The next morning in Abby and Cooper's room, Abby was asleep and she heard the sound of the shower and she got up, she knew that her son was taking a shower and a minute later, the shower was turned off and Cooper came from the bathroom and he was in a Adidas tanktop, Adidas trackpants and Adisage sandals as the time was 8:30 am.
"Hey, mom. How's this?" Cooper asked.
"Awesome. As soon as i get ready, We'll meet with Brookie, Hollie and Gianna in the lobby before we head to the studio where we'll rehearse for the Thunderstruck competition. Gianna got in an hour ago and from what i'm hearing, the flight that has the girls and moms is approaching Vegas as they'll arrive 10 minutes prior to 9:00." Abby responded, before she went to the bathroom and also took a shower, she put on a black shirt, black trackpants and sneakers. "Let's roll."
"Let's."
Cooper got his phone and camera before he and Abby exited their dressing room and headed to the elevator, which took them down to the lobby and there, Gianna was talking to Brookie and Hollie before they see The Millers approach.
17 minutes later, they arrived at the Fern Adair for the Conservatory Arts, a dance studio where the Abby Lee Dance Company will rehearse for Thunderstruck.
"Welcome to Las Vegas!" Abby greeted the girls and moms as they entered the studio room." Before we start, i want to reflect on Starpower last week, some of you did well, but as a whole, not so great. I brought Brandon in and thought that would do the trick, but it didn't and i considered putting Cooper in the group dance, but he's no longer dancing competitively and he's helped me with the choreography. The competition this week in Las Vegas is Thunderstruck and we've got 4 days to prepare. This particular group has never not placed in the overall high scores and that means you've got to be flawless this week. Cathy and Vivi left the team after the previous competition we went to, so my son Cooper and i came up with an idea to bring in a replacement dancer for the remainder of the season to replace Vivi. Coop, you can tell everybody on who the replacement dancer is."
"Thanks, mom. The dancer that we brought in will be none other than and i know Mackenzie'll like this..." Cooper revealed a photo of Brookie. "Brooke Kosinski aka Brookie and her mother Hollie Kosinski."
The girls all cheered and Mackenzie had a huge grin as Brookie entered the studio room and the two hugged as Hollie also came in and stood between Melissa and Holly.
"Brookie!" Mackenzie exclaimed.
"Kenzie!" Brookie responded, standing next to her.
"Now we've gotten that out of the way, let's start with Pyramid." Abby said, revealing the first photo on the pyramid, which was Brookie's. "Brookie, you just joined the team to replace Vivi-Anne, so not much to judge you on."
The next photo next to Brookie was Mackenzie.
"Next, Mackenzie. I know you lost your original duet partner, but Brookie is here and as you two are best friends, you two won't compete in this competition, but you will be competing next week."
Brookie and Mackenzie were excited over having a duet for the next competition.
"All right." Brookie and Mackenzie responded.
Paige's headshot was revealed.
"Paige, your performance is good, but you're not winning and placing in the overalls and we feel you should be placing definitely in the top 10. This is your city as you have the long legs and the look. Yes? Because of that, you have a solo, got it?"
Paige nodded as Abby moved on to the second row and Nia's headshot was next.
"Second row, Nia. Last week back home in Chicago, you finally won in your category. We think you need to do that all of the time. Hopefully, your mother trusts me now and stops questioning my every move. I've had it with that and even Cooper's had it with that. It's what you do on the stage is what matters, not the choreography, not the costuming, but you and your technique that's gonna win 1st place. We know it felt good to win last week, so this week, you get another solo and we expect you to win again."
Nia nodded before Abby revealed Brooke's photo.
"Brooke, you did a great job and all, but you didn't make the top 3. But the good thing that came about it was when you and Cooper started dating since the Carnival last week and you two had a fantastic time. We know the girls were a lot older and you admitted that you may lose, i'm proud you didn't make excuses. You're doing a solo and like Paige, this is your city and maybe with Cooper's help, you could get 1st. You've also been talking about Cirque for years since you were little. For sure, somebody from Cirque is gonna be judging you here. So you have to step it up and make sure that they know your name at the end of the competition as i remember taking you and Cooper to some of those Cirque shows."
Brooke nodded in understanding before Abby revealed the photo on top of the pyramid, which was Chloe's photo.
"Now, at the top is Chloe." Abby stated as Christi was giving the stink eye. "You're all probably asking yourselves why because Chloe didn't dance th week prior. Because Cooper, Gianna and myself keep hearing that nobody can win because Maddie wins. Well, guess what? This is your shot. Cooper, can you reveal that photo that's on the side of the pyramid."
Cooper reached over to a photo on the side, it was revealed to be Maddie's photo.
"Maddie, my mom is giving you the week off and even though you won't have a solo, you'll still be in the group dance for sure. We want to let somebody else have a chance to win for a change." Cooper informed, before he looked at Chloe. "Chloe, my mom is giving you this shot, your mother's constant complaining is all we hear, guess what? This is your shot, here we are in Vegas and you better win or my mom'll have your head."
Chloe nodded as Christi continued glaring at Abby and Cooper even though she was happy that her daughter was on the top of the pyramid, she had a feeling it was to set Chloe up to fail.
"Let's talk about the group dance. Where are we again?" Abby asked.
"Las Vegas!" The girls responded.
"Correct, does everybody know another name that they use for this city?"
"Sin City." Cooper commented.
"He got it!" Abby remarked. "The concept of this contemporary routine is Sin City. Put your bags away and moms, go ahead."
The moms exited and rehearsals began, Abby brought in an old friend that is a Las Vegas showgirl to help the girls.
Two days later, the moms went out and at an ice cream parlor in the Rumor Boutique Resort, Abby, Cooper and the girls were seen arriving and they sat at a u-shaped booth with a table with Brookie sitting next to Mackenzie and Nia on the left of the booth, Cooper sat on Abby's right with Brooke next to Cooper and on their right were Maddie, Chloe and Paige.
"Girls, Coop, what do you all think this spoon is for?" Abby asked, holding a spoon.
"Ice Cream?" Chloe guessed.
"Ding Ding Ding! You got it!" Cooper exclaimed. "But we need some service."
"We sure do." Abby agreed and a few minutes later, 2 giant sundaes got brought to their table.
"Those are huge sundaes." Nia commented.
"You can say that again, Nia." Maddie added before they all started to eat the ice cream.
"We love ice cream." Mackenzie commented.
"You got that right, Kenz." Brookie agreed.
"No, give it to me!" Chloe stated as she and Paige play fought with the ice cream as Cooper laughed at The Twinnies.
"Coop, you have ice cream right about..." Abby put some ice cream on her son's left cheek. "...there."
"You look kind of cute with some Ice Cream on your face, Coop Troop." Brooke remarked to her boyfriend, who blushed as Abby and the girls laughed at the sight of Cooper blushing before the dance teacher cleared her throat.
"Girls, Cooper, listen, we are here in Las Vegas and we want to have a good time. We do not want your mothers starting any mess with us. When i'm correcting you, i am correcting you and i'm not gonna deal with your obnoxious mothers rolling their eyes and yelling at me. No way they don't pay me nearly enough to deal with their obnoxiousness."
Abby, Cooper and the girls all finished their ice cream and exited.
The next day, which was the day prior to Thunderstruck, Brooke was rehearsing her solo with Gianna and Cooper watching and at one point, Brooke was feeling pain in her shoulder and Cooper was concerned for his girlfriend.
"Brooke, are you ok?" Cooper asked.
"I think my shoulder's about to pop out." Brooke responded.
"Cooper, did you bring your first aid kit?" Gianna looked over to Cooper.
"Here it is." Cooper pulled out his first aid kit and pulled out a cold compress and gently put it on Brooke's shoulder and was being careful.
"Thanks, Coop." Brooke said.
"You're welcome." Cooper responded.
Later that evening in Abby and Cooper's hotel room, Cooper was with his mother and they were watching TV before a knock was heard and Abby checked to see who was at the door and it was Christi.
"I want to talk to you, Abby." Christi simply stated.
"You are so rude." Abby said." Come in anyway."
Christi walked in the hotel room.
"This is the part where i make myself scarce." Cooper told Abby, who nodded in agreement as he headed in the bedroom and looked out the window.
"You are not paying me for this time." Abby firmly told Christi.
"You owe me."
"I owe you nothing."
"You're incredibly rude to my daughter!" Christi exclaimed. "All i want for you is to treat my daughter with a little respect."
"Well, i do, but every single time you are in the picture, your daughter gives you this look!" Abby made a wide eyed expression her face. "You ask her something and she's got that look on her face and it's like she's competing with you and myself!"
"She's intimidated by you!" Christi retorted.
"When she is in there with me, she loves that studio! You have a problem with that kid, get some help!"
"You who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Christi sneered.
"I will throw whatever i want and do you know why? I'm responsible for Chloe's success and when Cooper became famous thanks to being on TV, in the movies and doing YouTube, he's credited me!" Abby responded. "Chloe wants to be a Showgirl or a Rockette, so let me do my job and you shut the beak. She's a beautiful dancer, a great kid, but she looks at you with one eye! she's scared to death to fail!"
"All you do is set her up to fail!" Christi yelled.
"She is holding two national titles!" Abby retorted.
"You went backstage before a competition last year and said Be Like Maddie and Cooper, who does that to a kid! Don't try to deny it!"
"Why wouldn't you want to be like Maddie and Cooper, i want to be like Maddie and Cooper!"
"Chloe is Chloe and that's good enough for me!"
"No it isn't!
"Yes it is."
"Why are you jealous of and 8 year old and a now 13 year old?" Abby wondered. "You should love Chloe unconditionally like i love Cooper unconditionally!"
"Don't you question my parenting, i never question yours!" Christi pointed out as Abby didn't have a response. "I would appreciate if you would be a little kinder to my daughter. Chloe is at the top, what are your expectations?"
"For her to win no ifs, ands, buts or maybes. I expect people to talk about Chloe, people should buzz about her like they buzz about my son."
Christi left the hotel room and as she left, Cooper came from the bedroom.
"Christi's PMS kicked in again, Huh?" Cooper asked.
Abby chuckled at what her son said. "It probably did."
Later, Cooper got ready for bed and fell asleep on the couch as Abby went to the bedroom and fell asleep.
Competition day arrived and at Green Valley Ranch Resort, the venue for Thunderstruck, Abby, Cooper and Gianna were the only ones in the ALDC dressing room as the girls and the moms weren't there yet.
"Man, the girls should have been here dressed, rearing to go and testing out the stage." Cooper sighed before he turned to Abby. "This is not how you do business, mom."
"You're right." Abby agreed.
"I agree." Gianna added, then the door opened and coming in were the girls and the moms as Abby gave them the eye.
"It's about time you got here."
Maddie, Chloe, Brooke, Paige and Nia got dressed in their group costumes before they started to do their hair and makeup
Abby, Cooper, Gianna, Brookie, Mackenzie and the moms all sat in the audience.
"Coming on the stage, Sinful!" The stage lights turned off and sitting on the end of the stage were the girls.
"7th place goes to Sinful by the Abby Lee Dance Company of Chicago, Illinois!" The girls went to get their award as Abby, Cooper, Gianna, Brookie, Mackenzie and the moms cringed.
"Ugh. Now the pressure is on the solos." Cooper groaned.
"You can say that again." Abby told him. "We'd rather be in the top 5 at least."
"Ditto." Gianna stated.
"Paige, let's see your costume." Abby called to the younger Hyland, who came from the changing section and it looked obvious that the costume that Paige was in was a little too big. "I had a feeling that was gonna be a little too big."
"I had that same feeling as well." Cooper added.
"Paige, can you come here?" Abby asked.
Paige walked over to the dance teacher to attempt to make the costume fit her better.
"She needs a headpiece, but we're running out of time as she has to be on the stage in 15 minutes and that's not enough time for Kelly to make a headpiece." Gianna commented.
Kelly let out a sigh of exasperation. "Why is it everytime my kids get their costumes 5 minutes before heading on stage and it does not fit and i have to make a headpiece?! Every single time it's my kid regardless if it's Brooke or Paige. It looks like she's got doo doo on the bottom of her pants. Everybody except my kids get a new costume every week while i get doo doo!"
"Kelly, can you please stop playing the victim card and just chill out?" Cooper suggested, before looking at Brooke and Paige. "Brooke, Paige, no disrespect, but your mother is getting senile."
Brooke and Paige couldn't help but chuckle as Abby did too while Kelly looked at Cooper like he had gone off his rocker.
"My kid should have her own costume, one that fits before hitting the stage in 5 minutes and we're using a hotel chair!" Kelly continued griping and when she dropped the f bomb, Abby nearly fell out of her chair as Cooper's eyes went wider than saucers.
"Those mothers can swear like sailors in their house, but not in front of the dancers."
"Maybe i should get some soap and we can wash their mouths out." Cooper suggested.
"We should." Abby agreed.
"Just pull the number." Kelly suggested.
"Paige, i am about to pull the routine and i need to hear from you." Abby said to Paige. "Do you really think by not going on the stage and dancing is gonna make you better? Think again. Are you really sure you want me to pull the routine?"
Cooper felt bad for Paige, he could tell she was looking forward to doing her dance, but her mother just had to ruin that for her. Paige was in a tough spot, it was to ether listen to her mother or her dance teacher.
"Yes." Paige said.
"Then come with me and Coop."
Paige went over to Abby and her son as they exited the dressing room before Cooper turned around.
"Making a big mistake, Kelly. Sometimes, you're gonna have to just let it be and admit my mom's way works." Cooper warned Kelly, who just crossed her arms and rolled her eyes before Cooper exited the dressing room.
"Paige, if you do't want to be on stage and you're not confident, that's all right, we'll pull the number. I've had to pull Cooper's dances at times and they were whenever he got hurt and couldn't dance." Abby said to Paige. 'But don't think you're gonna get better by sitting on your behind in the audience and watching your friends."
Kelly was seen approaching them.
"Every week, my kids' costumes have either not had one and we had to wear our old costumes.
"Kelly, it's never right!" Abby told her. "It has not been right for 14 years, it's never right."
"Sometimes, i wore an old costume for a dance, but did i complain? No! I went on the stage and danced my behind off." Cooper added.
"That you did." Abby told her son, before turning back to Kelly. "Kelly, if you think that, from now on, get your own costumes made and i or Cooper can sketch them and you take them--"
"No, i don't need you or Cooper to sketch it. I'll sketch it myself." Kelly stated.
"Oh, no you don't!"
"I'm getting it made and i'm paying for it. I'll draw the sketch."
"Then you'll have to hire the choreographer." Abby informed Kelly, who began walking away and Paige followed her.
"Mom, i feel for Brooke and Paige, they're wonderful dancers, but it's their mother even though i'm dating Brooke." Cooper said. "Can i ask you something?"
"Sure, you can ask me anything."
"Is it awkward that Brooke and i are dating despite the drama between you and Kelly?"
"I don't have a problem with you and Brooke dating as i want you to be happy even though there is drama between her mother and myself as we've known each other since we were younger." Abby answered, before wrapping an arm around her son as they made their way back to the dressing room.
Later, Brooke was in the wings of the stage as she was ready to do her solo.
"Next is Brooke with Metamorphosis!" Brooke went on the stage and she started dancing. Despite her doing good with her dance, Cooper looked a little worried for his girlfriend and Abby could tell that he could sense that Brooke was in pain after doing a handstand, which made her shoulder pop out and after completing her dance, she went straight to Abby.
"Brooke, are you ok?" Abby asked with concern.
"My shoulder popped out." Brooke winced.
"We could tell it was hurting and Brooke, i know how you feel as i've been there myself, when i was 10, my left shoulder popped out when i was rehearsing a solo. Mom took me over to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the doctor helped pop it right back in. So i sat out the competition as a precaution, remember?" Cooper said to his girlfriend as he was cringing from the memory.
"I do, i was there with you and your mom." Brooke told her boyfriend.
"You sure were." Abby commented to Brooke.
Backstage, Christi got Chloe ready for her solo and minutes later, Chloe was waiting in the wings of the stage for her solo to be announced.
"The last performance of the competition, here's Chloe with Missing You," Chloe went on the stage and began to do her dance and despite having some flaws, she completed the dance and next were the solo awards.
"In 1st place, Metamorphosis! by Brooke!" Brooke was happy that she got 1st as Cooper was grinning. Brooke went to get her award as Kelly was happy, but Christi was mortified that Chloe didn't place.
"Somehow, we should have given Maddie a solo this week and that would have made it two chances of winning." Cooper whispered to Abby. "But Brooke did a great job despite the shoulder."
"I agree."
Abby, Cooper, Gianna and crew exited and got on a bus that took them to Los Angeles, a city in California for the last competition prior to Nationals, what they didn't know was that they were about to have an unwelcome guest, albeit a familiar one...