Chapter 2: Red Hands.

Janine's POV

“LX 34 through 39, sound 25 standby.” I unlocked the button on the hip pack. “How’s that IQ coming along John?” It was the last night of the run and if I was to be honest with myself, my baby was becoming a toddler, something I had never had any luck with. It was an honest run of six months and besides an actor getting the flu at the very last moment (two nights ago) I was praying that everything would go well on this last night.

“LX standing by.” Came blaring into my left ear, I turned it down and waited for sound. “Sound standing by.”

I nodded, even though they couldn’t see me and pointed my next word to John who was still fiddling with the board.

I waited until they were a couple more lines into the scene before asking someone from the lighting crew to head up towards the follow spot platform during brief intermission. I watched Act 3. Scene 3 in particular because it was Dan’s turn to come on.

Dan was the replacement for Rosencrantz. I owed him one. I always try my best to make myself look professional when I watch him, but I can’t help sometimes, those big beautiful blue eyes...Ugh! I shook myself out of my own reverie and gave myself a little slap on the cheek for good measure. Keep it together; you still have two more acts to go!


I sat up a little straighter and flipped a couple paged in the prompt book to get to where we were and waited with baited breath before going back to the com pack to guide the fade out and Intermission began.

I pressed the button on the com again.

“Is someone on headset up on Follow-spot?”

“Follow-spot.” Came the prompt reply, and I gave a little sigh of relief.

“Do you know how to run it?”

“Yes’m.”

“Alright, everyone let’s get ready for Act 4.”

Two hours and three encores later we were finally getting everything ready for the next day. I sent out an email on my blackberry on the ride home in the taxi.

Hello everyone!
Great way to end the show! I hope to see you bright and early tomorrow for the load out (@ 10:00 because we all deserve a cuppa that isn’t rushed!!). Please remember your safety equipment and some clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Thanks!
Janine D.

Mere moments later, I received a couple words for the heads of each department via email and a text message from Daniel.

Earl Grey?

I smiled a bit. True to all the things I had read about my favorite actor from my teens (which I had kept a secret from him and everyone else, thankfully) Daniel Radcliffe did, in fact, keep a record of people’s names and teas in a notebook he carried in his back pocket. If there was someone who understood the workload it was him and honestly, I can hardly get time to get my own tea in the morning, let alone everyone on stage.

Hmm. Usually, I replied, but I’m feeling like tomorrow is going to be a Chai day.

I paid the cabby and then unlocked the front door and let myself in and pressed the button for the elevator. My pocket vibrated and I couldn’t help the girlish part of me that smiled widely. I didn’t check it until after the doors closed in front of me.

XP too spicy in the morning for me. See you at 10.

I frowned. That email was sent out to all the crew members, as per usual the actors didn’t need to be there for load out, especially the fact that they wouldn’t know what to do with most of the equipment in terms of storage. I was about to text him back when I noticed the the door to my flat was open and an angry looking flatmate and good friend, Autumn, was looking at me.

“You won’t believe the nerve-“ she started. While I entered and put away my things Autumn went to explain the entirety of her day from how good she felt in the morning to when she left the theatre after lunch to the run in with the band who had taken her spot.

“He wouldn’t leave! The asshole. He wouldn’t even admit that he was being one for that matter. What give him the right to walk onto MY stage-“

“You’re opening.”

“-and decide that just because he was there earlier-“

“Like your contract states you should be.”

“-and so HE gets the spot. What the hell’s that about?”

“Well-“

“-you should’ve seen him Janine, all high and mighty-“

“Autumn.”

“-I can’t believe that he didn’t even know who I was-“

“Autumn!”

“-doesn’t he keep up with his OWN scene?”

“AUTUMN!”

She finally looked over. “Jeeze you don’t have to shout, I’m right in front of you.”

I could feel my eye twitching. “Sweetbabyjeebus,” I muttered and turned her contract over to her.

“Look, Pete sent me over the copy of your contract and it says right here that rehearsal space –although slotted for time- can and will be determined by main and opening acts in accordance to attendance if there is enough time in which the space isn’t being used. And this is technically the contract Peter signed with the rehursal space people, it’s not really yours but you have to obide by it so-”

“Are you serious?!” She wrenched the paper from me and I took off my square framed glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose as I listened to the crinkling of the paper in her hand.

“That’s so fucking stupid! Just because I was there ON TIME-“

I stood up, “Listen Autumn. I agree with you, he shouldn’t’ve been a douche and given you the stage, believe me I understand. What you need to understand about the industry is the fact that 15 minutes early is on time and on time is late and late is fired. SO.” I took the contract from her. “If you want your space just be there earlier, and I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can really do because I’m not management. I’m just the Stage Manager.”

Autumn frowned and curled a lock of purple hair behind her ears. “What do you mean? I thought they called and wanted you to be the production manager.”

“They did, however I don’t think I can actually do it well, so I told them I’ll shadow whoever they decide to hire for production and just stick with stage managing.”

“…oh.”

I smirked. “Don’t sound so down about it, I still get nine-hundred quid a week.”

Her mouth dropped, “I’m only at five.”

I puffed out my chest in mock pride. “Well when you get to my level darling…”

We laughed and then decided to get take-away (take out, I’m getting pretty good at British slang) from the Lucky Cat just around down the street. When I found out there was a flat near the store featured in Sherlock I jumped at the chance to see it. And so now Autumn and I have been flat-mates for almost a year.

-

I was up at 07:45 as per usual, and even though it was an hour later than usual I couldn’t help the feeling that something big (besides the load out) was happening today. I brushed my teeth and hair, pulling the long waist length waves into a messy bun and putting on my paint jeans (from when I went to school for this stuff...yikes, I feel old) and my paint shirt which was an old shirt I had made for my house when I was obsessed.

He’s not coming today, my mind thought lazily, and so no makeup, or done up nails, I put on some button earrings and grabbed my mobile and headed out to my favorite café two blocks from my flat Le Tasse Rouge. I sat at my usual table overlooking the roundabout and watched the cars merging for a while before I heard someone say: “Is this seat taken?”

I looked up and to my surprise bright crystal blue eyes were looking down at me, Dan had two cups of tea in his hands. I moved the napkins and sugar jar to make room.

“Of course! Please.”

“Thanks.” He placed the tea cup down in front of me and smiled.

“What are you doing here?”

His brow furrowed for a moment. “Did you not get my message?”

I blinked and then like a wave crushing down on me I remembered with horror that I had completely gotten sidetracked and ignored his text, I couldn’t help my hands flying in front of my mouth. “Shit! I am so sorry, Autumn was ranting to me about her day and I totally forgot about it.”

Dan chuckled and took a sip from his cup. “It’s fine. So why did you come here?”

“This is my favorite –well –it’s the only decent café near my flat.” I took the teacup and played with the rim thinking.

“So how nice is it being home?”

“It’s good.” He replied leaning back. “I got to visit my parents and hang out with a couple of friends who are as incredibly hard to get a hold of as it was before. But it’s nice.”

“Good.” I smiled and sipped. And took a glance over him. Just like me he had jeans that were slightly spattered in paint and a grey t-shirt with multiple grease stains.

“Listen, I have a question.” He said suddenly, his rubbed his hands on his pants once before resting them there. “I hear you’re the Production manager for a European tour-“

“More like an assistant, I’m mostly going to be doing the stage managing like this one, only with a couple more things but continue.”

“I’m working on something and I need to get out of London, get inspiration so to speak.”

My eyes narrowed a bit. “Alright…”

“Can I come with you?”

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly, “You’d have to be doing something in order for me to justify your attendance.”

“Do you need an assistant?” he said quickly. I thought about it for a while. Usually for concerts ASM’s are unnecessary as it would only be a truckload of props as opposed to costumes and everything. Seeing as I was going to start bridging the gap between Production Manager and Stage I thought maybe he would come in handy.

“It would be convenient.” I admitted, “But would you be able to even write anything if you became my assistant.”

“Of course!”

I smirked. “No offense Daniel-“

“Dan, please.” He insisted and I shook my head a little.

“Sorry, look, if you can convince the Production Manager...Gary.” I pulled out my notebook from my back pocket and started scribbling down the number. “And convince him I would adore having you alone- I mean along.”

I cleared my throat and pretended that I needed to rummage around in my bag for something so I wouldn’t have to meet his face.

--

“Whoa.”

“Yup, she’s a beaut eh?” I said looking at the posh tour bus, I looked over at Autumn and grinned. “You’ve got drool on your coat.”

“Shut up.”

Snickering, I got on the bus and a hand waved me towards the back. It was Daniel. I waved back and then looked at Autumn pointedly as her “arch nemesis” she claimed got on the bus. Now it was really going to start.