Part VII
When Dreaming Ends
"Satine! Satine!" Marie held her skirts above her knees as she raced into Satine's room. Satine was lying on her bed with a piece of sheet music, and she glanced up in surprise as Marie burst through the door.
"What is it, Marie, what is it?" Satine giggled, holding her friend tightly by the shoulders. "Get your breath, and then tell me!"
"Harold said that you're ready for your own show!" Marie gasped, clutching her side, "He told me just a minute ago!"
Satine screamed, throwing her arms around a happy but exhausted Marie. They hugged each other as they jumped up and down.
"Oh Marie," Satine gulped, pausing. "Oh Marie, it's really happening, isn't it? What I've waited for for so long!"
"And no one deserves it more than you, love!" Marie said, blinking back tears. She filled Satine in on the rest of the details - Satine was to come up with a song and dance routine, rehearse it with the other performers, and perform it in one week.
"One week?" Satine gasped, "One week? Marie there's not much time!" She shoved a curl behind her ear as she scrambled for a scrap of paper and a fountain pen. "I'll need music - and a costume! Marie, what will I do for a costume? This has got to be great, Marie, so Harold knows he's not making a mistake!"
"Don't worry about the costume, duck," Marie winked at the already-frazzled Satine, "I'll manage to come up with something suitable, don't you fret."
"Oh, thank you, Marie!" Satine embraced her tightly again. "I don't know what I would do without you."
"Well, I don't know what the Moulin Rouge would have done without you," Marie countered, "Business was slowing down, the girls were getting weary, and then you came along like a breath of fresh air! You've revitalized the Moulin Rouge, Satine, you really have."
Satine brushed away a tear and grinned at Marie. "I've got to get to work, Marie. You'll let me know if I can help you with the costume?"
Marie nodded as she left the room. As soon as the door was closed, Satine threw herself onto her bed, a smile a mile wide plastered on her beautiful face. She took another glance at the sheet music and cleared her throat.
"Today's a day," she sang, "When dreaming ends."
"It's happening..." she murmured, tossing the sheet music in the air wrapping her arms around her pillow, "Oh God!" She began to giggle, and the giggle turned into a full-out laugh as she rolled around on her sheets like a little girl. Finally, her dreams were ending and reality, wonderful reality, was beginning.
***
"Francois, here's your part. I'll need you to learn it in three days." Satine handed the trumpet player a book of music and smiled sweetly at him. Sure enough, Francois blushed and nodded dutifully, grinning up at Satine.
Satine finished passing out music to the orchestra and clapped her hands. "I've learned my part, and now I need you all to learn yours. I promise, if this goes well, it will be worth everyone's while!" The men of the orchestra laughed and elbowed one and other as Satine turned away. She smiled to herself, content to let them interpret her words as they wished.
"Diamond dogs ready?" Satine cried, clapping her hands again. Clustered together on the dance floor, they all nodded, more or less eager to get started. "Places!" Satine shouted, squeezing in the middle of a circle of girls.
The music began, the orchestra more or less together on the first note, and things began to roll. The diamond dogs had learned their parts well, thrilled to help out a fellow girl. There was a kinship between them that survived the necessary competition in their line of work, and most of them felt that when push came to shove, there wasn't anything they wouldn't do to help out a friend.
At the first crescendo, the circle of girls around Satine collapsed on the floor, revealing -
"A kiss on the hand may be quite continental!" Satine sang out, posing seductively in the circle of skirts.
"Diamond's are a girl's best friend!" the diamond dogs sang together, swishing their skirts and winking at the nonexistent audience.
"A kiss may be grand, but it won't pay the rental..." Satine twirled around, leaping over the girls around her to land in the front. She led the diamond dogs in song and dance, and when it was over they were all panting and sweating.
"That was great, girls!" Satine exclaimed, throwing her arms around Mome Fromage. "I'd like to rehearse it one more time though - Nini, I noticed that you weren't always with the rest of us."
All eyes turned to Nini, who stood with one hip jutted out, her arms crossed lazily over her chest.
"So?" Nini asked, tossing her head.
"So..." Satine walked over to her, her heels clicking in the otherwise silent room, "It's important that we all stay together. This is just a rehearsal, but we have to perform this in three days."
"I don't have to perform anything," Nini snapped, her eyes shooting daggers at Satine, who stood a few inches away from her.
"And I," Satine lowered her voice, stepping closer to Nini and staring directly into her narrowed eyes, "Don't have to keep it a secret that you've been Monsieur Savoy's steady mistress and just happened to forget to mention that fact to Harold." She raised a pencil-thin eyebrow. "You've been keeping all the money you've been making for yourself, and I do believe that's against the rules."
For an instant, Satine thought she saw fear flash across Nini's face, but if she did it was quickly replaced by a smirk.
"I thought you would've learned by now, sweetheart," Nini drawled, slowly stepping away from Satine, "I don't play by the rules." With that, she turned and marched away from the girls, never looking back. Arabia glanced at Mome Fromage and shrugged. They were long used to Nini's tantrums and outbursts.
"One more time, girls?" Satine asked, turning back to them.
***
It was the night before the performance, and although one would expect to find Satine sound asleep in her room, catching up on some much-needed sleep, she was not there.
"Quickly, Marie, I can't wait!" Satine giggled, her hands over her eyes. Unable to sleep, she had crept to Marie's room to see her finished costume. As the candles on the bedside tables flickered, Marie opened a chest at the foot of her bed and pulled out the costume. She laid it on the bed, and turned to Satine.
"You can look now."
Satine opened her eyes. "Oh, Marie..." she whispered, fingering the skirt, "It's perfect."
And it was perfect. Marie had been slaving away on the costume for hours, and all of her hard work had paid off. The costume was the same color as her can-can dress, emerald green, and vaguely resembled her red ensemble.
The costume consisted of a green lace corset from which an almost-sheer skirt fell. The skirt had multiple layers, each of which was a shade lighter green. A slit went up almost the entire length of the front of the skirt, stopping at mid-thigh. Satine couldn't identify the material Marie had used for the outer layer of the skirt, but it was sheer and shimmery, transforming the costume from a beautiful creation to something almost magical.
"You like it?" Marie asked anxiously, wringing her hands. "I considered using a different color, but then I thought why tamper with perfection?" She glanced at Satine, who was still staring at the costume. Satine finally tore her eyes away from the bed and stared seriously at Marie.
"Marie, I cannot thank you enough," she said solemnly, "I don't know how I can repay you for all of the help you've given me."
"Oh love, just seeing you up there is all the thanks I need," Marie whispered, her voice trembling. She hugged Satine tightly, blinking back proud tears. "You just get up there and do me proud; I know you will."
***
"Just wait until you see it, Babydoll," Satine whispered. She and a few of the diamond dogs were walking through the back halls of the Moulin Rouge, discussing the upcoming performance. "It's so beautiful. Marie couldn't have done a better job."
"That great, Satine," Babydoll said sincerely, patting Satine's arm, "I can't wait to see it."
"I can't wait to see the rakes' reaction!" Tattoo exclaimed. The three girls burst into giggles as they strolled past Nini's room.
Nini stuck her head into the hallway, hearing the laughter. She scowled when she saw the girls talking together.
"I made Marie keep it in the dressing room until the performance," she heard Satine say, "I don't want anything to happen to it."
As the girls rounded the corner, Nini raised an eyebrow. Glancing at the snoring ass - er, client - in her bed, she slipped out of the room and down the hall towards the dressing room. She had a bounce in her step that had been missing for so long, she smiled as she passed Petite Princesse, and she even sang a little song under her breath.
"Today's the day," Nini breathed, "When Satine's dreams end." With a cackle, she slipped into the dressing room.
When Dreaming Ends
"Satine! Satine!" Marie held her skirts above her knees as she raced into Satine's room. Satine was lying on her bed with a piece of sheet music, and she glanced up in surprise as Marie burst through the door.
"What is it, Marie, what is it?" Satine giggled, holding her friend tightly by the shoulders. "Get your breath, and then tell me!"
"Harold said that you're ready for your own show!" Marie gasped, clutching her side, "He told me just a minute ago!"
Satine screamed, throwing her arms around a happy but exhausted Marie. They hugged each other as they jumped up and down.
"Oh Marie," Satine gulped, pausing. "Oh Marie, it's really happening, isn't it? What I've waited for for so long!"
"And no one deserves it more than you, love!" Marie said, blinking back tears. She filled Satine in on the rest of the details - Satine was to come up with a song and dance routine, rehearse it with the other performers, and perform it in one week.
"One week?" Satine gasped, "One week? Marie there's not much time!" She shoved a curl behind her ear as she scrambled for a scrap of paper and a fountain pen. "I'll need music - and a costume! Marie, what will I do for a costume? This has got to be great, Marie, so Harold knows he's not making a mistake!"
"Don't worry about the costume, duck," Marie winked at the already-frazzled Satine, "I'll manage to come up with something suitable, don't you fret."
"Oh, thank you, Marie!" Satine embraced her tightly again. "I don't know what I would do without you."
"Well, I don't know what the Moulin Rouge would have done without you," Marie countered, "Business was slowing down, the girls were getting weary, and then you came along like a breath of fresh air! You've revitalized the Moulin Rouge, Satine, you really have."
Satine brushed away a tear and grinned at Marie. "I've got to get to work, Marie. You'll let me know if I can help you with the costume?"
Marie nodded as she left the room. As soon as the door was closed, Satine threw herself onto her bed, a smile a mile wide plastered on her beautiful face. She took another glance at the sheet music and cleared her throat.
"Today's a day," she sang, "When dreaming ends."
"It's happening..." she murmured, tossing the sheet music in the air wrapping her arms around her pillow, "Oh God!" She began to giggle, and the giggle turned into a full-out laugh as she rolled around on her sheets like a little girl. Finally, her dreams were ending and reality, wonderful reality, was beginning.
***
"Francois, here's your part. I'll need you to learn it in three days." Satine handed the trumpet player a book of music and smiled sweetly at him. Sure enough, Francois blushed and nodded dutifully, grinning up at Satine.
Satine finished passing out music to the orchestra and clapped her hands. "I've learned my part, and now I need you all to learn yours. I promise, if this goes well, it will be worth everyone's while!" The men of the orchestra laughed and elbowed one and other as Satine turned away. She smiled to herself, content to let them interpret her words as they wished.
"Diamond dogs ready?" Satine cried, clapping her hands again. Clustered together on the dance floor, they all nodded, more or less eager to get started. "Places!" Satine shouted, squeezing in the middle of a circle of girls.
The music began, the orchestra more or less together on the first note, and things began to roll. The diamond dogs had learned their parts well, thrilled to help out a fellow girl. There was a kinship between them that survived the necessary competition in their line of work, and most of them felt that when push came to shove, there wasn't anything they wouldn't do to help out a friend.
At the first crescendo, the circle of girls around Satine collapsed on the floor, revealing -
"A kiss on the hand may be quite continental!" Satine sang out, posing seductively in the circle of skirts.
"Diamond's are a girl's best friend!" the diamond dogs sang together, swishing their skirts and winking at the nonexistent audience.
"A kiss may be grand, but it won't pay the rental..." Satine twirled around, leaping over the girls around her to land in the front. She led the diamond dogs in song and dance, and when it was over they were all panting and sweating.
"That was great, girls!" Satine exclaimed, throwing her arms around Mome Fromage. "I'd like to rehearse it one more time though - Nini, I noticed that you weren't always with the rest of us."
All eyes turned to Nini, who stood with one hip jutted out, her arms crossed lazily over her chest.
"So?" Nini asked, tossing her head.
"So..." Satine walked over to her, her heels clicking in the otherwise silent room, "It's important that we all stay together. This is just a rehearsal, but we have to perform this in three days."
"I don't have to perform anything," Nini snapped, her eyes shooting daggers at Satine, who stood a few inches away from her.
"And I," Satine lowered her voice, stepping closer to Nini and staring directly into her narrowed eyes, "Don't have to keep it a secret that you've been Monsieur Savoy's steady mistress and just happened to forget to mention that fact to Harold." She raised a pencil-thin eyebrow. "You've been keeping all the money you've been making for yourself, and I do believe that's against the rules."
For an instant, Satine thought she saw fear flash across Nini's face, but if she did it was quickly replaced by a smirk.
"I thought you would've learned by now, sweetheart," Nini drawled, slowly stepping away from Satine, "I don't play by the rules." With that, she turned and marched away from the girls, never looking back. Arabia glanced at Mome Fromage and shrugged. They were long used to Nini's tantrums and outbursts.
"One more time, girls?" Satine asked, turning back to them.
***
It was the night before the performance, and although one would expect to find Satine sound asleep in her room, catching up on some much-needed sleep, she was not there.
"Quickly, Marie, I can't wait!" Satine giggled, her hands over her eyes. Unable to sleep, she had crept to Marie's room to see her finished costume. As the candles on the bedside tables flickered, Marie opened a chest at the foot of her bed and pulled out the costume. She laid it on the bed, and turned to Satine.
"You can look now."
Satine opened her eyes. "Oh, Marie..." she whispered, fingering the skirt, "It's perfect."
And it was perfect. Marie had been slaving away on the costume for hours, and all of her hard work had paid off. The costume was the same color as her can-can dress, emerald green, and vaguely resembled her red ensemble.
The costume consisted of a green lace corset from which an almost-sheer skirt fell. The skirt had multiple layers, each of which was a shade lighter green. A slit went up almost the entire length of the front of the skirt, stopping at mid-thigh. Satine couldn't identify the material Marie had used for the outer layer of the skirt, but it was sheer and shimmery, transforming the costume from a beautiful creation to something almost magical.
"You like it?" Marie asked anxiously, wringing her hands. "I considered using a different color, but then I thought why tamper with perfection?" She glanced at Satine, who was still staring at the costume. Satine finally tore her eyes away from the bed and stared seriously at Marie.
"Marie, I cannot thank you enough," she said solemnly, "I don't know how I can repay you for all of the help you've given me."
"Oh love, just seeing you up there is all the thanks I need," Marie whispered, her voice trembling. She hugged Satine tightly, blinking back proud tears. "You just get up there and do me proud; I know you will."
***
"Just wait until you see it, Babydoll," Satine whispered. She and a few of the diamond dogs were walking through the back halls of the Moulin Rouge, discussing the upcoming performance. "It's so beautiful. Marie couldn't have done a better job."
"That great, Satine," Babydoll said sincerely, patting Satine's arm, "I can't wait to see it."
"I can't wait to see the rakes' reaction!" Tattoo exclaimed. The three girls burst into giggles as they strolled past Nini's room.
Nini stuck her head into the hallway, hearing the laughter. She scowled when she saw the girls talking together.
"I made Marie keep it in the dressing room until the performance," she heard Satine say, "I don't want anything to happen to it."
As the girls rounded the corner, Nini raised an eyebrow. Glancing at the snoring ass - er, client - in her bed, she slipped out of the room and down the hall towards the dressing room. She had a bounce in her step that had been missing for so long, she smiled as she passed Petite Princesse, and she even sang a little song under her breath.
"Today's the day," Nini breathed, "When Satine's dreams end." With a cackle, she slipped into the dressing room.