Satine patted the large curls Marie twisted into her hair and pinched her
cheeks as she had instructed. She instructed her shaky hands to smooth out
the folds of her costume as she had done countless times already.
They had practiced all every day for a week at this. She had it chiseled into the back of her mind, and yet. . . she was so nervous. She took a deep breath and thought of the other night on the stage, when she sang in front of the audience. They were so. . . captivated. It was like they were afraid to breathe.
And then, slowly, she saw the face of a young man. Although it was dark and the face was shadowed, she saw every inch of his body in a smile - she caught a warm sparkle in his gentle blue eyes, his hands extended to her in a loving embrace. . . everything about him was comforting.
"Love," he whispered softly, "lifts us up to where we belong."
"Love?" she asked, trying to make it sound like a disgusting word, but it only made her smile, like him.
"Did you say something?"
Satine whirled around, startled, and saw Harold Zidler. She glanced back into the shadows. . . but the man was gone. But she could still make out in the darkness his soft blue eyes. The way he spoke. . . a spark started off in her mind. She had heard those words before, somewhere. . .
No, it's impossible. He spoke of love, and love was forbidden. Love was pointless, unimportant. . . a useless dream.
But for the life of her, she couldn't help to smile at his words. They were like a blazing fire in the midst of a freezing winter.
"You're on soon, my little chickpea," he whispered. "Do Daddy proud."
Satine nodded and leaned against the wall, listening to 'The Diamond Dog's' number.
"Lovely ladies, waiting for a bite," they sang. "Waiting for the customers who only comes at night. Lovely ladies, waiting for the call. Standing up or lying down or any way at all. Bargain prices up against the wall."
They danced around a little bit, the men cheering. "Lovely ladies, waiting in the dark. Ready for a thick one or a quick one in the park. Long time, short time, any time, my dear. Cost a little extra if you want to take all year! Quick and cheap is underneath the pier!"
The lights shut off and the band ceased entirely. The men all around the room murmered 'What's going on' as a single white light slowly lit the stage, stood Satine, wearing a black corset and matching gloves, with a dark glittery hat pulled over her eyes.
"Because. . ." she whispered, the room becoming entirely quiet except for the sound of wispy breaths. She took her index finger and pushed her hat up, looking into their eyes and winked. "What's love got to do with it?"
In another moment the lights came on again, full force, and the band struck up a few blasting notes, echoing the loud whistles and cheers of the audience.
"The best things in life are free!" She yelled, high kicking. "But you can keep them for the birds and bees. Give me money." She curled her fingers toward her, inviting them. "That's what I want."
"That's what I want, yeah," Nini and the rest of the girls chimed in at the sides of the stage. They touched their faces and lifted up the skirts of their dresses.
Satine lay down on the stage, raising her hands above her head. "Your lovin' gives me a thrill," she sang sweetly, but then a trumpet struck a high note and she sat up. "But your lovin' don't pay my bills. Give me money. That's what I want."
"That's what I want, yeah," the other dancers said. "That's what I want."
"Money don't get everything, its true. But what it don't get I can't use." She threw her hat out into the audience and a group of them fought over who caught it. "Give me money! Lots of money!"
Satine smiled as a large wad of $20's landed on the stage.
"Thats what I waaaaaaaaant, yeah. That's what I want."
"Give me money. . . Lots of money!" She reached her hand down and two men eagerly helped her down from the stage and she wondered through the crowd. "A whole lotta money. . . Just give me some money! That's what I want. . . That's what I want. Give me money. Lots of money. Just give me money. A whole lot of money. That's what I want, yeah."
The band stopped for a second as Satine crawled on top of the small bar and smiled. "That's what I want."
And the lights shut off again, and when they dimmed on, she had disappeared.
Satine heaved in a breath as Marie helped her get out of her costume.
"You were wonderful tonight," the older woman said, smiling. "You reminded me of myself a long time ago, seeing you up there."
Satine laughed. "I was so nervous. . ."
"It didn't show."
Satine grabbed Marie's hand as she began to lace a red dress onto her. "Being on that stage with all those people. . ." she shook her head, laughing, turning to her. "I loved it."
Marie, with sad eyes, nodded. "I know, dear."
Satine smiled as she faced the mirror. "Hi-diddle-dee-dee. . ." she whispered, "an actor's life for me."
Marie frowned as she watched Satine's young, innocent happy face. It was just like hers, so long ago. . . before she learned about what the Rouge was about and fell in love.
Harold burst through the door, his arms spread open. "Cherub!" he yelled cheerfully. "You were SPLENDID! Wasn't she, Marie?"
Marie nodded, forcing a smile. "She's a natural, alright."
A stagehand knocked apprehensively on the open door. "Miss. . . Satine?"
Satine smiled. "Yes?" She froze when she saw what he had in his hands - his arms were full of nearly two dozen white roses.
Her jaw dropped. "They're. . . they're beautiful!" she said, touching her hand to her heart. "Thank you. . . so much."
The man blushed as he set them on the counter and took off his hat and wiped the sweat from the stage lights. "Ah, no ma'am. Someone asked me to give these to ya."
"Well. . . thank you just the same."
He nodded, and with a stern look from Zidler, left.
"Who are they from?" Harold asked.
Satine shrugged her shoulders and reached inside the bouquet and picked up a card. " 'You were even better than they said - You were an angel. Love, Jerome'."
Zidler's brows pinched together. "Jerome? Who's he?"
"LORD Jerome," Satine said, smiling brightly and blushing. "His father's rich. . . he's a viscount."
Zidler's eyes became wide. "Jerome, huh? I haven't seen him for a while now. . . Yes, his family is extremely rich."
"Is he?"
"Why don't. . ." He tapped the tips of his fingers together. "Why don't you ask your friend to come over and play soon, hmm?"
Satine shrugged, turning the card over. "It says he wants to meet tomorrow. . . oh, but I have rehearsal." She sighed. "I'll just tell him I can't-"
"No!" Harold shouted, startling her. "No, I mean. . . you've been working so hard all week. . . have a day off."
She smiled. "Well, thank you. Thank you so much."
Marie stood in the corner, shaking her head, knowing Zidler was up to no good.
-----------------------------------------
Disclaimer: All characters belong to me and my good friend Baz. Kinda got the original idea of an angel(mermaid) becoming human from The Little Mermaid.
A/N: Wow. this took me SUCH a long time. I don't know if it was writers block or I was just so busy. . . I think it was all. Thanks for being patient, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this!
Songs used: 'Lovely Ladies' from Les Miserables, 'Money' by Josie and the Pussycats, 'Hi-diddle-dee-dee' from Pinocchio
They had practiced all every day for a week at this. She had it chiseled into the back of her mind, and yet. . . she was so nervous. She took a deep breath and thought of the other night on the stage, when she sang in front of the audience. They were so. . . captivated. It was like they were afraid to breathe.
And then, slowly, she saw the face of a young man. Although it was dark and the face was shadowed, she saw every inch of his body in a smile - she caught a warm sparkle in his gentle blue eyes, his hands extended to her in a loving embrace. . . everything about him was comforting.
"Love," he whispered softly, "lifts us up to where we belong."
"Love?" she asked, trying to make it sound like a disgusting word, but it only made her smile, like him.
"Did you say something?"
Satine whirled around, startled, and saw Harold Zidler. She glanced back into the shadows. . . but the man was gone. But she could still make out in the darkness his soft blue eyes. The way he spoke. . . a spark started off in her mind. She had heard those words before, somewhere. . .
No, it's impossible. He spoke of love, and love was forbidden. Love was pointless, unimportant. . . a useless dream.
But for the life of her, she couldn't help to smile at his words. They were like a blazing fire in the midst of a freezing winter.
"You're on soon, my little chickpea," he whispered. "Do Daddy proud."
Satine nodded and leaned against the wall, listening to 'The Diamond Dog's' number.
"Lovely ladies, waiting for a bite," they sang. "Waiting for the customers who only comes at night. Lovely ladies, waiting for the call. Standing up or lying down or any way at all. Bargain prices up against the wall."
They danced around a little bit, the men cheering. "Lovely ladies, waiting in the dark. Ready for a thick one or a quick one in the park. Long time, short time, any time, my dear. Cost a little extra if you want to take all year! Quick and cheap is underneath the pier!"
The lights shut off and the band ceased entirely. The men all around the room murmered 'What's going on' as a single white light slowly lit the stage, stood Satine, wearing a black corset and matching gloves, with a dark glittery hat pulled over her eyes.
"Because. . ." she whispered, the room becoming entirely quiet except for the sound of wispy breaths. She took her index finger and pushed her hat up, looking into their eyes and winked. "What's love got to do with it?"
In another moment the lights came on again, full force, and the band struck up a few blasting notes, echoing the loud whistles and cheers of the audience.
"The best things in life are free!" She yelled, high kicking. "But you can keep them for the birds and bees. Give me money." She curled her fingers toward her, inviting them. "That's what I want."
"That's what I want, yeah," Nini and the rest of the girls chimed in at the sides of the stage. They touched their faces and lifted up the skirts of their dresses.
Satine lay down on the stage, raising her hands above her head. "Your lovin' gives me a thrill," she sang sweetly, but then a trumpet struck a high note and she sat up. "But your lovin' don't pay my bills. Give me money. That's what I want."
"That's what I want, yeah," the other dancers said. "That's what I want."
"Money don't get everything, its true. But what it don't get I can't use." She threw her hat out into the audience and a group of them fought over who caught it. "Give me money! Lots of money!"
Satine smiled as a large wad of $20's landed on the stage.
"Thats what I waaaaaaaaant, yeah. That's what I want."
"Give me money. . . Lots of money!" She reached her hand down and two men eagerly helped her down from the stage and she wondered through the crowd. "A whole lotta money. . . Just give me some money! That's what I want. . . That's what I want. Give me money. Lots of money. Just give me money. A whole lot of money. That's what I want, yeah."
The band stopped for a second as Satine crawled on top of the small bar and smiled. "That's what I want."
And the lights shut off again, and when they dimmed on, she had disappeared.
Satine heaved in a breath as Marie helped her get out of her costume.
"You were wonderful tonight," the older woman said, smiling. "You reminded me of myself a long time ago, seeing you up there."
Satine laughed. "I was so nervous. . ."
"It didn't show."
Satine grabbed Marie's hand as she began to lace a red dress onto her. "Being on that stage with all those people. . ." she shook her head, laughing, turning to her. "I loved it."
Marie, with sad eyes, nodded. "I know, dear."
Satine smiled as she faced the mirror. "Hi-diddle-dee-dee. . ." she whispered, "an actor's life for me."
Marie frowned as she watched Satine's young, innocent happy face. It was just like hers, so long ago. . . before she learned about what the Rouge was about and fell in love.
Harold burst through the door, his arms spread open. "Cherub!" he yelled cheerfully. "You were SPLENDID! Wasn't she, Marie?"
Marie nodded, forcing a smile. "She's a natural, alright."
A stagehand knocked apprehensively on the open door. "Miss. . . Satine?"
Satine smiled. "Yes?" She froze when she saw what he had in his hands - his arms were full of nearly two dozen white roses.
Her jaw dropped. "They're. . . they're beautiful!" she said, touching her hand to her heart. "Thank you. . . so much."
The man blushed as he set them on the counter and took off his hat and wiped the sweat from the stage lights. "Ah, no ma'am. Someone asked me to give these to ya."
"Well. . . thank you just the same."
He nodded, and with a stern look from Zidler, left.
"Who are they from?" Harold asked.
Satine shrugged her shoulders and reached inside the bouquet and picked up a card. " 'You were even better than they said - You were an angel. Love, Jerome'."
Zidler's brows pinched together. "Jerome? Who's he?"
"LORD Jerome," Satine said, smiling brightly and blushing. "His father's rich. . . he's a viscount."
Zidler's eyes became wide. "Jerome, huh? I haven't seen him for a while now. . . Yes, his family is extremely rich."
"Is he?"
"Why don't. . ." He tapped the tips of his fingers together. "Why don't you ask your friend to come over and play soon, hmm?"
Satine shrugged, turning the card over. "It says he wants to meet tomorrow. . . oh, but I have rehearsal." She sighed. "I'll just tell him I can't-"
"No!" Harold shouted, startling her. "No, I mean. . . you've been working so hard all week. . . have a day off."
She smiled. "Well, thank you. Thank you so much."
Marie stood in the corner, shaking her head, knowing Zidler was up to no good.
-----------------------------------------
Disclaimer: All characters belong to me and my good friend Baz. Kinda got the original idea of an angel(mermaid) becoming human from The Little Mermaid.
A/N: Wow. this took me SUCH a long time. I don't know if it was writers block or I was just so busy. . . I think it was all. Thanks for being patient, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this!
Songs used: 'Lovely Ladies' from Les Miserables, 'Money' by Josie and the Pussycats, 'Hi-diddle-dee-dee' from Pinocchio