Ax to Grind Read Free

expected Liz to be full of cheer.  After all, she finally landed the starring role and nailed her first performance as a lead the night before. 
    Instead of being full of cheer, Liz looked completely on edge.  There was no smile to be found.  Her long, dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, she was wearing blue-framed glasses instead of her usual contact lenses, and she had on a t-shirt and pair of leggings on her tall, trim body instead of one of the dresses from her floral-print heavy wardrobe.  If Meg didn’t know better, she would have thought Liz had just come from the gym. 
    The fact was, Meg did know better.  She suspected Liz had a late night with little or no sleep to speak of.  The question became, what had kept her up, and why did she look like the sky had fallen down on her?
    “You look like you could use a donut,” Meg said.
    “I could use a dozen,” Liz replied. 
    That was the most uncharacteristic thing Meg had ever heard out of her friend’s mouth.  As an actress, Liz had to keep her body in good shape.  Donuts were usually nowhere near her diet.  As a matter of fact, it was hard to usually even get Liz to come into the shop to even visit, because the temptation to nibble on a cruller was too great.
    The irony of their usual predicament was not lost on Meg.  Liz usually resisted the donuts because she thought they’d make her fat.  Meg meanwhile put a magical ingredient in every donut that made the baked goods as healthy as could be.  Unfortunately, Meg couldn’t tell Liz she could eat a dozen donuts and not gain a single pound without revealing her secret that she was a witch. 
    Liz’s will power had abandoned her that morning.  That’s what Meg was worried about.  She knew trouble was brewing.  The worry was all over Liz’s face. 
    “This has the makings of a pastry emergency,” Meg said.   
    “I wish it was just that.  It’s more like life 911.”
    Meg furrowed her brow.  “I’m confused.  I thought you’d be happy. Your acting dream just came true.”
    “It did.”
    “So, what’s the problem?”
    “That dream turned into a nightmare after the show last night.”
    “Uh oh.”
    “You don’t even know the half of it,” Liz revealed.
    Meg handed Liz a donut.  She promptly began to devour it.
    “Fill me in,” Meg insisted. 
    “The show has been canceled.”
    Meg’s jaw nearly dropped.  She stammered her reply.  “What?  Wait, but ‘Enchanted Nights’ has been running longer than we’ve even been alive.  How could it have been canceled?”
    “Two words--Ethan Wakefield.”
    Meg was even more puzzled.  “The carpet king?”
    Liz nodded. 
    Every small town had their local hucksters that insisted in starring in their own cable access-quality commercials.  Ethan Wakefield would go down in infamy for some of his awful TV spots.  They were schlocky affairs, with cheesy lines and horrible video quality.  Apparently, they worked.  Twenty years ago, Ethan Wakefield had proclaimed himself as the local carpet king when he opened his first upholstery warehouse, and to this day, no one had been able to steal his crown.  Who knew a man that lived to sell upholstery also had an interest in dabbling in the theater as well?
    Liz continued her explanation.  “Ethan bought the theater, promptly canceled the show, and is going to be staging a new play that his wife wrote.”
    Meg’s heart went out to her friend.  “I’m so sorry.”
    Liz sighed.  “Yeah, it’s crazy.  In one night, I went from being on top of the world to out of a job.”
    “I’m so sorry.  I know getting that role was the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.”
    Liz nodded.  “Life sure has a crazy sense of humor sometimes.  I finally get the role of a lifetime; then I barely have time to enjoy it before the rug is completely pulled out from under my feet.”
    “This calls for more donuts.”
    For once, Liz didn’t turn down seconds.  Then again, with her