"Once Upon Love" (A Modern "Cyrano de Bergerac" story)

6: Opening Night

SATURDAY

The cool morning air fluffed the collar of Madi's coat as she carefully made her way out to Matt, waiting in his car. As soon as she was settled, Matt handed her a stack of papers.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Your new script," he said casually.

"What was wrong with the old one?" she inquired, though she already knew the true reason.

"Oh, nothing really," Matt replied with little concern in his voice, "I just felt it was—oh, how shall I say this—not quite Carnegie caliber? I made a few modifications; improved it, y'know."

Madison flipped through the pages, not believing the drastic "modifications" she was reading. Whole lines had been swapped, an entire conversation omitted, and there was a final scene that she had not written.

"You messed with my script?"

>>>>>>>>>>>

Later that same morning, the Bergeriacs gathered in Regan's Corner for a "good-bye coffee" before they left to the Battle in Syracuse that afternoon.

"Good luck, boys," Ned said dolefully, "I wish I was going with you."

"Yeah, me too," Hayden agreed soberly. He clapped Ned on the shoulder. "Ned, can I talk with you a minute?"

"Two, if you like," the young man replied amiably.

They drew away to the back corner, where it was more private.

Hayden began, "Ned, you look worried. What's the matter?"

Ned hemmed and hawed. "Well, it's just I'm—concerned; nothing serious, probably irrational."

"Well, maybe I can help; what are you concerned about?"

"A friend."

"Whom?"

"She's not in any mortal danger—"

"She? Madi?" Hayden shouted the name so loud that the Bergeriacs chatting nearby fell silent.

Ned put a frantic finger to his lips. "Shush! If any of this gets out, it'll be bye-bye-forever Ned!"

"What happened?"

"Ok, you know that play Madi wrote?"

"Once Upon Love?"

"Yeah; Matt didn't appreciate her humor—"

"Well, the audience thought it was funny!"

"—and he wanted to rewrite it to make the prince look smarter, and the girl look dumber."

Hayden paused, "But . . . Matt can't write!"

"No, he can't, so he comes to me and tells me to rewrite the script for him, and here's the scary part: he wanted me to add a wedding at the end!"

Hayden looked at his friend in horror. "A wedding?" he gasped.

"Uh-huh, he told me all about it: he's gonna have a real minister at the Carnegie performance. I think he's gonna force Madi to marry him, right there on the stage!"

"WHAT?"

"Shh! Hayden, please! If word gets back to Matt that I told anyone, worst of all you, he has a letter ready to send to my parents, telling them the truth about how I got here, and they'll pull me out quick as you can blink! I love it here at Ballard, but I like Madi, too, and I knew I could never live with myself knowing that I literally had a hand in this!"