The
raucous cheers of the standing room only crowd were just as loud as they had
been at the close of the show ten minutes earlier.
Dawn enjoyed the joyful accolades of her fans.
Perhaps she did not experience the thrill she did four years ago, but the
applause still moved her.
“Miss
Jensen?” The stage manager
approached. “There is someone who
wants to speak with you.”
Dawn
pasted on a bright smile. After
every show the stage manager invariably knocked on her door and ushered in a
smiling, awestruck fan. “Of
course,” Dawn said graciously, “send them in.”
“Hello,
Dawn.”
“Nikky?”
The name came out as a strangled squeak.
It had been over a year since Dawn had heard Nikolas’ voice.
The young woman could not remember when they’d last stood face to face.
Nikolas
Cassadine stepped forward and enfolded Dawn in a friendly embrace.
“You are looking well.”
“So
are you,” Dawn replied. “Not that I am not glad to see you, but is something wrong?
Are you here because something has happened back in Port Charles?”
“Everyone
in Port Charles is fine. I came
here to Paris because I wanted an opportunity to end this awkwardness that has
been between us for far too long.”
Dawn
tried to smother the flicker of hope that sprang to life at Nikolas’ words.
“Really? I-”
That’s
as far as she got. Her dressing room door opened and Nikolas’ half-brother
Lorenzo stepped inside uninvited. “Lucas
told me that you were here.” Lucky
ignored the angry set of Dawn’s face. His
gaze never wavered from his brother’s face.
Nikolas
acknowledged Lucky with a slight nod of his head.
“Lucky, good. I had
planned to speak with you before I left. This
will save me the time.” Nikolas
turned back to Dawn. “I am to be
married in a month. I did not want
you to hear the news from someone else.”
“Married?”
“Yes,”
Nikolas nodded, “to Gia Campbell. I
hope that you will arrange your schedule to attend.”
Dawn
was numb with shock and disappointment. “You
came to the most romantic city in the world to invite me to your wedding to
another woman?”
Nikolas
smiled sadly. Dawn’s question summed up all the reasons they had never
been able to make their relationship work.
She had actually dared ask Nikolas that question with Lucky standing
protectively at her side.
