Crossover Crossroads (The Kell and Maille Story)

001: Alone in the wardrobe

Bravery wasn't her forte.

Maille Mann lounged in wardrobe where she'd been cooling her heels for the last several hours, waiting for her famous sisters.

There wasn't a trace of resentment on her features until she went to push open the outer door and heard voices directly outside. She realized it was those same two sisters, the two whose band she was in, who had a gig this weekend, who were supposed to be returning to Park City tonight, and who were now discussing ways to ditch their little sister. She eased the door down to a sliver and listened to their strident voices enumerating their reasons for not wanting to take her home.

She'd gotten Melia's text that she needed a babysitter for Hannah and Abbie on set until the nanny could come get them. In return, Melia promised to take Maille to dinner and then home.

She heard Megan complain about having to drive Maille home when her new husband, Steve, had just promised to take her out to a romantic night of dancing. Melia's reply had been frustrated at having to take her anywhere at all, as she'd had such a long day on set and was hoping to have a quiet evening at home with her kids. They must have forgotten they'd already made plans to have dinner with her. That was actually the only reason she was still hanging around here. For them!

Not for the first time, Maille leaned against the door, her hand covering her face, as she realized she was the third party, the unmarried sister. She knew it! They knew it! They needed her in the band, with her technical skills and her voice, but they didn't need her in their lives. She was always in the way.

Her eyes filled with tears as she forced herself cruelly to listen to the rest of her sister's unknowing, yet unmistakably annoyed tirade. That they wanted her to disappear was obvious, that they knew she had nowhere to go was obvious as well.

She squeezed her eyes shut, ground her fists into her sides and in utter despair, slid down the door.

Not long after, the voices drifted away, neither coming to any conclusion, nor realizing the pain they had unwittingly caused.

Maille ran her finger under her nose, rummaged through her purse looking for a Kleenex, and not finding one began to use her skirt hem which was draped around her feet when a fresh handkerchief appeared as if by magic in front of her face.

"Use it." A deep male voice commanded, and Maille's eyes rose, startled. "But keep it out of your eyes, your mascara is running."

Consternation bit at the callused words, but Maille accepted the white cloth and blew her nose obediently. She started to wad it up and retire it to her purse when the hand that had previously held it reached for it and snatched it out of her fingers. With a quick flick and a fold in another direction, the hankie had disappeared in the fold of an elaborately designed medieval costume.

Maille swallowed hard, and flicked her eyes up and down the dark mahogany breeches, the white ruffled sleeves and chocolate hip length vest adorned with gold braid and elaborate medals. The regal stance of the man and his imperious swagger alerted her self-preservation instincts. The actors didn't hang out in wardrobe, only the costume personnel who retrieved costumes for the actors. Who was this guy?

Sisters and predicament forgotten-- she felt her heart pounding unbearably hard. In fact, she could hear it thudding out of control in her ears. A tremble started in her shoulders and worked its way from back to stomach in seconds flat.

"I didn't know anyone was here." She struggled to push herself up, but a well-groomed brown hand was there in front of her again, and without hesitation, she gripped it and stood. (Shouldn't she have felt hesitation? Was she this stupid? A strange man was alone in the wardrobe with her, and it was after hours and people were leaving!)

"Nor did I." said a deep voice, a little snide, and a bit British. With a flutter of tails, he whirled away and left her there. Maille stared after him incredulously, curiosity at war with her natural trepidation.

She didn't know him and she knew most of the actors on set. She knew a fair amount of the crew and the studio personnel. At least she thought she did. She stared into the half lit cavern and her eyes widened in dismay.

Melia was starring with Megan's husband Steve as the romantic interest in a swashbuckling adventure. There were other primaries as well, and Maille searched her memory for introductions to the man she'd just seen, but soon put it up to a set decorator, or a costume clerk, as she was sure she'd never encountered this guy before.

"I'll just be going now." She called into the stuffy air, but there was no reply, so Maille, confused, and embarrassed, turned to let herself out. Her hand on the doorknob, she turned one last time to the dim interior, but there was no movement as if the man had simply vanished. She turned the knob.

To her consternation, in a strange twist, the door was now locked.

*****