Chapter 2
Rachel stares at herself in the mirror and takes a deep breath. She's more nervous than she expected to be. Someone comes up behind her and politely gets her attention.
"They're ready for you, Mrs. Hudson."
She releases the long breath and nods, following the young woman to her entry point.
"And now, please welcome Tony Award winning Broadway actress, Rachel Hudson."
That's her cue. Putting on a happy smile, Rachel walks out and waves to the audience, doing her best to ignore the cameras. She greets the hosts with hugs and air kisses before taking her seat. She focuses on them and shakes off the disbelief that this is her life now. She is a Tony Award winning Broadway actress who is invited onto talk shows. At 22.
"Welcome!"
"Thank you for having me!"
"We've been excited to talk to you!" Kyle says kindly.
"Yeah, I've seen your show, you are very talented!" Kayla gushes.
"Thank you! I've gotta admit, I've seen your show a few times, too." She says with a grin.
The hosts and the audience laugh. She really has watched this morning show while folding laundry or sipping her coffee. It's not a show she watches every day, but once or twice a week she tunes in. Especially if they have a guest she's interested in seeing. This morning show with Kyle and Kayla is one of the better ones and she was thrilled to be asked to be a guest on it.
"So first of all, congratulations on your recent Tony win." Kyle says.
"Thank you."
"What was that like? Being nominated so early in your career and then winning?" Kayla asks.
"Bizarre. In a good way!" She rushes to add on and they chuckle. "I was honored just to be nominated. Like you said, I'm still pretty new to the scene. To be nominated after only eight months of being on stage is mind boggling. And then to win…I was stunned. My husband had to snap me out of it so I could stand and give my acceptance speech."
"I thought it was a great speech, by the way." Kayla tells her. "Did you mean what you said about almost not writing one?"
"Yes! Once I heard I was up against Bette Midler, I was like, 'well it was nice to be nominated. I'll go and cheer for her'."
They, and the audience, laugh. "And your husband convinced you to write a speech anyway?"
Rachel nods. "He has always believed in me."
"You just had your one year anniversary, right?"
"Yeah, just two weeks ago."
They turn to look at the screen behind them where a picture of Rachel and Finn at their wedding is now being displayed. When they'd first started asking her about her Tony win, the photo had been one taken of her holding her award while giving her speech. They'd asked for a few specific pictures and she had her agent send them on ahead of time to be approved and prepared. She specifically chose this wedding one because not only do both she and Finn look incredible in their wedding garments, but they look so completely thrilled, too. They're smiling widely at one another and holding hands. The audience "aaaw"'s.
"Oh, he's handsome!" Kayla says in a stage whisper.
"He is." She laughs.
"What does he do?"
"He's a gym teacher."
"Are you two still in the honeymoon stage?"
"Definitely. I know it's silly, but I still have a crush on him."
They laugh incredulously. "You have a crush on your husband? But you're married!"
She laughs as well. "Yeah, I know. I've loved him for years, but I really do have a crush on my own husband. I get butterflies in my stomach, I get excited when I get to spend time with him, I love talking with him and singing with him, my heart flips when he smiles at me….I have a crush on my husband."
"That is adorable!" Kayla gushes while the audience "aaaww"'s again.
"Well I'm happy for you both." Kyle smiles.
"Thank you."
"I watched the Tony's. Your co-star Paolo was nominated for Best Male Lead of a Musical but didn't win. When the camera panned to him, you were hugging him from behind and saying something to him and he started laughing. What did you say that made him laugh?"
Rachel blushes. She didn't think this would come up. "I, uh, may have offered to go beat up Ben Platt." The hosts, and audience, burst out laughing. "I said 'I could take him'. Jokingly, of course. Ben, if you're watching this, obviously….I could not take you." More laughter. "One nudge from you and I'd be on the ground, probably crying. But seriously, while I was disappointed Paolo didn't get it, Ben deserved it."
"Oh, that's too funny." Kayla laughs.
"If I heard correctly, you were offered the role of Fanny before you even graduated NYADA?"
"Yes. I auditioned on a whim in the fall of my senior year and was not expecting a callback. Then they were offering me the role of a lifetime."
"What was that like?"
Rachel chuckles. "That was another time that I was completely stunned. I just sat there staring at them in shock until they slid the paperwork across to me and had me sign on the dotted line. Did you know they have you sign tons of paperwork when you accept a major role on Broadway? Tons. I signed paper after paper and was too stunned to fully read any of them. I could have signed my soul away for all I knew." The hosts and audience laugh. "And I wouldn't have cared, because…..it's Broadway. It was my lifelong dream."
"I guess it was after that that you got an agent." Kyle smirks.
"Yeah. I figured someone should be responsible for reading the fine print and making sure I get to keep my soul. So I hired someone and she's been wonderful."
"You attended NYADA and we were informed that you won the Winter Showcase as a freshman. And then the next two years as well?"
"Yes. I did."
"For those of you who don't know, just getting invited to NYADA's Winter Showcase is a huge honor and only offered to the best of the best. And she won as a freshman, which is extremely rare."
There's applause and a few whistles. Rachel smiles. "The only reason I didn't get invited my senior year is because by then I had already landed the role of Fanny. And since I was going to be starting rehearsals soon after, I had to spend a lot of time cramming in classes and work in order to make sure I could still graduate on time."
"That's very impressive."
"When did you become interested in Broadway and musicals?"
"When I was four. Obviously, like most kids, I always loved Disney musicals and would sing those songs around the house. But when I was four my parents showed me 'Funny Girl' and I was entranced. I started trying to sing 'Don't Rain on My Parade'."
The hosts are laughing. "At four years old?"
"At four." Then she shrugs cutely. "I think I managed to rock it."
More laughter. Kayla is still chuckling when she asks her next question. "So did you sing or perform through high school?"
"Yes. I was in my high school's Glee Club. I was the female lead. And my husband was the male lead."
"Oh, so you two were high school sweethearts?"
"Yeah, we were. We've been together for eight years in all, married for the past year."
"I guess high school was a fun time for you, then?"
Rachel immediately starts laughing. She can't help it. "I had a very…unique…..high school experience."
"What do you mean?"
Still smiling, she releases a long, quiet sigh while thinking it over. She's not going to deny or hide it, but she wasn't planning on bringing it up. It's in the past. However, it played so heavily into her life, specifically high school, that avoiding discussing it altogether is hard. Keeping a smile on her face, she responds. "I spent high school very sick."
They frown curiously. "What do you mean?"
She shrugs lightly. "I had a rare blood disease called Danton's Aplastic Anemia. It's fatal and there's no cure, but there are treatments. That's how I'm still alive today. Well, that and the love and support from my friends and family."
The studio is dead silent. Her hosts are staring at her in shock. When they try to speak they stammer. "I-I-I'm so sorry. I had no idea."
"Can you—are you comfortable telling us a little more?"
"Like what?"
"Uh…." They're thinking fast. "….like….what is it? What was it like dealing with it?"
Rachel pauses. "How much time do I have?" When they chuckle but don't answer, she shrugs. "I could spend hours talking about my experience being sick. To keep it short and….blunt….it was hell. I was literally fighting for my life. I was constantly exhausted and in pain. I couldn't live a normal life. That's hard on anyone, but as a teenager, it was horrible. I hated missing out on a normal life. My friends, all of whom were in the glee club with me, rallied around me and supported me. I got more and more sick as the months went by. I hit stage four in my junior year and was told I had two months left to live, but then I miraculously got better."
"Miraculously?" Kyle is smiling uncertainly. He kind of looks like he's debating changing the subject but is too intrigued to stop now.
She shrugs again. "They didn't expect me to live. But I had a dream of getting into NYADA, marrying my boyfriend, and performing on Broadway. I wasn't about to let anything get in the way of that, so I fought like hell to live."
There's fierce applause from the audience and she turns to smile at them. Her hosts are smiling but clearly still a little stunned.
"Wow, that is incredible."
"If you don't mind my asking, how long were you sick for?"
"Which time?" At their startled expressions, she laughs lightly. "Sorry. I was first diagnosed at the beginning of my sophomore year of high school. I was fourteen, almost fifteen, at the time. In the summer before my senior year of high school I went into remission, but that only lasted five months. So the first time I was sick, I battled it for twenty months. Then I relapsed halfway through my senior year and was sick through my freshman year of NYADA. That time, I fought it for about eighteen months. Combining both times, I was sick for just under four years. By the end of my freshman year at NYADA I was in remission again and this time it is lasting. It's been four years and counting."
The audience applauds even stronger this time. Kyle is smiling at her warmly. Kayla reaches over and takes her hand and squeezes it.
"We're very happy to hear that you overcame it and are now healthy."
"I did. With help from my friends and family. I wouldn't be here today without them. Literally. There were a few times when my heart stopped and they had to do CPR to keep me alive until paramedics arrived. They were constantly by my side supporting me and cheering me up. I'll never be able to fully express my gratitude and love for them."
"That's incredible." Kayla utters, looking a little stunned again.
"And your husband—"
"Was there by my side the whole time. We started dating in high school a few months after I was first diagnosed."
"Wow. And now you're married to him."
"And now you're a Tony winning Broadway star. Talk about extremes!" Kayla laughs. The audience chuckles along and someone whistles.
"Yeah, my family teases me that my life is always one extreme or another. Thankfully my extremes have all been happy things for the past few years. I pray it stays that way."
"That is really incredible, Rachel. Truly."
"My brother-in-law has told me on more than one occasion that my life could be a Hallmark movie." She laughs. The first time Blaine said that to her, she'd laughed until she cried. Now she chuckles when he brings it up.
"It sounds like it really could!" They laugh.
"Before we move on, I do want to mention that they're getting closer to a cure for AA but they're not there yet. I can have my agent send over the information to be put on your website, if that's okay. We are looking for donations to go to the research lab that is working on developing a cure."
"Absolutely! We'll get that information up the day this airs!" Kayla promises.
"As much as I'd love to know more about your experience being sick, we unfortunately have limited time with you. We were told you have an announcement to make." Kayla prompts.
"I do." Rachel glances at the audience and grins. "I have been given the go ahead to announce that I am leaving Funny Girl."
There are shocked gasps and mumblings from the audience and even the hosts look surprised. She kind of feels bad for them; they've been blindsided twice.
"Wait, really?"
"But you just got a Tony for this role!"
"I know! And I have loved every moment of performing as Fanny. This role will always be near and dear to my heart. Half because it was my first Broadway show and my costars and everyone have been amazing and half because it's both my and my mother's favorite musical and something we bonded over. And I'll still be performing as Fanny for a few more months. I don't have a definitive final show date lined up yet, but it'll be sometime between September and November."
"So what are you going to do instead?"
"I….." Rachel begins with a wide smile, then pauses for dramatic effect. "….am going green."
She waits for it to sink in. Some of the people in the audience get it before her hosts do. They gasp excitedly. Then Kayla's eyes widen. She gasps and sits up straighter.
"You mean—"
"I mean." Rachel confirms with a grin.
"Oh my God!"
"Wait, what am I missing?" Kyle asks, looking lost.
"Wicked! She's going to be in Wicked! As Elphaba, I'm assuming."
"Yes. I am slated to be the next Elphaba and I am very excited." She waits while the audience claps and she smiles at them. "There were always three roles I desperately wanted to play; Fanny from Funny Girl, Maria from West Side Story, and Elphaba from Wicked. So when I first got my agent and we sat down to discuss what I was looking for, I told her. If Maria or Elphaba roles ever become available, slide my name in as a contender."
"So you didn't even have to audition? Is that a perk of being a Tony winner?"
Rachel laughs. "No, I still had to audition. And this has been in the works since before winning a Tony. But being a Tony nominee put me on the short list. I spoke to my husband, my mother, and my director about it before auditioning. Part of me doesn't want to leave Funny Girl. But the rest of me is thrilled to start a new adventure."
"Okay, I don't know about you all, but I already can't wait to see Rachel Hudson perform as Elphaba." Kayla says to the audience. They cheer and applaud their agreement.
"The funniest part of this is the news I just broke to my husband about it. You see, Wicked isn't just getting a new Elphaba in a few months. They'll also be getting a new Fiyero. And the man who is taking the role is an old friend of mine from high school. We attended different schools, and we were the leads of rival show choirs, but we were friends."
"Really?! That's funny!"
"It's a good thing it's a friend and not someone you couldn't stand."
Rachel laughs and nods. "Very true."
The picture behind them switches to one of Rachel and Jesse St. James that was taken after they accepted their Wicked roles. Rachel is wearing the iconic black hat and holding her hands out as though casting a spell. Jesse is standing next to her, posing arrogantly as Fiyero would.
"Wait, so why did you have to break this news to your husband?"
"Because while the three of us have been friends for years, that wasn't always the case. They started out not liking one another. They did warm up to one another, but it took time."
"And now you and Finn are married, and you're both friends with Jesse?"
"Yes, we are. So while I knew he wouldn't be upset, I wasn't sure if he'd be pleased it's someone he knows, amused that it's Jesse of all people, or annoyed that I'll be kissing Jesse every night."
They start laughing. "Oh, right! Elphaba and Fiyero kiss! That'll be awkward."
"It will at first. We're friends, but not close friends. It'll be weird. We'll have to work on that once we start rehearsals. My husband thought it was hysterical and started laughing when I told him. Then he insisted on calling Jesse to congratulate him on his role, then tease him about it."
"That's good."
"Unfortunately we are running out of time, but this has been a wonderful conversation."
"It has." Rachel agrees.
"We'll have to have you back some time." By their tone, she can tell they mean it. They want her to return to talk to them more.
"I'd like that." She smiles.
"We want to offer a final congratulations on your Tony win and now add on congrats for landing Wicked."
"Thank you!"
"Alright, folks. We'll be back after these commercials from our sponsors, then we'll hear Rachel sing a song from Funny Girl."
The cameras cut off and Kayla leans over to her. "Seriously, congrats. That's really awesome and I'm looking forward to seeing your new show."
"Thank you. I'm excited."
Kyle stands and comes closer. "And we'll make sure the producers have the donation information up on our website when this episode airs."
"Thank you." Rachel says sincerely. "I wasn't planing on bringing it up, but it was a major part of my life so it tends to come up naturally. And I won't turn down a chance to raise more money for the cure."
They nod and wish her well. She hugs them once more, waves to the audience again, and leaves. She has Marcus with her to help put on her costume and makeup for Fanny, then went back out to their stage area to perform a song. She received a standing ovation and praise from the hosts before bowing and thanking them. She thinks about how it went while taking off her costume. She thinks her first experience being on a talk show on her own went well. Now, she has to tell the rest of her family the Wicked news before this episode airs. They deserve to hear it from her, not from the news. Kurt would never forgive her.
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Her family and friends were just as shocked at her announcement that she's leaving Funny Girl and just as thrilled that she'll be playing Elphaba in Wicked. They all know how much she wants it, so they're happy for her. Her mom got sentimental about it. "If you recall, the first song I ever heard you sing was 'Defying Gravity'. I can't wait to hear you sing it again, years later, in a full theater." Rachel is a little disappointed because she thinks Kurt would make a fantastic Boq, but they're sticking with their current actor. Finn and Rachel invite Jesse and his girlfriend Hannah over for dinner one night in August. They reminisce about the past and talk excitedly about their upcoming show together. Jesse, being his usual borderline ass self, teased Finn about getting to kiss his wife on stage every night. Finn smirked and reminded him that "she'll be in my bed every night". Rachel and Hannah had rolled their eyes and left the men to their posturing. Hannah had been a little awkward around her at first (Jesse warned her ahead of time this may be the case because she's a fan of Rachel's and has listened to her soundtrack repeatedly), but thankfully she relaxed and warmed up pretty quickly.
Rachel still performs on Funny Girl, but now some of her morning rehearsals are spent with her new Wicked cast instead of her Funny Girl cast. Thankfully they welcomed her warmly and are excited to have her on the cast with them. She's getting to know them and getting to know the choreography. She has all the songs memorized, so next is just a matter of perfecting them. It starts slow, but after her final Funny Girl show, the rehearsals will pick up. Her final show as Fanny will be in mid-October. For the rest of October, all of November, and into December, she'll be focused entirely on preparing for her role in Wicked. Her favorite part of this timing is that she'll get to have all major holidays off this year. She didn't last year. She had to work, which she was fine with since it was still new and exciting. It's nice that this year she'll get to spend the holidays relaxing with her family. And best of all, she'll have the last half of December off. That means that while Finn has his winter break, she'll also be getting a winter break. They'll get to spend it together. She's looking forward to it. Then, in early January, she will begin performing as Elphaba.
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Rachel walks into the Gershwin theater with a smile. Normally she goes in through the back door. Today, she's walking in the front door to get a feel for the theater. It's been years since she's been here. She's a little early. She has a meeting with her new directors but wanted to see the theater from this side one more time. Hoping she doesn't get in trouble, she stands in the house and looks up at the stage. In a few months, she'll be performing on that stage.
"The last time I saw you, you were fifteen and standing on that stage with your brother. You two had just sung an incredible duet."
Rachel spins around. There's a man with salt and pepper hair standing a few feet behind her wearing a suit and a kindly smile. She frowns, thinking he looks familiar. And then it clicks.
"Mr. Peterson?!"
He smiles widely. "David, please. I knew you'd make in on Broadway one day. I've seen you in Funny Girl and I'm very excited to see you perform on this stage every night."
He comes closer and takes her hand. She squeezes it back. "I'm thrilled to be playing Elphaba but it still feels surreal to me."
"We're all very excited. Welcome to the Gershwin theater. And congratulations on being in remission for so long."
"Four years." She says happily. "Thank you. And you know, you were crucial to my career starting as early as it did."
His eyebrows raise. "I was?"
"Yeah. If you hadn't been so kind and accommodating when I was a sick teenager, I never would have met April Rhodes. Her friendship with Cassandra July led to me having support before ever entering NYADA. And April, having heard me sing, pushed Rupert Campion into selecting me as his leading lady despite not having any experience. It all comes back to you."
"I'm happy to have helped in any way, but I honestly believe it all would have worked out even if I hadn't. I'm sure NYADA would have let you in anyway, just from your amazing singing. I'm also sure you would have landed the Fanny role even without April's support. It might have taken a little longer to convince them, but I'm sure they'd have gone with you regardless. This was all you."
"Thank you, David."
"You're welcome, Rachel. Now, I believe you have a meeting, yes? I can walk you there."
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Jesse St. James is a professional. He works hard and takes his craft seriously. He also treats his coworkers in a friendly manner, though a hint of arrogance sometimes slips through. Rachel knows him well enough to know it's unintentional. Because she knows him well enough, she feels comfortable calling him out on it in private. Then, just to be safe, she asks him to do the same for her. That had him laughing. He said she's always been confident but he has never seen her actually be arrogant; in jest, yes, but not sincerely. She likes that she already knows and is friendly with one person on the cast. Together, they get to know the other cast members and crew. Jesse finished school in LA, worked on the stage there, making a name for himself, then found his way to NY. He starred in an off-Broadway show that didn't last long, but this is his first leading role on Broadway. She teased him about being a part of his first time. He gave her a dirty look, but then laughed. And luckily, their history and friendship is enough to create a good chemistry between them when performing. They already knew their voices go well together. They laughed about Dustin Goolsby trying to get them to perform together back in high school. Her mom has been back to being the main coach of Vocal Adrenaline for the past few years. Still, having gotten used to having a life with family and friends outside of work, she decided to keep Dustin on as a co-coach so that she can keep her life/work balance.
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The one year anniversary of Funny Girl's opening was sold out well in advance. The cast and crew decided that it was their best overall performance yet. Energy was high, everyone was happy, and all had fun. Part of the high energy was because it's one of the last performances they'll all have together. Rachel announced her departure first, but she wasn't the last. Two other cast members announced they'll be leaving the show soon; one in just a few days. So they really focused on enjoying performing as the original cast one final time.
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Rachel is cooking dinner. Finn comes in to grab a drink and she playfully blocks him, making it seem like she was grabbing something she needed for dinner. He moves and so does she, thwarting him again. Finally he grabs her around the waist and lifts her, holding her against his side while he grabs a soda from the fridge. She laughs and kicks her feet. When Finn sets her down and tries to leave, she grabs his arm, tugging him back. Knowing what she wants, he sets his soda down on the counter and pulls her into his arms.
Husband and wife hum a melody and dance around their kitchen. Finn may not be the best dancer, but when it's just for them, in their kitchen, he moves just fine. They sway and twirl and spin, chuckling the whole time. Rachel kisses him lightly before releasing him and letting him get back to what he was doing. She got the playfully romantic moment she'd needed.
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Rachel's final performance as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl was bittersweet. Her dressing room was full of flowers. Her fellow cast members and crew were supportive but melancholy, insisting it won't be the same without her. She's been working with her replacement, helping her out, just as the current Elphaba has been helping her prepare for her new role. The final two shows, a Saturday matinee followed by the evening performance, sold out as soon as the date was announced. She won't deny that she got choked up at certain parts in her final performance. Especially when she first came out on stage and received strong applause before she could even say her first line. After every performance for the past fourteen months she has had at least a few fans waiting to get her autograph. As time went by, the crowd grew. She didn't fully see herself as a star until her Tony win. But at her final show, seeing the support from not just her costars and producers, but from the audience as well, it really drives it home. She has made it. She is a star. She has actual fans who are there for her; people she doesn't know are there for her, not just her family and friends.
At the end, during the curtain call, Rachel gets a longer standing ovation than usual. Paolo hugs her warmly and tells her he'll miss working with her. Considering how hesitant he had been to work with someone inexperienced at the start, it's very touching. She got hugs from the rest of the cast as well. Rupert and her main producer come out and say a few words about how integral Rachel was in getting the show up and running, how glad they are that they took a chance on a bright-eyed, inexperienced, young woman, and how it just won't be the same without her. She thanked them all for giving her the opportunity to begin her career and all their support.
Smiling and holding onto the bouquet of flowers Rupert had handed her, Rachel bows, officially ending her role as Fanny Brice.
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She feels weird. She'd gone out and partied with her cast mates after her final performance. It had been a pretty wild night, even if she only let herself get tipsy. They all had fun and promised to stay in touch. The next day she'd spent time with the members of her family who had come to support her farewell performance. She's used to having Sundays off, so it still hadn't sunk in. Now it's Monday. Her usual day to be at work. And instead, she's home relaxing. It feels weird. She's antsy. She thinks through her friend's schedules and tries to determine who is most likely to be available to hang out with her. None. They're all busy with work. So she spends the day with Yero. She takes him for a walk in the park, they play catch and tug of war, and then they curl up on the couch at home to watch a movie. Which is how Finn finds them when he comes home from work. He tosses his work bag onto the table and kicks off his shoes, then tries to join them on the couch. Yero lifts his head and lets out a low warning growl. Rachel chuckles.
"He's comfy and doesn't want to move."
Finn gets down so he's on Yero's level. "Dude, she's my wife. I wanna cuddle with her."
Yero lets out a series of grumpy yaps.
"It's my turn now!" Finn argues.
The next sound out of Yero's mouth very nearly sounds like a "No!"
Rachel and Finn burst out laughing and Yero repositions himself so he's snuggled into Rachel even more. Finn shakes his head in amusement and stands.
"You won this round, but I'm locking you out of our room tonight." He warns the dog. "Enjoy her company now, 'cause she's all mine tonight."
Yero turns to bury his head under Rachel's arm and huffs. Rachel laughs. "Would you two knock it off? You're both being ridiculous."
Later that night, she laughed while Finn made a big production of shutting Yero out of their bedroom. They shut their door and keep Yero out just about every night. He's only allowed back in in the morning after they're awake. But tonight, watching Finn make a big deal out of it just to mess with Yero, and Yero going along with it and pretending to be annoyed, has her laughing. Her boys are being overly dramatic just to be goofy and she loves it. She loves them.
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It's only a few more days before she's back to rehearsals. Now that she's done with Funny Girl, she is fully focused on and committed to Wicked. She enjoys getting to know her new cast members as well as spend time with Jesse. She really feels that his experience with prostate cancer, which is now completely gone, helped mature him. He quietly admitted that watching her health battle also helped mature him. Rachel already knows all the songs to Wicked by heart, but now she focuses on not just perfecting them, but adding her own personal style to them. She's not just following her predecessors, she's making it her own. Best of all she has the encouragement and support of her new director, Kevin, as well as the music director Phil. Her biggest surprise was the first time they practiced covering her in green makeup and Marcus came into the room.
"Marcus!" She exclaims happily. "What are you doing here?"
The tall, skinny, dark skinned man grins at her. "You thought I'd stay at Funny Girl without you? Girl, I'm following you."
She stands and pulls him into a hug. "That's very sweet! Now tell me the real reason."
Marcus and the other makeup artist laugh. "Alright, fine. I'm bored of putting on basic makeup. I want something exciting. I miss making fantastical creatures come to life with my makeup and prosthetic creativity."
"And the unique hairstyles." Jeanine adds on with a smile. "I remember seeing your work on some bizarre shows."
"I started out doing that crazy over the top stuff. Then I decided to slow down and focus on normal stage makeup and hairstyles, with the hardest part being matching both the style of the time period and the actor's skin and hair. I miss the more challenging and unique jobs. So with you coming to Wicked, I thought how perfect it would be to slather you in green every night."
Rachel smiles widely. "I'm really glad you're here, Marcus. Now I have two friendly and familiar faces. This is going to be awesome!"
"I agree. So let's get your green on!"
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Finn pauses his shaving when he hears grumbling. Frowning, he peers into the bedroom and sees his wife scowling as she picks up his dirty laundry off the floor and tosses it into the hamper. At first it amuses him; she's a Tony award winning Broadway actress picking up dirty laundry off the floor. But then he actually thinks abut it and he starts feeling a little guilty. He goes back to shaving, trying to ignore her irritated mutters. He knows she has repeatedly asked him to—
"Finn," Rachel enters the bathroom and throws a dirty sock at him, "how many times have I asked you to put your smelly socks in the hamper? It's not that hard to do!"
Knowing it's a dangerous gamble, Finn clears his throat pointedly and turns to look at the still damp towel in a pile on the bathroom floor. Rachel's hair towel.
"That's different." She argues.
"How?"
"First of all, there wasn't room on the towel rack for it with both of our bigger towels."
"I can install a bigger rack." He offers. They've discussed it before but decided to hold off. He'll take care of it soon.
She nods but doesn't back off her point. "Second of all, the towel doesn't stink."
"It will if you leave it on the floor while wet long enough."
"It's not stinking up the room!" She stomps a foot. "Your gym socks are soaked with foot sweat and stink up our bedroom!"
"It's not that bad." He mutters guiltily.
"It's gross. You think I have any interest in sleeping or having sex in a room where all I smell is foot sweat from dirty socks covering the floor?"
Finn smirks. "There are other rooms we could have sex in, babe." The glare she gives him has his mouth snapping shut. "I—I—I'm sorry. I'll put them in the hamper. Are there any more? I'll take care of them now."
He hurries out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, his eyes scanning the floor for signs of any more wayward socks. From the corner of his eye he spies Rachel picking up the hair towel and trying to find a spot to hang it on their rack. He'll replace it with a larger one that weekend. She used to be bad about leaving wet towels on the floor when they all lived in the townhouse, but she's gotten better about it over the years she's lived with other people. He realizes that they really haven't fought since getting married. They argue and disagree, but usually about things like this. Nothing serious. Their most serious argument was about how little time they actually get to spend together, but they found a way to handle it. Sundays are spent together. Tuesday afternoons and nights are spent together. He does his best to not stay late at work on most days unless there's an unavoidable meeting. And even if she comes home late at night or rushes home between shows to see him, they spend at least a little while talking and holding one another every night.
He smiles, realizing how lucky he is to have a wife whose only real complaint is that she wants to spend more time with him. And if he can remember to immediately put his dirty clothes in the hamper, she'll have less little things to complain about. He himself has very little to complain about. His main complaint is also hers; he wants more time with her. While her towel being on the floor annoys him, it's very minor. Having to clear out her hair clogging the drain every few weeks is far more annoying (and disgusting), but also not something she can control. He grumbles about it, but while he takes care of it she makes him a special dessert as a thank you. He swore to her that he'd spend the rest of their lives making her happy. Other than little things like laundry and trash, he has kept his promise. And he always will. Just as she has been doing everything in her power to make him happy. They both go out of their way for the other and the result is a very easy, happy marriage. Seeing the talk show she was on where she talked about having a crush on him was very sweet. It made him realize that he still has a crush on her. They've been together for eight years, married for one, and still have crushes on one another. He's a very lucky man. He reminds himself again that he swore to her he'd make her life as happy as possible. She deserves a happy life more than anyone he knows. He's glad to know he's mostly succeeding. He'll try harder to remember to put his dirty socks in the hamper right away.
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She doesn't often take the subway when traveling alone, but it's the quickest and easiest way to her destination. Add on that she's wearing the new shoes that Santana convinced her to buy but aren't broken in yet and hurt her feet and it's threatening to rain…..she decided to take the subway. But, to be safe, she put Yero's infrequently used service animal vest on him and brought him with her. She's glad she did, but there was one slightly awkward moment at the start. She got on a train car and there were no available seats. Her feet were already hurting a little, but not enough that she was upset about having to stand. The aspect she didn't consider was other people's views of a young woman with a service animal. Two teenage boys stood from their seats and offered them to her. It was very sweet, but since she didn't actually need to sit and only wanted Yero with her for external protection, she felt awkward about it. Still, she accepted their kind offer with a smile and a 'thanks'. Yero sat by her feet.
The boys got off two stops later and a man who got on at that stop sat in the open seat beside her. She ignored the man. The train jerked slightly and her purse, sitting on her lap, tilted to the side but didn't fall. But then Yero growled low in his throat, threateningly. Rachel looked to him, but he was staring at the man beside her, whose hands were suddenly jerking back. Only then did she glance at the man and see him paling slightly, looking at Yero with a mix of anger and fear. He stood and waited by the doors, but kept glancing back at Yero. Yero growled every time the man turned to look at him. By then, they had the attention of the entire train car. Yero, his hackles raised, stood and continued to growl lowly.
"Down boy." Rachel said quietly.
Yero sat on his haunches and stopped growling, but continued to stare tensely at the man until he (rather hurriedly) got off at the next stop. After he was gone, Yero relaxed and turned to lick Rachel's hand. She pet him and reassured him that he's a good boy.
"Maybe we should all have a service dog with us in New York City." An older woman commented, having watched the whole scene from her spot across from her.
Rachel grinned. "It is very helpful."
Yero stopped a guy from robbing her (they're assuming). He was treated as a hero that night with steak and a new toy and belly rubs. Yero the hero.
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Kurt walks into Rachel's apartment and immediately grabs a glass of ice tea from the fridge. He was going to head straight to the music room, hoping that's where he'll find his sister, but is distracted by a very pleasant aroma. The oven is on. He peeks inside and grins. Snickerdoodles. Kurt surreptitiously looks around. Not seeing or hearing Rachel, he carefully uses a nearby spatula to try to lift one off the baking sheet. It folds. It's still too uncooked.
"Damn." He mutters.
Instead, he searches the kitchen for any sign of finished cookies. He finds them cooling on a plate on the other counter.
"Ah still hot! Still hot!" He hot-potato's the cookie and sets it on a napkin to cool.
He waits a minute then eats his treat, moaning in pleasure as he does. He loves cookies. He prefers his husband's chocolate chip cookies, but his sister's snickerdoodles. He wipes his mouth, picks up his drink, and finally makes his way to the music room. She's sitting at the piano practicing "No Good Deed". He stops and listens. Her voice and the emotion in it send shivers through him. Even though he walked in more than halfway through the song, he still finds himself a little emotional by the end. She finishes her song and without even looking up she addresses him.
"I've told you before no food or drinks in the music room."
"It's ice tea, not spaghetti." He argues after swallowing down the lump in his throat.
"And it's my room, my rules."
"What are we, twelve again?"
She smirks and shakes her head. "You know you're not supposed to be privy to any songs before my opening night. I laid that rule down."
Kurt waves his hand. "That was for everyone else. It doesn't apply to me. I'm your brother."
She smiles, but the look in her eyes says she's being serious. "Kurt. This is my career. I have very few rules to follow right now but the biggest one is to not let anyone hear me sing any song yet. Anyone."
"Finn heard!"
Rachel stands and guides him out of the music room. "First of all, he is my husband. I'm allowed to share anything and everything with him. Even Kevin agrees with that. You are not my husband. And second of all, I still only let him hear bits and pieces, not whole songs."
"Well I only heard less than half of that song." Kurt mutters in his defense.
"It was still more than you should have. Do I need to start putting the chain on the door so you can't get in?"
They each have keys to one another's apartments. For the most part, they have open invitations to one another's homes. They're family, after all. The only real rule is that if they unlock the door with their key and find that the chain or deadbolt are in use, then they're not accepting visitors for whatever reason. It's been working well for them.
"No." Kurt grumps.
They sit on the couch. "So why'd you come by?" Kurt doesn't answer, he just shifts awkwardly on the couch and sips his drink. Rachel rolls her eyes. "You just wanted to sneak in and hear me sing a Wicked song."
"Can you blame me? I'm excited!"
She grins. "Me, too. It'll be great. You'll hear every song in just under two months, Kurt."
The oven beeps and Rachel stands to take the cookies out. His eyes widen, recalling the folded cookie from his theft attempt. "Uh, I'd better go. Get started on dinner, you know?"
"Uh huh. See you later, Kurt." He's booking it towards the door when he hears her call to him. "Did you take a cookie?!"
"No! What? You made cookies?"
"Kurt!"
"Save me some!" He shuts the door behind him and jogs down the steps to his own apartment.
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Santana is sprawled out on her couch munching on the snickerdoodles Rachel brought over. Rachel nibbles on her own cookie from her spot on the loveseat. They were going to go out for lunch but Santana asked to postpone it because she's not feeling well. Rachel pressed her for symptoms, then showed up at her apartment with a box of supplies.
"I know you like snuggling while you're sick and Brittany's out of town for work. I'm no replacement for your wife, but I can stay for a while if you'd like."
Santana had hugged her best friend tight. Rachel had brought over medicine, chicken noodle soup, and cookies. While Santana does like snuggling while she's sick, there's still a part of her that has a hard time doing that with Rachel. She still fears she'll spread something to her slightly immune-compromised friend. She let Rachel stay and chat, but not cuddle. It's enough to have someone who loves her there with her. They watch a movie while eating their soup and cookies. Santana feels the medicine kicking in and her body falling into slumber and lets it happen. She's vaguely aware of Rachel laying a blanket over her and kissing her cheek.
When she wakes a few hours later, it's to find the medicine on her coffee table, more soup waiting for her in the fridge, the rest of the cookies on the kitchen counter, and a note from Rachel saying to call or text if she needs or wants anything. To her, the best part of this is that she knows Rachel isn't the only one. She can call on Finn, Kurt, Blaine, or Sam (or Puck if he's staying in the city and not with Quinn) and all of them would come over if she asked. Granted, they'd all bring different levels of comfort or teasing. But they'd all come because they all love one another. Just like they all came together to offer her support and comfort when her grandmother passed away. She remembers being afraid of leaving Ohio for New York where she'd only know the people she was moving with. Despite knowing and loving them, she feared she'd be homesick. But she wasn't because of who she was with. They are family in a way most blood relatives aren't. She never imagined living in New York the way Rachel, Kurt, and Blaine did. Now she can't imagine not living in the big city and it's mostly because of her family here. She truly thinks she'd be happy anywhere in the world as long as she had them with her still.
It is almost laughable to think that this all started because a small, lonely girl wanted a show choir in her school so she could sing. And she wanted friends. But mostly she wanted to sing.
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This year, with Rachel having rehearsals but no performances at this time, she is able to go to Finn's team's final football game of the season. The playoffs…..or championships…..or something big. Whatever they call the final game. When she'd stumbled over the terminology, Finn and Noah had stared at her incredulously.
"You went to as many of our games as you were able to in high school!" Noah argued. "We talked football constantly! And now you can't remember what it's called?"
"She never cared about the games, dude." Finn had said in her defense. "She only came to support us and cheer us on."
"I had no idea what I was cheering for, but I was excited when you guys would have the ball….or would tackle someone." Rachel admitted.
Finn kissed her cheek, but Noah still looked disgruntled. Now, a bunch of them are at the game, waiting for it to start. She even brought Yero so he wouldn't be home alone. And so she'd have an excuse to walk away for a few minutes if she got too bored. She sits between Santana and Sam, with Quinn and Noah on the end. They're the only ones who aren't working tonight. It's weird seeing Finn on the sidelines, holding a clipboard and watching intently instead of in a uniform and playing. She doesn't care for the game, doesn't know any of the kids playing, but is there to support her husband. And it helps she has friends with her. They sit and talk, wondering why the game hasn't started yet. A teacher walks up to Paul and Finn, talking quickly and waving her hands in a fretful manner. Finn turns and looks up at her in the stands. Rachel is surprised and confused when he jogs up to her.
"Hey."
"Hey, what's going on?"
"They had a student prepared to sing the national anthem to start us off. She's currently in the bathroom throwing up. She won't be able to sing it."
"Don't they have a backup?" Rachel asks in confusion.
"No. So….uh, they could play a recording, but…do you think you'd be willing to sing it?"
Rachel thinks it over. Yes, she's a professional singer. But this is a challenging song that she hasn't sung in a long time. She sees the eager look he's giving her and the expectant looks from the others.
"Sure." She smiles.
He grins and takes her hand, leading her down to the field with Yero following obediently. He leads her over to Paul and the frantic lady.
"This is my wife. She'll sing it for us."
"Can she sing?" The lady asks doubtfully.
"She's a Tony Award winning Broadway star." Finn states proudly, his hand on the small of her back.
The lady's eyes widen and she looks at Rachel in surprise. "Oh. Um, okay then. I'll get the music ready."
Paul is looking at her doubtfully. "You can actually sing it?"
"I can." She'd love to say more, but leaves it at that.
Finn grabs a microphone and leads her out on the the center of the field. Still keeping a hand on the small of her back, he addresses the crowd.
"Good evening. For those of you who don't know, I'm assistant Coach Hudson. This lovely lady is my wife, Rachel. She has agreed to sing the national anthem for us tonight. She can sing pretty well." He says in a somewhat hesitant tone. Rachel hits his side, seeing what he's doing. "It definitely beats standing here listening to the instrumental recording."
He kisses her cheek and hands her the microphone. "Knock 'em dead."
She quirks an eyebrow. "With my 'pretty good' singing?"
"Now they'll be extra wowed." He grins.
He grabs Yero's leash and heads off the field. Alone on the field, Rachel wishes she had a few minutes to rehearse. She has no choice but to push those thoughts aside when the music starts up. Rachel lifts the microphone, closes her eyes, and sings the national anthem. She's relieved that she both remembers the words and hits the high note belts easily. When she finishes, holding out the last note with a flourish, the crowd is stomping, cheering, and clapping loudly. She grins, relieved it went well and that she was able to help her husband. Finn and Yero jog over to her. He kisses her deeply, causing the cheers to get even louder. Rachel pulls away laughing. He takes the microphone from her and addresses the crowd.
"Sorry, did I forget to mention that my wife is a Tony Award winning Broadway star?"
The crowd is laughing and cheering. They walk off the field together and she kisses him one final time before taking Yero's leash and heading back to her seat. She's stopped along the way by the fretful teacher.
"Thank you for being willing to sing that for us! That was incredible!"
"You're welcome."
The woman is staring at her with a weirdly eager look on her face. Feeling awkward, Rachel nods and moves away. This time she's stopped by Paul. He gives her a grin.
"Alright, so you can sing."
"I can. I guess we'll see if you can coach." She responds with a teasing grin. Thankfully, he recognizes that she's just joking and laughs heartily.
"Let's hope."
The two shake hands and she is finally able to return to her seat. She accepts praise from a couple people as she passes. Once she takes her seat, Santana leans over and whispers.
"Show off."
"He asked for help!"
"Ignore her. You rocked that." Sam insists. Noah and Quinn and laughing and nodding.
Quinn leans closer with a teasing grin. "But it figures you'd find a way to get to sing tonight."
Rachel shrugs with a smile. It did make this a more enjoyable experience.
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They haven't stopped having their Friendsgiving since the first one they had seven years ago. There are only two reasons they still call it "Friendsgiving" and not just Thanksgiving. First is because they don't hold it on Thanksgiving but the weekend before. The second reason is because even though they are absolutely a family, it helps them separate which event they're referring to; their Thanksgiving celebration together or the one with their blood relatives. So when they say "Thanksgiving" they know they're talking about parents, siblings, grandparents, and so on. When they say "Friendsgiving" they know they mean their own, chosen family celebration.
Now that they're all out of the townhouse, the Hudsons have the largest home. They host Friendsgiving for their NY family (and the four others who live further away). It is always filled with warmth, laughter, and lots of good food. Because they're them, it usually involves singing at least a little. And games. Finn, Noah, Sam, and Mike started a bizarre competition and want to keep doing it. They weigh themselves before and after dinner. Whoever put on the most weight by the end of the night is deemed the food champion. Artie can't participate in that, so he's the judge; the one responsible for reading the scale for accuracy and making sure they're not cheating. For the others, they choose one person a year to make a dish that is new and original. Bonus points if it's bizarre but still tasty. This year that fell on Quinn, who came up with a vegetable dish using both cinnamon and hot sauce, among other things. They all laughed while trying it. Quinn sat there laughing her ass off and covering her face, cringing with each new person who tried it. There were mixed reviews, but they all enjoyed trying the original dish. But they asked her not to make it again.
This is why she insisted on the apartment with the dining room. Rachel looks at her family with a warm smile. Her home is filled with talking, laughter, and joy. Her table, with the leaf in and another smaller, folding, table shoved up against it, is crowded and warm. This is what holidays are about. And since she's not working at the moment, she and Finn are debating hosting New Years this year. Finn offered, but Rachel knows he prefers spending time in Ohio. So, for him, Rachel is pretty sure they'll be in Ohio. That's fine with her. Finn put aside his distaste for New York City to live here with her. Over the years, he has found peace with the city and is honestly happy here. She knows this. But he's happier in a small town like Lima. So they'll most likely go there for the holidays.
After dinner, she's in the kitchen cleaning with some of the others. Quinn tells them about Jake visiting her and Noah in New Jersey a few weeks before. Mostly Noah talks to his half-brother on the phone, but they do visit a couple times a year. Jake even came with his girlfriend Marley to see Rachel's show and Blaine's show. Since he loves dance, he's also been to see Brittany and Mike perform. Quinn is working in public relations, where she assists with event planning, social media management, and press releases. Her company is located in North Jersey but there is a smaller branch in New York City. She has toyed with the idea of requesting a transfer to that location, then trying to find work in a larger company in the city. The others give their thoughts on it. While she's still uncertain, the possibility of having Quinn in the big city with them is exciting and adds to the positive atmosphere of the night.
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This year, planning for their family Thanksgiving was an actual argument. With everyone. Everyone wanted "the kids" (Finn, Kurt, Rachel, and Blaine) with them. Both sides and their extended families. It was finally accepted that they wouldn't be able to visit with everyone. In the end, they had to agree to alternating holidays. Rachel and Finn joined her parents at the Corcoran's home for Thanksgiving with the promise of spending Christmas with Finn's extended family this year. Kurt and Blaine spent Thanksgiving with the Anderson's. Burt and Carole, not wanting to spend the holiday without any of their kids, gratefully accepted the invitation from the Anderson's and joined them for Thanksgiving.
Rachel is glad she doesn't have to miss Thanksgiving with her extended family. She doesn't get to see them much, so losing this holiday would be a blow to her. And it'd crush poor Ollie. He's been brushing up on his Wicked knowledge since her announcement. The car ride from Akron to Columbus, with her parents, was half spent talking and half spent singing. As always, they were greeted with warm hugs from all. Dylan had taken a quick liking to Finn years ago and often talks football with him. So while Rachel and Ollie sat and discussed musicals, Finn and Dylan were discussing the football game in depth. At least, that is until Ollie brought up what happens at the end of Act 1: Defying Gravity.
"Are you excited to be so high up in the air?" Ollie asks her excitedly.
Finn's head snaps over to her. "What?"
Rachel frowns slightly. "Defying Gravity. During that song, the Elphaba actress is lifted up high above the stage while she sings." She turns to her twelve year old cousin and grins. "Yes! I'm not afraid of heights or anything, so I'm excited for that. I haven't gone up in it yet, though. But they promised me it'll happen in the next two weeks."
"How high up do you go?" Ollie asks, wide eyed.
"Thirty feet."
"Wow!"
"What?! Thirty feet?" Finn is agitated.
"Finn, what's the big deal?" Dylan asks, annoyed his football conversation was interrupted.
"The big deal is my wife is going to be thirty feet in the air every night!" He turns back to Rachel. "What mechanisms are they using? What brands?"
"I—I don't know. Finn, it's fine. It's safe."
He nods but his knee is bouncing. Rachel reads his body language and knows this conversation isn't finished yet. The family heads out back and plays their annual backyard "football" game. They went with girls versus boys this year. With Yero simply chasing the ball and running with it.
"Are you sure?" Dylan asks skeptically. "Us versus them isn't very fair. We're gonna wipe the floor with them."
The other guys laugh while the women take playful offense.
"You're going down, sonny." Aunt Amy declares.
Dylan and Oliver share a look, then laugh. Ten seconds into the game Rachel tackles Dylan to the ground. Not having expected a strong offense, the fourteen year old stares up at her in shock, his mouth hanging open. Rachel smirks and pops up.
"While you're wiping the floor down there, don't forget to mop up your drool." She teases.
His shock transforms into admiration and he stands. "Well played. But you caught me off guard. It won't happen again."
"Maybe not."
Not from Rachel, anyway. Dylan kept a closer eye on her. However, while he was monitoring her, he wasn't monitoring the other women. The next woman to tackle him was his mother. The only guys comfortable tackling the women back were Tyler, Finn, Dylan, and Oliver, but even they did so with care. The older men preferred grabbing the women around their middles and lifting them off their feet and just holding them there for a moment. Rachel had to give Yero a command to stand down because he kept trying to stop the guys from "tackling" her. Thankfully he's used to this event and isn't upset by it, just wary of Rachel being knocked down. She had to reassure him a few times, but otherwise it wasn't an issue. The women weren't often able to tackle the guys. Sometimes they would jump on them and just be hanging off of them, slowing them down but not stopping them. Watching Aunt Kelly wrap her arms around her husband from behind and dig her feet into the ground, trying to slow him as he ran towards the end zone with the ball was hysterical. He kept charging forward, and she was being dragged behind him, refusing to let go, but slowing him down. Everyone else stopped playing to watch and laugh. They also had fun chasing after Yero and trying to get the ball from him or convincing him to bring the ball to a specific side of the yard for a score. It ended up being a somewhat rougher game than they usually play, but they were still careful not to hurt anyone and it was still full of love and very fun. The guys did win, by a lot, but the women got at least a few points.
The ladies slipped out of bed early the next morning before going Black Friday shopping. Rachel knows her mom isn't a huge fan of being up early to shop of all things, but goes for the sake of tradition. The only years she didn't go were the years Rachel couldn't. Rachel was thrilled to join them once she was well enough to. And now that she has her own decent amount of money that she can spend on shopping, she enjoys finding presents for people for upcoming holidays. The women stop for breakfast once it's a normal time, then resume shopping. When the guys join them later in the day, she has Finn help pick out little things for his extended family, since she doesn't know them well. Watching him scratch his head and shrug, she realizes he'll be no help. She'll ask Carole and Kurt for help another day.
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They get back to her parent's house that night and Finn asks her to take a walk with him. They walk hand in hand down the street and to the nearby park with Yero trotting along. She knows what he wants to discuss and isn't sure why he's so nervous about it. Rachel stays quiet, letting Finn start the conversation. Even Yero seems to sense something slightly off and stays calmer and quieter than usual, constantly looking between them.
"So." Finn says after a few minutes of walking in silence. "Thirty feet."
"Yeah." It's actually a little over 30 feet, but she won't specify that right now.
"Every night."
"Every night that I perform, yeah."
"Walk me through how it works."
"I haven't actually done it yet, but I have been shown. I will whip my cape over the mechanism so no one can see it and step onto a small platform."
"How small?"
She hesitates to answer. "Just large enough to stand on."
He takes a moment to visualize that. "And then?"
"I lean back into a lever and it causes two mechanical arms to snap around me, keeping me in place. There is long, black material, the same material as my costume, attached to the arms, creating a fake skirt that's longer than my actual costume to hide the platform I'm standing on. It's connected to a computer offstage. Once I'm locked in, it knows to go and starts lifting me. If I'm not safely locked in, it won't move."
He nods slowly. "It won't move if you're not locked in?"
"Right. It's safe, Finn."
"Has it ever failed before? Has any Elphaba ever fallen?"
Her mouth goes dry. It has happened on different stages around the world, but not often. "If you compare how many successful shows to how many malfunctions—"
Finn stops walking and turns to face her, his face hard. "I don't care about statistics or comparisons, Rachel. I care that you're safe."
"I'm safe. They've improved it over the years and now it won't lift at all if the arms aren't properly closed. I will be safe. Finn, they've been doing this a long time and know what they're doing. I promise."
"Alright. I believe you, but I want to check it out for myself."
"Many other actresses have done this successfully and I've never heard of their spouses coming in to inspect the mechanism." She says gently.
"I bet they've never gone through what we've gone through! Do you know how many times I've nearly lost you? I had to stop counting!" The emotion in his voice causes a lump to form in her throat and her eyes prickle with tears. "Do you know how bad a fall from thirty feet in the air could be? Especially landing on a hard stage? You could die from that height. Or at least be seriously injured. I don't want anything to happen to you. I will take great pains to make sure you are kept safe and healthy. Hearing that your job is to go thirty feet in the air on a tiny platform every night scares me!"
It truly does. She sees it in his eyes, on his face, and hears it in his voice. This scares him. She never imagined that an aspect of a job she's thrilled about would cause him this much distress over her safety. Rachel reaches up and strokes his cheek, trying to soothe him.
"Do you want me to quit?" She asks seriously in a soft voice. "Tell them I can't do it?"
If he says yes, it'll break her heart. But she'll do it. For him. She doesn't want him to be scared every day for the next year or two, or however long she does this show. Heart thudding wildly, she waits and watches his expression change. It softens. He steps closer and lightly kisses her. Then he rests his forehead against hers and releases a slow breath.
"I would never ask you to walk away from your dream." He tells her sincerely.
"I know. But I'm offering." And she means it, but she's also praying he doesn't accept it.
He kisses her again and pulls back. "No. Don't leave the show. But I do really want to see the mechanism for myself and make sure they're maintaining it properly."
"Alright. I'll talk to Kevin when we get home."
"Thank you."
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Thanksgiving Take 2 is always fun. Sitting surrounded by her husband, brothers, and all four parents, she wonders if after she starts having kids if they'll just do Thanksgiving with them. She's torn on that. On the one hand, she loves the idea of bringing her children to the same Thanksgiving festivities she has grown accustomed to for years and seeing their extended family. The other part of her likes the idea of less travel with kids and just staying with their grandparents. And if she does become a surrogate for her brothers, would she be okay with spending Thanksgiving with one child while the other is with another part of her family? It's something she'll have to seriously consider before bringing up surrogacy to her brothers. They'll be her child, but at the same time, she'll have more of an "aunt" role in their life than "mother". It's weird. And mildly uncomfortable, if she's honest. She shoves the thoughts away; it's too soon to even think of it. Too bad Carole brings up the topic of children to the table.
"Have you two thought about when you want kids? We know you said you wanted to wait, but…..we're just wondering."
"Not rushing things at all." Her dad agrees.
Rachel grins, knowing her dad (both of them really) will make an amazing grandpa one day. Her smile dims in annoyance, realizing she'll be getting this question more and more often as time passes.
"We have discussed it a lot and decided to wait." Finn says for her.
Rachel nods. "Not real long. We do want kids. But I don't exactly have a job where I can keep working while pregnant, then go on maternity leave, then return. Once I start showing, I'm out of a job. And since I only just barely started Wicked, I want to wait. I don't want to be in it for only a couple months, just to have to leave."
"That's understandable." Her mom says with a supportive smile.
Other than Finn, she has talked this over the most with her mom. While her mother is eager to be a grandmother, she absolutely understands that Rachel's career only just started and isn't one that can easily accommodate a pregnancy.
"We'll revisit the topic in a year or two." Rachel promises everyone. "I'm only 22. I have time."
Disappointed but understanding, they all nod.
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Back in New York, Rachel talks to Kevin about Finn's concerns. Her director lets Finn come in early the next Saturday to inspect it before the matinee performance. Rachel formally introduces them, then stays with Finn while the stagehands responsible for the lift walk them through it. Finn even takes notes. Rachel keeps a hand on his back, hoping this is reassuring him and not concerning him even more. Finn shakes their hands and thanks them for their time.
"It's no problem, but, uh, it was a little surprising." Kevin admits.
Finn hesitates, looking between Rachel and Kevin. Realizing what he wants to discuss, Rachel nods. Finn turns to Kevin. "I'm sure you've heard a bit about Rachel's past health issues."
Kevin nods slowly. "A little, yeah. I know the basics. I know it was serious, but I also know she's been in remission for four and a half years now."
"I still nearly lost her. More than once. I don't take anything that could possibly threaten her health or safety lightly. Do you think you could have them email me a report every time they run maintenance on it? So that I know it's getting regular checks and isn't going to endanger my wife?"
Kevin calls over the guys in charge of it and discusses it with them. They nod. "Yeah, sure. We run checks once a month."
Finn shares his email with them and thanks them again.
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The first time Rachel goes up on the hydraulic lift is thrilling. She clung to the arms and laughed the whole time, wondering how the hell she'll manage to sing while doing this. Her heart was racing but in a good way. It was fun. Neve-wracking, but fun. Once she was all the way up, she completely understood Finn's fears. It seems much higher from her position than from the audience or even on stage. She went up a few times to get used to it, then they had her sing while going up. It took a few tries, but she managed it.
Everything is falling into place for her opening night. She has all of the choreography down, she has the songs down, she knows all her lines, she can sing while being lifted up on the hydraulic lift, turning her green takes 20-30 minutes, and she has her costume changes down. There are far more costume changes than she'd realized. Some are fast. The costume change for her and Ashley, her Glinda, right before their day in the Emerald City, is only about 15 seconds long. Her dress in act two is twenty five pounds. She had to spend weeks rehearsing in that dress to get used to its weight and be able to move easily in it. But it's all coming together.
Now it's just more rehearsing until her opening night. And advertising. She and Jesse are scheduled to go on a morning talk show soon, they've sung at events around the city, and they've had their photo shoots to get the posters and such ready. The Broadway blog is going crazy. While they're sad to see the current Elphaba leave, they're really excited to see Rachel Hudson take on the role. Rachel read one comment about how she is predicted to be one of the best Elphaba's ever and started laughing when she saw the username. She immediately called Ollie and lovingly told him to tone down his online support.
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Finn knocks before entering his brother's apartment. Looking around, he sees that everyone else is there.
"Finally. What took you so long?" Santana grumps.
"Rachel left later than usual. A button popped off her shirt and she had to go change."
"And how exactly did a button pop—" Brittany starts asking with a grin.
"Ew, no, I don't want to know." Kurt interrupts.
Finn rolls his eyes. "Yero jumped on her while she was putting on her coat. Somehow a thread on her coat caught on her shirt button and yanked it off when Yero jumped."
"A likely story." Puck smirks. "I still remember the time you—"
Finn whacks his head as he passes him. "Let's get down to business. Rachel is six months away from her five year anniversary of being in remission. We celebrate every year, but this one needs to be huge."
"Absolutely!" Blaine says excitedly.
"What do you propose?" Quinn asks.
Finn hesitates. "I don't know. I just wanted something big, but I'm not a party planner. I just figured I'd make sure it happens and I help foot the bill. I figured I'd leave the actual planning to you guys. Or maybe her cousin Abby, since she's an event planner."
The others laugh and groan, teasing him. But they all heartily agree. Five years of being in remission is huge and they want to honor that with something big. They discuss options; a party, a trip, an event, etc. They talk for an hour before deciding to nix the trip idea. They know that all of Rachel's family, other friends, and plenty of their own families will want to be there. So a trip is out. By the end of their conversation, they've decided who is responsible for what (and Finn is relieved he's mostly responsible for handing over his credit card). Kurt eagerly promises to start making calls that day. Starting with Abby.
The other main thing they agreed upon was that it'd be a surprise for Rachel. But she'd expect some sort of celebration, so the New York crew will hold a small dinner party right around her actual anniversary. The big party will be with everyone at the end of June, though they're debating whether it'll be before or after the benefit. It depends on available dates. Once they have a date nailed down, Finn will talk to Kevin privately and make sure Rachel has off for it.
It'll be the party of the year. Mostly because every year she's in remission raises her odds of not relapsing, which also adds to how long she'll get to live.
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