The seats were filled. Chatter bounced off the walls. It was the opening night. Madam Giry was calm while the rest of the crew scattered about finishing little touches here and there to themselves or they're costumes. Collette sat in the wings watching the ladies of high society finger their wools, fur, and silks, the men with fashion suits. Every seat was filled even box number 5. Collette took a deep breath she wouldn't be dancing tonight. No one was in need of her but she still had her costume on and warmed up as much as possible. The play's production of Romeo and Juliet was to be a success. Juliet was the Countess Cherie' and Romeo was Jerald and Collette found him far from handsome. He was too proud of his voice and pranced around thinking he could charm anyone. What a creep thought Collette. Cherie was what Collette would have figured Carlotta to look like. Too much makeup, too much vibrato that the chandelier even shook at the sound of her voice, and a snotty attitude. The candles were dimmed slightly and the orchestra started their music. Collette moved out of the way as, the dancers entered the stage opening the opera.
Everything was going on schedule. Act three was here and Cherie' was singing to her one and only love, Jerald. Collette wondered if there really wasn't something between them. Madam Giry tapped her on the shoulder and motioned her to follow. Collette wondered what was the problem with watching the opera from the west wing.
"Mademoiselle Collette, Cherie' would like you to be her little maid for this evening. It seems as though her maid ran off with a carpenter." Madam Giry said seriously. Collette nodded and entered the singer's room. Madam Giry gave her a sympathetic smile and closed the door behind her departing figure.
The room was fancy decorated with lace, jewels, flowers, and a strong smelling perfume. Collette could only imagine what the previous woman had to put up with. Collette felt the room give a small vibration and knew Cherie' was hitting a high note. Collette could faintly hear the orchestra play and danced about doing whatever moved popped in her head. What was it about the music?
The door flew open and Cherie' fluttered her way in. Collette didn't know what to do. Cherie' looked at her as though she should be doing something.
"Ma robe mon petit bambin." Cherie said. Collette froze at the description Cherie gave Collette of herself. She reached for the robe and gave it to Cherie. Cherie' looked disgusted. Cherie' did not accept the robe but motioned for Collette to adorn her. Collette rolled her eyes and draped the robe over Cherie's shoulders. Cherie' raised her head and trotted over to her vanity. Collette shook her head and accepted the flowers some of the helping hands brought in. More roses would be expected after the show, many from admirers, and wanna be suitors.
Cherie' powdered her face, Collette didn't know how much more her face would even hold the paint let alone powder. Cherie' pulled her costume down a little lower (if that was possible) and stood to exit the room.
"Charlotte was more suited to my needs than you are. I shall inform Madam Giry what an incompetent little wench you are." Cherie said. Collette gave a lopsided grin and went to fixing the mess Cherie left behind.
"You would have thought someone so popular would think about an important thing as manners." Mutter Collette she couldn't be sure if she was the one that snickered or if it was some unseen person in the room. Thinking nothing of it she went back to the task of tiding up the room. Her eyes came across a simple yet elegant locket. Never having seen anything so pretty, Collette delicately picked it up. It slightly glistened in the light, a design that reminded Collette of the antique door locks. The chain was not long, Collette imagined if she tried it on it would be about three inches down from her collarbone. She could not imagine Cherie' ever wearing something too plain, especially when the diamonds and rubies filled the other drawers. Collette could hear the crowed cheering, she quickly dropped the locket among the rest of the forgotten jewels and hurried to the door. Although she was disgusted with Cherie' it made no sense in getting her kicked out onto the streets especially when she didn't know how to get back home yet.
Cherie' entered the room her figure waiting for the robe. Collette draped it over her like before and Cherie disappeared behind the dressing screen. The next act costume of course would be the balcony scene. Cherie reappeared. For a nightgown, Collette thought she could wear it out on the town and no one would notice. Cherie' pranced about the room doing this and that telling Collette to put her hair one-way than complaining for another. Collette wondered if the maid was really in love with the man she ran away with or was in love with the idea of getting away from Cherie'.
"Collette get me my choker." Cherie' ordered. For the first minute Collette could only think of the choker that would ring her neck. She picked up the pearl choker and slipped it over Cherie's neck. Collette felt a little evil and tightened it a little more than necessary, if the choker was a little tighter than necessary Cherie would have a little harder hitting the high notes. Cherie haughtily rose and headed towards the door.
"Don't let anyone in." She warned. Collette snorted. Like she would. When Collette could hear Cherie and her love of her life singing Collette slipped out the door and headed towards the west wing. She had draped the robe over her left arm. It was neat to see the bustle of getting everyone ready for the scenes then seeing them act all calm when they entered the stage. Some of the actors and actresses, chorus group, and dancers would practice backstage.
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest,
Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest;
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see;
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Romeo sang to Juliet. Cherie fluttered her eyelashes too much and it made her look like she was drunk or overtired. Collette muttered her thoughts down and enjoyed the acting. The choir echoed the halls of the opera house and many times Collette wondered why microphones were ever invented.
The show was a success, Collette could see that in a glance. The crowed cheered, they 'bravo', they were enthusiastic. It would seem that the opera house was once again a success. Madam Giry looked especially proud of her ballet. Cherie threw kisses to the crowed and fanned herself. Collette rolled her eyes. Madam Giry saw her and gave a slight frown to Collette. She blushed. Cherie made her way to Collette. Collette then remembered Cherie's warning about letting men in. A dancer approached Cherie and it gave Collette the chance to run back to the dressing room. It was on her way back that she took a stumble and fell. She gave a curse and moaned at the ankle that crumbled. She quickly forgot about the pain when she heard Cherie's complaints coming quickly towards her. Outside Cherie's door a crowed of men were already there. Collette pushed her way into the door and did a quick sweep of the room to look for any sneakers. Cherie made her grand entrance with the door flying open. Collette restrained herself from rolling her eyes again as she flirted with each of her admirers. Collette closed the door for Cherie' a bit to soon than Cherie' would have liked but Collette feared she would get sick with one more blowing kiss.
Cherie' worked Collette to no end. Having Collette draw her a bath, scrubbing Cherie' down and having to find 'appropriate' clothing for Cherie' to change into, and having the room spic and span Collette was ready to resign and run away by the end of the night. Cherie' had waltzed her way out of the opera house populaire and into the streets of Paris. Collette had no energy to do anything but collapse. It was a graceful one either, a slightly painful one too. A little to hard landing on the bum but the bending of the knees was a welcome relief. Collette gave a grateful sigh. Cherie' would have someone else to pick on tomorrow. The song from Cinderella crept into Collette's throat and poured out of her mouth and into the air.
"In my own little corner, in my own little chair I can be whatever I want to be." She sang. She managed to stay on key but she could feel her voice sounding a little cold. She would really have to work on that. Too tired to manage anything else Collette made her way back to the room. Being too tired and too out of it, Collette missed the turn and continued down the hall. Opening a door, she entered. It was nothing like the dormitories. It was a chapel. Collette gave a small gasp of surprise. It was where Christine would talk to her angel of music. Would her real father send her an angel of music?
A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. Suggestions welcomed.