Now Is The Time (Sequel to Time Of Our Lives, Dance Moms Fic)

Chapter 17: Arrival in The Big Easy

It was July 28th and in New Orleans, a city in the state, there was a train station called Union Passenger Terminal Airport which serves Amtrak's City of New Orleans, which runs between New Orleans and Chicago, the Sunset Limited, which runs between there and Los Angeles and the Crescent, which runs between there and New York. And the time was 1:45 pm as the City of New Orleans train was seen arriving at the station and once it came to a stop, passengers got off and coming from the first sleeper that was behind the engine was Abby and Dominic as they had their bags and tomorrow would be the first day of rehearsal for Nationals, which was going to be held in New Orleans that upcoming weekend.

"We've finally made it." Dominic said to Abby.

"We sure did." Abby told him. "What a whirlwind of a season we've had."

"Yeah and i wouldn't be surprised if next season was a whirlwind."

"I agree."

"Tomorrow, we start rehearsing and Wednesday's our day off from rehearsals before we resume on Thursday and and Saturday is Nationals." Dominic stated.

"You are so correct and Gianna, the girls and their moms will be arriving later on tonight." Abby commented as they went in the station to get their bags and once, they got their bags, they exited the station.

"Mom, which hotel are we gonna stay in this time?" Dominic asked.

"Well, we'll be staying at the New Orleans Marriott on Canal, it's 6 minutes from here and we'll be rehearsing at the Off Broadway Dance Studio on St. Charles Avenue, which will be 15 minutes from the hotel." Abby responded.

"All righty." Dominic said, then they went to a taxi van and put their luggage in the back of the van and they got in.

"Where to?" The taxi driver asked them.

"New Orleans Marriott on Canal, please." Abby answered.

"Sure thing." The taxi driver said as he began driving them to the hotel and 6 minutes later, the taxi van arrived at the Marriott New Orleans, a hotel on Canal and once it came to a stop, Abby paid the taxi driver before she and her son got out of the taxi van, went to get their bags from the back and went into the hotel and there, Abby approached the front desk and got checked in, then she approached Dominic.

"Dominic, we're going to be on the 42nd floor, which is the top floor and you'll have a room and i'll be across from you if you need me." Abby informed as she gave her son his hotel room key.

"Got it." Dominic said as he and his mother both walked to the elevator and it took them to the 42nd floor. After getting off the elevator, they went into their hotel rooms.

Dominic entered his hotel room and it was amazing, it was 275 square feet and it had a bed, a desk which was next to a dresser that had a flat screen tv on top, a small dresser between the two beds with a lamp, alarm clock and usb ports, mini fridge, coffee maker, a closet, bathroom and it gave great west and south views of the City.

"This is wonderful." Dominic commented to himself and once he put his bags in the closet, he took off his sandals and was laying on the bed as he turned on the TV and coming on was ESPN and some hours had passed and it was 5:00 pm and he heard a knock at the door, he knew it was Abby as he headed to the door and indeed, it was his mother. "Hey, mom."

"Hey there, Dominic." Abby replied. "Question, would you like to go to Hard Rock Cafe on Bourbon Street for dinner?"

"Sure, let's do it." Dominic replied, then he got his card key and phone.

The Millers walked down the hallway and approached the elevator, which took them to the lobby and they exited the hotel and walked down Canal Street before turning right on Bourbon Street, which is the most famous street in New Orleans as it embodied the life of a party town with neon lights, music and it was decorated by beads and balconies. Abby and Dominic approached the Hard Rock Cafe and went in, they were seated and Abby ordered the grilled sirloin steak and Dominic had the same thing, minutes later, they began eating when their food arrived.

"Mom, i bet you one of the moms are going to get drunk and do something really stupid." Dominic predicted.

"That's really likely." Abby admitted.

"What a season we have had."

"Yeah. Also, Gianna called 10 minutes ago and told me that she, the girls and moms will be arriving later tonight as they'll be flying in from O'Hare."

"Cool."

"Dominic, i'll tell you a big secret, next season, we'll be holding open call auditions around the country searching for new dancers and nobody's place, except for Maddie, Mackenzie and Chloe, is safe. When in actually, i'm gonna form a whole new team to challenge the original team." Abby informed.

"Can't wait to see how this turns out, even though i've known those girls most of their lives. Mom, i'm all for it." Dominic said.

"Good."

"Mom, can you believe my senior year of high school is a month away?"

"No, i cannot. It seemed like yesterday when i found you underneath the tracks near Rush Hospital on the day you were born and now you're about to graduate." Abby told her son, holding his hand. "Where did the time go? Also, the condo that we live in, it's gonna be all yours when you turn 18 as i'm gonna be moving to a condo on Grand next to Lake Shore Drive, but it's actually going to be on Peshtigo."

"Cool, all i'd have to do is walk down McClurg, then head east on Grand whenever i visit."

"That's all you'd have to do, but if you'd like, you could drive."

"Sounds good." Dominic commented. "Mom, i have a question, what's going to be the dances we'll have for this years' Nationals?"

"For the group, it's going to be called Home Again and it's based off of New Orleans' recovery from the infamous Hurricane Katrina 8 years ago and you came up with the concept and to decide who will be doing the solos, we'll have the girls learn the same choreography and it'll be Asia vs Mackenzie, Chloe vs Kendall, Brooke vs Payton and Paige vs Nia vs Maddie. " Abby answered.

"Great idea and i bet you know who is going to be there attempting to beat us." Dominic stated, referring about Cathy.

"You're right about that, i found out about that before we left yesterday."

Abby and Dominic finished their dinner, paid the bill and left Hard Rock Cafe. As the two approached Canal, Dominic got a phone call from Gianna and she let him and Abby know that they just made it to New Orleans and minutes later Gianna, the moms and girls all arrived at the hotel. Once they got their rooms, they all hit the sack.