Page 59 of Intermission

“We’ll go start the car,” Danielle says, and before I can object, she takes my arm and leads me to Ryan’s SUV.

Danielle tries to make small talk. And I respond, I think. But I’m shaking a little, at least on the inside, and I’m not sure my answers make sense, since I don’t fully comprehend words at this point.

“It’ll be okay,” she says and reaches to the backseat to put her hand on my knee, probably just to make sure I realize she’s talking. Wise move. “It’s Ryan, remember? King of the Softies?”

“But he’s— And I don’t want Noah to be—”

“Noah’s a good guy, right?”

“Yeah. He is. But . . . the big brother thing . . .”

Finally, after eternity has come and gone and come back around, my doctor brother and my actor boyfriend emerge, smiling.

They’re both smiling.

I can breathe.

Ryan slides behind the wheel. Meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror, he gives a slow nod. “He passed,” he whispers before Noah is fully in the car.

One growly teddy-bear-of-a-brother down, two fire-breathing,fine-arts-mocking parents to go.

It takes a little over two hours to reach the Des Moines Civic Center. Ryan parks in the parking garage, and after a relaxed dinner at a nearby restaurant, we walk the short distance to the venue to find our seats.

Even though I’ve seen the film numerous times, I am absolutely enraptured by the passion of the live performance. From the overture’s opening note to the tear-jerking, triumphant end, I experience an unparalleled range of emotion that has me grinning and laughing one moment and taking Noah’s offered tissue the next.

Noah squeezes my hand as we follow Ryan and Danielle out of the Civic Center. “I don’t need to ask if you liked it, but... what was your favorite part?”

“I loved it all.” Awe infects my words. “So much.” No bit of film could ever convey the poignancy felt from that stage. “I can’t believe how emotional it was when Javert jumped off the bridge. I hated him for what he did to Jean Valjean, but in that moment, I felt sorry for him. And it looked so real! And when Eponine died in Marius’s arms! Oh!” I grip Noah’s arm, coming to a dead stop on the sidewalk. “And then, when Fantine’s ghost sang to Jean Valjean...?Gah!I’m so glad you thought to bring tissues!”

“I had a feeling you might need them. A benefit of having seen it before, I suppose.” Noah smiles. “Seeing you see it for the first time was just... cool. It brought back the wonder. I think my reaction was the same the first time. I’ve seen it on stage three times now, and the movie several times, of course. But it never gets old. Thanks for inviting me.”

“Who else would I ask?” I wrinkle my nose, imagining Jenna’s boredom. “Besides, Ryan wanted to meet you.”

“Your brother’s pretty cool. I wasn’t sure what to expect. You made it sound like I was in for a modern version of the Spanish Inquisition.”

“Was it horrible?” My voice almost squeaks on the last word.

“Uncomfortable, yes. Horrible, no. I’m a pretty straightforward guy, and I don’t have anything to hide about, well, about the things he asked me about.” He pauses, and a dry chuckle exits through his little cringe. “I’m not gonna lie. It got pretty personal, pretty fast.”

Considering Ryan grilled me about sex last weekend, I can only imagine the sort of questions he posed to Noah.

“I am so sorry. Consider me mortified on your behalf.”

“He really cares about you, Faith. Sure, it was a little awkward—okay, a lot awkward, there for a bit. And I’m not sure he believed me about... everything, but I survived, and he let me come with, so...”

“Ryan has no patience or use for liars, and he can smell a lie a mile away. He told me you passed his test. Trust me, he believes you about... whatever. Everything.”

“Good. The subject of purity is very important to me. And I’ve talked about it before, with friends, in youth group, and stuff, so I’ve given it a lot of thought over the years. But it’s a lot different when you’re put on the spot by your girlfriend’s big brother.”

I try not to react visibly to the fact that he just referred to me as his girlfriend. He’s never said it aloud before. Not to me. “I bet.”

“Yeah.” He chuckles. “Enough about that. I’m over it.” Noah gently tugs my hand. “Wait. The ‘Don’t Walk’ light just came on.”

Ryan and Danielle have already crossed the intersection and are nearing the parking ramp. They look back at us, and Danielle sends us a little wave. I point at the light, and she gives a thumbs-up.

“I like your brother.” Noah’s breath fogs the chilly night air. “As soon as he came out of the apartment building in Iowa City, even before you said anything, I knew that had to be him. I’m pretty sure he talked to me after the final show last weekend, but I didn’t put it together that he was your brother. Now, I don’t know how I missed it. You two look so much alike. Same big brown eyes, same cinnamon-colored hair. I would never guess Gretchen could be your sister.”

“We take after our dad’s side of the family. Gretchen is more like Mom, all blonde and bombshell-y. Gretchen could walk onto a cover shoot forPeople Magazine,and everyone would think she belonged there.”