"How am I possibly doing this?" Beca asked, her voice ringing with only a bit of the nerves she was feeling. Her stylist was working on her hair, creating perfect curls in her chestnut locks. Beca was holding Bella, nursing her as discreetly as she could. She hated doing it in front of people – but unless she wanted to delay the concert by an hour, she needed to multitask. "I can't do this."
"Sure you can," Chloe said cheerfully. The redhead was standing against the dressing room's vanity table, rocking a fussy Poppy. "You'll be aca-awesome."
Beca glared at her. "Seriously, Chlo, the aca- has to stop. We have children now." The redhead simply stuck out her tongue.
"Don't be cranky because you're nervous."
"I'm allowed to be nervous!" Beca told her. "It's been almost a year since I've been on a stage this big. And new songs – people hate new songs."
"Until they love them," Chloe reminded her. "You can do this." The hairstylist finished, told Beca she looked amazing, and wished her luck. She left and Beca traded babies with Chloe. It was a skill they now had down to choreographed perfection. Once they were switched, Beca moved to the sofa to sit and nurse Poppy. Theo decided to knock – then walk in without waiting.
He turned around immediately upon seeing Beca, covering his eyes. "I'm sorry!"
"Dude, you can't see anything," Beca told him. He turned back around then, but still kept his eyes away from Beca. "Theo, you see women dressed in less on a daily basis. I see what some of those other artists and dancers wear."
"Not everyone can be as classy as you, Beca," he replied. "And I have a respect for you that doesn't allow me to ogle."
"I'm flattered. But comparing a woman breastfeeding to women dressing scantily and being ogled is kind of sexist. I think. Or something. I can't keep up with modern social conventions," she said with a flick of her hand. "Just don't made an effort to see my nipples and we'll be cool." Theo turned pink, but nodded.
"Yes, well. Lovely conversation though this is. Are you almost ready? They've got about twenty more minutes in their set," he said, speaking of the opening act.
"I only need ten," Beca promised. "I'll be ready." A few minutes later, after tucking Poppy into the nest Chloe had created in the playpen, Beca stood up and fixed the top of her black, lace-covered dress. She picked up her jacket and shrugged into it, stepping to the mirror to double check her jewelry and makeup. She turned back to Chloe and posed. "Does it work?"
"You look incredibly sexy," Chloe told her in a low voice. She'd set Bella into the playpen as well, leaving her arms free to wrap around her wife. "I don't think I can let you go out there looking this good."
Beca kissed her softly and pulled back. "No choice, babe. We're down to five minutes." Chloe stepped back and looked at her again. She readjusted Beca's bosom in the dress.
"Your boobs really do look marvelous."
"Your appreciation is noted." She kissed Chloe again, reluctantly pulling back and pursing her lips.
"I would totally stay here if I could," she said wistfully. "But we have really expensive tastes now – and if I lose my job, that would suck."
"It would," Chloe said with an amused smile. "I do like my designer dresses and fancy shoes. And the Audi. I love my Audi." She nodded. "You do have to work. But I'll be here when you get back," she promised.
"Good enough," Beca said with a smile. She winked. "Make good choices."
Chloe watched as she followed Theo out of the dressing room and into the controlled chaos that was backstage. Chloe had already seen the show several times. That night, she would stay with her daughters. She turned on the sound once the monitor showed that Beca was onstage. She watched the show from the dressing room while her babies slept.