I got a total of 20-min. sleep that week and the next. Most of it was on the plane trip over. There were things that had to be altered and repainted. Others had to be completely rebuilt and everything had to be spiked. I had long ago discovered that it was easier for my crews if we used a different color for each scene change. Besides the sets we had to rehearse on a new stage in an unfamiliar theatre. There was the normal stress from dress rehearsals and on top of that the stress of trying to get the scenes built on time.
I personally had to deal with prejudices of some of the crew and cast. Many of them still had trouble with the assistant TD. Even after three years. I wasn't totally surprised, but I had hoped they would get over it after all this was going to be my last show. I might do some consulting work in the future but I was not going to get this involved again. Sebastian took it all in stride, as long Elizabeth was around. They were about a close as two people can get.
Despite all this I was enjoying myself. As long as they weren't fighting I could have cared less. I'm a telepath and I tend to pick up what others are feeling no matter how heavily I am shielded. I seem to be especially good at picking up soul mates, which is fine as long as the people involved are not fighting with each other. When they are I tend to be moody. The down side of all this is that I also seem to attract soul mates with a regularity you could set your watch by.
Sebastian and I were sharing a room. Mostly because no one but Elizabeth would have wanted to share with him and I didn't think her father would have appreciated that. Elizabeth and her sister shared a room with several others of the girls. All in all there was an average of three to a room and we pretty much took up the whole floor of the hotel. No one seemed to mind these arrangements since our comings and goings were at odd hours. Of course with all the in and out I was doing I had started a bit of a cold. I was hoping it would go away with out getting worse, but it was certainly taking it's own sweet time. The cold weather probably wasn't helping
The night we arrived our hosts treated us to a night at the famous Paris Opera. I didn't sit in my box that night because our sponsors had already paid for a seat in the orchestra for each of us. Normally I would sit in box five on the first tier since that was my box for this season. In all the years I had been a patron of the opera I had rented almost every box for a season. In that time I had come to the conclusion that the best views to be had were in boxes 5, 7, 6 and 8 on the first tier, from the House. The performance was well done and I completely enjoyed it. They were performing the Nutcracker. I had already seen it once this season, but found it better the second time around. After the performance while everyone else went back to the hotel I stopped at the theatre and made doubly sure that everything had arrived. On the walk home it started to snow.
Opening night went marvelously well. Nothing went terribly wrong and our sponsors were pleased by the results. While every one was celebrating our triumph I went ice-skating. I have always loved figure skating and ever since I was three I have been on the ice as often as possible. I didn't stay for long because I wasn't feeling well, but I needed to get rid of some of the adrenaline I had build up during the show. The next morning I couldn't seem to wake up. I hurt all over, I couldn't breathe very well and my throat was a little scratchy. All in all I felt awful. I supposed that all the running around had finally caught up to me and was taking its toll.
"Sac?" Sebastian called.
"Lord n' lady," I swore rolling onto my side.
"Does that mean you're awake?"
"Nooo!" I groaned.
"We only have a few hours before we have to leave for the theatre. I thought you might like to get a shower."
"What time is it?"
"Almost twelve."
"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" I asked struggling to get up.
"You needed the sleep. You certainly haven't gotten much in the last few days. And you don't seem inclined to sleep when you have the chance."
"I went ice skating." I made my way to the bathroom.
"You don't look to good are you sure you're all right?"
"I have a cold that's all." I closed the door and sat down quickly. My head was spinning a little. When it stopped I started running the water so it would be warm when I got in. Thirty minutes later I emerged, my head a little clearer but not feeling any better.
"Oh light!" I said falling back on the bed. "I think I'm sick."
"The shower didn't help?" Sebastian was concerned.
I shook my head.
"Wait a few minutes and I'll check your temperature. I can't do it when you've just gotten out of the shower."
"All right," I rolled up in my blankets. For some reason I was cold. A moment later I was hot so I threw them off. Thirty minutes latter Sebastian came back into the room with Elizabeth and a thermometer. I woke up from that half doze thing you do when you're sick when Elizabeth sat down on the bed.
"It says113." Sebastian said shaking out the thermometer after taking my temperature.
"I'd say that's a fever," I said. My normal temp was about 100 F. I had proved this to Sebastian by having him take my temp every day for over a week.
"Why didn't you say something?" asked Elizabeth.
"What would you have done?" I countered. "No one else could have done all the things I've been doing for the past week."
"She's right," sighed Sebastian. "Do you want something for your temperature?"
"No it's all right. Just shoot me now and get it over with."
"I don't think Elizabeth's father would like that. You are his star performer."
"Speaking of which some body ought to tell him do you think?"
"Does that mean you aren't going to be able to do the show tonight?" asked Elizabeth.
"If Sebastian does all my running around I think I can manage. I can sit with Daphne and we can use coms to keep in touch." I gave the matter serious consideration.
"All right. I'll tell him," said Elizabeth. "You get some sleep and hope you feel better soon."
"Aye-aye Captain," I said. She and Sebastian left and I went back to sleep.
The show went remarkably well all things considered. I was pleased that it did because I planed on making Sebastian the new TD after this show. There was no way I was going to spend another three years to train someone else. After the show Sebastian had to carry me up the stairs. I went right to bed and didn't get out again except to take a shower. Some time after the show that night I lost my voice. That wasn't even the worst of it. Normally after the first few days of being sick you reach a peek and then you get better, but I hadn't reached that peek yet. I just kept getting worse no matter how much I rested. By the end of the first week of performances I could barley keep track of what was going on. I was lucky if I could walk into and out of the theatre without help.
"This is not going to work," said Mr. Dell, our producer and Liz's father, after Saturday's performance. "There has to be something we can do about this."
"Sebastian could take over completely. He does know what he's doing," I wrote on a scratch pad. My voice still hadn't come back I sounded funny and it hurt to talk.
"I could almost think you did this on purpose just so you wouldn't have to do any more work," said Elizabeth.
I just smiled.
"At least you've kept your sense of humor," said her father. "So Sebastian takes over. What happens if something happens that we didn't foresee?"
"What do you think I've spent the past three years teaching him for?" I demanded. "This is my last show anyway. I was going to tell you when we finished this run."
"You mean you're leaving us?" asked Mr. Dell.
"Oh I'll still consult and help out every once in a while, but nothing major like this."
"You have done more than your share for this show," he agreed. "Well my boy it seems you're our TD, at least until Sac gets better," he turned to Sebastian, "what do you think of that?"
"I'm not sure," said Sebastian.
"You'll do a fine job," said Elizabeth. "I know you will."
I nodded agreement.
"It seems to be settled," observed Sebastian.
"So it does," laughed Mr. Dell.
Chapter 3