"Cassie! Over here." Cassie looked to her left as she entered the big warehouse and spotted Belinda waving her down. She changed course and joined her friend. "Glad you could make it today. We're almost ready to put the props up in the theater, this year's production of Cyrano de Bergerac is going to be the best production we do all year!" Belinda said enthusiastically.
"You know I'd be here, when do I not show up?" Cassie replied.
"Just keep her away from the paint this time." Dominic, one of the carpenters teased as he walked by. Cassie gave him a glare but he smiled.
"You can't blame him for that, he was the one who had to clean up your spill." Belinda reminded her.
"I know and I said I'm sorry. I didn't realize the can was that heavy, it slipped through my fingers." She tried to defend herself.
"Well, we're in need of painters plus a little sewing for the costumes, we've got to make some last minute adjustments. Can you help?"
"You know I can." Cassie said enthusiastically and they sat down together to let out Mr. Henderson's pants. "He's gotten so big so fast."
"Rumor is he's doing Henry the Eighth this summer down in Los Angeles and he's taking no chances. He's out to gain another hundred pounds." Belinda reported.
"My God! He's a fanatic, I couldn't do that." Cassie said. She was 18, young and pretty with the physical build of an active teenager so the idea of her gaining two hundred pounds to play a monarch was very funny to Belinda. "What's so funny?" Cassie asked.
"Nothing dear. It's just that when it comes to working in productions like these it's about taking that extra step to ensure the best possible scene. Mr. Henderson is doing just that and he says when he's done he's going to lose it all, right back down to his weight before he got the part." Cassie gasped. That was a lot of dedication and Cassie wondered if she had that kind of determination in her.
They went back to work on the seams of Mr. Henderson's pants but she couldn't help give the man furtive glances, watching him work and she noticed that despite his heavy weight, he was working hard. They weren't doing rehearsals yet, this was all stage work but here he was, one of the main actors with real talent and he was working right alongside the stagehands.
Cassie admired that. She finished up with his pants then grabbed a paintbrush. Dominic appeared out of nowhere. "Keep a firm grip on that brush, girl." He teased but disappeared before Cassie could shoot back a retort. Jim, the Art Director stepped over and showed her where to paint.
She endured some hooting and a few cheers but her lapse of judgment last weekend wasn't going to keep her from helping out, she'd learned her lesson. She helped fill in a backdrop then stained some wood for Dominic over by the saw horses.
She didn't want to do too much painting because she wasn't dressed for it. She was planning on going to the mall to meet friends after work. Tommy was supposed to be there and she'd been trying to catch his eye for weeks so she'd dressed in a short flowery red skirt that showed a generous amount of leg. She coupled that with a white shirt that fit her snugly under the breasts to accentuate them. She'd hook him in and make him sorry he hadn't noticed her earlier.
"Cassie." She heard her name and turned to see Mr. Strauss, the woodworker calling for her.
"Yes Mr. Strauss?" She called out as she put her brush down. Mr. Strauss had been her shop instructor at school and she felt like she was stepping back into class instead of standing in a theater. She had graduated High School but she couldn't help seeing Mr. Strauss as the authority figure.
"I've finished fixing up the stocks after the locking mechanism broke. I've repaired it but Lynn isn't here to test it on. You're about her height so if you wouldn't mind, could I borrow you for a moment?" He said and she gave him a warm smile. She remembered not being very good at woodworking in school but he'd passed her with an A.
"I'd be glad to help." She replied brightly. He gave her a smile and returned to his work. The stock was built sturdy, looking more functional than cosmetic. The wood was thick and strong with a base standing about four and a half feet high. On one end the hinges looked thick enough to lock a bank vault.
The scene called for Lynn to be locked in it and struggle to get out when the Spanish attacked but on her first try Lynn had broken the locking mechanism apart. Mr. Strauss had made it so that it would come apart easily and give some mental comfort to the poor girl but it couldn't survive the stress so the Director had ordered a real locking mechanism with a stage hand whose sole purpose was to let her out if she cried foul.
Mr. Strauss joined four friends standing there admiring his handy work but they all gave time to smile at Cassie. "John. That is a fine piece of work. What are you going to do with it when the production is over?" Raymond the Assistant Director asked.
"No plans I'm afraid. It's a very good piece so I suppose I'll keep it but what use do I have for it?" Mr. Strauss replied.
"Use it on your students. Failing grades? Step up here." Christian said. Cassie nearly blushed when she realized that she was calling him Christian after the part he was playing, she didn't know his real name. The others all laughed and Mr. Strauss looked down to Cassie.
"If you'd please step up and put your arms and neck in the proper spots." She did as she was told, having to bend over to fit. Mr. Strauss put the upper board down over her and locked it in place. "Notice the large button at the end of the board. It will pop the lock and free the girl instantly, no key necessary." He said proudly.
"Anyone can use it." Charles, an actor playing a count remarked.
"Except the girl." Jason, one of the Carpenters pointed out as he walked up. He put his fist against Cassie's then looked at her wrists. "The holes for her arms and neck are pretty small."
"Yes. To save space I made the stock with the girl in mind. A man is too big to fit in the stocks but a girl is securely restrained." Mr. Strauss said.
"Sexy." Jason said looking at Cassie. She blushed slightly but was pretty sure it was hidden by her hair as it fell forward across her face. She should have put her hair up but she didn't want to chance it becoming unruly before Tommy had seen her.
"I second that." Nicholas, one of the Spanish soldiers said from behind her.
