Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1951)

found him, Chichi," he told me. He gave me some details about how, but they didn't sink in. My ears were pounding and my head was as light as a balloon, and I was having trouble holding it on. What did emerge was that Cal had found his way to Coney Island, of all places, and had gotten himself a job there singing in a restaurant. "Put up quite an argument, too," Craig told me. "Didn't want to come back. But he's back now." "Where is he?" My voice was a thin squeak. "He's all right, you say? Forgive me, Craig, I'm so relieved — " "I know. Yes, he's all right. Only thing is, we took him back to his rooming house to get cleaned up and there was a message there from some gal — Martaine? would that be it? — so when he found out I was going to call you he said to please tell you the message was urgent and he'd get in touch with you later." Right then, even that seemed okay. Just to know he was alive and safe was enough. But later, when Papa David came home and I told him everything, the look on his face and the way it sounded to me in the telling combined to throw cold water all over me. Icy, freezing water. Papa David didn't like it. Cal should have come to me, if only for a minute, to say he was all right. I didn't like it, either. He called me himself, later on. When I heard his voice I felt weak inside. "I've only got a second, Chichi, but I wanted to say how sorry I, was to trouble you. Mr. Roberts said you were right worried about me . . ." "Yes. We all were . . ." "You shouldn't have. I went through a bad piece, but it's all right now. I — I guess you know Mr. Markham's giving me another chance. Lise, she talked him into it. I'm going on tonight, and if I come out all right I'm coming down later to tell you something real important. If it's okay to come down that late—?" "It's okay, Cal," I said. "And — good luck, dear." I hung up and rested my head against the wall for a minute. Lise talked him into it. That's what her message had been, no doubt — to make sure she'd get to him first with the news. Well, let her have the credit. That part didn't matter — who was responsible, why, or for what. All that mattered was getting Cal his second chance, his real chance. Right on the verge of that it would be silly to start arguing with Lise about credit. Later, we could straighten it out. I didn't have to go to the show that night. I could see it all — the only part that mattered to me. In my mind's eye it was clear — the curtain going up on a Western ranch scene, the lonely moonlight, Cal standing there with his guitar, quiet, lonesome . . . and then starting to sing. His own way, ' the right way, soft and easy, not with a big orchestra blaring away and an "artistic" song to live up to . . . He'd do it tonight. I knew it; there was no doubt at all. He came down surprisingly soon after the performance — before I expected him. But coffee was ready, and a big fancy cake from the bakery. And I was ready too, ready for the "something important" he was going to tell me. Almost ready, that is. Inside, my heart was going so fast I was afraid it showed. "I did it, Chichi!" he almost shouted. He took my hands and kissed me on the lips for the first time. "I did it! They like me, Chichi! Mr. Markham says everything's okay now. Isn't it like a fairy tale? I can't believe it — and yet I knew somehow it would come true for me . . ." "I knew too, Cal," I said. "I was so sure it would go right this time that I didn't even have to be there. I could see every spotlight and hear every note — that's why I got a celebration all ready. I knew there'd be something to celebrate!" He noticed the fancy table for the first time, and suddenly he looked disturbed. "Gee, Chichi — I didn't expect — I mean I have to go back uptown right away. I came down as fast as I could because I wanted to tell you the first one, you've been so good to me, but Lise's planned a big party to celebrate ... to celebrate ... It was supposed to be the opening night party, but she held it up on account of me making such a fool of myself and disappearing like that." I sat down, because my shaky knees were about to give up. Looking up at him, I waited for him to go on. He moistened his lips. "We — I — yes, you've been so good to me, Chichi. I went through a bad time, out there on the beach, thinking, but you know even before they found me I was making up my mind to come back. I might not be able to face it myself, I was thinking, but with Lise to help me — she's so strong, Chichi, and she knows so much. Not only about the theater, you know, but about — life, and all . . ." He looked down at me helplessly. "We're going to be married, Lise and I. I wanted to tell you before anybody else . . ." From some hidden source I scraped up enough strength to hide what I 86 HAVE YOU SEEN the fugitive criminal described on the "True Detective Mysteries" radio program Sunday afternoon? $1 000 REWARD is offered for information leading to his arrest. For complete details, and for an exciting halfhour of action and suspense, tune in // TRUE DETECTIVE MYSTERIES a Every Sunday afternoon on 502 Mutual radio stations was feeling. "Why, thanks," I actually said. "I know you'll be very happy. Both — both in the same work, and helping each other — I know you'll be happy." I gave him my hand. "You'd better run along now, Cal, so you won't be late. We can — celebrate some other time." He was definitely uneasy now, shifting from one foot to the other in uncertainty. But I was beyond helping Cal Duncan. After all I wasn't made entirely of iron. I needed a little help myself right then, to keep the smile on my face and the steadiness in my voice as I practically pushed him out the front door. I sat there, I don't know how long, looking at that cake with its pink and brown icing and fancy decoration. I remembered Barry telling me that Lise Martaine could be useful to Cal, and then I remembered Lise herself saying almost the same thing . . . and now Cal. Had he known it all along? Was he really in love with her? Was he just using her to give him another step up on the road to success? Who knew, who knew? My heart hurt and tears were making my throat ache. I knew that they would just spill over in a few more minutes. That would be good. Get the whole thing out of my system at once. I couldn't fool myself that I was going to cry Cal Duncan out of my system in one easy lesson. His eyes, so open and warm, his voice, with that deep, drawling caress — it wouldn't be so very easy. But somehow I knew that sooner or later I could do it. It was what he'd said about Lise, I think. "She's so strong." Yes, he needed that, someone to lean on. But a girl in love doesn't want a man to turn to her for strength! At least — not Chichi Conrad! I wanted someone I could lean on, not the other way around. Let Lise have Cal Duncan. Let him have her. Bless you, my children. Maybe if the phone hadn't rung just then I would have broken down and cried. But when I heard Barry's deep, soothing voice, suddenly I laughed instead. It was a little hysterical, maybe, but it was a pretty real, pretty happy laugh all the same. "Thought you might be a little — " he hesitated. "Lonesome?" "I am, but not the way you think. You know, Barry? Everything that's happened?" "Pretty much, and the rest I can guess. If there's anything I can do, Chichi — " "That's it — you ask me if there's anything you can do for me. That's the way it should be, Barry — shouldn't it? At least part of the time. I don't mind doing the helping some of the time, but I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life planning someone else's life for him. I wouldn't want it that way." "I'd spend mine doing everything in the world for you if you'd let me." Barry's voice was low and intense. "You know that, I won't go on repeating it. But right now, if there's anything— " "As a matter of fact there is," I said. I had caught sight of the cake again, sitting on the dressed-up table in untouched splendor. I burst out laughing. "Barry, there's something you can do. You can come right down here and help me eat a cake!" "I'm on my way," he said, and hung up. Absently, as I waited, I reached out and picked off some of the icing. It tasted as if it were going to be a pretty good cake after all.