Forgiveness, Trust & Forever

Emily

Glistening moonlight fills the privacy of my office as I shuffle between the papers on my desktop doing one final check of the set list for the grand opening show tonight. The bar is stocked, the band is rehearsed to perfection and the cast that are scheduled to perform on stage in just shy of 2 hours are all getting their glam on in the unisex part of what we have named the Diva Room. Their loud giggles are echoing out through the wall that conceals my office from the vast space that we created to allow them the time to be a team whilst they get prepped. The space that they regularly created carnage inside of as they made every effort to bond as a team in the months that have passed has now tonight it seems changed direction and each are using it to clearly try and get rid of their opening night nerves.

My emerald dress is hanging on my mannequin glistening as the moonlight hits it, the perfectly sculpted piece pinned in place waiting for me to stick it to my body and welcome everyone to the open of The Bella Regazza, the opening that at times I thought would never happen. The constant stress that my sister had put upon us by changing things at the last minute before causing constant issues with my side of the business, the side that she had deemed mine and that she would not interfere with yet has insisted on seeing each stage through with me and offering her constant opinion that was not necessary, wanted or even appropriate as a total novice when it comes to the dance world. Instead her constant interference just caused more stress on my shoulders as I fought to create the right style of show with an adequate level of male and female entertainment to stop our club coming across as a strip joint instead of the classic burlesque feeling we were aiming for when we started this journey.

"EMILY" the loud screech of my name has our cast jumping in their make-up stations, some vocalising their upset in her interruption and others just throwing her a sideward glance as she makes her way across the room towards my office like a tornado.

I stand to my feet in an attempt to intercept her from entering the chaos of my office as I pray for this not to be another one of her pointless dramas. I make it to the door just as she arrives the other side of it, her face glowing red as she tries desperately to hold back the tears "Jeez sis where's the fire?" I offer her a smile in a desperate wish to calm her, I move her back away from my now open office door stopping her from adding that to her list of drama and complaints "lets go back out the front and leave this lot to get ready".

A tear reaches her lower lash line and I slide my finger up against it "don't ruin your face beautiful, nothing is that serious" a smile tries to break through but instead I'm met with a groan and roll of the eyes "so whats the issue?" I guide her across the room taking in the curious looks around us, offering them a shake of the head as they open their mouths to find out what the drama is.

Once we are safely outside of the dressing area I stop pushing Mimi along and let her finally explode with whatever this hours drama is "Chloe has been hurt on the tube" panic sets in as she continues "she is on her way to the hospital, she is saying she can't make it, she wont be here for opening night" the low panic is pushed up a level as she finally looses her head at me "Emily are you listening to me? We are going to be a dancer down on our opening night, if we don't get tonight perfect we will be the talk of the city and not in a good way" her screeching rips through me.

"Calm down its not that dramatic Sis" I let out a chuckle and point to myself "I created the routines, I trained them all so I will just do it instead" I wouldn't ever admit it to her but I would rather be on stage than out front playing hostess to all the guests that think they are something special just because they are on a made up VIP list that my brother in laws company created from their clients and talent.

A quiver starts on her bottom lip as her eyes glaze over again "Mimi if I don't do it we will be a leading girl short and that won't work, if it was just a back up we could tweak things but there is no other option" I take in the perfection of her look for tonight and lean forward grabbing ahold of her hands and giving them a gentle squeeze "you were born to host sis, I was born to put on a show so lets do this in the best way we know how to".