A text from Anton! Stella peered down at her phone as she wriggled into her form fitting cocktail dress. A play? She smiled, she would love that for sure!<br/><br/>She had five minutes before having to head out to the stage, after getting dressed and her make up on she sat down and typed out a reply. After a number of starts and deletions she sent out the final text.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center">Hello Anton, yes, I guess we've both been busy. As a matter of fact I'd love to go to the play with you, what time should I get ready? And did you want to get dinner before that?<br/>
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- Stella​</div><br/>She hit the send button and smiled to herself as she went out to the small stage in the corner and nodded at her small ensemble. Erik played the bass. He was in his late fifties and looked like the classic Jazz musician he was. Paul played drums, usually wearing checkered shirts and a bow-tie, and Josh played a variety of wind instruments. She sat down to a smattering a applause, waved hello to a few regulars and began her evening with a piece by Thelonius Monk after which she switched smoothly to Nora Jones.<br/><br/>After an hour she went for a ten minute break, she loved playing in this restaurant slash bar. It was so different from the gig in her hometown which she had left due to the groping and suggestive crap every evening. She had returned and sat back on her bench, when she noticed the table two over from the one nearest to her occupies by a tall blond man and a curvy, raven haired beauty whose face was momentarily obscured by the menu folder. The man had his hands on hers and the way he ran his hand up her bare arm had the unmistakable quality of familiarity sensuality.  Still something about her was familiar and Stella glanced in that direction a few times while she played something by Coltrane, the sultry music so suitable for an evening out. When the woman handed her menu to the waiter Stella saw who it was, and whom by now she had suspected. It was Magdalene.<br/><br/>She played for a while, and sang, not paying attention to Magdalene and the man, she had a job to do, and that job was not keeping tabs on her. It was none of her business. Oh sure, she was curious, but what would she do even if she knew anything? Run to Anton and spill the beans? How utterly distasteful and cheap, she wasn't raised that way.  At one point she raised her eyes and locked with Magdalene who stared at her with an unreadable expression. For some reason though Stella didn't feel uncomfortable, or ill at ease. No, she would play a special song or two for Magdalene. After a quick conference with her ensemble she began<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Db-I2s5zRbHg&amp;hash=0672a542ad460113d72b271b9fc70f82" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-I2s5zRbHg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">"Meet you downstairs..."</a>