A/N: Here is a nice long chapter for you guys!
:D
November 3rd, 2004
Angel Grove, CA
Naturally, I just had to wake up late on the one day I had so much to do. When I realized that my alarm hadn't gone off like it was supposed to, I looked at the clock and saw I only had about ten minutes before Trini would be getting there for my appointment. I jumped out of bed and ran into the shower. And I haven't stopped running yet.
After my shower, it was a mad dash to get dressed and then everything together. Marci had been nice enough to make me a smoothie that I found in the fridge. I didn't have enough to eat it though, only getting a few sips in between brushing my hair. I shoved my stuff into my purse I would need for my appointment and some snacks throughout the day while I would be at the theater. A nearby pizzeria was donating food for the whole company before the show opened but I still wanted to have something. The doctor told me I needed to eat a lot more calories that I usually do to make sure that the baby was getting enough nutrients. I felt like a fat ass half the time but I was enjoying all the extra mexican food that Rocky's mother was making for me that Aisha would bring over. Her and Rocky announced a couple days ago that they were having a boy. They had us over for dinner where they popped a balloon with blue colored confetti in it. It warmed my heart to see Rocky jump up and cry when he saw the blue. I was so happy for him and was relieved to see that Aisha was just excited. Her due date was coming up, towards the beginning of January. I couldn't wait to see how they do as parents so I could see how well I was going to handle it.
Trini got there on time and helped me load up everything I needed to bring to the theater after my appointment. She was going to drop me off and head back to work, coming back later to help before opening night. It was making me sick to think of how much I had to do but I knew that I had to get through this appointment first. We drove on the highway, heading to the medical complex. Trini had been nice enough to grab me breakfast, knowing full well I probably had made any myself. My friends knew me too much sometimes. I ate it as she drove, both of us discussing what we thought the baby was going to be.
At my appointment, Trini came into the ultrasound room with me. I changed while we waited for the tech to come in, the nurse letting me know that all my blood work had come back normal. I was relieved to hear that and to know that the baby was still doing fine. I worried about Nick's attacks still, not knowing if it will ever cause any issues. So far, we had been okay and nothing had come up. I tried to push it into the back of my mind but everything there was a little pain or something that didn't make me feel right, the fear came right back.
"Hi, Kimberly!" The cheerful tech I had had before came in. I remembered that her name was Holly and she had her hair down today. She wore bright blue scrubs and a lanyard with sunflowers on it around her neck. "How are we feeling today?"
"Hello. I can't complain I guess." I replied as she shut the door behind her. She smiled at Trini as well and she walked over to the machine and the table I laid on.
"Shall we see if we can get the little one to cooperate today?" Holly asked. I nodded. She grabbed the gel and warmed it in her pocket like last time as she powered the machine on. It made a noise like an engine powering on, beeping coming from it. The screen lit up with the logo as I adjusted myself on the table. The little paper covering on it was folding, pinching my bare ass cheek under the pathetic excuse they call a gown. "What are we hoping for?" She asked, squirting the gel on my stomach after a few minutes.
"Doesn't matter to me as long as they are healthy." I replied. She nodded, spreading the gel with the wand. It was warm and felt like someone was smearing slime on me. For a second, I thought of Ivan Ooze and his henchmen. I shook the thought away, focusing on the task at hand.
"That's the best attitude to have about it. I mean, either way is a 50/50 shot. Some techs like to take bets when we see what appointments we have on the board for the day. Everyone thinks you're gonna be a boy. I feel like we're gonna prove them wrong though. Let's see!" She turned the monitor towards us so that we could see. As she moved the wand, I saw the familiar image of my uterus. This time, the small blob that had been the baby was bigger and resembled the shape of a baby more. I could see the outline of a head with a nose and some cheeks. I could even make out what I assumed were fingers in front of the face.
"Wow." I said, craning my neck to see. "They've gotten big."
"They do tend to grow." Holly said, getting a giggle from Trini in the corner. "How about we try to make them move a little to get a better peak." She slid the wand over the width of my stomach, poking the baby. On the screen, I saw them move and for the first time, I felt the movement as well. It felt like a little flutter inside of me.
"I've never felt them move before." I said. I had felt something similar to this but I had assumed it was gas or something else going on. Now that I had seen it, I realized it had been them moving around.
"They aren't liking me right now." She replied, stopping the wand. On the screen, I could see what appeared to be legs. "So this it the right leg and this is the left." She said, pointing to the screen. She typed something into the keyboard as she took pictures. "And this is proof that your little one," She said, circling a part of the screen. "Is a little girl."
"It's a girl?" I asked. She nodded, smiling at me. From the corner of the room, Trini jumped out of her chair and squealed.
"I knew it! Oh this is exciting!" Trini exclaimed, jumping up and down. She stopped when she saw the two of us looking at her, embarrassed. "Sorry. I really wanted it to be a girl." She said, a red tint to her cheek as she slid back into the chair.
"No worries. We always have someone who is excited. Let me get a few more pictures and then I'll print some out for you." Holly said. I watched on the screen as she took measurements of every part of the baby she could see. They - or she actually - would squirm each time she passed over with the wand. I saw little fingers flex as she paused over my belly button. The baby gave a kick, causing Holly to laugh. I felt it, the little jolt almost tickling. "Wow. She's a little feisty thing already."
"Takes after her momma." Trini said. I smiled at her, looking back at the screen. Holly pulled the wand away and wiped it clean, giving me a towel. As I cleaned my stomach off, I heard her typing while the computer printed. When they were done, she handed the strip over to me. I saw that the picture with the baby's hand was there, her full portrait. I wanted to spend all day staring at it, taking every little pixel of the image in.
"Everything looked great today. She's measuring well and she is moving like a champ which we love. The doctor wants you back in three weeks for a follow up. It's gonna fly by now!" Holly smiled, standing up. "In no time at all, you'll be holding your little girl."
"I can't even believe it." I whispered.
I didn't have much time to sit and let the reality sink in. I was back in Trini's car and we were heading to the theater in no time. When she pulled up, I waved down some help from the guys in the parking lot. They carried everything in for me while I climbed out. Turning, I leaned into the car. "Hey. Can you keep this a secret until we are all together later after the show? I want to surprise everyone." I said. Trini nodded.
"It'll be hard but I will. I can't wait. We're gonna have one of each!" She smiled, excitement on her face. "Now I can go shopping for little outfits! I saw the cutest one at the little boutique on Main Street. I think I'll head over tomorrow after work." She said, Trini talking a mile a minute. I've never seen her so excited before. It made me smile and appreciate her all the much more.
"We still have time, Trini. But trust me. Shopping will have to happen. I have to get inside. Thank you for coming today. I'll see you tonight."
"Yes! If I don't see you before the show, break a leg!" I waved, standing up and shutting the door. She pulled out of the driveway and took a right towards town. I headed inside, already making a list of things that would need to be done first. The whole cast would be arriving in about an hour so I had to wait for a dry run through. I settled on checking out the programs and the lobby, making sure everything was ready.
The theater was bustling with activity as I made my way into the building. I could hear music coming from the auditorium, telling me that our little orchestra was rehearsing. I spotted Rosey helping a team of girls staple programs in the large conference room on the first floor. Walking in, I set my purse down on the table. Rosey looked up, smiling at me.
"Hey! There's our fearless leader." She said, tossing a program on top of the stack next to her on the table.
"Hi. Why are you stapling the programs? The printer was supposed to do that." I questioned.
"They delivered them unstapled and when I called, they said that they didn't have any time today to fix it for us. So, I grabbed every stapler I could find upstairs. We're almost done though. I know that Regina and Tony are down stairs helping set up for the first scene. We are all on schedule for the rundown at three. The light guys are coming about lunch time. Mr. Ridley will be here before the curtain call."
"Great. I think I'm going to go stock up the concession stand and make sure that all the costumes are ready to go. The band instruments were delivered yesterday afternoon and I'm going to have the guys polish them when they get a second."
"Sounds like a plan. But you left something out." Rosey said. I looked at her, confused.
"What?" I asked.
"Are you gonna tell us what your little bun in the oven is or not?" She said, grinning. I smiled, nodding my head.
"Yes. I'll tell everyone during our dinner. Can you be patient for a few more hours?" I asked. She sighed.
"I suppose so. Be careful going down the steps. They just mopped them for tonight."
"I will!" I called, picking up my purse and heading for the stairs that led downstairs. I saw the wet floor sign and peeked down, seeing that they were mostly dry with a stray spot here or there. I held the railing walking down, making it to the bottom. There were people everywhere down here, piecing together the sets and carrying them down into the theater. I weaved around the set of the library, walking over to the candy counter. I grabbed my keys from my purse and unlocked the closet where the food was kept.
"Kim!" William called out. I looked over my shoulder as I grabbed a box of boxed candy from the closet. He jogged in my direction, setting the drill he was carrying on the counter. "You shouldn't be lifting those." He said, taking the box from me.
"I'm fine. Thank you." I replied, watching him put the box next to his drill.
"My son is here. If you need anything lifted like that, you just let me know and I'll send him. How'd your appointment go this morning?" He asked.
"Good! The baby looks great and everything is going well. How are things here?" I replied.
"We got the framework together and the backdrops look great. We had some issues with the street lights again but nothing your friend Billy couldn't handle. They are working now. Everything is in place for the rundown. I was just helping them get the library put together. The gym stuff is all set to go as well. All that's really left to do is finish getting the gazebo set up. Then, it'll be time for the show!"
"Awesome. Thanks so much for doing everything, Will. You're a handy guy to have around backstage."
"I try to be. If you need any help, just holler. I'll be in the parking lot getting the gazebo all set." He grabbed his drill and headed for the fire exit. "No more picking up boxes!" He called over his shoulder before walking outside. I smirked to myself as I ripped the box open. I stocked the candy and prepped the popcorn machine, making sure it was filled with oil and kernels. I did the same with the soda cooler and the garbage, putting in new bags. I stocked the soda cups and the popcorn containers, putting napkins and straws in all the dispensers. Standing back, I watched as they carried the completed gazebo in and headed to the backstage area. We were going to knock this right out of the park.
My confidence was short lived when the cast arrived. We had every get into their costumes for the dress rehearsal, the make up artist not due until a couple hours before the show. Once we were in the wardrobe, however, we discovered that a few of the dresses had been sewn weird and didn't fit right. We didn't have time to redo them. Thankfully, Rosey and her team of staplers came to use again. We ripped the dresses as little as possible and stapled them back together. A couple of the pants for the men were the same way and Rosey had to be careful where she stapled them in fear of piercing a few on accident during the dance numbers.
Wardrobe wasn't the only mishap. When we were getting the backdrops ready, one fell and ripped in the corner. I tore a hole right through the front porch of a house. Thankfully, Regina was able to slide a bush and a tree in front of it. No one would be any the wiser to it. The light guys came and started to set up while we got everyone lined up for their scenes. Since we were a smaller company, a number of the cast would be playing more than one role. We tried to have them wear the same costume or similar costumes for each role to make things easier. Zack looked charming in his suit to play the role of Professor Harold Hill. I knew he was going to do great in the role. He was helping me get everyone into place when Adam and Billy showed up.
"Hey, guys." I said, smiling at them before I looked down at my clipboard. "Thanks for coming to help out."
"Of course." Adam said, giving me a hug. "Just tell us what you need done and we are ready to serve."
"You're gonna regret that." Zack said, grinning at me. I playfully slapped him in the arm.
"Oh, shut up." I replied. I turned to Adam and Billy. "I need you guys to sit in the audience and make sure the sound is working right. We've been having mic issues for a couple minutes now and I just want to make sure everyone will be able to hear."
"I'm sure it's nothing Billy can't figure out." Adam said. Billy nodded.
"Affirmative. We actually have a gift for you though." Billy held out a square box towards me.
"Guys! You didn't have to get me anything." I said, taking it. Zack took the clipboard from me so I could open the box. Inside, I saw there was a headset connected to a little battery pack with a belt clip on it.
"It's so you can talk to the light and the sound guys during the show. Everyone backstage will be able to hear you as well." Adam said. "Every production manager needs one."
"Aww. Thank you!" I said, hugging the both of them. When I pulled away, Billy pulled it out of the box and I put it on my head. He moved some dials on the back and I could hear people talking.
"You should be good to go." He said, giving it to me.
"Can everyone hear me?" I asked.
"Loud and clear, boss lady!" William's voice said, telling me that the backstage area could hear me. I glanced up at the sound booth and the tech gave me a thumbs up.
"What about you guys in the booth?" I asked.
"Yes, ma'am!" The lighting guy said.
"Alright. Places everyone! It's time for dress rehearsal!"
Dress rehearsal had a few hiccups but nothing that I was too worried about. The makeup artist arrived towards the end and she started getting people done like a production line. The pizza came then, everyone carefully eating to avoid getting their costumes dirty. I realized we weren't going to have time to sit down and eat all together as I ran back and forth across the stage getting things set up. I had changed into the pink sundress I had brought, realizing that it fit a bit more snug than it had the last time I had worn it. The reality that I would need to wear maternity clothes soon threatened to hit me but I was too busy for the mental breakdown right now. We had about forty five minutes before the curtain was due to raise and I could hear people begin to file into the theater. I glanced out the side of the curtain and was pleased to see that the seats were filling in quickly.
"Hey, Kim?" William's voice said in my ear. "There's some people here to see you."
"I'll be right there." I replied. I turned and walked towards the right side of the stage where he was. He was dressed in his suit, set to play the role of the mayor. He was helping a few of the kids tie their shoes, them sitting on the wooden planks we had set up over here to hold the props. Behind them, I saw that Aisha, Rocky, Jason, Trini, Tommy and Marci were standing there. They were all dressed up, the guys wearing dress shirts and slacks while Trini and Aisha both were wearing yellow dresses. Marci was in a dark blue number and her hair was pinned back and curled around her face. "Hey! You guys made it!" I said cheerfully.
"Duh!" Aisha said. "Where else do you think we'd be tonight for your big debut?" She gave me a hug, squeezing me tightly.
"She's right. There's no chance we'd be missing it." Rocky said.
"Besides, it's not like you didn't get free labor from us for this whole thing." Jason teased, smirking at me.
"Ha ha. Thanks. I'm so nervous! I really hope everything goes smoothly." I said, feeling my legs jitter a bit.
"It's going to be terrific." Trini said, smiling. "We should get to our seats. We don't want to hold everything up."
"Yeah. We've got about five minutes till show time." I replied. She gave me a hug and Rocky and Jason each gave me a kiss on the cheek for good luck. The two couples walked past Tommy, heading for the door that led to the lobby.
"I'll see you after the show, okay?" He asked. I nodded.
"Yes! We are all still getting dinner, right?"
"I think so. I just have to stop home quickly to grab something." Above us, the lights flashed to signal to everyone that it was time to get into place. "I guess that's my cue."
"Thank you for coming tonight, Tommy." I said, grabbing his hand. "It means a lot to me."
"Anytime." I let go of his hand and he headed towards the door. "Hey, Kim?" He called, turning so he was walking backwards.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Break a leg, beautiful." He shot me a wink before disappearing out the door. I felt my knees turn to jelly and a wide grin crossed my face as I was teleported back to that night of that god awful play I did with my grandmother's spinning wheel.
"Kim! It's curtain time!" Rosey called, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Right! Places everyone!"
The play went off without a hitch. Every line was said correctly, every note was sung in key, and each cue was hit perfectly. I watched like a proud momma in the wings, saying each line with them. It was a frenzy backstage but on stage, everyone made it look flawless. Zack was the star of the show, using his personality to light up the stage. When the last number finished, everyone climbed to their feet to cheer. Everyone filed on to the stage for the final bow and Zack ran over, pulling me out there as well. Tony ran out a dozen red roses to me and I bowed, waving at everyone before the curtain dropped. People filled out of their seats and into the aisles, heading for the lobby.
"You guys did such an awesome job!" I called out, turning to face everyone. "The show was perfect and I know it's because of all of you. There isn't anyone else I could picture doing all this with." William pushed over one of the prop boxes and helped me stand up on it so everyone could hear me. "From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all of you. I know we are going to do great tomorrow night too!" The group clapped, smiles all around. "And I also wanted to let you all know that I am having a girl!"
"Yay!" Rosey called out, waving her hands in the air. Zack gasped, running over and hugging me off of the box.
"Don't say anything to the other guys yet, okay?" I said as he set me down. He nodded.
"Secret is safe with me." He replied. "Speaking of, they are waiting for us out in the lobby."
"We gotta clean up here first." I replied.
"Kim, go out with your friends! You earned it." Milli said, smiling at me. "We have a clean up crew for a reason."
"Thank you, guys! I'll see you all here tomorrow, bright and early!"
Zack changed from his costume quickly before we headed out to the lobby. Everyone but our group had cleared out, the eight of them waiting by the concession stand. When we walked out, I saw that Tommy had a bouquet of pink roses in his hands and the rest had pink carnations. They handed them to me, Marci giving Zack a yellow carnation so he wouldn't feel left out.
"You did a great job, Zack. And you put on one hell of a show, Kimberly." Trini said.
"Thank you!" I said, barely able to hold all of the flowers I had been given. "Tonight has been great. I'm so glad you were all here to see it."
"How about we get you something to eat?" Adam asked, taking some of the flowers for me. I nodded.
"I'm starving!" I said, causing them to laugh. "Tommy has to swing by his place first."
"Why don't we just go to that little place by there then? They should still be open for dinner." Rocky suggested. There was an agreement around the group.
"Ride with me?" Tommy asked me. I grinned, nodding. I glanced over at Marci.
"You coming with us?" I asked. She shook her head, giving me a cheeky grin.
"Trini and Jason already offered."
Our group headed out to the parking lot, separating into the different cars everyone had brought. We all agreed to meet in front of the dojo and walk over to the restaurant. Tommy helped me load all my flowers into the back seat of his truck before we headed towards that part of town.
"I'm glad Trini helped me get this job. I feel fantastic." I said, looking up at the stars in the sky through the window.
"You did a wonderful job. I almost forgot about my small hatred for musicals tonight." Tommy replied. I snorted, looking over at me.
"No one hates musicals. They just pretend not to like them until no one else is around. It's a scientific fact."
"Whatever you say." He replied. The dojo came into view and he pulled the truck into the parking spot near the door. He climbed out and I did as well, seeing Trini and Jason pull up along the curb across the street.
"Want me to come up?" I asked, looking over at Tommy as he headed to the door.
"No. I'll just be a second." He smiled and winked at me again before disappearing up the stairs. I walked down the sidewalk as Jason, Trini, and Marci climbed out of the car.
"I'm in the mood for some calamari." Marci said.
"That's disgusting." Jason said, making a face.
"Don't knock it! It's delicious." She retorted, shrugging her shoulders. Trini rolled her eyes.
"It was like this the whole way here." She said, sighing. I smirked.
"I don't doubt it." I replied. I saw Adam and Billy pull up behind their car and Aisha and Rocky behind them.
"Leave it to Tommy to make us all late." Rocky called, climbing out of their SUV. Him and Aisha walked towards us, grouping with Adam and Billy as they climbed out of their car.
"What's he even getting?" Jason asked as he walked over to me on the sidewalk. I shrugged.
"He didn't say. He said he'd be right out."
"Who's that?" Marci asked, pointing at that dojo. I turned to look at what she was pointing at. I saw someone dart from the front door of the dojo. I moved to step forward, Jason next to me. I moved to say something but that's when the building exploded.
