Forever In Your Shadows

Chapter 22

Pippa's POV

I had healed nicely and it was getting closer and closer to the holidays. Alejandro and Amelie were beginning to get ready to take their mid-year finals, as well as Scarlett. She was also busy preparing for the winter talent show. I heard her playing a little bit of a score one day and she immediately stopped when I walked in. 

"Mom, you'll hear it tonight." She laughed while putting away her violin. 

"I know, but it's been a while since I've heard you practice at home." I smiled. "I remember when you first came to me wanting to play violin." I laughed.

"I know, I know... I should've picked something else." She smirked. 

"No, no, no. I like that you play violin. I would appreciate if you did learn piano though." I shrugged. 

"I already learned how. Dani taught me while we did all of this. We had to learn the starting notes in some of the symphony, so yeah..." She shrugged while shutting her case. I nodded and wondered what else was going on in my child's life that I didn't know about... Scarlett was beginning to become very mysterious to us, but we still knew enough to know that she wasn't ever in trouble. 

~~~~~

"Mom, I hate going to Scarlett's shows." Amelie groaned. "They're always boring. She does the same thing with her friends every year." She complained. 

"Be nice to your sister. She asked us to come and here we are." Lin frowned. 

"What's up guys?" I looked up and saw Daveed? 

"What are you doing here?" I asked him with a smile. 

"Well, Scarlett asked me to come and see her perform. I thought you guys knew?" He frowned. 

"No... Weird that she would ask you... Well, not weird, since you're her honorary uncle..." Lin shrugged. 

"Pippa! Hi!" I looked over and saw Renee and Jasmine here too?! I understood Jasmine since her son was in the program Scarlett was in and in the same district, but Renee wasn't in our district... 

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked while hugging them. 

"AJ is helping out backstage." Jasmine answered. 

"Scarlett sent out a mass text to everyone too." Renee smiled. She showed me her phone and it was a mass text to everyone that we used to perform with... Including numbers I barely recognized, but knew she must've gone through my phone... Because of the text... 

'Hello everyone! This is Scarlett Miranda, Phillipa's daughter. All of you have worked with my parents in one way or another and I would really appreciate it if you could please come to my high school talent show, tickets are five dollars at the door. I only ask of you to attend this event so I can make all of you proud. I remember all of you in my early life while growing up and telling me to achieve great things. I hope to see you all there!'

I smiled and thought maybe she sent the text to even all the people from when she was really little... 

"Pip! It's starting soon." Lin smiled. 

"Let's go see what my daughter has created. Shall we?" I laughed. Everyone laughed and we walked into the audience area of the room. Lin sat at the end of the row, with me right next to him, and our two kids next to me. 

The first few acts were nice. You could tell that they worked hard on what they performed. The next one was terrifying since they were a barely forming band that wanted to make loud music... I'm sure it was great in someone else's ears who liked that kind of music, but not mine... 

"And thank you.... Mister Friar... And friends..." The principal laughed nervously. "Now, it is my pleasure again to announce a little classical band that has started among us." He said before walking off stage. The curtains came back and it revealed a little more than just five kids... Each with their own instrument too... The lights came on and I smiled. Scarlett stood with her violin next to the piano that Dani was sitting at. 

It began as the beautiful interlude from Amelie... It made my smile even bigger.... Both of them playing like that. Which then lead into the beginning of That Would Be Enough... I looked at Lin and saw him smiling... The girls continued playing which lead into more of their friends joining in, starting into History Has Its Eyes On You. I smiled at their playing and noticed that the key was changing again midway through... Their tempo sped up into a song that I knew oh so well... The Prologue of Great Comet. 

"She's doing so great..." I whispered to Lin. He nodded and didn't say a word. 

They kept playing multiple songs, flawlessly merging with the next as if they had been practicing this for years... But really they had only been rehearsing this for hours at a time for a few months.. It led into Best of Wives and Best of Women... Which then lead into the closing number for Hamilton. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story. By the end, Lin and I were crying... Towards the end, Scarlett had stopped playing and starting singing. 

"I established the first private orphanage in New York City...." She sang. I started crying even more... My daughter was singing my part.... By the lyrics were by her father... I could tell she was crying as well... They didn't sing the last parts, but played them to where it sounded like there was singing.... When they finished, everyone in the audience stood and applauded them. 

We found Scarlett afterwards, everyone was in tears. It was emotional for everyone. Reliving everything through someone who had been on the sidelines this whole time listening and learning from it all. 

"I don't think you remember me kid, but that was amazing." I saw one of my old co-stars talking to her... 

"Lucas?" I laughed. 

"Hey! Your kid got a hold of me and asked me to come." He smiled. "She's really talented. Just like her mom." 

"Thank you." I smiled. 

"I remembered him." She laughed. "But I couldn't remember anyone else... Just him." Scarlett smiled. I nodded and hugged her tightly. "Mom, can't breathe!" She pretended to choke. 

"I'm sorry, I just.. I'm so proud of you..." I sniffed. She smiled and hugged me again. "Thank you.. You made your father cry too... Expect some sappy speech later." I laughed. 

"Oh darn... We were hoping it would make you guys happy. Dani thought of it and we made sure everything blended well. Even if we had to write in new notes and see where they all worked out." She shrugged. Lin popped out from the crowd and engulfed Scarlett in a giant hug. "Dad!" She laughed. 

"We're going to celebrate! You wonderful person! Let's go!" He sniffed. 

"It's late Lin. We can celebrate tomorrow." I laughed.