Genevieve was led to a back dressing room. All around her were a group of ladies, sitting in front in their vanities and staring at their reflections in the mirrors. They were all applying makeup, putting on jewelry, styling their hair, and putting on their performance outfits. A few of the ladies looked at the girl and gave her looks, and looked back at their mirrors.
"Don't just stand there girl," The bar maid ordered. "Head over to your vanity and get ready!"
"But I…"
But the bar maid already left, slamming the door. Genevieve stood there, frozen as a statue, unsure of what to do. She didn't move for five minutes until a feminine voice spoke up.
"Can I help you honey?"
The girl turned around and was face-to-face with a tall slender mouse with snow-white fur, large blue eyes with lavender eye-shadow and red lipstick. She wore a navy-blue dress, consisting of a lighter blue V-shaped bodice, a powder blue underskirt; a short fuchsia cape, cobalt blue high-heel pumps, and a matching bow in her hair on the back of her head. She gave a kind smile, but Genevieve felt nervous.
"Uh… well…" she stuttered, "I was mistaken for another performer… I think this was all a misunderstanding. Obviously, I tried to tell the bar maid, but she wouldn't listen. But I guess I have no choice."
"No worries sweetheart," the female mouse said. "Follow me."
The white mouse guided the girl to her vanity, and patted her hand on the seat. Genevieve obeyed and sat down. The white mouse grabbed a hairbrush and began to brush the girl's hair. Noticing the brown mouse's distress, the white mouse decided to make some small talk.
"I'm Miss Kitty, what's your name?"
"Genevieve. Genevieve Flaversham."
"So Ms. Flaversham," the white mouse said smiling as she styled the girl's hair. "Have you ever performed in public before?"
The question made Genevieve's heart pound. She swallowed her mouth dry and her heart pounded.
"Uh… well, the only audience I'd ever perform for is my family."
She shook up more and felt tears in her eyes. Miss Kitty placed her hands on Genevieve's shoulders and tried to comfort her.
"Are you okay sweetie? You're shaking like a flower stem."
"It's just that I've never performed in front of a live audience before," the girl admitted.
She jumped up as she heard loud laughing from outside of the dressing room and heard the audience getting fierce.
"Why, darling," the white mouse said, guiding her to the dressing screen. "You wouldn't be an artiste if you weren't a teensy bit nervous."
Genevieve pouted and looked in the full-length mirror. She was only a simple girl and believed that no one else would love her not only on the inside, but the outside too. She took off her gypsy disguise and was only in a strapless chemise, a corset, and bloomers.
"I don't think I'm pretty and that I would ever be loved by someone," she said sadly.
"And says who?" Miss Kitty asked, pulling out a red velvet dress, with a black ribbon sash, and a black corset. "Genevieve all you can do if you just believe in yourself. You can accomplish your goals in life if you follow your heart."
The girl held up her arms and allowed the red dress to slip down her arms, past her shoulders and the skirt followed down her hips. The dress was slim on her figure, but not too tight. She looked down to see a slit on the right leg, and reminded herself not to reveal much of her legs. The black sash was tied in a bow and hung on her hips. The dress had black off-the-shoulder sleeves that exposed her shoulders and arms.
Miss Kitty came behind the girl and placed the black corset around her waist. The white mouse pulled the strings on the corset, and Genevieve felt the garment tighten up her waist and she gasped. Miss Kitty noticed the girl's discomfort and loosed the corset a little bit. Genevieve gave a nod, hoping this corset wouldn't ruin her internal organs.
"I never liked corsets very much," Genevieve admitted. "I only wear them on special occasions. But one time in church, when I was wearing my training corset, it was so tight that I couldn't move or breathe. Then when my family and I were in line for the bread and wine, I felt less air in my body and I collapsed on the cold marble floor. I didn't regain consciousness until they loosened up my corset. That's why I only wear chemises."
"I see what you mean," Miss Kitty said as she finished tying the corset, making sure it wasn't too tight and that Genevieve was comfortable. Then two white female mice came over wearing pink dresses, black chokers, pink heels, pink opera gloves, and pink hats. One applied eye shadow and rouge on the girl's eyelids and cheeks. The second placed red ruby lipstick on Genevieve's lips. They all stepped back and grinned in satisfaction.
"She's all set Kitty," the twins replied.
"Thank you sisters," the white mouse said.
"You're welcome," they said in unison and walked away.
Genevieve looked at the full-length mirror and gawked at the outfit she was wearing. She was wearing a red dress that had a slit on the right leg, a black corset, a black sash that hung from her hips, black gloves, black off the shoulder sleeves, black gloves and heels. For accessories: a black ribbon in her hair, a black choker with a red jewel, and golden earrings.
"I don't look so bad," Genevieve admitted. "I just hope Aunt Magnolia never sees me wearing this outfit!" The mouse remembered the times when her eldest aunt would scoff at ladies wearing inappropriate clothes revealing their necklines and legs. "If she ever found out, she would put me in the obituary section!"
"Oh Genevieve, sweetheart, it'll only be for one night," Miss Kitty said, giving a gentle smile to the girl and sprayed her perfume on herself and then to the brown mouse. Genevieve inhaled the sweet scent of the oil and felt refreshed.
Genevieve peered from behind the curtain to see the audience rambling to each other, holding darts, knives, and glasses. She hesitated for a moment and turned back to Miss Kitty. Her heart was beating against her sternum.
"Miss Kitty what if they boo at me?"
"Now Genevieve honey," the white mouse said calmly as she pulled out a pink flower and placed it in the girl's hair. "If anyone were to ever throw so much as a tomato, a knife, or a cabbage at you, I'll give them the fist!"
The girl gave a nod, and gulped nervously. But she took deep breaths to calm down.
"Now do your best, and go knock 'em dead!" Miss Kitty said with a smile.
Genevieve gave a nod and started to warm up. After a few practices, she whispered a song to the white mouse, so the band could play it. The girl stood up tall and straight, determined to do her very best; she remembered a particular song that she heard from singers in the streets and decided it would be the one.
"Basil are you sure this is a good idea for Genevieve to be up on the stage?" Dawson asked.
He and the detective were sitting at their table, waiting anxiously for Genevieve to perform.
"Positive my friend," said Basil. "This would be the perfect opportunity for our lady friend to stand up on the stage and see if our peg-legged friend is around here in the pub."
Dawson looked at his companion skeptically, but then nodded and said, "I just hope that Genevieve doesn't get booed or humiliated on stage."
"Me too, Dawson. If that happens, we'll come up to the stage and get her to safety."
Then the pianist began to play more music with a cheerful tune, and the red curtains parted. An exhausted newt was pedaling on a unicycle with a large overweight frog sitting on him. Then more booing came from the audience and they threw knives and rotten vegetables at them, immediately ending their performance and the curtains closed.
The pianist avoided a thrown tomato and received a message from backstage of the song and slowly played a tune and a clarinetist played a few notes. The patrons grabbed some chairs, pointers, and daggers preparing to throw at another lousy performance, but the music seemed to prevent them for throwing their weapons. Slowly Genevieve pushed both of the curtains aside slowly, wearing a red and black revealing dress and sang in an alluring voice,
Genevieve:
"Maybe this time, I'll be lucky
Maybe this time, He'll stay"
The sound of her lovely voice managed to calm down the audience members and stared at her with curiosity. Even though Basil wanted to look around his surroundings for Ratigan's henchman, he couldn't help but listen to Genevieve's singing. He had no idea that the girl had such a beautiful singing voice.
"Maybe this time
For the first time
Love won't hurry away
He will hold me fast
I'll be home at last
Not a loser anymore
Like the last time
And the time before"
The words helped Genevieve remember the times of how courting with her past suitors didn't end well. Ever since she met Basil, she wasn't very friendly with him. But the longer they work together, the better they got along. Dawson gave a look of astonishment, never knowing that Genevieve could sing so swell. Her confidence grew higher and higher and she continued singing,
"Everybody loves a winner
So nobody loves me
'Lady Peaceful,' 'Lady Happy,'
That's what I long to be
All the odds are in my favor
Something's bound to begin,
It's got to happen, happen sometime
Maybe this time I'll win."
The music grew stronger as the other band members started up and Genevieve continued to sing with more confidence,
'Cos,
Everybody loves a winner
So nobody loves me
'Lady Peaceful, ' 'Lady Happy, '
That's what I long to be
All the odds are in my favor
Something's bound to begin,
It's got to happen, happen sometime
Maybe this time,
Maybe this time, I'll win."
After holding down the last note and raising her arms, a smile was across her face. Then the audience began to applaud and whistle for her. Genevieve gave a quick bow and hurried off from the stage. After her exit, Basil was amazed at the way the girl was able to pull off a last minute performance. Deep down in his soul, he knew that things between him and her didn't go well at the beginning, but they were starting to become friends. For some strange reason, he was starting to have odd feelings for the young girl and his heart was pounding harder. Then realized at the moment in his thoughts, "I've never, felt this way about anyone, before."
Author's note: this was inspired from "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West" and the song Genevieve sings is "Maybe This Time" is from the 1972 musical film, "Cabaret" sung by Liza Minnelli.