“Now remember,” Violet was saying, “you are Puck, the merry wanderer of the night. When you cross the stage, it needs to have a certain ethereal magic to it.”

“You aren’t suggesting he prance and mince his steps, are you?” Joanie asked. “That would make him look silly.”

Violet turned her head to look at her. Lindsey knew Violet well enough to know that she was not pleased to have Joanie adding her two cents to her directions.

The fire in her eyes made it quite clear that if Joanie didn’t shut her yap, she was going to go the way of Brian Loeb and be banned from the theater for the duration of the show.

Lindsey stepped forward. “Dylan, you were wonderful. Robbie would be very proud.”

Dylan flushed and looked down at the stage. Lindsey couldn’t tell if it was pleasure or embarrassment making him shy. She hoped it was the former.

“Thank you, Ms. Norris,” he said.

“Your mother tells me you’re having a birthday soon,” she said. “What date is it? I’ll be sure to have cupcakes at the library just for you, our star.”

“It’s the twenty-third of October,” he said.

Lindsey had to concentrate on keeping her expression completely neutral. She could feel her blood pounding through her body. She did not believe in coincidences, and this was a huge one.

“I’ll be sure to note it on the calendar,” she said.

“If you two don’t mind,” Violet said, “Dylan and I have work to do.”

“Yes, of course,” Lindsey said. “I’m heading back to wardrobe right now.”

Violet turned to Joanie and asked, “Aren’t you assisting with ticket sales and ushering?” Her point that Joanie needed to go find something else to do was lost on no one. Joanie’s mouth turned down in the corners.

“Yes, I am.” She turned to her son. “I’ll meet you here after rehearsal.”

“Thanks, Mom,” he said.

Lindsey watched as Dylan’s mother made her way up to the front of the theater, where the ticket office was. She knew that several of the spouses and parents of the cast and crew were helping to take turns selling tickets and working as ushers on the nights of the performance. Right now they were all meeting in the lobby of the theater for training.

“Your mother seems very excited about your part in the play,” Lindsey said.

“She’s done so much for me,” Dylan said. “I’d do anything to repay her.”

He had a fierce light in his eye, and Lindsey felt a sense of unease drape over her like a cloak. She couldn’t help but wonder exactly how far he would go to repay his mother for all her years of care.

20

“Dylan? Our Dylan?” Beth asked. “You can’t be serious.”

“You should have seen his face,” Lindsey said. “He looked as if he would do anything for his mother.”