Love Songs by Bernadette Marie

and tied it with a bow atop of her head.
    Her makeup was heavy and the hair, oh the hair would always make her laugh. But it transformed her into Maria and for the next two hours that would be who she was. Maria, the girl in love with Tony.
    All day things had been running through her mind, one was the look in Warner’s eyes when he’d stopped by for the key. Something was bothering him and it was bad enough he couldn’t even talk to her about it.
    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She held onto the breath for a moment and then let it out slowly. There was no time to let a man work into her head. Well, not her man. There was about to be a rumble between the Jets and the Sharks and that’s all she could worry about. As far as she was concerned, for the next two hours, Warner Wright didn’t exist.
     
    Warner had stood outside the bustling theater for nearly twenty minutes. He’d watched her family walk inside. All of them including, what he assumed, were her grandparents. If he walked away there would be an obvious hole in the row of seats, she’d said there’d be a ticket waiting for him.
    He rubbed the back of his neck and started up the steps to the theater doors. As he entered the lobby the lights dimmed and returned. This was a sign that the curtain was about to rise and he’d better get his butt in gear.
    Warner approached the ticket window by the door. “I’m a guest of Clara Keller. Warner Wright.”
    The woman nodded and an enormous smile formed on her mouth. “Oh, good. You’re here. She’s been up here four times to see if you’d picked up your ticket.”
    His jaw tensed. He forced a smile and headed toward the theater. He’d more than likely stressed her out just by thinking he may not show. Patty was right, her reviews were going to be bad if her head wasn’t in the game and it would be all his fault.
    The usher walked him to the front row. He’d been right. Right in the middle of the front row, which was occupied by her entire family and some of the second row as well, was an empty seat.
    It looked like he’d be spending his evening between Ed and her mother. Certainly it wouldn’t look good if he threw up right there, center stage, since his nerves were shot.
    Everyone stood and let him through. Each of them said hello to him, by name and shook his hand. Darcy was, perhaps, the sincerest yet.
    Ed’s handshake was a bit firm. “I thought maybe you forgot.”
    “No. No. Just got tied up.” He tried to smile as he said it.
    Clara’s father stuck his hand out and in front of her mother to shake his hand. “Good to see you, Warner.”
    “Thank you, sir,” he said as he shook his hand.
    “Carlos. I appreciate the manners, but call me Carlos.”
    “Yes, sir.” Hell, he couldn’t help himself. At least Carlos smiled.
    Clara’s mother, Madeline, pulled him in for a hug and kissed his cheek. “It’s good to see you again. Clara hasn’t stopped talking about you all week.”
    She sat down and Warner followed as the lights dimmed.
    The first notes of the overture began to play from beneath the stage in front of him. That chill that he got when he was about to see any kind of live performance, washed over him.
    He got his first glimpse of the man who would steal Clara’s heart—Maria, he corrected himself—and prepared himself.
    It seemed like forever before the curtain opened on the third scene and there was the woman who held his heart. She stood in a white dress, her hair much longer and darker than usual. A chuckle wanted to surface when her Tennessee accent had been converted.
    His eyes were locked on her and she was fully into character. Her entire family was within feet of her, yet she focused beyond them all. She was Maria.
    Soon Maria met Tony and sparks flew. Even Warner was hopeful for them. But eventually they were in each other’s arms and their eyes gazed into the other’s. His own heart began to beat faster. When Maria kissed Tony for the first time, Warner was