t of tely clear  a  of clouds. e o arrive an ty bad all day about talked to Jamie t before. S nice to me, and I kne Id been a jerk. I saed to go up to apologize to  Id said, but s of slip back into t the chance.

    S time I finally arrived, and I sao Miss Garber and , off to one side, over by tains.

    Everyone ion,  srangely let put on ume yet-so o give t angelic appearance-and sill er s sce my trepidation at  react, I o them.

    quot;; I said. quot;hello, Reverend . . . Miss Garber.”

    Jamie turned to me.

    quot;; sly. I could tell s t before, too, because s smile at me like salk to cook a feeps off to t of ance.

    I glanced around tage nervously.

    quot;Im sorry about t nig; I began. quot;I kno your feelings, and I o hem.”

    S me, as if wondering wo believe me.

    quot;Did you mean t; she finally asked.

    quot;I  in a bad mood, ts all. I get sort of imes.quot; I knew I  really answered ion.

    quot;I see,quot; s as s before, turned toy seats in t sad look in her eyes.

    quot;Look,quot; I said, reac;I promise to make it up to you.quot; Dont ask me  just seemed like t to do at t moment.

    For t time t nigo smile.

    quot;t; surning to face me.

    quot;Jamie?”

    Jamie turned. quot;Yes, Miss Garber?”

    quot;I t ready for you.quot; Miss Garber ioning h her hand.

    quot;Ive got to go,quot; so me.

    quot;I know.”

    quot;Break a leg?quot; I said. iso be bad luck. ts o quot;break a leg.”

    I let go of ;e both will. I promise.”

    After t,  ready, and  our separate icated, considering t it ed in Beaufort, e dressing rooms t made us feel as if ual actors, as opposed to students.

    My costume,  the dressing room.

    Earlier in ts taken so t tered, and I ting dressed whe door unannounced.

    Eddie ill in tting on e bums costume, and error in  least once a  out of t as ume on t t on table in front of the mirror.

    quot;So,quot; Eric said ;o do?”

    I looked at ; do you mean?quot; I asked.

    quot;About tupid. You gonna flub up your lines or something?”

    I s;No.”

    quot;You gonna knock t; Everyone kne the props.

    quot;I  planned on it,quot; I ansoically.

    quot;You mean youre going to do traight up?”

    I nodded. t even occurred to me.

    me for a long time, as if he were seeing someone hed never seen before.

    quot;I guess youre finally gro;  last. Coming from Eric, I  sure ended as a compliment.

    Eit.

    In tom ton is amazed mas unate.

    t  of toms mout;Youre beautiful,quot; and I o say t ttom of my . tal moment in tire play, and it sets tone for everyt er I still  nailed t.

    Sure, I said t t come off too convincingly, seeing as I probably said t Jamie, ion of . It  it. I kept trying to imagine someone else as t I could get it just rig rying to concentrate on, it kept getting lost in the shuffle.

    Jamie ill in ains finally opened. I didnt see  t  fe include  tom ton and ionser.

    No too nervous  on stage, being t Id re it s you rig actually ely packed, and as Miss Garber ed, to set up tra ros all the back.

    Normally t four  s t least anoty people sitting doion, people anding against the walls, packed like sardines.

    As soon as I stepped on stage, everyone ely quiet. ticed, ype, t play bingo and drink Bloody Marys at Sunday bruncting  o be standing in front of ted for me to say something.

    So I did t I could to put it out of my mind as I did t feer, by t of small, and  t as acular or anytains for act t time everyone pitc all costs.

    I still  seen Jamie-I guess s from moving props because ume  on one of t I didnt ime to t o do. t tain  storefronts and looking in er s for Cmas. My back urned from  I ively draage. I t it  before, but no  absolutely ill. Just to tage, I sao turn around, and  .

    For t time since Id knoo a tigead it ter in  caugage ligal  against e dress tailored exactly for  ely amazing to be look like tly to kno a lot, just enougo bring out tness of ures. Sly, as if s close to , just like t called for o do.

    Sly like an angel.

    I knotle, and I just stood t  seemed like a long time, so silence, until I suddenly remembered t I o deliver. I took a deep breat it out.

    quot;Youre beautiful,quot; I finally said to orium, from t to my friends in t I actually meant it.

    Id nailed t line for t time.