Moments later, she stood in the wings, listening to the recorded preshow announcement, as every part of her shook. She turned to Lauren, met her gaze, and received a squeeze from their joined hands. She smiled and let it all fall away. Lauren made her entrance, and Carly watched her sweetly argue with TJ, the gate attendant, about missing the flight. To her surprise, lines she’d heard spoken a million times were greeted with laughter. Whoa. The audience was actually enjoying their show. She stood a little taller, eager to get out there and participate. Her dresser handed her Ashley’s attaché, and she made her entrance with purpose. When she appeared onstage, the audience applauded. Entrance applause because she was famous. Lauren told her this might happen. She paused until it died down and delivered her first line. Ashley was on a mission and so was she.

For Carly, the performance alternated between racing past, and plodding in slow motion. Lauren had been correct. Carly felt the energy from the audience, and it gave her life. The connection between all of them in that room, experiencing the same story beneath the same roof, was overpowering. She understood midway through, that live performance could easily become an addiction, like the best kind of drug. She loved the screen, but the theater was instantaneously rewarding.

That Tuesday night, she went on the same journey with Lauren that they’d gone on together every day in rehearsal. The audience only enriched their story and gave it texture. God, Carly could really get used to this.

When the curtain came down, the audience applauded and cheered loudly. Lauren fell into her arms. It was hands down the best moment of Carly’s life, thus far.

“That was amazing,” Carly whispered.

“You were,” Lauren countered. “You’re so talented, Car. Really. You broke my heart back there.” There were tears in Lauren’s eyes when she said it.

“It was you who stole the show,” she said, as they dashed into the wings, hand in hand.

When the curtain rose again, the audience applauded enthusiastically for their cast members, and when it was Lauren’s turn to bow at curtain call, Carly watched in awe as the audience stood in unison. A standing ovation. Because of her recognizable name, Carly had been given the final bow. As she stepped downstage before the audience, she looked into the faces of each and every person she could see through the bright stage lights. She took in the moment, then finally bowed, as her heart soared. Her year had been full of ups and downs, but this made it all okay again. She joined hands with Kirby and Lauren as they all took their company bow together. She waved to the audience and headed to the wings. The show was complete. She’d made it.