So I tell them everything. Well, not everything. I don’t tell them about how Liam’s lips feel, or the way he likes to play with my hair while we kiss, or how I like to wrap my arms around him and feel the way his back muscles are put together.
“That’s...” Bowie shakes their head. “Wow.”
“Yeah.”
“Does Jasmine know?”
“Of course not! You know how she is.”
“So you’re just... not going to tell her?”
“I will once she cools off.” And once she stops asking me to repeat Liam’s list every week.
And once I figure out how to tell Liam I might have accidentally kind of lied about not making a list for him.
“Be careful. With Liam and Jasmine. And with your own heart. Okay?”
I nod.
“But you know I’m happy for you, right?”
“I know.”
***
Dr. L claps her hands once. “Let’s set up for Act IV, Scene 3.”
The actors clear the stage, Philip taking a spot next to Cam on the benches, while I get out the bench for Olivia’s garden.
As I grab it and start dragging, Paige steps up and takes the other end.
“Oh. Thanks.”
“Sure.” She helps me get it into position. I haven’t spiked anything yet—I won’t do that until Dr. Lochley’s 100 percent satisfied with the blocking, which won’t happen until we start doing our whole-act run-throughs. “Hey. When’s the first workday?”
“Not for another couple weeks. Did you want to come?”
“Of course.”
“Oh. I’ll let you know, then. It’ll depend on Denise’s schedule.”
I can’t believe Paige still wants to help. I kinda figured she’d blow workdays off like all the other actors.
I finish setting the scene with a couple potted plants, then retreat to my usual spot next to Dr. L, who tightens her scarf. “Right. Let’s start with Sebastian pacing center stage. Olivia and the priest, you’ll be entering stage right.”
I’m only about 70 percent certain I catch all of Dr. L’s notes—since she’s blocking for a thrust, she’s constantly turning, making it hard to read her lips. But I can follow along pretty well, thanks to all my sessions with Liam.
Learning the script, not making out, though the latter is definitely my new favorite part.
It’s our last scene of the day; Dr. L has Paige, Cam, and Shira— who plays the priest—run it through one last time, once she has the blocking the way she likes.
“Perfect! Perfect. Let’s call it for today.”
She retreats to the benches, where her tote bag rests.
“Hey, I missed a couple things,” I say to her. “Can you...”
But Cam comes up to her other side. “Dr. L? You have a sec?”
