Chapter 6
Well, it was the day before the company audition and Mary was practicing like crazy, especially for a little kid like her. After dinner, Mary was in the basement watching ballet moves using her sister's laptop and looking at herself in a full-length mirror. She had to make sure everything is perfect so she and Abby can pass the audition. She hasn't hurt her feet, thank God, but there were times that she would be sore the next day, mostly from make-shift jumping from a height representing someone carrying her. Luckily it was just either a chair or a couch. She's not that stupid to go any higher, well at least an adult is in the house. Mostly her grandpa would help her on those jumps. Since her dad got caught that one-year playing hooky, he's now on his boss' shit list, and once you're on the list good luck getting out of it. At least Santa's list does that percent scale every year. Anything over 70% is possible, to say the least. Anyway, Mary was practicing and soon she heard footsteps. As she was spinning, she looked at the top of the stairs and saw her grandfather. She stopped spinning and turned off the vid. "Mary, poppet. It's almost time for bed. What are you still doing down here?"
Mary replied as she stretched so she wouldn't stiff up while she sleep. "Tomorrow is the audition and I just getting ready for it. Abby and I are going to give it a shot and we're hoping to get in.
Her grandpa rubbed his eyes as he walked down the stairs and walked up to her. "Well I appreciate your confidence, but you have to remember you're just a little kid. I don't like seeing you overdoing it." He knelt down so he'll be at eye level. "Let me ask you something: Do you see dancing as a passion or just something to do?"
Mary smiled and said, "I really like ballet grandpa. Somehow I feel free dancing, I feel amazing, complete, a storyteller." Then she frowned. "You're not asking me to quit are you?"
Her grandpa smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm not. After hearing that I know you are making the right choice." He rubbed his head. "I got a little crafting ballerina." Mary smiled. "BUT," he pointed his finger at her which made Mary stop. "It is still passed your bedtime missy. You've practiced long enough, it's time to sleep. The last thing you need is you dropping on stage in front of judges from sleep deprivation." He stood up. "There's no shame in asking for help and relying on others and there's no shame of taking a small break." He stopped and sniffed the air as he looked at his granddaughter. "Especially when one ballerina smells like she hasn't bathed in three days." Mary's eyes widen and started to run but her grandpa caught her making her laugh. "Oh no, you don't you little stinker. Fertilizer smells nicer than you at the moment. It is time for a bath and for bed." Mary laughs as she was tucked under her grandpa's arm.
"I like being stinky!" yelled Mary.
"Not unless you want everyone's noses falling off like Michael Jackson." He replied.
Soon enough, Mary had her bath, stopped stinking so bad, and was ready for bed. She jumped into bed as her grandfather tucked her in. "Tell me a story grandpa." She said.
He replied, "Now you know I'm bad at stories, but how about this? This weekend, you're taking a day off and you, me, Max, and Beth are going to have a movie day. You're a bit young for the theater BUT I have a lot of great movies we can watch. We can do a small marathon. One movie from you, one from Max, and one from Beth, and we'll finish with a movie from me if there's time. What do you think?"
Mary smiled. "I'd like that grandpa. Can mine be a Disney film?"
He asked, "I thought you had your fill of Sleeping Beauty?"
Mary shook her head. "Not that film. Can I do Beauty and the Beast? It's my favorite film other than the Little Mermaid."
Her grandfather smiled. "How about this? We'll toss a coin. Heads: Beauty and the Beast. Tails," that got Mary giggling. "Little Mermaid. Ya like that idea?"
Mary smiled. "I'd like that grandpa."
Grandpa said, "Good." He kissed her forehead. "Now sleep. You still have school before the audition."
Mary rolled on her stomach. "Nacht Opa."
He replied as he walked to her door and turned off the light. "Nacht Maria."
The next day after school, Mary was in her ballerina clothes and she arrived in her class and made her way to Abby. "You nervous?"
Abby nodded. "A bit." She and Mary for their number and they put them on their clothes. "But I'm also excited since this is actually my first audition. Remember I missed the last one."
Mary said, "Same here. I practice almost every day after class and on weekends too. I hope we can get in so we can work together."
Abby said, "Same here." Soon their teacher came in. "Come on. Let's get to our spots." The 2 quickly went to the spots as the teacher walked in front of the students.
"Class," said Miss Matilda. "The judges are here. It's time for the auditions. What I suggest is you practice your moves until your number is called, I'll come in, collect you, and I'll take you to another room where you'll dance, to the music of your choosing, in front of the judges. Your parents aren't allowing you to join you." Soon enough everyone heard the mothers screaming their heads off in protest, well except for Mary's and Abby's mother. Miss Matilda pointed to the parent's room with her thumb. "I REALLY hope you're here cause you want to and not because of them. The last thing we all need is another stage mom like Rose Thompson Hovick." Her students looked at her confused. "Watch any version of Gypsy and you'll get a small idea of how crazy that woman was." Then she clapped her hands. "Alright let's get started. Whoever has numbers 1-3, follow me. Rest of you, stretch and practice until it's your turn." Then Miss Matilda and 3 students followed her out of the classroom leaving the other kids, with the assistant teacher, inside.
Mary and Abby found a corner to do their thing. Mary asked, "Mind helping me stretch? I don't want to be stiff when it's our turn."
Abby said, "Sure, long as you help me. I don't want to be stiff either." As they waited for their turn, the 2 would stretch, do some ballerina moves, and even help improve if needed.
Meanwhile, the mothers in the other room were still having a fit and even some were calling their husbands, lawyers, and for some reason the guy that made the building that Miss Matilda owns to make complaints so they can have their way. The only ones that weren't upset were the normies and Abby's and Mary's parents. Sarah asked, "Do all the moms act like this during auditions?"
Ziva said, "Not really. Heard that on the last one Miss Matilda let the mom's come and soon enough there was a mom's fight and I swear I. saw 12 wigs flying all over the place, and the wigs came from one mom. After that and the mothers were forced to pay for the damages, Miss Matilda decided on this rule. She did send out a notice about the new rule but know these moms, they didn't even read the dang thing." Ziva sighs and leans back into her seat. Then she pulls out a few earplugs and gave a pair to Sarah. "You're going need this. They can get really loud." Sarah wasted no time in putting them in.
Soon enough Mary's and Abby's numbers were called and followed their teacher to another room. First was Abby's turn. The judges asked, "What song will you be dancing with?"
Abby answered, "The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "Winter" (L'inverno)." One of the judges put on the laptop found the music and play. As the music went on, Abby was dancing gracefully left and right to the music. The piece wasn't popular, Abby somehow was making a story using the music piece. The judges were watching, taking notes, and couldn't get their eyes off of her. Soon Abby was finished, she bowed to them and walked off the stage. She walked up to Mary and hugged her. "Good luck."
Mary hugged her back and walked up on stage. The judges asked the same question. "What song will you be dancing with?"
Mary replied, "The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "Spring" (La primavera) please."
One of the judges looked for the track. "Been a while since we had any Antonio Vivaldi's. Somehow we always get Mozart's or Beethoven's." They played the track and just like Abby Mary was dancing like a beautiful professional. Not only did her body tell the story but also her face as she was giving emotion. Her practicing really benefited her. She didn't need any props, another partner, or anything else in that matter. She was fine doing the piece all on her own. Too bad it wasn't a duo challenge. She and Abby agreed if it was they would've played Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8, RV 293, "Autumn" (L'autunno) instead as fans know it as 'Storm' from Vanessa-Mae. For a Singaporean-born British violinist, she is really good at her work, especially when she adds modern instruments to the music she is playing. Especially when she takes a break from training for the Olympics.
When it was over, Mary made a pose until the music stopped completely. Though the judges were awe-trucked by Mary and Abby, they had to keep stone-face to avoid favoritism, and biases to be fair with the other contestants. Mary fixed herself up and bowed to them. She walked to the other room and instantly ran to hug Abby. "Oh dear God that was heart-pounding!" she said.
Abby hugged her back. "I know! Same here. I felt that I was dancing for kings or something." The 2 pulled away. "Now we'll just have to wait until the list. That's when I know about who made it." Mary nodded and went to their spot to sit and relax.
Mary asked as she rubbed her feet. "What happens if only one of us gets in?"
Abby said, "Then I'll be asking for an understudy of my choosing. You?"
Mary replied, "Same here! Wouldn't be fair dancing all on my own. Having my best friend would be the best." Abby smiled.
A few hours later…
Outside of the school Abby and Mary ran out the door cheering and jumping everywhere. "WE MADE IT!" They would say.
Ziva walked up with a smile on her face while Mary's face was dumbfounded. Guess she had a lot of doubt that she would make it. I mean she even looks down on her own sister for marrying a 'redneck hick' as she would put it. Mary and Abby hugged each other. "I'm so glad we got in," said Abby.
Mary said, "Me too. And what luck, the first ballet we're doing is The Nutcracker. We're one step closer to completing the trio."
Ziva walked up to the girls. "Alright girls, alright." She put her hands on their shoulders. "We got a month before we go there, sign some papers, and get to work and this December will be the Nutcracker ballet. Now for the next couple of months, it will be hard and maybe brutal. Think you can handle it."
The girls yelled, "YES WE CAN!"
Ziva gave them high-fives. "That's what I want to hear."
After a while, Mary was in the car humming a couple of sons, while Sarah, still dumbfounded, was driving home. She looked in the mirror to look at her little girl and still couldn't believe that she passed the auditions. All that training paid off. Thing is, she and her husband were hoping she didn't pass. They were hoping she would run back into the house, crying and swearing off ballet for good. Guess not everything goes according to plan. Now they have to face the glare stares and lectures from the grandfather and that's not gonna be pretty.
