Beautiful Ways

The New Hire

We all sat watching the performance with huge smiles on our faces. As it finished we all applauded and began to file out to where we could meet up with her. While dad was saying hello to everyone I was scanning the crowd and my eyes caught someone familiar who was also looking at me. "I'll be right back." I left and walked to where the face was.

"Hello again." Phillip said.

"Hello. What are you doing here?" I asked him.

P.T's POV

I watch Lia walk off toward a young man and start talking to him. I turn towards my wife. "Hey sweetheart, who's that young man over there that Lia is talking to?" I ask her.

"Oh that's Phillip Carlyle. A bit of a scandal, they say." She says and my gaze turns into a slight glare. "His last play was a hit in London."

"Play?"

"Mmm."

"You pay good money to watch people stand around and talk for two hours, and they call me a con man."

Liana's POV

As I was talking to Phillip I got distracted hearing someone say "Ew, what's that smell? Do you smell that?" A little girl says and I look over to where it came from and see Caroline come out.

"Ew. Something does smell." Another one said.

"Oh, I know what it is. Peanuts." One says tauntingly as they walk away from Caroline. I excuse myself from the conversation I was having with Phillip and walk to Care and lead her out of the building with dad following and mom and Helen in front of us.

"I can see it right now. Youngest prima ballerina in the history of City Ballet." Dad says.

"I'm quitting." She says.

"What? Why would you quit Care?" I ask her.

"I started too late. I'll never catch up."

"Caroline, you were the best dancer on that stage." Dad says stopping. "What? You think I can't spot talent?"

"Ballet takes years of hard work. It's not like the circus. You can't just fake it." She then walks away and gets in the carriage.

"She'll come around dad. Those girls are just getting to her." I tell him and he nods. We both get in the carriage and head home. When we get home I head to my room and change. I get in bed and fall asleep almost immediately.

P.T.'s POV

After talking with Charity I head out to find that kid Phillip Carlyle. I found him at a play he produced.

"Mr. Carlyle. You produced this play?" I asked walking up to him.

"Yes, I did indeed." He responded. "Refunds are available at the front box office."

"P.T. Barnum." I outstretch my hand.

"From the circus?"

"Yes you-you've been?" He shakes my hand.

"God, no. But I have seen the crowds." He says chuckling. "People leave your shows a great deal happier than when they came in, which is much more than I can say for my play."

"And yet, you have no trouble selling tickets."

"That's because I'm selling virtue."

"Can I buy you a drink?" We head to a local bar. As we're drinking I look around to see if anyones listening. "I wanna go after the carriage trade." I tell Phillip. "Present legitimate acts, expand our appeal, go after the snobs."