Page 120 of Intermission

“Sure.”

“So you’re still pushing to go to one of those fancy New York colleges, huh?”

“Not . . . necessarily.”

“No?” A can of Sweetened Condensed Milk slips through her fingers. She jumps back, keeping her metallic purple pedicure out of its path.

I have to admit, Grandma Maddie makes seventy-five look prettyswag.

“Whyever not?” She picks up the can, inspecting it for dents. “I thought New York was your big dream.”

“It is. Well, part of it.” I take the lemons to the cutting board to slice. “My dream is to sing on Broadway someday. That hasn’t changed. It would be great to be in New York, but living there is crazy expensive.” I gather the sliced lemons and deliver them to the juicer. “Since I’ll be paying for it on my own, I’m widening my options.”

“Paying for it yourself? Your parents won’t help at all?”

“Not if I major in Musical Theatre.”

“But with all those classes you’ve already taken, you’ll only have two years left on your bachelor’s degree!”

“Something like that. Maybe a little longer, depending on how I can schedule all my major classes and the required recitals and all that while holding down a job. But Iwillget to New York”—and Noah, the other half of my dream—“eventually.”

“After all your hard work, they won’t help you pay for two measly little years of college.” Grandma Maddie grinds her teeth as she juices a lemon. Then another.

When she turns back to me, her anger has relaxed into concern. “Honey, I know it’s what you want to do, but I don’t see how you can go to school full-timeandmake enough money to pay for it without their help. There aren’t enough hours in the day. I don’t suppose Musical Theatre’s one of those things you could do online, is it? If it was, I’d say you could just move in here with me, get out from under your mother’s... Well, you know.”

If only it were that easy. “Thanks. Really. That means... a lot.” I clear my throat. “But I need to be on campus. It’s a performance studies program, so I have to be where I can perform. I’m applying to several schools with good Musical Theatre programs, and I’m going to apply for every scholarship I can find, at all the schools I’m applying to.” I take a breath. “I’ve decided to graduate a semester early. I’ll be eighteen, so Mom and Dad can’t really stop me.”

Grandma sighs and puts a lemon-scented hand on my cheek. “In any case, my door is always open to you, honey. Always.”

“I know. And I appreciate that. I do. But at least for now, they’repaying the bills, so... I’m going to try to tough it out at home. If they let me stay after I’ve told them my plans.”

Her eyebrows lift, but she doesn’t say anything.

“I’ll go to college for Musical Theatre—somewhere—next fall. But in the meantime, I’m thinking... I’d like to go to La Bella and earn my esthetician’s license.”

She blinks. “La Bella College of Cosmetology?”

I nod. “That’s where Lissa Reynolds went.”

“Yes, I know.” Grandma Maddie nods several times, slowly. “An esthetician’s license, you say. I see. Sothat’swhy you’ve been spending all that time talking to Lissa at my shop.”

“For not being there most of the time, you sure know what’s going on.”

“It’s what I do best. But what does a career in esthetics have to do with Musical Theatre?”

“Stage makeup!” I flourish my hands around my face. “But that’s not all. Estheticians make pretty good money in bigger cities. I can have a good job through college and gain experience to hopefully get a job in theatre makeup once I get to New York and start auditioning.”

“Hmm...” She nods with a thoughtful expression that seems to approve of my plan. At least, I hope that’s what it means.

“I’ve talked several times with the college rep from La Bella. Did you know it only takes twenty-seven to thirty weeks to be eligible for an esthetician license?”

“I think Lissa might have mentioned that.”

“Right. Well, a new term starts right after my birthday. I’ll be eighteen, so Mom and Dad can’t say no. And if I start then, I can be finished and fully employable by May. I’ll have decided on a college by then, so as soon as I find a job in a day spa, I can move to... wherever and start earning money. The La Bella rep said they would help me with licensure in another state, if I need it. Which I will.”

The timer goes off. I check the crusts and put them back in for a few more minutes.

“There’s only one hitch,” I say, grimacing. “La Bella needs a fifty percent deposit by June fifteenth, and I don’t have it.”