Together

It Won't Be Long Now

Hello hello hello! Exciting things are coming up for the next few days in this book! I absolutely can't wait for you all to read these next few chapters. I hope that you love them xxx. Comment and vote if you wish.
-ab

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November 2, 2025

Patrick

I stand in the lobby of the Piccadilly Theatre with a group of people, none of whom I've ever met before. Today is the day of Harper's put-in rehearsal for Anastasia. Luke told the group of newbies that they could each bring one guest, sort of like an 'invited dress.' We would be able to give feedback and such after the performance. Naturally, Harper wanted me to be here. I knew that I couldn't let her down, so I cancelled my plans with a buddy for this afternoon and hopped the tube into the city.

I read over the message that she sent me again.

Harper: Love, Luke just told us that we can each have a guest at the put-in today. I couldn't imagine anyone but you being here. Would you be able to come, maybe? Please? Just show them this message and they'll let you in, okay? Show starts at 13:00 at the Piccadilly xxx

Of course, I told her that I wouldn't miss it for the world.

As the clock nears the start of the show, we all get checked in, being given little stickers for our shirts, showing that we are a guest of the cast, then shown into the stalls, where we are instructed to take seats in the first two rows. I sit down, front and center. I'll have a nice view here, and I probably won't see the show from this view again. These seats are hard to get, and expensive.

Soon, I hear the orchestra take their places and begin to warm up, and I know that Harper is backstage, in her dressing room, all ready for the show. Knowing her, she's probably worried sick.

Then, the lights dim in the house, and the pit begins to play. The show is starting.

For the first few minutes, Harper isn't onstage, but I focus on immersing myself into the story. Then, 'Rumor In St. Petersburg' starts, and she steps onto the stage for the first time.

Instantly, my breath is taken away by the way that she owns the stage, even when not all of the focus is on her. I silently cheer her on.

Then, 'In My Dreams' comes around. I've heard her practising it many times, beginning during her audition process. Nothing compares, though, to hearing her sing it onstage, in character, and dressed in costume.

At the end of the song, for a very brief moment, the two of us make eye contact. It's just long enough for me to communicate in unspoken words, just how proud I am of her.

The show continues through, and before I know it, she's belting out 'Journey To The Past.' I've not actually heard her practising this one before. It wasn't an audition piece, and she always told me that she wanted to keep something a secret for when I see the show.

The fact that it's actually the moment that I'm seeing the show is crazy.

As she finishes up the song, I realize that there are tears in my eyes. I promised myself that I wouldn't cry, watching her up there. I'm a man, and a British one, at that. I'm not supposed to get emotional over things such as this. Still, here I am.

Once the lights come up, I quickly rub my eyes, wiping away any moisture, then simply sit back and wait for the second act.

I'm witnessing something beautiful in front of me. It's a spell that I don't want to break by texting Harper. That could ruin the illusion of her character for me, and I can't risk that.

I open up some Snapchats, then scroll through Instagram for a bit, before the lights dim again, signalling the start of Act II.

I immediately recognize the opening song as 'Paris Holds The Key (To Your Heart.)' This is the one that I helped Harper with when she was struggling so much with learning the proper choreography. It's shaped up nicely, and she looks very good onstage with everyone else.

As the story progresses, I'm amazed at how intense of a story it becomes. There is a scene at the end, which Harper didn't tell me about, that requires such strong acting abilities. I've never seen her go this deep before. Cosette isn't a particularly emotional role, whereas Anya proves to be.

Before I know it, they're all taking their final bows. All of the guests are standing up and giving applause.

After bows, the cast exits the stage, and Luke walks on.

"Thank you all for coming to the put-in rehearsal," he addresses us. "My cast knows that they have half an hour to get out of costume and greet the guests, but then, they must be back here. Please respect that policy. They will be meeting you at the stage door. Please exit out of the main entrance and turn left to find that. Goodbye, and we hope that you will come support your loved ones again here at Anastasia."

At that, everyone stands up and starts to walk out of the theatre. I follow the flow of traffic, and eventually, make it to the stage door. Just after I get there, Harper comes outside. I throw my arms around her in a hug.

"You, my love, were absolutely phenomenal," I whisper in her ear.

"You really think so?"

"Absolutely."

She smiles and blushes. "Thank you so much."

"I can't wait to come see it again tomorrow."

"I'm so excited," she admits to me. "I'd forgotten how exciting it is to be making a debut on a new role."

"And you're going to be just as wonderful in this one as you were in Les Miserables," I tell her, squeezing her hand.

"Was there anything that you thought was weird?"

"Absolutely not. I'd have been thrilled if I'd have bought a ticket for that performance."

"Thank you," she tells me. "I'm going to collect all sorts of notes from Luke, I'm sure, so it's nice to know that the public will think I performed well."

"I'm sure Luke is proud of you, too," I laugh.

"He is, but he's also really picky," she states. "I understand. He wants the performance to be the best that it can be. It's never going to be perfect, but it can get close, and he wants to push us all until we get to that level of performance. We all want to be there, too."

"Well, I truly think that you're there," I smile.