New York- Where Dreams are Made

Chapter 90- For Good

*a few weeks later*

Addie sleepily drags her bag into Daveeds dressing room.

Her twins were born two weeks ago.
.....

Darren and I waited for hours. I paced. Darren fussed at me for pacing. It was a very intense few hours. When they were ready to be seen I practically almost killed everyone else because I wanted in first. I deserved to go in first. I guess.

A boy and a girl. Addie held them weakly.

"That was probably the worst three hours of my life Charlotte." I laughed and took a seat next to her.

I looked at their distressed faces.

"What are their names?"

She smiled at me.

"The boy is Charlie and the girl is Katie." I put a hand on my heart and hugged her neck, everyone continued to file into the room.

I wiped little tears from my eyes as they circled around.

We spent hours holding the babies, crying over their names, laughing with Addie, and remembering Daveed.

....

She hired a friend to babysit while she was at work. She was so sick of not being on stage. Her Cats hoodie draped over her shoulder, she stepped carefully onto the stage.

We all sat in the audience. The line went down the entire orchestra middle row. Leslie, Lin, Rene, Anthony, Oak, Chris, Pippa, Darren, me. She fidgeted a little with her ring. I found myself doing the same thing.

"I just wanted to let you guys know that.."
She paused, thinking about what to say.

"That I appreciate everything you've done for me. Literally everything. Including Darren dancing backstage that one time to keep me from having a slight panic attack."

Darren laughed and took my hand.

"Leslie warming up with me, Rene almost killing me with her hugs, Chris being there for me, Oak for not hating my guts after all this, Anthony for being you, and Lin for allowing me to be a part of this narrative."

Pippa and I look at each other smirking.

"Oh! And Charlotte..."

Yeah. I'm here too.

She smiled at me.

"Thank you for..." she paused and laughed to herself.

"Thank you for putting up with me. You saved me Charlotte Spencer."

She cleared her throat and cued for the band to start playing.

As it played she spoke over it, "Charlotte always sings when she doesn't know what to say. I think that could work for me too."

The pianist played a familiar tune.

"I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason. Bringing something we must learn. And we are lead to those, who help us most to grow if we let them, and we help them in return."

There is a pause as she looks down at me.

"Well I don't know if I believe that's true, but I know I'm who I am today because I knew you. Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes a sun. Like a stream that meets a boulder, halfway through the woods, who can say if I've been changed for the better but because I knew you...I have been changed for good."

As she sang the room was silent. Addie has that effect on people when she sings.

When she finished I stood up and ran to the stage. You couldn't see them from the crowd but her eyes were filling up with tears. I hugged her neck and thanked her for the song.

She laughed weakly.

"You're my best friend Charlotte."

"You are too Addie Blue."

"You're also a dork."

"Yeah but I'm your dork."