Read No Crystal Stair for Free Online

to her husband. He’d looked tired when he drove off with Ann Elizabeth. A bridge game always relaxed him. She would call Ada. Maybe she and her husband could come over. Julia Belle went into the hall and picked up the phone
    Â 
    Â 
    â€œI love you, Mrs. Moonlight, very very dearly.”Ed Sanford spoke the words in a loud stage whisper as he leaned solicitously over Ann Elizabeth, a few bits of powder from his simulated gray hair making tiny spots on her blue satin gown.
    Ann Elizabeth gazed at him adoringly, lifting her hand to gently caress his cheek, then let it fall. She sighed heavily, closed her eyes and very gracefully died.
    The curtains swept together amid a crescendo of clapping hands. Ed helped Ann Elizabeth to her feet and she stood, her hand in his, as the curtain opened again and the other players hurried back onstage to receive the applause. Then she and Ed were left for a standing ovation.
    Ann Elizabeth knew her face was flushed with exhilaration. She loved acting, pretending to be somebody else for a moment. Mrs. Moonlight wasn’t one of her favorites—some fantasy about a beautiful woman who never wanted to grow old. Her wish was granted, but when she saw her husband growing old without her, she was ashamed and ran away. Years later she returned to die in his arms. Silly.
    Someone thrust a bouquet of roses at her. She selected a bud and carefully placed it in the button hole of Ed’s old-fashioned coat. He kissed her cheek. “Thank you, my wife, always and forever.”
    It was a standing joke. In how many plays had she been his wife? Five? No, six. She’d been Juliet to his Romeo, Desdemona
to his Othello, Anne Hathaway to his Shakespeare. Once, in a black play, she’d forgotten her lines and he had prompted her, muttering, “Say something, nigger woman.” She had answered in kind and their adlibbing brought such response from the audience that they’d kept the lines in.
    Oh, this had been fun, rehearsing and performing and the applause. She felt sad that it was over. Well, maybe it wasn’t. She’d been asked to remain with the University Players for the summer season.
    Upstairs in the little dressing room over the stage, she read the note attached to the roses. “You were great. Love, Dan.”
    â€œAnn Elizabeth, there’s someone here to see you.”
    â€œThanks,” Dan . She hurriedly wiped off all traces of makeup, leaving her face bright and shiny. She slipped on her skirt and a pullover cashmere sweater and left the dressing room. Was Dan still in the theater, or was he waiting downstairs in the lobby?
    Â 
    Â 
    Sadie Clayton, descending the stairs to the lobby tried to stem the wave of disappointment. It had only been a faint hope that Randy would be here to see his sister perform. Of course, he’d be occupied doing whatever those pilots did at Tuskegee while they were waiting to be called overseas. Possibly occupied with other interests, too, she thought with a flare of jealousy. She wished—
    Good heavens! Would she rather have Randy overseas in combat, risking his life, than exposed to the flood of women who’d descended upon Tuskegee, as eager for one of the handsome new Negro pilots as for a job at the base?
    How long was it since she’d seen Randy, anyway? And it was longer still since they’d been close. So why couldn’t she stop dreaming about him?
    She’d almost reached the lobby when she spotted Dan, leaning against a wall, talking to a group of friends. He was a
handsome man and was, as always, impeccably attired. His tan suit fit his almost too-slender form perfectly, lending him an air of sophistication that Ann Elizabeth said had attracted her the first time she saw him. His eyes brightened when he noticed Sadie, and excusing himself from the group, he came forward to join her.
    â€œSadie Clayton. Just the person I wanted to see.”
    â€œHello, Doctor. And how are you ?”