Wanted: Hired Gun

by Ginny Sterling

  “Do you like it?” Garrison’s voice rang out in the silence. Posey immediately stuffed the stocking back in the box nervously and scrambled to her feet. He was standing there, leaning on the doorway watching her from across the large room. She didn’t know how long he’d been standing there.

  “The theater is amazing,” she admitted shyly. “Do you think we can open soon?”

  “I had fliers made up for you since we seem to keep missing each other. They’ll be ready this afternoon and I thought we could open this Friday evening – if that is okay with you?”

  “That’s perfect.”

  “Now, do you like it?” he asked again, this time in a more intimate and direct manner. Posey realized he’d not been asking about the theater the first time, but rather the gift from him.

  “The hat is lovely and the gloves – thank you,” she stammered.

  “And the stockings?”

  “The stockings are incredibly soft and gorgeous,” Posey said faintly, feeling her face flush again. “But that is a really personal gift to receive. You shouldn’t have, Garrison.”

  “Who better to receive them?”

  “You had better never give anyone else… oh,” she said irately and then stopped hearing his soft laugh. “You never intended to do that anyhow, did you?”

  “No, something like that would be just for my beautiful bride,” he replied, stepping forward and then stopping. “I’m glad you like them.”

  “I adore them but it’s quite an extravagant gift.”

  “Nothing is too much for you.” They stood there looking at each other for several moments. Posey knew she should go to him but her feet felt glued to the spot, like her legs would fail her if she tried to walk down the steps. Her knees were knocking something fiercely, and she was certain he knew it.

  “Why did you put Jones on the sign?” Posey whispered painfully. “Why not Garrison?”

  “Jones was your surname and this was always your dream. It seemed fitting,” he shrugged.

  “Garrison, I…” she began and stopped, unsure what to say or do. She saw his expression fell as he crossed his arms defensively. “I’ll be ready Friday.”

  “Sounds good,” he agreed, turning, and left the building. Posey collapsed again on the stage, but this time she felt her heart breaking in two instead of dreaming they could have a future together someday.

  14

  Today would be the day, and Posey was a complete nervous wreck. She’d never been like this back home in Chicago. Opening night had always been a thing of excitement and glamour, but here in Silverpines, this was her new home. She knew the people here. In Chicago, she knew no one in the audience – there was anonymity. Here she was Posey the strange girl that wore all the costumes and acted odd. Now, tonight – she would confirm it.

  Finding out that they would be opening on Friday had given her three days to prepare a new act. She had originally intended to do her Marie Antoinette skit because she adored the costume, the wig and the pomp that came with the show but now, she would do something a bit more sedate and accepted. Being on an illuminated stage in her underthings might really make Garrison angry or offend people and she didn’t want that.

  Instead, she would do a soliloquy from Romeo and Juliet, portraying herself as Juliet. It would be easy to get into character if she focused on when she lost her Romeo. Posey felt like she was losing Garrison a little bit each day. She didn’t know where he was spending all his time, but she was certain it wasn’t at home- or at the theater.

  She’d found a note on the kitchen table that said for her to take her time preparing herself for the performance and he would work the ticket booth so he could perform his job that she hired him for. Those words, that moment that she’d been nasty to him, were burned in her mind and apparently in his. Her Garrison had gotten his feelings hurt, and she didn’t know how to make things better.

  As she sat there in the dressing room at the theater, she carefully applied her face makeup to make certain the bright lights didn’t wash her out. She could hear the children playing around behind stage and had already shushed them twice. People were arriving, and she could hear the small din of chatter, as they all anticipated the show. She prayed they would have a full house tonight. At five cents a ticket, they could make back some of their precious money that had been spent over the last two months that Garrison has been here. Posey sighed heavily. Two months she’d been married to an extraordinary man… and she was losing him.

  “Posey?” Garrison’s voice carried through the door as he gently knocked. “Are you almost ready?”

  “You can come in,” she called out, as she finished applying color to her lips with a small brush. As the door opened, she couldn’t help the smile that came to her face as she looked up in the mirror. He looked incredible standing there in a black vest, slacks, and a dress shirt. His ribbon tie around his neck looked a little lopsided, but that just made it much more endearing to her. “You look fantastic.”

  “You are breathtaking,” he breathed reverently as he stared at her. Posey got up from her chair and turned to look at him. His eyes roved all over her as she stood there in the old-fashioned renaissance gown. She knew it wasn’t appropriate for Juliet but it was close enough and would do for now. “Thank you for not wearing that other costume.”

  “The belly-dancer?” she laughed lightly.

  “Yes, I might have a heart attack if you wore that on stage with the bright lights.”

  “It’s not that see-through,” she quipped, teasingly as she flushed with happiness at the adoration in his eyes.

  “Little Butterfly, it sure was! Someday I’m going to see that sweet little mole on your behind once again.”

  “Oh!” she gasped and then laughed, covering her bosom so it stayed tucked down into the bodice of her dress. “I guess maybe it was quite indecent.”

  “I loved it,” he admitted with a grin that made her heart flip happily in her chest. “These are for you.” Garrison brought out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back and held them towards her. She saw his hand shook, and she accepted them eagerly.

  “Thank you,” she whispered and then looked at him. “This won’t bother your lungs, will it?”

  “I wasn’t around them long enough.”

  “Good.”

  “Posey…?” he asked suddenly, running his fingers through his hair. “I wanted to tell you good luck tonight, but I know I’m not supposed to. It’s bad luck, right?”

  “You want to say, ‘break a leg’,” she smiled, taking another deep breath of the flowers.

  “Break a leg, Butterfly,” he said tenderly, reaching for her hand. He leaned forward and kissed her knuckles politely.

  “Do I look okay? I’m wearing your gift tonight,” she asked nervously and held up her skirt just a few bare inches off the floor, turning her ankle so he could see the flowers.

  “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life, and I will never forget how you look tonight.” Posey stepped forward at the same time that Garrison moved closer. He looked down at her and she stood there silently. She could hear the din of people getting louder and louder.

  “Posey?”

  “Garrison?”

  They blurted out each other’s names at the same time in order to break the silence between them. His endearing smile touched her heart, and she found herself reaching for his beloved face. Touching his cheek, he slowly turned and kissed the palm of her hand.

  “It’s time to start the show. Can we talk later?”

  “I think we should,” he agreed and stepped away, opening the door for her. Posey immediately went into business-mode and began lining up the children. Garrison disappeared. She heard him talking on stage, announcing their performance tonight, and thanking everyone. She wished she could see him up there, on the stage. Instead she closed her eyes and pictured him, as she heard his words.

  “Tonight, ladies and gentlemen – you are in for a real treat. Here at the Jones Theater, it has been my
beautiful bride’s dream to bring a bit of creativity, excitement and culture to Silverpines. We want to make you laugh, cry and keep you coming back for more over the years…so let the show begin!”

  Posey used the cue to send out the first act, the jugglers. The children had impressed her as they tossed about batons simply for fun. They’d not missed a beat when she’d seen them playing in the grassy field one day, and she’d offered them the job on the spot. The little batons they’d made flew gracefully at each other, and they could toss four at a time between them easily. She’d painted them white so they’d be easier to see against the red curtain and bought them tiny suits for the performance.

  Peering through the curtain, she saw Garrison standing on the side of the stage watching the show in fascination. He’d never seen them since she would go to their tents, fetch the children and join them in the field to watch them practice giving him room to work on the theater. As the batons flew faster and faster, she heard the applause and saw his smile widen appreciatively. His eyes then met hers and he nodded in acknowledgement. She’d done a spectacular job in picking the act.

  The second act was another duo of talented teens she’d met. One day, when she’d been working with the children and the batons she spied twin girls dancing with ribbons in the grove near the river. They were in the distance, but the large ribbons swirled in the air catching her attention immediately. Posey had walked down there and watched them for some time.

  The girls were both sixteen years old and a marvel to watch as they twirled in unison. The ribbons had been yellow and stained, tied onto worn sticks that had been smoothed over time by their usage. She didn’t want to replace the sticks as they’d gotten used to the feel of them in their hands, but she did eagerly replace the ribbon with bright hues of blue and green satin. Their dance reminded her of ocean waves or a stormy sky, that is why she picked the colors. As they danced, the ribbons folded in on themselves silently, undulating and spinning like a top. It was beautiful and enchanting to watch.

  Posey looked for Garrison on the stage to see his reaction but couldn’t find him. Disappointed, she got ready to move to the other side when the applause surged into the air again. She was up! It was time for her to give the performance of a lifetime. She would use her feelings to channel everything she could into Juliet tonight. Stepping forward from where the curtain split, she emerged from the curtain and suddenly knew why Garrison had nicknamed her butterfly. Smiling softly to herself, she fought down the anxiety that came with stepping out on stage until she lost herself in the persona.

  She was Juliet.

  Opening her mouth, she took a deep breath and began. She’d always loved the story of Romeo and Juliet thinking it was such a bittersweet story, but now she felt it keenly. She understood the characters in a way she never could before, thinking of when Garrison had passed out and she’d thought he died. That horror, that tragedy, the emotion she’d felt that day came flooding forward as she spoke the lines – lived the lines.

  Tears flooded her voice and ran down her cheeks as she told the tale of woe. She spoke of her love and what it was doing to her, how she would never heal or be able to go on. Juliet wanted to join her Romeo, and she understood why now. It wasn’t some girl that was distraught -it was a woman who loved with her whole heart and was infinitely aware she’d lost her soulmate.

  As she drew to a close, Posey curtsied and stepped backwards behind the curtain, numb. A second set of fresh tears arose as no one said a word. The town hated it and she’d failed miserably. There was one more act to go on and this was sure to liven things up since she’d brought the house down. The silence sliced through her like a hot knife through butter… and then she heard it.

  The roar of applause.

  It wasn’t just a polite clapping, it was thunderous and deafening. She let out her breath in a whoosh of relief. Wiping her eyes, she waved at Mr. Le to come up and join her on stage for the next act.

  15

  Garrison had watched entranced as Posey had poured out her very soul on stage. It wasn’t just Juliet speaking – it was his wife talking to him. When she cried out in sadness, it felt like a punch to the stomach very nearly bringing him to his knees. She had a gift and had brought down the house with it. Several men standing at the back of the theater were shaking his hand and pumping it eagerly as her performance finished. He was shocked, overwhelmed and head over heels in love.

  His wife had looked like a broken goddess up there alone in the spotlight, and he’d wanted to cradle her, and comfort her during her performance. His Juliet was hurting and it was up to him to heal her heart. Women in the audience were dabbing handkerchiefs at their eyes, and he knew Posey had won the hearts of Silverpines.

  When his wife had stepped back onto the stage, Garrison thought it was to take a bow again and stared curiously as she was accompanied by an older man with spectacles. He hesitated for a moment waiting for the children and the young girls to join her, thinking perhaps they were all going to say thanks, bow and announce the end of the show. Horrified, he saw Posey reveal a shiny green apple in her hand with a wide smile.

  “Tonight, we’ll be bringing a little bit of the Wild West to Silverpines as well,” Posey announced, and her voice carried to the back of the theater where he now stood in shock. She was going to try that silly stunt with that man? He’d seen him at the back of the stage and assumed he was the children’s grandfather or something since he was about seventy years old.

  “We have a marksman that will be shooting an apple off my head just like the days of old…” Posey began and Garrison had enough.

  “No!” he interrupted and ignored the gasp of the crowd, as well as Posey’s frown. He immediately climbed over a bench into the aisle uncaringly and stormed up to the stage. “You are not doing this; do you hear me?”

  “Mockman, yes?” the older man said with a nod and showed Garrison the old, rusted gun and pointed at his own chest happily.

  “NO! No marksman tonight,” Garrison argued, shaking his head negatively.

  “Yes. Yes, we are doing this,” Posey countered, walking over to the side of the stage and putting her back against it. She stood there, ramrod straight and placed the apple on top of her head. “Yes.”

  “No!” Garrison snapped, jumping on stage in-between the clamshell lights and bypassing the steps. “You might not want my name, or me hanging around, but I will not let another man shoot at my wife- especially with that gun. Do you hear me? He is liable to shoot you clear between the eyes or someone else!”

  “Shoot now?” Mr. Le said happily, raising the gun towards Posey. Garrison yanked it out of his hand. He tucked it in the back of his pants angrily, as the older man backed away from him.

  “No. No shooting.”

  “Yes – give him back the gun,” Posey snapped and repositioned the apple on her head as it rolled off. “Garrison- do it. He’s going to fill the part… if you won’t. If I was your wife, you’d be at home with me at night.”

  “I’m your husband, before God, and working two jobs for us. I’m sorry I haven’t been home, but men don’t want to come home to a harridan. They want to come home to the woman they love.”

  “Well this ‘harridan’ won’t have you at home either!”

  “Nobody is shooting at my wife, ever! Harridan or not!” Garrison roared at her on stage and crossed his arms angrily, annoyed that she would even pull this stunt. Had she practiced it before? The thought of it made him feel ill and he saw red.

  “You should do it, but you don’t have the brass to do so,” Posey whispered angrily, taunting him, and heard laughter in the audience. Her blue eyes flashed with inner fire and Garrison realized that the spark had been missing since his attack. He saw it now and wanted that feisty girl back in his arms. “Now either give him the gun back or do it yourself!”

  “I’ll show you what brass I have Mrs. Garrison – I’ll shoot that apple and split it in two – just like I will be taking you to wife as God designed. No more
arguing, no more fighting between us,” he bargained and winced as he realized what he’d said aloud in front of everyone.

  “If you split the apple- you’ve got it, mister!” Posey agreed readily, ignoring the gasps from the audience. Her eyes stared at him mulishly, and he knew deep inside he’d gotten in over his head with this whole fiasco- and her.

  “Fine. You win, Posey.”

  “Fine!”

  Nervously, Garrison took his position on stage about ten feet from where she was standing. “I will only ever do this once, and it’s for you,” he said flatly. “God have mercy on my soul and yours too, sweetheart.”

  He pulled his own gun from his belt and left the rusted Colt in the back of his pants. The stupid thing was apt to misfire since it hadn’t been maintained, and he certainly didn’t want it blowing up in his face. Putting his arm up, he carefully took aim.

  “Don’t do this, please.”

  “I didn’t come here to see a young lady get shot!”

  “Cover your eyes, daughter.”

  “This is scandalous!”

  “Mr. Garrison, you don’t need to do this,” Harrison Holt said clearly from where he sat, rising to his feet- his wife, Willa, was sitting next to him, wide eyes and clutching his elbow. His voice carried and Garrison knew that his friend - and employer- was right. He didn’t have to do this, but his hard-headed beautiful wife would never be satisfied until it was out of her system. If Posey didn’t realize how deadly and dangerous it was… she needed to feel the whiz of a bullet flying past her, to come to terms with it. He would never let anyone ever point a gun at his butterfly, and it very nearly made him sick to do so. He needed her desperately in his world and wanted her full attention.

  “No more bartering Posey. We are heading home after this and never doing this again. Are we clear?”

  “I trust you,” she said softly, frozen in place. Her eyes met his, and he knew that she was demanding this from him for her sake as well. There was something in her that wanted to be famous, and he needed to satisfy that creature in order to have the woman he loved in his bed.