“Oh.” Sophie managed to appear cautious and shy while simultaneously projecting her voice to carry through the theater, and Jules found herself hoping she’d get the chance to act this scene with her in front of a packed audience, even if only once. “Tell me what that means, Bianca.”
“I think you know.” Jules turned away, facing the rows of empty seats before her.
“I think I do too,” Sophie said from behind her. “But I need to hear you say the words. I need to know that what I think is happening is real.”
“It’s real.” Jules turned back to her, clasping Sophie’s hands in hers. “It wasn’t supposed to be you, Melissa, and yet, you’re the only one I can think about.”
Sophie was nodding the entire time she spoke, an almost giddy smile on her face. Jules had never seen that smile before. This wasn’t Sophie smiling at her. It was Melissa.
“And for me, it’s only ever been you. Please,” Sophie said, lifting their clasped hands as she stared unflinchingly into Jules’s eyes. “Please kiss me, Bianca.”
They rotated slowly as they spoke, turning so that each of them was angled slightly toward the audience as they faced each other. Together, they raised their hands, holding on to each other as they moved closer, turning the moment into a dance, even if the music was lacking for this particular rehearsal.
Jules leaned in, brushing her lips against Sophie’s. She closed her eyes, holding tight to Sophie’s fingers, imagining the reaction of the crowd, applause, maybe even a few cheers. She opened her eyes, meeting Sophie’s gaze. They parted, smiling at each other, hands still clasped. Jules remembered their first kiss, the flutter of excitement and awareness it had ignited in her, and she projected that now as Bianca reacted to her first kiss with a woman.
This was where the curtain would drop for the intermission.
“Great job, ladies,” Kari said, one finger pressed thoughtfully against her lips. “A very different energy than I’ve seen from Jules and Micki in that scene.”
Jules knew exactly where that energy had come from, but she just shrugged. Sophie was similarly mum on the subject. They ran through Bianca and Melissa’s scenes from the second act, turning to Kari when they’d finished.
“Excellent work today, Sophie,” Kari said. “I feel very confident about you taking the stage in the event that Jules or Micki have to miss a show.”
“Thank you,” Sophie said, looking uncharacteristically modest, almost shy.
“All right, then. Get out of here, you two,” Kari said, making shooing motions with her hands. “I’ll see you both bright and early tomorrow.”
As they walked downstairs to their dressing rooms, Sophie was quiet, a pensive look on her face.
“You did amazing,” Jules told her. “I was impressed, even more impressed with you than I already was.”
“Thanks.”
“Want to grab a drink?” Jules asked.
“Sure,” Sophie said.
“Come get me on your way out.”
Sophie nodded, walking down the hall toward her dressing room.
Jules ducked inside her own. She grabbed a drink of water and visited the bathroom before bundling up in her coat and scarf. She’d just tied the belt when Sophie appeared in the doorway, bag slung across her shoulders.
“Ready?” she asked.
Jules nodded, falling into step beside her as they headed for the back door. “Kari seemed really pleased with your understudy rehearsal.”
“I hope so.”
“You were great. And that kiss made me hope Micki needs a night off at some point,” Jules said, nudging Sophie with her shoulder.
Sophie scoffed at her.
“It just got me thinking about what it would be like to kiss you onstage in front of a packed house,” Jules told her. “I think it would be magical.”
Sophie gave her a look that Jules couldn’t quite decipher, then shrugged. “It could happen, or I could be onstage kissing Micki, covering foryou.”
They walked outside, and Jules was relieved to discover it wasn’t as cold this evening as it had been earlier in the week. She was still glad for her coat, but she probably wouldn’t be shivering inside it as they walked to Dragonfly. She tried to imagine what it would be like to see Sophie onstage as Bianca. It wasn’t a thought Jules had entertained in too much detail, since she was hoping not to miss any shows. And if it did happen, she wouldn’t be there to see it. She’d either be out of town or at home sick.
