Lovers

Growth

Hello hello hello! I hope you're all having a nice week so far! It has been crazy hot here compared to what I'm used to so that has been not so fun. I got my move in date for college today though so yay!! I have a little fluffy chapter for you today- enjoy/comment/vote xx
-ab

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September 30, 2028

Harper

Patrick and I establish a routine eventually, and he settles into his new job well. While he wasn't necessarily unhappy at his old job, I can tell that he is so much happier at this one.

Everything is going wonderfully.

With every day that passes, I'm discovering new things about the role of Fantine, and it has been honestly an amazing experience.

Millie has been growing and becoming so much more aware of the world around her, as well. She's going to be six months soon, and that's insane to think about. It feels like I've only had her with me for a few days, but at the same time, I feel like I've known her my whole life.

Patrick is an absolutely amazing daddy to her, and I'd like to think that I'm becoming a pretty good mummy as well. I can already tell that we are raising a very smart, bubbly, and fun little girl.

When Millie isn't happy, though, she makes it very clear. That's why, when I hear her screams coming from her room, where she was down for her morning nap, I instantly rush over to her to see what is wrong.

It's an easy fix, just a quick nappy change, and then she finishes up her nap, which allows me to get some more of my emails sorted through. Eventually, though, she wakes up. I have to feed her lunch before Taylor gets here, since my sister-in-law is going to be watching Madeline for this two show day.

Her time will overlap a bit with Patrick still being home, but he has some work on his computer to be doing, so we asked if Taylor would mind coming over a bit early, and of course, being the amazing woman that she is, she said yes.

"Hey, Harper," Taylor says when she arrives. She gives me a big smile and hug. "How is everything in this house?" It has been quite some time since I've gotten to see Taylor, and even longer since the two of us have had a girls' day- something which we keep wanting to change, but we know how hard it is, between both of our schedules.

"Good. Exhausting, as usual, but good."

She laughs. "It's still so crazy to see you as a mom; did you know that?"

I laugh a little bit. "What do you mean?"

"It's just insane how much you've grown since I first met you. You were so timid and young back then. You're just so much more confident now, and you're going out of your comfort zone much more, and it's beautiful."

I blush a little bit. "Thanks, T."

"Now, where is that beautiful little girl of yours? I want to give her a big hug."

I laugh. "She's playing in her swing over there."

Taylor walks over and sits down on the floor in front of Millie. "Hey girly," she smiles. "How's my favourite little one today?"

Taylor turns to me. "Can I bring her to the theatre to see her mama between shows? Perhaps grab a bit of dinner in Chinatown? I'll treat."

"That's so sweet of you," I say to Taylor. "I'd love to see both of you in between my shows."

Taylor seems to be excited by this plan.

Eventually, I have to leave to do my show, so I say goodbye to everyone in my house, then catch the tube into the city.

As I'm taking my bow at the end of the show, I'm excited by the thought that I'll be having visitors in a few minutes. I don't really get too many visitors, short of the occasional friend or extended family member who shows up. Especially Ella, being very young and having a seemingly vibrant social life, gets a lot of visitors at the show.

I quickly get out of my costume and when I'm called to say that my visitors are waiting at the stage door, I say goodbye to the girls in my dressing room, then run downstairs to greet my daughter and sister-in-law.

Taylor, of course with large sunglasses and a brunette wig on, is tightly grasping the pram where my daughter appears to be happily looking around, taking in the sights.

I greet them, then tickle Millie's tummy a little bit, causing her to squeal with laughter.

"Have you been being a good girl so far today?" I ask her.

"She's been great," Taylor tells me. "Much more well behaved than Audrie is being this afternoon, from what Joe has told me. He's quite jealous, since he's playing bad cop today."

I let out a chuckle. Audrie is certainly at the age where she is getting to be quite the handful, and she's into absolutely everything that she isn't supposed to be. I know that their whole flat has been childproofed, to the extreme, but she still manages to find things that she isn't supposed to have, and she's also starting to learn how to throw a temper tantrum. Those two factors combined don't make parenting an easy job.

"She'll probably be all clingy on me tomorrow, though," Taylor continues, "so it'll even out."

It's nice to get to enjoy some time with Taylor over our dinner, and we even get a private little room so that she can take off her wig and let her guard down a bit. I catch up on her life, and she catches up on mine.

"You're one of the first people who gets to hear this news," Taylor says, "so keep this on the down low, but I'm going back into the studio for the first time in a pretty long time next week. I've been doing a lot of writing recently, and I think I have an album to put together."

A big smile spreads across my face. "Seriously?"

"I'm really excited about this one. If you and Patrick can ever spare an evening, I'd love to play some of the music for you acoustically."

"I would adore that," I tell Taylor. "Remember, if you ever have any need for... I don't know, an intensively trained musical theatre soprano in any of your work, just hit me up." Of course, I'm completely kidding, but it never hurts to implant ideas into Taylor's brain, I suppose.

Taylor giggles and rolls her eyes. "I'll keep that one in mind."

"I'm just saying, it would be an interesting change from what people expect of you," I wink.

"That, it certainly would be. I'm playing around with a lot of new sounds for the music I've been writing, so if I need any classical vocals, I'll be sure to let you know."

"That's a nice, diplomatic answer. I like it."