Together

Ballerina Dream

Hello hello hello! I hope you all had a nice Saturday! (I went to a toddler tumbling class with the kiddos who I babysit and it was honestly a blast) I quite like this chapter, parts of which are based off of a real conversation with sofaroffbway so that's fun! I hope you all get a bit of a laugh out of this one. Comment and vote if you wish x
-ab

——————————————

December 1, 2025

Harper

As the lights dim, signalling the start of the ballet, I begin to grow so excited. I know that Kath is back in her dressing room, getting ready to do something that she's dreamed about since she was a child. Even if this isn't the perfect Balanchine choreography that she loved so dearly growing up, it's still her dream role, and she's about to conquer it.

The show begins, and I can quite quickly tell that Patrick does not know what is happening.

"Love," I whisper to him, "what's confusing you here?"

"You didn't tell me that there wasn't going to be talking!"

"That's assumed when it's a ballet," I roll my eyes. "I told you that you should have read up on it."

"Fine, I should have listened to you," he concedes. "Can you please just help me out here?"

"Alright. So, the little girl is Clara, and she just got a nutcracker doll from her godfather, Drosselmeyer. Then, her brother, Fritz, broke it, so then she fell asleep next to it, and then she woke up and he was a prince."

"Oh, of course," he rolls his eyes. "Now they're fighting the mouse-human guy?"

"Yep. Now shut up and watch the ballet."

We watch in silence as the battle unfolds before our eyes, and it is eventually won by Clara throwing her shoe at the Rat King.

Then, the Nutcracker Prince takes Clara off to the Land of Sweets.

It's a story that's so familiar to me. I've been in the very seats of this opera house before, watching productions of The Nutcracker nearly every year since I was a young girl.

It's just so different now, because I'm anticipating the onstage arrival of one of my best friends, and at the same time, I'm watching the love of my life experience this magical story for the first time. Even if he doesn't quite understand it, I still love getting to see him watch it.

When the lights come up in the room, signaling the start of the interval, I  pull out my phone and send a quick text to Katherine.

Harper: I'm loving the show so far. Patrick is confused. I warned him that he would be, and he didn't believe me. He's going to be even more confused during Act II haha. I can't wait for you to come on. You'll be amazing xxxx see you soon!

Katherine: Thank you, Love. I'm really, really excited. I'll see you after the show!

After I tuck my phone away, I look up at Patrick. "How's the show going?"

"Well, alright," he laughs. "I wish that I would have listened to you and learned the plot before watching the bloody ballet."

"Trust me, I wish too. You're going to have a lot of confusion during the second act, buddy."

"Buddy? That's a new name."

"It's only for when you're being stupid," I tell him, giggling as I place my hands on his chest and look up into his eyes. "Now, what do you say we go get some drinks? Kath told me that our tickets should get us into the VIP lounge with short lines."

"You know that I'd never say no to that offer," he laughs. "God, I could really go for a beer right now."

"Well, we can make that happen."

We head to the lounge and get our drinks. Since we are, apparently 'VIPs,' we even get free cups that permit us to take the drinks back into the theatre.

After both of us make a quick stop at the toilets, we head back to our seats and cuddle up, drinking and laughing, until the lights dim for the second act of the ballet.

Before I know it, Kath is gracing the stage with her presence. As she dances, everything is glittering and gorgeous. Her tutu, the set behind her, the crown perched meticulously in her wig... it's all just so perfect.

Her little solo seems to fly by so quickly, and then, the rest of the dances come around. Of course, I have to explain them all to Patrick.

"And who is this bendy girl?" he whispers to me.

"That's Arabian. She brings coffee."

"Brings who coffee?"

"Katherine. She needs it to survive," I tell him. "Marie and the prince, you dummy."

"Marie?"

"Oh dear god, Clara. The Royal Ballet calls her Clara, and literally the entire rest of Europe calls her Marie. She's Marsha in Russia."

"Then where does Clara come from?"

"It's American. Now, hush and watch the show."

"Harper," he whispers to me again, a moment later, "Love... she doesn't have any coffee. Just... finger cymbals?"

"Oh dear god, Patrick," I giggle a little bit. "Just imagine, alright?"

"I'm not creative enough for this."

"Just try. Now hush."

Of course, we have to have a few more conversations similar to that as we watch the second act, and many questions are raised by Patrick, regarding Mother Ginger, but I think that by the end, he almost understands the plot.

"That was amazing," he whispers to me as the dancers are taking their bows.

"Katherine was the best part."

"She was gorgeous," he remarks.

As if on cue, she comes out to take her bow right after he says that. I scream so loudly, clapping for my friend. She looks up and we nearly make eye contact as she blows a kiss in my general direction.

"Now, come on. Let's go find her," I say as the lights come back up in the Royal Opera House. "We are going to the party with her."

I turn to Nessa beside me, who has been losing her mind over Katherine this entire time to the point of barely being able to sit still.

"So, was that fun, Ness?" I laugh.

"It was so beautiful!"

"You've seen Nutcracker before. What's so magical about this one?"

"Kath!"

"Alright," I smile. "Come on. You want to join Patrick and I on the walk to the stage door?"

"Sure," she replies. The three of us get our coats on, then make our way outside, rather slowly due to the stream of people leaving.

After making it to the stage door, we only have to wait a moment before Kath comes out, and instantly, Nessa and I bombard her with hugs and cuddles. Patrick hangs back, but does congratulate her.

"I'm so proud of you. You finally achieved your dream role."

"And now," she says, with a cheeky glimmer in her eye, "we have got to go party over it."