Free Center Stage by Bernadette Marie Page B

Simone both nursed their babies.
    Arianna set the dishes in the sink and opened the dishwasher as her mother walked into the kitchen.
    “You’re all moved in?”
    “Yes. I finally have everything in its place.”
    “Good. And you’re comfortable with John in the basement?”
    Arianna began loading the dishwasher. “Yes.”
    “Ah.” Her mother’s German accent grew thicker the older she became. Arianna always wondered if it was something that mentally kept her connected to her past. Perhaps if she kept the accent, she’d still have that part of her.
    Her mother went about putting away items in the refrigerator as Arianna filled the dishwasher, but then she felt her nearby.
    She turned to see her standing with her hands on her hips.
    “You don’t have anything to share with me?”
    “Such as?” Arianna matched her mother’s stance.
    “You and John. I’m not blind, Arianna. What has happened between the two of you?”
    Arianna’s hands dropped to her side. “I think I’ve fallen in love with him. That’s what’s happened between us.”
    The swinging door that led into the kitchen opened, and Madeline walked in. “Thank goodness you got that out in the open. I couldn’t eavesdrop any longer.”
    Arianna laughed. Madeline was as close a sister to her as Regan. She’d missed her for years when her brother was so stupid to have divorced her.
    “Why did you have to eavesdrop? Regan already knew all of this.”
    “Of course she did. That’s why we all know about it. But I wanted to hear for myself.”
    Arianna walked to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. If she and her sister were young, she’d have taken hold of her hair and pulled until she cried for sharing her secrets. Then again, they must not have been very secret if Regan was sharing them. Regan didn’t gossip for spite.
    By the time she’d sat down, the kitchen filled with Simone and Regan each carrying their babies. Soon Clara was following close behind. Thank goodness she was. At least they wouldn’t be embarrassing her about her sex life in front of Clara.
    “Clara, are you familiar with the musical Annie ?” she asked her niece.
    “Isn’t everyone?”
    That was true enough. “You’re right. Did you hear that Zach bought a new building, and it’s a theater?”
    “I thought everyone bought it for you ,” she said innocently as Madeline reached for her and pulled her close.
    She gave her an enormous hug from her seat. “No one was supposed to tell her that.”
    “I didn’t know it was a surprise.”
    Arianna reached for Clara’s hand. “It was a wonderful surprise, and I’m going to make you all proud. And I was thinking of Annie as the first production. It was the first show I ever saw, and I saw it at the Rockwell Theater.”
    “That would be neat,” Clara said.
    “Will you help me with it?”
    Clara’s eyes widened, and she exchanged glances with Madeline and then looked back at Arianna. “Really?”
    “I think you’d be the perfect choice.”
    “To help you?”
    “Yes. But I also thought you’d be a perfect Annie.”
     
     
     

Chapter Ten
     
    The atmosphere in the truck was much different than on the drive over to Arianna’s parents’ house. She was at ease, and John wasn’t near as tense either.
    He’d wrapped his arm around her shoulder once he was on the highway headed home. She rested her head against him.
    “I think this theater is going to be wonderful.”
    He hummed his agreement. “It’s going to be a lot of work.”
    “I know, but I’m ready for that.”
    “Zach asked me to work on it. He said since it’s a Benson, Benson, and Hart acquisition, it’s part of my job.”
    Arianna leaned up against him closer. “So I’ll get to see you work?”
    “I’m not a nice guy when I work. You might not want to be around.”
    She lifted her lips to his ear. “You can’t get rid of me of me like that. You’re stuck with me.”
    His arm tightened around her shoulders. “That’s exactly what