The Moment Before You Fall

Twenty-nine: Good Riddance

*** Abigail's POV ***

I am feeling good as I head into my second to last night at the dinner theater. My friends and colleagues know and seem supportive of the move. Kristoff and Erica are promising amazing things to come professionally. And Benjamin...I sigh dreamily thinking about how perfect today was spent with him.

"Hey. Don't hate me." Meg says, plopping down in the seat next to me.

"Oh boy." Frannie says as she hands me the moisturizer for under my stage makeup.

"I told Tim about your departure. He didn't take the news well." Meg dumps this news in my lap.

I think for a moment and try to crack a joke. "He should be happy. He gets you back."

"He thinks you're leaving because of him." She continues, biting her lip and glancing over at me.

I finish applying my moisturizer, my eyes stinging a bit. I blink rapidly and wiggle my nose. "And you set him straight, right?"

"Of course. I just want you to be prepared for when he shows up in a pissy sort of mood." She says.

"It wouldn't be all that different than how he's been acting since you told him you didn't want to be more than friends." Frannie points out, starting to brush powder on my face.

We continue chit-chatting. The girls ask all about my job and I admit that I'm a little intimidated by it all. They both build me up and assure me that I'm going to do great.

It isn't long until the start of the show and I haven't seen Tim yet, which is odd. I ask Meg. "Tim is still coming tonight, right?"

"Last I knew." Meg replies. "He's not here?"

I shake my head. As if on cue, the door slams open. But it's only Max.

"Abigail...you have some...er...fans who apparently couldn't wait." He ushers in a flushed-face Carlie and an equally blushing boy who I assume is her beau. Max tells me quietly. "They were caught sneaking around back here without supervision, but she claims she is related to you. I thought you were an only child?"

"I'll handle it." I say. I step up and Carlie throws her arms around me.

She whispers. "I'm sorry. I said I wanted to see you and Brandon just sort of took charge..."

"Let's mess with him." I whisper playfully. I narrow my eyes at the sheepish boy and say loudly. "Is this the punk that is going to pay the security fines? I mean, I can also just turn you two over to the authorities as trespassers."

"Fines? Authorities? Hey look, I didn't mean to break any rules." The kid tries to defend himself.

I look at Carlie and give her a subtle wink. She relaxes a bit, then turns on the fake fear, playing along. "We don't have any money. I guess we could volunteer to do something like wash dishes to work it off."

"Whose idea was it? I have an even worse job entailing bathrooms." I put my hands on my hips for authority.

"I take full responsibility. Carlie wasn't involved. I made her..." Brandon cracks under the pressure.

Carlie and I exchange a look, and both crack up. When I turn my eyes to the kid again, he's starting at us in disbelief. He asks, "Are you two messing with me?"

Carlie nods, still laughing with tears in her eyes. I reach my hand out to shake Brandon's hand. "Good to meet you, Brandon. I couldn't mess with you any longer when you accepted full responsibility for your actions."

"So, we're not in trouble?" He seeks clarification.

"Nope. Just messing with you." I admit. He's a good sport and actually does apologize for his eagerness. I let him off the hook but tell them they need to be on their best behavior because technically they should be accompanied by a guardian if they're under 16.