Curtain Call Part II
by Ann Durand
by Ann Durand
No! Mari screamed inside her head and released her breath.
I'm walking off this stage!
Sssssing! Ssssssssing!
I’m leaving!
Now! Now! They're all looking at you! Sssssing!
Mari stood frozen to the spot, afraid to leave the stage and afraid to sing. She opened and closed
her mouth several times, like a fish out of water.
“I’m sorry?” the pinkest, biggest, baldest head said, stretching out on a pencil neck. “I think you’ve
been…dismissed.”
“I-I…”
“Oh…mi…gosh,” said another head. “WHAT is she doing up there? She isn’t going to faint, is she?
Good grief!”
“Hey lady! Get off the stage!” This voice came from a stagehand, straddling the sidelines with a
headset and clipboard. He looked baffled, like he’d never seen anyone ignore an order before. The
next woman in line to sing, the one with the omni-directional auburn hair, stepped impatiently
around him and made a beeline for Mari and the microphone. Some of the other women took up a
chorus of booing. She could only see the first three as they snaked backstage, but it sounded like
the entire line had taken up the catcalls. The company of women seemed infused with renewed
energy.
“Boo! Go away!”
“Go Home! Hisssss!”
“Idiot!”
Something inside Mari stirred—not the voice—something else…strangely familiar, yet untested.
This felt different…quieter, more real, as if it belonged to her and her alone. It grew inside her gut
like a hot ball gathering fire. Whatever it was, it wanted to sing, too, but unlike the other voice, this
one felt…self-assured. And, something else…incensed! The ball of fire raged.
Her hand shot out in a stop gesture at the auburn-haired one, and the woman pulled up short, her
eyes wide.
“Get back,” Mari roared. I really don’t care what they think of me, she thought. I don’t care if I come
back—if I ever do this again. This is Mother’s game, not mine.
The auburn one stumbled back a step, turned uncertainly and walked offstage. The catcalls fell
silent and the stagehand hugged his clipboard to his chest as if he were no longer in charge.
Mari turned and faced the three heads. Each pink ball craned forward on a stick neck, looking as
much in shock as in anticipation. Mari smiled inwardly. It didn’t matter if they liked her or not. If this
was her last audition, she could live with it. Maybe she’d take up painting. She’s always wanted to
try.
The heat inside her crackled, and Mari ingested a deep inhalation into her lungs. Forget this stupid
song about a courtesan crooning to her king. She heard another one brewing, bubbling up from the
fire. Did they want a love song? She’d show them a real one—from the Italian opera Gianni
Schicchi by Puccini. The aria O Mio Babbino Caro ought to do it.
Without benefit of an orchestra, she blew out the first line, slow, sad and piercing.
O mio babbino care!
Every living thing within the building fell silent.
Mi piace, e bello bello
Vo ‘andare in Porta Rossa
A comperar l’ anell!o
The heads were wearing open mouths, now.
Si, si, ci voglio andare!
O se l’amassi indarno
Yes, yes, I mean it
And if my love were in vain
Andrei sul Ponte Vecchio
Ma per buttaarmi en Arno!
I would go to the Ponte Vecchio
And throw myself in the Arno!
Mari felt the song as if she were Lauretta, pleading with her father to allow her to marry Rinuccio.
Mi struggo e mi tormento!
O Dio, vorrei morir!
Babbo, pieta, pieta!
Babbo, pieta, pieta!
I struggle and suffer torment!
O god, I would rather die
Daddy, have pity, have pity!
Daddy, have pity, have pity!
As the last line soared from her lungs, she closed her eyes and raised up her arms. She held them
aloft as her last Babbo, pieta, pieta reverberated off the stillness. For a moment, there wasn’t a
sound…and then she heard one pair of hands clapping, slowly. Mari opened her eyes and smiled.
One of the heads had stood up, beating his hands together. The other two joined him, beating ever
faster and harder. Suddenly, the whole place seemed to erupt into applause—she heard claps and
calls of brava, brava from backstage.
Mari took a deep bow, waved and walked offstage.
* * *
“I don’t care, Tom, I’m not interested.” This phone call was going nowhere, but Mari figured she
owed it to him. He had, after all, spent a few years promoting her.
“Mari, they want to give you the lead! Not only that, but the word got out after you belted out that
aria, and the opera house in the city is asking questions about you. Don’t you get it? This could be
it! You can’t quit now!”
“I’m not quitting now,” Mari said, softly. “I quit last week after the audition.”
“Cute, Mari.” He paused. “Look, what about your mother, God rest her soul…wouldn’t she jump for
joy to see this happen for you! Don’t you want to do this for her?”
Mari laughed. “This isn’t about her, Tom. It’s about me and what I want.”
Silence on the other end of the line. Maybe he was getting it.
“Well, as you know, Mari, your contract can be voided at any time by either one of us…so if you’re
sure this is what you want…”
“I’m sure,” she said, and paused. "Thanks for everything, Tom."
He sighed. “Well…okay. I guess I had you figured wrong.”
“An easy mistake, Tom,” she said gently. “I believe I had me figured wrong, too.”
Mari hung up the phone and headed for her new workshop in the back of the house. She entered
the converted greenhouse and positioned her easel so that it caught the sun better. Then, she lifted
her brush and laid down the first stroke on the empty canvas.
A small beginning, but it was all hers.
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The Muse On Writing, Edited by Lea Schizas
Kathe Gogolewski wrote the chapter on
Finding Your Voice in Writing
CLICK ON COVER TO ORDER
Kathe Gogolewski wrote the chapter on
Finding Your Voice in Writing
CLICK ON COVER TO ORDER
BIO - Ann Durand has written three books: A Promise to Keep, a romantic suspense, was
released from Double Dragon Publishing in February, 2005. The other, TATO, is a fantasy
adventure for middle grade readers, and is available from Wings Press under her real name,
Kathe Gogolewski. She also wrote a sci fi with romantic elements due from Double Dragon
Publishing in December, 2006. Ann is also the Romance Editor for the ezine for writers, The Muse
Marquee, and heads up the column, Heart Beat.
Writing under her real name, Kathe Gogolewski, Ann has won contests for her short stories with
Storyteller Magazine and The Writer’s Journal, The Complete Writer’s Magazine. She has also
won awards from Preditors and Editors for her children's story, Tato, and her adult fiction, A
Promise to Keep. Her short stories and poems have been published by Penwomanship, JacoByte
Books, and Long Story Short.
.
She has contributed to two anthologies: One, The Muse on Writing, is due for release from Double
Dragon Publishing in 2006. She wrote the chapter Finding and Writing in Your Own Voice. She
also wrote a chapter for the anthology Spiritual Visitations due from Zumaya Publications in 2008.
copyright TRI Studio LLC 2005
A Promise to Keep
a suspense with romantic elements
by Ann Durand
CLICK ON COVER TO ORDER
a suspense with romantic elements
by Ann Durand
CLICK ON COVER TO ORDER
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| CURTAIN CALL part II by Ann Durand TRI STUDIO BOOKS LLC |
