Chapter 44 – The Play's the Thing
The whole cast is waiting for Rosemary at the church. She said she needed about five minutes to set everything up in the front room. Rosemary finally appears ten minutes later, looking a little winded. She announces, "Thank you all for coming back for the costume fitting. We only have five more days until showtime, and we need to ensure these all fit. Why don't we have the guys go first?" The guys reluctantly leave their seats to follow Rosemary to the front room of the church. Rosemary hands Lucas, Michael, Robert, Nicholas, Cooper, Patrick, and Lee their costumes as they step in. Rosemary tells them, "Find a place to change, and come out and show me. Lee, can you help Patrick?"
Patrick whines, "I can put the costume on by myself, Mama."
"I'll help him if he needs it," Lee whispers to Rosemary, and she gives him a thumbs up. Then, one by one, they march out, and Rosemary walks around each of them, inspecting the costumes. Rosemary excuses Robert, Nicholas, and Cooper right away.
"You three look great! Go home and have fun with your families," recommends Rosemary.
Next, Lucas and Michael come out, and she fiddles with their outfits. "Now, they are perfect. You guys can go home if you want," says Rosemary as she raises her arms out wide in excitement.
Patrick and Lee are last, and Rosemary cannot contain her laughter. Lee appears completely embarrassed and uncomfortable, so she straightens Patrick's costume, mentioning, "Good job, bud. Your costume is exactly how I imagined it would be." Rosemary messes with his hair, suggesting, "Why don't you change and come back and sit in here with me? I need to help Papa."
"Yes, ma'am," yells Patrick as he runs to the front room.
Rosemary makes her way back to Lee, trying to hold a straight face, but she cannot. "You don't like your costume? What is wrong with it?"
Lee sees everyone watching, so he forces a smile and answers, "Nothing is wrong."
Rosemary offers, "Here, let me fix a couple of things," as she makes some adjustments and pins various places. "There, I think you will be happy with those changes."
Lee fidgets with the uncomfortable collar, mentioning, "I hope you are right, Rosie."
"My costume is just as gaudy as yours. It is supposed to be that way. You'll be fine." She kisses him on the cheek and tells him to change. Finally, after all the guys finish, it's the girl's turn. Rosemary hands out the costumes for Allie, Fiona, Elizabeth, Molly, Opal, and Emily. "Okay, ladies. Try them on and come out front for me to see."
Elizabeth questions, "Aren't you going to show us yours? I cannot wait to see our beloved Queen of Hearts."
"Of course. It is probably a good idea to see if it will still fit at the end of the week. I'll try on mine once I am happy with everyone else's." Elizabeth and Rosemary chuckle. So, the six of them put on their costumes and came out at once. Rosemary walks around Opal and Emily first. "Do you like them, ladies? Are they comfortable?"
Emily and Opal both answer, "Yes," simultaneously.
"You two can go if you like. I know it's been a long day," remarks Rosemary. Next are Elizabeth and Allie. Rosemary has them spin around in their dresses. She clasps her hands together under her chin and grins because they are a perfect fit. And last is Fiona and Molly. "Fiona, is the costume good? It's not too itchy, is it?"
Fiona responds, "No, it's fine. It's better than I expected."
"Oh, good!" exclaims Rosemary. Next, she circles Molly one more time and adjusts it slightly. "There, is it better?"
Molly replies, "Yes, much better. Thank you."
Rosemary drinks some water and checks the time, talking to herself, "It's getting late. I better change into my costume." Then, as Rosemary saunters to the front room, she shouts to whoever is still left, "You don't have to wait for me. You are all excused. Great rehearsal. See you tomorrow." Rosemary watches as most people file out of the church except for Lee, Patrick, Allie, Elizabeth, and Clara.
Patrick whines, "Can we go home, Mama?"
Rosemary laughs, answering, "Very soon. I need to try on mine, and then we can go." Patrick huffs and slumps down in his seat. Rosemary goes into the front room and changes into her costume, which still has an inch to spare. She steps out, and everyone claps. "Ha-ha, very funny." Rosemary spins around and walks the length and width of the church, ensuring nothing tears. "Clara, I think we are good, and there is still some room to spare. Let's hope I don't outgrow it by the end of the show." She chuckles, thinking about how she's probably the first Queen of Hearts who is eight months pregnant.
"So, I only need to work on Molly and Lee's costumes, and we will be ready," mentions Clara.
"Yes, thank you so much. The costumes are just how I imagined them." Rosemary hugs Clara and then finds Lee. She spins around in front of him, asking, "Do you feel better now? Mine is as outrageous as yours. They represent our characters exactly. Don't you think?"
Lee smirks, responding, "You're right."
"What did you say?"
Lee sarcastically repeats, "You're right."
Rosemary replies, "I know I am. I wanted to hear it again. Give me ten minutes, and we can go. I hope you don't mind. I told Elizabeth, Clara, and Allie, we can drive them home." Rosemary practically floats up to the front, overjoyed and excited with how everything is turning out.
Monday morning, Lee, Rosemary, and Patrick are all in the office. Since school was out, Patrick came in with them. Lee has a busy day ahead of him now that he is officially the mayor. As he steps out for his first of many meetings with Bill and some of the business owners in town, Hannah walks in to see Rosemary. Rosemary happily greets her, saying, "Good morning, Hannah. Please sit."
Hannah replies, "Good morning, Rosemary," as she sits down at Rosemary's desk.
Patrick looks up from his drawing, saying, "Hello, Missus Martin."
"Oh, hello there, Patrick. I didn't see you," responds Hannah. She nervously looks at her hands and then gets up the courage to speak. "Rosemary, I have thought about your offer to work with you here at the paper, and I have decided I will."
Rosemary giggles, getting up to hug Hannah. "Thank you! I am so happy, Hannah."
"When would you like me to start?"
"How does now sound?" inquires Rosemary.
Hannah smiles, answering, "I think Clara has it under control at the dress shop. Did she tell you; Josephine is going to start working as a seamstress in June?"
"She didn't, but I know Josephine will be a perfect fit. She showed me some of the clothes she's sewn when I have picked Patrick up at her house."
"So, what would you like me doing?"
Rosemary responds, "I have all the articles ready for the next issue. I just need someone to help me put it all together and print them. Also, I need to print out the rest of the programs for the play. Here is the copy:
"Back to Wonderland"
Written and Directed By: Rosemary Coulter
Characters By: Lewis Carroll
The Hill Amphitheater – May 24 – 26, 1918
Cast
Andy – Patrick Coulter
Alice – Allie Grant
Queen of Hearts – Rosemary Coulter
King of Hearts – Lee Coulter
White Rabbit – Lucas Bouchard
Mad Hatter – Michael Hickam
Cheshire Cat – Fiona Miller
Andy and Alice's Sister – Elizabeth Thornton
Duchess – Molly Sullivan
The March Hare – Nicholas Martin
The Knave of Hearts – Robert Wolf
The Dodo – Opal Weise
The Cook – Emily Montgomery
The Gryphon – Cooper Canfield
Crew
Costumes – Clara Flynn and Hannah Martin
Hair and Makeup – Fiona Miller
Sets and Props – Clara Flynn, Hannah Martin, Minnie Canfield, and Allie Grant
Curtain Operator – Timmy Lawson
Music Operator – Minnie Canfield
I was hoping Robert could help print this week, but he can't. The new printing press should arrive next week, and I cannot wait."
"Okay, I can help. Just show me how."
The rest of the day is spent with Rosemary trying to keep Patrick entertained, showing Hannah what to do, and keeping track of Lee. She hardly sees him all day or even the next couple of days. He comes home late, and even then, he is still working on something for the town or the sawmill.
The first time Rosemary sees him for more than fifteen minutes, other than at night, is at the dress rehearsal on Wednesday. It goes off without a hitch, for the most part. However, Lee is itching his collar and looking rather uncomfortable the entire time. Rosemary observes him throughout and tries not to giggle at her husband squirming. Finally, after everyone left, Rosemary walks up to him with a frown, inquiring, "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
Lee pulls at his collar, revealing, "My neck itches." Rosemary undoes his collar, gasping when she sees his neck and behind his ear covered in red blotches. Then, just to make sure, Rosemary checks his upper back, chest, head, arms, and hands; luckily, nothing is there.
She pats his cheek, apologizing, "I'm so sorry, honey. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought it would eventually go away, but it didn't." He itches again, asking, "What are they?"
Rosemary swats his hand, ordering, "Stop itching. You are only making it worse."
Lee replies, "I can't stop," as he itches the one on his chin."
"Do you feel okay? Does it itch anywhere else?"
Lee whines, "No."
"Let me drive you to the infirmary. I'm sure Faith and Carson can give you something." Rosemary yells out to her son, "Let's go, Patrick." They hop into the car with Rosemary behind the wheel and drive back to town. After parking at the infirmary, Rosemary forces him to go inside and show them his neck, suggesting, "I'll stay out here with Patrick. You go inside." She pushes Lee to the infirmary door, saying, "Hurry," as Lee enters, finding Carson there alone.
"What can I do for you, Lee?"
Lee itches away as he shows Carson his neck and all the red bumps, questioning, "What are they?"
"Nothing to worry about; they are hives. When did you get them? Do you have them anywhere else?"
"I don't think so. I am not feeling itchy anywhere else. I came straight from our dress rehearsal. My costume collar has been itching me since I put it on today."
"Do you have the collar?" Lee pulls it out of his pocket and gives it to Carson, who immediately figures out what might be happening. "I think you might have a metal allergy. See all the different metals lining the collar; one of them must be causing the reaction."
Lee questions, "Really, but why doesn't my wedding ring affect me?"
"It's fourteen karat gold, right? Fourteen karat gold is pure gold with no added alloys," explains Carson.
"Interesting. So, what do you suggest I do? How long will they last?"
Carson hands him a bottle of calamine lotion, suggesting, "Use this to help with the itch. It should go away within a day or so, and I would never wear the collar again or anything else with metal for that matter." Lee thanks him and walks outside to a worried Rosemary.
Rosemary runs up to him, grabbing his arms, inquiring, "What did he say?"
"It's hives."
"Hives? Oh, no, are they serious?" questions Rosemary as her face falls.
"No, these bumps are hives and are usually caused by an allergic reaction. Carson gave me some calamine lotion and told me it would go away in a day or so. Also, he told me not to wear the collar anymore. He thinks I have a metal allergy."
Rosemary gasps, realizing, "I had Clara add those extra jewels, metal, and gold. I'm so sorry, honey." She gasps again, mumbling to herself, "What are we going to do? We only have two days, and we need to figure out a solution to the collar." Rosemary takes his hands and squeezes them while conveying how sorry she is with her eyes. "Will you please forgive your loving wife for causing you all this pain?"
Lee laughs and inquires, "Patrick, should I forgive your Mama?"
Patrick pretends to be thinking about it, replying, "Yes, Papa. Mama loves you and is very sorry." Lee messes with his hair and brings them in for a group hug. Lee holds onto his wife for a little bit longer, sneaking in a kiss before they drive home for the evening.
An extremely excited puppy greets them at the door when they get home, squealing because she is so happy. Rosemary pets her and instructs Patrick to feed and let Laika and Nanny out while she helps Lee with the calamine lotion, ensuring it covers his entire neck. She feels so guilty even though she realizes it's not her fault. No one knew he had a metal allergy.
After cleaning the kitchen for the night and changing into their nightclothes, they gather in the sitting room to practice their lines. Rosemary insists on doing this every night they are free. She wants Patrick and Lee to know their lines forward and backward and be able to recite them in their sleep. Towards the end, Rosemary's voice starts to go hoarse. She clears her throat and drinks some water to moisten her throat, but nothing is working. By the end, her voice is only a whisper. Lee can see the emotions all over Rosemary's face. He sends Patrick up to his room, suggesting, "Why don't you go on upstairs. We will be up to tuck you in shortly." Patrick reluctantly nods, aware something is wrong but goes up like his father tells him. As soon as Patrick is out of earshot, he turns to Rosemary, offering, "Everything will be alright, sweetheart. You are exhausted and need to sleep it off."
Rosemary, not convinced, attempts to question, but nothing comes out. She tries to gasp but nothing again. So, Rosemary grabs a pen and paper and sits next to him, writing, "I can't lose my voice, Lee. Not now."
Lee jumps up and pulls down the tin with Rosemary's special tea. He pours her a cup of hot water and drops the tea bag in, and squirts some honey on the top. Lee brings it to her, and she protests. "Rosie, if you want your voice back, you have to drink this tea and lots of it." Rosemary frowns, but accepts the cup, reluctantly sipping the bitter-tasting tea. Lee watches as she drinks the whole cup and then mentions, "Let's go check on Patrick." Rosemary agrees and follows Lee up to Patrick's room, where they sit on each side of the bed.
Patrick hesitantly inquires, "Are you okay, Mama?"
Rosemary nods and pats his cheek. Lee answers for her, "Mama is fine. She has laryngitis but will be right as rain in no time."
"What is laryngitis?"
"It means Mama lost her voice. Unfortunately, sometimes people use their voice too much, and it goes away for at least a day or more. But she is okay."
"Will you get your voice back before Friday?" inquires Patrick while Rosemary tries her best to hide her worry from him.
"If she rests her voice and drinks lots of her special tea and water, I believe she will." Patrick yawns big, so Lee suggests, "I think it is time for you to shut your eyes and go to sleep, buddy." Patrick agrees this time, and both Lee and Rosemary kiss him goodnight.
As they are stepping out of his room, Patrick sleepily reveals, "I love you to infinity, Mama. I hope your voice is back soon." Rosemary blows him a kiss, and they turn off the light and shut the door.
The following morning, Rosemary is woken up gently by her adoring husband, who still has a few hives left on his neck. After her morning kiss and belly rub, he hands her a cup of special tea. Rosemary sits up and sips, hoping her voice is back. She opens her mouth to tell Lee how much she loves him and not a peep. Instead, Rosemary frowns and crosses her arms in front of her with a pout. Lee can't help but chuckle at her expression, so she pouts even more exaggeratedly.
Lee apologizes, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. You would understand if you saw your face." He makes a drinking motion, forcing herself to take another couple of sips. Lee hands her the latest copy of The Valley Voice to make her feel better. "Robert must have delivered these this morning." Rosemary's frown turns into a grin for a brief moment when admiring her work. She still gets excited every time she sees her name at the top next to editor-in-chief. Lee pats her leg, mentioning, "I promise, it will all work out." She mouths something, but he puts his finger up to her lips. "I know what you are thinking, and I have no doubt you will have your voice back in time." He massages their growing baby, offering, "No need to worry this little one inside of you." Rosemary lovingly grins, rubbing Lee's chin. Lee leans in, and their lips repeatedly meet until Patrick runs in and jumps on the bed along with Laika.
Patrick shouts, "Is your voice back, Mama?"
Rosemary nods no, and Patrick curls up next to her. She wraps her arm around him and mouths, "I love you more than all the stars in the sky."
Patrick lays his head on Rosemary's tummy, waiting for a kick, which he gets rather quickly. He assures her, saying, "Don't worry, Mama. Your voice will be back."
Rosemary spends the next couple of days resting her voice, drinking lots of tea with honey, and getting everything ready for the play, as well as Elizabeth and Nathan's wedding. She checks the following off her list. The flowers will arrive the night before the wedding. Gustave promises the food for the reception will be at the saloon no later than the day before the wedding. The decorations and the linens are already sitting in Fiona's salon, and the arch made from books is complete and at the livery. Nathan wanted to surprise Elizabeth with a book arch to be married under since books are a big part of her life. The blacksmith, Kevin, helped him weld the frame, and he was able to find books from various libraries. Unfortunately, the books were damaged, and they would be disposed of if Nathan did not take them. In what little time Nathan had, he drilled holes into each book and slowly but surely added each one to the frame until it was complete. The only people, other than Kevin, who knew were Allie and Rosemary, who were both sworn to secrecy.
Rosemary writes in her notebook things to coordinate for the wedding. Joseph, Bill, Carson, and Lee will drive everything out to The Hill the morning of the wedding. She, Clara, Hannah, Faith, and Fiona will decorate once the men drop everything off. Rosemary looks at the time and hobbles up the stairs to get Patrick. She shows him a piece of paper that reads, "Time to go, bud. We need to get to town."
"Are we going to see Papa? He is never around," questions Patrick.
Rosemary writes, "I know. He has been gone a lot, but he is needed. Trust me. He'd much rather spend time with us." Rosemary grabs her things, and they hurry into town and step into the office right when Clara and Hannah walk inside with Molly and Lee's costume and the King and Queen of Heart's collars. Hannah shows off Molly and then Lee's costume, which Rosemary gives a thumbs up. Then, Clara hands her the collars, and Rosemary mouths, "Thank you," as she hugs them both.
Clara mentions, "Let us know if you need anything else. Oh, and don't forget the dress fitting at two." Rosemary smiles and presses her hands together in thank you. After they leave, she gives Patrick something to do, and she starts embroidering the jewels and metals on the collars, hoping they look real.
Rosemary and Patrick walk into the dress shop right on time. Hannah offers to entertain Patrick while Elizabeth and her bridal party have their final dress fitting. Elizabeth, Rosemary, Clara, and Allie tear up when they see each other wearing their dresses, and they fit perfectly. Rosemary circles Elizabeth one more time, clapping in excitement. Elizabeth hugs Clara and then Rosemary, revealing, "Clara, you did an amazing job bringing Rosemary's design to life. I don't think I could have found a better dress." Rosemary presses her hands together again in thanks. "When are the guys having their fitting?" asks Elizabeth.
"Hannah and I are still finishing them up. Their fitting will be over the weekend," answers Clara.
Later that night, long after Lee and Patrick go to bed, Rosemary finally finishes the embroidery. She is pleased with the outcome and cheerfully waddles up the stairs, changes, and crawls into bed and her husband's arms. Rosemary silently prays, "Lord, thank you again for blessing our little family. Thankfully, we have been healthy and have so many incredible things happening for us. All I ask of you is to please heal Lee's hives and let me have my voice back tomorrow. You know what a big day it is and how much it would mean to my family for us all to be healthy and ready to go. Amen."
The morning of the play, Rosemary wakes up and drinks the tea Lee has waiting for her again. She is overjoyed as she opens her mouth and singsongs, "Good morning, my dear husband." Rosemary giggles and hops out of bed as best as she can in her condition. She embraces Lee and survey's his neck, and when she finds it's clear, she exclaims, "They're gone, and I have my voice back!" Rosemary looks above and mouths, "Thank you."
"See, I told you so," mentions Lee.
"You did, sweetie, but…" says Rosemary as she points up. Lee acknowledges, and Rosemary frames his face with her hands. She brings Lee in for a long and lingering kiss and offers to fix his favorite breakfast. Lee chuckles, and they get ready for the day they have been waiting for since they got back from Chicago. When they finish eating, Rosemary begs Lee to go out to The Hill with her to check on the backdrops and curtains, but he tells her to sit and relax. Rosemary pouts, stating, "I have not seen the finished product since Joseph and Carson only hung them this morning, and I need to inspect them." Lee shakes his head no, so she huffs and stays at the kitchen table, going through everything in her mind. Rosemary dramatically sighs every few minutes to bug Lee. After about an hour, he relents, and the three of them go out to The Hill to look everything over. Then, they head back to the church, where the cast is getting ready. Once everyone is in costume and Rosemary sees her vision come to life, her excitement hits a new level. Lee notices the pure joy on her face, and he pulls her aside, questioning, "Are you ready for your playwriting debut, sweetheart?"
"I am," exclaims Rosemary.
He embraces her around the waist, telling her, "I love you. You're amazing."
"Thanks, honey. I love you, too." She glances around but doesn't see her son. "Where's Patrick? I need him."
"What am I, chopped liver?"
Rosemary lightly hits him, revealing, "No, you know I adore you." She pauses, pressing her lips together, adding, "I'm not sure how to explain why I need our little boy."
Suddenly, out of the blue, Patrick runs over to Rosemary, whispering, "I thought you could use a hug, Mama."
Rosemary brings him in for a hug, whispering back, "Thank you. That is just what I needed."
Lee joins them, whispering to Rosemary, "I understand completely."
Florence rushes into the church announcing, "Rosemary, you have an urgent phone call. Do you want to take it in the office?" Rosemary nods and asks Elizabeth to watch Patrick while she and Lee go to their office to answer the phone. She didn't want to be alone if it was bad news, so she got Lee to accompany her. Rosemary hesitantly picks up the phone and is surprised it is her mother and father. Rosemary inquires, "Mother, Father, are you okay? Thank you for sending the puppets to Patrick. He loves them. We'll be sending you a thank you letter soon."
Rosemary's father speaks, "You're welcome, Rosie. We are glad. Your mother and I are okay, but we are disappointed. Our train is stuck in Athabasca because of a rockslide further down the tracks."
"Why are you in Athabasca, and where are you heading?" questions Rosemary.
"That is what we wanted to discuss with you. Your Mother and I wanted to surprise you on your opening day. We were on our way to Hope Valley."
Rosemary studders, "How…how did you know about my play?"
"Your husband sent us a telegram a couple of weeks ago asking if we wanted to surprise you." Rosemary takes Lee's hand, grinning from ear to ear.
"The train station is telling us it will be a couple of days to clear the tracks, so we probably won't arrive in Hope Valley until Monday."
Sadly, Rosemary replies, "Our last performance is on Sunday."
"I'm sorry. We wanted to be there for you." Rosemary looks at Lee, pleading with her eyes.
"Mister LeVeaux, can I pick you two up? I bet if I leave after today's performance and drive all night, we can be back with plenty of time before Saturday's performance."
"Thanks for the offer, son, but the rockslide is blocking the road as well. They are saying no one can get in here from Hope Valley for at least two to three days." Rosemary wipes the one tear falling from her eyes, surprised this mattered to her. She wasn't expecting them, but the thought of them wanting to surprise her meant the world to her.
Rosemary puts on a brave face, revealing, "Father, Mother, thank you for trying to be here on such a special day. It would have been wonderful for you to meet Lee and Patrick and see my debut as a writer/director/actress extraordinaire. And as much as I would love for you to be here, it sounds like, if you can, you should go back home. There is no sense of you two sticking around in a hotel if you can't make the play." She pauses for a moment, adding, "We have a busy couple of months, but maybe you can visit us at the end of the summer."
"Of course. We love you so much and are proud of you," responds Mister LeVeaux.
Missus LeVeaux adds, "Ma chérie. Your father is right. We have never been prouder to see how well you are doing. You are an amazing wife, mother, newspaper editor, and now a playwright." She clears her throat, quickly stating, "We need to go, darling. Love you," as the phone suddenly goes dead.
Lee questions, "Did we get disconnected?"
Rosemary giggles, "No, she has a hard time saying goodbye, especially on the phone. Mother always has some parting words and then quickly hangs up."
"What are you thinking? Do you need a minute?"
Rosemary kisses him passionately and rests her forehead on his for a few moments. Then, she remarks, "What a nice surprise. You inviting them here without me knowing, and them trying to come." They start walking back to the church hand-in-hand.
"Rosie, why didn't they ask about squishy?"
"Oh, probably because I haven't told them about their new grandchild."
"I thought you did."
Rosemary reveals, "I tried so many times, but every time I sat down to write the words, I got too emotional and tore the letter up. I wasn't sure what their reaction would be. Would they be happy for us or concerned? So finally, after a few months, I gave up, reasoning with myself it would be better to tell them on the phone or in person."
Lee laughs, mentioning, "Well, they would certainly have been surprised if they showed up today and saw their very pregnant daughter."
"You're right. My parents would have been," responds Rosemary as she glances down at their miracle. Then, she inquires, "Should we go back and call them?"
"No, I don't think now is the right time to tell them." Rosemary grins as they continue walking towards the church together. Lee chuckles to himself.
"What is so funny?"
"I just imagined meeting them at the train station later this summer with squishy in your arms."
Rosemary giggles, "Now that will be a sight. I can hear my dramatic mother saying something in French and seeing her shocked expression."
"What about your father?" inquires Lee.
Rosemary smiles, "I can see him not being able to speak, but he will immediately want to see the baby and hug me. Then, he will be so happy; he'll probably hug you and Patrick. On the other hand, my mother won't calm down until I send Patrick to jump into her arms. He always has a calming effect."
Lee stops her when they arrive at the church door, suggesting, "I think you need to tell them soon, though. They should know."
"I know you are right. I promise I will," replies Rosemary.
"Did you just say I was right? I don't think I heard you correctly."
"Ha-ha, Lee." Lee and Rosemary quietly laugh.
Before opening the door, Lee turns serious, asking, "This is it. Are you ready?"
Rosemary nods as he holds her hand, and they stroll inside to the front, where she confidently announces, "It is almost showtime, so we need to head out soon. Please remember to have fun out there and enjoy every minute." Patrick runs up to Rosemary, wrapping his arms around her waist as far as his little arms can reach, and doesn't want to let go. She bends down, questioning, "What's wrong?"
"I'm scared, Mama. What if I forget my lines?"
Rosemary pushes Patrick curls behind his ear and guides him over to the piano bench to talk. She has him sit down, and she gets down on her knees to be level with him. "You know your lines backward and forward, right? You can do this in your sleep, right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Then, why are you scared, bud?"
"I want you to be proud of me."
Rosemary signals for Lee to join them. He kneels next to Rosemary in front of Patrick. She reveals, "Patrick, I am, we are, always proud of you no matter what."
"You've seen both Papa and I forget our lines. Mostly Papa, but each person occasionally does. However, we've both learned how to recover, so nobody in the audience would ever notice."
"Can you teach me, Mama?"
"Well, it takes a lot of practice, but for today and this weekend, if you mess up a line, don't stop. Instead, try to think of something your character would say or do and continue to your next line, and the audience will never know."
"Are you sure?"
Lee offers, "She's right, kiddo."
"Okay, I will try," responds Patrick.
Rosemary questions, "Great. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, ma'am." Lee and Rosemary chuckle, and they walk outside to meet everyone else.
Rosemary announces one more thing before getting in their car. "You all look great! I am proud of you all, and I can't wait to play alongside you today and the next two performances."
When the cast arrives at The Hill, they park further down the road closer to the stage. Something Rosemary insists on adding, giving the actors a back way to get to the stage without being seen. They all gather backstage, and Lee peaks out at the audience, who are all sitting on blankets they brought from home. He sees Nathan, Jack, Laura, Hannah, Clara, Jesse, Faith, Carson, Ned, Florence, Bill, the Piraro's, Anna and her family, and upfront are Chester and his family. Lee signals Rosemary over and points to Chester, "I am so glad he came. I'll introduce you and Patrick to him afterward." Rosemary grins and looks out at the audience as well. Lee inquires, "Are you ready for your debut, sweetheart? There is a good turnout."
"I am more than ready!" exclaims Rosemary as Patrick runs up to them. They find Elizabeth and Allie, and Rosemary leans down to Patrick, "Papa and I need to give the introductions and dedication. Can you stay here with Aunt Elizabeth and Allie? We'll be back before you go on stage." Patrick nods in agreement, and Rosemary and Lee walk out onto the stage.
Rosemary begins, "Hello, everybody. Thank you for coming out for the dedication of this amphitheater and the premier of my original play, Back to Wonderland, with performances today, tomorrow, and Sunday."
"As Mayor of Hope Valley, I would like to dedicate The Hill Amphitheater to Chester Williams and his family. Without them, we would not be here today." Lee points to Chester and his family while everyone applauds.
"The Hill stands for Hope, Inspiration, Love, and Laughter, and we hope you experience all of those here today," mentions Rosemary.
Lee continues, "From here on, the citizens of Hope Valley can use The Hill free of charge for whatever they desire. Plays, concerts, graduations, family events, speeches, and even weddings."
Rosemary finishes with, "We hope you will enjoy using this amphitheater now and in the future." She happily rubs her hands together. "Without further ado, please enjoy Back to Wonderland." The crowd applauds as Lee and Rosemary scurry off the stage. They hug Patrick, and he, Allie, and Elizabeth step onto the stage, which is decked out to look like a forest.
Once they are in their positions, sitting on a blanket having a picnic, the music begins, and the curtain opens. Allie starts with the first line:
Alice (Allie)
"Did you see that?"
Andy and Alice's sister (Elizabeth)
"See what?"
Patrick has the next line, but his face goes white. He opens his mouth, and he can't get anything out. Elizabeth and Allie look at each other, not knowing what to do as Patrick tries to fight his tears. Finally, when he can't anymore, he stands up and runs backstage, right into Rosemary's open arms. Elizabeth and Allie soon follow to make sure he is okay, and the curtain quickly closes.
Rosemary kneels to his level, inquiring, "What happened? Are you okay?"
Patrick responds through his tears, "Mama, I froze. I knew my line, but I couldn't say it. I've never performed in front of so many people. I didn't know what to do, so I ran off the stage. I am so sorry. Please don't be disappointed in me."
Rosemary wipes his tears, trying to stop him from sobbing, "Patrick, it is okay. You don't have to apologize, and I could never be disappointed in you for trying your best. You are my son, and I love you to infinity every minute of every day." Rosemary hugs him, whispering into his ear, "I know there are a lot of people out there, but you are my brave boy who can do anything. Papa and I love you so much and are proud to call you our son. I want you to go back out there and pretend there is no audience. Focus on the scene you are currently in and nothing else. It will be just you and your scene partners."
Patrick whispers back, "Do I have to, Mama?"
"Of course, you do. You have the best part in the show, and the audience will love you as much as Papa and I do."
Lee, who has been observing from the side, adds, "Mama's one-hundred percent right."
Rosemary messes with his curls, suggesting, "Now, go back out there and show everyone how talented you really are." Patrick wipes his last tear and wraps his arms around his parents before running back on stage. They take their places and the crowd cheers for Patrick when the curtains open again. The music begins, and Allie starts back at the beginning. Lee and Rosemary peek out, nervously watching their son.
Alice (Allie)
"Did you see that?"
Andy and Alice's sister (Elizabeth)
"See what?"
Lee and Rosemary hold their breaths as Patrick confidently speaks his line.
Andy (Patrick)
"I think I saw a white rabbit. Do you think it's the rabbit from Wonderland?"
Rosemary and Lee sigh in relief, grinning at Patrick and giving him a thumbs-up sign.
Alice
"It can't be, can it?"
Alice and Andy follow what they think is the White Rabbit, but instead of the rabbit going down a hole, he enters a cabin. When Alice and Andy step inside, they transport back to Wonderland.
An hour and twenty-five minutes later
Andy
(scared)
"You can't make us!"
Queen of Hearts (Rosemary)
(demanding)
"I am the Queen. I can make you do anything I want."
King of Hearts (Lee)
(cautiously)
"I wouldn't test her, kids. She tends to get what she wants."
Queen of Hearts
(overdramatically)
"If you don't, then it is off with your heads."
Alice signals Andy and eyes the direction they can escape.
Andy
(yelling)
Now!
Andy and Alice run away as fast as they can when the cabin door mysteriously reappears. They quickly open the door, go inside, and find themselves lying on the blanket, listening to their sister reading a story. The ending music plays, and the rest of the cast comes on stage with Patrick, Allie, and Elizabeth for the curtain call. Patrick runs to Lee and Rosemary, and Lee picks him up and spins him around. They both tell Patrick how much they love him and are proud of him, and then they each grab one of Patrick's hands and walk to the center of the stage. The entire cast joins hands and takes a bow together, and the crowd stands up and cheers. Then, Clara and Hannah step onto the stage and present Rosemary with Lee's bouquet of her favorite flowers.