Lovers

Reunited

Wow kids, long time no see! I've been a bit sick but I'm feeling better now, so hopefully that sticks around and I continue to feel even better! How have you all been? I hope you're having a great weekend! This chapter's a fun one! Enjoy/comment/vote xxx
-ab

————————————————

September 18, 2027

Harper

I usually sleep in on Saturday mornings, before my two show days. Things are different today, though. Not only is it my last two show day before we close our beloved show tomorrow, but Patrick is coming this morning. That means that I'm up early, packing up the last of my things so that the two of us can really enjoy our time together.

Just after 10:00, I hear a knock on the door. My poor husband has been awake for almost twelve hours already, but when I open the door, he is standing there with a huge smile on his face. I immediately jump into his open arms, and he lifts me into the air, spins me around, and places me back on my toes.

"Honey," he whispers to me, immediately placing his hand on my stomach.

I nod. "Let's get inside and then we can talk."

He pulls his suitcase through the door of Taylor's apartment, and leaves it by the door, leading me over to the couch. "How are you doing, sweetie?"

"I'm holding up," I say with a little laugh. "I can't say that it's really very fun, but I'm doing it."

"You're glowing, sweetie, you know that?"

"No..."

"You really are."

"I'm glad I'm deceptive, then, because I've felt like bloody hell for weeks now. I'm just learning to live with it."

"I'm surprised nobody has figured you out just by the glow that you're radiating," he tells me, his fingers wandering and lightly tickling my ribs, causing me to squeal.

"You're too much," I roll my eyes. He kisses the top of my head, and I feel giddy inside. I've missed him, so much.

"So," he says after a few moments of snuggling and whispering sweet nothings, "this show..."

"What about it?"

"How are you feeling about the closing?"

"Well, it's weird," I admit to him. "I feel a strange sense of... well, closure, I guess. I'm calm about it. It's almost like I know that it's time to go back to, um, my 'normal life,' I guess. I don't know how else to describe it. Being in New York has been like a dream, but it's time to wake up."

"That's such an interesting way of putting it. I get what you're saying, though. I'm glad that you're ready to come home."

"Natasha has been great fun. It's been a huge challenge, but it's time for me to move on to bigger and better things," I say, running my fingers through my long hair.

"I can't believe that you only have three more shows," Patrick admits to me, mindlessly squeezing my shoulders in a massage. "It really seems like just yesterday that you were getting the call about flying out to New York for an audition."

"How things can change in such a short amount of time..."

"That's for sure."

"How's everybody back home? Is everything going well with Katherine? What about Taylor and Joe?"

"Little Audrie is looking so much more grown up already," my husband gushes. "I can't believe that she's almost a year old already."

"That's so crazy," I nod.

"They're having a bit of a party for her, and we are invited. It's in a few weeks."

"Sounds like fun."

"I was hoping you'd say that, as I already told Taylor that we wouldn't miss it for the world. By the way, she can't wait to see her 'favourite little sister.'"

I let out a laugh. "Did she really say that?"

"I swear, she did."

"That's so funny," I chuckle.

"I think she's just super excited about the baby, and she wants to gush about it with you. She was so honoured that you chose her to ring when you needed to talk that first day."

"I chose her to have a panic attack over the phone to," I snort. "There's a huge difference there."

"Either way, she was glad. I'm glad, too. I think that it's adorable how close you two are."

"I can't believe that she thought I would have rang anyone else," I tell Patrick. "Really, she'd be amazed at how much I trusted her before we even knew each other. I felt like we were best friends back when I was twelve."

Patrick laughs. "She's so personal in her songs that lots of people feel that way."

"Exactly."

The two of us spend a bit more time talking and cuddling, before I realize that I need to be on my way to the theatre.

"I'm quite exhausted," my husband admits to me. "I think that I'm going to get a bit of a nap in."

"That's fine," I reply. "I'm going to be back here with Brittney for a quick snack in between shows."

"I'll be awake by then. Do you want me to make an appearance or not?"

"Do what you want," I giggle. "I don't care, but Brit would probably like to see you."

"I'll appear, then," he laughs. "Hey, how big of a group do you have tomorrow at the last show?"

"It's you and three of my friends- Brit, Anabel, and Sophia. I went to the Royal Academy of Music with Anabel and Sophia, remember?"

"Yeah, totally," he says. "Okay, that'll be a fun group, I guess."

"They're totally cool with hanging out with you," I assure Patrick. "Don't worry. It'll all be great. Especially Sophia is such a social person that she's pretty much friends with everyone, instantly."

"Okay," I smile. My husband and I share another quick moment of snuggles before we both part our ways, with me heading into the heart of the city for my show, and with Patrick heading to the bedroom for a nap. I can tell that he's exhausted, and quite frankly, I don't blame him. I would be too, if I were in his shoes.

Taking the subway into Times Square, it sort of hits me that this is one of the last times that I'll be doing this. After tomorrow, the same group of people will never be in the same place, at the same time, putting on the same production. Another audience will never witness another production of this show. It's all going to be over- and it was so special while it lasted. It was short, but it was a beautiful production that is going to thrive when it is taken across the country on tour. Maybe it'll come to the West End someday. I think that people would like that. For now, though, we just have to focus on properly ending the Broadway run.

Three more shows to go.