That Last Little Spark

As the cab neared Times Square, Bam covered Jess’ eyes with a scarf he had stolen from her hall closet.

“What are you doing?” she asked in surprise.

“You can’t look yet!” he replied, giving money to the cab driver to let them out on the sidewalk. He opened his door, then ran around to her side to let her out.

“Where the hell are you taking me?” she asked as he led her along the street. Finally, he slowed her to a stop.

“Ready?” he whispered in her ear, tilting her head upwards.

“Yes, yes I’m ready!” she grinned. Bam slipped the scarf off of her eyes and watched her reaction with a smile on his face.

Jess had been smiling, but now her jaw dropped open in shock. She stared up at the large green sign over her head that read, ‘WICKED: A NEW MUSICAL’. Then her mouth curved into a smile and tears filled her eyes.

“Oh my god. You’re kidding me.” she whispered. Bam reached into his back pocket and pulled out what made him so late yesterday: two tickets. He waved them in front of her face.

“Nope. Two tickets, right in the center of the theater.” he smiled, then had to grip the tickets as Jess grabbed him in a hug.

“This is...amazing.” she looked into his eyes as tears threatened to spill out of hers. She took his face in her hands and kissed him.

“I’m glad you like it.” he kissed her back. “Now come on, woman, before the show starts.” he wrapped his arm around her waist and they walked up to the pre-ordered ticket window. Bam slipped the tickets through the slot to the woman inside.

“Oh...oh dear.” she had scanned the tickets, but kept looking down at the tickets and back up at her computer screen.

“What’s wrong?” Bam asked. Jess’ stomach tightened in dread. What was going on?

“I’m so sorry, but it appears these seats have already been taken.” she frowned sympathetically at the pair, then looked back at her screen. “Oh!” she said after a few moments, then smiled again. “However, there are two seats up in the second level that are available, if you would like those.” she explained, tilting the screen so they could see. There was a diagram of the theater, with red X’s marking each seat that was taken. The second level had only a few X’s so far.

“Yes, please!” Bam sighed in relief.

“Alright, as soon as you walk in the door, there’s an escalator directly to your left, and that will take you right up to the second level. Enjoy the show.” she smiled and passed their tickets back through the window.

“Thank you.” they both replied. They walked inside and headed straight for the escalator, as the show would begin in ten minutes and people were already being seated. On the second level, they each picked up a program and started looking for their seats. The second level was pretty empty, with only a few groups dotting the large stretch of seats.

“This is probably nicer than being down there.” Bam pointed down at the sea of people below them.

“Much more private, too.” Jess grinned. The stage was decorated with the ornate starting piece: the map of Oz, topped by a massive metal dragon. The sides of the stage were also decorated with large metal cogs, like someone would find in a clock.

“Okay, explain this to me.” Bam pointed at the stage. “Actually, explain the gist of the play to me, because aside from it being about the witches of Oz, I have no idea what’s going on.” Bam shook his head.

“Okay, so what you’re looking at is the Clock of the Time Dragon, and the Map of Oz.” Jess began. “Basically, all this is about is explaining when the Wicked Witch was killed, which, in the words of Glinda, occurred at ‘the thirteenth hour’. It’s just part of the intro. The play itself is about the history Glinda had with Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.” Jess tried to explain. “The easiest way to explain it is this: it’s like watching the Wizard of Oz, but the camera keeps panning over to another area as if to say, ‘But this was what was REALLY happening’. It has all of the explanations of how the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow came to be, where the ruby slippers came from, and why the Wicked Witch became Wicked.” she finished.

“I think I got it,” Bam nodded. “But I’ll probably be confused as hell after the show.”

“Ask me during the intermission. Oh, and you’ll probably never be able to watch Wizard of Oz ever again when this is over. I know I can’t.” Jess giggled. The lights dimmed, the orchestra started playing, and Jess was immediately taken back in time, to when she was a little girl, watching this play with her parents.

While some parts of the play were absolutely confusing to Bam, one thing made everything worth it: the smile on Jess’ face that could’ve lit up the stage on its own.

At the intermission, after the rendition of ‘Defying Gravity’ that brought waves of cheers from the audience, the lights came up and people started moving around, going out to the lobby to either buy things from the little gift stand that sold Wicked shirts, coffee mugs, water bottles, jewelry, and perfume, or go to the bathroom and get drinks from the bar.

“I’m gonna go get something to drink.” Jess stood up.

“Yeah, I’m dying for a drink.” Bam stood up and felt for something in his front pocket. He had been wondering when the right moment would be, and decided it should be now...when he had an audience.

Trying to hide his shaking from anticipation, he and Jess left their coats in their seats and headed for the escalator on the other side of the upstairs lobby, which would take them to the lower lobby.

People were milling around by the bar, by the bathrooms, and by the gift stand when Bam suddenly stopped, stopping Jess as well, in the middle of the lobby.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, turning to face him.

“Nothing.” he smiled back at her, then took a deep breath. He cupped his hands around his mouth. “Excuse me!” he called to the rest of the room.

“Bam, what are you doing?” Jess whispered as a silence settled over the room and everyone turned to face him.

“Jess, as far as I can remember, you’ve been one of my best friends. And even though we lost each other for a long time and spent years apart from each other, every time we’re together, those years don’t exist to me anymore. But...every time I have to leave New York...or you have to leave Pennsylvania...I always feel like I’m leaving part of me behind, or you’re taking part of me with you. I don’t want to be far away from you anymore. And I know I sound completely cliche,” he paused as laughter rippled througout the room. “But it’s true. I love you...so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” he smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a ring. Jess gasped as he knelt down on one knee.

“Jessica Lynn Walker...will you marry me?” he grinned up at her. Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath as they waited for her answer. Tears were falling from her eyes and streaming down her face as she nodded. He slipped the ring on her finger and stood up in time for her to grab him and kiss him. The one time he managed to pull away, he announced to the room, “She said YES!” and everyone burst into applause.

“How...how long were you...were you planning this?” she gasped, wiping her eyes as she tried to calm down.

“Not very long.” he laughed softly as the people turned back to their business. Yet he noticed a few people wiping their eyes and smiling at the two of them, still embracing in the middle of the room...until the announcement was made that the second act would be resuming in ten minutes.

“How the hell am I supposed to concentrate on the second act now?” Jess admired her ring again. It was an amethyst claddagh ring. When Bam had gone to Jess’ aunt to ask permission to marry Jess, her aunt had given her the engagement ring Jess’ father had proposed to her mother with. Jess’ mother was strongly connected with her Irish heritage, as her last name had been Gallagher before she took the last name of Walker. She had taken the ring off after the wedding was over, to keep it safe, and only wore the wedding band, planning to pass the engagement ring on to one of her children.

“Do you recognize that ring?” he asked as they had finished their drinks and were now back in the empty second level lobby. She shook her head, as she wasn’t even born at the time her parents were married.

“It was the engagement ring your dad proposed to your mom with. Your aunt told me.” he said softly, watching Jess cover her mouth again as she looked at the ring, the amethyst heart sparkling in the bright lights overhead.

“Wait...my aunt knew about this?” the sentimental moment was put on hold as she looked up at Bam.

“Well I had to ask her if I could marry you!” he laughed as she put her hands on her hips.

“Who else knows?” she demanded.

“Just your aunt!” he put his hands up and continued laughing.

“Oh my God, I’m going to get it from so many people!” she started laughing with him as they made their way into the theater to go back to their seats, thinking of all of the people who would say ‘I told you so!’.

“You're so Wicked.” Jess looked over at him when they sat back down, and put her left hand on his cheek with a smile.

“I love you, too.” he smiled and leaned in to kiss her.