Together

Never Give Up On A Dream

Bonus points to anyone who started singing Pretty Woman when they saw the title of this chapter. I'm about to catch you all off-guard with this one- I'm sure of it. That's all I have to say... have fun and comment/vote if you dare to read on ;)))
-ab

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January 12, 2026

Harper

"Alright. That's sounding good, love," I tell Kath as I listen to her sing through her audition selection. Her audition is tomorrow, and I can tell that she's a bit nervous. She's never sung in front of anyone before, so I can't blame her.

"Is it good enough, though?" she frets.

"First of all, I'm sure that it's good enough. Just like you told me, they're looking for a ballerina with singing abilities, not for the world's best technical singer. Secondly, Kath, even if you don't get this role, it doesn't mean that your career is over. You just join the next Royal Ballet production."

She sits down on the sofa, then burries her face in her hands.

"Right?" I ask, timidly.

"Harper, you don't understand. I need to get this job."

"What are you not telling me?" I ask, sitting down beside her.

"I need a break from the Royal Ballet. I need a break from him."

"Who?"

"James," she sighs. "Who else?"

"I thought that you two were dating..."

"We broke up a few days ago, and company classes have just been so awkward."

"Hon," I sigh, "I'm sorry. I really am. But you can't run away from your problems like this."

"If I get the part then I can," she mumbles.

"Touche," I admit, "but you're going to have to go back eventually. The Royal Ballet is the best ballet company in all of the UK. You can't let a stupid boy get in the way of that fact."

"I'll go dance with the Paris Opera Ballet."

"You don't speak French."

"I could learn. Or, what about the American Ballet Theatre? Or the Australian Ballet?"

"No," I state. "You are not leaving the Royal Ballet, or London."

"There's the English National Ballet..."

"Just stop it," I tell Katherine. "Running away from your problems is going to accomplish nothing. Now, if you don't mind me asking, why did you and James break up?"

"We just... got into a row, and he freaked out and told me that he couldn't do it anymore."

I'm thinking that there is more to the story, but Katherine isn't opening up too willingly, and I don't want to force anything out of her, so I drop the issue, leaving it at what she tells me.

"Well," I admit, "I can't promise that you'll get the part, but I can promise you that you have a chance, becuase your piece sounds really good. Honestly. I can tell that you've worked super hard on it. I wish that I could assure you that you would get the part, but I'm not able to do that. Remember, auditioning is your job. If you get the part, then great. That's a bonus."

Kath smiles at me. "Thanks Harper. You've been so helpful with this audition."

"Hey, you're my best friend. That's what you do for best friends."

"If you ever need ballet help, then let me know."

I laugh. "Thanks, but I think that I'm going to leave the ballet in Anastasia to the actual ballerinas in the show."

Katherine smiles. "Probably for the best."

After I deem Katherine all ready for her audition, I don't hear from her until Wednesday, two days later. Then, I get a text, about an hour before I would be leaving for my matinee.

Katherine: Can you meet at the Theatre Cafe in twenty minutes?

Harper: Sure.

"Patrick," I call to my husband, "I'm going to go meet Katherine before my show. I'll see you tonight, alright?"

"One second, love." He runs into the room and gives me a little parting kiss before we say our goodbyes and I leave the flat.

I get to the cafe before Kath does, but find that it is pretty crowded. I order my smoothie, then wait in the corner, tapping my foot to the beat of 'And You Don't Even Know It' from Everybody's Talking About Jamie, one of my favourites, until my drink is made. Only a second after that, I see Katherine walk into the cafe. She looks around and seems to be alarmed by the fact that there are no tables, until she sees me standing in the back corner.

I walk over to her. "Order your drink, then let's go talk in the St. Anne's Churchyard Gardens."

She nods, then places her order. It doesn't take very long to make her 'Starlight Espresso,' then we walk across Shaftesbury Avenue to the gardens.

"You're going to be hearing this news soon, but I wanted to be the one to tell you," she says, with a giant smile on her face.

I join in on her smile, knowing that she is about to tell me some good news.

"You're looking at the newest cast member of Anastasia on the West End."

That one really catches me off guard. "What?" I gasp.

"I just got cast as Odette."

"No! Shut up! You're kidding me!" I squeal.

"Completely serious."

I throw my arms around Katherine, giving her a massive celebratory hug. "You're doing the full track for Odette, though, right? Not just the one scene?"

"I'm doing all of it," she confirms. "That's why I had to learn how to sing. I'm going to be a Romanov sister and everything."

"That's so cool," I tell her. "Oh my gosh, you're going to love the whole family. When do you start rehearsals? When do you make your debut?"

"Whoa, slow down there, love," Katherine laughs. "I start rehearsals on Monday, and I think that I have a put-in on February 8th, then I make my debut on February 9th. I think that they're putting me on a contract until the cast change in November, but I'm not positive on that one."

I can't believe the words that Katherine is speaking. "We are going to be cast mates. That's so cool."

"Can I come visit you in your dressing room?"

"You'd better!" I laugh. "Hey, listen, you should come to the theatre, and I'll see if I can get you a last minute comp ticket today."

"That would be so much fun," she says. "Thank you so much!"

"Let's get going, though. I can't be late for getting ready."

We stand up and drink the rest of our beverages, then throw the cups away and start to walk to the Piccadilly Theatre for my matinee.

As I'm doing my makeup, I can't think about anything besides how much fun it is going to be to have Katherine around every day. Starting in a few weeks, for the rest of my run, I'm going to get to go perform every night with one of my very best friends in the entire world. That's something super special. I never thought that the two of us would share a stage, in spite of the amount of times that we have fantasized about it.

The fact that it's actually going to happen is nothing short of amazing.