Chapter Twenty-Nine Elise
The next two weeks pass with more turmoil than all of my last decade in professional theater. Blood Will Have Blood sparked a debate that went far beyond the confines of Cleveland, Ohio.
The good news: the rest of the run sold out. The cast and crew got great press, since no one could possibly deny how splendid they are. The reviews never questioned the acting, only the play’s legitimacy and quality. At least the negatives didn’t affect the production crew that did so much to make the script shine as best they could.
The bad news: I’ll never work with Imagination Ohio again. Antonio made that clear behind closed doors. He let me make an official statement about “adapting Shakespeare for our time” but canceled any interviews that could potentially piss off the crusty old board of directors.
The patronage of their royal court has established a decree: You, Elise Chen, are banished from our hallowed halls to vanquish in artistic oblivion. Exit the palace gates anon.
Well, not in so many words, but the picture is clear. I’m done in Cleveland.
Unfortunately, since I put all my eggs in this basket, I don’t have anything else lined up for the summer. All the seasonal productions within two hundred miles have been staffed and my department chair at the community college is still annoyed that I passed my class over to Amber.
Like I said, all eggs in one broken basket equals no eggs for me.
“Write another play,” Lily says while she’s trying to feed Naomi green paste. The baby opens her mouth obediently but then spits half of the mushed peas out. She looks insulted.
“When can she eat bacon?”
Lily snorts at my silly question. “Stop changing the subject. You’ve got notebook after notebook of ideas and dialogue. Put something together while your name is hot.”
“Too hot. It’s possible no one will want to touch this kind of work. Also, it took me years to finish Blood.”
“Then you better start now.”
“Randall asked me to go to Vancouver with him. I’m thinking about it.”
“What is there to think about? Your boyfriend wants you to meet his family and you’ve got nothing better to do except write another culture-clash inducing play. Go charm the shit out of the rest of the Haughland clan.”
“But this is the only time he ever sees his family. I’m worried about imposing myself.”
“Is he close to them?” Lily asks while pretending the baby spoon is a plane about to land.
“He’s vague on the details, but I don’t sense there’s much affection between them.”
I’m ready to wipe Naomi’s chin when only a third of the mush gets past her lips. Who knew it took two adults to ensure food went into the baby instead of all around her.
“That sucks. Makes you wonder how the guy turned out so nice.”
“He was close to his mother. She died before he reached the pros.”
My heart tugs at the memory of him admitting how much he would have wanted to do something special for his mother. Could he be any more loveable?
“You guys are so good together,” Lily says. “Have you talked about moving in? You’re always at his place.”
“He keeps emptying closets and hinting that I should bring more of my stuff over.”
“Oh my god, that man is smitten!”
Provoked by her older sister’s exclamation, Naomi presses her lips to release a raspberry with impressive trajectory. We’re both splattered in green saliva.
“Nay-Nay!” we both squeal, only to instigate all forms of giggles.
She does a raspberry again. Needless to say, feeding time will be followed by a bath. Lily and Naomi are both sleeping over in the guest bedroom, because tonight we’re making up for long overdue quality time.
When they’re done with work, Ma and Sienna will be picking up some curry from our favorite spot. There will be face masks and Netflix K-dramas and popcorn mixed with M&M’S in our near future.
Later that evening, while mixing M&M’S in our second bowl of popcorn and before we watch the third episode of Glory, a psychological revenge story based in Korea, Ma makes her announcement.
“Sienna and I decided to take the London trip in December.”
“That’s awesome!” Lily and I respond at the same time.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go with your mom?” Sienna asks me with soft eyes and a squeeze of the shoulder.
I assure her with a hug. “I’m glad you’re going. There are usually lots of holiday productions in December. I’ll be busy.”
Sienna has always been a fantastic coworker and friend. Lately, I’ve noticed how much time Ma and her spend together. It was a great comfort, throughout my past few months in Cleveland, to know Ma wasn’t alone.
“Since we’re on the topic of vacations,” Lily states, “Elise is still on the fence about going to Vancouver with Randall.”
“What’s there to think about? Vancouver is beautiful and his dad and brothers live there,” Ma insists. “I’m a fan of meeting the family. I know I’ve appreciated getting to know Randall.”
“You mean when he volunteers to mow our lawn.”
“The key word is volunteer. He’s an industrious young man. Besides, he says mowing is part of his fitness regimen. Who am I to deny him his hockey training?”
I roll my eyes, although I’m secretly pleased that Randall is so willing to impress my mother.
“I’m sure your neighbors aren’t complaining,” Sienna says with a snicker. “Everyone just happens to be having a drink on their front porch when he’s mowing shirtless.”
“Stop objectifying my man!” I state indignantly.
“Right, that’s her job. Elise has exclusive rights to objectification,” Lily pipes in. With an exaggerated sigh, she claims, “Hockey players are truly their own sexy species, aren’t they?”
“Is that what you call Gordon? A member of a sexy species?” I joke back.
Although Lily insists they are taking it slow, I see how much Gordon holds on to her every word.
“We aren’t talking about Gordon,” Lily says and sticks her tongue out. We are thirteen again.
“Well, why haven’t you agreed to accompany him to Vancouver?” Sienna inquires.
“I want to. Just that…” I gather my thoughts, trying to verbally articulate what I haven’t fully acknowledged. I’m so used to chasing one gig after another, I’m unmoored when there’s no project in front of me. It stings that my last project marks my failure as a playwright.
“I’m feeling insecure about everything. I mean, how will he introduce me? Hey, Dad! This is my unemployed girlfriend tagging along because she has no immediate prospects in theater or teaching. Oh, and her play has turned into a lightning rod for Shakespeare criticism, but she’s so shitty with social media she’s not even included in the debate about her play.”
No one speaks for a second, merely watching me take a handful of gooey popcorn to stuff into my mouth.
“Or he could say, this is my girlfriend who I love very much,” Ma says gently.
“It’s true. He’s crazy about you.” Lily playfully nudges my shoulder while she grabs a handful of popcorn.
As if Randall knows we’re talking about him, he sends a text.
Randall: I didn’t want to go to bed without saying goodnight. I’m meeting the guys at the gym at six in the morning. Heading to bed.
I’ve got the front-row seat to the summer training of a hockey player, which includes a lot of running and weight training and protein shakes. Not complaining because he’s even more ripped now than ever.
Oh shit, I really do objectify my boyfriend.
Me: Goodnight. Have a great workout tomorrow. And because I feel the need to apologize, I add, I’m sorry if I’ve ever made you feel objectified.
Randall: I know you love me for more than my body. If I had to apologize for every time I stared at your ass, I’d be doing it all day.
Me: No apology needed. My ass is yours to stare at all you want.
Randall: We better stop before I have to take another cold shower. I love you and will be using your pillow tonight.
Me: I love you too.
Me: Also, I’ll go with you to Vancouver. I’m sorry it took me this long to decide.
My phone rings, prompting my companions to gripe.
“This show will not watch itself!”
“Oh my god, how long does it take to say goodnight!”
“Slumber party foul!”
Actually, it’s only Lily yelling because she’s obnoxious.
Sienna and Ma are…wait, are they cuddling in the corner of the couch?
The insistent ring jolts my attention.
“Hi,” I answer and walk to the kitchen. Looking over my shoulder, I shout, “Start the episode without me!”
“I didn’t mean to bother your show during girls’ night. But when I read that last text, I had to call.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve heard about this great fishing village in the West Coast of Canada.”
“Can’t wait to show you around.”
“Me too.”
“Get back to your show.”
“Randall?”
“Yeah, baby.”
I whisper because that’s what you do when you’ve got potentially juicy gossip. Everyone knows that.
“Ma and Sienna. Do you think they’re, like, into each other?”
“What makes you say that?” he whispers too, even if he’s alone in his massive townhouse.
“I haven’t been around for weeks, but their energy is different.”
“You think that’s why she insisted you to take down her profiles on the dating apps?”
“Oh my god, that makes so much sense! But why hasn’t she said anything?”
“You’ll have to ask her that, baby.”
“I want to,” I state because this is not the kind of news you keep from your only daughter. “But what if she’s not ready to tell me? Maybe confronting her will seem too nosy?”
“It’s not more nosy than creating her dating profiles.”
“Gah, I know! Fuck, is that why she never told me? Because she thinks I’m a hetero-normative ignoramus?”
“Regular English, please.”
“What if me insisting that she do her dating profiles made it harder for her to admit she’s bisexual? Oh my god, I’m the worst!”
“You are not the worst. Give her time. She’ll tell you when she’s ready. But stay out of the dating sites.” His voice lowers to a growl. “Forever.”
“I know, I know. Stay out of other people’s love life. But it would be kind of awesome, right?”
“They would make an amazing couple,” Randall agrees.
“They would,” I gush, feeling the prickling of warm tears behind my eyes. “All these years they were best friends and now…”
“And now it could be more.”
“I love that for them.” I pine at the possibility. After wanting Ma to find true love again, I’m ecstatic that her person was here all along.
“Me too. I can speak from experience,” Randall states confidently. “Having my best friend as my girlfriend is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”