Chapter 3
James Blanchett gave me a warm hug, squeezing me tightly. "That's heavy stuff," he said.
"I'm sorry. I should have condensed it."
"No, I'm glad you told me. I had no idea you went through all that with your ex. It makes me feel closer to you now, Audrey." He had his arm around me still, and he patted my back. "I’m proud of you. I think you're a really good mom."
"Thank you, but that's still really new. I was a bad one for a while there."
"You're making up for it now, though."
"I am, I can truly say that," I said, picking up my pizza again and taking a bite.
"And you do musicals!"
"Not yet," I said, grinning at him.
"I've heard you sing, and to even be on the dance team for a year… I know you know how to dance. You'll make it."
"Yeah, I just hope to get any role. Since I've never done anything like this, that's my goal—just to make the show."
"You'll make it. If you sing your song like you sang it for me, you'll definitely make it."
"When do we find out?"
"Callbacks are next Sunday, so you'll know if you have one by Saturday night. If you get a callback, it means you're in the show for sure, even if you don’t get a main role. If you don't get a callback, you could still make the show."
"So, what is a callback?" I asked.
"It's when they want to see more of you because they're considering you for a main role."
"What do you do? What happens in callbacks?"
James shrugged. "It depends on the show and the director, but usually, you read lines and sing parts of songs from the specific character that they're considering you for.
For instance, I might get a callback for Billy Flynn, which is the role I hope to get in the show.
If I do get a callback for him, I'll go back into a room with the creative team, and I'll read some of Billy's lines and sing his song.
So will about four or five other people. "
"Do you do it in front of each other?"
"Yes," he said.
"Are you prepared for that if it happens?"
He let out a little laugh like that was a funny question.
"I'm definitely prepared," he said. "I've practiced a lot in the last few weeks.
Plus, I played him when I was a junior in high school.
I really like this role. I've been obsessing lately—evaluating what I did six years ago and thinking about what I'd change. "
"Oh, my goodness, James, I'm in over my head. Has everybody prepared this much? I kinda hope I don't get a callback."
"No, don't say that. Not everyone has prepared this much. You definitely want a callback. I hope you get one."
"How will I know? Do they tell you at the audition if you're called back?"
He shook his head. "No, they'll send an email by midnight Saturday, and if you're on the list, then you show up Sunday."
"So, callback people have auditions two days in a row?"
"Exactly," he said. "Just keep Sunday open either way. Like I said, if you get a callback, you're definitely in the show. It may not be the role you were called back for, but you'll at least be in the show."
"How long are callbacks on Sunday?"
"At least four hours—sometimes five or six."
"I think my best-case scenario would be not to get a callback but to get cast in an ensemble role."
James smiled and pushed at me. "Don't say that. You want a callback. You can get one if you go up there and sing that song like you sang it to me. Ooh, speaking of callbacks…" he added in a whisper. "That's Collin right now."
"What are you two doing out here?" the guy asked.
"We're conspiring," James said.
Collin had come out of the double doors that led to the auditorium, and he was in the process of coming our way. James sat up straight and started laughing in a way he hadn't been doing when it was just the two of us. I could tell he got nervous, which made me feel that way, too.
"Are you guys already finished?" James asked doubtfully.
"No, we're… I just forgot something in my car. I have to grab a bag."
"Would you like me to get it for you?" James asked, standing from the bench.
"Uh, sure…" Collin said, hesitating. "Are you sure you don't mind?"
"No, not at all."
"It's the Four-Runner right there—the black one. There's a bag in the backseat. Thank you, James." Collin handed James his keys.
I had a little bit of that pizza left, and I was thinking about how to stash it so that I could pack up my things and go.
"Good, I'm glad you got a slice," Collin said, seeing me with the pizza.
"She went to Tony's and got it for us," James said as he headed out the door. He smiled, leaving the two of us to finish that conversation.
Collin seemed to be about my age, and he was young and good-looking.
I hadn't expected him to be so young. I felt taken off guard by his sudden appearance and didn't know what to say.
It wasn't because he was handsome, which was the truth.
But the real reason I got nervous was because I wanted to be in the show, and therefore I wanted to make a good impression on him.
Collin sat down next to me on the bench while James went outside.
"Thanks for picking up the pizza," he said. "It was great. I've never been there before."
"Yeah, Tony's is great. It just opened about a year ago."
"And I just moved back a month ago, so that explains why I haven't tried it."
"Where'd you move from?"
"New York."
"How cool," I said. "I've been there a few times. Never to live, though. Did you grow up out there?"
"No, I'm from here. I was there for college."
"Where'd you go?"
"Tisch."
"Is that at NYU?" I asked.
He nodded and smiled. "Yes."
"That's fancy."
"I know, right?"
"What are you doing back in Montana?"
"I missed it," he said. "I took a job as the theater director here."
He gestured around us, and I said, "At this school?"
"Yeah."
"You work here?"
"I'll officially start in the fall. But they're letting us do our rehearsals here. It's a new school. They tore down the other one a couple of years back."
I looked all around. "It's nice in here."
"It's a beautiful auditorium. Have you seen it? It's an art-focused school. Our facilities are amazing. My office is huge."
"I've never been here. This lobby is as much as I've seen."
He glanced at me. "Are you here with James? Or do you work at the pizza place?"
"I'm James's friend," I said. "And I think I'm going to try out for the play next week, so I was just sort of coming up here to… see where the place was."
"You're auditioning for Chicago?" he asked. He pulled back and regarded me with newfound interest.
"It's my first audition ever, but yes."
"Ooh, a fresh one," he said, rubbing his hands together with a mischievous grin.
Collin was a good-looking guy. He had straight white teeth and a winning smile.
I didn't think he was flirting with me, but something about the way he looked at me made me feel like he was noticing me.
Maybe it was just like a director notices an actor, but he was intrigued enough that I said, "My daughter just started kindergarten, so it'll be a while before she makes it here, but I will try to get her into this school.
It's in our district, if we don't move by then. "
I clamped my mouth shut. School districts? Really, Audrey? I wanted to be upfront about Luna, but I forgot for a second that he was going to be judging me and deciding whether or not I was in the show.
"I met James on the set of a miniseries that was filmed at Deer Lodge," I added.
James came back inside just as I was saying that, and Collin glanced at him for a second before looking at me again with a big smile.
"I heard all about that series," he said. "I'm friends with some people who worked out there—extras and crew. I was tied up in New York with a production there, or I would have come back and been a part of it." He glanced up at James. "I didn't know James worked on that."
"On what?" James asked.
"Alex's project at Deer Lodge," I said.
"Oh, yeah, that's where I met Audrey."
Collin stood to take his bag, and he looked at me. "Audrey, huh? I didn't get your name before."
"Audrey Wells," I said.
"Audrey owns The Poached Egg restaurant."
"No kidding, I ate there this morning!" Collin said, staring at me in amazement. "You own it?"
"And I cook there, yes," I said, nodding.
"Do you poach the eggs?"
"Yes… in my sleep."
He looked me over, nodding and smiling. "That's a really cool place," he said. "My breakfast was delicious, and I like the vibe in there a lot. I was thinking I wanted to be friends with the people who own it."
"Here's your chance," I said, shrugging innocently and causing him to laugh.
"Thank you for this," he said to James, gesturing to the bag. "And it was nice meeting you, Audrey Wells. I can't wait to see your audition."
"Me too," I said, smiling stiffly when I realized that wasn't the best thing to say. "It was nice meeting you, too," I added.
He took off walking toward the auditorium with his bag over his shoulder. James turned to me with wide eyes once he had walked away.
"Well, I guess you got to meet Collin," he said quietly enough that Collin didn't hear him.
I smiled and shrugged. "He was nice," I said.
"You're definitely going to make the show," he said, nodding with a grin.
It was a couple of hours later when I got a text from Ash Adams. We had each other's numbers, but neither of us had made contact in months.
It was 10pm, and Luna was already bathed, read to, and in tucked in. I had to be at work early, and I was tired and about to go to bed. I was surprised to see his name on my screen, and I opened it quickly, reading his text.
Ash:
Good seeing you today. I was curious about how your audition went.
I typed back.
Me:
The auditions are next weekend. But I did get to meet the director, and they liked the pizza.
Ash:
Oh, I see. Let me know how auditions go if you think about it. I'm rooting for you!
I considered the fact that Ash was a musician and the fact that he was curious about the play. It occurred to me that maybe his curiosity went beyond my own success. I started typing again.
Me:
Do you want to do the play? They're cool people, and I'm sure you'd be good at it. You just need one minute of a song and a monologue.
Ash:
lol, no, thank you. But I'm rooting for you! What song are you performing?
Me:
Poor Unfortunate Souls from Little Mermaid.
Ash:
I know that one. I wish I could see your audition.
Me:
No, you don't. I'm confident enough that I can hit the notes, but seeing as how it's my first time, I'm sure I'll have some regrets. I'm chill about it, though. I just hope to get cast.
Ash:
Is there a chance you won't?
Me:
Yeah, they're making cuts. But the director is cool, and James said he thinks I can do it, so I believe him. My idea of success is to be an extra, though.
Ash:
If you make it, can I come see the show?
Me:
Of course! Even if I'm not in it, it'll be a good show. James said it'll sell out. I'll let you know if I get a role, though.
I sent the text, and I waited for him to respond. The bubbles were happening for over a minute. I didn't stare at my phone, but I would glance back and still see bubbles, so I waited for his response, thinking he had a lot to say. Finally, my phone dinged.
Ash:
Thank you!
I thought I had been a bit hasty with my communication, and I felt a sense of relief that the conversation was over. I hit the heart to love his answer, and that was all we wrote.