The New Dance Sweethearts

Family Comes First

GABRIELA'S P.O.V

"Let's go, come on." Abby calmly orders.

We walked into the studio to see a green screen and Mackenzie in an adorable black and assemble. Turning to the mirror, I noticed that the pyramid had one headshot on top and a single row of seven headshots under it.

"Alright. Congratulations, girls. The group was the overall high-scoring group routine 12 times in a row," we clapped at Abby's announcement. "I wanted a 12th for my shelf, and now I have it. All Right, you are going, once again, to Ohio, Columbus, Ohio. Let's get to the pyramid, okay?"

Abby reached out and revealed the first headshot to be mine. "Gabriela, Maddie, Vitoria, Mackenzie, Kendall, Chloe, and Nia. Because every single one of you did exactly what you were supposed to do. When you can't hear the music, and something goes wrong, you keep dancing."

"Good job," Christi says as we all clap.

"And..." Abby reaches out to reveal Kalani's photo at the top. "Kalani stole the show. She was the overall high score in the competition. This week, moms, I am deciding on the new team. This unveiling of the new team is really the final audition in Pittsburgh."

"And they will all come here?" Holly asks.

"They will all come here," Abby confirms. "The audition process has come to an end. My new team will be arriving in Pittsburgh in two weeks. Girls, you will have somebody on the new team that is gonna go up against you. Get that? You have one twelve times in a row.

"Will this team live up to that? Will this new team have what it takes? I don't know. All right? I want you to know we're having auditions for Mackenzie's video. Mackenzie, we're gonna be auditioning in-house. I'm utilizing my other students. You understand that?"

Mackenzie nods. "Yes."

"And Mackenzie will be making the final decisions on who is selected," Abby informs us.

"No, she's not gonna pick me," Maddie jokes.

"I am going to pick you," Mackenzie tells her.

"Is that nepotism?" Abby asks them. "Is that what that's called?"

"Only if she's good at the choreography," Mackenzie quickly says.

"Let me give out the assignments. Let's go," Abby says, bringing us back to the topic. "Now, this week, moms, I might not be there. As you know, my mother is dying. She's not gonna get better. She's not gonna be cured. Right now, what the hospice care tries to do is to make her comfortable."

I rubbed Maddie on the back as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Can I say something?" Melissa asks. Abby gestures for her to go ahead. "I just want to say that...thank you so much for letting me be such a part of your Mom's life. These past couple of years, we've been-- your Mom...Like I told her today... She looked right into my eyes, and I said, "You know, Mom, you are my mom now because my mom left me so long ago." I love her so much. I love you."

Abby gestures for Maddie to come over to her. She hugs Maddie to her. "It's okay, it's okay. There's someplace better."

"But she's gonna be so much better, you know?" Melissa finishes. "I love her so much."

Abby lets go of Maddie, who walks back to her spot beside me. I held her hand in comfort.

"There are good dance teachers, and there are bad dance teachers, but every dance teacher has to love children. They would never do this job. There are a million other jobs that you could do besides this," Abby tells us before gesturing for Chloe to come over to her.