September 18th 2025

"Hey, Abigail?" I heard Craig's voice and a knock at my door, "Mail call." He said.

"Oh! Really?" I smiled, and opened the door to my neat dressing room.

"Opening night haul." He laughed and handed me several packages and tons of letters, "these are from your husband." He added, handing me a large bouquet of flowers. "Along with this." He handed me a stuffed bunny, "which I don't really get." He shrugged.

"Dang." I sighed, looking around the room. "I'm glad I got here early." I laughed a little.

"Yeah." He replied with a laugh, "break a leg tonight." He nodded at me, then left.

I curled up on the couch, reading mail, and crying. A lot of this was like, really deep. It wasn't just like, we love you, break a leg, this is my Twitter username, a ton of it was about how what I went through inspired them to tell the police they were being abused, and now they've been adopted.

I looked around my dressing room. I had a basket full of fan mail, and packages, I had a large bouquet of flowers on my table, along with my make up and hair product. I had  some photos of me and my parents on the mirror, a couple of my husband, and a framed picture of my husband and I on my wedding day was sitting on the table.

There was a sign on my door that read;

Abigail Miranda
Bonnie Parker

I made it.

I actually did it. I was in a Broadway show, I was playing Bonnie Parker.

As I was contemplating whether or not I was going to wake up as a 15 year old in an abusive home or not, I heard another knock at the door.

"Come in!" I called, and the door swung open to reveal my best friend and co-star Josh, who was playing Clyde Barrow.

"Happy opening night!" He smiled, holding a bag.

"Josh!" I squealed and hugged him, "happy opening night! I brought you something." I added, reaching under my table to grab his gift.

"Oh gosh, Pip-squeak, you didn't have to do that!" He groaned, taking the bag.

"Just, just open it!" I rolled my eyes. He pulled out a signed photo of Anthony Ramos, back when he was in Hamilton, and he immediately broke out laughing. "That was like the first thing you told me," I explained laughing, "Anthony said something, and you just said 'I'm. So. Freaking. Gay' and I loved it."

"This is how you will forever remember me, as the guy who was gay for Anthony Ramos?" He asked, and I nodded, laughing.

"Mmhm."

"Okay Pip-Squeak, I bought you a gift as well." He handed me a small bag and card.

"Well, thank you Josh." I hugged him, tightly, "I'll read this later, I have time set aside to cry over everything."

"Go on, open it!" He prompted.

"Alrighty," I opened the small bag, and pulled out an opening night playbill from the first production of Bonnie and Clyde, signed by Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes. "How did you get this?" I asked, my jaw dropping a little.

"Long story Pip-squeak." He laughed, "there's more in there."

"Joshua. You didn't have to do this." I groaned and pulled out an original production t-shirt. "Josh!" I groaned a bit again.

"What?" He laughed, "do you like it?"

"Mmhm, I love it." I nodded, giving him a hug.

"Well, I should go, things to do." He smiled, "break a leg tonight." He left my room.

As time ticked by, I got nervous. It was opening night. I mean, we'd done it in previews and off-Broadway a hundred times, but, I mean, The New York Times was reviewing tonight. People expected a lot from me, Lin had been bragging about me for years.

"Knock knock." I looked up, nervously wringing my hands, to see my dad crack open the door, holding flowers. "Happy opening night Sweetie."

"Hi Dad." I gave him a nervous smile.

"You okay?" He asked, setting the vase on my table, and coming over to me.

"I'm nervous." I admitted.

"Oh, well, you're going to be fantastic." He said, and kissed my head.

"Thanks." I bit my lip gently.

"Sweetheart, you're amazing, I've been to like, five performances and you're killing it."

"I'm just, the reviews, and people expect me to be you." I groaned, knowing I could never fill my dads shoes.

"Well, then you're gonna exceed everyone's expectations." He laughed.

"Dad. You're a Tony winner, you have a Pulitzer, and Emmys, and Grammys and an Oscar."

"Well, Abigail," he pulled me to lean against him, "none of that was for acting. None of that was for singing. I wrote a couple shows." He kissed my head. "You are 10 times the singer I am, and the actor I am."

"Dad. No. I'm really not. I'm only 25." I groaned.

"Abigail Luz Miranda." He gently rubbed my arm. "You're going to be amazing. Okay? People are going to love you. I adore you. Your mom and brother are here, they're excited, and I swear, Kevin is so proud and he's out in the lobby telling everyone he's your husband. I mean, I've been bragging about you for years, but, he's loving it." He laughed. "Listen, you're going to be phenomenal, and everyone who knows you is going to be bragging about it. I love you Niñita."

"Dad." I smiled at him, "I love you." I sighed, then we heard another knock at the door. "Come in!" I called, and the door opened to reveal the 9 year old actress playing young Bonnie. "Jenny!" I smiled, "happy opening night! Come here sweetie, I have something for for you." I patted my lap, and she ran over, hopping up on me, as I reached to the side of the couch to grab a large boxed present.

"Hi Mr. Miranda." She smiled at my dad.

"Jenny." He laughed a bit, "its Lin." He kissed the top of her hair.

"Okay." She smiled, and I laughed then handed her the box.

"Alright Mini-Me, I'll show you how to use this in a second." She started ripping away the packaging, to reveal a record player.

"Cool." She smiled.

"I also got you these." I reached back behind the couch to grab a couple records. "Now, be very careful with these, they're fragile." I handed them to her. "These were some of my favorite musicals growing up." She flipped through them, there was Wicked, Lion King, Hairspray, and The Little Mermaid, the live action version.

"Thank you A!" She squealed.

"Okay, cutie pie, let me show you how it works." I picked her up by her waist, and sat her on the floor, and I sat across from her. Together we took the record player out and set it on the floor, "Dad, can you plug this in over there?" I handed him the cord, "and do you have a preference?" I asked.

"Little Mermaid. Always." He smiled at me, and I pulled the record out of the case.

"Okay, now, Jenny, can you put this on the tray, very carefully," I instructed, "only touch the sides." I added, and she carefully took it from me and set it on the tray. "Now, take this," I pointed towards the arm, "and set it down here." I pointed the the edge, and she followed my instructions. "Now, turn it on." I pointed at a knob, "and twist it to turn it up." I nodded, and it worked.

"I knew I'd find you in here." I looked up to see one of Jenny's dressers, standing in the doorway. "Time to get ready Jen." She said, and helped Jenny gather her new record player.

"Okay. Thank you Abi!" She gave me a hug, and started to leave the room.

"Wait Jenny!" I called, grabbing a playbill from my table, along with a sharpie.

"Uh huh?" She spun around.

"Can you sign my Playbill?" I asked, a smile creeping onto my face, she wasn't allowed to stagedoor, because she was 9, and she hadn't given out autographs yet. She grinned and took the sharpie, scribbling her name on the program. "Thank you Jenny." I smiled, hugging her, "now I have the first ever autograph from Jenny Ortano." When I said that, she broke out an adorable toothy grin, "I love you, break a leg tonight."

"You're so good with kids." Lin sighed from my couch.

"She's a sweetheart. It's not hard."

"When are you and Kevin gonna have kids, I want a grandchild." He groaned.

"Well, not until I'm done with the show, considering I have to show midriff in How Bout A Dance, I wouldn't really want to be pregnant."

"Understandable, but still, I want a grandchild."

•••

"Bunny?" I looked up while my dresser was finishing my wig, to see Kevin walk in the room, slowly opening the door.

"Hi Kev." I smiled a little, nervously.

"Hi." He smiled, walking over to my chair, "Hi Lin." He gave a brief wave to my dad, who was reading a copy of Playbill I had on my couch. "You excited Sweetheart?" He asked, right as my dresser left.

"Mmhm." I nodded, "terrified, but very excited."

"Woah." He looked at me oddly, "I've never seen you with stage fright. Ever."

"I- I don't know why it's happening." I whispered, standing up and giving him a hug. He gently swayed me in his arms, humming How 'Bout A Dance to calm me down. It was our wedding song, so quickly I calmed down in his arms.

"It's not a big deal Peanut." Lin set a hand on my shoulder, "most actors are nervous for their Broadway Debut, you're going to be fantastic."

"Thanks." I sighed.

"Mija," my dad said, "I'm gonna go and make sure your mom and brother found their seats, I will be back in ten okay?"

"Okay." I smiled, and he left the room.

"Now amante." Kevin looked at me, still holding me, one hand on the small of my back. "You are going to be great, you are going to sing fantastically, and I'll cry during your death scene my sweet sweet Abigail." He softly kissed me, and rubbed my lower back lightly.

"What if I screw up?" I whispered, "in front of the reporter from The Times? What if I forget a lyric, or fall on top of Josh during Bonnie? Or fall during Too Late To Turn Back Now? Kevin I am very accident prone!"

"Shh," he softly chuckled, "if you fall on top of Josh during Bonnie, it won't be anything but cute, he'll stop singing, kiss you, make fun of you a bit because he'll stay in character, then have you hop back onto the tub and he'll finish his song." He took my hand and had me sit next to him on the couch.

"Kev, I just, I don't want to fail." I whispered.

"You won't." He said, and kissed my forehead.

•••

"5 minutes till places, 5." I heard over the intercom. Kevin was sitting with my family, in the second row, and Lin was still sitting backstage with me.

"Dad, you should probably go, show starts in five."

"Nope, I'll wait with you. Are you excited about the party?" He asked.

"Mmhm." I nodded, "I really am, first cast party where I'm not tagging along with you and Mom."

"Your mother and I will still be there." He joked.

"I know, but, I mean, it's mine, I'm Bonnie Parker, I'm the lead in a Broadway Musical!" I smiled.

"Yep. It feels weird doesn't it?"

"Yeah." I sighed.

Time ticked by, and eventually Lin had walked with me offstage, and I was watching Jenny sing Picture Show with the Young Clyde, Sam. Finally I heard my cue, the Stage Manager gave me a little nod, and Lin kissed the back of my head and gave me a light push. I walked out onstage to sing my first lyric, I felt the energy of the excited audience pulsing through the building, and I smiled. I let my mind drift off, and disappear, delving completely into Bonnie Parkers thoughts.

•••

"You'll lose the blues, and you may lose your heart." I sang, slipping my arm around my best friend Joshs' waist. I stood on my toes, and kissed him, finishing the show, the lights went black, and I pulled away a smile on my face. Josh set his hands on my waist, and picked me up spinning me around. He took my hand and pulled me backstage for the curtain call. I saw Jenny and Sam take their bows, then the actors playing our parents, and Chris, the actor playing Clydes brother took their bows. I looked to my right and saw Josh cheering loudly for Chris, as they were engaged.

"Okay Pip-Squeak." Josh whispered, as the two of us walked out hand in hand to a cheering audience, I motioned to him as he bowed, then he came back up, and smiled at me. I took my first bow, smiling at the audience, keeping composure, until it hit me that people were on their feet, and videoing our bows, and cheering loudly. A huge smile broke onto my face, and I cried, not believing what was happening. I felt cast members take my hands on either side, and we bowed as a whole. Josh hugged me right after we came back up, "congrats." He whispered.

"I did it."

•••

Next one shots gonna be sad... sorry...

Love you

Thanks for reading!

- Abi