Chapter Two

Jessica's phone began ringing an hour later. Seth was the first to call.

"I knew you had it in you, Jess. Congratulations." Seth's voice boomed over the phone. He had gotten a pretty large role himself and you could hear the excitement in his voice. "Why don't we get together tonight and run lines?"

"I'd like that, Seth. Now that I know which lines to study, I want to be prepared for Friday night." She switched ears. "Do you know who got the other roles?"

"Ayuh, I heard Mort Metzger got a small part and he's the one that gets the singing started. I just got a call from him. Let's see, Mavis Brown has a role, she's your understudy. Ebenezer is the priest and Sam Booth is one of the townspeople. Oh, this is funny. Eve Simpson got the role of the nun. That's going to be a tough one to pull off," he chortled. "Oh, uh, I hear she was upset. Appears she wanted the role you got."

"That is disappointing but she's been acting for a long time. I don't think she will be upset for long." Jessica reasoned awkwardly. Eve wasn't known for being mild mannered but they were friends. Surely she would wish her well as she does for Eve.

Knocking on her door had her getting off the phone with Seth and she opened the door to find Eve standing there. She barged inside and stood angrily in the foyer.

"Jessica, I'm just hurt that one of my dearest friends would stab me in the back!" Her nostrils were flaring and Jessica moved to put more space between them.

"Eve, I didn't stab you in the back. I wasn't even trying out for a particular role," defended Jessica. "I didn't have any control over casting. I'm just as surprised as you that I was chosen."

"Oh sure, you never thought you'd be picked. JB Fletcher in a play that will now be sold out and probably mentioned on television. It's not that you have any talent. You've never acted before and you'll wreck the whole play! They chose you to sell tickets!" Eve was pointing her finger at Jessica. "You know they had to give you a role and there aren't many female roles in this play. You just have to steal the show from me! Don't talk to me ever again!" She stormed out of the door, slamming it.

Jessica sighed at her dramatic exit. Hopefully Eve will get over it soon but she knows it will take some time. Her phone rang again and she spent another hour hearing congratulations from friends.

Seth came over and brought dinner so they didn't have to waste time cooking. They talked about the play while they ate and Seth wanted to go over his lines first since it was a smaller part and then they would tackle her lines.

Jessica was stuttering and stammering at first, trying to act when Seth told her to relax and just speak her lines, reading them first until she knew her lines and could begin acting them. She relaxed after that and since she had read the play so many times, she was soon acting instead of reading.

"Jess, you're a natural!" exclaimed Seth after she spoke a particularly long piece from memory.

"Thank you, Seth!" Jessica pulled him into a hug exuberantly and kissed his cheek. "I'm so nervous. I needed to hear that."

Seth smiled in return. He was very happy she got a role, any role would have done but a leading role was perfect. He fell deeper in love with her at that moment. Her eyes were sparkling, she had color in her cheeks, and she almost bounced with excitement. She positively glowed.

"Seth! What am I supposed to wear? What happens first at the rehearsals? Since I've never been part of the cast, I usually just helped out the last two or three weeks with painting and didn't pay much attention to the rehearsals."

Seth almost laughed. He knew she would want to know everything all at once. "Jess, the first night is mostly a meeting of sorts. Roger announces additional roles or parts that are deleted, if any. They discuss meetings, warn against missing rehearsals. He hands out costume fitting times if needed, then he usually has a run through with everyone speaking their lines, not really acting, but saying them and telling you things like speak louder at this part or stage whisper another part, you know directing. You write notes that he gives you on your script you." Jessica was following his every word.

"Just wear comfortable clothes because we're just going to be sitting around. The next few rehearsals are different. They'll rehearse scenes and when you aren't needed you rehearse with others or just by yourself until you're needed again." Jessica was nodding her head like she understood and was taking note of what he said.

"Sometimes we might go over the music depending on who is teaching it. I understand there's about thirty people that will be scattered around just to sing and the cast will be with them on the stage."

"Seth, this might be the only play I ever do. I'm so awed. I know a lot goes into putting on a play but I was always in the background doing scenery or passing out scripts when there were changes."

Seth patted her shoulder. "Ayuh, it's a lot of hard work but you're up to the challenge. I'm already proud of you."

Jessica suddenly teared up but blinked them away. It meant a lot to her that Seth thought highly of her and to be proud of her was uplifting.

"Let's get back to it, Jess," urged Seth. "When others are telling their tales we basically sit around listening but we get to throw out comments or questions, I think you have some in acts two and three."

Jessica was grateful that Seth was working with her on the play. Not only was she learning so much but it was nice spending the evening with him, talking and laughing.

He came over again Wednesday and Thursday nights and she had her part memorized now. Of course, any changes to her lines would have her rememorizing but she didn't mind it. Seth's voice was so deep when he was acting. His words caused shivers to race down her spine and she often broke out in goosebumps.

She was a bundle of nerves on Friday. She knew she would relax once she got there but time seemed to pass slowly. She hoped Eve was in a better frame of mind as well. Seth came over for an early dinner and then drove them to the theater.

It was an excited cast and crew members that met that first night. It didn't take them long to settle down however. Everyone was introduced and Roger was a stern taskmaster. He wanted lines memorized as soon as possible. Both songs would be practiced away from the theater so the actors could do their scenes and within three weeks, he hoped that full rehearsals could begin. Clothing was simple so the costume was basically black, brown, and gray clothing. No zippers, tennis shoes, etc and you could make your own, buy your own, or rely on the costume department.

The only difference was her outfit was red because she was supposed to attract male attention. She was the bright spot on stage so it worked. She was embarrassed that it was younger men she was attracting but she was able to avoid blushing.

Eve ignored her the entire night but she wasn't catty or disagreeable to Jessica which she hoped meant she would be getting over her disappointment sooner rather than later. She and Eve have been friends for many years, not intimately close but enough that they could count on each other in times of need.

As the first rehearsal drew to a close, the cast began to chat with each other. Jessica knew everyone there, by face if not by name so it was nice to finally meet everyone. The next rehearsal was on Monday night and Roger urged everyone again to learn their lines.

She was tired as they left the theater. Seth knew it and didn't linger long talking with anyone. He dropped her home and left quickly.

Jessica's weekend was busy. Since her evenings were going to be full, she worked on her book during the days and tried to stay on track. It was difficult as thoughts about the play would enter her mind at random times. It was uncomfortable seeing Eve at the grocery store on Saturday. Her friend turned away as soon as she saw Jessica. She would give her a little more time to get over it before speaking her mind, considered Jessica.

Monday night's rehearsal ran long. There were so many things she had to learn. Where to stand, when to move, which direction to face and when to turn. Everyone was patient with her and Jessica was pleased Eve never griped or made snippy remarks. Her friend was disappointed but they were still friends. Eve did spend a lot of time with the director but then she always did according to Seth.

Wednesday night's rehearsal began with Act Four. This was Seth's first major appearance in the play. All Jessica had to do was watch and listen with others on stage while Seth spoke his lines. The director stopped them to include a few changes.

"Doc, when you finish speaking, I need you to look at Eve triumphantly," said Roger. "And Eve, you need to walk determinedly over to Seth, place your hands on either side of his face, and plant a smacker on him. You're a nun but are so moved by what Seth says that you are determined to seduce him." There was plenty of tittering from the cast.

Seth looked startled. Jessica looked dismayed. Eve looked ecstatic. She smiled smugly at no one in particular and waited for the rehearsal to resume.

Jessica pretended to look over her lines like others were doing. It was a kiss that didn't mean anything. It was acting but she knew in her heart that Eve was going to take advantage of the fact just to irk Jessica. She looked at Seth but he was saying his lines and didn't seem as though the act would bother him.

The first try at a kiss failed. Seth lifted his head at the wrong time and Eve kissed his chin. Jessica laughed along with everyone else but she didn't feel like it. She caught Eve glancing her way several times as they rehearsed the scene over and over until she was kissing Seth with abandon and the director finally approved. Jessica kept a pleasant look on her face and appeared unaffected so Eve looked unsure of herself before flouncing off the stage.

Jessica thought if Eve was trying to get back at her for her imagined slight then she wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. She pointedly didn't look at Seth but spoke softly with Mavis about her lines.

Seth wasn't comfortable. Kissing Eve was like kissing his desk. She tried to deepen the kiss every single time they practiced but he refused. She batted her lashes at him and tried to wrap an arm around his waist. He finally complained none too gently that she was like an octopus.

It was a quiet ride home. Jessica asked him how he liked kissing Eve and he brushed it off. It wasn't like he was kissing Jessica. Now that would be something. He didn't linger at her house tonight. He had an early morning and it was already late.

Jessica immediately got into her pajamas before returning downstairs to make a cup of tea. Was Eve going to try to get back at her through Seth? That would be silly. She and Seth weren't a couple. He didn't bluster and complain about the kiss like she thought he would though. Maybe he likes kissing Eve.

Jessica slept poorly and woke up tired. She didn't normally linger in bed but she wanted to sort out her feelings. Jealousy wasn't something she normally encountered. She was pretty sure Eve had spoken with Roger about throwing in that kiss. She was equally certain it wasn't necessary to do the scene over and over. Her feelings were hurt that Eve would try to intentionally make her feel badly about having the role she received.

There was also Seth. She admitted to herself that her feelings have grown into something more than simple friendship. She wouldn't mind a relationship with him but was unsure about where it would go. Did she want to marry again? She didn't think so but Seth wouldn't embark on an affair. She was fairly certain. He was conservative, slightly chauvinistic, and critical of anything modern. He was also protective of her. He was so very sweet to her at times. She loved that he cooked for her although he would deny doing it for her alone.

She loved Seth. She was in love with him. There. She admitted it. Now what?

Play rehearsals will take up several evenings each week and she did want to complete her book so she could enjoy her summer and maybe go on a vacation. She had researched her outfit and after figuring out what to wear, she went about having it made by a seamstress in town. Roger gave his approval for her outfit but she still needed to figure out shoes. She wondered if Seth would want to go fishing Saturday morning. Caleb generally left them alone so they should be able to talk.

Unfortunately Seth wasn't available. He told her that Eve Simpson wanted them to get together and do something fun so they would feel more comfortable with each other. He didn't know what she had in mind and so couldn't tell her when they would be finished.

She decided to put it out of her mind and focus on her book. Phyllis Grant was looking at possible vacation sites for her and she sorely wanted to get away for a few weeks this summer.

Two weeks passed in a blink of an eye. Jessica worked on her book until five o'clock each day before gobbling a sandwich and getting ready for rehearsal, if there was one. Seth was spending a lot of time with Eve so she began taking a cab to the theater and catching a ride back with Mort. She and Eve still hadn't spoken and Jessica didn't feel inclined to seek her out. She just knew that Eve would be smirking at her and mentioning how much fun she and Seth were having together. Her costume was finished and hanging in her spare room. She couldn't wait until dress rehearsals began.

If she was beginning to feel a little lonely, she put it out of her mind.