The Jumbee (16 page)

“No, I didn’t spend the night with him.” Dragging her friend into the theater, Esti slammed the door shut behind them. “We went swimming today.”

“I thought you didn’t know how to swim.”

“I do now. He’s a certified instructor.”

“Right.” Carmen sounded impatient. “He’s certified, all right. You know he’s slept with half the girls on Cariba?”

“You already told me that.” Esti strode down the long aisle, wondering if Alan was listening.

“And I can practically guarantee he’ll tangle with the jandam before Christmas break is over. He attacked a cop last summer after they busted up one of his fights.”

“Your point is?”

“My point is, you’re smarter than that. Do you know that when the rest of us went out after the play last night, the only thing Greg could talk about was you? He never realized what a truly superb actress you are, and wasn’t it good Danielle got sick so you had a chance to prove yourself. I mean, like it never occurred to him before that you’re going to be this famous actress we can all say we went to high school with.”

Esti came to a dismayed stop. “Carmen . . .”

“I was thrilled, thinking how Danielle’s had this coming to her and you deserved glory more than anyone after being picked on so much. And here I bet you were fooling around with Rafe Solomon all night, weren’t you?”

Now Esti
really
hoped Alan wasn’t listening. “I was not fooling around with Rafe.”

“Carmen, you leave she alone.” Lucia’s dark eyes flashed as she approached. She stopped in front of them, jamming her fists on her hips. “Esti she does need to be perfect tonight, and so do we. You maybe just shut up now and get you costume together.”

Carmen frowned at Lucia, taken aback. “Well, sure,” she said. “Don’t get all worked up. I’m coming.”

As soon as Carmen and Lucia were occupied with their costumes, Esti slipped away. Although she appreciated Carmen’s concern, the drama seemed a bit overblown. Could Carmen be jealous? Quietly creeping into the back hallway maze, Esti felt her way to the staircase. She was grateful that Lucia had come to her defense, except, she thought uneasily, maybe it was because Lucia knew something she didn’t. It wouldn’t be the first time.

The air pressed against her skin, stifling and humid as she made her way down the narrow steps. Beads of sweat trickled down the side of her face as she wondered how much Alan had heard. She didn’t want him assuming she had jumped into the arms of a cute boy the minute she had a chance.

“Alan?” She swept her hand over her forehead as soon as she reached the bottom, hoping he wasn’t upset with her. “Where are you?”

Despite the cooler air in the basement, the silence felt thick and heavy as muffled voices filtered in from above. She’d been sure Alan would be here somewhere, and she wondered if he just wasn’t answering. After calling for him one more time, Esti finally gave up and hurried back upstairs. As she ducked behind the curtain of the girls’ changing area to get into Juliet’s first gown, she uneasily touched her necklace.

“Guess what?” Carmen drawled from the dressing room doorway after Esti sat down in front of the mirror to put on her makeup. “Danielle’s here. Chaz saw her. He said the theater’s packed, and people are even sitting in the aisles and standing in the back.”

Esti was glad Danielle felt better, but she wanted to play Juliet again, to prove herself to the talent scouts—and to Alan.

“Don’t vex,” Lucia said, stopping in the doorway beside Carmen. She gave Esti a reassuring look in the mirror. “Danielle, she ain’t gon get onstage tonight.”

“She’s in the back row by the door, so she can make a run for the bathroom.” Carmen laughed at Esti’s expression. “And Rafe is in the front row, panting.”

“Stop it.” Esti’s head began to throb. Whether Alan was listening or not, everyone else in the crowded dressing room was soaking up every word. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Carmen,” Lucia snapped, “you worse than Danielle, or what?”

“I’m sorry.” Carmen glanced at Lucia, then sighed. “I’m acting like a witch, aren’t I?”

“For true.” Meeting Carmen’s eyes without expression, Lucia turned and disappeared into the girls’ changing area.

“Maybe I’m a little miffed.” Carmen looked at Esti in the mirror. “It just that you’ve been ignoring me because of your homework lately, and I guess I feel a little left out. Especially now that you’re really a shooting star. But that’s selfish of me, and I’m thrilled for you, truly I am.”

Esti grimaced, smearing her lipstick. It was true; ever since she and Alan started meeting more, she’d frequently put off Carmen with the excuse of too much schoolwork. But where was Alan tonight?

“I’m sorry, Carmen,” she said lamely. “I’ve been the selfish one lately. You know you’re my best friend.”

“That’s okay.” To her relief, Carmen grinned. “Here, I’ll help you with your makeup, like I did before. You’re looking nervous again, and you just messed up your mouth.” She started toward Esti. “I guess it’s not your fault that every talent scout on Cariba wants to sign you up now; we all knew it was coming. And I just can’t help it,” she snickered, “but after looking at Danielle and at Rafe, I do think the theater’s going to implode when Romeo kisses Juliet.” She stopped. “Where did I put the greasepaint?”

“Greg won’t give Danielle a passing thought.” As the smooth murmur tickled Esti’s ear, she gasped. Alan sounded like he stood right beside her.

Carmen gave Esti an apologetic look before turning back to the girls’ changing area. “Your costume looks great, you know. That’s what you wore on television, isn’t it?”

“You were stunning last night,” Alan whispered. “Better than I dreamed you could be.”

Carmen was far enough away, Esti thought, that she hadn’t heard him. No one in the room had heard him. How did he do that? She stared into the mirror, swept by guilt and relief, and an unexpected pang of worry that maybe no one had
ever
heard his voice except for her. She touched the solid necklace for reassurance.

“Thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome,” Carmen called out.

“Tonight no one will exist for Romeo on that stage but his Juliet,” Alan added. “She won’t be distracted by anyone. Not by Danielle, and not by Rafe . . .” He paused for an instant, his voice tightening. “. . . Solomon.”

“You okay?” Carmen sounded concerned as she peered out from the girls’ changing area. “You’re white as a ghost.”

Esti could barely nod.

“Juliet has only one Romeo.” The longing in Alan’s words made it clear that he’d heard everything since Esti walked into the theater.

“Of course,” Esti breathed.

When Carmen raised her eyebrows, Esti bit down on her words, closing her eyes as Carmen smoothed on the heavy makeup.

“I’m done,” Carmen finally said. “I didn’t mean to get on your case so hard. I’m sorry.”

“No problem,” she managed. “I’m . . .” She trailed off helplessly, forgetting what she’d been about to say.

“Who would ever think someone like you could get stage fright so bad?” Carmen pinned the cap on Esti’s hair and patted her shoulder. “I’m glad I saw you go through it before, or I’d be worried. Lucia, can you get her some water? I’ve got to get out there.” She jumped to her feet.

“Yeah, mon.” From the doorway, Lucia studied Esti’s face as Carmen hurried out of the room.

“You hold the house in the palm of your hand.” Alan’s words stroked Esti, soft as a kiss. “Thou doth teach the torches to burn bright.”

“Esti, you drink this.” Lucia held out a small paper cup, her expression clearly worried as she approached. Esti automatically took the cup from her, choking as something hot and powerful sluiced down her throat. She shuddered, then felt herself relax from the warmth spreading into her arms and legs. She wanted so badly to see him and touch him.

“Rum,” Lucia explained over her shoulder, taking the cup to the trash can. “Ma had watch you getting bazadee, gal. You can’t get crazy now. She say a shot of Cruzan calm you down.”

“Tonight you are Juliet . . .” Alan’s yearning melted into the warmth of the rum as Lucia walked away, until his voice was the only thing holding Esti up. “. . . for me.”

“You ready, or what?” Lucia’s dark face tightened with concern as she came back. “We had better go to the stage.”

“Yes,” Esti whispered. Desire and hope raging through her body, she forced herself to stand and follow Lucia out of the dressing room.

“Give her some air.” Aurora sounded angry. “No, she’s fine, Officer Wilmuth, thank you. Look, here’s the dagger. It’s just as plastic as it’s always been. She didn’t kill herself with it.”

Juliet struggled to sit up, confused by the noisy blur of faces in front of her. She remembered killing herself, but something must have gone wrong. Where was Romeo?

“Rafe, you sure managed to get up on the stage fast. Help her over here, then.”

Rafe?
She shook her head as strong hands helped her to her feet, pulling her away from the noise.

“That’s okay, Officer. Rafe can stay up here, but if everyone else would just leave us alone for a few minutes, she’ll be fine. Yes, the play was great and she was incredible, that’s why she’s all wrung out now. Esti is her father’s daughter, you know.”

Esti, she thought numbly, oh yeah. Juliet, doff thy name.

“Esti, you all right?” Rafe sounded upset.

She couldn’t help leaning into him, trying to shake off Juliet’s overwhelming despair. “I think so.”

As they reached relative privacy behind a set, Aurora unpinned the sweaty cap from Esti’s hair and held a cup of water in front of her.

Rafe let go of her. Startled, she watched his dark hands draw back from the pale skin of her arms. Compared to the chaos inside of her, the simple image was beautifully, intensely
real.
Impulsively, she reached out and touched her fingers to his before he could move away.

He squeezed her hand, giving her a piercing stare. “I never saw anything like what you just did,” he finally said. “I thought you killed yourself with that knife.”

Esti took the cup from Aurora, trying to steady her shaky hands. “Yeah. Me too.”

Aurora smiled at Rafe. “Amazing, isn’t she?”

“Scary,” Rafe corrected. “My adrenaline’s going, mon.”

Aurora laughed. “You know, her father would get light-headed after some of his performances too. It was like his own soul had to find him again.”

Esti wondered if her dad had ever fainted when the curtains went down. The thought seemed absurd.

“They were all incredible tonight, weren’t they?” Aurora continued. “What a talented group of kids.”

Someone peered around the edge of the set.

“Are you up to a quick appearance?” Aurora sounded concerned. “We’d better let them know you’ve recovered. Rafe, can you let Mr. Niles know we’re coming right out?”

“No problem.”

Esti finished the water as Rafe darted back around the set. As she started to follow him, however, she felt the blood drain from her face. A frangipani blossom rested on the floor, its sweet scent drifting up from where Rafe had crushed it with his shoe.

“A toast to Juliet.”

Esti leaned back against her chair, forcing a smile as Rafe held up his glass beside her. Although she had let herself be talked into joining the cast party, she could barely speak over the huge knot growing inside of her.

“We won’t be out long,” Carmen had assured her, “since we have our closing performance tomorrow. But we
have
to celebrate tonight, after that awesome show. Did I tell you Chaz asked if I would sit by him?” Her eyes sparkled. “Rafe might as well come too. I mean, everyone already knows him.”

The theater would be empty by now. Esti itched to run back and fling herself at Alan, demanding that he become the Romeo he’d promised, but it had been impossible to disappear without attracting attention. He must have seen Rafe’s arms around her after she passed out, watching as she grabbed Rafe’s hand when he tried to pull away. Why hadn’t it been Alan rushing to the stage? Where was
he
when she needed someone to hold on to? Surely he knew that her mind-wrenching Juliet existed only because of him.