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Kylie in the City

  Episode 1

  By

  Laura Keysor

  ***

  Copyright 2012 by Laura Keysor

  ***

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents may have been inspired by genuine events but have been written and used fictitiously. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission in writing from Laura Keysor

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  Kylie in the City

  Episode 1

  Chapter 1

  “I need the Flying Monkeys, now!”

  That was my cue, shoot! I had somehow gotten myself stuck between two pieces of the large iron clock set piece backstage, and the creepy bat-like monkey wings of my costume weren’t helping the situation at all. My eyes stung with the sweat and brown monkey face make up that was dripping down my forehead. The other actors whizzed past me, frantically rushing to the stage for their own cues. Nobody seemed to have even noticed that this little monkey had bonked her head. That’s obviously what had happened. I mean, how else could I explain my sudden departure from a very promising law career path to launching myself into being a fantastical flying monkey?

  I struggled to pull myself out from between the two objects, but as hard as I tried, it was obvious I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. I sighed. This was seriously typical of how my life was going lately. Like all the grace, maturity, and smarts I had cultivated my entire life had never happened. I went from being completely self assured to becoming an utterly klutzy mess this last year with all the changes I had made in my life.

  I had decided to “find” myself, to go after my real dreams, and live my life for me, not for my parents, or anyone else, for that matter. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I rationalized it was what every twenty-something young woman should do before getting married and having a family of her own.

  But lately I was starting to think that decision might have been a bad one. Like, amazingly bad. It seemed as if every day there was some new disaster waiting in the wings for me. For instance, the awesome predicament I was stuck in now. I was tired and frustrated and could now see how monkeys could so easily throw their poop. It was probably pretty freeing. I needed that…the freeing part, I mean, right this second… literally.

 

  Like most Mormon girls growing up in Utah with mothers determined to have the most creative, motivated, accomplished kids they could produce, I was no exception to that. My childhood was great, don’t get me wrong. But the majority of my time outside of school included everything from elite classes of ballet to the wide open spaces of the junior high soccer field to ensure that I was the most well-rounded LDS girl I could be.

  My parents were determined that all six of their cute little rug rats would end up being accepted to the Mormon Mecca of universities, BYU, and I did them proud. Oh, so proud. I even ended up going above and beyond what my parents expected, as every good Mormon girl should, and not only received my B.A. in English Lit, but also a J.D. after.

  Yes, I was a lawyer (like the world didn’t have enough of us already). My life was set, despite the absence of my MRS. degree that usually went hand in hand with a Bachelor’s degree from BYU.

  After law school, I was offered a job at a firm in Manhattan. My parents freaked. They couldn’t possibly see how I could want to go live in such a huge city, across the country and away from Utah. It wasn’t that they were afraid for me being so far away. They just couldn’t fathom the idea that I wasn’t staying in Utah to find a husband. Because, obviously, in their minds, there weren’t any active Mormons in NYC, and how on earth was I supposed to find a worthy young man to marry in those conditions? So I knew Manhattan was the right choice. I had to leave. I had to prove them wrong.

  I packed up my stuff that summer and was gone before they could change my mind. My first few years in the Big Apple were rough. Like, really rough. A new job and seriously grueling hours at the firm wore me thin. I needed an escape, just a little one, so I went to see a show on Broadway one night when I was supposed to be working billable hours for the firm. And long story short, that little escape turned into another, and then five... ok, fifty. That little idea of an escape apparently wasn’t an awesome one to the partners, and I was given a choice. Make up the billable hours and give 110% to the firm from here on out or give my resignation. It wasn’t a hard decision for me.

  I wasn’t happy being a lawyer. So I made a plan. I had skills… ok, fine, actually crazy mad skills! My parents had made sure of that with all of those classes in the arts they made me take as a kid. I was in Manhattan, the artsy fartsy capital of the world. I could totally do this. No prob.

  So, cue the flying monkey business I was into now.

  This was where all those mad skills had gotten me.

  I heard a familiar laugh. Oh, please kill me now. It was Scott. Pretty much the only straight guy in the entire cast and probably the hottest too, which didn’t bode well for me at this precise moment considering the position in which I was currently stuck. It really didn’t help at all that Scott was totally sweet too. I knew the laugh wasn’t malicious, but the whole thing was still so embarrassing.

  I heard the pitter patter of his costume-clad feet get closer. I couldn’t see him from my stuck position, so I knew he couldn’t see my face just yet. I could only hope he wouldn’t recognize that the stuck monkey was me from behind, considering the fact that all he could see was my costume monkey rear end. I really didn’t want him checking out my rear, at least not like that… in a monkey suit. And what if he actually did recognize me from behind? I didn’t know if that would be more, or less, mortifying.

  I turned my face to the wall and held my breath, hoping he would just walk past without actually stopping.

  “Hey!” He laughed, “Do you need some help?” No dice. My jig was up.

  I slowly turned my face and my mortified eyes met the amused smirk donning his gorgeous face. Yep, he was still gorgeous and his blue eyes gleamed even with the fugly monkey make up. He erupted into laughter as recognition struck.

  “Kylie!” He was doubled over now.

  Really? Was my agony seriously that funny?

  “Scott.” I gave him my best evil eye.

  It didn’t work.

  “Do you think you could stop laughing for two seconds and actually provide the help you offered?” I was trying to sound annoyed, but was on the verge of laughter myself. It wasn’t funny.

  Really, it wasn’t.

  Ok, it was.

  A snort escaped. My hand shot up quickly to cover my nose. Oh… My… Gosh. I couldn’t believe I had just snorted… and in front of Scott! Ugh.

  His eyebrows shot up in surprise in response to my snort, like he didn’t know if it had actually come from me. His look was so comical I couldn’t help but laugh. Ok, fine, even if the whole thing was astronomically embarrassing, I had to admit it was totally hilarious.

  “Ok, really… a little help here, please?” I laughed.

  “Sure thing.”

  He grabbed my arms and pulled. I didn’t budge.

  “You’re really stuck!”

  “You’re a genius.”

  “It’s about time you recognized that. You know, I’m more than just a pretty face.” He winked. My insides tingled. Or maybe my limbs were just falling asleep. I wasn’t about to give him credit for my tingling senses after he had just laughed at me so hard. Though, he did stop and offer to help. I’d give him that. Appreciation… Not tingles.

  “I’m going to have to get back there and see what’s going on.” He walked around the set piece and s
naked his arms in through the back. There was no chance he wouldn’t be in close contact with my monkey derriere now. I really didn’t think it could have been more mortifying than it was already.

  But it was.

  “Ok, I got your wings free, but I’m going to have to push you out from back here.”

  I closed my eyes and gathered my wits before squeaking out a humiliated, “Ok.”

  He placed his hands on my bum and pushed. I slid an inch and then suddenly popped free. I landed on all fours, and he walked around the front wiping his hands together in satisfaction of a job well done.

  He offered his hand, and I took it. “Thanks,” I said as he helped me up.

  “No problem.”

  He smiled, and my insides tingled again. So annoying… those tingles had to go.

  I smiled back, “We should probably get out there,” I said flustered and hurried away still utterly embarrassed.