Inside Out (Road to Blissville #6) Read online

  “Awful?” Curtis asked.

  “Mind-blowing,” Ellie supplied.

  “Yes, Ellie. These words are stunning, beautiful, and mind-blowing. How many songs are there?” I asked while scrolling down to the next song.

  “Five,” Curtis said. “Each of the main characters has a solo performance and there are two songs for the entire cast to sing together.”

  I knew I was crazy even to consider composing music when I’d already committed to coaching tennis on top of my teaching duties. I knew there would be a lot of late nights ahead of me, but I already had a melody playing in my head. “Can you send me a copy of the script and the lyrics right away?”

  My cell phone pinged in my pocket letting me know an email had arrived. Clara giggled, pulling my attention to her. She wiggled the phone in her hand. “Done,” she said. “Your school email address is provided on the school’s website. I didn’t hack into your personnel files,” she added when my brow lifted in question. Even though what she said was true, I was certain my musical background wasn’t something the school bragged about on their website. Someone who’d read the resume I’d submitted to the board had shared the information with her. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. “My apologies if you feel I was too forward, Mr. Shepherd.”

  I wasn’t exactly sure how to respond, so I changed the conversation back to our original topic. “I’m definitely willing to assist you with the melodies for your lyrics. Have you marked in the script where the songs will go? I really want to get a feel for the scenes.”

  “Yes, sir,” Curtis replied quickly. “Everything you need to know should be found in either of the documents.”

  “We have our first planning meeting tonight at five o’clock,” Clara said.

  “We have the mandatory fall athletics meeting tonight,” I reminded Ellie. I wasn’t sure if Clara or Curtis played sports, but I knew her attendance was required as was mine.

  “Yes, and we took that into consideration when we scheduled the meeting with the new director,” she said cheerfully. “We only want to come up with a production timeline tonight, so we’ll have plenty of time to get over to the auditorium for the big meeting.”

  “There is a proper chain of command we must adhere to,” Clara said, deepening her voice to mimic the stick-in-the-mud athletic director.

  “Oh my gosh,” Ellie said, giggling. “You sound just like him.”

  “You need to sound drier,” Curtis said. “The man always sounds like he has something stuck in his throat.”

  “The entire auditorium will start clearing their throats and sipping water because he sounds so uncomfortable,” Ellie told me. I’d met the athletic director, of course, and noticed his dry voice. I’d have to remind myself not to smile when the guy started in on his speech.

  “Okay, so where is this meeting taking place?” I asked, prodding them along. I had a lot of stuff to do between now and then.

  “Dr. Bradley’s office,” Clara calmly said, completely unaware of the grenade she’d lobbed at my feet.

  “Dr. Bradley?” I asked. “The superintendent?”

  “Yes, that’s him,” Clara replied, searching my face. Had my voice sounded odd to her? “Is there a problem?”

  “No,” I said hurriedly. “I guess I just wasn’t expecting the superintendent to direct a school play.”

  “He probably wasn’t expecting the chemistry teacher to write the music for it either,” she countered. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions about people.” Touché. “Anyway, meet us in his office at five, and we should have it wrapped up in less than thirty minutes.”

  I should’ve told them I changed my mind, but my pride wouldn’t permit it. I would attend the meetings, write the music, hand it over to the music department, and walk away. My interaction with the man would be minimal. “See you guys at five.”

  I returned the AirPods to my ears and cranked up the music to drown out my thoughts so I could continue setting up my classroom. When I stepped back at quarter to five, I was excited about the progress I’d made. It would only take me another two hours tops to get my room exactly as I’d imagined it. I hustled out of the high school and across the parking lot to reach the Board of Education building. There was no one behind the desk out front, but I didn’t need anyone to tell me where I needed to go. I followed the excited voices of the three kids who’d turned my orderly world upside down in a matter of minutes.

  It was hard to be irritated when the object of my fantasies glanced up at me from his desk as I lightly rapped on the open door before entering the room. The kids were so busy chatting they hadn’t heard me arrive. Dr. Bradley’s surprise morphed into joy as a smile spread across his handsome face. The kids stopped chatting immediately, and I felt their attention shift to see who’d stolen Dr. Bradley’s attention. Hadn’t they told him I was coming or had he not believed them when they did?

  “Oh great! The gang’s all here so we can get started,” Ellie said.

  “Here’s what I’m thinking,” Clara said, but I didn’t hear a word she said after that because the bluest eyes I’d ever seen ensnared me. I remembered my mom’s advice hours earlier and how I scoffed at her words.

  Don’t think dirty thoughts. Don’t think dirty thoughts. Don’t think… Too late. Romeo Bradley grinned like he knew exactly what I was thinking.

  “Fear me not.”

  ~William Shakespeare

  “I don’t bite…unless you want me to.”

  ~Romeo Bradley

  Would there come a day when I wasn’t struck nearly mute by him? It wasn’t just his outer beauty either. There was a light in his eyes that spoke of intelligence and depth, and he carried himself with pride and confidence. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. Right then, standing in the doorway of my office, his lips tilted up in the slightest hint of a smirk as if we’d unknowingly, and unwillingly on his part, shared a moment. I saw a flash of something else in his hazel depths, but it was gone before I could name it. The only thing I could do was smile at him because I was so damn glad to see him, even if the feeling wasn’t mutual.

  I was certain he would decline the kids’ offer once he found out I would be directing the play. Clara nearly vibrated with joy when she told me how shocked Julius had been at the news. I’d asked if they told him before or after he committed to helping compose the music, and I was nervous when I found out it was the latter. He looked anxious and maybe a bit hesitant, but I didn’t get the vibe he’d planned to pull out of the production. I knew it was up to me to break the ice and make him feel welcome.

  “Thanks for joining the team, Mr. Shepherd.”

  He offered me a hesitant smile, but I would take it and hope to build upon it. “I’m excited to be included in the production of Inside Out.” He then turned to look at the kids who sat around the small, round table in the corner of my office I used for informal interviews and meetings. I’d learned I would have more success in interacting with people if I was on their level, rather than sitting on opposite sides of an imposing desk. I saved the behind-the-desk approach for when I meant serious business and I needed my visitor to respect my authority.

  I rose from behind my desk and walked toward the table where Clara, Ellie, and Curtis waited for us. “Join us?” I asked, gesturing to the two available chairs, which just happened to be next to one another.

  “Sure,” Julius said after a brief hesitation. “I’m excited to read the script and see what the three of you have created. I love the title you came up with,” he told them when he sat down.

  “It was Curtis’s idea,” Ellie said, nudging him with her shoulder.

  “If you turn us inside out, you’ll see that we’re all the same. It’s only our outer shells that are different.” How very perceptive for a young mind, but some kids are forced to grow up quicker than the others. I wondered about Curtis’s home life after he came out. Did he find the acceptance and support he needed? I suspected I’d find my answers when I read the play.

  “Min
us the differences in reproductive organs, of course,” Clara added, earning a frown from both Ellie and Curtis.

  “I need to read the play first which I will start tonight. I will make notes as I go about any melodies that pop into my head or questions I might have for the young playwrights. Then I will study the lyrics and compare them to the notes I made about the tone and tempo of the scenes. I should have a good feel for the music by the weekend then I can begin composing melodies over the next few weeks. Sometimes I can compose a song in a day, and other times, it takes weeks for me to piece the fragments together to form a cohesive melody. Is a month too much time to ask? I don’t think it will take that long, but I’d like to do this right and not rush it.”

  “A month should be perfect,” Clara said, speaking up for me. I could tell there would be times I’d need to remind her I was directing the play. “The play won’t debut until January.”

  “Let’s shoot for auditions at the end of September then,” I said. “Have you already worked up character sheets?”

  “We have,” Ellie replied. “We created them as we wrote the play. As Inside Out evolved, so did our characters.”

  “I’d like to read them once more to make sure we’re on point,” Clara said.

  “How about I go over them after I’ve read the play?” I asked. “It’s always a good idea to have someone review them with fresh eyes.”

  “Because we’re too close to the characters we’ve written?” Ellie asked.

  “Yes, and it’s often hard to be objective about your own work.”

  “I think that sounds fair,” Curtis said.

  “I agree,” Clara said, nodding. “I can see already that you know what you’re doing. I think you have more experience with theater than you first let on.”

  “Perhaps,” I agreed.

  “This play is in good hands,” Clara said after studying me closely for a few seconds. I could feel her mentally placing the play in my care. I wouldn’t let her down. “As is the music,” she said to Julius.

  “So, late September we will hold auditions then begin reading the parts as a team the first week of October. I want to be completely off script in two weeks. Mr. Shepherd will work with the band and music departments to coordinate their roles, and I will talk to Mrs. Jameson about her art classes creating the backdrops for our scenes. Who’s usually in charge of costumes?”

  Ellie raised her hand. “My mom has made the costumes for as long as I can remember. She’s so gifted.”

  “That’s great,” I said. “I’d like to have another meeting in a month with everyone involved in the production. Would your mom be open to joining all of us.”

  “She’d love it, Dr. Bradley,” Ellie said excitedly.

  “My parents volunteered to cover the cost for printing the ads and programs,” Curtis said. I partially had the answer to my unspoken question about his parents’ support.

  “My folks have arranged for us to perform the play at the Getty Theater in Goodville instead of our cafetorium,” Clara informed me. “It’s a historic theater built in 1916.”

  “I’m familiar with the Getty Theater,” I said fondly. “She’s a beauty, and I can’t think of a better place to perform the play. I’ll have to express my gratitude to all of your parents for their commitment and generosity.”

  I had noticed parent engagement with the school and staff was higher here than I’d seen in the other districts I’d worked as an educator or an administrator. I was eager to see what the new school year would bring us. Speaking of which, we needed to wrap up our production meeting and get to the auditorium for the athletic director’s meeting.

  “Does anyone have any questions or concerns at this time?” I asked. The kids looked at one another before returning their attention to me. The three of them shook their heads, and we all turned to look at Julius. “Mr. Shepherd?” Was it me, or was he watching my mouth form his name on my lips?

  He blinked then moved his eyes up to meet mine. “I don’t have any questions right now.”

  “Then we’ll adjourn and head back to the high school for the athletic meeting.” All three kids groaned as we rose from the table. I recalled from the photos in the fall sports insert that Ellie played tennis for Julius, Clara played volleyball, and Curtis ran cross country.

  The kids left the room talking animatedly once more about the play while Julius and I followed at a slower pace. I wasn’t sure what to say to him, although I needed to say something. The urge to reach for his hand rose sharp and swift inside me, stealing my breath.

  “Are you okay?” Julius asked, sounding concerned. His brow was furrowed when I turned my head to look at him. “You sucked in a sharp breath like maybe you were in pain.”

  “No, I’m fine,” I rushed to assure him. “I’m not hurt. A thought just came to me that caught me off guard, but I wasn’t aware my reaction was audible.”

  “It was pretty subtle,” he said then cleared his throat. If it was a subtle reaction, then it meant he was tuned in to me, picking up things others wouldn’t. The uncertain smile he gave me was incredibly sweet, and I longed to trace the curve of his lips with my fingers. Maybe someday I’ll have the right to act on my desire. Until then, I’d settle for friendship.

  The fall athletics meeting was as boring as the kids had warned. I spoke first, and it was my first time publicly addressing the parents, coaches, and students. I wasn’t typically nervous about speaking in front of crowds, because I’d been performing in one way or another since I was a kid, but I couldn’t deny the jangle of nerves I felt knowing he was watching and judging me just as the crowd was. There was also no denying that his opinion mattered a lot to me.

  Afterward, I stayed at the school and talked to those who wanted to introduce themselves to me. I was glad to see so many people were excited about the upcoming year but ready to get home to take Dolly for a walk and start reading Inside Out. Dolly was my best girl and confidante. She came into my life when I needed a warm body to cuddle, and her fur had absorbed many shed tears during our time together. Her friendly little licks on the chin could pull me back from despair like no one else could. She didn’t deserve to be locked in a house for endless hours, so I employed my next-door neighbor, Lily Brewer, as my dog sitter. I took Dolly over to Lily’s house before heading to work and picked her up as soon as I got home. Dolly got to play all day with Lily’s dogs, and I never worried about her being lonely.

  Dolly happily barked as she watched my approach through Lily’s glass storm door. Her tail whipped from side to side, and her silky ears bounced every time she barked. My heart swelled with love as I jogged up the steps and rang the doorbell. Lily answered the door wearing an apron covered in red splotches.

  “Cooking something with tomatoes or have you killed someone?” I teased when she opened the door so I could come in. Dolly began to turn in circles while she waited for me to crouch down and give her ears a good scratch.

  “Canning tomatoes, making homemade salsa, and spaghetti sauce. I make enough for two armies. Are you interested in receiving jars of any of those things?”

  “I love salsa and chips,” I told her.

  “What’s your preference? Mild, medium, hot, or great balls of fire? Perhaps you’d like my sampler. Instead of a pint of salsa, I give you one of each in small jelly jars.”

  I chuckled over my options. “I’ll take the sampler,” I said.

  “Great. I’ll have it ready for you tomorrow when you pick up Dolly. I’ll send home a few extra goodies too. I assure you that my spaghetti sauce is the best you’ll ever have. It’s great to pop open a jar after a long day at work and pour over spaghetti noodles and a perfectly breaded, pan-seared chicken breast.”

  “My mouth is already watering just thinking about it,” I told her. “How was Dolly today?” She hadn’t seemed herself this morning when I dropped her off.

  “She wasn’t as playful as normal, but her appetite was good, and she drank plenty of water. Dogs are like people; they have moody da
ys. They’re also highly sensitive to their human’s moods too. Maybe she’s feeding off the signals you’re putting out, even if you’re not aware. Excited or nervous about the upcoming school year perhaps?”

  “No more excited than usual,” I replied but knew it wasn’t true. I only had to think about seeing Julius and my heart raced. “We’ll take an extra-long walk tonight and maybe stop for a frozen treat.” The ice cream parlor in town sold treats made especially for dogs. Dolly barked sharply twice. That was her way of telling me she was down for the walk and ice cream. “We’ll head out of here so you can get on with your night. Thanks for watching her later than usual.”

  “She’s a joy to have around,” Lily assured me. “See you in the morning.”

  “Good night, Lily.”

  At home, I opened my email on my phone to print out the script for Inside Out Clara had sent me and noticed she’d sent a new email that included the character sheets they made up for all the roles in the play. I preferred to hold a physical script in my hand so I could make notes, even though those tools were available digitally. I hit the print command for both documents then went into the kitchen to fix a light supper before we set off on our walk. I had leftover grilled chicken and decided to boil some penne pasta and make a simple and quick herb and garlic pesto to toss them with.

  I slipped Dolly a few bites of the grilled chicken before I coated it with the pesto. I loved my girl, but her breath was foul enough without adding garlic to her diet. I kept my eyes on the printed script as I made notes rather than look into her big, brown eyes as she begged at my feet. After dinner, I changed into a pair of basketball shorts, a tank top, and my running shoes. Dolly dragged her leash to me when I sat in the kitchen chair to tie the laces on my shoes.

  “Of course, you’re going,” I told her. “Didn’t I say so at Lily’s house?”

  The leash in her mouth muffled her bark. Once I finished tying my shoes, I hooked the leash to her harness, and we headed out at a nice pace both of us could enjoy. Her little legs were too short to keep up with my morning runs so she sat those out. Nighttime strolls were all about her and the pace she wanted to go. Sometimes, she was feeling her moxie and trotted along quickly, and other times, she poked around smelling every other blade of grass. Her pace was in between those two, but I was happy to tag along while she did her thing. I knew I had a glass of chilled Chianti and a funny play script waiting for me when I got home.