Cold Long Promise • •

[theodore anthony sterling]

There was absolutely nothing like being on the stage for Theo. It was the greatest experience, and a kind of freedom for the twenty-six year old. After the last couple of years and everything fate had thrown at him he could hardly believe he had actually made it to this in all honestly, and he did find that he needed to pinch himself almost every other night when the curtain went down. This production wasn’t the largest he had been a part of, but that had been a deliberate choice. Theo knew Lilia would be busy with her classes now that the holidays were over and done with, and he didn’t want to have to be asking more from her when it came to babysitting. This show didn’t have the matinee performances, so Theo was only working for the few hours in the evening, and he had the daytime to spend with Issy, and run any errands or chores that might be building up at home. He still had to strike that balance with his job and his home life, whereas some of the people he worked with barely had anything to worry about. They were single, free of almost all responsibilities, and could run amok around New York City until the sun came up if they really wanted to. It was a luxury Theo didn’t have, and didn’t want.

He couldn’t say he was happy with his life, given that Jenny was still the wife he was grieving for, and Meg hadn’t worked out, but he was content with everything he did have. His daughter was his world, and she was growing up more and more with every passing day. At least with Lilia in New York he had someone to share those memories with now. His sister had been there when Issy had taken her first steps, and clumsily started saying her first words; though right now everyone was a ‘quack’ to the little girl. Still, her photograph sat on every dressing room mirror Theo had, along with one of Lilia and Alan, and another of Jenny back from when she and Theo had been engaged and death was not a thought on either of their minds. He liked to see all of them before a performance and afterwards, all for very different reasons, and he doubted that would ever change, even if the pictures of them did.

The curtain came down on another great performance, and Theo congratulated his cast mates and the stage crew on his way back to the small dressing room that the small theatre offered to them all. After getting a glass of water and chugging half of it, Theo washed his face free of the stage make up he only half hated having applied each night. After two scrubs he was happy to have a clean face again, and relieved nothing was clinging to the scruff he was too lazy to shave off, though he told Lilia he liked the way it looked. He had just changed out of his costume, hanging it back on the precarious rack, when there was a knock on his door and one of the runners popped his head around after Theo hollered for him to come in. “There’s someone out here who wants to see you. She says she knows you?” He seemed a bit apprehensive, but Theo was getting used to some of his old college classmates stumbling into one of his shows and coming to the stage door to congratulate him and play catch up. “Aye, it’s fine. Send her through.” He said with a lopsided smile as he tugged his jumper over his head and ruffled his hair back into place.

• • •

TAGGED! Nell Riley Mae Deveraux
WORDS! 621!
OUTFIT! Sweet Scot!
LYRICS! Atlas Hands - - - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Nell Riley Mae Deveraux]

Despite being very passionate about her career choice, Nell found herself with a lot of downtime and not a whole lot to fill it with; which meant she usually found herself sitting at home when Andy was at work or out at a club with her when she wasn’t. And every once in a while, they’d pencil in a shopping excursion or a trip out to some beach town for a weekend or even just a day in their bikinis to soak up the sun and the lingering looks. It was their routine and it worked well for the best friends and roommates. But Andy didn’t like the Theatre and Nell enjoyed a fancy night out like that every once in a while. It was one of the only things the friends didn’t do together. But it didn’t deter Nell from making plans for Theatre nights. The trouble only came when she couldn’t find anyone to go with and she hated going alone. 

Lucky for her the first time she’d planned a night like this, she’d been talking about it in front of one of the doctors and he’d butted in to tell her and a fellow nurse that he liked the Theatre and wouldn’t mind tagging along if she didn’t. From there, it had become there thing. Just a night out to relieve the stresses of their often difficult jobs, a nice meal and nice show and off they went their separate ways until they met up again at work. And this trip was no different, they met at the usual restaurant, talked about work and bounced ideas off each other then proceeded to the Theatre. They were discussing the cast of the performance when Nell’s eye caught a familiar face and she grinned, unaware of what he did for a living. But before she could say anything the lights were dimming and the curtain was rising. She would just have to wait. 

At intermission, she explained her plan and just hoped it worked. She had no idea if it would or not and if not, well, that was fine as well; it just wasn’t meant to happen. But if it did, well that would be great, too. She waited until after the curtain call and the applause finished before standing and making her way over to the stage door speaking to an employee about seeing Theo before she left. He seemed nervous about letting her but also allowed her and Jensen to follow him backstage to Theo’s dressing room door. They stood off to the side while he checked with Theo that it was okay and when she was given the go ahead, she stepped around the poor nervous man and into the room. “Hello again, Theo. I just thought I’d stop in and congratulate you on a beautiful performance.” Nell said with a genuine smile. “So, you’re an actor, hmm? I don’t remember you mentioning that over lunch.” She teased.

Tag || theodore anthony sterling
Words || 531
Clothes || Nervous Nurse
Music || Homegrown Honey --Darius Rucker
Notes || <3!

[theodore anthony sterling]

He was a busy man these days, even busier than he had been with college and that was something he hadn’t even thought possible. He was also in a better place mentally, which was definitely something he needed if he was going to pursue this career. Back when he was still following a timetable of classes and exams, Theo had been a mess. His insomnia dictated his life more than he had ever let on to anyone, not even those he was closest to. It might come back now in short bouts, but Theo had a handle on it for the most part, and a week here and there was nothing compared to how it used to be. He had a daughter to live for back then, but it had all been muted by raw emotions and not enough happening beyond a stale routine. He had been a wannabe actor void of life. Now he was thriving the best he could be at this point, and he knew he had the potential for so much more, but he was turning down auditions his agent sent him for bigger parts and other cities because he would always put Issy first. She needed her daddy around and Theo wanted to be there for the early years that were already going by faster than he would have liked. He didn’t want to miss out on a single moment. Jenny missing out was bad enough.

Theo wasn’t worried about himself. He was happy with acting right now and after the short lived time spent with Meg he knew that he could be with someone other than Jenny if the right person came along. He wasn’t actively looking and had turned down several suggestions from cast mates about their friends. He didn’t need that to be happy and if something eventually happened then it happened. Right now it was tough enough balancing his roles and show runs alongside the unpredictable nature of fatherhood. Even with Lilia around to help it wasn’t always easy, and he knew she had her own life to live and he kept from prying into that since he was sure, as her older brother, he’d come out of asking questions with a headache he never had when he went in to start with.

He shoved a cookie leftover from the meal deal he had grabbed for dinner into his bag. It would be too late when he got home to do anything more than peek in on his sleeping daughter, but he knew she’d enjoy the treat come lunchtime tomorrow when he pulled it out for her. He always brought something home with him, be it a treat or a toy, or something, just because he felt guilty for missing bedtimes, even if right now she was too young to ever remember them. Hearing the feminine voice, Theo turned around and grinned at the familiar face. It wasn’t at all who he was expecting, but he didn’t mind the visit. “Why, thank you. Trust me, we don’t get bored of hearing that.” Not that people came by every night to heap praise upon the cast, but when it happened, they enjoyed it, or at least Theo did. It made him feel like all his hard work had actually paid off in the end. “What can I say? It never came up.” He grinned, leaning against the back of his chair tucked under the vanity.

• • •

TAGGED! Nell Riley Mae Deveraux
WORDS! 577!
OUTFIT! Sweet Scot!
LYRICS! Atlas Hands - - - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Nell Riley Mae Deveraux]

Since taking on the promotion, Nell’s life had become a hell of a lot busier than she’d expected but at the same time, she was finding herself with more freedom. She had straight hours now which was nice and she wasn’t hopping from this shift this week to that shift another. So she was home about the same time all the time, unless she had other plans after her shift was through. One of the pros of taking on the lead. But at the same time, the cons were her age, and the respect she didn’t get from the older nurses who felt she was too young for such a position. There were a few who though she was perfect for the job, despite her age but there were those odd ones that thought she was inexperienced, young and didn’t know how to run a shift. Basically, the ones that thought they should have gotten the job even though they were only a few years or in a couple cases months away from retirement.

Despite the troubles that had risen, Nell was making sure she made the time for her friends so she didn’t make them feel like they weren’t important to her. The only family she had in the city was Andy, her best friend, there was no one else. They were all they had in the city and Nell didn’t want to have Andy thinking she was neglecting their friendship. They’d known each other for so long that Nell felt like they were more sisters than just friends. These nights at the Theatre were the only things Nell didn’t invite her to. She knew how she hated the Theatre, so there was no point in asking. She just told her earlier when she’d been getting ready that those were the plans. Though thankfully, Andy had come in to tell her she had something going with a colleague and couldn’t do their usual take out and movie night.

Jensen was fun to hang out with on the rare night they did get out for the Theatre. It was only one or two nights a month but they were nice. She got to dress up in fancier dresses than her club wear, though her outfit that night could have worked if she’d been out with Andy instead. She made it work though because she unsurprisingly didn’t actually have evening wear that would be acceptable for a night at the Theatre. Nell was pleased she was able to see Theo after the performance. “You’re welcome. It's easy to praise such a lovely performance.” She had definitely thought they wouldn’t have been allowed backstage and would have thought she’d need to find another way to see him again. “Convenient that. Then again, I guess, I did sort of monopolise the conversation, didn’t I?” She admitted, laughing. She had been concerned about being so young and having so much responsibility but there really hadn’t been anything to give herself a headache over.

Tag || theodore anthony sterling
Words || 541
Clothes || Nervous Nurse
Music || Homegrown Honey --Darius Rucker
Notes || <3!

[theodore anthony sterling]

Theo liked being busy. It was impossible not to be busy when he was the father of a one year old who was starting to get into everything. Issy needed something new every few weeks, or she was grabbing something she shouldn’t when no one was looking and then it needed to be replaced while Theo tried in vain to tell an infant what she should and shouldn’t play with. He knew it was futile, but he did it anyway! All of those things kept him from being alone with his thoughts though, which was when he could get dangerous. Never outwardly. No, Theo wasn’t the type, but his thoughts would make him neglect his own well being, drag him back into the hole of misery he hadn’t long climbed and clawed his way out of. He would always be grieving for the wife he lost, the mother of his daughter, but Theo didn’t want to spend the rest of his life with that as his primary feeling. He needed to live for Issy’s sake, and Lilia’s too. His sister did enough as it was for him and Issy, but she needed to get on with her own life, and one day soon she’d have another dream to chase, probably with a guy she’d try to stop Theo from grilling.

While he was glad of Lilia’s company, part of Theo was glad he hadn’t gone back to Alloa after Jenny had passed. Everyone crowding around him, fussing over every little thing. It would drive him insane. Lilia helped, but she also knew when to leave him be and just to let him deal with his own mind. It wasn’t like he ignored Issy, it was the complete opposite. Theo doted on that little girl like words couldn’t express. She’d had her daddy wrapped around her little finger from the day she was born and the hold had only gotten tighter after Jenny was gone. And now he had the career he had been chasing since high school drama class. It wasn’t the perfect life he had dreamt of back when he had been eighteen, but he was content.

Smiling, Theo crossed the room to grab his bottle of water and chugged some back before speaking again. He could feel his throat getting raspy and with his accent already making people look at him twice sometimes he didn’t want a gruff voice to make matters worse. “Well I have a great cast to work with.” He was modest, and felt his words truthful. It was easy to work with this cast. They were helpful and made it easy to run lines with. They all played their characters so well, and there was a dynamic there that Theo hadn’t experienced before. Of course, none of his theatre experiences were like another. He chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s fine. I’m not one for talking about myself really.” He never had been. He just couldn’t bring himself to gush on about himself.

• • •

TAGGED! Nell Riley Mae Deveraux
WORDS! 502!
OUTFIT! Sweet Scot!
LYRICS! Atlas Hands - - - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Nell Riley Mae Deveraux]

Nell was constantly on the go and she loved it. She didn't like sitting down if it could be helped. Unless it was hangover Sunday or she was actually sleeping, she was constantly on the move. If she wasn't at work, she was at the gym or at a spin or yoga class with her roomie and best friend. If they weren't doing there, there were lunches and dinners that wouldn't eat themselves and Nell could barely put a sandwich together. And if it weren't for Andy, she would probably starve to death. Andy and take away but she really didn't like eating take away too much. She liked to work out, she didn't want it to become a necessity. Just like she loved the theatre and wished Andy would get a little bit more cultured and go with her. A girl's night at the theatre sounded like such a good time! But it had yet to happen, which was how she'd found herself with Jensen whenever she snagged tickets to something on and off Broadway.

He was great fun to grab dinner and drinks with before a show but it wasn't the same as a girl's night. And people habitually thought they were a couple. She liked him well enough but she'd told herself she wasn't going to date a colleague and she'd kept her word to herself. She would let Andy date the doctors and nurses and Nell would introduce them! Plus, though she wasn't certain, there were rumours running the hospital mill of Sweet Dr Jensen Howard having flirtations with one Dr Scarlett Kincaid, a cardiologist Nell had yet to have the pleasure of meeting. And from the stories she'd heard, she wasn't in any rush to meet her either. But it all meant that Nell was a free agent and though she adored Jensen, he did have a wonderful habit of putting a damper on her potential social life once they parted ways; something she often laughed at with him.

Nell was used to meeting all sorts of people while at work. Parents would bring their children into hospital for any number of reasons from all points on the globe. They had some of the best doctors in the world at their hospital and Nell was blessed to work alongside them. And meet and care for the parents who needed a little but of a attention when the doctor was in to see their son or daughter. It was a terrifying experience, she assumed, to have a child laid out on a hospital bed so many sizes too big for them. But she wouldn't have changed a single thing about what she did. She took these nights out to cleanse herself from the harsh realities she wished were nightmares. "It's a very impressive cast." She agreed, looking towards her date for the night for confirmation. She may not have been dating the doctor but she was still there with him, it felt wrong to ignore him. Nell laughed softly, shaking her head. "Neither am I under normal circumstances. You happened to catch me on an interesting day."

Tag || theodore anthony sterling
Words || 521
Clothes || Nervous Nurse
Music || Homegrown Honey --Darius Rucker
Notes || <3!

[theodore anthony sterling]

Whenever Theo found himself with nothing to do his mind wandered to places he didn’t want to be. It might start off with the best intentions; recalling how a scratch on the kitchen counter had been caused when Jenny snuck up on him making breakfast, for instance. From there though, it changed. It didn’t take him long to think about how much he missed her, how things had been different between her and Meg – when Meg had been something in his life – and then Theo found himself bogged down with a guilt he knew made about as much sense as a ladder made out of ice. He wasn’t sentenced to a life of solitude because his wife had died, but after Meg had left he found himself stuck with thoughts of how he shouldn’t have moved on so quickly when Issy would never know where she got her bright eyes from, or her wide smile. It was foolish, he knew it was foolish, but it was another form of grief, and Theo had proven that he didn’t do well with grief. The stage helped though, and now he was far from that man again. He was living, and he was being the dad Issy needed him to be. Little by little he was being the man he wanted to be, too. He just had to take it one day at a time, and accept the fact that some days would come around where he was miserable and felt his heart break with grief like it had only just happened. It was life. It happened. Theo was learning to cope with that.

He didn’t feel like rushing through his life, though some people would mention finding the right woman. A few of his cast mates knew of his situation, but those were people he had acted with before, or knew from other ventures. The rest didn’t know the full details of his life, and they were the ones who would candidly tease him about a girl at the bar after the show, or someone who just kept staring at him the whole time he was on the stage. Theo always kept it polite, smiling and playing it off with a small joke about how he must be famous, or how they were supposed to stare when he was on the stage. He didn’t feel like flirting over a beer, or having one of his cast mates set him up with their cousin, or sister, or friend of a friend from out of town. His life was complicated enough, and his baggage was the kind that didn’t fit into baggage racks. He didn’t want any more complications. Not right now.

Theo smiled, feeling the wave of exhaustion crash over him now. It wasn’t a tiredness per se, but rather a post-performance hit of weariness that came after forcing so many emotions in such a short space of time. It was like a hangover without the headache. He usually needed food to perk himself back up before finding his home and his bed. His role in this show was draining, but so worth it. He’d never tire of the stage and he adored pushing himself to new levels, tackling new challenges. “I’ll let them know you think so.” He said with a smile. “Some of them never tire of having their praises sung.” He joked, reaching around for his water bottle again. Uncapping it, he gulped down a few mouthfuls to finish it off, tossing the empty carcass of plastic into the paper bin underneath the vanity. “Without interesting days here and there I expect even New York would be a very bland place.” He pointed out, still not showing any of his own cards, simply because that was Theo.

• • •

TAGGED! Nell Riley Mae Deveraux
WORDS! 633!
OUTFIT! Sweet Scot!
LYRICS! Atlas Hands - - - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Nell Riley Mae Deveraux]

Nell hadn't always loved theatre like so many did. She'd grown up in the boondocks, blink and you miss it kind of small town. Hell, they didn't even have a red light; it was all atop signs. Enjoying theatre happened more when she was away at school and the drama department put on plays and musicals. And then she moved to the big apple and well, her interest turned into near obsession; especially after Jensen claimed to love the performances just as much as she did and they agreed to be each other's dates when they couldn't talk a real date into the night out. It was fun to get out and experience something different from the every day. It was the same routine with the performance and a late dinner afterwards to discuss it, as if they were theatre critics. They laughed and joked and had serious opinions of the cast and performances. They got really into it and Nell at least went home kind of glad Andi wasn't a fan of Broadway.

The paediatric nurse loved her best friend and roommate but the woman wasn't at all interested in what was going on up on the stage unless it was some Chippendale sort of thing; not that Nell wasn't against that either. No, Andi was great on a night out and to veg out and binge Netflix shows with, it was fun to question everything on the TV with the opinionated woman. But she was also loud and loud didn't work in a theatre as much as Nell would have loved to drag her friend along for one show. At least she had Jensen to drag along to things when she managed to snag some tickets. If she were ever going to be truthful with herself, she would wish she had a boyfriend to keep her company on these date nights but since they were rare, Jensen would have to do; a point she had subtly made to him once or twice before and being a shrink, she would put money on him understanding her meanings.

Nell chuckled. "I could just imagine." She hadn't known many actors. A few she'd met in passing thanks to her job at the hospital but otherwise, she was just used to seeing them on screens or on stages. And really, she didn't even known Theo all that well either. A shared moment over a dropped book but Nell was feeling bold and brazen. Traits she knew habitually got her into trouble, especially when she didn't have anyone around to stop her. Jensen didn't know any better, though he probably should have. Still, he was in the hall and by the faint sound of his voice, on the phone. She would put money on him having to leave her at the door of the theatre to deal with a crisis. "I absolutely agree with that. So, to another interesting moment, I was wondering if you were hungry and would like to catch a bite with me?" She asked, putting it out there. Obviously, he could say no and that would be the end of it but he could also say yes.

Tag || theodore anthony sterling
Words || 528
Clothes || Nervous Nurse
Music || Homegrown Honey --Darius Rucker
Notes || <3!

[theodore anthony sterling]

Theo’s love for the stage had been born right back when he was still a little boy with unruly dark hair, and a space where his two front teeth ought to be. He had a tea towel on his head and some misformed curtain over his body that was given an idea of shape with the assistance of one of the school’s skipping rope. His primary school hadn’t exactly splurged when it came to the annual nativity performance, but Theo loved sitting up there in what they thought was an acceptable costume for a shepherd. He cycled through all of the roles before he left for high school, where nativity plays suddenly vanished and instead were replaced with grand scale musicals and Shakespeare performances. It was quite the jump, but one Theo was keen to make all the same. Even at eleven years of age he knew he wanted to be an actor, and not a year went by that he wasn’t on the cast list in some capacity. He was a familiar face around the drama department, and was encouraged by his teacher to pursue his talent even if it took him a long time to find his success. That belief stuck with Theo even after Jenny passed away. It pushed him when he was in dark places and struggling to get through the long days.

Knowing he had never given up on his dreams was a proud feeling. It was something he wanted to pass onto his daughter. It was far too early to know what Issy was going to grow up to be, but Theo wanted her to chase her dreams no matter what. He wanted her to know that she could achieve anything, and that he believed in her just like other people had believed in him. Hell, he was standing in his own dressing room after a sell out show, and honestly Theo didn’t know how it could get much better than that. He wanted Issy to one day experience that feeling, be it with romance, or a career of her own. She was his world when he stepped away from the stage, and he would give his life to make sure that little girl had all she wanted. Theo believed his daughter deserved that much. He kept her pictures on his mirror, so he could see her even when he was away from her for the long rehearsals, and the nights when she was tucked in by her auntie and not him. He hated missing those little moments, but he was always sure to slip into her nursery when he got home and spend a bit of time just watching her dream, listening to the little sounds she made as she slept. It relaxed him, and in those quiet moments in a room lit up only by a starry nightlight, Theo felt his heart swell with an unconditional love he never thought possible.

“Some of us don’t just play monsters – we are monsters.” Theo joked, moving to sit down at the vanity in the room. His boots were still unlaced, and he needed to rectify that before he ended up tripping over and causing an accident that led to more stage make-up being forced on him for his next performance. It was his least favourite part of being an actor already and he would do everything in his power to avoid subjecting himself to more of it. “I am starving, but I’m not sure your date would enjoy me crashing your night.” Theo said, smiling gently as he raised his eyebrows. The other man might have stepped out of the room, but Theo wasn’t about to be so quick to forget about him entirely.

• • •

TAGGED! Nell Riley Mae Deveraux
WORDS! 624!
OUTFIT! Sweet Scot!
LYRICS! Atlas Hands - - - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Nell Riley Mae Deveraux]

Nell loved the theatre. She loved the drama of the plays, the sass of the musicals, she loved the humour and the romance of it all. She just loved it and hated that Andy didn't even enjoy it remotely or fake it. But they had nightclubs and an apartment to share so Nell wasn't really all that bothered by her best friend skipping out on this particular activity. Nell was able to have proper conversation about what happened on the stage with Jensen, Andy would have fallen asleep the second the lights went out and then skipped out at intermission. Nell didn't want to spend the money she did on these tickets just to have her friend leave half way through and not even bother with a clever excuse to do so; just walk right out the front doors. Jensen at least enjoyed the productions as much as the nurse did. At the same time though, Nell would invite the doctor out for a night of dancing at the clubs. For Nell, he would have been entirely out of place. He always reminded her of someone so much older than what he actually was. He was far too mature for them to spend a night drinking and spinning around a dance floor that didn't include samba or salsa.

Not that Nell actually thought much about the man she'd dragged along as her date for the night. It was just one of those situations with people who just would never fit into some places but seamlessly into others. Nell could fit into different worlds with simples switches of her wardrobe choices. She was sophisticated enough to enjoy a night on Broadway, immature and youthful enough to stay up until sunrise drinking and dancing and mature and serious enough to run an entire hospital ward. It was most definitely not the easiest job in the world, she saw too many children never leave the hospital but it was also a rewarding career choice. Those kids were funny as hell and sweet little things. It was all those sweet moments that made Nell know her choice was well worth the occasional sleepless nights and made her think it wouldn't be all that difficult to go back to school. It was always a thought and one she was debating bringing up to Jensen; in fact, the real reason she's picked up these particular tickets and offered up her spare.

"My date..." She said slowly, confused for just a second longer than she really should have been. Almost instantly her eyes cleared again and she burst out laughing. "Oh, no. He's not my date. I mean, he is but he's not. My roommate hates the theatre, something she will never apologise for and Jensen doesn't." She explained quickly, as if the faster she spoke the better it would all be. The problem was that she had that slight Southern drawl thanks to her Louisiana upbringing and she was positive she stumbled over just about every word. She wanted to make it clear though that she wasn't dating the man she happened to be at the theatre with so she was willing to ignore her numerous mistakes, if she had even made any in the first place. "We're just coworkers, friends and theatre buddies. Nothing more." She said again, though she wasn't entirely sure for whose benefit she did so.

Tag || theodore anthony sterling
Words || 564
Clothes || Nervous Nurse
Music || Homegrown Honey --Darius Rucker
Notes || <3!

[theodore anthony sterling]

Theo’s life had changed dramatically after Issy had been born. Every single choice he made wasn’t decided before he thought about her and any impact it might have on his ability as a father. Theo didn’t want to be one of those dads she only saw on weekends or spoke to through text messages and brief phone calls. He wanted to have a good, solid relationship with his little girl throughout her life. He would be there for all of her first moments, career be damned. Theo wanted to be successful so he could give Issy all that she deserved, but she would always come first in his life no matter what role came his way or the pay cheque that came with it. He needed her to be the happiest little girl around, and playing mama and dada wasn’t something he had ever expected to find himself doing. He also hadn’t expected to be a widower so young, but fate had different plans for him than the ones he had for himself.

Theo worked hard now not to dwell on the past so much. A part of him would always love Jenny, and that would never change. He was no good to anyone though if he spent all of his time wishing about what could have been. It took a lot to pull him out of a low mood, but Theo knew he had to climb out of there for Issy, if not himself. He didn’t want her growing up thinking her daddy was miserable all the time. He wanted her to look forward to the future, to what might be, and for them to have great adventures together with whoever else might pass through their lives.

Theo stood blinking at Nell, his eyebrow raised as she began her explanation about her non-date date. It sounded like there was another story entirely there; one Theo hadn’t been privy to. Not that he should have been. They were barely acquaintances still. Their meeting had been purely by chance and this was just another brush of coincidence that had happened tonight. Nothing here meant he had the right to ask questions or demand information from the petite brunette. He had plenty he hadn’t told her yet, and didn’t honestly know if she would want to know, or if knowing would change anything about their new and growing relationship. Instead Theo tried to stop thinking so much about every little detail and nodded his head slowly. “Aye, sure then. Just let me grab my things and finish up here and I’ll meet you by the stage door in five minutes?” He suggested. Not that he had a lot to do, but Theo wanted to say goodnight to his cast mates and check it any changes had been made. He also wanted to call home and make sure Issy was down and everything was okay if he stayed out a little longer. There were times when Theo felt guilty for living his life because of the weight of his responsibilities.

• • •

TAGGED! Nell Riley Mae Deveraux
WORDS! 509!
OUTFIT! Sweet Scot!
LYRICS! Atlas Hands - - - Benjamin Francis Leftwich
NOTES! <3 <3 <3