Chapter 33 Tilley - Worn-Out World
TILLEY Worn-Out World
Tilley couldn’t remember the last time she had actually danced.
Dolly Levi wasn’t a terribly complicated dancing role, as these things went, but for a woman who hadn’t been on a stage in four decades, nerves were to be expected.
Oh, of course, Tilley had taken a turn around the dance floor plenty of times in the last years.
At the Summer Splash and Fish where the town congregated each summer, at the country club dances, at a wedding or two.
The men of this small Southern town would never let a widow—or almost widow, as it were—sit alone in the corner. And for that she was grateful.
Tilley could feel today, as she worked her way through a kick-ball-change combination while holding her parasol, that everything was shifting for her.
Her sister and Olivia were in the audience.
And, while the two almost never stopped chattering, for now, it seemed that all eyes were on her.
They were mesmerized, and Tilley was thrilled.
“Tilley, you are so light on your feet!” Tony Kennedy called.
He was a wonderful director. And he adored her, which didn’t hurt.
Tilley got the feeling that the other actors were tiring of his constant praise and attention on her, but, well, she couldn’t feel sorry.
She practiced morning, noon, and night to get this just right. She deserved to be praised.
What stunned her most was how her body seemed to remember the combinations.
It was like her girlhood self had just stepped back into her tap shoes and never missed a beat—literally.
Oh, it was hard, of course, remembering the combinations and relearning the steps.
But it was a million times easier than Tilley had feared.
“Milton!” Tony called. “I need you to be a little cheekier when you ask Tilley whether she is going to try to marry the half-a-millionaire man herself!”
Tilley scolded herself. She was in character.
She needed to stay that way. She positively could not afford for her mind to slip to the real-life Mr. Horace Vandergelder, a much more than half-a-millionaire who she had thought about more than a woman ought to since their last meeting over Christmas.
Amelia had urged her to try to move on. But could George McCann ever move on from his beloved wife?
Tilley scolded herself again. This was nothing more than a flight of fancy.
George would surely be an eternal bachelor, and any flirtation she had felt was nothing more than her imagination. Right?
Tilley snapped back to the stage in time to nail her line. She had practiced in the mirror many times, being as charming as one Ms. Barbra Streisand, and she supposed she had gotten it right because her sister and Olivia laughed audibly from the audience.
An hour later, in the car, Elizabeth turned to Tilley, who preferred to sit in the back seat and be driven, even if no one was in the passenger seat as Olivia was now, and said, “Till, I will be the first to say that I was wrong. You were dazzling.”
Olivia nodded. “Forget Cape Carolina theater. You, my friend, should be on Broadway.”
The mention of Broadway caused Tilley’s stomach to turn. But, no, she wouldn’t go back to that day. Not now.
Tilley knew that part of this praise was stemming from the fact that she hadn’t had one of her “episodes” all week.
For five consecutive days, she had been Dolly onstage and Tilley in real life, and she was as shocked as anyone.
She was taking her medications. She was going to therapy.
She was coming back. Damn it, Tilley was going to be Tilley again.
(But she never would have said “damn it” out loud. How unladylike.)
“Well, thank you, my darlings. I haven’t been this happy…” Tilley trailed off. “Maybe ever. I can’t think of ever being this happy. And I appreciate your driving me.”
Tilley didn’t drive, though there was no real reason.
Even dressed as Queen Victoria, she could certainly understand the rules of the road.
Maybe she would try that next. Changing the subject—and knowing this conversation was going to ultimately lead to the place she was trying to go—she said, “Well, we had a visitor for breakfast this morning. I made myself scarce, of course, but I found it quite interesting.”
Elizabeth gasped. “Do we think Mason is taken with the pretty blond nurse?”
Olivia put her hand on her heart. “I never thought I’d say this, but he seems fully smitten with her, doesn’t he?”
Tilley nodded. “He does indeed.”
“Do we think he’ll invite her to Easter?”
Everyone loved Christmas most, but Easter was where Tilley shined.
She loved the idea that Easter was a sign of rebirth—especially this year.
Because wasn’t she experiencing a rebirth of her own?
She loved Easter ham and making hot cross buns and bunny cake and hiding Easter eggs and helping Amelia and Parker with the baskets.
She loved everyone in their finery at the Sunday service and placing fresh flowers on a wooden cross, a sign of hope and light in the darkness of this worn-out world.
“I think we should encourage him to,” Elizabeth said. She looked over at Olivia. “I mean, if you do, of course. This would be your future daughter-in-law we’re talking about.”
Olivia sighed. “Don’t get my hopes up. I gave up long ago on another daughter-in-law and more grandchildren.” She paused and turned devilishly to Tilley again. “But, well, we’ve certainly made a match or two in the past.”
“And with me embodying one of the world’s most famous matchmakers, I think now just might be the time to do it again!” Tilley trilled.
All three laughed. “Well then,” Elizabeth said, “we don’t care what Mason says. Tilley, you and Daisy are tight. You invite her.”
Tilley nodded. “Perfect. I will indeed.” She paused and casually added, “So, it will be the family plus Daisy. Anyone else?” She crossed the fingers on one hand.
“Oh!” Elizabeth said. “George is coming! He let me know for sure that he wouldn’t be going to California to see his daughter.
So we need to set an extra place at the table.
” Elizabeth caught Tilley’s eye in the rearview mirror.
“And, of course, could you make sure his rooms at Dogwood are pristine and perfect? Parker and Amelia are so busy I can’t really depend on them for that. ”
Inside, Tilley was practically singing. Butterflies were dancing in her stomach.
George was coming back! He had helped Amelia and Parker purchase Dogwood expressly because he wanted a large home so that he could have his own reserved bedroom, bathroom, and office—out of everyone’s way—for when he came to visit his grandchildren.
For years, his frequent appearances had been less than a blip on the radar for Tilley.
But there was no doubt that something had shifted between them during their last meeting. She only hoped he had felt it too.
Tilley nodded. “There is quite a lot to do, and I know you two can’t be on tap to have to haul me around.” She sat up straighter, deciding something. “Elizabeth, Olivia. I think I will start driving again.”
Tilley wasn’t old. Not in anyone’s estimation, except perhaps, every now and then, her own.
She certainly wasn’t even near an age where one would consider taking her driver’s license.
And, yet, for all these years, since Robert died, she hadn’t felt the urge or need to drive.
What was happening to her now? It was an awakening—and just in time for Easter.
Olivia and Elizabeth shared a glance.
Elizabeth was her sister, yes. But Olivia was almost as close to her. So it was she who said, “How about we get Mason to drive with you a little and then you decide if you’re ready for that step?”
“Why Mason?” Tilley asked.
“Because he obviously has cheated death many times,” Elizabeth interjected.
All the women laughed. Tilley knew this was only good-natured ribbing. “I will have you know that I hadn’t danced in longer than I haven’t driven, and I picked that right back up.”
“Did you ever!” Olivia enthused. “Oh, Tilley. This town just isn’t going to believe it when they see you. You will be the talk of Cape Carolina.”
“And for something good this time!” Elizabeth said.
“Tilley, I believe you’ve gotten your groove back,” Olivia said.
“You know something, Olivia, I believe I have too,” Tilley agreed.
She believed that with all her heart. But, if Tilley had learned anything in this life, it was that we never knew what was lurking around the corner.
For years, she had worried about one big secret coming to light.
She spent so much time worrying about it, holding it close, that it was as if she’d willed it to stay in the dark.
But, for now, she had mostly forgotten about it.
And maybe that was her first big mistake.