Meg is not prepared for it when Carlotta appears in front of her out of seemingly from nowhere. Meg squeals and is taken aback. Carlotta strides forward and Meg has no one else to go but accept her fate: a conversation with the diva.
"What are you doing tonight?" It is more of a demand than a question. Meg feels like she is about to receive detention. Meg has not been in a formal school setting since she was 12 and in a Swiss boarding school, but she vaguely remembers detention and this sick feeling she feels, and this is it.
"I'm actually having a movie night with my Papa. He's going to be busy this weekend, so we're spending evenings together to make up for it."
Carlotta is not paying attention. She pushes a card into the young dancer's chest.
"Attach the gift receipt to the bag. Do not be late."
Meg looks at the card and then back to the empty space that Carlotta had been.
"What just happened?"
Christine is in the dressing changing. She checks herself out in the mirror, fixes her hair and turns around to come face to face with Carlotta.
Christine screams, Carlotta is unfazed and unimpressed.
Christine does a quick glance back to the mirror and then back to Carlotta.
"What are you doing tonight?"
"I'm going to spend a quiet evening at home. Meg is going to see her Papa tonight and I—"
Carlotta hands her a similar card that she gave Meg.
"Attach the receipt to the gift bag."
She storms off.
Christine looks back to the mirror. Yes, it is reflecting. She bites her lip in fear.
"She has no soul. . ." She says a few Hail Mary's and prays.
Meg, Christine, Raoul, and Reyer arrived at the specified place at the specified time according to the card they each received. They are escorted to a private room in the back of the restaurant.
There is an oval table set, wine and water are waiting.
"What did you bring?" Meg asks Christine.
"I got her a box of sweets." She holds up her pink gift bag.
"I got her Sangria." Reyer and Raoul say.
"I got her a wind-up toy. A harlequin dances to music as it plays."
"That sounds nice." Christine questions if her gift isn't enough.
"Yeah, Papa made it years ago, but I don't like clowns anymore." Meg shudders.
"So, are we the only ones here or are we early?"
"I'm sure others will show up."
"What time did Carlotta say she would be here?"
They stand awkwardly in the room. Carlotta eventually shows up, her dress gives her the appearance of a waddling avocado. She does not address anyone as she goes to the head of the table.
She picks up a wine glass, finishes it one gulp. She aggressively waves for the others to join her at the table. They do.
"Thank you for the invitation Carlotta. What are we celebrating if anything?" Raoul says in a soft, delicate voice.
"What do you think?" She snaps. She sits down. The others follow her lead.
"Birthday?" Meg suggests, in a quiet awkward tone.
"Yes." She holds out her wine glass and shakes it, a server appears and refills her glass.
"Happy birthday." The other says at different times, somewhat together, not a full commitment to unison.
The temperature of the room is cold. Reyer, Raoul, Christine and Meg have no idea what to say, how to act, or what to do. No one dares to look at each other or their hostess. No one speaks for what feels like hours when it has only been a few minutes.
"Did you have any plans?" Meg asks, she feels like she is shrinking with each passing second. She's Alice and she drank the wrong potion.
"Don't be an idiot. This," she gestures around," is what I'm doing."
"How has your day been?" Christine asks, trying to keep conversation going. The silence is painful.
"What do you think? You were there. I spent the day at the Opera House."
"Were you able to connect with family? You are from Spain, no? A phone call? Face call?" Reyer does not know why he's trying now.
"I'm from Spain yes, and no. I did not speak with my family."
"Is anyone else coming?"
"No."
The tension in the room is oppressive. Meg feels weighed down, the walls and ceiling are closing in and she has to get out before that happens, or she'll be a Meg sandwich.
"So, has anyone seen Tiger King?" Reyer slaps the side of his face after asking that. This causes the group to murmur answers, the tik tok song, and. "she totally did it, how is el chapo the sane one, meth is bad mmkay,"
"Carol Baskin! Killed, her, husband, whacked him, can't convince me it didn't happen," Christine sings in a powerful operatic voice.
"That is impressive!"
Carlotta abruptly stands up and leaves the room. This gives the other pause, before they continue to discuss theories.
Meg quietly leaves.
Meg stares at her reflection in the bathroom. She pulls at her face, pouts her lips, tosses her hair, does a full head swing like she's One of Those Girls In the Music Video. She always wanted to dance on a car.
She does a quick spin jump and poses. She points at her reflection and sticks out her tongue.
She's about to leave but something stops her. Sobbing, sniffles. Meg feels her heart drop to the floor. She looks around, she wants to leave, crying alone in the bathroom, should not be heard, you want to be alone, hence crying in the bathroom.
Meg is hesitant. She could leave, pretend this didn't happen, and they could keep their pride and dignity.
Or she could stay.
Meg feels like her mind and body are at war. She sways back and forth trying to decide, mentally and physically what she should do.
Meg knocks on the closed stall, the crying ceases.
"Carlotta, are you okay?" Meg places her palms on the stall.
"I-I'm fine. Go away!" Her voice breaks. She is not fine. Meg frowns. She does not move.
"Carlotta, it's okay not to be fine."
"Go away, Meg!" Carlotta snaps, her voice hoarse.
"I can't do that. What's wrong?"
"Nothing! I said go away!" Meg jumps back, Carlotta must have kicked the door.
"Carlotta, I'm not going anywhere, and I'd prefer not to talk through stalls. Can I come in?"
"Fine, if it'll shut you up."
Meg, being Meg, crawls inside the stall.
"I was going to unlock it." Carlotta is somewhat amused. Meg looks up at her, embarrassed.
"That would have made more sense."
"Silly, fool."
"What's wrong?"
"What do you think?"
"I don't know, you won't tell me."
"This is my birthday party!"
"Yes."
"You all hate me!"
Meg does not know how to respond to that and remains silent. Carlotta takes her silence for agreement and starts to sob again.
"We don't hate you; we're frustrated with you." Meg says softly. She slowly stands to her feet.
"Same difference."
"No. If you were just a little bit nicer, it would make all the difference. You don't have to be the diva all the time."
"You are such a baby, has anyone told you that? Of course I have to be the diva, if I stop someone else will replace me. That's how this life works. You don't get anywhere by being nice, you kill the career of others, of the best. What do you think Christine is trying to do?"
Meg is silent. She hasn't thought of that, Meg is a dancer, and she never felt that she had to actively ruin someone's dance career to get ahead.
"I have nothing, nothing without my voice! It's what carried me to this country! My mother threw me out of the house when I was eight, I was found by these, these men who heard my voice. I brought them money, everyone wanted to hear me sing. When I was too old, they were going to "retire" my songs. I escaped, came here."
"I'm sorry that happened to you. I understand having to be tough and circumstance can determine many factors of our life, but you don't have to be so cynical. You can have friends. Why don't you introduce me to the real Carlotta?"
"Why."
"Because I want to meet her." Meg sits down at her feet, holds Carlotta's hand.
"Hello, my name is Meg Giry, and it's very, very nice to meet you."
Carlotta says nothing for a very long time. Meg waits, her smile does not falter, and her eyes twinkle.
Carlotta takes a deep breath and begins.