Sing for Their Supper - 19

Tuck's phone chimed just as he was getting ready to hit the streets again, two days after talking with Lady Roma. The screen came up blank as far as who was calling, but he answered anyway, hoping it was her or Ricky.

"You don't know me," a soft voice said. "My name's Dena. Lady Roma said you wanted to talk with me?"

"I most certainly do. Is there somewhere you'd like to meet?"

Dena went quiet before replying, "At the plaza with the pianos?"

"Perfect. I can be there in twenty minutes. Please wait for me."

"I will."

It took him twenty-five minutes because of traffic and trying to find a parking place. He hoped she wouldn't have vanished before he got there. When he walked onto the plaza, he saw Lady Roma sitting on one of the piano benches, talking to a girl who looked to him to be maybe sixteen, if that. She had shaggy red hair and was wearing jeans and a T-shirt a couple of sizes too large for her.

Lady Roma saw him and waved as he came toward them. "Dena," she said when Tuck got there, "this is Mr. Williams."

"Tuck. Please. Nice to meet you, Dena." He squatted down in front of them. "Did Lady Roma explained things to you?"

"Why don't we dispense with the Lady, Tuck? Just call me Roma. We're friends now, I think."

"Thanks. I will." He looked at Dena in question.

"She said you were looking for actresses who can sing. Or, singers who can act?"

"Either-or. Roma said you're a good singer."

"I guess," Dena replied. "People say I can carry a tune." She actually smiled—finally.

"Do you mind singing something for me?"

Dena looked at Roma. "Would you sing too?"

"Of course, kiddo." Roma ran her fingers over the keyboard, telling Tuck, "She showed up yesterday and I told her about you. I suggested we work on a song before she called you. Sort of an audition." With that said, she started playing "Crazy", saying, "Go for it, girl."

At first Tuck could barely hear Dena, but as the girl got into the song, she seemed to lose herself in the words and feelings. Softy, Roma joined in. By the time they'd finished, there were at least a dozen people standing there. They broke into applause, Tuck along with everyone else.

Dena took a deep breath. "It was good, wasn't it?"

"Absolutely," Tuck replied.

"And you want me to work at your theater?"

"Definitely."

"And Roma?"

Tuck nodded. "Her, too. She knows that."

Dena turned to Roma. "Will you?"

At first, Tuck was certain Roma would say she wasn't interested. Much to his delighted surprise, she replied, "Why the hell not?" He resisted pumping a fist in the air then again when Dena said, "I want to, too."