Turning Point

by Lara Zielinsky

  Terry smiled. “Mine.”

  She laughed. “Yours?” He frowned. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she assured him.

  “Just, I didn’t know you owned a playhouse.”

  “Part owner. I went into it with some friends.”

  “That’s great. What’s the playbill this season?”

  “We’re currently casting for Juniper Falls, a locally written play.” He paused to drop a vegetable piece into some melted cheese. “I could pass you the script if you want.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t. Where would I find the time?”

  “You ought to consider what you’re going to do after we wrap,” he prompted.

  Brenna speared another strip of steak and dropped it in the sizzling oil. “Kevin wants me to come to Mount Clemens.”

  After a telling pause during which she felt her cheeks warm, dark eyes met hers across the table. “You don’t sound like that’s what you want.”

  “I should,” she said, finding it convenient to check on her steak and then changing the subject. “So, tell me more? Where is it? Who are your partners?”

  Terry bit into another piece, but otherwise did not seem fazed by her topic shift. “It’s in Fullerton. We converted a vineyard press house about three years ago. We’ve had a few nice reviews. Small company, pretty stable. We like local writers over getting name projects. A labor of love,” he finished with a smile.

  Brenna smiled warmly, pausing as she contemplated the memories she had of theater life. Starting out in New York, at eighteen, those days had been scary and exciting. “Sounds wonderful.”

  “Will you consider coming out? At least see a performance? Meet the comŹpany?”

  “All right. Just one night. Sometime.” She speared a strip of meat and settled it against the hot rock. “You’d make a good salesman.” She laughed lightly.

  “My wife will appreciate knowing I have another occupation to fall back on,” he joked, making her chuckle deepen with genuine pleasure. “You’d like the work.”

  “I’d love the work,” she acknowledged finally. “I miss live performance.”

  “You did have fun on stage today.” Terry paused. “You…were relaxed for a change.”

  “Are you saying I’m not usually?” Brenna speared a strip of yellow pepper, sinkŹing it in the bowl of oil. “Tell me more about your playhouse.”

  “So you are interested?” He reached over and picked up his drink.

  “Maybe,” she granted with a nod, sipping from her own glass.

  “Well, that’s one down, one to go,” he said idly.

  “Who else are you asking?”

  “I’d like to get Cass before she gets another offer.” Terry shrugged. “Her range is impressive. Like her singing last episode.”

  Brenna remembered she had not had to work hard to remember to stare at Cassidy. The woman’s voice had been mesmerizing. Brenna paused with her fork in her mouth, then slowly chewed and swallowed. “She surprised me.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, we all know why she was brought on board,” Brenna said frankly.

  “We’ve had some good moments together,” Terry observed. “Off-screen as well as on.”

  “Until recently I haven’t seen her much away from the set,” Brenna said. “1 enjoyed the birthday party she hosted.”

  “My wife and I have gone over a couple of times now. One time the power went out. We walked over to a corner hot dog stand. Ryan ate himself silly with hot dogs, soda, and chips while playing with my daughter in the yard with that Dalmatian of

  theirs. Cass even got down on the ground and rolled around some herself.”

  Brenna imagined Cassidy wrestling with her son on the ground. She was sudŹdenly unable to speak as the image of Cassidy “letting go” blew coherent thought away.

  “I understand she had quite a fight to keep him,” Terry went on, drawing her attention. “That’s why I’d love to see her stay in town and work at the playhouse. I doubt she really wants to uproot and move somewhere else.”

  Brenna nodded. “Mitch, her ex, was planning to visit this weekend. He heard about the incident at the store.”

  Terry steepled his hands, then folded one over the other. “Was she upset?”

  “Shaking like a leaf. Do you know why?”

  He pursed his lips, clearly withholding something. “Maybe on Monday we can ask how things went.” He waved over a waiter and requested a refill on his beer. When he turned back, he asked, “So, what do you want to do for our entrance on stage tomorrow?”

  Brenna shook her head. While Terry had shrugged off the concern about Cassidy, she found herself unable to do the same. “I think I’m a little tired. How about we wing it? I’d like to get back to the hotel. Get some sleep.”

  “Sure.”

  She finished a last bite of fondue, then laid a credit card over the check the waiter brought with Terry’s beer before he could. “Thanks for the conversation and the company,” she offered in explanation.

  While he drained the beer, she sat quietly pondering their conversation. When he set the empty glass down, they gathered their coats and wended their way out of the restaurant.

  Blasted by the chill of the open refrigerator, Cassidy searched for something for Ryan’s bedtime snack. She tried to shake off the afternoon’s unease but found it impossible. Each time she closed her eyes she saw Mitch playing with Ryan, tossing a baseball with him, or helping him drink from the park fountain or Ryan laughing as Daddy jogged with him through the sprinklers. Every time it happened and the boy raced back breathlessly to her side giggling, she would catch Mitch’s significant look, and her heart sank a little further.

  Finally she had been able to call a halt by pointing out that Ryan had to bathe and get to bed. Her son had been upset, but Mitch did not have any argument he could offer up without making himself look foolish. They had driven back to the house, and Mitch had let Cassidy and Ryan off in the driveway. Then he pulled out and drove away.

  “Mommy?”

  “Ready for bath time?” She turned to see her son coming off the porch where he had taken the dog into the yard.

  “Okay.” He headed for the bathroom, and she followed.

  She swallowed as she asked, “Did you have fun today?”

  “Yeah.” He grinned, pulling off his shirt as she bent past him and twisted the water spigot. “Daddy’s a lot of fun.”

  “Don’t we have fun?” she asked uneasily.

  Ryan tried to explain himself. “Sure, but…he’s…Daddy.”

  Now nude, Ryan stepped into the warm bubbles, holding her hand so he wouldn’t slip. It was an unconscious request for support, and after the emotional

  rollercoaster of the afternoon it warmed Cassidy’s heart. She readied for the washŹcloth and soaped it, then washed his back and chest. She splashed him lightly, and they both giggled when bubbles covered his nose. He wiped them away with wel hands and then patted her cheeks with his bubble-covered palms.

  Once she had his hair washed, she stood. “Play for a little while, then after snack and story, I’ll tuck you in bed.”

  He immediately grabbed for the collection of toys in a bucket by the side of the tub and splashed them noisily into the water. Smiling, she stepped out of the bathŹroom and returned to the kitchen. She poured out two small glasses of milk and set a plate of chocolate chip cookies between them on the table before returning to the bathroom. “Snack time.”

  Ryan stepped out of the tub and wrapped up in a fluffy dark green towel. She lifted a corner of it over his hair and dried vigorously, to his delighted giggles. “What’s for snack?”

  “Cookies and milk,” she answered. He pushed past her. Only with quick hands did she grab him and pull on his pajama top and bottoms. “Now, you’re ready,” she said with a laugh. Scrambling back to her feet, Cassidy followed her son to the table.

  An hour later Ryan was fed, his teeth brushed, a story read, and covers tucked to his chin. Cassidy retreated to her room and lay acros
s her bed. Tension gathered in her neck and shoulders as she tried to dispel her anxieties.

  Mitch was just playing on your fear, she told herself. It’s a bluff because he knows you get like this. Deciding a bath might help, she checked on Ryan once more and then went into the bathroom. Adding salts instead of bubbles, she leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the aromas soothe her while she concentrated on pleasant thoughts.

  Next weekend will be fun, she told herself. She immediately smiled, thinking of the hiking and campfire fun. Mountain climbing, she recalled, was also on the agenda. She shrugged. She had never climbed, but she was in good shape. She had really enjoyed the children at the Halloween party and looked forward to more time with them. Ryan would enjoy the time with other children, as well. She welcomed the opportunity to chat with other adults about things that had nothing to do with work. Particularly, she looked forward to getting to know Brenna with both of them letting their hair down.

  Despite the times they had recently shared, Cassidy knew there were more depths to discover in the intriguing woman. She closed her eyes and pictured Brennas tearstained face two days earlier in the woman’s trailer. At the sight of Brenna’s pain, Cassidy’s protective instincts had flared sharply. Her fingers tingled in memory of the briefly comforting touch she had offered.

  “Good night, Brenna.”

  “Sleep well. See you in the morning.” Closing her door, Brenna hung her jacket and sat down on one of the beds. Eyeing the phone, she thought, Should 7?She shook her head against the sharp tang of concern that dampened her palms. This is so weird. She’s a grown woman, able to take care of herself. You’re getting too involved, Bren.

  “Oh hell.” She reached for the phone and dialed quickly before she could change her mind.

  “Hello?”

  She hurriedly identified herself when she heard Cassidy’s voice on the line, sounding soft and tired. “It’s Brenna. I didn’t call at a bad time, did I?”

  “Brenna?” Cass’ voice was light, incredulous.

  Leaning back against her pillows, Brenna smiled. “Yeah. You sound good.”

  “So do you.”

  There was silence, and Brenna just listened, intent on the other woman’s breathing for some sign that she really was okay.

  Finally Cassidy asked, “What’s on your mind?”

  Brenna temporized. “I was… Terry and I were talking and I remembered you were supposed to see Mitch today. I… How did it go?” Cassidy exhaled, and Brenna’s throat clenched.

  “It went.” Now Cassidy’s voice was flat.

  “Not good?”

  “I was reminded of why I left him,” Cassidy said. “He’s…scary when he wants to be.”

  Brenna felt her heart rate speed up slightly, remembering the feel of Cassidy shaking in her grasp during filming. To have access to that sort of fear… Anger on Cassidy’s behalf burned behind her eyes. Rubbing at them, she offered, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there. How’s Ryan?”

  “He loves his dad.”

  “How are you?”

  “I just finished a bath to unwind.”

  “Good.”

  Both women fell silent, trying to figure out what to say. Cassidy finally prompted, “This is long distance. How’s the convention going?”

  “Makes me wish we had another year at this. The fans are really into it.”

  “Yeah, I know. So what questions did you get?”

  “Standard fare.” Brenna thought a moment. “I did get one new one, though.”

  “Yeah?” Cassidy had not done a con in about eight months and wondered what the fans were thinking up now.

  “There’s a group that wants Jakes to have another romance.” Brenna wondered why she was having such a hard time with that. Liza was right; it was just a role. “Some want her to go back to Raycreek. A few…want y— Hanssen.”

  “That’s new.” Cassidy’s voice was playful. Brenna pictured her relaxing, phone pressed to her ear, and waited for more. “What does Commander Jakes think?”

  “I haven’t…” Curled on her bed, Brenna pulled her knees up and pondered the question. “It’s pretty ludicrous.”

  “I don’t know. We have a strong enough friendship for it to make sense,” Cassidy pointed out. “And the audience obviously has fewer biases than the studio would credit them with. There won’t be a ripple, I think, when Luria kisses Chris in Brains and Brawn”

  “Susan couldn’t do that,” Brenna said quickly. She passed her hand over the bed covers to still the tingling in her fingertips and quickly changed the subject. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

  “Bren?” There was a long pause before Cass spoke again. When she did, she had apparently changed her mind about what she wanted to say. “Never mind. See you Monday.”

  “Yes. Sleep well.” Brenna held the phone listening as Cassidy broke the connecŹtion first. Setting the receiver back on its cradle, she rolled onto her stomach, fisting

  her hands under her chin and wondering why she was so unsettled. Cassldy’s all right. So’s Ryan. Now, she sternly told herself, call your sons and then go to sleep. You’ve got a long day tomorrow.

  She called her home number and waited two rings for it to pick up. She recogŹnized the “hello” from her youngest. “James?”

  “Hi, Mom. How’s Vegas?”

  “Fine. How are you two?”

  “Thomas is out with Cheryl at the dance.”

  “Not back yet?”

  “Curfew’s not for another hour.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” Brenna said, checking the bedside clock. “Well, you get some sleep. I’ll be back by dinner tomorrow night.”

  “Having a good time?”

  Brenna thought about the day’s events. “Yeah, it’s been a good day. Next weekŹend ought to be even more fun, though.”

  “Yeah. You know… Did Ms. Hyland ever get what she needed from that store?”

  Brenna frowned. “I have no idea.”

  “Well, we’ve got lots of stuff. If she needs something, she can just borrow it.”

  “They could share with us.” Her lips quirked in a smile. “Always room for one more in a tent.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You get some sleep. I love you,” she told him. “Tell Thomas I called.”

  “I will. We’re fine. Really. Stop worrying.”

  “Don’t deny me my ulcer, okay?” she said with a laugh, hearing him laugh in return. “Better. Now, good night.”

  Still chuckling, he replied, “Good night,” and disconnected.

  Energized, Brenna rolled onto her back and sat up. It’s too cool for a swim, but maybe… Yeah. On light feet, Brenna left the bed, changed into a pair of shorts and tee shirt, and headed downstairs to hunt up the rec room. Maybe after a light workŹout she could get some sleep.

  Chapter 18

  On Monday the set overflowed with activity. Pinnacle had granted press passes lo dozens of media outlets for interviews with the cast and crew about the final seaŹson of Time Trails. Seeing that everyone on the set for the morning shooting was already present amid the chaos, Brenna Lanigan strode into the menagerie with an undaunted smile. She waved to Terry Brown, already in full costume and makeup. He was being questioned by a bored-looking interviewer, and Brenna hoped the copy eventually proved kinder than the reporter’s expression portended. She caught Terry’s eye and offered a thumbs up before ducking around the corner.

  “You look like you already had your morning coffee,” Will Chapman comŹmented, slipping into his chair as the head of makeup, Brent Eastland, shook out a hairdresser’s cape and secured it around his neck.

  Brenna shook her head and laughed. “I had a chance to eat with Thomas and James this morning before taking them to school.”

  Will nodded and closed his eyes. Eastland applied his base and watched careŹfully as Brenna applied her own. “You don’t have many scenes to run through today.”

  “Stunts with the second unit, then interviews.” In the mirror, she saw a repo
rter peering in the doorway, an elaborate 35mm slung over her shoulder. “And here’s the first one,” she said softly. She turned in the chair and greeted the woman by rising slightly and holding out her hand.

  “Melissa Peregrine, Sci-Fi magazine. Ms. Lanigan?”

  “We can talk as long as you can keep up,” she allowed, using Jakes’ all-business inflection. “I have thirty minutes before I’m due on set.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She caught the younger woman’s straightening shoulders behind her in the mirror and touched up her base to hide her amusement. God, I do love making them jump.

  Peregrine started off with a question that Brenna expected. “You’re coming to the end of five years with your character. What’s changed most about Susan Jakes?”

  “You have to know where she started. I think initially the producers were conŹcerned whether the show would fly with the commander being a woman. They were concerned about a woman being able to project authority,” Brenna mused. “Once I was established, I think they took a deep breath and, after watching the dailies and watching this character evolve through me, they have pretty much entrusted her to me. They’ve let the woman in the commander come out, more fully integrating her. I think they discovered women really do lead differently than men.”

  Will nodded as he pulled off his smock. “In the long run, we’ve benefited from having a female in charge. The dynamic has been risky, but it paid off, I think. Brenna’s a big reason why.”

  Brenna flushed, and when Will leaned over, she kissed his cheek. “Jakes is philosophical, but she’s also capable of taking great — and occasionally questionable — risks.”

  “Only occasionally?” Will quipped. “I don’t know about that. But questionable? I’ll certainly second that.” He was laughing as he left.

  Brenna turned back to Peregrine. “While she has always been a devoted comŹmander, over the five seasons Jakes has evolved. I think she’s more relaxed, more

  confident. I don’t think that confidence was really there at the start, Just the potenŹtial for it. However, she’s seen her toughest decisions result in incredible goodness. Her team is a family, with her as the matriarch, with all that entails about mutual respect and love. Regarding the ‘dangers’ of time, she’s more thoughtful, more reflecŹtive.”