Time to Laugh Romance Collection Read online

  He sighed deeply. The way Tabby was now, he knew she’d only be a hindrance to his plans. He could just imagine what it would be like being married to someone who couldn’t even talk to a stranger without stuttering or hiding behind a dummy. Unless he could draw her out of that cocoon, there was no possibility of them ever having a future together.

  “What am I saying?” Seth lamented. “I hardly even know the woman, and I’m thinking about a future with her!” He shook his head. “Get a grip, Seth Beyers. She’s just a friend—someone to help, that’s all. You’d better watch yourself, because you’re beginning to act like one of your dummies.”

  “I don’t know what you’re so nervous about. You’ve already mastered the basic techniques of ventriloquism, so the rest should be a piece of cake,” Donna said with a reassuring smile.

  Tabby nodded mutely as she flopped onto the couch beside Donna. The truth was, she was a lot more nervous about seeing Seth than she was about perfecting her ventriloquism skills. She liked him—a lot. That’s what frightened her the most. She’d never felt this way about a guy before. She knew her childish fantasies about her and Seth, and children who looked like him, were totally absurd, but she just couldn’t seem to help herself.

  “Tabby, the door!”

  Donna’s voice broke through Tabby’s thoughts, and she jumped. She hadn’t even heard the doorbell. “Oh, he’s here? Let him in, okay?”

  Donna grinned. “Since he’s come to tutor you, don’t you think you should answer the door?”

  Tabby felt a sense of rising panic. “You’re not staying, I hope.”

  “If you’re gonna do ventriloquism, then you’ll need an audience,” Donna said.

  The doorbell rang again, and Tabby stood up. When she opened the front door, she found Seth standing on the porch, little Rudy cradled in the crook of one arm, and a three-ring binder in his hand. “Ready for a lesson?”

  She nodded then motioned toward the living room. “We h–have our audience, j–just as I expected.”

  “That’s okay. It’s good for you to have an audience,” Seth answered. “It’ll give you a feel for when you’re onstage.”

  Tabby’s mouth dropped open. “Onst–st–stage?”

  Seth laughed. “Don’t look so worried. I’m not suggesting you perform for a large crowd in the next day or two. Someday you might, though, and—”

  “No, I won’t!” Tabby shouted. “I’m only d–doing this so I can per–perform better for the kids at the d–day care.”

  Seth shrugged. “Whatever.” He followed her into the living room. “Where’s your dummy?”

  “In my room. I’ll go get her.” Tabby made a hasty exit, leaving Seth and Donna alone.

  “She’s a nervous wreck,” Donna remarked as Seth placed the notebook on the coffee table then took a seat on the couch.

  “Because you’re here?”

  She shook her head. “I think you make her nervous.”

  “Me? Why would I make Tabby nervous?”

  “Well, I’m pretty sure …”

  “I–I’m ready,” Tabby announced as she entered the room carrying Rosie.

  Seth stood up. “Great! Let’s get started.”

  “Sh–should I sit or st–stand?”

  “However you’re the most comfortable.” Seth nodded toward the couch. “Why not sit awhile, until you’re ready to put on a little performance for us?”

  “I—I may never be r–ready for that.”

  “Sure you will,” Seth said with assurance. He wanted her to have enough confidence to be able to stand up in front of an audience, but from the way she was acting tonight, he wondered if that would ever happen.

  “Tabby, show Seth how you can make Rosie’s head turn backwards,” Donna suggested.

  Tabby dropped to the couch and held her dummy on one knee. She inserted her hand in the opening at the back of the hard plastic body and grabbed the control stick. With a quick turn of the stick, Rosie was looking backward. “Hey, where’d everybody go!” the childlike voice squealed.

  Not one stuttering word, Seth noted, as he propped one foot on the footstool by Donna’s chair. Talking for two seems to be the best way Tabby can converse without stammering. “We’re right here, Rosie. Come join the party.” This came from Rudy Right, who was balanced on Seth’s knee.

  “Party?” Rosie shot back. “We’re havin’ a party?”

  “Sure, and only dummies are invited.” Rudy gave Tabby a quick wink.

  She giggled then made Rosie say, “Guess that means we’ll have to leave, ’cause the only dummies I see are pullin’ someone else’s strings.”

  Seth chuckled. “I think we’ve been had, Tabby.” He scooted closer to her. “Would you like to learn a little something about the near and far voice?”

  “Near and far? What’s that?” The question came from Donna.

  “The near voice is what you use when your dummy is talking directly to you or someone else. Like Tabby and I just did with our two figures,” Seth explained. “The far voice would be when you want your audience to believe they’re hearing the dummy talking from someplace other than directly in front of them.” He pointed to the telephone on the table by the couch. “Let’s say you just received a phone call from your dummy, and you want the audience to hear the conversation.” Seth reached over and grabbed the receiver off the hook.

  “Hi, Seth, can I come over?” A far-sounding, high-pitched voice seemed to be coming from the phone.

  “Sure, why don’t you?” Seth said into the receiver. “We’re having a party over at Tabby and Donna’s tonight, so you’re more than welcome to join us.”

  “That’s great! I love parties!” the far voice said. “Be right there!”

  Seth hung up the phone and turned to face Tabby. “Do you have any idea how I did that?”

  “You used the power of suggestion,” Donna said, before Tabby had a chance to open her mouth. “We saw a phone and heard a voice, so it makes sense that we thought the sound was coming from the receiver.”

  Seth looked at Tabby. “What do you think?”

  “I–I’m not sure, but I think m–maybe you did something different in your th–throat.”

  Seth grinned. “You catch on fast. I tightened my vocal chords so my voice sounded a bit pinched or strained. There’s an exercise you can do to help make this sound.”

  “Oh, great! I love to exercise,” Donna said, slapping her hands together.

  Seth could tell from Tabby’s expression that she was more than a bit irritated with Donna’s constant interrupting. He wished there was some way to politely ask her well-meaning friend to leave.

  “Actually, Donna, it’s not the kind of exercise you’re thinking of. It’s only for ventriloquists, so …”

  Donna held up both hands. “Okay, I get the picture. You want me to keep my big mouth shut, right?”

  “You are kind of a nuisance,” Tabby replied.

  Wow, she can get assertive when she wants to. Seth wondered what other talents lay hidden behind Tabby’s mask of shyness.

  “I’ll keep quiet,” Donna promised.

  Tabby raised her eyebrows at Seth, and he grinned in response. “Now, let’s see…. Where were we?”

  “An exercise.” Donna ducked her head. “Sorry.”

  “The first thing you do is lean over as far as you can,” Seth said as he demonstrated. “Try to take in as much air as possible, while making the uh sound.”

  Tabby did what he asked, and he noticed her face was turning red. How much was from embarrassment and how much from the exercise, he couldn’t be sure, but he hoped it wouldn’t deter her from trying.

  “Now sit up again and try the same amount of pressure in your stomach as you make the uh sound.” He placed one hand against his own stomach. “You’ll need to push hard with these muscles as you speak for your far-sounding voice. Oh, and one more thing. It’s best to keep your tongue far back in your mouth, like when you gargle. Doing all that, try talking in a high, whisper-like
voice.”

  “Wow, that’s a lot to think about all at once!” The comment came from Donna again, and Seth wondered if Tabby might be about to bolt from the room.

  “There is a lot to think about,” he agreed, “but with practice, it gets easier.” He leaned close to Tabby and whispered, “Ready to try it now?”

  She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded. “Hi, I’m glad you’re home. I was afraid nobody would answer the phone.”

  Seth grabbed her free hand and gave it a squeeze. “That was awesome, Tabby! You catch on quick. A natural born ventriloquist, that’s what you are.”

  A stain of red crept to her cheeks, but she looked pleased. “Th–thanks.”

  Seth pulled his hand away and reached for the notebook he’d placed on the coffee table. “I have some handout sheets to give you. Things for you to practice during this next week and a few short distant-voice routines to work on.”

  Tabby only nodded, but Donna jumped up and bounded across the room. “Can I see? This has all been so interesting! I’m wondering if maybe I should put away my art supplies and come back to your shop to look at dummies.” She grinned at Tabby. “What do you say? Should I take up ventriloquism so we can do some joint routines?”

  Chapter 9

  By the time Tabby closed the door behind Seth, she felt emotionally drained and physically exhausted. Tonight’s fiasco would definitely be recorded in that journal Grandma had given her. Donna had done nothing but interrupt, offer dumb opinions, and flirt with Seth. At least that’s how Tabby saw it. Her best friend was obviously interested in the good-looking ventriloquist. What other reason could she have for making such a nuisance of herself?

  Well, she’s not going to get away with it, Tabby fumed. She headed for the living room, resolved to make things right. Friend or no friend, I’m telling Donna exactly what I think.

  Donna was sitting on the couch, fiddling with the collar on Rosie’s shirt. “You know what, Tabby? I think your dummy might look cuter in a frilly dress. You could curl her hair and—”

  “Rosie looks just fine the way she is!” Tabby jerked the ventriloquist figure out of Donna’s hands and plunked it in the rocking chair. “I’d appreciate it if you’d mind your own business, too.”

  Donna blinked. “What’s your problem? I wasn’t hurting Rosie. I was only trying to help.”

  Tabby moved toward the window, though she didn’t know why. It was dark outside, and there was nothing to look at but the inky black sky. “I’ve had about enough of your opinions to last all year,” she fumed.

  Donna joined Tabby at the window. “I thought your lesson went really well. What’s got you so uptight?”

  Tabby turned to face her. “I’m not uptight. I’m irritated.”

  “With me?”

  Tabby nodded. “You like him, don’t you?”

  “Who?”

  “Seth. I’m talking about Seth Beyers!”

  Donna tipped her head. “Huh?”

  “Don’t play dumb. You know perfectly well who I mean, and why I think you like him.”

  “I think Seth’s a nice guy, but—”

  “Are you interested in him romantically?”

  “Romantically?” Donna frowned. “You’ve gotta be kidding.”

  Tabby sniffed deeply. “No, I’m not. You hung around him all night and kept asking all sorts of dumb questions.”

  Donna’s forehead wrinkled. “You’re really serious, aren’t you?”

  “I sure am.”

  “I think we’d better have a little talk about this. Let’s sit down.” Donna motioned toward the couch.

  Tabby didn’t budge. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

  “I think there is.”

  “Whatever,” Tabby mumbled with a shrug.

  Donna sat on the couch, but Tabby opted for the rocking chair, lifting Rosie up then placing the dummy in her lap after she was seated.

  “I’m not trying to steal your guy,” Donna insisted. “He’s not my type, and even if he were, you should know that I’d never sabotage my best friend.”

  The rocking chair creaked as Tabby shifted; then she began to pump her legs back and forth. “Seth is not my guy.”

  A smile played at the corner of Donna’s lips. “Maybe not now, but I think he’d like to be.”

  Tabby folded her arms across her chest and scowled. “Fat chance.”

  “There might be, if you’d meet him halfway.”

  “Like you did tonight—with twenty questions and goofy remarks?”

  “I was only trying to help.”

  “How?”

  “Before Seth arrived, you said you were nervous.”

  “And?”

  “I was trying to put you at ease.”

  “By butting in every few minutes?” Tabby gulped and tried to regain her composure. “How was that supposed to put me at ease?”

  Before Donna could say anything, Tabby stood up. “All you succeeded in doing tonight was making me more nervous.”

  “Sorry.”

  Donna’s soft-spoken apology was Tabby’s undoing. She raced to the couch, leaned over, and wrapped her friend in a bear hug. “I’m sorry, too. I–I’m just not myself these days. I think maybe I …” Her voice trailed off, and she blinked away tears, threatening to spill over. “Let’s forget about tonight, okay?”

  Donna nodded. “Just don’t let it ruin anything between you and Seth.”

  Tabby groaned. “There’s nothing to ruin. As I said before, there isn’t anything going on. Seth and I are just friends—at least I think we are. Maybe our relationship is strictly business.”

  Donna shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

  “I think I’ll take my next ventriloquist lesson at Seth’s shop,” Tabby said as she started toward her room. “Tonight made me fully aware that I’m not even ready for an audience of one yet.”

  Seth wasn’t the least bit surprised when Tabby called the following week and asked to have her next lesson at his place of business. Her friend, Donna, had turned out to be more than a helpful audience, and he was sure that was the reason for the change of plans. The way he saw it, Donna had actually been a deterrent, and it had been obvious that her constant interruptions made Tabby uptight and less able to grasp what he was trying to teach her. Even though they might be interrupted by a phone call or two, Beyers’ Ventriloquist Studio was probably the best place to have Tabby’s private lessons.

  A glance at the clock told Seth it was almost seven. That was when Tabby had agreed to come over. His shop was closed for the day, so they should have all the privacy they needed.

  “She’ll be here any minute,” he mumbled. “I’d better get this place cleaned up a bit.”

  Not that it was all that dirty, but at least it would give him something to do while he waited. If things went really well, he planned to ask her on a date, and truthfully, he was more than a little anxious about it. What if she turned him down? Could his male ego take the rejection, especially when he’d planned everything out so carefully?

  Seth grabbed a broom out of the storage closet and started sweeping up a pile of sawdust left over from a repair job he’d recently done on an all-wooden dummy brought in a few weeks ago.

  As he worked, he glanced over at Rudy Right, sitting in a folding chair nearby. “Well, little buddy, your girlfriend, Rosie, ought to be here any minute. I sure hope you’re not as nervous as I am.”

  The wooden-headed dummy sat motionless, glass eyes staring straight ahead.

  “So you’re not talking today, huh?” Seth said with a shake of his head. “I’ll bet you won’t be able to keep your slot jaw shut once Tabby and her vent pal arrive.”

  Talking to Rudy like this was nothing new for Seth. He found that he rather enjoyed the one-way conversation. It was good therapy to talk things out with yourself, even if you were looking at a dummy when you spoke. He was glad there was no one around to witness the scene, though. If there had been, he might be accused of being a bit eccentric.

 
; Seth chuckled. “Maybe I am kind of an oddball, but at least I’m having fun at my profession.”

  The bell above his shop door jingled, disrupting his one-way conversation. He grinned when Tabby stepped into the room, carrying Rosie in her arms. “Hi, Tabby.”

  “I—I hope I’m not l–late,” she said. “Traffic was r–really bad.”

  Seth glanced at the clock again. “Nope, you’re right on time.”

  “Are—are you r–ready for my l–lesson? You l–look kind of b–busy.”

  “Oh, you mean this?” Seth lifted the broom. “I was just killing time till you got here. My shop gets pretty dirty after I’ve been working on a dummy.”

  She nodded. “I g–guess it w–would.”

  Seth put the broom back in the closet and turned to face Tabby. “Are you ready for lesson number two?”

  “I—I th–think so.”

  “Let’s get started, then.” He motioned toward one of the folding chairs. “Have a seat and I’ll get my notes.”

  Tabby watched as Seth went to his desk and shuffled through a stack of papers. Why is he taking time out of his busy schedule to work with me? she asked herself. I’m sure he has much better things to do than give some introverted, stuttering woman private ventriloquist lessons.

  “Okay, all set.” Seth dropped into a chair and graced her with a pleasant smile. “Did you get a chance to practice your near and far voices?”

  “I p–practiced a little.”

  “How about a demonstration, then?”

  “N–n–now?”

  “Sure, now’s as good a time as any.” Seth pointed at Rosie. “If it would be any easier, you can talk through her instead of a pretend object or the telephone.”

  “How c–can I do th–that?” Tabby asked. “If I t–talk for R–Rosie, won’t that be m–my near v–voice?”

  Seth scratched his head. “Good point. I’ll tell you what—why don’t you set Rosie on a chair across the room, then talk for her. Make it sound as though her voice is coming from over there, and not where you’re sitting.”