Getting to the Good Part Read online

  Gordon was nodding emphatically.

  “We’ll want to make the move as soon as possible,” Gustav stated. “How long will it take to train new dancers?”

  “No more than a month, I’d guess,” Gordon replied.

  “Fantastic!” Helmut exclaimed. “We’ll let the show run here for the next three months. That’ll give the audiences time to really get to know her and fall in love. It will also give us time to put things together. New sets, new dancers, the works. Then we’ll shut down, and reopen a few weeks later.”

  “Yes!” Gustav agreed. “We want people salivating by the time we reopen. It’ll be a major stage production. The biggest thing since Dreamgirls!”

  “Who are you guys?” I demanded. “And Gordon, what the hell is going on?!”

  Gordon was cheesing so hard, I could see practically every tooth in his mouth.

  “Gustav and Helmut are investors, Reesy. They came here tonight to check us out. After seeing you, they’ve decided that they definitely want to take the show to Broadway.”

  “With you as the lead, of course,” Helmut interjected.

  My heart stopped for exactly one second.

  I know, because I felt my blood shift when it started back again.

  “Broadway?”

  “Yes, Teresa!” Gustav beamed. “Broadway! We’re going to make you a star!”

  “A star? You’re going to make me a star?”

  “The brightest one in the heavens!” Helmut said with a smile.

  I shook my head slowly, in utter disbelief. Something good was actually happening.

  Something really exciting and wonderful and good was actually happening for me.

  My hands were shaking violently. I clasped them together, but that didn’t work.

  “I gotta go,” I announced. “People are waiting on me.”

  “Sure, honey,” Gordon said, rubbing me on the back. He studied me with his head slightly cocked. “You’re okay, aren’t you?”

  I swallowed a big gulp of something—air, spit, I don’t know—and nodded.

  “Yeah,” I answered softly. “I’m all right. I can’t believe this. I just gotta let it sink in.”

  “We’ll talk,” Helmut vowed. “All of us. Very, very soon.”

  Gordon nodded. So did Gustav.

  “Well,” I struggled, trying to control the quavering in my voice, “it was really nice meeting you two.”

  “And you, Teresa,” Helmut smiled. “Or do you prefer Reesy?”

  “Reesy,” I stammered. “I’m much more comfortable with that.”

  “But is that befitting a star?” Gustav asked the two men, bringing his hands to his lips contemplatively. “It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue as well. Teresa Snowden sounds much more dignified.”

  “We can always change it,” Gordon said.

  Helmut searched my face.

  “Would you have a problem with that?” he asked. “If, for the show’s sake, we publicly referred to you by your formal name?”

  Please, I thought. They can call me Kizzy if they want!

  “I don’t have a problem with Teresa.”

  Helmut grinned, his dark eyes dancing.

  “Good! If you like, we’ll still call you Reesy backstage.”

  I was about to burst with glee.

  “Gotta go, guys!”

  I stuck out my hand, offering it in a handshake to both men. Gustav’s grip was firm and swift, strictly business.

  Helmut’s was warm and lingering.

  I leaned over and kissed Gordon on the cheek.

  “Thanks for everything!” I whispered.

  “We’ll talk,” he gurgled in response, the best he could do with a voice as deep as his.

  I dashed away, back toward my dressing room.

  Misty was standing in the doorway, watching.

  “What was that all about?” she asked as I rushed inside.

  “Girl, c’mere!” I squealed, grabbing her by the hand. “You won’t believe what just happened!”

  Julian was beside me. Rick was sitting in one of the chairs.

  “Now, how you gonna tell her a secret and not tell me and Rick?! You may as well tell everybody.”

  The three of them stared at me expectantly.

  I held on to Misty’s hand. She squeezed my palm tightly as a gesture of support.

  I took a deep breath.

  “Okay,” I finally said. “Guess what just happened?”

  “What?!” Julian asked.

  I clutched Misty’s hand tighter. I needed my sistah now, more than ever, for this.

  “Gordon just introduced me to these two guys. Germans. They wanna take the show to Broadway, with me as the lead!”

  “Oh my God, Reesy!” Misty exclaimed, wrapping me up in a tight hug. She hugged me so tightly, her shoulder was smothering my mouth.

  Julian was jumping up and down, shouting and clapping his hands.

  “So it happened!” he screamed. “It really happened!”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, surprised by his outburst. “Were you expecting this?”

  “You remember,” he panted, pacing around excitedly. His hands were going a mile a minute. “A few weeks ago, there was a bunch of talk about some investors coming by to check out the show. These guys had a string of Broadway hits that they’d been involved in. Major Big Willies with some serious cash flow.”

  I stood there, thinking, trying to recall.

  “Hmmm… I kinda remember something about that. But that was way before Rowena left. Before I even auditioned for her part.”

  “Yeah,” Julian said, his breath coming quick. “Gordon had no idea when they were going to show up. He’d gotten word they were curious a long time ago, after we started getting all that good press.

  “We were just praying that, if they did come, they were really in the market to take on the show. After a while, we didn’t hear much about it anymore. We just figured that they weren’t interested.”

  “Reesy, girl,” Rick said grinning, “you lead a very charmed life.”

  I blushed uncontrollably.

  “I’ve had my moments,” I said with a sigh.

  He kept grinning. Although I was feeling pretty high, I hadn’t forgotten the fact that he had been checking Tamara out a little while ago, right in front of me, Misty, and everybody else in the room.

  Misty hugged me again.

  “I love you, girl!” she said.

  “I love you, too,” I returned, feeling really sentimental.

  “Well,” Misty smiled, “we’d better get going. We’ve got to meet your folks over at the restaurant. You mind if I tell them about the Broadway thing?”

  “Not at all! In fact, please do! Less explaining for me to have to do.”

  “All right. You’re gonna wait for Dandre, right?”

  “Girl,” I smirked, waving my hand, “that boy ain’t coming. I don’t know why you keep on bringing him up. But I’ll be right behind y’all, don’t worry.”

  “He’s coming, Reesy,” Rick insisted again. “Listen… is there a bathroom around here somewhere?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Julian replied. “Come here with me for a sec.”

  He led Rick to the dressing room, pointing.

  “Just around the corner, bruh. It’s the first door on your right.”

  “Thanks, man,” Rick said. “I ’preciate it.”

  He turned to Misty.

  “Babe, I’ll meet you guys outside in front the theater. I gotta hit the head.”

  “Okay, baby,” Misty purred sweetly, walking over to Rick and kissing him on the lips. “Don’t keep me waiting out there too long.”

  “I won’t,” he said as he rushed out of the room.

  I watched them through the mirror.

  Misty and I definitely needed to have a talk. I was beginning to have some serious concerns about ol’ Ricky-poo.

  A true friend would say something, right? That was to be expected. Hell, I would want to know if my man, my fiancé, was m
aking eyes at other women.

  Julian walked over to me and gave me a peck on the top of my head.

  “You coming to dinner with us?” I asked.

  He watched me as I removed the shadow from my eyelids with a moist cottonball.

  “Hell naw, Miss Thang!” he piped. “I was gonna go, but after the way your folks just busted my chops, I done had enough of your family for one night!”

  Misty and I burst out laughing.

  “Boy!!” I squealed. “I told you how they were!”

  “Uh-uh, girlfriend!” he countered, shaking his head. “You left out some major details! Your parents are sick!”

  “All right, now!” I laughed. “Watch it! They are my peeps, after all!”

  He rubbed his hands against his thighs. There was a trail of moisture from the area that his palms had touched.

  “Why are your hands sweatin’ like that?” I asked.

  He shrugged.

  “I’m too excited, I guess. I’m about to go home and tell Tonio the news.”

  I snickered.

  “Don’t hurt him, Hammer.”

  Julian headed toward the door.

  “Oh, I’ma hurt him, all right,” he said, grabbing his crotch. “And more than likely, I will be using my hammer to do it.”

  I screamed with laughter.

  “Get outta here, you nasty dog!”

  Julian had his hand up, waving, as he exited the room. Misty was right behind him.

  “Bye, girl!” she added. “See ya in a few. I’m going up front to wait for Rick.”

  It had been about five minutes since everybody left.

  I had taken off all my heavy makeup and was heading to the bathroom to wash my face.

  I heard voices around the corner. I thought everyone was gone.

  I slowed up, not wanting anybody to see me with my face all greasy and streaked.

  I hung back, listening, trying to figure who it was.

  “Well,” the man’s voice said, “I gotta run. I got people waiting on me. Call me. I really would like for us to hook up.”

  “I’ll call you,” a woman’s voice replied. “When’s a good time?”

  “During the day. Call me at the office. That’s the best time to catch me, anyway.”

  “Okay.”

  “You look good, girl! Had me flippin’ out when I saw you walk past that dressing room!”

  I couldn’t believe him!! And he was talking loud, not even making an attempt to be discreet.

  She giggled.

  “Well, I’m sure you ain’t never got kicked outta bed for eatin’ crackers, neither, you know.”

  “You tryna tell me I’m cute?” he chuckled.

  “You don’t hear me, tho’!”

  He laughed again.

  “Bye, sexy! I gotta bounce!”

  “I’ll call you,” she yelled after him. “Remember, don’t tell nobody!”

  “Word is bond!” he called back.

  I quickly dashed back to my room, trying to avoid getting caught.

  I plopped down in my chair.

  I sat there, staring at myself in the mirror. I leaned forward, examining my face. My brows were knitted tightly and my lips were pressed together.

  Damn!!

  Tamara and Rick.

  I wasn’t even surprised. As I suspected, his ass was counterfeit, just like all the rest.

  What got me was that he had the nerve to be trying to hook up with somebody in the same show I was in! How low-life could you get?!

  I mean, he could have at least had the decency to pick somebody we’d never ever know about. Not some chick that was right up underneath my nose.

  Tamara walked by my dressing room, cutting her eyes at me as she passed.

  That bitch. What was she doing still hanging around anyway?

  I guess she couldn’t get to me, so now she was going after my best friend’s man.

  Still, I couldn’t blame it all on her. After all, it takes two to tango and three to clean it up.

  I had to tell Misty. It was the only thing to do.

  I sat back, sighing heavily.

  It was for the best. She didn’t need to be marrying a jerk like him anyway.

  I’d tell her later, maybe tomorrow or Monday, during lunch, my treat. That would put an end to all this nonsense.

  Better she get out now than be stuck with him legally.

  As my eyes skimmed over the outline of my face in the mirror, they were suddenly drawn to my lips.

  I noticed that they weren’t pressed together anymore.

  Funny, the corners had curled up nicely into the shape of a smile.

  COME ON AND TAKE A FREE RIDE

  I changed into a lavender mini-suit and applied a light coat of makeup. I slipped into a lightweight rose-colored swing coat to keep out the night air.

  I was just about to shut my door and head for the restaurant. I was running more than thirty minutes behind, but that scene with Tamara and Rick had thrown me off a little.

  I had my hand on the doorknob, peeking around inside to make sure I had turned everything off.

  A gentle shove from behind placed me back inside the room.

  “What the… !!!”

  It was Dandre.

  “What the hell are you doing here so late!!” I demanded.

  He had the nerve to come rolling into my dressing room now, damn near an hour after the show had ended.

  Dandre pulled me close to him, kissing me full on the lips. His tongue tried to press its way into my mouth.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” I snarled.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” he asked. “Why are you so upset with me?”

  “Let me tell you something,” I began, waving my finger in his face. “I don’t like being dissed. Especially by no niggas! You might be used to playin’ that with your other hoes, but you can just turn around and raise the hell up outta here with that shit!”

  Dandre chuckled.

  “Oh. So you’re a hoe now?”

  “What the hell did you just say?!”

  “You just said my other hoes, like you were including yourself in that category. Personally, I don’t think of you that way.”

  He stood there, all sexy and calm, just a-smilin’.

  “You see me laughin’?!”

  After what his boy Rick had just pulled, the last thing I was in the mood for was another triflin’-ass nigga. Birds of a feather, flocking all over the place. They were probably just alike. They’d known each other way too long not to be.

  “And listen, baby,” he said, moving close to me again, “there are no other women. You’re the only one for me.”

  “Negro, puhleeeeze!!” I scoffed. “You obviously don’t know who you’re dealing with. Those stupid little lines don’t mean a thing to me, okay? Now let me by. I gots to go!”

  I tried to push him aside. He stayed fixed.

  “I’m sorry I’m late,” he explained softly. “I had some business I needed to take care of.”

  “I’m sure you did,” I replied. “Let me by.”

  “Don’t trip like that, now,” he pleaded. “It had to do with you.”

  “Of course it did,” I said, ducking around him.

  I turned when I got to the doorway.

  “Maybe we can get together one of these days, and you can tell me all about it. In the meantime, step off!!”

  I turned and rushed out of the dressing room, toward the exit that emptied out into the alley.

  As I sped toward the door, a sense of dread began to build within me.

  I didn’t want to have to go into that dark alley by myself.

  (Like I said… I had a thing about dark alleys. After all, I’d almost been raped in one when I first moved to the city. When I took a job as an exotic dancer at that sleazy joint in Times Square, the One Trick Pony, the owner had practically watched as this cheesy bastard tackled me and tried to do his thing, all in an alley behind the club. That shit scarred me for life. And ain’t too
many things can claim they done scarred me.)

  Anyway, though, since I’d already made a move toward the alley, I just couldn’t turn around. Dandre would probably be standing there, waiting on me to do just that.

  I was only a few steps away from the door. There was going to be no way around it.

  I felt myself shaking as I got closer to the exit. The sound of blood was rushing in my ears.

  Just as I put my hand on the pushbar, someone gripped me by the arm.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked quietly.

  I stood there, shaking, my heart thumping away. He had no idea how close I had just come to fainting.

  “Let me go,” I whimpered.

  “You’re trembling,” Dandre whispered. “Are you that mad at me? God, Reesy, you don’t cut a brother any slack!!”

  I said nothing. I just stood there, my eyes fixed on the floor, allowing myself time to calm down.

  Dandre wasn’t playing anymore. Now he was as grave as I was.

  “Listen to me, lady,” he said, pulling my face around so that I could look into his.

  I tried to avert my eyes. He persisted until our gazes finally met.

  “Listen,” he repeated. “I don’t know what you think I did, or what you expect of me. Whatever it is, you’re wrong. Dead wrong.”

  I was still trembling, trying my best to calm down. Too much had happened to me that night. My emotions had been on a damn roller-coaster ride.

  “I know you think you know all about me,” he kept on. “Ever since that thing at Burch, which I know was fucked up, you’ve just reached this conclusion about me that can’t be changed. No matter what I say or do, you handle me like you’re expecting me to turn into some sort of callous dog at any moment.”

  I listened to him talk, surprised to hear him bring up the Burch incident. Since I’d been seeing him, we hadn’t mentioned it at all. Except for that one brief moment on the dance floor at Nell’s.

  Not that it wasn’t always fresh at the top of my mind. It was. It stayed there.

  “If I’ve been handling you so wrong, then why the hell do you keep coming around?” I asked.

  He hesitated.

  “Well?” I persisted.

  He sighed.

  “Because,” he finally said.

  Dandre quickly looked away. This time, I was the one to search out his gaze.

  “Because?! Because what?! What kind of kindergarten answer is that?!”