Standing By

Too Trusting

(Kevin)

I hummed lightly to myself as I made my way down the hall, nodding a hello at others as they passed. One looked curious as to what I had in my hand and I chuckled to myself, feeling six little legs scuttle across my palm frantically. I lifted my hand to my face and moved a finger to look at the beetle. The poor thing had to be scared to death after that battle in the dressing room. Now, I'd have understood it it had been a poisonous spider or even a slightly dangerous bug, but a beetle? I've been around beetles enough to know this little thing wouldn't hurt anyone. And everyone in there had been grown men. And one grown woman. I found the whole thing beyond ridiculous. "It's OK, little guy, KO's got you now. I'll take good care of you."

A guy walking by me with an armful of lighting equipment turned his head and gave me an odd look. I just grinned at him, not really caring what he thought of me. He muttered under his breath that I was a 'weird dude'. Well, you're the one talking to yourself; at least I'm talking to another living creature!

I turned to my left and opened the door outside, leaning out just enough to place him gently on the leaf of a nearby bush. "Sorry, little guy. I know it's cold out here, but this is where you belong."

I pulled back in and gave a good shudder. Brrr. Starting to walk back down the hall to the dressing room, I heard crying and paused in my step. Where was it coming from? I tilted my head. Seemed to be coming from one of the rehearsal rooms. I glanced in the two that were wide open, then placed a hand on the door of a third, only partially opened. Yep, there it was. I peered inside.

"Um, hello?" I asked uncertainly, eyes moving back and forth, sweeping the room. "Is everyone OK in here?" My gaze lit on someone on the couch, head in her hands. She looked up. Ariana. Not fully trusting her, I glanced away. "I'm sorry. I should not have intruded."

"It's OK." She hiccuped, looking at me for a long minute. "I'm stressed out."

"Yes... it's stressful," I agreed cautiously, starting to turn back to the door. "Again, I apologize."

"It's Kevin, right?" she asked tearfully.

I nodded. "Is there, ahh... anything I can do to help you?"

"Maybe." Ariana uncurled from the couch, wiping her face and blowing her nose. "God, I'm disgusting."

"I can deal," I assured her, starting to feel a touch bad for her. Just a little bit. It is hard to be thrown together in a show with a wide variety of other artists and told to make it come together into a well-polished Christmas show. "What can I do?"

She padded her way barefoot to the door, wiping her face with her hands. "I'm going to need to go back to makeup again. They're going to hate me."

"Hey," I said gently, putting a hand on her arm. "It'll be OK. Take a few breaths. Try to relax."

"I'll try," she whispered, still rubbing at her eyes, her eye makeup now smeared across her cheek. Oddly enough, her eyes didn't seem very red. I paused, frowning, as I tried to make sense of it.

Ariana sniffled. "Hey, Kevin, can I—" Hic! "—show you something?"

"OK," I said slowly, still watching her eyes carefully. If she'd been crying, her eyes ought to be red. Her nose ought to be slightly reddened. Her complexion ought to be blotchy. She definitely looked a veritable mess, though I couldn't be completely certain that she'd truly been crying.

"Kevin?" she asked, blowing her nose with one hand and putting the other on my elbow.

I turned in her direction. "I'm coming. What do you want to show me?"