Together

Celebrate

Hi kids. I'm so glad you're all enjoying these chapters- I like them too. This one is quite sweet and fun, so I think you'll all like it. Love you all-comment/vote if you wish xxx
-ab

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December 4, 2026

Patrick

The next morning, I meet Harper at her hotel to take her out for a nice breakfast at a nearby restaurant.

"I don't really need any of this," she says, looking at the elaborate menu of pancakes and waffles, topped with everything that you could possibly imagine, and then some. "I have to be on Broadway again today, love."

"Just go for something. Come on, we are celebrating your Broadway debut. That's not something that happens every day," I insist.

"I need to be in Broadway shape, though."

"A plate of pancakes won't make you be any less amazing today, love. You were so perfect up there on that stage last night. I think that Cosette was written for you."

"It's weird, I wasn't really nervous," she admits. "I was terrified when I got the call about Odette, but being back in Cosette's role, I actually felt so good."

"You've had a lot of practice," I wink.

"Well, that's certainly true. But it all comes so naturally to me, too. I love musicals that are sung entirely through, even more than those with speaking lines. Don't tell my Anastasia family."

I chuckle. "Don't worry, I won't. Anyway, back to the menu. Get whatever sounds yummiest to you, love."

She sighs. "Fine."

"That's my girl."

She picks out a small order of chocolate chip pancakes, which makes me happy. I order a waffle topped with lots of berries. They both come out quite quickly.

"I had always wanted to bring you here," I tell her. "Not like, here to this restaurant, but here to New York. This didn't happen quite how I had imagined it to, though. We will have to come back someday."

"You say the words, and I'm on a plane," she tells me. "I love it here... Patrick, I have something to tell you."

"What's that?"

"I want to come back here someday. I want to be on Broadway for real. As a permanent run, not as a randomly thrown in for a few days replacement. I don't know under what circumstances I'll make it happen, but I just have to. It felt so amazing up on that stage last night. I didn't think that anything could be more satisfying than being on the West End, but nowadays, Broadway has taken dominance over London as putting out the biggest musicals, and just being a part of it... it just felt so amazing."

I'm a bit shocked by Harper's words.

"What are you saying?" I ask. "I mean, do you want to move here?"

"No," she insists. "I could never leave London for good. I just want to be in another Broadway show sometime. For a year, perhaps. And I've no idea when, or how... it's just a crazy dream of mine."

"Love, if you want it to happen that badly then we will make it happen. We can make it work, though I'll have to stay behind in London."

"I know. But we can do it. I just have to try. I just have this calling inside of me, all of the sudden. I never knew that it was there until last night, but I think that it's been there my whole life. I've just been too afraid to admit it."

"We will make it happen. I promise."

She smiles at me. "You're the best. I love you so much."

"I love you too."

"So," she says, changing the topic, "what do you and Joe have planned for today?"

"We are going to play tourist this afternoon, get a nice dinner, and hit up your show tonight before hopping a midnight plane back to London."

"That's going to be a hard one."

"I know, but he wanted to be back home to his little girl as quickly as possible. I'm going to have the weekend to recover, anyway.

"That's true. I have no idea when I'll be back. Apparently the other Cosette isn't in great condition, so they're thinking I might be on for upwards of two weeks."

"Oh god," I laugh. "Don't celebrities play runs that are literally shorter than that?"

"Not quite, but there are lots of three week engagements, so really, it's quite close."

"Well, it'll look nice on your resume..."

"That it will," Harper giggles.

The two of us finish up our pancakes, and we still have a bit of time together, so I take her outside.

"Let's go on a stroll through Central Park," I suggest. "We aren't all that far."

"That sounds absolutely perfect," she replies, squeezing my arm. The air in New York is chilly. It gets much colder here than it typically does in London, so we aren't quite used to the breeze nipping at us in the way that it is, but for some reason, we don't seem to care. We have each other, and here we are, in what many would call 'the greatest city in the world.' The Big Apple.

As we walk though the park, we take in the sights. The trees compliment the skyline so nicely, in a way that seems unlikely, but works so well. There is a thin layer of snow dusting the ground, which fell while we were eating breakfast, and more little flakes dancing through the air before landing softly on our faces.

We both nearly lose track of time, talking and giggling as we leave our footprints in the dusting of white on the sidewalks. Eventually, though, I realize that I must go meet up with Joe, as we did have plans this afternoon, made at the last minute by Taylor, back home in London. She booked us into some tour or something. I'm not really sure, but she says it'll be fun.

"I'll catch you tonight after the show for goodbyes," I promise her. "Let me know when you receive word about when you'll be home."

"I will, I promise," she insists. "Bye, lovie."

Our lips meet in a quick kiss before the two of us part our ways. She walks back in the direction of her hotel, which is only about a block away, and I walk towards the subway station, where I'm set to catch the next train back to Joe's Tribeca apartment.