Epilogue
Sebastian
“Places! Places everyone!” Maria, the stage manager, called.
It was chaotic backstage as people rushed in all directions carrying props, costumes, all with the backdrop of a soft hum of voices. There was a sense of anticipation and excitement as everyone bustled around getting the final preparations in place.
I couldn’t see them but I knew the lighting crew was making last-minute adjustments while the sound engineers were testing the microphones, speakers, and communication. The four actors in the play were pacing back and forth, going through their pre-performance rituals. I smiled at the young man who was going to be playing the lead. He was an up-and-coming actor who reminded me a lot of myself when I was younger. He gave me a slight nod as he walked by me and went to his place on stage.
Maria rushed by me again, not giving me a moment's notice as she prepared the theater for the curtains to go up. The energy was intense and I leaned back and enjoyed knowing that I had helped to make it all possible.
In the three years since we had started Second Chance Theater Company, we had some success and more than a few failures. It had been a learning curve but a good one. Isla and I worked wonderfully together and continued to grow and challenge each other as writer, director, and producers.
Tonight, we were opening my second play, a very personal story of love, sacrifice, loss, and redemption. I wouldn’t call it autobiographical but it was close. I walked over to the edge of the curtain and pulled it back. The house lights were still on and I easily spotted Ara sitting in the audience. As if she knew I was looking at her, she turned and smiled at me. I smiled back. She mouthed “Break a leg,” and I nodded.
On Ara’s left side was Layla, sitting next to her husband, Nic. Ella was on Ara’s right with Dax next to her. We had all become very close in the last couple of years. Dax and Nic had started a company together that was doing exceptionally well. With Ella at the helm, it helped a lot of people, including my theater company. Their donations through the years had ensured that the doors stayed open.
We got together at least once a week for dinner, drinks, or even a game night. We tried to include the children in as much as we could. Ella and Dax had welcomed a baby girl eighteen months ago, while Layla and Nic had theirs only a few months later. Ella was pregnant and due in a few months. Ara was looking forward to being an aunt yet again.
She had finished her residency and had taken a break so we could get married, have the party that Ara wanted, and then do a proper honeymoon before she settled down at the Emergency Department. She worked long hours and was dedicated to her work, her staff, and her patients. I couldn’t be more proud of her and all the work she had accomplished.
Even with our busy schedules, we still made time for each other. I hadn’t had as much time for Ara with the play in production and working on the next. Once I knew the kinks had been worked out, we were going to go away for a few weeks. Dax had been kind enough to let us use his private island. The plan was for Ara and I to enjoy a week to ourselves and the rest of them were going to join us after.
When I had come to New York to try and win Ara back, I had no idea if I was even going to succeed. I certainly had never imagined that I would have the life that I did. Ara and her love made me happy every day. The theater challenged me and made me feel like I was contributing to a society and an art that meant the world to me. Through Ara, I had found a group of friends who had become like family to me.
There were still challenges and ups and downs with life but through it all, Ara had been there by my side. I couldn’t imagine my life without her in it and was thankful for her. I hoped I showed her how much she meant to me and how lucky I felt to have her in my life. The last three years had been incredible, but it was only the start for Ara and me. I didn’t know what the future would bring for us, but I knew that it was going to be great because she would be there with me for it all.
THE END