The theater.
Mom
Have fun!
Dad
In a meeting. Love you guys.
I smileas I slip my phone into the pocket of my suit jacket and offer Eloise my arm as we drive into town. Still decorated for the season, white lights are strung across the road, connecting the balconies of the stores that line Main Street.
“This is soadorable!” Eloise exclaims next to me. “It looks like a Hallmark movie!”
I smile instantly, loving anything that makes my sister happy.
The theater is easy to spot.
It’s old school, set in a row of shops, the marquee above it proudly announcing tonight’s show:The Truth in the Mirror.
I have to be honest, I’m more than a little shocked that they’d run a queer play in this notoriously conservative town. Of course, living in New York, I’m no stranger to the queer community, but I’m also not blind to the parts of our country that are less supportive.
After finding a parking space, I help my sister out of the car, and we make our way to the door to have our tickets scanned.
Once we’re inside, we’re swallowed by a sizable crowd. The foyer is bustling with far more patrons than I expected.
“Champagne?” I ask Eloise, placing a protective hand on my sister’s back, guiding her toward the bar.
The place is adorned with well-done nostalgia. The theater invites you not only to see a play, but to experience a different time. A time when people didn’t wear their pajamas out in public, when manners weren’t mocked, and calling someonesirorma’amwas a sign of respect, not spoken in sarcastic mockery. A time when couples would spend an evening out,engaging with strangers, learning about one another in real time, not from an reel posted six months ago. They would interact face-to-face without the impersonal barrier of a screen between them, and they would genuinely invest in each other’s lives.
It’s one of my favorite things about the theater and one of the main reasons I frequent the shows on Broadway. Those actors aren’t making the millions of those in Hollywood, but they bring a level of passion to each performance that I find unparalleled in cinema.
El’s eyes sparkle at my question. “Honestly, Talon, why are you single?” she jokes.
“Why are you?” I fire back with a raised brow.
She waves a dismissive hand.
“Please. What man do you know outside of our family that matches our level of ambition? The men in our circles don’t respect my mind and business prowess. They simply see me as something to conquer, and I’m not interested in being locked in an ivory tower.”
It’s sad, but her point is valid.
I’ve watched Eloise have many failed relationships because her partners ended up resenting her success and independence. Most men need to be needed, and my sister doesn’tneedanyone.
“Ditto,” I say, bumping her with my shoulder. “Looks like we’re stuck with each other.”
She turns an arched brow toward me as we move up in line.
“Who’s going to lock you in a tower, Tal?”
“You seem to be forgetting my last relationship, which is shocking since you had some strong feelings toward Dahlia.”
“Bleh,Dahlia,” Eloise scoffs. “I was seriously afraid she was going to trick you into getting her pregnant.”
Laughter bubbles up my throat, and I decide not to tell herabout the photo, text, and phone call I got from Dahlia on Christmas, begging to get back together.
When it’s our turn, I step up to the bar and place an order for a beer and a glass of Prosecco before El and I make our way toward our seats.
We’re on stage left, but the theater isn’t huge, so I’m confident we’ll be able to see everything just fine.
