted to believe that Hayden and the younger Miss Williams were indeed lovers. Sarah had tossed the paper saying it was not good enough to wrap fish in. Jeremy told Linda that Hayden's agent must have arranged for the picture to be taken to boost the young actor's rep. Linda had known that Hayden was a headline grabber, but it irked her that he was using Sarah to do it. She warned Sarah not to speak of Hayden, but if she could not help it, to do so with cool reserve. Sarah promised her mother that the last thing on her mind was Hayden. Sarah was far more interested in getting back into the academic swing of things.
Classes at the university seemed to be as stringent a schedule as rehearsals like rehearsal; Sarah slowly adjusted to the rigorous demands. Instead of getting up early to attend the dancing classes and the exercise classes, she was getting up early to get to the school science labs or library. By the middle of the second week she felt as if she'd always been at school instead of traipsing about on the boards for nearly three months. She was delighted and thankful to have Linda's apartment to retreat to at the end of the day. She could not remember feeling so exhausted when she was at school the previous year. Many days she'd come back to the brownstone apartment and just collapse, too tired to eat and not in the least interested in anything more than soup. She attributed her waning appetite to the exhaustion.
Sarah Watched as the leaves on the trees in the park turned from green to gold and orange. A slight chill was hinted at in the air, but it was still warm enough to just wear a sweater as she walked the five blocks from the apartment to the campus of NYC. She loved cutting through the park, watching the old men who sat there day after day playing chess. It was a cool clear morning when Sarah headed out the door. Passing the men playing chess in the early morning light, she smiled and wondered if they ever went home. There was something magical about this time of year. Something that cried out to something deep and hidden in Sarah, something she wanted no one to know about.
Sarah loved New York, but she had to admit that Washington Square Park was dearest to her heart. There was something about the park, something that she could not express. More days than she cared to admit to she was drawn to the archway in the center of the park. She would stare at it for hours when she could. No matter what time of day it was she always seemed to be drawn to the archway. But now, with the leaves of the trees changing and the air taking on that autumn chill, the park and archway were magnificent. Children would race through the park, students gathered at the fountain, and old men played chess. The park was alive, and it teamed with sound and excitement.
Linda looked out her parlor window, she didn't bother to turn and greet Sarah when she arrived. "How was school, dear?" she asked still looking out the window.
"Good, but I'm beat!" Sarah dumped her books on the credenza in the entry. "How's the soap treating you?" Sarah was glad her mother had found employment so quickly and had no need to dip into her savings.
"Oh they are treating me like a queen… they want to expand my role and have me sign on for a two year run." Linda said leaning on the window frame. "My agent is making all the arrangements now… you know how good Manny is."
"He'll have you getting a golden parachute clause if I know him," teased the younger Miss Williams; "Something interesting out that window?"
Linda shrugged. "I just can't seem to pull away from it tonight. It's such a lovely night. We won't be having much more of this nice weather. There's a chill coming soon."
Joining her mother at the window, Sarah looked out and smiled. "I love this view."
"I know." Linda agreed quietly. "Sarah, Jeremy and I have a charity dinner to attend come Friday, why don't you get a date and come with us?" She turned to look at her daughter. "I'm sure there's any number of nice young men you take classes with who'd love to escort you."
Sarah shook her head, "I'll pass." She set her jaw. "I'm not going to open a can of worms not just now. There's no one in my classes I'd even be interested in seeing long term."
Linda pursed her lips, "I was thinking it would dispel some of the rumors that Hayden's agent spread." She shrugged not having words for what was troubling her.
Sagging against the window frame Sarah sighed, "I think I know what this is about. Mom, I'm not planning on a stage career." She confessed hoping the older actress would understand. "I used to think that was what I wanted, but not now."
Linda looked out the window sadly. "What do you want Sarah?"
"I'm not sure," she admitted. "But I know it's not to compete for stage time with actors like Hayden. I've never seen such a publicity hound! He's in England filming that movie and his press agent is here pushing him like he's the second coming of Christ!"
"The public is fickle Sarah," Linda reminded her with a hardened attitude. "One of the first things I learned when I came here was to stay in their eye, and to keep them loving me. Hayden is very smart about his career; he knows the publics love is fleeting!"
"Mom, he's no… Cary Grant! He's cute and has some talent, but he's no great actor." Sarah argued softly. "He's conniving, and he's manipulative! And he uses people and throws them away."
Sadness swept over the face of her mother. "Some people might say the same thing of me, Sarah."
"You left me with my father, a man who was very good and who took good care of me," Sarah continued to argue. "You didn't dump me for a new kid."
Linda bit her lower lip. "Did you enjoy your time on stage?"
Sarah nodded, and smiled softly. "Of course I did."
"You were good," Linda whispered emotionally. "Better than good, you were inspired." She felt the tear prickle her eyes; "Better than I ever was, or will be in fact. You've got a natural talent, God given… and you should not waste it."
"I'm not Mom," Sarah extended a hand to her mother. "There's lots of time for me to go traipsing about on stage. My role as the Fairy Queen will open doors for me, if I want to go through them."
Linda nodded and whispered. "Being able to share the stage with you was a dream come true for me…. I had thought it was one for you as well."
"It was," Sarah soothed her mother. "It was."
"Jeremy warned me not to push you too hard." She wiped the tears that were in her eyes away. "He said you had to find your own way, whether into a part, or something else in life."
"He's a good man, a good friend." Sarah sighed. "And you should marry him."
"I should." Linda agreed. "But I won't," her voice went cold. "I won't saddle him with a woman whose drive is… everything."
Sarah, still holding her mother's hand tried to comfort her. "He knows that drive better than you do. He stood back and let you fight for everything you've got because he knew it was the only way to hold on to you. Don't be too quick to toss that aside Mom."
"Such wise words," Linda teased. "You sound like someone who lost the love of their lives."
Sarah looked back out the window, half expecting to see an owl staring at her from a branch. There was none, and she sighed deeply. "Maybe I have… I don't know."
"Sarah, you're still very young." Her mother cautioned. "There's lots of time for love."
Shaking her head, the girl disagreed. "Sometimes you get one shot at love, Mom. Sometimes you get it all offered to you and you still have to turn it down." She fingered the ring that was on her left hand. "Sometimes, second chances are not enough."
Linda looked out the window. "My aren't we morose tonight?" She pulled on Sarah's arm. "Let's get out of her for a bit, go down to the Diner on 6th and have something outrageous!"
"You're on." Sarah said knowing she'd order soup. She felt a twinge of something and wondered if she were coming down with a cold or something else.
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Eyes like storms at sea watched as the girl and her mother strolled down the lane. He held the crystal in his hand eye level. The Goblins in the room watched him with fascination, and mouths agape. Jareth began to hum softly; soon the Goblins were humming the tune as well. He looked over toward the entryway just as Puck strolled in. "You'll be needed in New York again soon, Puck."
"Not just for your lady fair, I fear." Puck said with a melancholy voice.
Jareth looked at him and lowered the crystal. "Papa?"
Puck nodded. "His days wane."
Moved and saddened Jareth sighed. "So fragile and short are the lives of mortals. Did I not know how loved he is by my father, I would offer him sanctuary here."
"It is taken care of," Puck promised faithfully.
Jareth nodded, "I'm sure it is." He cleared his throat, "The days grow colder now in the Above. Mabon is passing, and soon my gift will be made known."
"Gift?" Puck asked quizzically. "You call what you did a gift?"
The Goblin King gave thought before answering. "Life is always a gift, Puck. It was not exactly the way Sarah dreamed of, but it was bold, and it binds her to me, forever."
"May you never regret binding her to you," Puck whispered softly.
The Goblin King looked into his crystal, "September the twenty first is past, and now my gift till reveal itself to you… dearest Sarah."
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As she climbed the steps of the science building she wondered why she'd taken an anatomy class instead of general science seeing she was going to major in the English arts. She wished today that the class was later in the day, and scolded herself for skipping yet another breakfast. Pausing on the stair Sarah had one of the dizzy spells she was suffering frequently now. She shook it off, and went up the stairs more slowly.
