“She wouldn’t let you have one,” Ethan guessed.
“Exactly. How is that fair?”
Ethan hid a chuckle at his friend’s indignation. “Maybe she was being protective. She probably knows you’re no more in need of all that sugar than the kids.”
“But they’re getting the cupcakes,” he protested. “They looked good, too. Chocolate with swirls of icing on top and sprinkles.”
Ethan laughed aloud now. “How old are you? Shouldn’t you be beyond the pouting stage? If you’re that starved for cupcakes, go to the store and buy a dozen.”
“It’s the principle,” Greg argued. “I paid for these. My wife baked them.”
Apparently the words pouring out of his mouth finally registered with Greg, because his expression turned chagrined. “I’m losing it, aren’t I?”
Ethan nodded. “I’d say so.”
“And that is why you should distract me with tales of your weekend adventures with Samantha,” Greg concluded.
“Nice try,” Ethan commended him, “but no. Go rearrange the supply cabinet. Not only will that distract you, it will be productive.”
Greg was shaking his head before the words were out of Ethan’s mouth. “No way, man. Last time I did that, Pam almost took a strip out of my hide. She has it exactly the way she wants it.”
Just then Pam stuck her head in. “Either of you care to actually do some work this morning? Mitzi Rogers is out here bleeding all over the reception area from a tiny cut on her forehead and her mom is hysterical.”
“All yours,” Ethan told Greg.
“But you usually see Mitzi,” Pam protested.
“And today Greg will.”
“He’s a little worried that Mitzi’s mom has designs on him,” Greg explained. “And his heart belongs to another.”
Pam’s eyes lit up. “Is that so?”
“Would you two care to focus on the patient and leave my love life alone?” Ethan pleaded. “I have things to do.”
“What things?” Pam asked suspiciously.
“I’m coming up with a list,” Ethan told her. “And they will all require me to be far, far away from here.”
* * *
Samantha made good on her promise to show up for rehearsal at the high school on Monday. As soon as Regina Gentry spotted her, she clapped for attention. When she had it, she once again introduced Samantha to the students.
“I’ve asked her to watch rehearsal today and give you all some pointers,” the teacher said. “Before we get started, Samantha, perhaps you could take Sue Ellen aside and give her a few tips on overcoming stage fright.”
Samantha thought it was going to take more than a quick chat to rid Sue Ellen of her fears, but she nodded and took the girl to the back of the auditorium.
“I wish she wouldn’t call attention to my stage fright,” Sue Ellen said, her expression distraught. “It just makes me more self-conscious.”
“You know what really makes it worse?” Samantha asked gently. “Not knowing your lines. Do you think it’s possible that’s part of your problem?”
Sue Ellen blinked at that. “That’s like one of those chicken-egg questions,” she said. “Do I panic because I don’t know my lines, or does the stage fright make me forget my lines?”
“Could you run them with me right now?” Samantha asked. “Just you and me, right here?”
“Sure,” Sue Ellen said with confidence. “I nailed ’em at home last night.”
Samantha wondered about that. Had she really nailed them, or had a helpful family member conveniently fed them to her? Only one way she knew of to find out. She glanced at the script Mrs. Gentry had handed her and told Sue Ellen which scene they were going to do, then read the opening line.
Sue Ellen responded, not just with accuracy, but with the right emotional intensity.
As the scene went on, she faltered only once or twice, which wasn’t bad considering that they’d only been in rehearsals a couple of weeks.
“I’m impressed,” Samantha admitted at the end of the scene.
Sue Ellen beamed. “I told you, it’s because I get too nervous in front of all those people.”
“If you’re going to do theater, you have to do it in front of an audience,” Samantha reminded her.
“Which is why I want to do anything else but theater,” Sue Ellen said with feeling. “Around here, though, this is all there is.” She hesitated. “There’s something else throwing me off, too.”
“What’s that?”
“I know everybody thinks Cass deserved this part. It doesn’t help that she’s my understudy. I can see her waiting in the wings for me to blow it. Then when I do, she gloats.”
Samantha couldn’t imagine Cass gloating, at least not publicly, but her presence certainly could throw an inexperienced, uncertain actress off stride. “Would you rather someone else be in the wings to feed you your lines if you need prompting?”
“That would be awesome,” Sue Ellen admitted. “But I don’t want Cass to get mad at me, at least not any madder than she already is. And it’s okay that she’s my understudy. That shouldn’t change.”
Samantha nodded. “I’ll talk to Mrs. Gentry and Cass and see what can be worked out. Now go on up there and deliver those lines as convincingly as you did for me just now.”
“Thanks, Ms. Castle!” she said before running back to the stage.
Samantha was slower to return to the front of the auditorium. She told Mrs. Gentry about Sue Ellen’s feelings and suggested that somebody other than Cass help out. “It may be all in Sue Ellen’s head, but Cass seems to intimidate her. That could be part of her problem.”
Mrs. Gentry nodded, quickly assigned another student to do the job, then called for the scene to be read. Cass joined them in the auditorium, a frown on her face. Samantha gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll explain later,” she promised.
To everyone’s apparent shock, Sue Ellen performed the scene without a single mistake or hesitation. Mrs. Gentry applauded, then walked to the stage to give the actors her notes.
“Holy smokes!” Cass said when she was alone with Samantha. “She was actually good.”
Samantha grinned. “You were scaring her.”
Cass’s eyes lit up. “No kidding!”
“I wouldn’t look so pleased
