The road to love (editing!!)

Chapter 21 - Making music

Jessie’s POV

“So, which one is your ultimate favorite?”  I heard his melodic voice in my ear.

It was the following Saturday and Dean and I were currently sitting on his living room couch, discussing our shared love of musicals over a glass of wine, while listening to some soft music.  I’d come over to his flat this afternoon to spend some quality time with him at his place to make up for our lost time.  No interruptions, just us. 

Yes, I was hesitant at first that being totally alone might lead to other things, but after Sharon repeatedly told me what an idiot I was not to jump at any chance to be close to Dean, I’d called him and confirmed our date.  But not before hearing him whisper quite a few sweet nothings in my ear over the phone, which had my blood pressure rising and made me want to jump him in a broom closet somewhere. 

Note to self:  While at work, sweet nothings are not a good idea.

So, after  a slow walk along the beach close to his flat in Blouberg (which Dean suggested, the romantic!) and an early dinner in a small beach café, both of us talking a lot and laughing even more, we were back at his flat and I was in no mood to leave him yet.

So here I was, completely relaxed, sitting with my back to Dean’s chest while he slowly rubbed circles on my arms and talking about musicals.  Pure bliss.

“Well, that’s difficult to say,” I answer his question.  “I mean, it depends if it’s a stage or screen version. I have my stage favourites and my screen favourites.”

“Ok, so split it then.  Tell me your favourite in each and why.”

Mmmm…

“I think my favourite stage version would always be Les Miserables.  I went to go see it in the Artscape Theatre when I was younger and an Australian group was touring South Africa with their production.  It was the most amazing thing I’d seen on a stage to date.  Their costumes, their use of props, their total submersion in their characters on stage… everything.  I cried so hard when Éponine died as she sung A Little Fall of Rain!  I still remember it to this day.”

Dean smiled down at me and lightly kissed my nose, before settling his arm warmly around my waist.  “Such a little romantic being.”

I blushed of course. 

“What about screen?” came his next question.

I cocked my head to the side, thinking, while slowly sliding my finger up and down his arm, feeling him shudder lightly under my touch.  Interesting…  “There are just too many.  I mean, from the old Fred Astaire movies to today’s version of Phantom of the Opera… I could just watch them all.”  I felt Dean shift a bit under me, sitting more comfortably.  “So, what about you?  Which ones are your favourites?”

“Which ONE…”

“One?”

“Yes, I only have one ultimate favourite, both on stage and screen.  It’s Fiddler on the roof.”

“Fiddler, really?”  Ok, I did not picture him as a Tevye fan, at all.  “Why?”

Dean got a far off look in his eyes before answering.  “It was my mother’s favourite.  She had the complete soundtrack on vinyl when I was small.  We used to listen to it all the time, trying to dance like they did in the movie.  I knew all the words to the songs by the time I was 8.”  He smiled down at me again.  “Fiddler on the roof holds special memories for me, though my mother instilled the love of all musicals in me.”

I couldn’t help myself.  I turned my body around, halfway climbing up Dean’s torso, to give him a slow kiss.  I was trying to ease the memories of missing his mother that I could see in his eyes.