To say that the play was a smashing success was to put it mildly. The audience laughed and the audience cried, which is pretty much what they were supposed to do. But because of Jamies prese really became something special-and I think everyone in the cast was as shocked as I was at how well the whole thing had e off. They all had that same look I did when I first saw her, and it made the play that much more powerful when they were perf their parts. We fihe first performahout a hitch, and the evening even more people showed up, if you believe it. Even Eric came up to me afterward and gratulated me, which after what hed said to me before was somewhat of a surprise.
"The two of you did good," he said simply. "Im proud of you, buddy.」
While he said it, Miss Garber was g out, "Marvelous!" to anyone who would listen to her or who just happeo be walking past, repeating it over and over so much that I kept on hearing it long after I went to bed that night. I looked for Jamie after wed pulled the curtains closed for the final time, and spotted her off to the side, with her father. He had tears in his eyes-it was the first time Id ever seen him cry-and Jamie went into his arms, and they held each other for a long time. He was stroking her hair and whispering, "My angel," to her while her eyes were closed, and even I felt myself choking up.
The "right thing," I realized, wasnt so bad after all.
After they finally let go of each other, Hegbert proudly motioned for her to visit with the rest of the cast, and she got a boatload of gratulations from everyone backstage. She knew shed done well, though she kept on telling people she didnt know what all the fuss was about. She was her normal cheerful self, but with her looking so pretty, it came across in a totally different way. I stood in the background, letting her have her moment, and Ill admit there art of me that felt like old Hegbert. I couldnt help but be happy for her, and a little proud as well. When she finally saw me standing off to one side, she excused herself from the others and walked over, finally stopping when she was close.
Looking up at me, she smiled. "Thank you, Landon, for what you did. You made my father very happy.」
"Youre wele," I said, meaning it.
The strahing was, when she said it, I realized that Hegbert would be driving her home, and for once I wished that I would have had the opportunity to walk her there.
The following Monday was our last week of school before Christmas break, and finals were scheduled in every class. In addition, I had to finish my application for UNC, which Id sort of been putting off because of all the rehearsals. I planned on hitting the books pretty hard that week, then doing the application at night before I went to bed. Even so, I couldnt help but think about Jamie.
Jamies transformation during the play had been startling, to say the least, and I assumed it had signaled a ge in her. I dont know why I thought that way, but I did, and so I was amazed when she showed up our first m back dressed like her usual self: brower, hair in a bun, plaid skirt, and all.
One look was all it took, and I couldnt help but feel sorry for her. Shed been regarded as normal-even special-over the weekend, or so it had seemed, but shed somehow let it slip away. Oh, people were a little o her, and the ones who hadnt talked to her yet told her what a good job shed dooo, but I could tell right off that it wasnt