“How’s Dad? And everyone else?” I interrupt.
“Everyone’s wonderful. Dad sends his love—he’s at Glimmerglass this week. Marisol’s due in three weeks—she’s absolutely enormous—and your uncle’s working on an absurd musical about online dating. It’s called Don’t Kiss Me, Kate. It’s going to be intolerable.”
“I think that sounds kind of hilarious,” I say, and Zoe stifles a laugh and nods halfheartedly, like she kind of wants to be on my side but also doesn’t want to contradict my mom. “Are you going to see it?”
“You could not pay me enough to sit through that.” My mom takes a giant gulp of her wine. “You haven’t said a thing about Birdie yet, Brookie; I need to know everything.”
I suddenly realize I never told Zoe to pretend I’m in Birdie with her; I have no idea what I’m going to do now. I look around wildly, hoping for something to divert my mom’s attention, and the waiter a couple of tables away catches my gaze and comes right over.
“Good evening,” he says, sliding a bread basket onto the table. “Do you ladies know what you’d like to eat?”
“I think we need another—” my mom begins, but I cut her off.
“Yes, I’ll have, um…” I haven’t even looked at the menu, but I order the first thing my eyes land on. “The baked polenta.”
Mom looks puzzled. “Since when do you like polenta?”
I’m not even completely sure what polenta is. “I thought I’d try it again,” I say.
Mom starts peppering the waiter with questions about how the various dishes are prepared, and Zoe gives me a look like, What is up with you? I reach for my phone to text her, but Mom decides on an entree and starts paying attention again. The waiter takes Zoe’s order and leaves.
My friend is clearly aware that I want her to do something, but she’s not sure what, so she just starts talking. “Birdie has been so much fun. Jim Krowalzka is directing—I don’t know if you know him—and I already feel like I’m learning so much. I don’t know if Brooklyn told you, but I’m playing Kim, which is a great part and everything, but she’s a little bit of a two-dimensional character, you know? But Jim’s helping me really round her out and figure out what her motivations are. And Brooklyn’s been helping me practice my songs. She’s such a talented pianist.” Even though she hasn’t guessed right about what I need from her, I love that she’s trying.
“Brookie, that’s so nice of you, but I hope you’re spending plenty of time working on your own music,” Mom says. “You’re here to grow as a performer, not as an accompanist.”
Zoe’s eyebrows crinkle. “Are there songs in Se?or—”
I cut her off before she can blow my cover. “Don’t worry. I’m concentrating on my own stuff, too. Zoe has a much bigger part than I do. The ensemble has a lot of downtime.”
My friend looks thoroughly confused for a second, and then I see understanding click into place behind her eyes. “Right,” she says. “They all sound really good, though.”
“Well, I’m bursting with excitement. Dad and I can’t wait to see you in your big Allerdale debut.”
“Great,” I say. I reach for the bread basket and stuff a roll into my mouth so I’ll have an excuse not to talk for a minute.
My mom leans in and lowers her voice. “So, tell me all the important gossip. Any budding romances in the works?”
Zoe smiles. “I’m dating someone from home, actually. His name is Carlos.”
“Ooh, what an excellent name. Is he an actor, too?”
“No, but he does play the guitar, and he has a really nice voice. He’s going to Rhode Island School of Design in the fall to study animation.”
“An artist! How delightful. Are you two serious?”
“Sort of,” Zoe says. “It’s a little complicated. We won’t be in the same city next year, and we don’t want to hold each other back or anything. So we’re going to try to be flexible if we find ourselves wanting to date other people.” She catches my eye for the tiniest moment, then looks away.
I try not to seem too interested, but this is the first I’ve heard of Zoe and Carlos having a flexible arrangement. I know it doesn’t change anything between her and me, but my illogical heart does a little skip anyway.
My mom is nodding. “That’s very mature, Zoe. Most people your age don’t understand that love dies if you strangle it. I learned that the hard way a couple of times. Is he coming to visit at all this summer?”
“Yeah, he’s actually coming in, like, two and a half weeks,” Zoe says. “Sorry, Brooklyn. I meant to tell you that yesterday. You don’t mind, do you?”