Room 232, Thursday Morning

[wantstodirect]

It was break week, so Tony was still in bed when the phone rang. He groped for it on the nightstand, stared blearily at the Darkest Night office number on the screen and pressed Talk. “Amy?” he guessed. “I still don’t remember what happened to that trombone.”

“Didn’t I tell you?” the Darkest Night office assistant asked. “Found it in Mason’s dressing room. He was all evasive about why it was there, too. I so don’t want to know what happened. Anyway, not why I’m calling this time. Wanda quit.”

“Wanda?” Tony tried to remember who she was. “The super P.A.?”

“Bitch sold a movie-of-the-week script to NBC. Now she’s off to LA to be some rich and famous writer.” Amy snorted. “Want a job?”

“Uh, I’m still in Maryland,” Tony said. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, and I’m dying to hear the boarding school stories,” Amy said. “Do you belong to one of those homoerotic cults with engraved paddles?”

“I think those are frats. College stuff,” Tony said. Did he have pants around here somewhere? Ah - there! He hooked one foot under his jeans and dragged them over to him.

“Roeally? Do you at least have ties and rugby? Oh, never mind, you can tell me when you get here. Classes are over, right?”

“Yeah, but-”

“Look, Tony-” He could hear her tapping her fingernails against the desk. “If you get get here by Monday, the job’s yours. I can’t hold it any longer than that. I’m not going to ask if you want it, ‘cause I know you do. I’m just going to point out that in two weeks we’ll be shooting a sauna scene with Lee. You going to be the one holding the towels or not?”

“You cheat,” Tony sighed.

“I do,” Amy agreed cheerfully. “And I don’t want to spend the next month teaching ten different wannabes how to answer the phone and recharge a radio battery just to have them run off when they see Starbucks at lunchtime.”

Tony leaned over the edge of the bed to see if his belt had slid under the nightstand. “What colour are your nails today?”

“Cerulean,” Amy said.

“That’s green, right?”

“Blue, you heathen. Matches my eyelashes. Will I see you Monday?”

“You will,” Tony said.

“Excellent. Have a good trip and I’m expecting field hockey stories.” Amy hung up the phone.

Tony sighed, tossed his phone on the nightstand, got dressed and then made a couple of phone calls, including one to Geoffrey.

[Yes, he's leaving! But just for the summer. Anyone who wants to say good-bye is welcome to have gotten a call or just happen to stop by.]

Comments

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah stopped by before heading to the flower shop, expression torn. "Nooooo! And yessss!"

[wantstodirect]

"I know!" Tony said. "I don't want to go. And yet."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Flopping down on his bed, Dinah gave him puppy-eyes. "It's so awesome they asked you back, but dude, I'll miss you. Vancouver is forever away, there's time zones involved. How is this fair?"

[wantstodirect]

"Who said anything about fair?" Tony dug in his closet and found his duffel bag, then tossed it on the bed next to Dinah.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"You realize you have to call and tell me all about the latest stupid thing Mason did, and who C.B. is intimidating, and how cute Lee still is, right? I mean, every week, if not more often?" Dinah checked, making a face at the duffle. "And if you get to direct something, I need to hear about that too." She paused. "Especially if it's in a desert."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack had still been asleep when the message arrived on his phone, and, after some frowning at it to get it to play the message and stop beeping, he found himself frowning again.

He highly disapproved of Tony leaving. But that seemed like a message to communicate in person, so he trundled down the hall to Tony's room.

He tapped on the doorframe. "Tony? Are you decent? it's Jack."

... no comments, please.

[wantstodirect]

Tony, who was now clothed, said, "Yeah, come in!"

[bitten_notshy]

Jack came in.

And stood there.

And pouted.

"I understand why you want to go, but do you really have to leave so soon?"

[wantstodirect]

Okay, now, the pout was just unfair. Tony took one of Jack's hands in his. "I'll be starting work at 6 am Monday morning. I need to find a place to live and get used to West Coast time again. I'll be back in the fall, though."

[bitten_notshy]

"... but that's two months from now," Jack said, wibbling a little for effect but reining in the pout as he ran a thumb over Tony's hand. He wasn't exactly happy Tony was going, but it wasn't as if his heart was being broken.

"Will you be in touch?"

[glacial_queen]

Karla came by to offer a suggestion she had for next week's Magic Reserve. Quietly tapping on the doorframe, Karla called "Tony? You there?"

[wantstodirect]

The door was partway open now and Tony was stuffing clothes and books into a duffel bag. "Hey, Karla."

[glacial_queen]

Karla stood in the doorway, not entering any further in. "Hi Tony. Are you leaving for the weekend?" People had been talking about an upcoming holiday.

Of course, Tony looked like he was packing far more than he'd need for a weekend.

[wantstodirect]

"I'm going back to Vancouver for the rest of the summer," Tony admitted. "I got a job offer."

[glacial_queen]

"Oh." Karla was sadder than she thought she'd be at hearing that. She and Tony didn't talk much, but he was always there and always kind. And that meant a lot.

"Congratulations?" she offered, trying to sound cheerful. "It's a good job, then? And you'll be back for the beginning of school?"

[heartflames.livejournal.com]

Eleanor hadn't seen Tony in a bit, so she decided to visit with tea in hand. "Hello? Tony?"

[wantstodirect]

Tony was still doing some packing. "Hey, Eleanor! How've you been?"

[heartflames.livejournal.com]

"I've been good," she replied, offering Tony a cup of tea. "Are you going on a trip?"

[wantstodirect]

"Thank you," Tony said, accepting the cup. "Actually, I'm going home. For the rest of the summer."

[heartflames.livejournal.com]

Her face fell a little, she couldn't help it. "All is well, I hope?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin knocked lightly on the door, peering on in the room. "Tony?"

[wantstodirect]

"Merlin! Hey!" Tony stuffed another t-shirt in his duffel bag and struggled to zip it shut.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Well, there went Merlin's idly ramble about how he was doing. "Are you going somewhere?"

[wantstodirect]

"Yeah, uh, I got a job in Vancouver for the rest of the summer," Tony admitted, a little guiltily.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Merlin paused. "Just for the summer?"

That may have come out far too hopeful.