The audience applauded, clapping loudly. One, then two, three, four… they stood in ovation and cheered. The cast stood, arms over each other's shoulders and took several bows. The curtains closed and that was it, the opening night, error free and perfect. The amateur drama club had pulled it off. After three months of rehearsals, the group of fourteen men and five women had played to a full house, the first show of eight to be held over the coming week.
Dave had a leading role whose character was killed off in the final scene. Playing a modern-day Robin Hood, his 'Maid Marion', Marie, played by the beautiful Del, had to kiss him firmly on the lips as he took his dying breath. This scene was extremely dramatic and the acting throughout the play had to be convincing to pull it off. Del had some initial problems with the final scene. Although she liked Dave, she found it difficult to act out her intense, deep love for his character. The director had shouted almost every rehearsal to 'just let yourselves live the moment… two lovers, deeply in love…' and Del had problems letting herself go.
"Why don't we go for a coffee?" Dave asked Del after one disastrous rehearsal.
"Okay." They took a booth in the 'Back Stage Café-Bar' that was next to the theatre. After a moment's silence, Dave tried to reassure his leading lady that it was only acting and that the kissing meant nothing really.
Del nodded in agreement and explained that every time she closed her eyes, she could see her husband, angry at her kissing another man. John, Del's husband, was very abusive and possessive and he didn't like his wife being an amateur actress. They had rowed many times, but Del's persistence and patience won out. John finally, and reluctantly, accepted that his wife would act, but he would not come to see her performance. This had upset Del and was affecting her excellent acting abilities.
"Why don't we meet tomorrow at six? We have rehearsal at seven; we could practice in the park for an hour. It might help us loosen up," Dave coaxed. Del, reluctantly accepted the invitation and the next day, at six o'clock, they met at the bandstand in the park.
***
It was a cool evening. The autumn was knocking on the door and some of the trees were already beginning to glow in the low light of the sun. They had about an hour's daylight and soon, they began reading lines to one another as they sat on a bench, facing each other.
There were two scenes that Del was having problems with. The first was in act three, when the two characters kiss for the first time; Robert and Marie, meet at a party held by a mutual friend, and Marie's current lover, Dominic, the villain of the play. The characters find themselves on a veranda under the stars; the music builds up to a crescendo and the tension between the two characters as they finally embrace for a long, lingering kiss that is meant to set the scene for the rest of the play.
The second scene was the final act. Dave's character, Robert, tries to get his old friend, Marie's former lover and villain in the play, Dominic, to overcome his criminal ways, but drugs have warped the villain's mind. He shoots Robert in the chest when he wrongly believes his old friend has betrayed him to the police. Robert falls to the floor in a pool of blood, his lover, Marie, cradles him as she weeps over her dying lover. As the police arrest Dominic in the wings, Marie realises Robert is dying and kisses him for the last time as he passes away and the curtains close.
"Here, stand behind the bench and imagine it's the veranda," Dave told Del as the words lead them through the French doors on the veranda.
They read out their lines, and then they looked into each other's eyes. Robert took Marie by the upper arms and pulled her close his lips pressing hard on hers.
They kissed for about two minutes. Dave felt an attraction he'd not felt before. Was it because they were alone now, not on stage under the hot spotlights? The kiss was passionate and for the first time, he felt Del respond to his kiss.
They pulled away as the scene ended. Del blushed a little. She too had felt something, a spark inside her that hadn't been dormant for a long time. 'Yes, it was better, if she could repeat this performance on stage, the director would be happy,' she thought to herself.
"Okay," Dave said after a moment's silence. "Let's do the final scene." Robert lay on the grass, fatally wounded. His lover, Marie runs to his side, tears welling up in her eyes. They speak of their eternal love for each other and Marie promises she will never forget him. On her knees, his head cradled in her arms, she leans forward and kisses him.
Again, the spark ignited and Del felt a passion rising in her soul. Dave felt it too. This was not acting anymore; this was for real. He wrapped his arms around Del and hugged her tightly. She responded, letting out a quiet hum as she felt him tighten his caress. They kissed for a long time, tongues began to explore each other's mouths, saliva mixed as their lips slid over each other's in a hot and passionate kiss that both wanted to last forever.
Del finally pulled away from his lips, panting slightly. She looked deeply into Dave's eyes, her heart beating so hard, she thought Dave might hear it, and then kissed him again. She knew she wanted this gentle man. Her husband had neglected her and treated her without respect for a long time now, and already she was thinking of calling it a day and leaving him. She just needed an excuse, a stronger reason that would pull her through, supporting her convictions. She saw this in Dave. But she was weak too. Marriage was a powerful institution, and deep down she knew marriage was forever.
Dave looked into Del's hazel eyes. He was very fond of Del and if she hadn't have been married he would have asked her out as soon as they had met. Dave loved the scent of this woman, the way she moved, and the way her brunette hair flowed as she walked. Her figure was to his liking; her breasts were petite, with a small waist and shapely hips that gave her a good 34-26-34 figure that suited her 5'2" frame.
Del looked at Dave through different eyes now. Now she wanted to taste him, to eat him up, to hold him tight, to pour out all of the love inside her that had been pent up over the last couple of years. As her husband became more abusive, so too had Del become less loving. But now, she wanted that to change, she wanted to be her old self again. She remembered how she used to fully enjoy life; even sex she loved. But recently, sex was a chore, a duty to be performed almost daily with no tenderness, no loving; more like a ritual rape. But things were going to change. Now she could see herself falling for her Robin Hood.
The town hall clock chimed, six forty-five. "We'd better make tracks or we'll be late," Del finally spoke after they simply gazed into each other's eyes for several minutes.
***
The final scene played out without one call from the director. Robert and Marie kissed as he died on the stage. Their fellow actors clapped as the two stood, smiling. It was the best rehearsal yet.
"Just keep it that way," shouted the director from the third row of the auditorium.
In the dressing room, Sheila, a fellow actress, bombarded Del with questions. 'Who is he? How long have you known him?' Sheila knew there was a new love in Del's life, and it had to be Dave. Del didn't answer any of her questions; she just smiled.
Dave was waiting at the back door. Del took his arm and they headed for the café-bar. After some awkward talking, Dave asked Del out to dinner. Del accepted the invitation, but was unsure how she would get her husband to let her out on Saturday evening without him shooting off his big mouth and slapping her.
Friday morning, Del arranged with a good friend at work, Helen, to call her at home on Saturday afternoon, claiming there was a crisis at work and that they needed Del in that evening. The plan worked, and soon, Del was at Helen's changing into her favourite dress, her hair and make-up perfect.
Helen dropped Del off at the restaurant where Dave was waiting outside. He offered her his arm and they took a table in the corner. Del had a fantastic evening, a couple of drinks made her light-headed. She knew she had to be careful or hubby would suspect.
They held hands over the table and decided to take a walk through the park. The cold evening made Del's nipples stand out. She hadn't worn a coat and the thin fabric of her dress didn't hide her little shiver in the coldness of the early autumn evening. Dave, the gentleman, saw Del was cold and offered his blazer jacket. He placed it over her shoulders and they kissed.
Del pressed herself against his 6'2" hard body. She was excited, like a teenager again. Her nipples pressed against Dave's lower chest and she knew he could feel them through his cotton shirt.
They walked a while longer and occasionally stopped to kiss. Dave wanted this woman badly, but he knew she was married to an abusive husband and it must have been difficult for Del. He didn't want to spoil the evening, so he decided to be patient.
Del, now beginning to get turned on by this man, had different thoughts. She hadn't made love for almost a year. Yes, her husband had raped her almost every night, but she longed for the feel of a loving man inside her. Her love was bubbling over and she had to let it out and let it out soon.
They came across the bandstand and sat on the bench. The sodium lamp was out, so the area was in shade. From their seat, they could see most of the empty park. Dave sat, looking across to the town hall, when he felt Del's hand gently touch his thigh.
"Thank you for a wonderful evening," Del whispered and kissed his cheek.
Dave looked into her eyes and saw the deep emotion behind her hazel gaze. He kissed her again. Del wrapped her arms around his neck, his around her torso and they kissed passionately. Dave felt his cock stirring and adjusted his seating position slightly to make himself more comfortable. Del too, felt a stirring inside. She pushed her tongue deep into Dave's mouth. He responded by dropping his left hand onto Del's lower back and stroking her, slowly making his way down to her ass. Del didn't resist. She wanted him to make love to her and she would do it right now if he wanted.
Del fell back onto the bench, Dave on top. Still kissing, Del let her hand drop onto Dave's ass. She gently pinched his firm butt and felt his cock twitch against her thigh. Her pussy dampened and she began to lift Dave's shirt out of his trousers, her hand slipping under the material to feel the soft skin of his back.
