“Mr. Karlsen, we’re already at the ‘Fosse Theater’,” Yanis said after the partition lowered again.
“Great… That’s fucking great,” Magnus mumbled absently as he straightened his jacket and tie while Yanis walked around to let him out. “Thank you so much, Yanis. You may leave for the duration of the play if you wish, or you can stay and suffer alongside me. I have an extra ticket and the places are great.”
Magnus pulled it from his pocket and waved it in front of Yanis. His driver, an older man with gray hair, chuckled.
“Thank you so much, sir, you are most kind, but I was never a theater fan. I always preferred going to see a good movie. My wife is more open to the idea. But don’t worry, I will be here when the play is over, Mr. Karlsen. You won’t have to stay a second more.”
Magnus sighed and tucked the ticket away.
“You are a good man, Yanis. Thank you again,” he replied and walked with the rest of the forming crowd up the stone steps outside the old theater and through the gilded doors.
Theaters stretched up and down this section of street, making up the small district that had been around for decades. It was in need of a desperate face-lift, architecturally as well as technologically.
The buildings were in need of attention to bring them into the new age. No more strange colors and weird little statues. Nope! Magnus and his team of designers had something much more modern in mind while keeping to a true art form.
Quincy Lloyd, the person in charge of the theater, and all the others belonging to the theater district wished for the artful modernization. It was the same man waiting for Magnus right inside the lobby.
“Ah, Mr. Karlsen, welcome to our theater! It is so wonderful to see you here. I’m so glad you accepted my humble invitation.”
Quincy beamed, his bald head gleaming and his gut tucked into a tux. Magnus gritted his teeth but grinned as he shook his hand.
“‘Mr. Karlsen’ is usually the way people address my father. ‘Magnus’ is perfectly fine, Quincy,” he insisted. “Wow… Quite the turnout tonight...”
“Yes, ‘Cabaret’ is one of the finest musicals in theater’s history. And even if this is our last show before the temporary closure, is another sold-out show. Our new leading lady has been amazing. She used to be the understudy. But since Michelle Stone, our star, left for Hollywood, Miss Makkena jumped in and gave some wonderful performances.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that. Uhm, Quincy… Just to be sure about our new adventure… I trust everyone is still on board with the renovations starting next week?”
Quincy motioned for them to move inwards as he nodded.
“Yes, Magnus, of course. We are clearing out the rest of the theaters this weekend. No problems so far.”
“Wonderful! Do you need my help in any way, Quincy? I run ‘Alpha Architecture’ but I like getting my hands dirty. Maybe I could be of some use to you?” Magnus asked, hoping he didn’t sound too desperate, but Quincy laughed and patted him on the back.
“No need, Magnus, but I appreciate you asking. Just enjoy the show tonight… It’s a very good one and it’s on the house,” Quincy replied. “You have one of the private boxes. I thought you might like the privacy more than being crammed onto the main floor.”
Magnus smiled appreciatively. Yet, another reason these old theaters needed to be redone. They were so tightly packed with seats, that people couldn’t watch the show in peace without feeling as if they were sitting on their neighbor’s lap.
He followed Quincy’s directions up several flights of stairs and finally to his private box for the evening.
“I’ll see you after the show, Magnus,” Quincy added and left him alone.
A waiter stood outside and told Magnus if he needed anything at all to simply push the button beside his chair. Magnus wasn’t in the mood for anything, though, and considered sleeping off his whisky while the players performed.
“What the hell am I doing here tonight?” he asked quietly as he sat down.
Magnus stared at the program on his seat.
“Okay, let’s see what is this all about.”
He took it and started reading.
“Set in 1930, in Berlin, during the twilight of the Jazz age as the Nazis rise to power, the musical focuses on the hedonistic nightlife at the seedy ‘Kit Kat Klub’ and revolves around the American writer Clifford Bradshaw's relations with the cabaret performer Sally Bowles, a self-indulgent upper-middle-class British tourist who could escape Berlin whenever she chose. By day, Sally is an aspiring film actress hoping to work in movies and become the greatest movie star ever. By night, she is a mediocre chanteuse at an underground jazz club. She aims to be a serious actress or, as an alternative, to ensnare a wealthy man to keep her as his mistress.”
He scrunched his face, settled into his chair, and did his best to not hate being there.
“I’m here to watch the story of a gold-digger… Next time read the program first, you idiot,” Magnus mumbled again and shook his head. “Okay… It’s just business…”
Yes, watching the play was business, plain and simple.
Besides, the two hours and forty-five minutes performance would give him the time to ponder his current predicament: who to bring with him on the cruise for his parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary.
By the time the curtain went up, he was still at a loss… The Emcee started singing in a mix of German, French, and English.
‘Willkommen! And Bienvenue! Welcome! Friend, étranger, stranger (…)
Willkommen! And bienvenue! Welcome! Im cabaret, au cabaret, to cabaret!’
“Okay…” Magnus said slowly, watching the man on the stage, dressed in a pair of leather shorts only, wearing black eyeliner and black lipstick. “This is… interesting.”
The leading lady, a fiery redhead, walked onto the stage, and in a second, she caught Magnus’s full attention. She started singing a song called ‘Mein Herr’, about a ‘working girl’ jumping from man to man, looking for a… ‘sugar daddy’.
‘The continent of Europe is so wide, Mein Herr Not only up and down, but side to side, Mein Herr I couldn't ever cross it if I tried, Mein Herr But I do what I can... Inch by inch... Step by step... Mile by mile... Man by man.’
The redheaded’s voice was exceptional, and the way she was moving around the stage with the other dancers, shaking her juicy ass and those generous breasts barely covered by that 30s silky lingerie, left Magnus speechless.
“Absolutely stunning…” he mumbled, watching the leading actress singing and dancing.
‘Bye-Bye, Mein Lieber Herr Farewell, mein Lieber Herr It was a fine affair, But now it's over And though I used to care, I need the open air You're better off without me, Mein Herr.’
Her voice was so sensual and the way she was moving on that stage was hypnotic.
“Yes… That’s it…” Magnus said slowly, and a grin appeared on his lips.
Magnus took the program and looked at the actress’s name again.
“Sunny Makkena…” he whispered. “Approved!”
Money bought him anything he could ever want in his life.
Why not a fiancée as well?
*****
When the play ended and the curtain fell, Magnus hurried out of his private box in search of Quincy Lloyd. Throughout, he’d watched the leading woman closely, the way she moved, the graceful, lithe body as she did her dancing and singing numbers on the stage…
She was the perfect woman for his parents to meet, and hell, she was a damn good actress. Having her act like his fiancée all weekend would be a walk in the park for her. The perfect candidate to present his mother and father.
“Ah, Magnus, there you are! You look as if you truly enjoyed the play,” Quincy called out when Magnus reached the lobby. “So? What did you think? About the musical and the actors? About the dancing and singing numbers? About the sets and the costumes”
“I think it was all absolutely great. But I would love to be introduced to your leading lady, if I may,” Magnus replied quickly, hoping he hadn’t missed his chance. “I think she was exceptional in her performance. Exactly what I was expecting to see tonight.”
“Oh, yes… Sunny Makkena… But of course, Magnus. If you’d wait by the stage, I’ll send her out when she’s finished changing,” Quincy said with a glint in his eyes, chuckling as he walked away. “This way you will compliment her yourself.”
Magnus thought of calling after him that it wasn’t for any other reason than a business proposition but let him walk away.
Let the old man think what he wanted!
Magnus had no intention of dating this woman. He just wanted to hire her for a simple job. He would get through the cruise and tell his parents later it hadn’t worked out and he was back to being a bachelor, probably for the rest of his entire existence.
His life was better that way, less complicated. There was nothing to fear if he were alone, enjoying his one-night trysts with women who were drawn to his money and power. Sex without strings attached.
‘Just a quick fuck and go, bro,’ that was what Tanner used to say.
He needed nothing else in his life to be satisfied, though never necessarily happy.
When he reached the stage, Magnus paced back and forth, one hand shoved deep in his pocket while the other tugged at his tie. He hated the fucking thing and finally, yanked it off, stuffing it in his pocket.
The small pendant he wore, a silver penningar coin, a Viking coin, a gift from his mother, rested against his chest. Magnus pulled it out, twisting it nervously between his fingers.
If this didn’t work, if the woman turned him down, he would have no choice but to tell his parents the truth and, unfortunately, break his mother’s heart.
“Hello.”
A voice, deeper than the one he’d heard during the play but with the same strong pitch, brought his feet to a halt. Magnus turned and there she was.
“You wanted to meet me?”
Sunny Makkena… The amazing, sleazy Sally Bowles all dressed up in silky panties was gone. The redhead standing on the stage, in front of him, was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt.“What can I do for you?” She was even more breathtaking wearing those ‘civilian’ clothes than she was in her stage outfit.“Do you speak English? Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth, Mister…?”“Karlsen. My name is Magnus Karlsen,” he said and held out his hand to her. “And I understand English perfectly well, amongst other ten foreign languages.” Sunny eyed him curiously but sat down on the edge of the stage so her legs dangled off and took his hand. He was almost taller than her like that, and he realized how short she must be.“Oh, wonderful. Such a precocious young man. I bet your parents are extremely proud of you. Well, I am Sunny Makkena and I’m here because Quincy Lloyd said you wanted to talk to me. So, what is this all about?”
Frowning as she stared at the business card in her hand, Sunny almost wandered backstage to gather the rest of her things and head home with Alec, not only her co-star, and best friend but also her roommate.“Mein Schatz,” Alec said, while digging deep in his big bag, “I cannot find the detangle brush I gave you yesterday. Where exactly did you put it? I don’t want to leave it here…” Since Sunny wasn’t replying, Alec turned towards her.“Miss Makkena, are you still on Earth with us?” She nodded slightly, without looking at him.“Good. So, what’s with the face, sweetie?” he asked, sitting at his dressing table as she passed by. “Is it your mother again? Does she need more money?”“No… I didn’t call her…” Sunny replied slowly.“Then what’s with the long face?” he insisted.“Well… I just had the weirdest conversation,” she muttered. “And I’m not sure what to think of it. It’s like in that song… ‘Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it’.”
She shifted so she sat with her feet curled up under herself. Alec made everything sound so simple. ‘Take the money and run with it.’ ‘Get out of the city and find a life somewhere else.’ ‘Forget about your mother’s problems and live your life.’ But real life wasn’t that easy, and this wasn’t a play. This was her life, and somewhere along the way, Sunny had forgotten her part in it. At first, she was somebody’s child only. That life hadn’t been great but it has been okay for just a few years. And now… Well, she wasn’t only a daughter anymore. Sunny was now playing the role of a mother, a protector, a guard, and a living money box. Her mother needed all that, and more. So much more.“I know I’m being harsh, Schatz, but I’m doing this because I love you and I want only what’s best for you. Listen, you need to remember that you have your life to live. This endless sacrifice isn’t helping you and, definitely isn’t help
“There are some things you don’t need to know about me, Sunny… Just like I don’t need to know everything about your life. You are a stranger to me and this is not a real relationship. We are talking about two nights only… Nothing more. After that, we’ll never see each other again. So, as you can see, there is no need to tell you my life story. Even if you are going to be my fiancée in front of all the people I know.” Sunny cracked her knuckles nervously and cursed her stupidity for pushing. She needed the money, and that was the end of it. Two nights, then both on their way.“You are right, Magnus. You are perfectly right. It’s not my business. I apologize. I promise I won’t bring it up again unless you want it to.”“Thank you so much, Sunny. Apologies accepted. Now, as I’ve mentioned, I need you to look absolutely impeccable. So, go out there and buy every single thing you might need. Create outfits for every single occasion. Like I’ve said, all your expenses will be covere
Sunny nodded at his necklace.“Well, there’s Odin, your second name, and then there’s that silver Norse coin that you keep touching every single time you’re extremely nervous, agitated, irritated, or lost somehow.”“I am not touching my coin all that often,” Magnus countered. “Yes, you do, Magnus. And then there is the way you look,” Sunny insisted. “Hmm… And how do I look?”“Like a freaking Viking… Tall, blond, blue eyes… You are gorgeous… So… if it quacks like a duck…” she said, half laughing. Man, she was so observant. Magnus tucked the coin beneath his shirt, wondering what else she might have picked up on so easily.“Tall and blond… I get that from my father’s side,” he told her. “His great grandfather came to America from Norway… All the Karlsen men were as tall as I am, my father included.”“All built like Norse gods, I bet. So muscular…” she added slowly, and Magnus smirked when her cheeks flushed.“Yeah… But none of them had such a fiery woman as a fianc
While preparing to hit the stage, Sunny gazed at the poster hanging on the wall, above her dressing table.“‘Fosse Theater presents the last ‘Cabaret’ performance before its temporary closure. Starring Sunny Makkena as Sally Bowles’,” she read and a sad smile appeared on her lips. “The last show at the ‘Fosse Theater’. Starting tomorrow, the theater will close its doors. Man, I will miss this so much… The songs, the dancing numbers, every performance, every single person who made this dream of mine possible.” Even if the miracle lasted only a couple of weeks, Sunny enjoyed every moment of it. She loved so much acting alongside Alec Mendes, her best friend since she started working here. Alec was playing the role of the ‘Emcee’, the German host of the ‘Kit Kat Klub’, where the ‘Cabaret’ show was taking place.“What the hell am I going to do now? This monthly paycheck was my salvation… Maybe I should reconsider working as a waitress again…” Sunny said and sighed. “I
In the darkness of his sleek dark blue limo, Magnus knew every single shade of the deep chestnut brown whisky in his crystal glass. He sipped it, holding his cell to his ear with his free hand, and let the scotch glide down his throat. The complex, sweet taste of the half-million dollars ‘Macallan Adami 1926’ was the only thing settling his nerves. After several days like today, Magnus needed more than just one glass.“No, Tane. I’m not worried about this part,” Magnus said to Tanner Waylon, his soon-to-be business partner. “That’s not my problem.”“‘Then tell me, ‘Magno’, what is the problem? What is bothering you so much? Dude, calm down. You don’t have to be so worried all the time.’” Magnus frowned as he sipped. He hated being called ‘Magno’. People used to call him that since he was a little boy. It sounded like the name of a superhero he was not but most of all, it was just annoying. His best friend Tanner was the only one who still had the courage to call him