Forever & Always || Redlyn

A Callback

Ashlyn had gone to and from New York City. It truly was a whirlwind for her. One second she was exiting a plane, the next she was anxiously talking to Big Red over the phone as she waited for her audition, and then she was back home with her family.

"Mommy!" Hazel ran into Ashlyn's arm. She quickly lifted her up.

"I missed you." Ashlyn smiled, kissing her forehead. "Where's Daddy?"

"He's in the shower. We thought you weren't gonna be home for a few hours."

"Plans changed. Your brother asleep?"

"Yeah." Hazel nodded.

"Mkay. How're you?" Ashlyn sat down with Hazel in her lap.

"Good." She curled up in her mother's arms.

"Good." She beamed.

"I love you Mommy."

"I love you more." Ashlyn kissed the top of her head. Hazel drifted to sleep in a matter of minutes. Ashlyn was envious of this, as she was exhausted.

But in a few minutes, Big Red left the bathroom. He had a towel around his waist, yet to change into clothes, humming. He definitely didn't expect his wife to be sitting on the couch, with his daughter in her lap.

"Ash, you're back?" He sat beside her.

"Yeah! Flight went fast, we boarded on time, it was really good."

"Yeah?" He let her lean on his shoulder. "How about the audition?"

"I think it was pretty good. I may not get a callback, but it was an open casting call. Tons of people were there, I don't expect much, but I'm proud of how it went."

"Good. That's all you can do, try your best."

"I just hope it's enough." She nodded.

"It's enough, even if you don't get the part. Or even the callback. But fingers crossed you do."

"Way ahead of you."

Ashlyn spent around three weeks waiting to hear back. And when she finally got an email, she waited all day until Big Red got off work to open it when he was there. That day was anxious enough as it was, due to Hazel being sick and her attempts to keep herself and Thomas healthy. But with the added looming thought of opening the email, she was irritable.

"Hey babe!" Big Red kissed her cheek when he got home. "How are you?"

"Fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." She nodded. "Sorry, I'm just on edge. So I guess I'm not exactly fine."

"How come?"

"I got the email."

"Have you opened it?" He immediately understood what email she was referring to, as it had had his wife anxious for quite some time.

"No. I've been waiting for you. I'm really nervous."

"Okay, we can open it together. How's Hazel?"

"She's still really warm. I think she'll be fine though. Thomas is finally, and I mean finally asleep. Hazel's taking a nap too." She sat with him in the coach, opening up her laptop.

"Then it's just us. Open it." He held her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Okay. Okay." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, as she clicked on the email. "What's it say?"

"See for yourself." He replied. She could hear his smile, which filled her with hope. She opened her eyes and only got through the first line of the email before turning to him.

"Oh my God." She hugged him. "Oh my God."

"Congratulations." He hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead a few times. He rubbed her back.

"I can't— wow." She said, tears building in her eyes. "This is amazing. It's just a callback, but it means they might want me. And it's Broadway." She paused. "Broadway!"

"I'm so proud of you."

"This means New York again, it could mean so much more, it could mean living in New York— this is insane!" She laughed, elated by the news.

"You deserve it."

"Wow, uh— thank you for pushing me to try this. I'm gonna go tell EJ. And Mom and Dad. And probably— yeah, I'm gonna tell a lot of people."

"See you later!" He laughed as she walked to their room, already pulling out of phone.

"Love you!"

"Love you too!"