While asking her, I had my fingers crossed. Please let it be yes.
"Did you get it?"
She was smiling, and that was a good sign, but then I noticed that she was tense, and that there was sadness in her eyes. My heart sank. She was putting on a brave face.
Then as her eyes lit up, she suddenly shrieked, "I got it!"
Before I could speak, she gave me a hug, so tight, that I was struggling to breathe.
"Congratulations, that's the best news I've heard for a long time. Now I think you should release me, before I pass out."
That made her giggle. Then, after letting me suffer for a few more seconds, she let me go. How could my Sister, who was so small, squeeze so hard?
"Did I fool you?"
"Yes. Hook, line and sinker. You were very convincing. I thought that you'd failed the audition."
"Good, that's what I wanted you to think."
"One day you're going to be a famous actress. A star of stage and screen."
"Do you really think so?"
"Absolutely!"
She might be, but there was still a long way to go. However, what she needed now, was for me to believe in her.
Courtney is nineteen, and I, Ethan, am twenty seven. For as long as I can remember, I have been worried about my little Sister. She has always been shy, lacking in self-confidence. That was until nine months ago, when something happened. She started acting.
We were walking past a local theatre, when a poster caught her eye.
'Have you ever thought of acting? We are Theatre For All. Don't be shy, call us today. You never know, you might like it.'
To my surprise, it interested her. After some encouragement from me, she rang them. The next day, with me by her side, she met with Matt. He was brilliant, putting her at her ease. He even made her laugh. Then, to everybody's surprise, including hers, she took to it like a duck to water. Three months later, she had a lead role in, 'An Inspector Calls'. I might be biased, but in my opinion, she stole the show.
Fast forward to now, and she was to star in an Off-Broadway show. It's a new play by a young Writer. It's called, 'A Woman Scorned'. And the woman that is being scorned, is my wonderfully talented Sister!
When I called Emma, to tell her the good news, she was as excited about it as I was.
"We should celebrate. See if you can get a table at Luigi's. Try for seven o'clock."
By some miracle, I managed to do that, but it could only be at eight. I didn't mind, it was a very popular restaurant, and most times, you have to book well in advance if you want to eat there.
At seven thirty, we picked Courtney up from her place.
As soon as she was in the car, Emma asked, "What's it like being a big star?"
"I'll tell you in six weeks, after the opening night."
That made us all laugh.
The evening was, as I hoped it would be, a fitting celebration. Good food and excellent wine, and even better conversation. We laughed a lot.
On the way home, while Emma was driving, I thought about my Sister, and our relationship.
Our Father left us when Courtney was only two, never to be seen again. My Sister has no memory of him, but I do. From what I remember, we are better off without him. I think Mother realized that, but it was hard for her bringing up two children on her own. It made her bitter and resentful, and at times, she took it out on both of us. Consequently, neither of us have a close relationship with her, but we do with each other. When, surprisingly, a year ago, she met somebody, and they moved away together, it didn't upset us. We were just happy for her. As long as we have each other, we are OK.
But what does Emma think about my Sister? Fortunately, for all concerned, the same as me. We met three years ago, and have been married for two. She regards Courtney as the Sister that she never had, rather than as just her Sister-in-law. And, to make it all nice and cosy, Courtney adores Emma. If she didn't, then I probably wouldn't have married her.
Four days later, rehearsals started, and now, while we were eating our evening meal, we were waiting to hear from Courtney. She had promised me that she would call.
"If it's a success, do you think it'll end up on Broadway?"
I was hoping so, but it was best not to look too far ahead.
"It might, apparently, both the Writer and Director, despite only being in their early twenties, have a lot of experience. This could be their breakthrough show, taking them into the big time, and Courtney with them."
We had just finished our meal, when my Sister called. I put it on speaker.
I asked, "How was it? Did you dazzle them with your amazing talent?"
"It was OK."
It had been said, without any real enthusiasm. It sounded as if it hadn't gone well. She then told us all about it, but there was no mention of any problems, or difficulty. I got the impression that she was keeping something from us. It was best not to ask. She would tell us, but in her own time.
When the call ended, I looked at Emma. I could tell that she was as concerned as I was. But hopefully, the next rehearsal would be better.
It wasn't, and you didn't need to be Hercule Poirot to know that, because, unexpectedly, my Sister came to our apartment, and she was crying. The tears were rolling down her face, and her eyes were puffy.
Between sobs, she said, "I can't do it."
I asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Yes, but only with Emma."
That stunned me. She was my little Sister, and I was always there for her, and now she was pushing me away. It was as if she'd thrust a dagger into my heart. I looked at Emma, and she shook her head. The meaning was obvious. Don't say anything, just let me deal with it.
I left the room so that they could talk. But what was the problem? I had no idea, and trying to guess what it was, would only make me more agitated. I would just have to wait until they had finished, and then hopefully, when Courtney had gone, Emma would tell me all about it.
Half an hour later, they joined me in the kitchen. Courtney's face was red and blotchy, from all the crying, but now she was smiling, and it was obvious that it was genuine. I was relieved. Whatever the problem was, it looked as if it had been resolved. I had the good sense not to ask any questions, and shortly after, my Sister left.
"So what was all that about?"
"I'll tell you, but I'm not sure you're going to believe me."
I was now intrigued, eager to know. However, frustratingly, I had to wait until she had made herself a coffee, before she started.
"In act two, there is a sex scene. She makes love to Romeo, the other main character."
"So all that crying was because of that?"
"Yes."
That surprised me. There was now nothing unusual about having sex scenes in a play or film. In fact, it's almost compulsory. She was going to have to get used to it, if she wanted to become a successful actress.
"I don't understand why that upset her so much. It's not as if she's going to have to do it for real. It's only acting. It's no big deal."
"It is when you're a virgin."
That made my jaw drop, though I don't know why. Thinking about it, it shouldn't really have been a surprise, because I couldn't remember her ever having a boyfriend. But my Sister's sex life, was something that I had never considered before. And having to think about it now, was making me feel very uncomfortable.
"But it's even worse than that."
"What do you mean?"
Being a man, I couldn't think of anything worse than being a virgin. When, aged eighteen, I'd managed to bed my first woman, I'd been ecstatic. And, because she'd been ten years older than me, and experienced, it had been extra special.
"She has virtually no sexual experience at all. Some kissing, and a brief feel of her tits, on the outside, is it."
Then, to make it clear, how limited my Sister's experience was, she spoke again
"Nobody has ever got their hand inside her bra, or inside her panties."
I was finding it hard to believe. She was nineteen years old, and she had never experienced the pleasure, of having her nipples sucked, or her pussy fingered. Thinking about that, was making me feel uncomfortable, but alarmingly, it was also exciting me.
"And do you want to hear the best bit?"
I thought that she was joking, but when I saw her face, I could tell that she was being serious. She really had more to tell me, and I had no idea what it was.
"She has never even played with herself."
Was that her idea of a joke? When she nodded, I knew that it wasn't. So what she had said was true, but I still wanted her to confirm it.
"You mean that she has never..."
She finished it for me.
"Yes, she's never had a climax."
I shook my head in disbelief. Then, without any warning, she dropped a bombshell.
"And, so that she can be convincing, when she acts out the sex scenes, you are going to have to teach her."
I was speechless for several seconds, and then I blurted it out.