Morrigan sighed dreamily as she beheld herself in the massive mirror that spanned the full length of one wall in her dressing room. She had been dressed in a stunning floor length gown that was fire engine red with a provocative slit that ran to the top of her thigh. The dress was covered in thousands of tiny white gems that sparkled when the light caught them and Mor could have died happy just then, from being dressed to the nines for her dream role.
Mor had taken up acting when she was eleven, and now that she had been acting for ten years, she had finally landed the lead role in a play that was near and dear to her heart and best of all, the play was showing on Broadway in New York City.
It was truly a dream come true and there was nothing more she could have asked for to perfect the life she was leading.
Almost nothing chose that precise moment to poke her head through the door and issue a low whistle at the show Mor could put on just standing in the gown alone on the stage doing nothing else.
“You do realise that half the cast and all the audience will likely faint when you walk on stage, right?” Andromache, her co-star in the play gushed, coming around to get a better view.
Mor flushed deeply, her nerves inevitably fried every time Andy paid her the slightest mind.
It was strange, Mor thought, to be such an accomplished actress but in the face of the stunning, brown haired beauty in front of her, she fell to absolute pieces and couldn’t hide her feelings.
Andy was aware of how she affected Mor and she often abused that knowledge but Mor found it hard to be angry with her despite it. The Broadway circuit was like this. You had to be able to goof around with your fellow cast members or the long hours would exhaust you.
Fortunately, this cast was a riot and there was always fun to be had.
Mor grinned broadly, cheeks still red, “Thank you, it’s what I was going for. I’d like to see all jaws on the floor by the end of the night.”
Andy grinned, “You can count me as your first victim.”
Mor couldn’t wipe the grin from her face. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
And indeed, dressed in a stunning and form fitting three piece suit with her hair pinned back to fit under a men’s bowler hat tipped slightly to cover one of her eyes, she was a sight to behold.
Mor swallowed as she drug her eyes up and down appraisingly.
Andromache bowed deeply at the waist, “Thank you, thank you. I do cut quite the dashing male figure, don’t I?”
She then righted herself and offered Mor her arm. “Allow me to escort you to the final act, my Lady?”
Mor’s eyes sparkled and she took Andy’s arm, “Well I would be remiss to decline such a gallant offer, good sir.”
Andy led Mor from her dressing room and the girls fell into a fit of uncontrollable giggles, causing much of the staff behind the scenes to pause and wonder what could possibly have their lead actresses so giddy.
Once backstage, Andromache released Mor’s arm and came to stand in front of her.
“Truly, Mor,” she pauses, eyes glittering with mischief, unable to tear her eyes away from Mor. “You are a beautiful woman, and a fantastic actress. You set the whole mood of this play and I could not have asked for a better co-star to share the spotlight with. I’m terribly sad that this is our final show together.”
Mor’s stomach dropped, it was an unpleasant truth. This would be the last time she would see Andy. Act with her. Joke with her. Touch her, even.
How could she have forgotten that this was it?
She had never gotten the courage to ask her out when they spoke outside of work.
“It has been a wild ride, Andy.” Mor whispered, wistfully, trying to hold back the unwelcome tears as she cursed herself inwardly for not having taken a chance.
Andy grinned and then leaned in and Mor’s heart started beating so swiftly she thought everyone around might be able to hear it.
Andy brushed a featherlight kiss against Mor’s cheek and then pulled back, an unnamed emotion flashing in her eyes.
“Break a leg, Mor.” And she withdrew, crossing behind the curtains to take her place on the opposite side of the stage.
Mor’s mind blanked and there was a moment when she couldn’t remember where she was, who she was or what she was supposed to be doing before a stagehand rushed over and ushered her to take her place, cursing about divas and their inability to do anything without being walked out on a red carpet.
Mor didn’t bother to correct the stagehand. She just barely got her wits together in time for the curtains to rise and the queue to start the final act.
As Andromache delivered her last line and Mor prepared to close out the show, the crowd was already whooping and hollering.
Mor took her place and rested her hands on Andy’s arms before the fake kiss that would end the show.
The adrenaline was flowing through her veins and she was breathless with exhilaration as she looked up into Andy’s eyes to see the same feelings reflected.
Mor stood on her tippy toes to “kiss” Andromache and the crowd went wild and all got to their feet in a riotous and incredibly loud standing ovation.
But Andy shifted and before Mor knew it, she was being swept into Andy’s arms and dipped for an earth shattering kiss.
Mor froze for a moment, unable to contain her shock before she met the ferocity of Andy’s lips with an eagerness that she no longer cared to hide.
As Andy’s tongue swept over her bottom lip, the crowd screamed and whistled while flowers of all shapes and colours were thrown on stage.
Andromache pulled away slightly and her startling blue eyes were luminous.
“I’m not ready to say goodbye to you, Morrigan.” She murmured, pulling Mor back upright so they could give their bows.
Mor then smiled brighter than all the stage lights currently spotlighting them and she took Andy’s hand in her own as they bowed alongside the rest of their cast and crew.
