Together

One Day More

I spent so long trying to name this chapter, then I just randomly went "I'm gonna name it 'One Day More' because I can." We love my Les Mis obsession. Some exciting things are happening in this book eeeeeekkk!! I hope you're all as excited as I am! Don't forget to drop a comment and vote please and thank you x
-ab

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December 22, 2025

Harper

One more show. That's all that I have until I'm no longer Harper Kennedy, but Harper Alwyn instead. As I sit in my dressing room, I try so hard to think about the show, but I'm really focused on other things.

My phone is buzzing with messages on my group text with Nessa and Katherine.

Nessa: Harper!! You're getting married tomorrow! I'm so excited for you!

Katherine: Good luck, girly, xxxx. Send us pictures when you get the chance. I'm so proud and excited for you.

Harper: Thank you both xxxx. I have one final show to finish up, and then I'll be off to Taylor's for the night, and Joe's coming over to my flat to be with Patrick. Tay told me I could invite friends if I want... you two in?

Nessa: Yes!

Katherine: Sure!

Harper: Perfect! Can you come to the Piccadilly at... say 23:00? Tonight's show will be over by then.

Katherine: I'll try my best.

Harper: Don't sweat it if you aren't here right on time. We've just got to be able to catch the tube.

Nessa: I'll be there.

Harper: Perfect. I'll see you two then x

I then tuck my phone away and turn to really focus on my makeup. My wig specialist, Jenni, should be in any moment now to do my pincurls and wig. We always have nice conversations while that is being taken care of.

When I hear a knock on the door, I call for the person on the other side to come in, and to my surprise, it's actually Ruby.

"Hey girl," I smile.

"Hey. I just saw that you're going to be out tomorrow on the sign-in sheet. What's that about? Toby's going to be upset."

"Toby can live with it," I laugh. "Tomorrow is for Patrick and I, not for Toby."

"You're skipping to go on a date?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I'm not judging, but Harper, that doesn't sound like you..."

"That's not quite it," I laugh. "We are to be married tomorrow."

"WHAT?" Ruby exclaims. "And I'm not invited?"

"Hush," I laugh. "It's really just a small ceremony where we go and sign some papers at the registry office. We wanted to save our money and go on a crazy honeymoon."

"When and where?"

"Not sure yet," I shrug. "Right now, it's more of a fantasy, but we will do it sometime."

"Well, I'm really happy for you," Ruby tells me. "I think that it's fair for you to want your wedding day off."

"Gee, thanks," I roll my eyes, laughing.

The show seems to drag tonight more than any other show has, short of that Les Mis show where I knew I was going to meet Taylor Swift after. Eventually, though, I make it the entire way through, then speed back to my dressing room and get changed.

Once I'm all dressed, I rip off my wig cap and pincurls, then pull my hair back into a ponytail. Just after I'm done with that, I hear a knock on my dressing room door. I figure that it's Nessa and Katherine, so I call for them to come in. Sure enough, I see my two friends walking in. Katherine appears to be slightly out of breath, but I can't judge that, as she has just run over from her Nutcracker performance, and made it rather quickly, considering.

"Hey," I smile. "Just one second. I'll be ready soon."

At that, I finish cleaning up my things so that they're not spread around everywhere for my standby tomorrow, then put on my coat and sling my backpack over my shoulder.

"Let's go."

We chat excitedly as we venture onto the tube. While Katherine and I are very comfortable with taking the tube at night, Nessa isn't quite so used to it. I'm pretty sure that she still thinks we are going to be kidnapped every time that we take the tube in the dark, but it hasn't happened yet, so she needn't worry.

Once we finally make it to Taylor's stop, Nessa's fears of being robbed or beat up disappear, as it's pretty much the nicest neighborhood in all of London. It's a bit of a walk from the tube to the flat, but none of us seem to mind it. Sure, the night air is a bit nippy, especially in December, but it's not nearly as cold as it could be, and it isn't raining. The sky is rather clear, and in this part of London, it's easy to see the stars in the sky.

"Hey," Taylor smiles, opening up her door to us once we reach her flat. Of course, I informed her that Nessa and Katherine were joining me tonight, so she's not surprised.

As soon as I step inside, I feel something being placed over my head and draped on my shoulders. Confused, I look down at the sash which Taylor has just put on me.

"Oh my god," I laugh, reading the word, written out in pink glitter: Bride.

"I couldn't resist," Taylor laughs, placing a tiara on my head.

"Harper, look here!" Katherine exclaims. I turn toward her, only to notice that she's taking pictures. My cheeks turn bright red as I cover my face with my hands.

"No!"

"You're adorable," Nessa protests.

"So," Taylor laughs, ignoring my friends snapping pictures, "I've got some air mattresses set up in my room, if that's good for everybody... two of you can share the big one, and then one of you can have the littler one."

"That sounds perfect," I smile. Taylor leads us up to her room, where we plop our things down and position our pillows so that we can have a good view of the telly. Taylor is, of course, sleeping in her own bed, I'm on the smaller air mattress, and Nessa and Kath are sharing the bigger one.

"Come on, girls," Taylor says after we are all settled in, "snacks are downstairs, and I figured that we could just do some face masks and stuff. You and Kath are probably tired from your shows, hm?"

"A little," I nod, confirming Taylor's statement, "but it's fine."

"Yeah, I'll be fine, too," Katherine nods. "Tomorrow, I've got until 20:00 to rest up."

"Perfect," Taylor replies.

As the night goes on, I start to feel a little bit empty. By this time of the night...well, morning, really, I'd usually be sound asleep and wrapped up in the safety of Patrick's arms. I've not slept in my own bed for so long.

"You alright there, Harper?" Katherine whispers, wrapping her arm around me.

"I just miss him," I admit. "It's stupid, I know, but... well, what I wouldn't give to call him right now. Just to hear his voice."

"Hey," Taylor says, overhearing our conversation, "Joe's taking good care of him right now. I promise. He just texted me and said that they're having a lovely brothers' night. And anyway, it's bad news to talk to him before your wedding, right?"

"I guess," I sigh, giving a sad little smile.

"Don't worry. I missed Joe on the night before our big day, too. Guess what, love? That's good that you miss Patrick."

"What?" I ask Taylor, raising my eyebrows with curiosity.

Taylor nods, pressing her lips into a little smile before she begins to speak.

"It shows that you're ready to be married to him. That you never want to go another moment of your life without him by your side. It shows that you really love him."