Everyone was here to support her on opening night. Florence had cried three times since we arrived. It was so sweet how proud she was of her.
Lottie thought she was surprising her grandpa when she performed in London next week but he was here surprising her. Tom and Florence were looking after him. He was actually younger than I thought he'd be. I guess he must have been a young parent. Or working the farm has kept him young. He was still walking with a walking stick because of his injury though.
Lizzie was here with her sisters. And her grandpa was talking to her none stop. Did Lottie not tell him about me? Guess I'm not her girlfriend so why would she have mentioned me. Everyone had flowers for her after the show.
"Her grandmother performed this 30 years ago at her age...now our baby is doing it." He said tearing up as he looked at her photo on the sign. We take our seats in the boxes at the sides of the theatre we were all separate. Lizzie was with her sisters in one Flo Tom and her Grandpa in another. And then both Chris me Brie and Robert in another.
She looked amazing on the stage she was born for it. I shed a few tears watching her it was such a beautiful show. Everyone threw flowers on the stage when they took their final bow.
"Tonight was a very special show. 30 years ago in this very stadium, the nutcracker was performed for the first time here. The leads were played by Lilly Kloss and Henry Pike. 30 years to the day later their amazing talented grandchild both performed the same roles doing amazing to honour their grandparents." I smiled softly as Lottie came back on stage her male lead holding her hand showcasing her.
"Owen Pike and Charlotte Kloss." Everyone clapped for them. "THAT'S MY GIRL!" I heard her grandpa call out. She was looking around she saw him her eyes welled up her smile expanded and she waved. "I just want to say a huge thank you to my grandfather for helping me pursue my dreams and assisting me in getting her today taking over his legacy," Owen said handing the mic to Lottie. "I love you Grandma, you've been my inspiration my entier life and I'm sure I made you proud tonight." She looked up at the sky and blew a kiss handing the mic back.
Everyone cheered.
We waited around on the ground floor of the theater for Lottie to come out. Her grandpa was singing her praises. "Wasn't she amazing?" Lizzie asked Chris and I. "Breath takingly amazing." Chris says. "We all knew she was talented," I say, Lizzie smiled at me. I was trying not to over step with her, I know her feelings towards me.
Lottie came out from the stage door and ran to her grandpa dropping the flowers she had in her arms and her bag. She held him so tight. "I missed you so much." We all hear her say to him as she held on like he'd disappear. "You made your family so proud... They were up there watching you." He told her cupping her face in his hands making her keep eye contact with him. "Eddie would be bragging about you... I can hear him now." A tear slipped down her cheek. It was a really emotional moment the pair shared together. And the surprise clearly meant a lot to Lottie from the huge smile that grew on her face when she noticed her Grandpa. I knew she loved him a lot and cared about him and he clearly cared about her too.
"Go say hello to your friends." He let her go. She went straight to Lizzie who kissed her and praised her and told her how amazing she was. She introduced her to the twins whilst they were close. They praised her too. They're going to dinner before the Christmas party together.
She went to Flo and Tom next. Florence was crying. "You did it." "I did it." She said back to her friends. Tom picked her up spinning her around. "Opening night baby!" He cheered jumping with her in his arms. Mr Kloss watched the three friends with a fond smile.
"Kloss-y," Chris said hugging her. "Ballet isn't as boring as I thought." "I'll take the compliment." She says giggling her nose scrunching. I smiled as she did. "You did amazing." I tell her standing away from her, I could feel Lizzie watching us. She hugged me tight. "They'd all be proud of you," I tell her, she squeezed me tighter in response.
"I say we go party!" Florence said. "You guys go ahead. I'm going to take my Grandpa to his hotel and ice my feet." She says. "I'm inviting you all to dinner tomorrow... I know you have plans but cancel." He told her. "Can we go from breakfast?" She asked Lizzie and the twins. They all nodded. "Perfect."
We went out and Lottie was on facetime to Lizzie in the car. She hitched a ride with Chris and I. She sounded tired on the phone but Lizzie kept talking to her. She should let her sleep. She's been none stop this whole month and will continue to be all the way until Christmas eve when her last performance is. Plus she'll have the farm to sort out whilst she's home.
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I came to the restaurant for the dinner her grandpa invited us all to. Chris was already here so I was hoping he saved me a seat by him.
"You made it!" Florence said excitedly hugging me. "I said I would," I tell her. "You did." "You've been drinking," I say amused. "A little." She whispered. I sat beside Tom and Flo as Chris didn't save me a seat. Lottie was stood by the bar with Mary-Kate and Ashley. Lizzie was sat down talking with Robert. Everyone was doing their own thing.
"I didn't know you arrived," Lottie said hugging me. "You should have come and got me." She says to Tom. He shrugged going back to texting on his phone unbothered about it. "Brothers." She rolled her eyes sitting down in the seat beside me. I smiled at the gesture, she was making me feel welcome.
"Have you spoken to my Grandpa yet?" She asked. "I said hello but he was busy talking with Brie. "He likes blondes." She laughed. "Choose the wrong time to die my hair." I joked back. "I like the red." She admits. "You do?" She nodded. "Suits you... Well, you suit everything it's not fair." "You could... No stay dark." She nodded. I couldn't picture her with blonde hair, I don't know if it's because her hair is so iconic, the length the shine, the dark brown almost black colour.
"Cecilia?" I didn't recognise the voice. I looked around for the owner. Lottie didn't move a muscle. "There's a lady at the-" "What are you doing here Vanessa?" His grandpa said standing up. "I wanted to see my baby." I looked at Lottie and she was frozen in shock. "I just want to see her, Charles." "No." He said firmly.
"Lots, breathe." I remind her. I looked at Lizzie for help but she couldn't get around. "CeCe, please." Her mother tried. I assume CeCe was a nickname? I held her hand. "Don't make a scene." She said to me. "We won't. We can go to the bathroom." I tell her. "If I move she'll make a scene." She hadn't even turned to look at her mum. She didn't look like the typical drug addict, in fact, she looked well. Maybe in recovery. But that doesn't make up for the pain Lottie went through as a kid. "CeCe." Her leg started to bounce. "Stop talking to her, you need to leave."
"You're not her father Charles." "No I'm not but I protect her." "She's my baby!" "Maybe you should have thought about that before you killed her father." That made Lottie gasp for breath like she just remembered how to breathe. "Take me home." She asked me gripping my hand tightly.
I stood her up and walked around her mother she went to reach out for her. "Don't," I warned her. Lizzie followed us out but this didn't make her let go of my hand. "WHERE'S THE GOD DAMN CAR!" She shouted in the parking lot frustrated looking for her car. Her emotions were running so wild right now. She never mentioned when she last saw her mum but I assume it had been a while. And the whole group just heard what happened to her dad which she didn't want.
I take her keys and press them to locate the car. I put her in the back. "I'll drive okay." She nodded letting go of my hand. Lizzie slid in beside her. Florence and Tom came running out to me. "I'm going to take her to the apartment. She just needs some time." I tell them before they asked any questions. "Lottie." Florence tried. "Flo, please," Lizzie said hanging out the window. "She needs to go home." "I promise you, I'll look after her." Florence pulled a face that told me she disapproved of that. What's going down between them? Is it because Flo actually still has feelings for Lots and now she's off the market dating, Lizzie? Maybe...
"I'll stay until you come home," I assured her. "Please don't leave her, not even for a second," Tom asked. "I won't." He nodded. "She'll be okay." They trusted me over her girlfriend. What was going on?
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I wrapped her in a blanket as she sat on the sofa. Lizzie was running her hand through her long hair comforting her. "I'm going to bed. You should go home. Tell Your sisters it was nice to see them." She said over the situation. "I'm not leaving you right now." "I want you to go. I'm asking you to leave." She said seriously standing up and walking down the hall.
She looked at me in shock. "I'll call you if she needs you. You're 15 minutes away." She nodded agreeing easily. I guess Lottie was in enough emotional distress she didn't need any more. At least Lizzie recongised that and was mature enough to give her the space she was asking for. "Try anything with her and our friendship is done." She tells me before she left. I locked the door behind her and went into Lottie's bedroom. She was staying with Lizzie but I guess she kept her room here.
I should probably move back to my actual house so she can have her apartment back. Give her some space to cool off after work.
I knocked on her door before going in. "She's gone." "I haven't told anyone my dad was... I... If everyone knew he was dead then it was real you know." I nodded. I sat on the edge of her bed not wanting to intrude on her space. "I haven't seen her since Dads funeral... I almost forgot what she looked like." She whispered the last part. "What happened?" I asked hesitantly. She's opened up to me before, maybe she'll feel safe enough to do it again knowing I didn't tell anyone.
"Dad was clean for 10 years... When I was born he went cold turkey." She blinked looking just past me her eyes fixed on the wall behind me. "And he left mum took Edward and I and started fresh. At the farm." She looked at me for a second before looking away again. "Mum was too high to care... And dad was good... He looked after us. He was the dad of the year." Her bottom lip wobbled and she caught it between her teeth forcing it to stop. I wanted so badly to pull it away from being bitten but I couldn't. I wasn't upsetting her. She needed me right now. "Mum came around on Christmas day... got him high on some bad heroin and her OD'd Christmas day. Eddie tried to give him CPR when we found him. But he was gone...His lips were so blue and his nose was bleeding." She sobbed, she was probably picturing her father laid there dead.
"She took us for a while three weeks but our grandparents took us back... Eddie was already pretty messed up from it, which traumatised him. I pretended it didn't happen." She chuckled cooly. "She disappeared after his funeral." She said looking at me. "I hate her." She caught her lip again. I'd hate the women too. Her dad seemingly worked so hard to give them a good life to free himself of that bad life and she came around and ruined it.
"I'm so sorry, you had to witness that." She shrugged. "Lots, stop chewing your lip," I asked her. "Force of habit." "I know." I smiled sadly. "I have to explain this to Lizzie. She's going to think I'm a fucking disaster." She put her head in her hands her shoulders shaking. "She'll understand... It doesn't change who you are." I assured her putting a hand on her back and rubbing circles.
"And Flo and Tom. Oh my gosh." She sobbed again. "How about I talk to them. You don't have to say anything okay." She looked at me and nodded. "Let's go wipe that make-up off," I say holding my hand out taking her to the bathroom. I go into her sink draw and get her make-up remover and cotton pads and softly wipe her face clean. "Thanks for taking care of me." She said leaning her head on the mirror behind her as she sat on the counter. "You've done it for me enough," I tell her with a small smile. "It's what friends do." She nodded.
"Lottie?" Florence called coming through to the bedroom and then into the bathroom. "Warning your mums here. She followed us home and she's- "CeCe." She cut Florence off. Her head snapped towards the door she jumped off the counter and shut the door locking it.
"Lottie, she's not going to hurt you," Florence told her kneeling on the floor where Lottie had slid down the door to sit. "She's didn't hurt me." She said bluntly. "She ruined me." She corrected.
Banging on the door began. I could hear Mr Kloss telling her to leave but she wouldn't listen. Lottie was pulling at her hair and Florence was trying to untangle her hands from her hair to avoid her hurting herself. "Baby, please." She begged. She took a deep breath before standing to her feet and swinging the door open.
"What?" She asked not stepping out of the bathroom. "Oh, my baby." She went to touch her face but she moved back. "You don't touch me." She warned her holding her hand up. It was shaking. I texted Lizzie to come back. She'd want her once this is over. "What do you want?" "I wanted to see you." She tried. "What do you really want?" "I have a little bit of trouble-"You need money?" She asked amused. "I'll pay you back." She promised. "Don't bother." She pushed past her and go into her closet. Her safe is in there and comes back with a box. "Heres a watch. You'll get 30,000 grand for it. I don't have cash. Take it or leave and don't ever come back!" She warned.
"Baby." She cupped Lottie's face stroking her cheek with her thumb. "I hate you." She said with no emotions to her mum. "And I hope you rot in hell for what you did to my dad. To my brother." "Your brother is fine. He's in school." "He's dead." She said flatly. "Died in June. Sent you an invite to the funeral but I guess you were too high to care." She had shut all emotion off. "Eddie is dead?" "And it's your fault." "And when I inevitably go too. It'll be your fault because you fucked us up before the world had a chance to." I felt sick at her words. "Don't say that," Florence told her firmly. "You're a piece of shit," Flo said to her mother. "Who are you?" "She is the girl who held your 'baby' together after her father died. Without even knowing it. You owe her a thank you." Mr Kloss said. "Cece." "My name is not CeCe... It's Charlotte." "I called you CeCe... Cecilia." "Dad changed it when he got custody." She informed her. "But it's a family name." "And I'm nothing to do with you or your family." She said. "So take the watch and get the HELL away from me! Before I KILL YOU MYSELF YOU SELFISH FUCKING BITCH." Tom caught her before she could actually do anything.
"I love you." "LIAR!" She shouted after her mum. "She's a liar. She's a liar." She sobbed. "I got you," Tom told her holding her tightly. He lowered them to the floor.
"BABY?" Lizzie called. "Oh, baby." She saw her crying in Tom's arms. "I'm here. "Don't touch me." She said flinching away from Lizzie. She looked hurt. "You're a fucking Liar too." She said. I've never seen her so angry. "What are you talking about?" "She knows," Florence said from my side. I had an arm around her waist as she was getting upset by the whole situation before Lizzie got here.
"You told her?" She sounded hurt. "Of course she fucking told me. You think she's going to let me walk around looking like a fucking dickhead?" Her accent got thick the more rage ran through her. "It's not true." "Save it for the press interviews. I saw the fucking video. I hope he was worth it." I was beyond confused. "She's lying, she's jealous of us." Lizzie defended. "If she's lying then I owe you a pretty big apology." She said sincerely. "Because I fucked her so good morning and night all week." She brushed Lizzie's hair off her face. "You slept with Florence?" Lizzie asked shocked. "And you fucked Paul... So guess we're even." She said with a smile. She was spiralling. Massively. She was self-destructing. "Charlotte, let's take a second to cool down." Her grandpa said.
"We're done," Lizzie tells her. "We were done from the moment you slept with him." She told her. Lizzie left quickly. "Lottie." Her grandpa rested his hands on her shoulders. "You may have just made a big mistake." "She cheated. I'd rather be lonely forever than be taken for granted." She told him calmly. "I didn't make a mistake." She turned from him.
"I need you to take him to his hotel. His flight's at 3 am." She says to Tom. "I don't want to leave you whilst you're upset." "Tom, I'm okay. Really. I knew I wasn't good enough for her. My point was proven." She shrugged. "She wasn't good enough for you," Flo said stepping forward. "When two people cheat on you... I think you're the problem not them." She walks past me and goes into the bathroom locking and turning the shower on.
We all looked at each other. Maybe I shouldn't have messaged Lizzie. Maybe their relationship could have been somewhat saved if she wasn't so upset at the moment. "I'll drive," Flo says to Mr Kloss. "Go ahead. I want to talk to her." He dismissed Tom too and they went out the main door and we stayed in the lounge after following them through.
"I judged you too quickly." He began. "I'm sorry for that." "What?" "I thought you were going to hurt her. You know with your unavailability and the kid and the ex-husband who was a dude... I thought you'd be the one to hurt her." He didn't like me... Well, that hurt. Bruised my ego a little. "But through all of this... The work stress, the girl drama, the family problems she always sang your praises." I tried to hide my smile. "She told me the fourth night here about you. And I was dreading her coming home heartbroken by you." He looked into my eyes. "She loves with every part of her...Don't be the next person to tear her heart apart, she's running out of tape." I nodded. "Be her friend. Be there for her. Please. Until She's back home, away from all this mess of LA." I nodded.
"And that daughter of yours... She's welcome to ride the horses whenever you're in England." He smiled before leaving not giving me a chance to talk. I went back into the bedroom Lottie was changing. "Sorry." "It's fine." She says pulling her hoodie down. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun keeping the wet locks off her back.
"They went to take your grandpa to the hotel." She nodded. "And Rose is at her Dad's so I'm free to just be around." "Thanks." Her throat sounded scratchy, she had been crying. "You do deserve better than that." "I don't. But thanks." "You're amazing Lottie. You'll find the right person, who will love you unconditionally and will cherish you and treat you like a princess... just got to kiss a few frogs to get there." She smiled at me.
"Cuddles?" She asked. "Cuddles." We laid down on the bed. She had her head on my chest instead of it being the other way round. "I have a show tonight." She mumbled. "You'll do great," I assured her. "I can't even think straight. never mind remembering dances." "Just just need an hour to come down from it all. It's been a high-stress day. And Flo will be there." She nodded.
"I haven't really slept with her." She informed me. "I just said that because I knew it would hurt Lizzie." "Would you?" I asked. "I'm single now so who knows? We always had good chemistry." She mumbled she was falling asleep. "What time do you need to be up?" "8." I nodded and let her sleep.