Something Old - Dianne L. Christner [69]
But she didn’t have to pretend long. She was awestruck from the moment she stepped inside the marble entry and viewed the high, arched ceilings, gilded and frescoed, from which hung a huge stained-glass chandelier. Spanish Baroque architecture gave the theater a medieval flair, palatial in rich red and gold.
Its splendor was so breathtaking that Katy struggled for comportment, yet Addison took her surroundings in stride and suddenly jerked her hand away. “There’s Samantha,” she cried and dashed off toward another girl from her dance class.
With a gasp, Katy lunged, but only caught a satin sash that untied and slipped through her fingers, dragging on the ground behind Addison like a pink tail. Involuntarily, Katy clamped her teeth on her bottom lip and helplessly watched the two little girls separate to skirt an elderly couple and join together again laughing. Linking arms, they next burst through a group of teenage girls and vanished. In the blink of an eye, Addison had disappeared. Panic tamped up Katy’s spine. She vied to get another glimpse of Addison’s pink frothy outfit.
“Hey, Katy.”
Startled, she whipped her gaze around to the tall male figure clad in a plain black suit. In all the excitement, she’d forgotten about Jake.
His sister Erin smiled. “Hi Katy. This is my first time here. Great, isn’t it?”
Erin’s presence momentarily dazed Katy. But the dark-haired girl’s enthusiasm and winning smile reminded Katy of her manners. There was no excuse to be rude to Erin Byler just because of her brother, so she took just a moment to engage in some necessary small talk. Then Katy bit the corner of her mouth with frustration. “I lost Addison.”
“You want me to help you look?” Jake asked, lines of concern framing his eyes.
Considering that the lobby was filled with children and Jake didn’t know what Addison looked like, she wasn’t sure he’d be much help. “She’s wearing a pink frilly dress.”
Jake frowned. Half of the girls were clad in pink or princess outfits.
“What’s her name?” Erin asked.
Before Katy could answer the question, the youngster under discussion had returned and grabbed her by the waist. Without missing a beat, Addison urged, “Let’s go in.”
“Addison!” Katy clutched the girl’s hand. “Sweetie, wait. You need to calm down and stay with me. I met some friends.” She reeled her charge in and introduced her to Jake and Erin.
Erin bent down and began to tie Addison’s bow. “Are you a performer? Are you the dancer who is Cinderella?”
“No, but I take dance lessons.”
“Are you sure? You look like a princess.”
“That’s just because …”
“That was unnerving,” Katy whispered to Jake.
“I guess she didn’t lose you; that’s the important thing. Shall we go find our seats?”
“Ours?” Katy raised a brow.
He gave her his notorious lopsided grin. “We’re in the row behind you.”
Naturally. “So you admit to a conspiracy.”
“Yeah, that’s old news.” He touched her elbow. “Ready?”
With a nod, Katy tugged Addison’s hand. “Let’s go, sweetie.”
“I like Erin. She thinks I’m a princess.”
“You are, aren’t you?” Katy teased, and the little girl shrugged. Katy held tight so that she didn’t skip away again at the first glimpse of someone else from their dance troupe. All the while, her gaze took in the auditorium. More gilt and arches, even more elaborate than the lobby, a perfect fairy-tale setting. They found their seats, and Addison entertained herself by talking to her friend Samantha, who was seated next to her. Katy relaxed and stared overhead at the lighted, coffered ceiling and enormous, tiered chandelier.
Jake leaned forward and whispered, “It’s something else.”
“I think God must live here,” Katy replied.
Soon the lights dimmed, the curtains opened to an elaborate set. Amidst the magic lights and changing colors, a ragged-clad Cinderella appeared on stage, dancing with a broom. Instantly enthralled