Little Disquietude by C. E. Case Read Free Book Online

the television, the
couch.
    "We have cable," Leah said.
    Sophia fell onto the couch. She sighed, sat
up, and took off her shoes.
    "Do you want tea?" Leah asked.
    "Water?"
    Leah went into the kitchen. When she came
back with a bottle of Evian, Sophia had taken off her dress and
folded it on the end of the couch, and wrapped herself in the
blanket that had lain along its back. She sat, Buddha-like, and
accepted the water.
    "Will you be all right?" Leah asked.
    "Yes. I'm just going to sit for a while, and
think about my life."
    "Okay." Leah went to the stairs, and stopped
on the first one to say, "I'll see you in the morning."
    Sophia raised her bottle in toast. "Tomorrow,
and tomorrow, and tomorrow."
    "Creeps in this petty pace," Leah said, going
up the stairs, counting each one.
    She kicked off her shoes and took off her own
dress, and pulled on the nearest robe before she collapsed into
bed, ignoring the blankets, letting the fan send feeble waves of
cool air over her back.
    She waited to fall asleep with a lightness in
her chest, an easing, knowing Sophia was nearby.
     
    * * *
     
    Screaming awoke Leah, along with the
realization that she'd forgotten to tell Adam that someone else was
here, and that she'd forgotten to inquire as to who was in Adam's
bedroom. She knew she wouldn't make it to the living room fast
enough to take back the screaming.
    Robe billowing, she flew down the stairs and
nearly ran into Ward. He caught her by the arms. "Morning," he
said.
    "Hello." She doubled over, panting, and
asked, "Is Sophia all right?"
    "Sophia is getting some orange juice," Sophia
said, walking by them, wearing Adam's bathrobe. Adam, in white
T-shirt and shorts, was blushing furiously and staring at Leah.
    "You were busy," Leah said.
    Adam looked guilty.
    Bert, the set designer, came through the
front door. "Good morning, ladies." He looked surprised, but Sophia
handed him the quart of orange juice, and he shrugged and settled
down at the table.
    Leah went back upstairs to shower.

Chapter Eight
     
    Leah, Adam, Ward, and Sophia walked to the
theater together. Then Sophia went past it, explaining that she was
going to sleep in her own bed. Now that Macbeth was playing
nightly there were only a few put-in rehearsals in the
afternoons.
    Adam took Ward and Leah to the prop room.
    "I know you can act and sing," he said. "But
can you act and sing with stuff?"
    "You know I've got stuff," Ward said, shaking
his hips.
    Adam giggled.
    Leah said, "I'm going to get more
coffee."
     
    * * *
     
    When rehearsal broke and Leah was soaked with
sweat and Ward had finished yelling and insulting her, Adam
informed them they had a week and a half off while costumes were
sewn and lighting was programmed into computers.
    "I hear there are some good plays nearby," he
said.
    She could sit through Macbeth again.
Somewhere Sophia couldn't see her, because that would be creepy.
She shrugged. Adam smiled. He brought it up again at dinner. The
three of them were together at the house, eating chicken breasts
with capers and wild rice.
    "Come clubbing with us Friday," Adam
said.
    "Where?"
    "Flamingo," Ward said.
    "No thanks. I don't want to be the only woman
in a gay bar. You remember what happened last time."
    Ward glanced at Adam.
    "They thought she was a man," Adam said.
    "You didn't have to tell him that."
    "It was very unpleasant," Adam said.
    "Very."
    Ward took another bite of rice.
    Leah glared at Adam.
    "So go to a girl bar," Adam said.
    "Adam. We're in North Carolina."
    He pushed a copy of the local weekly
newspaper across the table. "I circled some. You haven't been out
since we got here."
    "Neither have you."
    "Well, that's got to change. If you don't go
clubbing, at least go to a party."
    "We're hosting one," Leah said.
    "In a week, and that's for our show. Hardly
the event of the century," Adam said.
    "Some people are born social, and some have
socializing thrust upon them," Ward said. He waved his fork at
Leah.
    Adam gently pushed Ward's arm down,