Romeo and Juliet

I lay still and lifeless on the cold stone of the Capulet crypt. My hands hold a bouquet of roses, fresh from the gardens of Verona. They are a stark contrast to the white gown I am dressed in, the same one I wore when I met my Romeo.

There is a clatter at the crypt entrance.

I hear his gasp when he sees me, it's Romeo. His footsteps come closer and he collapses in tears beside me. He lays there for some time weeping, it breaks my heart that I can do nothing.

Romeo stifles his sobs enough to speak, "Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide!" He breaks off.

"Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on

The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!"

The scent of the roses fills my nose and tickles my nostrils. Why did it have to be roses?

"Here's to my love!" Romeo continues.

I feel a sneeze coming on! Oh why now?!

I hold my breath in hopes of stopping it.

I hear gasps in the audience and I know I have done it. Sneezed at the most crucial moment.

I open my eyes and look at Fletcher/Romeo, mortification filling me.

Fletcher looks shocked, two years we have worked together and not once has anything of this magnitude happened.

I'm the worst Juliet ever to disgrace the title. If I do nothing the show is ruined, and if I do something the show is also ruined.

I look at Fletcher and say with a weak smile, "Romeo have you come at last?"

He doesn't move for a moment, then " Sweet Juliet, I bethought I hadst lost thee to the grave forevermore!"

"But alas it cannot be!" he says "Thou art only some cruel spirit come to haunt me in mine hour of despair!"

"Nay my love, it is I," I say and grasp Fletcher's hand dramatically. "Thine own Juliet!"

"Aristo told'st me thou had died!"

"Nay my love, I yet live! The valorous friar did help me so yond I wouldn't has't to wed the Wicked Count Paris!"

Romeo and Juliet embrace. Then I freeze and look up at Fletcher, "We must flee Verona lest Paris and mine kin come and we be discovered!"

The friar comes waddling in holding a torch and is followed by the soldiers and servants. I can see just behind the curtain that the Montague's and the Capulets are preparing to come out. Angie/mother looks at me with question in her eyes.

I make the best form of explanation I can with my eyes.

Andrew/friar stands still in a shocked daze, I know how much he hates last minute changes.

I run to him and clasp my hands at my chest and say, "Dear sir, I beseech thee to answer me straightway; it is not to late for my Romeo and I to escape?"

The friar does not answer.

One of the servants runs out of the crypt to relay the latest scandal to the Capulets and Montague's.

Angie enters the crypt weeping, held up only by her ladies in waiting. I retreat to stand next to Fletcher/Romeo.

Angie sees me and gasps, "Juliet, my love, I bethought thou had'st died!"

She runs forward and gives me a hug sobbing all the while. Then she backs up and glares at Fletcher.

"What doest thou near this filthy wretch?" She asks, her voice full of indignation.

"Romeo come hence from yon Capulet!" Old Montague cries upon entering the crypt.

The whole scene turns to chaos as both families whisper their questions and lay the blame at the others feet. Fletcher mounts the stone that was supposed to serve as Romeo and Juliet's final resting place and calls for order. The stage/crypt goes silent.

"Father, I shall not leave this Capulet! For I would'st rather lose mine own life than lose mine wife!"

Gasps echo from both families and a maid faints. I'll make sure to thank her for that later.

"I beseech thee, tell me this be not the truth." Angie says.

"Yea mother, even as he dost say. The Montagues be not so very different from us."

"Different from us or not, they are our sworn foes!" Joel/old Capulet says, "We made an oath! And this knave ye claim to love killed cousin Tybalt and Count Paris!"

"And how many more like unto cousin Tybalt will lose thier lives before yon oath be filled?" I cry.

"And my brothers of Montague blood how many more Marcutio's shall die before you are satisfied?" Fletcher asks, " I would have been counted among those folk; for I came to this tomb with the intention of taking mine own life! How much more blood dost thou require before it be enough?"

No one answers. No one can answer.

There is a commotion at the back of the crowd as prince Escalus makes his way to the front with some of his men.

"What are ye about? I demand to know!" Damian/Escalus says adding emphasis with his staff.

No one answers. Damian turns and sees Romeo/ Fletcher.

"Romeo what doest thou here? Thou knowest the penalty for returning to Verona."

"If thou takest mine Romeo thou must take me as well for we shall not be separated. In life or death." I say.

"I am sorry for this Romeo. The penalty for returning is death." Damian says and waves his guards forward.

I move close to Fletcher and grab his arm. The soldiers approach and order Romeo to come with them.

"Nay! Ye shall not take him!" I shriek.

Fletcher looks down at me and smiles softly, "I am sorry my love."

"Stop this!"

I look around for the speaker.

"Thou shalt not take him, nor lift a finger against him. I shall pay his penalty in gold." Old Capulet/Juliet's father says "I cannot allow thee take mine son!"

Prince Escalus is stunned into silence.

Then Old Capulet turns to the Montague's, "If thou wouldst have us, we would make peace betwixt our kin and thine." He bows his head. "For the memory of Tybalt."

Old Montague steps forward, "For our children, for Marcutio, and for Romeo and Juliet let us have peace."

Both men draw knives and and "cut" their palms, thus sealing the pact with blood.

Cheers and laughter erupt in the crypt.

Romeo and Juliet join hands and look at our families.

"Only God canst know how close we did come to tragedy today, thanks be to him we have been spared. We shall live in peace together with our families!"

"Yea Romeo, Verona shall never be the same, and I thank God for it!" I say.

The curtains close and are followed by thunderus applause.

Relief washes over me and laughter threatens to burst forth.

I turn to Fletcher, "How did we pull that off?"

"I've no idea."

We stand trying to calm down, the speeches and nerves got to us.

"C'mon get in line you two." Angie says as she pushes past us.

Fletcher and I take our spots at the front of the stage to "take a bow".

"That was some pretty fantastic old english." Fletcher says.

"Yeah, thanks to old King James." I say.

In the dressing room I change back into my jean's and Grandma sweater, then set about removing the pound of makeup from my face.

Justin pokes his head around the mirror, "boss wants to see you in the office."

My first thought is, "Well, I'm fired."

"K, I'm coming." I say. "What should I prepare for?"

"An assosiate of some big theater company was here to write a review or something, I think he's still in the office."

We reach the door and part ways.

"Rainey please come in." Malary says "this is Edmund Cleveland from the Alcott theater group."

I give Cleveland a handshake and say something about how nice it is to meet him.

"I understand you are the cause for tonight's plot twist."

"Yes, but Fletcher is the only reason it worked." I say

"And none of it was planned?"

"None of it was." Says Fletcher who just walked in.

"Well intended or not it was entertaining and very well done, for last minute improvisation that is."

"Thank you." I say.

I'm afraid to look at Malary for fear she'll disapprove, but when I do she is smiling and I know everything will be alright.

"We need people like you two at our company would you consider giving up Romeo and Juliet and coming to work for us?" Cleveland asks.

I look at Fletcher and we seem to have the same idea.

"Thanks for the offer sir, but tonight would not have worked if it hadn't been for every one on that stage. They are like family to me, I couldn't leave that."

"What about you Romeo?"

Fletcher smiles, "I'm with Juliet."

My phone vibrates in my bag.

"Do you mind if I take that?" I ask.

"Go ahead. But if you think of a plot twist for Hamlet, let me know."