Chapter Text
Mary 🌺: Good Morning. You’re going to do a wonderful job today. I know your Appa would be proud.
Kate woke up later than she had in the past 8 months. She stretched and stared at the ceiling, aware that her life was going to be so different by this time tomorrow. Either this was going to be a major hit or a major flop. She was sure that it was going to be a hit but Michaela could be a pessimist when nervous and it had unfortunately rubbed off on Kate.
She sat up and reached for her phone smiling at Mary’s text. She sent a heart in reply before looking at the picture of Appa and Amma holding her as a baby on her nightstand. She kissed her fingers and pressed them on their faces before getting up for the day.
Roger: Are you bringing anything to the party tonight?
Kate walked into the kitchen to see Michaela eating breakfast while reading A Tale of Two Cities . She was slowly working her way through Dickens’ bibliography which Kate found to be the nerdiest thing she had ever seen but she had promised John to not make fun of her on opening night.
She also couldn’t since they were on vocal rest for the day.
Michaela looked up from her book and slid her phone over to show her something.
Kate looked down to see well wishes from her parents, her aunt, and her uncle.
Kate smiled.
John Stirling: Break a leg.
They arrived at the theater with little fanfare. All of the crew were rushing around, doing last minute prop checks and costume fittings. Michaela got pulled off to makeup while Kate got pulled off to costuming and she allowed Ginger to pin and set her hat on her head.
By the time Kate was ready, she had about 15 minutes until curtain and was using it to relax - or trying to.
Kate wished she could tell Roger that his Britney Spears was too loud and very distracting but she could text it.
She frowned when the message was read and not replied to.
Michaela poked her head in her room and raised an eyebrow.
Kate nodded toward the noise and Michaela grinned before doing a bit of choreography then skipping off at Kate’s annoyed scowl. She’d get her back later.
Kate went back to meditating before the door pushed open and Eddie came in.
“Didi!” she squealed before hugging Kate. Kate smiled and hugged her back.
“I know you can’t talk but I just came to say break a leg. Mama and I will be in the front row. And we’ll be at the stage door after.”
Kate gave her a thumbs up before Mary came in.
“Edwina, come on.”
Eddie pulled her into another hug before skipping out of the room.
Kate silently laughed. Her sister was more excited than she was.
Mary blew her a kiss. “Break a leg.”
Kate nodded.
Tom Dorset: Edwina told me to tell you to break a leg and not the other thing
Kate wiggled her toes in her shoes as she stood in the wings and watched Reynolds and Michaela go through their lines. She peeked in the audience, where Mary and Eddie were and smiled at how Eddie was mouthing along to Michaela’s dialogue. She waited for Reynolds’ exit before stepping foot on stage for her first scene.
Her voice was shaky through the first act and she was leaning on Michaela more than she would have wanted but her scene partner had steadied her performance by intermission and Kate actually was having fun by the time the curtain dropped at the end, despite almost getting kicked in the head.
Kate panted and walked backstage for the stage crew to take her mic while she dabbed her hairline.
“Hey,” Michaela grinned as she sipped water.
“Hey.” Kate breathed back.
“You okay?”
Kate nodded.
“Sold out crowd.” Michaela sat in the nearest chair and pushed the empty chair to Kate who took the seat, smiling at Patricia as she walked past.
“Sold out?” Kate hadn’t even noticed. How did Michaela even know that?
“Yeah, Roger confirmed when I stepped off the first time.”
Kate grimaced. “Great.”
Michaela’s leg bounced. “I think they love it. We did an okay job.”
“You did good.”
Michaela shook her head. “I didn’t-”
“Michaela. You had the right idea. The audience likes it.”
Michaela nodded and Kate was reminded that Michaela was a kid. A smart kid who had been acting for almost a decade but a kid. She wasn’t as young as Edwina but Kate felt like she needed to protect her some. “And if they didn’t, then I’ll say something.”
“And so will I.”
They looked up to see Reynolds, already dressed to go home, standing behind them.
“You two should change. So we can do the stage door.”
Michaela scrunched her nose. “Really?”
“Trust me.”
Agatha: You both were marvelous.
Reynolds looked at them and grinned before opening the stage door and holding his arm out for them. Kate stepped out and was met with a wall of cheering and applause. She grinned and looked for Michaela, who was already signing autographs and smiling for pictures.
Kate joined the fray as well.
She didn’t know how many times she said thank you before standing in front of Edwina.
“Sign it, Didi.”
“Bon.”
“Sign it. I want to frame it.”
Kate sighed and signed her playbill while Mary snapped pictures of them.
“Really, Mary?”
“What? The family is going to want to see this.”
Michaela came over and signed Edwina’s playbill without being asked. “Here you go, Weenie.”
“Thanks, Michaela.”
“Hi, Mary. Enjoy the show?”
“It was lovely. When are your parents coming?”
“This weekend. They want to go to the after party. I also think they wanted to avoid the crowd.”
“I fear the crowd might be a permanent staple, dear.”
Kate turned to see Reynolds joining their group, signing Eddie’s playbill as well.
“You think so?” Kate asked.
Reynolds winked. “I have a good feeling about this one.”
UNKNOWN NUMBER: You were amazing
Roger popped the bottle of champagne and everyone cheered before scrambling to wipe the overflow off the stage. He poured a swallow for everyone, eyeing Kate and Michaela before pouring them.
“Don’t tell your parents.”
Michaela saluted and they all looked at Reynolds.
“To a successful opening night and more successful nights to come.”
They all cheered and Kate drank what amounted to half a mouthful, wincing at the taste.
“I knew I shouldn’t have wasted any on you.” Roger joked and Kate elbowed him in the stomach.
“Come on, all. Group photo.” Molly yelled and they all clumped together and took a photo, then another after Reynolds made her and Michaela hide their glasses.
“Now off to bed, everyone. We have work to do tomorrow.” Reynolds said
Mary 🌺: I’m so proud of you!
Michaela shut the door behind her and just slid on the floor. Kate stood in their small living room and laughed until tears split down her cheeks.
“Holy shit,” Kate whispered.
“I’m telling my mother you cursed in front of me,” Michaela said. Her voice was so happy and Kate knew the smile on her face was huge.
“We did it.”
Michaela nodded. “We did it.”
“Holy shit.”
“HOLY SHIT KATE.” Michaela slammed into her, and Kate laughed before wrapping her in a hug.
“Congrats, Oliver.”
“Congrats to you, Nicky.”
A chirp came from her phone and Kate reached down and saw Edwina’s text. She grinned.
Eddie♥️: YOU DID IT! LOVE YOU!