Sunday, December 11, 2011

Performance Time


Hi, this is Kaya. It's late, and I'm wired... because tonight was the second day of Nutcracker! So far I've done three performances, and Fiona has done two because her role is double-cast. It's going really well. We've had good crowds every time, and got a lot of applause. Our family came to opening night and brought us both roses, and they're going to come to the final performance too.

***

I should backtrack a little, though. Before Nutcracker, there was a difficult conversation to be had. A few days ago, Clare told us that our new friends are vampires. Obviously, we needed to bring up the subject with Cécile and Marie-Grace. What was less obvious was how. The girls all thought I should be the one to talk to them, because Fiona and I know them best from being in ballet together, and I'm more diplomatic than Fiona is.

Um... yay? Lucky me? I win the prize and get the bad job? ;-)

I couldn't exactly say no, though. I wasn't looking forward to the chat, but there were valid reasons for it. During the time between when we decided and when I saw Marie-Grace and Cécile, I practiced what I was going to say. I was trying to come up with something more eloquent than, "We know you're vampires, but it's all good." The others didn't have any brilliant ideas either.

On Thursday, on the way to final dress rehearsal, I crossed paths with Cécile and Marie-Grace as I walked from my school to the theatre. I think the two girls could tell that I had something on my mind, because they followed me as I went into a side-street where we wouldn't be overheard. I took a deep breath and said...

"We know you're vampires, but it's all good!" (I told you I couldn't think of anything better! :-P)

Cécile and Marie-Grace exchanged a worried look.

"Sorry we didn't tell you," Marie-Grace said sheepishly. "We didn't know how to."

"Didn't you realize we had a vampire in the basement?" I asked. "She could tell you were upstairs."

Cécile replied, "We could tell there was a vampire, but we thought she lived with your random neighbours rather than your family, and either way, we didn't know why she was there. If she was a family member, or a prisoner, or if someone was about to stake her and set her corpse on fire, or... what."

Yeah, it might have been a good idea to mention to them at some point that the Roses live in a separate house. Oops! They've only ever seen Summer and Kiwi either at the Green house or out and about somewhere else. No wonder Cécile and Marie-Grace were confused.

"She's a family member," I quickly clarified. "Not the other stuff."

"We wanted to find out more," Cécile explained. "So we stayed nearby to try to find out."

Hastily, Marie-Grace added, "But we did really want to be your friends too. We like you."

"I know," I replied. We've had a lot of fun together, so I wasn't really worried about that. "Are you... really old vampires?"

Cécile nodded. "Yes. We're really from New Orleans, but it was... a long time ago. We were turned during a Yellow Fever epidemic. With so many deaths, no one saw anything amiss in two girls suddenly disappearing."

Marie-Grace nervously asked, "So what happens now?"

I shrugged. "Nothing changes. I just wanted you to know we knew, so you don't have to worry about keeping it a secret."

"You girls still want to be our friends?"

"Of course we do," I assured them with a grin.

"There's danger," Cécile told me bluntly. Then she clarified, "Not from us. We wouldn't hurt you. We're old vampires, and we've been working on self-control for a long time. But... others. There are dangerous vampires in this town, much older and more powerful than we are - and they're trying to 'cleanse' the city of those they consider a threat to their way of life. Which very well may include the two of us."

"Do you know who? Or why?" I asked, with a sinking feeling. If there was risk of these ancient vampires going after our friends, Tabitha and Clare are probably in danger too.

They both shook their heads, and Cécile said, "We've been trying to stay out of their way. It's dangerous enough to keep going to ballet, but... we have to keep living our lives. We can't figure out a way to snoop around without drawing their attention. And their fire."

I knew this 'fire' could be literal. Of the 'set on fire' kind, like the bad vampires who were killed. Typical of the vampire legends, too.

"We'll help you," I promised. Then I linked arms with each of the girls, and we walked to ballet rehearsal. I let myself sense their feelings... and sensed relief and friendliness.

Good. That's what we like.

***

Life goes on, and we're dancing in Nutcracker now. People clap, and dangerous things seem far away. I hope it stays that way for awhile. Either way, though, family protects each other... and new friends protect each other, now, too.

Love,
Kaya

6 comments:

  1. Hi Kaya,

    I'm glad everything went well with your new friends. I wish I could see you and Fiona perform! I've only seen the Nutcracker once and I really enjoyed it. Good luck on the rest of your performances!

    Emily

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  2. What a hard time to talk to them, but soooo glad that everything worked out, we will hope you do not have to run into the bad vampires at least for awhile. Sounds like you will have to at some point.

    We are all glad that the Nutcracker has been going good, so is our sisters performances, we have to post on that later, but right now they are doing a matinee performance.

    Hugs,
    Taryn

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  3. Kaya says:

    Hello, Emily!

    I wish you could come too - not just for the performance, but so we could visit.

    Who knows, maybe you'll see Fiona on Broadway someday! That's her goal, and I wouldn't be surprised if she makes it. She's very determined.

    I'm still not sure what I want to do for a career. Maybe something with dance, but I'm also really interested in environmental science. I guess I have time to decide!

    Anyway, thanks! :-)

    Love,
    Kaya

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  4. Kaya says:

    And hello, Taryn! :-)

    I think you're right that we'll eventually run into the bad old vampires, whoever they are. I'd be happy if they'd hold off till after Nutcracker, though. I have enough to stress about!

    I'm a little nervous because right after the performances end, several of us are going out of town to different places to visit biological family members. I'm super excited to see mine... but I hope that while we're gone isn't when all heck breaks loose back here.

    Oh well. Gotta live your life, right? No point in always being scared, and life's too short to spend too much of it wishing you could be two places at once.

    Good luck with Christmas Caper! I can't wait to hear about it. :-)

    Love,
    Kaya

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  5. Salut!
    I'm glad the show is going well! I would love to see Sandrine perform in the Nutcracker again. Maybe someday...there is so much on her plate right now, though...

    I'm glad that you girls discovered the truth about Cécile and Marie-Grace. If you ever do come across the bad old vampires, maybe Cécile and Marie-Grace will be able to help you?

    Bises,
    Sabine

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  6. Kaya says:

    Hello, Sabine!

    We're glad it's going well, too. It's tiring and we're a little nervous every performance, but it's a lot of fun.

    I hope someday Sandrine gets the chance to be in Nutcracker again, if that's something she wants.

    Marie-Grace and Cécile are definitely our allies now, since they know they can trust us. Whether that turns out to mean them helping us, or us helping them... either way, I think it's good for everyone.

    They're nice people, and they deserve to be safe too. I think we'll all be safer working together.

    Bad old vampires or no bad old vampires. ;-)

    Love,
    Kaya

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